Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi has announced the Redmi 3S, the upgraded version of the Redmi 3.
Xiaomi launched the Redmi 3 in January as a part of the company's low-end handset line. The Redmi 3 and the Redmi 3S share many similar features, but the newer model brings some upgraded specs to the table.
The latest Xiaomi offering has a 5-inch HD screen with a display resolution of 1,280 x 720 pixels, which is the same as on the Redmi 3. The Redmi 3S measures 139.3 x 69.6 x 8.5 millimeters, or 5.48 x 2.74 x 0.33 inches, and weighs 144 grams, or 5.08 ounces, exactly the same as the Redmi 3.
The original Redmi 3 came running on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 processor, but the Redmi 3S runs on a Snapdragon 430 chipset, which has a newer GPU version and a better 4G LTE modem. However, the chipset is clocked at a lower frequency, which means that the Redmi 3S could be slower than the Redmi 3.
The mobile phone will be available in two variants: one with 16 GB of on-board storage and 2 GB of RAM and the other with 32 GB of internal storage and 3 GB of RAM. Both versions will have a microSD card slot for expanding the storage capacity of the phone.
The Redmi 3S comes with a 4,100 mAh battery, which is the same capacity as found on the Redmi 3. The mobile phone is equipped with a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera (f/2.0 lens) and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera (f/2.2 lens).
The Redmi 3S has a fingerprint sensor located at the back, which offers easy and quick unlocking of the device with the touch of a finger.
Customers will have the option to purchase the device in one of three hues: dark gray, silver or gold.
Xiaomi has confirmed that the 2 GB iteration of the Redmi 3S will be available at a price tag of 699 yuan (about $106) and the 3 GB variant for 899 yuan (about $137). The company has announced that the Redmi 3S will be available to purchase in China from June 16 onward. ZTE might launch the Redmi 3S in other parts of the world but the prices may slightly differ.
Xiaomi has a strong presence in China and the Redmi line is quite popular in the country. The majority of the company's sale is in China, but Xiaomi has acquired about 1,500 patents from Microsoft, which will help the smartphone maker to expand further in the international market.
