The Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 is all set for an upgrade with a metallic outer body and a fingerprint scanner on the back. Dubbed the Redmi Note 2 Pro, it will reportedly go on sale by the end of this year.
A couple of images leaked by Mobile-dad purportedly shows the Redmi Note 2 Pro sporting a metallic build and a fingerprint scanner. Sources cited by the Chinese website suggest that all other specifications will remain identical to the Redmi Note 2. Xiaomi might release two separate versions of the Redmi Note 2 Pro – one with the fingerprint sensor and the other, without it. However, no pricing details are available at the moment.
The Redmi Note 2 was launched in China in August. It has a 5.5-inch Full HD IPS display with a pixel density of 401ppi. It is powered by a Mediatek MT6795 Helio X10 chipset with PowerVR G6200 GPU and 2GB of RAM. While the processor is clocked at 2GHz for the 16GB version, the 32GB version runs it at 2.2GHz. It sports a 13-megapixel primary camera with LED flash and a 5-megapixel front camera. The Redmi Note 2 also supports Quick Charge 2.0, allowing the phone to charge 60 percent in 30 minutes. The device ships with MIUI 7 or 6, layered on Android Lollipop v5.0.1.
There are two variants of the Redmi Note 2 as well. While the standard 16GB variant is available for CNY 899 (Rs. 9,200 approx.), the 32GB Redmi Note 2 Prime is priced at CNY 999 (Rs. 10,200 approx.). The Redmi Note 2 Pro is therefore expected to follow a similar pattern. The Redmi Note 2 Prime will probably be upgraded to include the fingerprint scanner.
What was once a niche feature, fingerprint scanners are being included on a wider range of smartphones by manufacturers these days. Coolpad recently released the Note 3 at Rs. 9,499. It is the first smartphone below Rs. 10k to feature a fingerprint scanner. Unfortunately, Xiaomi is unlikely to release the Redmi Note 2 Pro in India, owing to restrictions on the sale of its MediaTek-powered devices. It will be interesting to see if the company comes up with an Indian version, sporting Qualcomm processors.
Source: Mobile-Dad