OnePlus 7 is one of the widely-anticipated premium smartphones this year and rumours are already suggesting it to be a worthy upgrade for those who want the best overall user experience without breaking the bank. But OnePlus is not without competition in the "flagship killer" category of smartphones and a new entrant seems to be joining the race soon.
While Xiaomi is already a chief rival to OnePlus, the company's recently-spun-off brand Redmi is out to get a piece of the lucrative premium smartphone market. Redmi's VP and head, Lu Weibing, recently confirmed that the company is working on a high-end smartphone with Snapdragon 855 chipset. Even though Weibing said the device won't be ready for some time, leaks have been fluent hinting at the new Redmi phone's imminent arrival.
Now, a noted Weibo blogger has shared an image that confirms the phone's name, its design and key features. By the looks of it, OnePlus has serious competition for its OnePlus 7 smartphone in China.
According to the leak, Redmi Pro 2 will be the official name of the upcoming premium smartphone from the brand and it will feature Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 855 chipset. In addition, it will sport a truly full-screen display without any notch. The front camera will pop-up when in use, otherwise tucked safely inside the chassis.
Redmi Pro 2 will also feature an in-display fingerprint scanner, triple rear camera setup and a gradient finish glass back. This will be the first premium smartphone under the Redmi brand, which was exclusively related to budget and mid-range phones until it was a part of Xiaomi's smartphone series.
This is also not the first time we're hearing about the Redmi Pro 2. Previous leaks have suggested that the handset won't have the 3.5mm headphone jack, and the rear camera setup would include a 48MP primary sensor like in the Redmi Note 7.
Going by Redmi's strategy, the upcoming smartphone could be launched in China and remain exclusive to the market there until the brand announces otherwise. Redmi Pro 2 could have a good potential in markets like India, where OnePlus has grown by leaps and bounds. With OnePlus 7 launch just around the corner, it remains to be seen if Redmi plans a disruption in China or plans to go international. Stay tuned for updates.
