Xiaomi Mi4 Set for India Launch on 28 January; Know 5 Key Features of the Flagship Smartphone

Top Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi will launch the much-awaited Mi4 in India on 28 January.

Although Xiaomi is a bit late to release Mi4 in the market, the flagship device has some exceptional hardware features. Rumour has it that the smartphone will be priced less than ₹20,000 and if this is true, then it is certain to sway the tech-savvy youth.

To provide some perspective on the new device, we have listed some of its key aspects based on which users can decide whether or not the Xiaomi Mi4 is worth the money.

Build quality:

Xiaomi Mi3 came with unibody-design with fixed back cover, whereas its successor has shed that design. Xiaomi Mi4 embraces a classic rectangular candy-bar body with removable shell on the back.

One of the few key improvements we see in Xiaomi Mi4 is that its contours are laced with polished metal lining all around the edge, giving true premium touch to the phone. And, the shiny plastic cover is visually appealing and also sturdy enough to bear minor accidental drops.

Processor:

Xiaomi houses a super-fast 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 series quad-core SoC (System on Chip). Many may say it's outdated, but with Adreno 330 graphics engine and sumptuous 3GB LP-DDR3 RAM the phone runs flawlessly. Even if the user is multi-tasking or playing power-hogging high-definition game, he/she won't feel any lag.

However, if the phone is used to the extreme or for long hours, then there is a chance of the device getting over-heated.

[Note: No matter how well-equipped the phone is, there are limits]

Android OS with MIUI:

Xiaomi Mi4 is said to run on Android 4.4.3 KitKat with MIUI custom interface. MIUI interface is also refreshing and in our tech circle we call it a hybrid of Google's Android and Apple's iOS. It is simple and also visually-appealing.

It should be noted that Xiaomi is one of the very few OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers) partners of Google who are quick with releasing software updates. That's not all, they also listen to fans' suggestions on official forums and release regular software patch soon after a bug is reported.

Camera:

Xiaomi Mi4 boasts a feature-rich 13.0-megapixel Sony IMX214 camera with 6 element lens, F1.8 aperture, real-time HDR, CMOS sensor, 0.3-second auto-focus feature and is capable of recording 4K resolution video as well.

On the front, it houses a good 8.0-megapixel Sony (IMX219) 80-degree wide-angle camera with 5 element lens, F1.8 aperture. This feature is certain to please selfie aficionados.

Price:

We consider the device's price to be the most important aspect as it plays a very crucial role for price-conscious middle class and working youths, who make a big chunk of the Indian demography.

It has been learnt that Xiaomi Mi4 (16GB) will be priced between ₹17,000 and ₹20,000. Going by the specifications, it's a smart buy.

With sub-₹20,000 price-tag, it will give a stiff challenge to tier-1 brands like Motorola Moto X (Gen 2), HTC One M8 (& E8), Samsung Galaxy S5 and others.

Key specifications of Xiaomi Mi4: