Xiaomi has launched the Redmi Y2 smartphone in India
to replace the Redmi Y1 phone that was launched in November last year. The
handset is a rebranded Redmi S2 phone that was launched in China in the
previous month. Compared to the last year’s Redmi Y1, the successor handset has
come with numerous improvements like 18:9 display, improved processor, top
quality selfie camera and dual rear cameras.
The Redmi Y2 wears a metallic body and it comes in
colors like Elegant Gold, Rose Gold and Dark Grey. It features a 5.99-inch IPS
LCD screen that produces FHD+ resolution. The 32 GB storage + 3 GB RAM and 64
GB storage + 4 GB RAM editions of the Xiaomi Redmi Y2 are powered by Snapdragon
625. The handset features a dedicated slot for adding a microSD card.
The bestselling feature of the Redmi Y2 is the
soft-LED equipped with 16-megapixel camera that comes with AI capabilities. It
has a large aperture f/2.0 and offers a field of view of 78 degrees. It can
shoot better photos in low light by merging four pixels into a single Super
Pixel that has a size of 2micron. The resultant images have reduced noise and
better clarity. The Auto HDR feature can automatically adjust the brightness
while shooting photos. The Al Beautify 4.0 feature enhances 10 kinds of facial
features like skin tone, eyes, nose and lips while capturing selfies. AI
Portrait mode is an optimized feature that effectively blurs the background by
focusing more on the subject.
The Redmi Y2 borrows the 12-megapixel + 5-megapixel
dual camera setup from the Redmi Note 5 Pro. It is equipped with features like
dual-tone LED flash, AI portrait shots, AI low-light photography and HDR.
For security, Xiaomi has included AI-based facial
recognition through the camera as well as fingerprint scanner. The handset is
preinstalled with Android 8.1 Oreo that is overlaid with a skin of MIUI 9.5. It
includes the other usual connectivity features such as 4G VoLTE, dual-SIM
support, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, microUSB 2.0 and 3.5mm audio
jack. It also features an IR blaster.
Xiaomi is aiming the Y series of smartphones towards
the youth in India. It has signed up popular Bollywood celebrity Katrina Kaif
to endorse the phone in the country. The 32 GB edition of the selfie-centric
Redmi Y2 is priced at Rs. 9,999 (US$ 149) whereas the 64 GB model carries a
pricing of Rs. 12,999 (US$ 193). It sales will begin on Amazon India, Mi.com and
Mi Home from June 12 starting at 12 PM.
ICICI credit and debit card users can take advantage
of Rs. 500 discount on the first sale day of the Redmi Y2. Airtel is giving an
instant cashback of Rs. 1,800 for Redmi Y2 buyers along with free 240 GB data.
The handset will be reaching its customers along with a free ultra-thin case.
