Smartphone makers did not leave any stones unturned to make 2017 a busy year for shoppers by offering a wide range of options in the first month of the year. As we come to the end of January, here's a look back at smartphones that really made our heads turn.
It is safe to say that January was all about premium budget smartphones in India. January's biggest electronics event, the CES 2017, defined the thriving innovation in technology industry, with robotics, smart homes and VR; but smartphones played a key role through the month.
On an international level, Nokia 6 made a lasting impression, but we have five smartphones that made the cut in the month of January.
Lenovo P2
Lenovo made its first impression of the new year with the launch of the P2 smartphone in India on January 11. The smartphone was the latest in the P series and the biggest USP of the phone was its price at Rs. 16,999. Check out the specs below:
Display: 5-inch Full HD
Camera: 13MP primary camera with LED flash, PDAF and 8MP front snapper
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 octa-core chipset
RAM: 3GB/4GB
Storage: 32GB, expandable up to 256GB
Battery: 4000mAh
Add-ons: 4G LTE, fingerprint scanner, dual SIM, Dolby Atmos Audio.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4
Xiaomi's response to Lenovo was overwhelming. The company's Redmi Note 4 set a new benchmark for budget premium phones. The company launched three variants of the Redmi Note 4 in India on January 23, for different types of budget shoppers. The Redmi Note 4 price starts at Rs. 9,999 for the base model, and then there are higher-end models costing Rs. 10,999 and Rs. 12,999.
Check out the full specs below:
Display: 5.5-inch Full HD display with 2.5D curved glass
Camera: 13MP primary camera with PDAF, dual LED flash and 5MP front snapper with pro mode
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core chipset
RAM: 2GB/3GB/4GB
Storage: 32GB/64GB, expandable up to 128GB
Battery: 4100mAh
Add-ons: 4G LTE, fingerprint scanner, hybrid dual SIM support.
Vivo V5 Plus
Vivo altered the playing field with the launch of its V5 Plus on the same day as the Redmi Note 4 was released. The handset became the first to house a dual-lens front camera for selfies. If you have been following Vivo's social media pages, you will know the results of the V5 Plus selfie camera are nothing short of impressive. The handset is priced at Rs. 27,980.
There's more to V5 Plus than the camera. Check it out below:
Display: 5.5-inch Full HD IPS display with Gorilla Glass 5
Camera: 16MP primary camera with f/2.0 aperture, LED flash, PDAF and 20MP+8MP front facing snapper with f/2.0 aperture, Sony IMX376
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 (MSM8953) octa-core chipset
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 64GB, expandable up to 256GB
Battery: 3160mAh
Add-ons: 4G LTE, fingerprint scanner, hybrid dual SIM, Hi-Fi audio, Smart Split 2.0
Lenovo K6 Power
Owing to the growing demand for budget phones, Lenovo launched its K6 Power to counter the fame of Redmi Note 4. The upgraded specs of the phone certainly caught many eyes. The handset is priced lower than Xiaomi Redmi Note 4. The 3GB RAM model costs Rs. 9,999 and the 4GB RAM variant sells for Rs. 10,999.
Below is the complete spec-sheet:
Display: 5.5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display
Camera: 13MP primary sensor with LED flash, PDAF and 5MP front snapper
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core chipset
RAM: 3GB/4GB
Storage: 32GB/64GB
Battery: 5100mAh
Add-ons: 4G LTE, fingerprint scanner, dual SIM.
Huawei Honor 6X
Huawei has been targeting significant growth in India and how could it stay behind when the rivals are already putting on their best moves. The company launched the Honor 6X in India on January 24 with attractive specs and prices. The entry-level model costs Rs. 12,999 and the premium variant is priced at Rs. 15,999.
For the price, buyers get the following:
Display: 5.5-inch Full HD IPS display with 2.5D glass
Camera: 16MP+2MP camera with LED flash, 6P lens, and 8MP front snapper
CPU: HiSilicon Kirin 655 octa-core chipset
RAM: 3GB/4GB
Storage: 32GB, expandable up to 128GB
Battery: 3340mAh with fast charging technology
Add-ons: 4G LTE, hybrid dual SIM, fingerprint scanner, metal unibody.
