Xiaomi is inching closer towards taking the top spot in the Indian mobile market from Samsung, and their focus is now shifting to satisfying the selfie brigade. To that end, they have signed Katrina Kaif up to endorse the brand and its Redmi Y series.
Going up against the likes of Oppo and Vivo, Xiaomi has announced the Redmi Y1 and Redmi Y1 Lite, which starts at Rs 6,999, and primarily gives users a big front camera with a selfie light. In addition to that, Xiaomi has also confirmed that MiUi 9 will be heading to all its existing Mi devices (even the Mi 3) by mid-November.
So, what does the Redmi Y series offer? We take a closer look at Mi’s latest.
Design
This is probably the first non-Redmi Note device to come in a 5.5-inch form size. The reason being, according to a report cited by the company, most Indian consumers are going for phones with 5.5-inch and more these days.
The Redmi Y series might be affordable but we’d give full marks to the build quality and finishing of the phones. The design touches are reminiscent of the Redmi Note series, but in a slimmer form size.
You get capacitive touch buttons to access the Home button, the micro-USB port is there at the bottom, and overall, the device feels compact and easy to use with one hand.
The most notable design difference between the Redmi Y1 and Redmi Y1 Lite is that the former misses out on the fingerprint scanner.
Display
As I’ve mentioned above, Redmi Y series gets a 5.5-inch HD display with 1280x720 pixels resolution.
Multiple reports indicate that Xiaomi has re-branded its Redmi Note 5A and will be selling it in India as part of the Redmi Y series with a few changes. But the similarities between these devices cannot be denied.
During our brief time with the phone, we felt that the display quality is high on contrast, but not so sure about the sharpness of content. And we’ll have to see if the screen offers good visibility in outdoor conditions.
Hardware, Camera and MiUi 9
The first thing you need to know is that MiUi 9 is also based on Android 7.1 Nougat version (yep, that’s right). Now, moving over to other features in tow, the Redmi Y1 Lite packs Snapdragon 425, while the Redmi Y1 gets the Snapdragon 435 processor.
You get multiple variants for both Y1 and Y1 Lite, with 2GB, 3GB and even 4GB RAM options, coming with up to 64GB in storage. But the most important thing Xiaomi has done with the Redmi Y range is add the option to expand storage, but also add multiple SIMs.
With MiUi on board, Jai Mani, the product guy at Xiaomi, emphasised the Indian customisation on offer, with features like the Panchang Calendar making its debut. You also get multiple card options like the with one IRCTC, which can be useful for train booking.
Let’s talk about the camera now. You get a 13-megapixel snapper at the back, while a 16-megapixel shooter with LED flash makes its way to the Redmi Y1. The Lite version gets a smaller 5-megapixel camera on the front.
What We Think?
The Redmi Y series goes up against the other so-called selfie-armed devices in the market right now. In comparison to others, what might work for Xiaomi is their brand value in the affordable segment and as Xiaomi highlighted the acceptance for MiUi-running devices, that can now offer them high-quality pictures from the front camera.
Xiaomi has gone online exclusive with the Y Series right now, and the question of ‘will it work or not’ is sure to be answered in the coming weeks.
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