After weeks of teasing, Xiaomi unveiled the feature-rich budget camera phone Redmi Y2 series in New Delhi.
It comes with several upgrades both in terms of design and internal hardware over the predecessor Redmi Y1, which by the way was the number one selfie-centric phone for two straight quarters (Q4, 2017 and Q1, 2018).
As advertised prior to the launch, the highlight of the Xiaomi Redmi Y2 is its front-camera. It houses a 16MP front camera with a bevvy of features including Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered Beautify 4.0.
In low-light conditions, the sensor uses pixel binning technique to combine information from four pixels and create one large 2.0µm pixel. This greatly improves the resulting picture quality, producing clearer and brighter photos in low light with less noise. Another addition to its low-light repertoire is the Selfie-light, which produces a 4500K colour temperature making it easier to take selfies in low-light conditions, the company said.
When Auto HDR is enabled, the 16MP front camera automatically detects a back-light environment and applies the HDR effect. Selfie-light on Redmi Y2 mimics natural light, allowing catchlights in the eyes to be captured, which makes for great portrait photos. The camera also supports AI bokeh that effectively distinguishes the subject from the background, even correctly identifying elements such as hair accessories and popular hand gestures as being part of the subject.
On the back, the Redmi Y2 comes with a 12MP + 5MP AI dual camera. The 12MP primary sensor has 1.25µm large pixels, which guarantees brighter images in low light conditions. The 5MP secondary sensor is dedicated to acquiring depth information, producing photos with great bokeh effects.
In Portrait Mode, both the front and back cameras support AI Beautify. AI Beautify 4.0 is designed keeping in mind specific needs of users in India, and can detect elements such as makeup, beards, nose rings, etc. and keep them intact (besides popular selfie facial expressions).
Other stipulated specifications include 5.99-inch HD+ screen with 2.5D curved glass, Android Oreo 8.1-based MIUI 9.5, face unlocks feature, fingerprint sensor, Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor, 3GB RAM/4GB RAM, 32GB/64GB storage and a 3,080mAh battery, which is enough to keep the phone running for a whole day under mixed usage.
There's more...
Besides the Redmi Y2, Xiaomi also announced the MIUI 10 (global) software for Redmi and Mi series phones. It is slated to be rolled out initially in beta version from mid-June onward and the final stable version will be released in September in India.
In addition to the Android Oreo features, the new update comes with Xiaomi's own personalised options. Some of these include the new 'Recent' option that maximises screen space, full-screen display gestures similar to Apple iPhone X, swipe to delete tasks and long press for more options.
It will also comes with India region-specific features such as camera app doubling up as a Paytm QR code scanner, a local service page in the inbuilt browser with full support for PWA (progressive web apps), and the content-rich libraries of Mi Music and Mi Video ensure a great, entertaining and an ergonomic experience. MIUI 10 adds a quick menu tab to all business messages, which allows users to explore more about the service with one tap.
Xiaomi Redmi Y2 price and launch offers:
The new Xiaomi Redmi Y2 comes in two configurations—3GB RAM+32GB storage and 4GB RAM+ 64GB storage—for Rs 9,999 and Rs 11,999, respectively. The company is also bundling a semi-transparent TPU case along with the phone in the retail box.
The Redmi Y2 is slated to on sale at 12:00 pm, June 12 on Mi.com, Amazon and Mi Home stores across the country. It will also be available across offline partners at a later date.
As part of the promotional launch offers, Xiaomi in collaboration with Airtel is offering Rs 1800 instant cash back and up to 240GB data free.
Also, consumers with ICICI debit/credit card are entitled to get Rs 500 instant cash back for buying Redmi Y2 on June 12 via Mi.com and Amazon.
Key specifications of Xiaomi Redmi Y2:
| Model | Xiaomi Redmi Y2 |
| Display | 5.99-inch HD+ (1440x720p) screen with 2.5D curved glass
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| OS | Android 8.1 Oreo with MIUI 9.5 |
| 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, face unlock 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 |
| Colors | Rose gold, Champagne gold, Platinum silver |
| Price |
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