Xiaomi Mi 4C gets apparent release date, could be launched earlier than expected

Chinese smartphone brand Xiaomi, which recently released the Redmi Note 2, could now unveil the successor of its Mi 4 earlier than expected. This handset, tentatively called Xiaomi Mi 4C, was earlier rumoured to be launched during the October-November time-frame.

According to a new report published in GizChina, Xiaomi will launch the Mi 4C on 22 September. GizmoChina also believes this handset is competitively priced catering to the budget-conscious across the world.

Following Xiaomi's earlier launch trends, the purported Mi 4C could be launched in China initially, before being extending to other countries of the world. Xiaomi's current-gen Mi 4i was touted as a "global" smartphone before launch, but the device is yet to expand base.

Technical spec-wise, multiple earlier rumours had hinted at above-average aspects, to complement the handset's relatively low price-tag. If reports are anything to go by, then, Xiaomi's Mi 4C will feature a 5in display and be driven by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 SoC.

The yet-to-be-launched handset is also rumoured to feature a 2GB RAM, and reportedly allows buyers to choose between 16/32GB internal storage options. The 32GB variant is said to incorporate a 3GB RAM under the hood. However, it is not known whether the device will allow expansion of internal storage with an external MicroSD card.

Recently, a new Xiaomi passed TENAA certification, and this device is widely speculated to be the Mi 4C. This handset features technical specs identical to yet another Xiaomi device that was recently benchmarked by Antutu.

The Antutu certified smartphone features a 5in display, runs Google's Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop) and is driven by a Snapdragon 808 SoC. The benchmarked device also sports a 13MP camera on the rear.

Under the hood, this handset incorporates a 2GB RAM, with 16GB of internal storage area. It is not known whether expansion of internal storage is supported.

Apart from smartphones, Xiaomi is also said to be launching an exclusively-branded notebook in 2016. Though technical specs are unknown, a report published in Bloomberg states that Samsung could supply memory chips and displays to Xiaomi's notebooks, but this is yet to be confirmed by Samsung and Xiaomi.