The Xiaomi Mi 5c was expected to release on the December 6 but has been pushed forward to a January 2017 launch. The 4G VoLTE phone will cost a tad less when compared to its cousins but is set to feature impressive specs. Xiaomi is a Chinese electronics company headquartered in Beijing and the world’s 4th largest smartphone maker. With this launch, Xiaomi will look to penetrate the budget smartphone market in India.
Xiaomi Mi 5c Specs and Features
The Xiaomi Mi 5c is expected to feature a 5.5-inches Full HD IPS (In-Plane Switching) screen with full 1080 display, a full metal body, 3GB of RAM paired with an Octa-core MediaTek P20 octa-core processor built on 16nm FinFET processor clocked at 2.2GHz and comes with the Mali T880 GPU, according to this report. Internal storage of 64GB is expected. Expandable storage is also expected if rumours are to be believed. The Xiaomi Mi 5c will run on Android 6.0 ‘Marshmallow’ operating system out of the box overlayed with Xiaomi’s own proprietary MIUI 8.6.9.6 skinned OS. A 2.5D curved glass protection layer will cover and protect the screen. Other rumours suggest that expandable memory could be done away with as no microSD slot will be available. Unlike the Mi 5S, the Mi 5C doesn’t feature the ‘Under the Glass’ fingerprint sensor; instead, a physical home button with two capacitive buttons on each side is rumoured.
The Xiaomi Mi 5c will have a 16MP rear camera with dual-tone LED flash. The front-facing camera is 8MP and is a good bet for selfies and video calling purposes. Other features include two hybrid SIM-card slots, 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm audio jack, FM radio and other budget smartphone features like games etc. Battery details remain unknown for the moment.
Xiaomi Mi 5c Price and Launch Dates
The new Xiaomi Mi 5c is priced at $144 or under Rs. 10,000. This range of smartphones has recently seen a sales boom in markets like India and China. Xiaomi will look to capitalise on the burgeoning market. The new phone is set to release in January 2017. Exactly why the phone’s launch was deferred is unknown. One thing is certain, however: with impressive features and a fingerprint sensor for better security, Xiaomi will look to emulate the success of its earlier launches like the Redmi 3S and Redmi 3S Prime.
