After months of rumours and leaked, Xiaomi has launched the follow up to the Redmi Note 4. The company has launched the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 in India at a starting price of Rs. 9999. It was speculated that Xiaomi will drop the “Note” moniker altogether and launch the Redmi 5 Plus in India. That speculation has turned out to be true as the Redmi 5 Plus has been renamed Redmi Note 5 for the Indian market.
The device will have a lot of expectations from fans after the success of the Redmi Note 4. By the company’s own admission, the Redmi Note 4 is the most successful Xiaomi phone in India. That is no mean feat considering the popularity of Xiaomi smartphones in India. However, launching the Redmi 5 Plus as the Redmi Note 5 in India might be a surprise for many.
Xiaomi has launched the Redmi Note 5 in India at a starting price of Rs. 9,999 with a new design but, the same chipset. At this price, the Redmi Note 5 competes directly with the recently launched Honor 9 Lite. Both the smartphones have an 18:9 aspect ratio and very capable respective chipsets.
Redmi Note 5
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 is basically the Redmi 5 Plus which was launched in December in China. The design is much more modern than the previous generation and it comes in four different colour variants. The Honor 9 Lite has much thinner bezels but, also a smaller screen size. The Honor 9 Lite has an all-glass build which gives it a much more premium look when compared to the aluminium unibody design of the Redmi Note 5.
With a very similar pricing and more or less similar design language, which device comes out on top? Let’s find out!
Xiaomi has launched a ‘Pro’ version of the Redmi Note 5 in India at a launch event in Delhi. The Redmi Note 5 Pro will go on sale in India at a starting price of Rs. 13999 via Flipkart, mi.com and offline retail partners. The first sale will take place on the 22nd of February. The company also claims that the Redmi Note 5 Pro has better hardware and camera performance than the Redmi Note 5. For context, the Redmi Note 5 is priced at Rs 9,999.
From the front, the Redmi Note 5 Pro looks very similar to the Redmi Note 5. Hence, it has the same display and 18:9 aspect ratio like the Redmi Note 5. Once you flip the device is when you see the difference. In a move that will garner a lot of eyeballs, Xiaomi has gone for a vertically placed dual-camera setup which is positioned uncannily similar to the iPhone X. Even the LED flash is placed between the two sensors, like the iPhone X.
After weeks of speculations around the possible Mi 6X, the smartphone has indeed turned out to be the Redmi Note 5 Pro. India is also the first country where this device has been launched by Xiaomi.
Redmi Note 5 Pro Specifications
Just like the Redmi Note 5, the Note 5 Pro has a 5.99-inch display with a 2160 x 1080px resolution which translates to an 18:9 aspect ratio.
Under the hood, the device has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 chipset and an Adreno 509 GPU to handle the graphics. The Redmi Note 5 Pro will be available in two variants, 4GB RAM/64GB storage and 6GB RAM/64GB storage. The 6GB RAM variant is a great prospect for users who multitask a lot.
The fingerprint sensor is placed on the back of the phone and it has an aluminium unibody build, similar to the Redmi Note 5. Out of the box, the Redmi Note 5 Pro will also run Android 7 Nougat with MIUI 9 on top.
The Redmi Note 5 Pro will also have the infamous Face Unlock feature. It won’t be available out of the box but, will be introduced via an OTA update in March.
The Redmi Note 5 Pro has focussed a lot on the front camera. It has a 20MP Sony IMX376 camera on the front with an LED light. Unlike the Redmi Note 5, it has Beautify 4.0 software which will result in better portrait mode photos, the company claims. To the back of the smartphone is a vertically place dual-camera setup. It is a 12MP colour sensor f/2.2 and 5MP f/2.0 colour sensor setup. The smartphone will click portrait mode photos from the front and rear cameras.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Redmi Note 5 Pro is for consumers who want to multitask a lot and prefer portrait mode photos. However, there are other smartphones like the Mi A1 and Honor 7X which have a stronghold in the market. Will you buy the Redmi Note 5 or the Redmi Note 5 Pro? Lets us know in the comments!
After months of rumours and leaked, Xiaomi has launched the follow up to the Redmi Note 4. The company has launched the Redmi Note 5 in India at a starting price of Rs. 9,999. The first sale starts on the 22nd of February via Flipkart, mi.com and offline retail partners. It was speculated that Xiaomi will drop the “Note” moniker altogether and launch the Redmi 5 Plus in India. That speculation has turned out to be true as the Redmi 5 Plus has been renamed Redmi Note 5 for the Indian market.
The Redmi Note 5 will have a lot of expectations from fans after the success of the Redmi Note 4. By the company’s own admission, the Redmi Note 4 is the most successful Xiaomi phone in India. That is no mean feat considering the popularity of Xiaomi smartphones in India. However, launching the Redmi 5 Plus as the Redmi Note 5 in India might be a surprise for many.
Redmi Note 5
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Specifications
It has a 5.99-inch display with a 2160 x 1080px resolution which translates to an 18:9 aspect ratio. This is one of the biggest changes in the Redmi Note series. Xiaomi has departed from the archaic 16:9 aspect ratio and moved on to the modern design and kept up with the industry trends.
Under the hood, the Redmi 5 Plus has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, 2.0GHz octa-core processor, Adreno 506 GPU, 3GB or 4GB of RAM, and 32GB or 64GB of onboard storage which will be expandable via microSD card. Surprisingly, there is not much of an upgrade here, as the Redmi Note 4 also had the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset. That being said, this chipset is extremely popular in the price segment and won’t disappoint a lot of power users.
The fingerprint sensor sits at the back of the device which has become a Redmi signature irrespective of thin or thick bezels.
The Redmi Note 5 Plus is powered by a massive 4000 mAh battery which, according to Xiaomi, has a standby time of up to 17 days. The device has a micro USB port for charging and data syncing along with a 3.5mm headphone jack. One industry trend that Xiaomi avoided was the removal of the headphone jack despite omitting it in its premium Mi Mix 2.
The device has a 12MP primary camera with an f/2.2 aperture and a 5MP secondary camera with beautify 3.0 software.
The Redmi Note 5 is a solid offering at the price it is available for, and with a modern design combined with the performance of a Xiaomi phone, the device makes a good case to be a go-to budget smartphone.
Lenovo-owned Motorola will be launching a few devices in the coming weeks. The Moto G series will get a refresh and like every year, three smartphones in the ‘G’ series will be launched. The Moto G6, Moto G6 Plus and Moto G6 Play will be announced in the coming weeks and the anticipation around them is slowly increasing.
A few weeks ago, a leak revealed that the whole ‘G’ series in 2018 will move on to an 18:9 aspect ratio. A new listing on the HTML5test has seemingly confirmed that while revealing a bit more information. The Moto G6 Plus and Moto G6 will have a 2160 x 1080 px resolution while the Moto G6 Play will have a 1440 x 20 px resolution. This translates to an 18:9 aspect ratio.
Rumour Roundup
Recently, the Moto G6 Plus was leaked in live images. The images also revealed an 18:9 aspect ratio and sport the new “Motorola” branding on the front.
Moto G6 Plus Leaked Images
The Moto G6 Plus will have a 5.93 inch display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution.
The device will have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 chipset as opposed to the Snapdragon 625 found on the Moto G5s Plus. The smartphone will come in three variants this time around, 3GB RAM/32GB storage, 4GB RAM/64GB storage and 6GB RAM/64GB storage. The 6GB RAM variant will be interesting at this price point as so far, smartphones above Rs. 25000 have featured so much of RAM till now. The fingerprint sensor is placed on the front of the device.
Moto G6 Plus Leaked Images
The Moto G6 Plus will be powered by a 3200 mAh battery. It will run Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box.
The Moto G6 Plus will have a dual-camera setup on the back. It will be a 12MP sensor along with a 5MP sensor with a pixel size of 1.4 microns on the back. To the front will be a 16MP camera, similar to the Moto G6.
MWC is around the corner and HMD Global will be present with a few announcements. Apart from the highly anticipated Penta-lens concept phone, the company is expected to launch the Nokia 1 and Nokia 7 Plus. Recently, the company trademarked Nokia 8 Sirocco Edition moniker, so there are chances of this device to be launched as well.
It looks like we finally have a few live images of what could be the Nokia 7 Plus. New of the Nokia 7 Plus in the real world are an indication that the smartphone will indeed be announced very soon. As expected, the device in the images has an 18:9 aspect ratio and the bezels.
While many speculate that this is the Nokia 9, the probability of the Nokia 7 Plus launching before the 9 are higher. Hence, it could be an HMD Global employee testing the Nokia 7 Plus. We see that the person is clicking some photos from the Nokia 7 Plus which has a dual-camera setup on the back.
Nokia 7 Plus Expectations
The Nokia 7 was launched barely three months ago. The Nokia 7 plus will also feature a dual-tone design thanks to a few gilded bits and pieces. Like the fingerprint scanner ring, the dual-camera casing and the Nokia logo on the back.
The Nokia 7 has a 5.2 inch IPS LCD display with a 1920 x 1080 px resolution. The Nokia 7 Plus will have a 6 inch display with an 18:9 aspect ratio hence, the “Plus” moniker. The fingerprint sensor will be placed on the back, just like the Nokia 7 although, the device had a 16:9 aspect ratio and thick bezels.
Nokia 7
The device will have a 12MP wide-angle lens along with a 13MP telephoto lens. The front of the smartphone is expected to house a 16MP camera with no LED flash. The primary camera setup will also have a Nokia Pro mode along with the Bothie feature.
The smartphone is expected to be launched at MWC 2018. However, HMD Global could launch the smartphone in China first and then announce its global availability at MWC.
Launched at a price of Rs. 10999, the Honor 9 Lite is hands down one of the best smartphones you can buy at this price. It is also the only smartphone in this price range to have four cameras, two on the front and two on the back. While we review plenty of smartphones at iGyaan, we decided to put the Honor 9 Lite through its paces. We really wanted to see how good the cameras are on this phone!
Shot On Honor 9 Lite
So, we decided to let a professional photographer review the camera performance of the device. And here are the results.
Honor 9 Lite Overview
It has a 5.65-inch IPS LCD display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution which translates into an 18:9 aspect ratio.
The display of the smartphone is reminiscent of the Honor 7X with thin bezels and an 18:9 aspect ratio. The Honor branding is housed in the bottom bezel just like the 7X while the fingerprint sensor is comfortably placed on the back of the device. The glass back of the smartphone is extremely reflective and will be a fingerprint magnet.
So, either keep a microfibre cloth handy with you all the time or use a case or a skin to protect it from little smudges and dings. The device is smaller than the Honor 7X thanks to a slightly smaller display as well and it is comfortable to hold and use the device with one hand.
Under the hood, similar to the Honor 7X, the Honor 9 Lite has the HiSilicon Kirin 659 chipset, an octa-core processor, the Mali-T830 MP2 GPU, 3GB or 4GB of RAM and storage options of 32GB and 64GB. It is worth noting that the onboard storage will be expandable up to 256GB via a microSD card. The fingerprint sensor is placed at the back and the bottom bezel on the front houses the Honor branding.
Powering the device is a 3000 mAh battery which also supports the Super Charge technology.
The Honor 9 Lite has four cameras. To the front and back, it has a 13MP + 2MP setup and both the setups record 1080P videos at 30fps.
With the Honor 7X garnering great reviews for price-to-performance ratio, the Honor 9 Lite has taken it up a notch with its competitive pricing in the India market. It has a modern design, a very capable chipset and dual cameras on the front and back.
When the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus were unveiled, there was a sense of anticipation for what was coming. The iPhone X was unveiled and it represented a design that was unusual and a departure from the iconic iPhone design. The most eye-catching design element was the notch on the display. It has a purpose, similar to what the notch did on the Essential phone but, more prominent.
Essential Ph-1
Since then, there have been a lot of smartphones that have tried to imitate the iPhone X notch. It looks like the upcoming Google Pixel 3 devices will also embrace the iPhone X notch. Follow up to Android 8 Oreo, Android P is codenamed Pistachio Icecream internally. According to “people familiar with the matter,” Android P is expected to better accommodate handsets with an iPhone X-like notch at the top of the display.
This means that Google is expecting more Android devices to have a notch on top. As we said earlier, the notch on the iPhone X might be unusual but it is on its way to becoming iconic. For Google to take this step, there could be more reasons than just a trend. Google could implement an iPhone X like notch on its own line of Android devices.
Huawei P11/P20 With A Notch
The Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL will have a lot to prove. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL were marred by controversies. The Google Pixel 3 smartphones are expected to look and perform like premium smartphones and Google could introduce something like Face ID. If Google does implement facial recognition, a notch would make sense in terms of design as well as its functionality.
A lot of Android devices like the Doogee V or Sharp Aquos S3 have a notch as well, but, doesn’t have a lot of functionality.
Along with better optimisation for a display notch, the next version of Android will also have design improvements. Apparently, one of the main goals of Android P is ”improving the look of the software” to better appeal to existing iPhone users. This is to lure iPhone users to switch to Google services and Android devices.
Sharp Aquos s3
Another major change will be better support and optimisation for devices with a foldable display. This could be a huge hint at the possible launch of the foldable Samsung phone, the Galaxy X. Continuing its tryst in making AI better, Google is reportedly considering allowing third-party developers to directly integrate Assistant into their own apps.
While Android Pistachio Icecream sounds like a fun name, Google could easily name it something else since this is an internal codename. One of the most talked-about possible names is Peppermint.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S is speculated to be launched at MWC 2018. Apart from its out of the ordinary design, the Mi Mix 2S is expected to be one of the first few smartphones to run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset. If true, some tests have revealed that it could be much faster than the Apple iPhone X.
Mi Mix 2s Renders
A recent benchmark test of a reference phone running Snapdragon 845 chipset has revealed that it is much faster than the Snapdragon 835. A reference phone is what Qualcomm relies on, to test new chips in as close to a real-world environment as possible. The test scores were compared with Google Pixel 2, Galaxy Note8, and the LG V30. All smartphones running on the Snapdragon 835 chipset.
Results:
Apart from blitzing the Snapdragon 835 chipset, the reference phone has a higher AnTuTu score than the iPhone X. After the launch of the iPhone X, the A11 Bionic chipset was in the news for being much more powerful than the Snapdragon 835. In our Samsung Galaxy Note8 and Apple iPhone X comparison, the A11 chipset fared much better in benchmark results.
The average score of the iPhone X on AnTuTu is over 202,000. In fact, the highest score record of iPhone X reported to Antutu database is 226,000. For context, Snapdragon 845 running reference phone scored a whopping 256,805. Now, if you are a believer in benchmark scores, then this test should be enough for you.
However, benchmark scores hardly ever tell the whole story. Companies like OnePlus, Samsung have been accused of optimising their devices in order to score more on benchmark tests. Also, how a chipset fairs over a period of intensive testing varies. After all said and done, the Snapdragon 845 chipset seems ready to rule most of the “speed tests” on the internet for the next year at least.
A new report claim that the Samsung Galaxy Note9 will be the first-ever Samsung phone to feature an in-display fingerprint sensor. For weeks leading up to the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note8, there were speculations that it would have an in-display fingerprint sensor. The Galaxy Note8 was launched in August 2017 and by then, screen embedded fingerprint sensors were found in concept phones only.
However, since the launch of the Galaxy Note8, this technology has come a long way and is finally consumer-ready. Vivo recently launched the Vivo X20 Plus UD in China, becoming the first ever smartphone to feature the new Clear ID technology. For Samsung to implement this technology makes a lot of sense since it already uses OLED panels for its premium smartphones and Clear ID, right now, only works on OLED panels.
The report claims that a Samsung patent unearthed has indications toward a screen embedded fingerprint sensor. Apparently, Samsung doesn’t want to rely on Synaptics and wants the in-screen fingerprint sensor of the Galaxy Note9 to be based on its own technology. While this sounds like an irrational decision as it will increase the R&D cost and take up a lot of time, a company of Samsung’s stature and resources can definitely go this route.
Vivo X20 Plus UD
It is worth noting that the design in the image is merely for reference. It certainly does not indicate the future design of the Galaxy Note9 or any premium Samsung smartphone. Industry sources claim that Samsung has been trying to master the Clear ID technology for quite some time now. Both the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note8 devices were eluded of the technology as Samsung struggled with manufacturing yield rates.
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 is expected to be launched in August 2018, similar to its predecessor. It will have better S Pen implementation, improved dual-camera performance and in all probability, a screen-embedded fingerprint sensor.
The budget segment of the Indian smartphone market has been congested for a while. So many companies have launched great devices at a very competitive price. Recently, smartphone makers like Honor have also released some great devices in the budget segment. In January, the Honor 9 Lite was launched in India at a starting price of Rs. 10999. Subsequently, Samsung launched the Galaxy On7 Prime in India at a starting price of Rs. 12990.
When you put the smartphones together, the winner is quite evident. The Honor 9 Lite has a modern design with an 18:9 aspect ratio, very thin bezels and a glossy finish on the back. It is also the only smartphone in this price segment that has an all-glass build, giving it an extremely premium look. The Galaxy On7 Prime on the other hand just doesn’t look up to speed with the Honor 9 Lite. It has thick bezels around the display and is reminiscent of all the previous Samsung budget smartphones.
The Honor 9 Lite starts at a price of Rs. 10999 for the 3GB RAM variant while the Galaxy On7 Prime costs Rs. 12990 for the same configurations. Clearly, the Honour 9 Lite is a much better proposition if you’re on a tight budget. The Honor 9 Lite also has the new Kirin 659 chipset while the Galaxy On7 Prime is powered by an older Exynos 7870 chipset.
Motorola will be launching a few smartphones in the coming months. Iterations of the Moto E and G series are expected to be announced as per the launch pattern. Recently, a few Moto E5 renders were leaked which revealed a couple of design changes from the predecessors. A new leak, however, claims that Motorola will be introducing a ‘Play’ variant in the Moto E series as well.
Moto E5 Play
The renders were posted by a famous tipster on Twitter. No other details accompanied the images but, as we move closer to a launch, more details will follow. If true, Motorola could launch three smartphones in the Moto E series this year along with the Moto E5 and E5 Plus.
The Moto E5, on the other hand, has been doing the rounds for a while. Here is a comprehensive rumour round of the Moto E5:
Moto E5 Rumour Roundup:
Moto E5
Recently, an image was leaked which revealed the possible design of the Moto E5. The interesting bit about in the image is the placement of the fingerprint sensor. The fingerprint sensor on the upcoming Moto E5 will be housed inside the Moto logo on the back.
No other details were mentioned. It is expected to have the same 5.5 inch IPS LCD display with a 1280 x 720 px resolution.
Last year, Motorola went with a MediaTek chipset last year but, it could revert to a Snapdragon chipset. According to the leaked image, the smartphone will retain the single camera setup on the front and back along with an LED flash.
The Moto E4 Plus was announced in June 2017. While there doesn’t seem to be an apparent reason for the company to disrupt the launch cycle, it could spring a surprise and launch the E series phones early this year.
Sony will be present at MWC 2018 and is expected to make a few announcements. One of the smartphones that are heavily rumoured to be launched at MWC is the Xperia XZ2 Pro. The Sony Xperia XZ2 Pro is expected to be the first Sony Android device to feature an 18:9 aspect ratio and thin bezels. This will be a timely departure for Sony smartphones from the normal design language.
A new leak has shed some light on what to expect from this Sony smartphone. First off, it appears that the smartphone will go by the moniker of Sony Xperia XZ2 Pro. Also, since this is an HTML benchmark, the listing doesn’t reveal much information about it. According to the listing, the upcoming Sony Xperia XZ2 Pro will run Android 8.1 out of the box.
If true, the smartphone could be the first non-Google device to run Android 8.1 Oreo. So far, only Google Pixel and select Nexus phones run Android 8.1 Oreo. A lot of premium Android devices are stuck on Android 7 Nougat. The other detail revealed is that it will sport the 18:9 aspect ratio.
It is rumoured the Xperia XZ2 Pro will have a 4K display resolution. Recently, an upcoming Sony smartphone with the model number ID PY7-21831A has surfaced online as it passed through FCC. While FCC listings don’t usually shed a lot of light on specs and features of a smartphone, this particular listing reveals that this Xperia device won’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Furthermore, the attached document also highlighted that the dimensions of the phone will be 152.79 x 72.42 mm and that it has a 5.7-inch screen diagonal display.
The Sony Xperia XZ2 Pro will have a 5.7 inch OLED display with 4K resolution, thin bezels and an 18:9 aspect ratio.
Under the hood, the Sony Xperia XZ2 Pro will have the Snapdragon 845 chipset, 6GB of RAM and up to 128GB of onboard storage. The storage is expected to be expandable via a microSD card. The fingerprint sensor is expected to be housed inside the lock button on the side. Although, with the presence of an OLED display, Sony could go ahead and use a screen embedded fingerprint sensor.
The device will be powered by a 3420 mAh battery which will support QuickCharge 4.0+.
The Xperia XZ2 Pro will have a dual rear camera setup, with one of the cameras having an 18 MP sensor with 1.33 microns pixel size and a 12 MP sensor with 1.38 microns pixel size. On the front will be a 13 MP camera.
In mid-December, Apple launched the iMac Pro in the US at a starting price of US$ 4999. In India, it was announced that only the base variant with an 8-core processor will go on sale at a price of Rs. 4,15,000. The exorbitant pricing keeps up with Apple’s much higher pricing pattern in India when compared to its American price.
Select Apple stores across the country have started receiving iMac Pro units which means that it is now available to buy. A wider availability of the new iMac Pro is expected by the end of this week.
The iMac Pro has a 27-inch Retina 5K display with a 5120 x 2880 px resolution and 500 nits of brightness. The iMac Pro will be available in only one colour variant, Space Gray.
Under the hood, the iMac Pro’s base model comes with an 8-core Intel Xeon processor which can go up to 18 cores, 32GB of 2666MHz DDR4 ECC memory RAM with the other two variants having 64GB or 128GB of RAM. The base model has 1TB hard drive with 2TB or 4TB being the other two options. Handling the graphics in base model will be the Radeon Pro Vega 56 graphics processor with 8GB of HBM2 memory, this can also be configured up to Radeon Pro Vega 64 graphics processor with 16GB of HBM2 memory.
Just above the display is an improved 1080P FaceTime camera.
In terms of the number of ports and connectivity, it has four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, SDXC card slot, and an Ethernet port.
Along with the iMac Pro, the consumers will also get a Space Gray Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad, and a Space Gray Magic Mouse 2 along with the essential cords.
Every Android user is proud of the choices on offer on Android OS. Same cannot be said about iOS and a lot of consumers choose an Android device for this particular reason, we all liked to be spoiled for choices. However, over the years, a lot of people have formed a liking towards stock Android OS, which doesn’t offer as many options as a custom skin.
Xiaomi, famous for its MIUI running Android smartphones in India, recently held a poll on Twitter. The question asked was whether users prefer MIUI or Android One. Android One means stock Android OS and the majority voted for Android One. The poll was subsequently deleted since users chose stock OS over its proprietary custom skin.
It is fair to say that this is very subjective. Some people prefer the custom skins like MIUIwhich offers a lot of options to customise smartphones according to one’s personal preferences. While others prefer stock OS which might not provide a lot of customisation options but, it does feel more stable than a lot of skins.
Xiaomi even launched an Android One device, the Mi A1 back in September 2017. Xiaomi has made some excellent devices over the years with great hardware. While MIUI has not been everyone’s cup of tea, the Mi A1 was the perfect device for such users. The Mi A1 had Xiaomi’s hardware and stock Android OS.
Redmi Y1
The poll on Twitter just revealed that while custom skins are great, stock Android OS is probably better. And who knows, maybe this poll will make Xiaomi launch a successor to the Mi A1 as well!
