Earlier this week, Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 7 and Note 7 Pro, a pair of powerful mid-range smartphones. Now, the Chinese company is back with another new handset release. This time, Xiaomi is continuing its busy week by unveiling the Redmi Go, a device that gives Google’s Android Go OS a major boost.
Before tackling how Xiaomi can help grow Android Go, let’s look at the Redmi Go in detail. Designed as an ultra-budget smartphone, the Redmi Go will cost a mere 4,499 rupees ($63) when it launched in India from Flipkart, Mi.com, and Mi Homes.
That is an excellent price for the Indian market, which is still growing and seeing a migration of users from feature phones. At a price of under 5,000 rupees, the Redmi Go is offering India a bargain gateway into the smartphone market.
In terms of specs, Xiaomi has packed the device with the usual suspects for a budget device. That means there is a Snapdragon 425 chipset paired with 1GB of RAM under the roof. The 5-inch screen is 720p HD, while the Redmi Go sports an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP selfie shooter on the front.
Perhaps the camera is the most impressive aspect of the Redmi Go, simply because users can shoot Full HD video. The battery is also worthy of mention because a 3,000mAh juicer on a device spec’d this low should deliver long-usage timeframes.
Of course, those specs are very modest, but again it is worth remembering the price of the handset. Elsewhere, the Redmi Go only has 8GB of onboard storage, but at least Xiaomi has added a dedicated microSD card slot. Users will also be able to run two networks on the device because it supports dual-SIM cards.
Android Go
While the Redmi Go will boost Xiaomi’s own market-leading position in India, it will also give Google’s Android Go platform a boost.
If you are unfamiliar with Android Go, it a new Android experience for entry-level smartphones. It offers a significantly lighter OS with newly designed apps that are 50% smaller and more efficient. The result is a platform that delivers speed and functionality on under-powered handsets.
Plenty of OEMs have already released Android Go smartphones, including market leaders Samsung and Huawei. However, the platform is designed for emerging markets, such as India, where millions of customers use entry-level smartphones.
Xiaomi is the market leader in India and the Redmi Go is the company’s first Android Go device. For Google, it can now say Xiaomi and Samsung (the largest manufacturers in India) are now supporting its new platform.
