QiKU, the collaboration between China's Qihoo360 and Coolpad, launched a new budget smartphone – the QiKU F4 – in China, with features identical to those in Xiaomi Redmi Note 3. The new handset intensifies competition in the budget smartphone space in the world's largest smartphone market with features like a fingerprint scanner, 13MP camera and a metal frame.
QiKU F4 will follow the popular flash sale model and be available in two variants – 2GB RAM and 16GB storage, and 3GB RAM and 32GB storage – just like the Redmi Note 3. The entry-level model is priced at ¥599 (approximately Rs 6,000) while the higher storage model would sell for ¥799 (approximately Rs 8,000), according to Gadgets360.
The first flash sale for QiKU F4 begins Friday, March 25. International availability of the handset remains unknown at the moment.
In terms of specifications, QiKU F4 features a 5-inch HD (1280x720p) display, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash, PDAF and a 5MP front-facing shooter with f/2.0 aperture on both lenses. In addition to the onboard storage, users can add up to 128GB via microSD card. There are dual SIM slots, but one of which works as a hybrid SIM slot.
QiKU F4 is powered by a 1.3 GHz octa-core 64-bit MediaTek MT6753 processor with Mali-T720 MP2 GPU, Android 5.1 Lollipop with Qihoo 360 OS on top of it. It also packs a 2,500mAh battery under the hood and supports 4G LTE networks.
QiKU offers a wide range of colour selection for its F4 smartphone, as it comes in black, white, pink, gold and blue. The fingerprint scanner at the back of the phone reportedly unlocks the device in 0.4 seconds. The handset bears close resemblance with Coolpad Note 3, but offers some upgraded features and slight changes in design to distinguish itself from the crowd.
