Update:
Xiaomi said the Redmi 3S and Redmi 3S Prime will be avialable once again on Flipkart and Mi.com on November 2.
Original story...
During Flipkart's "Big Diwali Sale" from October 25 to October 28, Xiaomi Redmi 3S and Redmi 3S Prime were available for purchase. But as it appears, both the handsets are selling like hot cakes in India.
Xiaomi Redmi 3S and Redmi 3S Prime were available in limited quantities during Flipkart's 3-day sale and sold out completely even before the "Big Diwali Sale" came to a close. In case you missed the chance to buy the Redmi 3S and Redmi 3S Prime, you must wait for the next sale.
Both the smartphones are exclusively available on Flipkart and Mi.com. But currently both sites have no stock. IBTimes India reached out to Xiaomi regarding the next sale details for the Redmi 3S and Redmi 3S Prime. We'll update when the company responds.
The popularity of the Redmi 3S and Redmi 3S Prime in India is overwhelming. The Redmi 3S is priced at Rs. 6,999 and the Redmi 3S Prime costs Rs. 8,999. For that price, both phones have a pretty impressive spec-sheet that can easily compel shoppers. They are among the top sub-Rs. 10,000 smartphones in the market right now.
Xiaomi seems to be facing challenges with the supply of the Redmi 3S and Redmi 3S Prime in India. The Redmi 3S Prime, which went on sale before the Redmi 3S in India, was sold out in just 8 minutes during the first sale for 90,000 units in August. Later, the Redmi 3S joined the party and the response was equally impressive.
But the inconsistency of the handsets' availability can be disappointing for potential buyers, who may easily shift to alternate options. There are plenty sub-Rs. 10,000 smartphones in the market that offer great value for money.
Meizu recently launched its budget smartphone M3S in India starting at Rs. 7,299, which is available without flash sales on Snapdeal. The budget phone has a metal body, a fingerprint scanner and other improved features, enough to compete against the Redmi 3S and Redmi 3S Prime. Other brands such as Lenovo, Motorola and Coolpad also have budget smartphones worth checking out.
In case you are wondering, the Redmi 3S and Redmi 3S Prime are known for their high-value specs. There is not a vast difference between the two phones, except that the Redmi 3S Prime comes with 32GB storage, 3GB RAM and a fingerprint scanner, while Redmi 3S lacks the biometric sensor and offers 16GB+2GB configuration.
Both the phones have the same metallic design, a 5-inch HD IPS display, a 13MP primary camera and a 5MP front snapper for selfies. Both handsets are also powered by the same processor, which is an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 CPU with Adreno 505 GPU. They pack a 4,100mAh battery each and support dual SIM and 4G LTE bands.
