Ever since Xiaomi took the lead over Samsung in the Indian smartphone market in late 2017, it is maintaining a steady lead over the rival. Now, the company is all set to launch a new budget smartphone Redmi Y2, which might help further widen the gap.
Xiaomi is inviting media for a product launch on June 7 in New Delhi. Though it has not specifically mentioned the name of the device, the invitation's graphics, which shows a half human face and the camera gives away the hint that the company is bringing the selfies camera-centric second generation Redmi Y.
It can be noted that Xiaomi's upcoming Redmi Y2 is a rebranded Redmi S2, which is already available in China. Its USP is the front camera.
The device comes with a feature-rich 16MP front camera with Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered Smart Beauty editing tools, which allows owners to adjust facial tones or erase scars so that the picture is visually appealing to be posted on social media platforms. This feature is certain to find traction among social media-savvy youths.
On the rear side, it features an impressive dual-camera 12MP+5MP with LED flash and full HD video recording capability. With two sensors, the device will allow users to adjust the focus on the foreground and the backgrounds to get Bokeh blur effect.
Other stipulated features include a 5.9-inch HD+ screen with 2.5D curved glass, Android Oreo 8.1, Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor, 3GB RAM/4GB RAM, 32GB/64GB storage and a 3,080mAh battery.
How much will Redmi S2 aka Y2 cost in India?
In China, Redmi S2 come in two variants — 3GB RAM+ 32GB and 4GB RAM+ 64GB—for ¥999 (approx. Rs 10,649) and ¥1299 (roughly Rs 13,848), respectively.
Xiaomi assembles more than 90 percent of smartphones and accessories like power bank in India at five different locations and recently, it even opened SurfaceMount Technology (SMT) facility to begin assembly of Printed Circuit Board (PCB) giving a push for local manufacturing. We expect the price to remain more or less the same as in the neighbouring country, as they don't have to pay much on customs duty.
Key specifications of Xiaomi Redmi Y2 aka S2:
| Model | Xiaomi Redmi Y2 aka S2 |
| Display | 5.99-inch HD+ (1440x720p) screen with 2.5D curved glass
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| OS | Android 8.1 Oreo with MIUI 9 |
| Processor | 14nm 64 class 2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core |
| GPU | Adreno 506 |
| RAM | 3GB/4GB |
| Storage | 32GB/64GB + up to 256GB via microSD card |
| Camera |
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| Battery | 3,080mAh |
| Network | 4G-LTE |
| Add-ons | Fingerprint sensor, infrared sensor, dual-SIM (nano+nano+ microSD), Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n), GPS+GLONASS, micro USB port |
| Dimensions | 160.73 × 77.26 × 8.1 mm |
| Weight | 170g |
| Colours | Rose gold, Champagne gold, Platinum silver |
| Price [In China] |
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