Xiaomi Mi 5 has been launched in India after weeks of anticipation, but prospective buyers could be in for a disappointment for more than one reason. A few factors like pricing and non-availability of all the models could upset Xiaomi fans.
The Chinese smartphone maker unveiled its much-hyped flagship device at last month's Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona, just a couple of days after the Samsung Galaxy S7 and LG G5 were announced. It was released in India Thursday, almost a month after it was launched in China.
Xiaomi has announced the availability and pricing of the new Mi 5. It will be up for sale at 11 a.m. April 6 on the company's official website. Now, let's look at some factors that can upset potential buyers:
[Read: Is it worth upgrading from Mi 4 to Xiaomi Mi 5?]
Pricing
Xiaomi Mi 5 32GB variant is priced at 1999 Yuan, which is around Rs. 20,965 when converted to the Indian currency, but the actual market price stands at Rs. 24,999. It's not that the device is not worth the price, but most people might have expected a price tag because of the fact that the company has been known for making its feature-rich handsets available at a reasonable price.
The fact that 16GB variant of the Mi 4 is currently priced at Rs. 14,999 and the 64GB model at Rs. 17,999 may make many think the current flagship device is a little pricey.
Limited option
The Chinese smartphone maker has released three models of the Mi 5 -- a 32GB internal memory and 3GB RAM, a 64GB internal memory and 3GB RAM, and a 128GB internal storage and 4GB RAM. The 32GB and 64GB variants have been made available in China, but only the former will be released in India, which may come as a disappoint for many. There are chances of people looking for more internal storage as the Mi 5 doesn't have expandable memory option.
Flash sale
How long will smartphone manufacturers use flash sale marketing gimmick to sale their products? It may create temporary anticipation but can end up hurting more people than pleasing, as number of registration for flagship devices can be huge.
[Read: Top smartphones released in India in March 2016: Xiaomi Mi 5, Samsung Galaxy S7]
The Mi 5 comes with a fingerprint sensor and a 5.15-inch full HD screen with 1,920x1,080 pixel (428 ppi pixel density). It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, an Android 6.0 Marshmallow with MIUI v7.0, a 6MP Sony IMX298 main camera, a 4MP front-snapper with 2µm pixel size and a 3,000mAh with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 technology.
