Xiaomi announced its Redmi 5 phone today in India, as a follow to its immensely popular Redmi 4 from last year. The device goes on sale next week on March 20th. Its predecessor was estimated to be the second best-selling phone in India last year, just after Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 4. The Redmi Note 5 and Note 5 Pro are already on sale in India, but this new device is cheaper with a less powerful chipset.
The sequel to one of India’s best-selling phones of 2017 launches next week
Here are the Redmi 5’s full specs:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 450
- Available with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage or 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage
- 3,300mAh battery
- 5.7-inch, 18:9 HD+ display
- 12-megapixel rear-facing camera, 5-megapixel front-facing camera
- Rear-mounted fingerprint sensor
- Micro USB charging
- Available in blue, tan, black, and pink
This phone costs between 7,999 and 8,999 rupees, or between $123 and $138. The Redmi Note 5 costs between $155 and $185, so yes, they’re incredibly close in price. But Xiaomi tends to cover all its price points, which is likely what made it the top phone seller in India last year.
The Redmi 5 should sell well even with a $40 price difference. Counterpoint Research Group reported last year that the average purchased smartphone price in India jumped 3 percent to $122. Most phones sell for under $150, so it makes sense that Xiaomi would want to offer devices both above and below that threshold.
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