China-based tech firm Xiaomi, the newest player in the field, is set to stage a release of the Mi 4 in India next week. The country has become the company's largest market second to China, and the huge sales of Xiaomi's previous offerings (namely Redmi 1S, Redmi Note and Mi3) in the territory have kickstarted the company's plans to march into larger markets and expand its product lineups.
"You are invited to a front-row view on January 28, 2015 ... Mi hits a 4 and a 6," Xiaomi said in an invitation.
Xiaomi Mi 4 was first introduced in July last year but it is only this month that the smartphone is crossing the shores of India.
The handset comes with a 5-inch IPS display, which is formidable at a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution and a crisp 441 ppi pixel density. It packs a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.5 GHz. This is paired with a hefty 3 GB RAM and storage capacities at 16 GB and 64 GB.
Loaded onto the Mi 4 is a 13-megapixel rear-facing shooter that allows 4K video recording. This is partnered with an 8-megapixel selfie snapper. It runs Android 4.4 KitKat with a touch if MIUI and supports much-needed connectivity features like 4G LTE, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi direct and GPS. It houses a 3080 mAh battery, bigger than the one inside the Samsung Galaxy S5, which should power up the phone for conveniently long hours.
The Xiaomi Mi 4 comes in two variants, black and white. It dons a metal chassis and a plastic backside. It is easy to say that the device got its inspiration from the Apple iPhone 6 in terms of its looks (well, Xiaomi is called the "Apple of China" after all).
India will see the smartphone as soon as Jan. 28 and the device will cost less than Rs 20000. According to GSM Arena, the Xiaomi Mi 4 will retail for about $270.
