Xiaomi Releasing 4G LTE phone with 64-bit processor for just $113

Xiaomi continues its march up the ranks from the world's 4th best selling smart phones with its latest Redmi 2 smart phone with a low price and high-end features which replaces the popular Redmi 1S smart phone in China.

The Redmi 2 uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 Quadcore 64-bit 1.2 GHz processor to provide 64-bit operating system access and a 4G LTE radio on the Qualcomm SoC. The accompanying Adreno 305 GPU is present for fast graphical support. Up until now 4G LTE smart phones have commanded a premium price with few units offering the faster connectivity of fourth generation mobile communications, but the company is releasing the Redmi 2 for only $112. This is sure to turn quite a few heads at the price alone.

Essential Specifications

The Xiaomi Redmi 2 has a 4.7-inch IPS display with 720p display (1280 x 720 pixels). The smart phone uses the Android 4.4 KitKat with the Xiaomi MiUI 6 skin version over the top which defaults to Chinese language.

The RAM is a little lacking at 1 GB which is sure to create issues when too many apps are open at once. The internal memory is 8 GB which is generally sufficient. There is an expansion slot that supports up to 32 GB microSD cards which again is a bit limiting when 64 GB card support is common even in basic Android smart phones today.

Cameras

The front-facing camera with 2 megapixels. There is a rear-facing camera with LED flash supporting 8 megapixels with an f/2.2 aperture, Omnivision sensor, and Full HD 1080p video recording. The battery has a sensible 2,200 mAh capacity.

Communications

Both 4G LTE and 3G are supported. The model lacks the latest Wi-Fi standard but still supports Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n. Bluetooth 4.0 is included, as is GPS. The Dual SIM support is also sure to come in handy.

Colors

The model comes in White, Bright Yellow, Dark Grey, Light Green and Pink colors.

Pricing and Release

The price for the model is $113 or 699 Chinese Yuan. Release is expected in China on January 9 with other markets pending.

One thing is becoming clear from the early press releases about models to be shown first at CES 2015, the number of models offering 4G LTE connectivity is going to increase significantly throughout the year reaching down to mid-level price smart phones soon. Good news for anyone looking to increase their mobile internet speed with an affordable new smart phone soon.