China-based Xaiomi has made official its budget phone lineup with the announcement of the Mi 4c smartphone. Available starting Sept. 23 on the company's official website Mi.com and Tmall, the new Mi 4c will reportedly have a starting price of $204.
Checking the design of the new handset, Xiaomi did away with the all-aluminum and metal chassis of its previous flagship lineup designs, instead rolling out the new Mi 4c in unibody polycarbonate shell, which is already expected in a device in a budget price range. The different colors, the feel and look, and the overall aesthetics of the new device is also reminiscent of tech giant Apple's previous iPhone 5c lineup.
Surprisingly, though, for a budget smartphone in the $200 range, the Xiaomi Mi 4c was launched with a decent – other observers even say above-average – specs sheet.
The new smartphone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, the same chipset used on the LG G4 and the new Moto X. There are two RAM and ROM options: a 2 GB RAM with 16 GB of storage, and a much-faster 3 GB RAM variant with a higher 32 GB storage. In addition, the new Mi 4c comes with a 5-inch, full 1080p HD with Sunlight display, a 13 MP main camera with fast phase detection autofocus, and a decent 3080 mAh battery. The phone also sports a sleek look, thanks to Xiaomi converting to a USB Type-C port instead of the usual micro-USB hub. Future users of the device can also switch back and forth between two carriers as the Mi 4c supports dual SIM feature.
The base model with 16 GB of storage will sell for $204, while the 32 GB version will retail for $235.
Unfortunately, the new Mi 4c is exclusive to China, and Xiaomi did not give any details on when – or if – the new handset will make it beyond Chinese shores.
