Category: Xiaomi

Huami To Launch Two Smartwatches In India On 24th July

Ever since wearables became a trend, Xiaomi has been launching its own line of fitness bands and smartwatches. Huami is a partnered brand with Xiaomi, which made the Mi Fit, Mi Band, and the Amazfit smartwatches. The brand is now launching in India with two smartwatches. The Amazfit Bip and Amazfit Stratos are the two wearables launching on the 24th of July. Huami made an official announcement via Twitter regarding these smartwatches.

Huami Announcement

While the Amazfit Stratos follows a circular design, the Amazfit Bip has a more rectangular aesthetic. The Amazfit Bip has rounded corners, making it look similar to the Apple Watch. The strap found on both the smartwatches are rubberized.

Also Read: Asus ROG Gaming Smartphone Launch In India Confirmed

Amazfit Bip

The Amazfit Stratos is comparatively on the pricier side, as it costs about US $199.99 (Rs. 13,718.31 approx). Whereas the Amazfit Bip costs US $99 (Rs 6,785.96 approx). Naturally, the latter has a few corners cut in terms of specifications but the Bip still holds its ground with an IP68 rating and an array of sensors. Both smartwatches offer a lot of fitness tracking features and are compatible with both iOS and Android devices. The Huami Amazfit Bip and Stratos both use a proprietary OS.

Those who can’t wait for the devices to launch in India can directly order them from the US Amazon website. Considering the US price of these smartwatches are fairly competitive, we can expect the Indian prices to be relatively on the cheaper side as well. After their launch in India, we will give our final verdict on the price tags of the smartwatches. Given that the Indian market is already flooded with a plethora of fitness bands and smartwatches. On paper, both the Amazfit Bip and Amazfit Stratos look incredibly promising.

Are you going to buy a Huami smartwatch when they are available for sale? We are all ears in the comment section, do leave your feedback.

July 18, 2018
Xiaomi Mi A2 Confirmed To Launch On July 24 With Android One

The Chinese smartphone manufacturing company, Xiaomi has made a name for itself in the Indian market. Fans love the company mostly for its budget-friendly devices. The Xiaomi Mi A2 will be an Android One device which would launch on July 24 in Madrid, Spain. We can expect the Xiaomi Mi A2 to be another of those budget-friendly devices. The Xiaomi Mi A2 has been subject to a lot of speculations over the past few weeks. The new tweet by the company revealed the launch details.

The #MiA2 & #MiA2Lite are coming your way very soon. Did you guess right? #2isbetterthan1 pic.twitter.com/KYsPKeHWa2

— Xiaomi (@Xiaomi) July 17, 2018

Xiaomi Mi A2 will be available in four variants. The most affordable one will have 4GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage, the second on the list will have 64GB storage and the same RAM. The third variant on the list will have 6GB of RAM and 64GB storage while the most premium variant will have 6GB RAM and 128GB of onboard storage.

Another aspect of the Xiaomi Mi A2 revealed in the leak is the colour options. The smartphone will be available in Gold, Blue and Black colour variants in India. However, looking at the marketing strategy of many smartphone makers, Xiaomi could launch a special red colour edition a couple of months after the Mi A2 launch. Much like the OnePlus 6.

Mi 6X Pink Variant

The smartphone is expected to have a 5.99-inch FHD+ 2160 x 1080 px IPS LCD display with a 16:9 ratio aspect ratio. The screen to body ratio could be around 70.1%. The smartphone might run on the Snapdragon 626/660 Octa-core chipset. The beloved 3.5mm headphone jack could also make a reappearance on the Mi A2.

Must Read: Xiaomi Mi 8 Could Launch In India In July

The dual rear-camera on the Mi A2 could feature a 12 MP sensor with a f/2.2 aperture and another 12 MP sensor with a f/2.6 aperture. The front-facing camera of the device might have a 5 MP sensor capable of shooting 1080p videos.

Stay tuned to iGyaan for further updates on the Xiaomi A2 story.

July 17, 2018
Xiaomi Mi Max 3 Launch Set For 19th July

Xiaomi has confirmed that the Mi Max 3 is going to launch on July 19th in China. Fans speculated that the Mi Max 3 would launch in the month of May alongside the launch of Mi 7. However, the CEO of the Chinese manufacturer, Lei Jun confirmed at that time the launch would happen sometime in July.

Prior to the launch confirmation, Lei Jun also teased the retail box of the Xiaomi Mi Max 3. The cuboidal box is white and has the “Max 3” embossed on the top in gold colour.

Mi Max 3 Retail Box

The Xiaomi Mi Max 3 will have a 6.9 inch Full HD+ IPS LCD panel with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. The aspect ratio for this smartphone is 18:9 and the screen-to-body ratio due to the lack of the notch is 79.8%. The Mi Max 3 will launch with MIUI 10 out of the box, based on Android 8.1 Oreo.

Xiaomi is likely to go with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor paired with the Adreno 509 GPU. The other likely alternative for the Xiaomi Max 3 is the Snapdragon 710 processor with the Adreno 616 GPU. According to some rumors, is also a possibility that we may see a Pro version with the latter SoC.

The phone is expected to be launched in three storage and RAM variants. The first variant will have 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. The other variant will have a 4GB RAM and a 64GB internal storage. The third variant will have a 6GB RAM and a large 128GB internal storage.

Also Read: OnePlus 6 Vs Xiaomi Mi 8: Top Notch Flagships

For the expected price of CNY 1,699 (roughly Rs. 17,400), Xiaomi decided to not put a notch on its 2018 Max smartphone. This is surprising, considering the fact that other manufacturers have adopted the notch, even for their sub Rs. 20K phones. To name one, The Nokia X6, which is yet to be released outside of China, has a notch. Xiaomi also has the Redmi 6 pro with a notch which will be launched in India later in the year.

July 12, 2018

Xiaomi PocoPhone Flagship Headed For India

Xiaomi is ready to unveil yet another smartphone globally and the rumor is, that the launch will be for India first. Xiaomi is currently one of the leading smartphone brands in India, this new flagship, according to the leaks, is code-named Beryllium. This phone is expected to have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC, making it the third phone from the Chinese manufacturer to feature this chipset. The FCC filing of a similar device reveals that Xiaomi may call this the “Xiaomi Pocophone”.

Xiaomi is known for using code-names for its devices, for instance, the Xiaomi Mix 2s was code-named “Polaris” and the Mi 8 launched on 5th June in China, was code-named “dipper”.

Must Read: Xiaomi Mi Max 3 Retail Box Revealed By Xiaomi CEO Before Official Launch

Since Xiaomi has kept the device under wraps, not much is known about it but, the speculations suggest that the smartphone may have a notch display. Not unlike the current smartphone trend. The notch would give the phone at least an 18:9 aspect ratio. The specifications of this Xiaomi device were extracted from the firmware files of the MIUI Global ROM. There is a high likelihood, however, that the specifications may vary when the device is officially launched. Regardless, the following are the alleged specifications of Beryllium as found on a post on XDA Developers.

Specs	Details
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630 GPU
Display	18:9 LCD Display with notch
Battery	4,000 mAh
Finger Print	Dedicated Finger Print Sensor
Camera	Dual Rear Camera, Optical Zoom

After the launch of a flagship under the Black Shark name, the Chinese manufacturer has trademarked yet another brand by the name “POCOPHONE”. This could mean that Beryllium may launch under this brand name.

For the Indian customers looking forward to a new flagship from Xiaomi, there is another piece of information which was extracted from the firmware code which may be found only in the Indian variant of the device. The following is a snippet which shows the same. This code checks certain build properties and would return a true value only if it is “India”.

Most of the information about the smartphone is speculated and there has been no official word from the company about its global or even Indian release date for that matter. But we will be keeping an eye out for any further details for the device so stay tuned.

July 10, 2018

Xiaomi Mi A2 Will Launch With Up To 6GB Of RAM, 128GB Onboard Storage

The Xiaomi Mi A2 has been subject to a lot of speculations over the past few weeks. With the Mi 8 launch in the past, the Mi A2 is the next big smartphone to launch in global markets, especially India. The successor to the Mi A1 has been highly anticipated in India and will be one of the most sought-after budget devices. A new leak has revealed the colour and storage variants of the Mi A2 which will be available in India and other countries.

According to the leak, the Xiaomi Mi A2 will be available in four variants. The most affordable one will have 4GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage, the second on the list will have 64GB storage and the same RAM. The third variant on the list will have 6GB of RAM and 64GB storage while the most premium variant will have 6GB RAM and 128GB of onboard storage.

Must Read: Xiaomi Mi 8 Could Launch In India In July

It is worth noting that the Mi A2 will essentially be the recently launched Mi 6X but, with stock Android. It does appear that Xiaomi has tweaked things for the global variant since, in China, the Mi 6X did not launch in a 32GB storage variant. This also means that we might see the beloved 3.5mm headphone jack make an appearance on the Mi A2. The Xiaomi Mi 6X does not have a headphone jack and in India, this might not go down well with the consumers.

Mi 6X Pink Variant

Another aspect of the Xiaomi Mi A2 revealed in the leak is the colour options. The smartphone will be available in Gold, Blue and Black colour variants in India. In China, the Mi 6X also available in a Red and Pink colour variant which might not make their way to the Indian market. However, looking at the marketing strategy of many smartphone makers, Xiaomi could launch a special red colour edition a couple of months after the Mi A2 launch.

While the company has not officially confirmed the launch of the Xiaomi Mi A2, a July 25th launch is scheduled in Spain. The Mi A2 is expected to be the star of the show while the Mi Band 3 could also see its global unveiling.

July 9, 2018

Xiaomi Mi 8 SE Vs Huawei P20 Lite- Specs Comparison

Xiaomi recently launched the Mi 8 and the Mi 8 Explorer Edition at an event in China. While the two flagship devices grabbed deserved headlines, the Mi 8 SEwas also unveiled at the same event. The new budget smartphone from Xiaomi is likely to launch in India in the coming months as the company prepares the Mi 8 launch for India as well. If launched in India, the Xiaomi Mi 8 SE will compete with the Huawei P20 Lite for the best smartphone for Rs 20,000.

The Huawei P20 Lite was launched in India along with the Huawei P20 Pro. Just like the Mi 8 SE, the P20 Lite was overshadowed by its bigger sibling. However, the P20 Lite continues to be one of the best smartphones for the price range. The P20 Lite is priced at Rs 19999 in India. The Xiaomi Mi 8 SE is priced at CNY 1,799 (Rs 19000 approx.) for the 4GB RAM variant and CNY 1999 (Rs 21000) for the 6GB RAM variant.

Buy The Xiaomi Mi 8 SE Here

The Mi 8 SE has a 5.88 inch Super AMOLED display with a 2248 x 1080 px resolution. The aspect ratio is 18.7:9, which is the same as the Mi 8. The P20 Lite, on the other hand, has a 5.84 inch LTPS IPS LCD display with a 2280 x 1080 px resolution. Both the smartphones have glass on the front and back with an aluminium frame.

The P20 Lite runs on the HiSilicon Kirin 659 chipset which is coupled with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The Mi 8 SE, however, runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 chipset. It is worth noting that the Xiaomi Mi 8 SE is the first-ever smartphone to be powered by Qualcomm’s new mid-range chipset. The Mi 8 SE is available in two variants, one with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage and the other one with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage.

Both the smartphones stray away from the popular stock Android interface. The P20 Lite runs EMUI 8.0 on top of Android 8 Oreo while the Mi 8 SE runs MIUI 9.5 on top of Android 8 Oreo. The P20 Lite is powered by a 3000 mAh battery with support for SuperCharge. The Mi 8 SE is powered by a 3120 mAh battery with QuickCharge 3.0. Both the devices have a USB-C port which is great in budget phones, especially. The Xiaomi Mi 8 SE does miss out on a headphone jack.

The Xiaomi Mi 8 SE has a 12MP RGB sensor with an f/1.9 aperture mated with a 5MP depth sensor with an f/2.0 aperture. To the front is a 20MP camera with a 2-micron pixel size and f/2.0 aperture. The P20 Lite has a 16MP primary sensor with an f/2.2 aperture coupled with a 2MP depth sensor. On the front is a 24MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture. Both the front and back cameras record 1080P videos while the front camera also has 3D Portrait Lighting, similar iPhone’s Portrait Lighting.

The Xiaomi Mi 8 SE is a popular choice in India. Its pricing and specifications suit the Indian market as well, something Xiaomi would be aware of. The P20 Lite offers a great design and specifications and is readily available in India. Huawei would hope that Xiaomi doesn’t launch the Mi 8 SE in India and the P20 Lit continues to have a free run at the 20K category.

Specs

Specifications	Xiaomi Mi 8 SE	Huawei P20 Lite
Price	CNY 1,799 (Rs 19000 approx.) 4GB RAM CNY 1999 (Rs 21000) 6GB RAM	Rs 19999 (4GB RAM)
Display	5.88 inch Super AMOLED	5.84 inch LTPS IPS LCD
Display Resolution	2248 x 1080 px 18.7:9 aspect ratio	2280 x 1080 px 19:9 aspect ratio
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 710	HiSilicon Kirin 659
Processor	Octa-core 4 x 2.36 GHz Cortex-A53 4 x 1.7 GHz Cortex-A53	Octa-core 2 x 2.2 GHz Cortex-A75 6 x 1.7 GHz Cortex-A55
RAM	4GB/6GB	4GB
Storage	64GB/128GB Not expandable	64GB Hybrid microSD card slot, expandable up to 256GB
Battery	3120 mAh QuickCharge 3.0	3000 mAh SuperCharge
Primary Camera	12MP RGB f/1.9 5MP depth sensor f/2.0	16MP RGB f/2.2 2MP Depth Sensor
Primary Camera Video	4K @ 30fps	1080P @ 30fps
Secondary Camera	20MP f/2.0 1080P @ 30fps	24MP f/2.0 1080P @ 30fps
Add-Ons	Fingerprint Sensor Face Unlock	Fingerprint Sensor Face Unlock

July 5, 2018

Xiaomi Mi A2’s About Section Leaked In Live Image

The Xiaomi Mi A2 is one of the most anticipated budget smartphones in India. Its predecessor, the Mi A1 was one of the best budget devices of 2017 hence, a lot is expected from the Mi A2. Xiaomi appears to be moving at its own sweet pace in making the smartphone official even though we have had a number of leaks confirming almost everything there is to know. A new leaked image reveals the ‘About’ screen of the Mi A2, revealing the Android version it’ll run and a few other details.

The image confirms that the Mi A1 successor will indeed be the Mi A2 and not Mi A1 (2018) which many suspected. This makes sense for Xiaomi especially if the company wants to make this a prominent series of smartphones in India. Just changing the year in the moniker of the device will be cumbersome. The image also confirms that the Mi A2 will run the latest version of Android, Android 8.1 Oreo.

Must Read: Xiaomi Mi A2 Running On Snapdragon 660 To Launch In India Soon

We already know that the Xiaomi Mi A2 will essentially be the Mi 6X but, with stock Android. This means that the smartphone will run on the Snapdragon 660 chipset. The image is also in line with this assumption. The Mi A2 will have bezels like the Redmi Note 5 Pro and the one in the leaked image has white bezels around the display.

The Xiaomi Mi A1 was launched in India in September 2017. However, the Mi A2 is expected to go on sale in India in the month of August. This means that the smartphone should be announced sooner rather than later. With the budget smartphone market seeing new entrants like the Realme 1 and Asus Zenfone Max Pro, Xiaomi will have to nail the pricing of its Android One smartphone.

July 5, 2018
Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 With Pop-Up Front Camera Revealed In Promotional Poster

The smartphone industry is moving towards that ultimate bezel-less smartphone. It looks more and more likely that a smartphone maker will soon unveil a working prototype of a futuristic smartphone and a few companies are at the forefront of that. Vivo recently launched the NEX S, based on its Vivo NEX concept with a pop-up front camera to further reduce the size of the bezels. It appears that this could be a trend that will catch on and Xiaomi might be the next in line. The Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 is rumoured to launch with a pop-up front camera to attain a very high screen-to-body ratio.

A new image posted on Weibo appears to be a promotional poster of an upcoming Xiaomi smartphone. In the image, the pop-up camera is clearly visible, although, the name of the smartphone is nowhere to be found. However, Xiaomi’s Mi MIX lineup has been the company’s outlet for futuristic designs and pushing that screen-to-body ratio to its limits. The Mi MIX 3 could well beat OPPO Find X’s record for the highest screen-to-body ratio if the rumours turn out to be true.

Must Read: Xiaomi Mi 8 SE Running On Snapdragon 710 Officially Launched

While the design looks aesthetically pleasing and does help smartphone makers reduce the top bezel (or the bottom bezel in Xiaomi’s case), it has its sceptics. It is not a secret that having moving parts in a smartphone can be a recipe for a disaster waiting to happen. There are plenty of scenarios where moving parts can be cumbersome, and not to forget, expensive. The Vivo NEX S and OPPO Find X look great but, how they fair in the long run is yet to be seen.

Over the years, Xiaomi has become famous for its reliable hardware and software. If the company does go ahead with a pop-up camera, it’s fair to assume that it would be a well thought out decision. What this will do to the affordability of the Mi MIX lineup is anybody’s guess as of now.

July 4, 2018
Xiaomi Mi Max 3 Retail Box Revealed By Xiaomi CEO Before Official Launch

Over the past few months, we have seen smartphone makers adopt varying marketing strategies. Lenovo took an extreme turn and hyped the Lenovo Z5 only to launch a mediocre version of what was expected. OnePlus teased a lot of new features of the OnePlus 6 before the official launch. Xiaomi has gone a step further with the Mi Max 3. Lei Jun, CEO of Xiaomi has posted an image of the retail box of the Xiaomi Mi Max 3 before its official launch.

The box clearly states the Mi Max 3 moniker, hence confirming the existing rumours. The soon to be launched phablet will succeed the Xiaomi Mi Max 2 which was launched in late-July in 2017. The launch of the Mi Max 3 falls in line with the company’s launch pattern for the Max series. Unfortunately, the image does not give away any details about the smartphone.

Must Read: Xiaomi Mi 8 Could Launch In India In July

Mi Max 2

So far, there have been a few leaks regarding the Xiaomi Mi Max 3. According to the listing, the Xiaomi Mi Max 3 will sport a 6.9 inch display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. This resolution confirms that the Mi Max 3 will have thinner bezels than its predecessor and also that it won’t have a notch. While many smartphones in 2018 sport a notch, users in general, aren’t very stoked about a notched display.

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Despite the larger display, the Mi Max 3 won’t be much larger than its predecessor. According to the listing, the Mi Max 3 measures 176.15 x 87.4 x 7.99 mm and weighs in at 221 grams. The Mi Max 2, on the other hand, measures 174.1 x 88.7 x 7.6mm and weighs in at 211 grams. For context, the Mi Max 2 had a 6.4 inch display and a 5300 mAh battery.

The Mi Max 3 will run on a 1.8GHz octa-core processor coupled with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Xiaomi will launch multiple variants and the one with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage will be the priciest. The fingerprint sensor will be placed on the back of the device just like almost all the Xiaomi devices off late. Powering the smartphone is a 5400 mAh battery which isn’t a significant upgrade over the 5300 mAh battery found on the Mi Max 2.

The details about the camera department are scarce for now. The listing reveals that it will have a dual-camera setup on the back with a 12MP primary sensor. The dual-camera setup will be capable of shooting videos at up to 4K resolution. To the front is an 8MP front-facing sensor. The Mi Max 3 will run Android 8 Oreo out of the box with MIUI 10 on top.

As bezels get thinner and displays get bigger, the line between smartphones and phablets will get blurrier. That, however, has not stopped Xiaomi from exploring the phablet realm. The Mi Max 3 could launch in India as well along with China. The pricing will be key for the device to have any impact on the over-crowded budget smartphone segment.

July 3, 2018
Xiaomi Mi 8 Could Launch In India In July

The Xiaomi Mi 8 was launched in China on May 31st. The smartphone was highly anticipated for its design and Face ID-like facial recognition system. Since its launch, the Mi 8, along with the Mi 8 SE and Mi 8 Explorer Edition has sold over a million units in China. The company now plans on bringing its flagship smartphone to international markets as well.

Xiao Zhiyuan, Xiaomi’s Product Marketing Director for Mobile Phones has confirmed that the Mi 8 will launch in international markets. He has conceded that its launch in other countries to begin as early as next month (July 2018). This essentially confirms that the Mi 8 will indeed launch in India as it is the biggest market for Xiaomi after China. Xiao Zhiyuan did not directly confirm the smartphone’s launch in India but, India is a highly probable destination for the notched flagship.

In China, the Xiaomi Mi 8 is available in three variants. The 6GB RAM/64GB storage is priced at CNY2,699 (Rs 28400 approx.), the 6GB RAM/128GB storage model costs CNY2,999 (Rs 315000) and the priciest version retails for CNY 3299 (Rs 34700 approx.) with the same RAM and 256GB storage. Considering Xiaomi’s pricing pattern so far, the Mi 8 could launch in India at a starting price of Rs 30000, which is much more affordable than the OnePlus 6.

Must Read: OnePlus 6 Vs Xiaomi Mi 8: Top Notch Flagships

The Xiaomi Mi 8 has a 6.21 inch Super AMOLED display (by Samsung) with a 2248 x 1080 px resolution. The unusual resolution is a result of an 18.7:9 aspect ratio. Xiaomi, like OnePlus, has stuck to a FullHD+ resolution instead of a QuadHD+ resolution found in devices like the Galaxy S9.

Under the hood, the smartphone runs on the Snapdragon 845 chipset with 6GB of RAM coupled with 64GB/128GB/256GB of onboard storage. The onboard storage will not be expandable, which has been the case for flagship Xiaomi devices for a while. The fingerprint sensor is placed on the back of smartphones, giving users an option to choose between Face Unlock and a fingerprint sensor.

Powering the smartphone will be a 3400 mAh battery which charges via USB C port. Despite the glass back, the Xiaomi Mi 8 does not have wireless charging. Out of the box, the Mi 8 will run Android 8.1 Oreo with the new MIUI 10 on top. MIUI 10 was also announced at the same event and comes with Xiaomi’s own Xiao Ai smart assistant, similar to Google Assistant and Siri.

Must Read: Unboxing The Honor 10

The vertically-placed dual-camera setup is also reminiscent of the iPhone X. However, Xiaomi appears to have adopted the design for its 2018 lineup of smartphones. To the back is a primary 12MP RGB sensor with an f/1.8 aperture coupled with a 12MP telephoto lens with an f/2.4 aperture and 1-micron pixel size. The notch houses a 20MP AI camera with an f/2.0 aperture. Just like the iPhone X, it also has a portrait lighting feature and Xiaomi’s own take on the animojis.

The Xiaomi Mi 8, on paper, is a very good affordable flagship smartphone. If launched in India, it will be up against the likes of the OnePlus 6 and Honor 10. The only caveat for the Xiaomi Mi 8 could be the flash sale system.

June 30, 2018

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Starts Receiving Android 8.1 Oreo-Based MIUI 9.5.14 Update

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro was launched in February along with the Redmi Note 5. At that time, it was the only smartphone on the market to run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636. Since then, the smartphone has received a host of software updates and the latest update is the biggest till date. The new update brings MIUI 9.5.14 to the Redmi Note 5 Pro which is based on Android 8 Oreo.

While the company has made an official statement about the rollout, it is yet to publish the changelog. The most notable change with the new update is the upgrade to Android 8.1 Oreo. Xiaomi smartphones are not known for the regular Android updates. However, thanks to Project Treble, the Redmi Note 5 Pro will be one of the faster Xiaomi devices to receive software updates.

What is Project Treble?

Project Treble is a feature that is included as a part of Android 8 Oreo OS. This enables OEMs to make software updates faster and easier. A few months ago Android gained a “Vendor Interface” (VI), largely due to a new development effort from Google. The VI’s aim is to separate the “Vendor Implementation” (that is, “the device-specific, lower-level software written in large part by the silicon manufacturers”), from the Android OS framework.

The new VI is supposed to sit between the Android OS framework and Vendor Implementation. And the new VI will be validated by a Vendor Test Suite (VTS), which is analogous to the Compatibility Test Suite (CTS) that Google has been using for API testing of apps. The VTS ensures forward-compatibility of the VI. Before, the VI needed to be reworked after every single Android OS framework update, while with Project Treble, that won’t be the case anymore.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Specs

Specifications	Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
Price	Starting Rs 14999
Display	5.99 inch IPS LCD
Resolution	2160 x 1080 px 18:9 403 ppi
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 1.8GHz Octa-core
RAM	4GB 6GB
Storage	64GB
Battery	4000 mAh
Primary Camera	12MP f/2.2 5MP f/2.0 1.25-micron
Primary Camera Video	1920 x 1080 px @ 30fps
Secondary Camera	20MP Sony IMX376 Beautify 4.0 LED flash
Add-Ons	Fingerprint Sensor Face Unlock

June 30, 2018

Honor 7C Vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 5: The Ultimate Smartphone Under Rs 10,000

India’s budget smartphone segment has been congested for some time now. Companies like Xiaomi, Honor, Motorola consistently launch Android devices at a price of under Rs 15000, giving consumers a plethora of options. At a price point of Rs 10000, Xiaomi and Honor have two very good offerings. The Redmi Note 5 is priced at Rs 9999 for the base variant while the Honor 7C also retails for Rs 9999 for the base model.

The Honor 7C has an aluminium unibody build. The Redmi Note 5, on the other hand, has a plastic back which makes it feel much cheaper than the Honor 7C. Both the smartphones have an 18:9 aspect ratio. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 has a 5.99 inch IPS LCD display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. The Honor 7C, on the other hand, has a 5.99 inch IPS LCD display with a 1440 x 720 px resolution. The Redmi Note 5 has a 77.4% screen-to-body ratio while the Honor 7C has a 76.3% screen-to-body ratio.

When the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 and Note 5 Pro were launched, many people wanted the Note 5 Pro to be the Note 5. One of the main reasons for that was the cameras. The Redmi Note 5, just like the Redmi Note 4, has a single camera on the back. The Honor 7C, on the other hand, has a dual-camera setup on the back at the same price.

The Honor 7C has a 13MP primary sensor which is coupled with a 2MP depth sensor. The primary sensor has an f/2.2 aperture. The presence of a depth sensor means that the Honor 7C can take portrait and bokeh shots. The Redmi Note 5 has a 12MP single sensor on the back with an f/2.2 aperture. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 records 4K videos at 30fps while the Honor 7C records 1080P videos at 30fps. On the front, the Honor 7C houses an 8MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture while the Redmi Note 5 has a 5MP sensor.

Out of the box, the Honor 7C runs on Android 8 Oreo with EMUI 8.0 on top. The Redmi Note 5 runs Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box and with MIUI 9 on top. There is no specific timeline for when the Redmi Note 5 will be updated to Android 8 Oreo. It is, however, scheduled to be updated to MIUI 10 in the near future.

Under the hood, the Honor 7C runs on the Snapdragon 450 octa-core chipset with 3GB/4GB RAM and 32/64GB storage. The storage is expandable using a micro SD card up to 256GB. The Redmi Note 5, on the other hand, runs on the Snapdragon 625 SoC, the same chipset found on the Redmi Note 4.

The Honor 7C offers a dual-camera setup, a dedicated microSD card slot and a better build quality when compared to the Redmi Note 5. How do the two smartphones stack up when their specifications are compared? Let’s find out!

Specs

Specifications	Honor 7C	Redmi Note 5
Price	Rs 9999 (3GB RAM)	Rs 9999 (3GB RAM)
Display	5.99 inch IPS LCD	5.99 inch IPS LCD
Resolution	1440 x 720 px 18:9 aspect ratio	2160 x 1080 px 18:9 aspect ratio
Primary Camera	13MP f/2.2 RBG sensor 2MP depth sensor	12MP f/2.2
Primary Camera Video	1080P @ 30fps	4K @ 30fps
Secondary Camera	8MP f/2.0	5MP f/2.0
Chipset	Snapdragon 450	Snapdragon 625
Processor	Octa-core 1.8 GHz Cortex-A53	Octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53
RAM	3GB	3GB
Storage	32GB Dedicated microSD card slot	32GB Hybrid microSD card slot
Battery	3000 mAh	4000 mAh
Add-Ons	Fingerprint sensor Face Unlock	Fingerprint sensor Face Unlock

June 28, 2018

Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro Will Have A Notch And Thick Bezels

Xiaomi launched the Redmi 6A and Redmi 6 in China on June 12th. Up until the launch, there were rumours that Xiaomi would launch three smartphones, with the Redmi 6 Pro being the third device. However, that did not happen as Xiaomi confirmed that the Redmi 6 Pro will launch on June 25th. The company has released official renders of the soon to be launched smartphone on its Weibo page, revealing the design of the device.

The renders are not accompanied by any other information about the display. They do, however, confirm that the Redmi 6 Pro will have a notch. Thankfully, it appears that the leaked photo of the smartphone was of an early prototype and Xiaomi would not go for white-coloured bezels. The bezels are black in colour which means that users might be able to hide the notch if the software allows them to.

While the notch is nothing new, the presence of thick bezels despite the notch is a bit disappointing. The back of the smartphone is similar to every other 2018 Xiaomi smartphone with a dual-camera setup. The two cameras are laid down vertically on the top-left corner which is eerily similar to the iPhone X. The design is a definite upgrade over the Redmi 5 even though the notch seems a bit unnecessary.

According to a listing on TENNA, the Redmi 6 Pro will have a 5.84 inch display with a 2280 x 1080 px resolution. This will be the first Redmi smartphone to sport a 19:9 aspect ratio.

In its promotional poster, the company confirmed that the Redmi 6 Pro will run on the Snapdragon 625 chipset. The Snapdragon 625 SoC is Xiaomi’s favourite when it comes to budget smartphones and the Redmiu 6 Pro is no different. Powering the device will be a 4000 mAh battery which was also confirmed in the promotional poster.

With every Xiaomi launch in China, there are question marks around its launch in India. With the Redmi 6 Pro as well, it appears that the smartphone will remain a China-exclusive. With the Indian budget smartphone packed to the rafters, a Xiaomi Android One smartphone is what it needs.

June 22, 2018
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 To Launch On June 25th

After a few days of speculations and leaks, Xiaomi has officially confirmed that the Mi Pad 4 is coming. The Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 will launch in China on June 25th. The poster was posted on the company’s official Weibo page. The fourth-gen Mi Pad will succeed the Mi Pad 3 which was launched in April 2017.

The Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 has so far flown under the radar of internet leaks. We barely know anything about the upcoming tablet apart from a few vague details. Recent leaks suggest the Mi Pad 4 will run on Snapdragon 660 chipset and sport an 18:9 aspect ratio. If true, this will be a headline-grabber as well since no other tablets with this aspect ratio have launched so far.

It is also rumoured to have a 13MP rear-facing camera and a 5MP front-facing camera. The Mi Pad 3 did not feature a fingerprint sensor. With the Xiaomi Mi Pad 4, there are chances of the company introducing the feature that has become the norm in all sorts of mobile devices. However, Xiaomi usually placed the fingerprint sensor on the back of its devices which might be cumbersome on a tablet.

Xiaomi is one of the few Android smartphone makers to still push tablets into the market. After a few years of competing with Apple’s iPad lineup, Android tablets have slowly faded into oblivion. It’ll be interesting to see how the Mi Pad 4 performs in the market considering the 6th-gen Apple iPad is also very affordable. The Mi Pad 4, however, will definitely undercut the cheapest iPad in terms of pricing when it is launched.

6th-Gen iPad

The launch of the Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 isn’t too far away. Its launched in India, however, is indefinite. It is to be seen whether the company decides to bring its latest tablet offering to India or not.

June 20, 2018
Xiaomi Mi Max 3 With 5400 mAh Battery And 6.9 Inch Display Listed On TENNA

Xiaomi recently launched the eagerly anticipated Mi 8 in China along with the Mi 8 Explorer Edition and Mi 8 SE. There have been rumours of Xiaomi maybe launching the Mi 8 SE in India while the Mi 8 will be a China-exclusive for now. Apart from the Mi 8 SE, Xiami could launch another budget Mi device in India, the Mi Max 3. A new listing on TENNA essentially confirms that the Xiaomi Mi Max 3 will indeed launch soon.

According to the listing, the Xiaomi Mi Max 3 will sport a 6.9 inch display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. This resolution confirms that the Mi Max 3 will have thinner bezels than its predecessor and also that it won’t have a notch. While many smartphones in 2018 sport a notch, users in general, aren’t very stoked about a notched display.

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Despite the larger display, the Mi Max 3 won’t be much larger than its predecessor. According to the listing, the Mi Max 3 measures 176.15 x 87.4 x 7.99 mm and weighs in at 221 grams. The Mi Max 2, on the other hand, measures 174.1 x 88.7 x 7.6mm and weighs in at 211 grams. For context, the Mi Max 2 had a 6.4 inch display and a 5300 mAh battery.

The Mi Max 3 will run on a 1.8GHz octa-core processor coupled with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Xiaomi will launch multiple variants and the one with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage will be the priciest. The fingerprint sensor will be placed on the back of the device just like almost all the Xiaomi devices off late. Powering the smartphone is a 5400 mAh battery which isn’t a significant upgrade over the 5300 mAh battery found on the Mi Max 2.

The details about the camera department are scarce for now. The listing reveals that it will have a dual-camera setup on the back with a 12MP primary sensor. The dual-camera setup will be capable of shooting videos at up to 4K resolution. To the front is an 8MP front-facing sensor. The Mi Max 3 will run Android 8 Oreo out of the box with MIUI 10 on top.

The Mi Max 3 is expected to launch sometime in July this year. Unlike recent Xiaomi offerings, the Mi Max 3 is expected to launch in India as well.

June 20, 2018