Xiaomi announced the release of its Redmi Note series alongside with the groundbreaking launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5.
The Chinese tech giant has launched the 799 RMB ($125) Redmi Note 2, and the 999 RMB ($155) Redmi Note 2 Prime. Fizzip highlighted the 1080p display underneath Redmi Note 2 which is an upgrade to the original 720p display panel of the older Redmi Note. Also, Xiaomi packed a Mediatek Helio X10 (MT6795) with a 64-bit octa core architecture that clocks a 2.2 GHz under this phablet's hood. Moreover, the second handset version announced is the Redmi Note 2 Prime which is the 32GB version of the handset, Fizzip noted.
Highlights of the newly-released phone series are the UI and the camera. A few days prior to the release, International Business Times fetched a scoop saying these phones will come up with the existing MIUI v6. But at the end of their article, they pointed out that the Redmi Note 2 might ship new MIUI v7.0 out-of-the-box. And they were right. These new Redmi Note 2 are the very the first Xiaomi handsets to pack the Android 5.1-based MIUI 7. Also worthy of mention is the rear 13MP camera which boasts a focus speed of 0.1 second as well as phase detection autofocus.
Meanwhile, Tech Crunch warns Samsung on Xiaomi's potential selling of its devices in the U.S. sometime in the future. With Xiaomi hitting ambitious sales targets these days, international expansion is certainly a key priority by the company this year. In fact, Xiaomi executive Hugo Barra has already hinted about it saying they're looking to do it in the next year or two.
But for now, despite the release of its well-anticipated latest flagship Galaxy Note 5, Samsung has to deal with Xiaomi's sales supremacy over China's mobile market which it used to occupy. Analysts position Xiaomi on the third place as the world's largest smartphone maker last fall - a few figures behind Samsung and Apple.
Join the Conversation