Xiaomi introduces new selfies-focused series, starting with Redmi Y1 and Y1 Lite

In a press event in New Delhi today, Xiaomi introduced a new Redmi Y series of smartphones with a focus on the front camera setup. The Redmi Y1 packs in 16-megapixel front camera paired with an LED Selfie-light. According to the company, the high-resolution front camera paired with the LED Selfie-light simulates effects of natural lighting, and captures sharper and more vibrant self-portraits. 

The Redmi Y1 runs MIUI 9 beta out of the box, and will get the stable update mid-November. MIUI 9 brings in faster app launches that makes use of optimized touch feedback, CPU acceleration, and optimized thread scheduling in the background. There’s also better notifications, split screen (like stock Android), icon animations, and smart photo editing. There are new features like App Vault and Stickers with improvements to Mi Video, Mi Drop, and Mi Calendar.

The company claims that the latest iteration of MIUI is as fast as stock Android. MIUI, despite its popularity, has often been criticized in the past for being a heavy UI layer that affects overall performance – especially on budget smartphones.

Xiaomi Redmi Y1 Specifications

• Operating System: Android 7.1.2 Nougat with MIUI 9 beta
• Display: 5.5-inch (13.9 cms) HD (1280 x 720) | Corning Gorilla Glass
• Processor: 1.4 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 octa-core 64-bit | Adreno 505 GPU
• RAM: 3/4 GB
• Internal Storage: 32/64 GB; expandable up to 128 GB with microSD card
• Front Camera: 16 MP with LED Selfie-light | f/2.0 aperture | 76.4-degrees wide-angle lens | 1.0 micron pixel size
• Rear Camera: 13 MP | f/2.0 aperture | PDAF | 1.12 micron pixel size | 5 piece lens
• Battery: 3,080 mAh
• Dimensions: 153 x 76.2 x 7.7 mm
• Weight: 153 g

The Redmi Y1 comes in two memory variants – 3 GB + 32 GB and 4 GB + 64 GB. The lower variant is priced at ₹8,999 ($140), and is available in two color variants – Gold and Dark Gray. The higher spec’d variant will be available for ₹10,999 ($170).

The company also announced another device, Redmi Y1 Lite priced at ₹6,999 ($115).

Xiaomi Redmi Y1 Lite Specifications

• Operating System: Android 7.1.2 Nougat with MIUI 9 beta
• Display: 5.5-inch (13.9 cms) HD (1280 x 720) | Corning Gorilla Glass
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 quad-core 64-bit
• RAM: 2 GB
• Internal Storage: 16 GB; expandable up to 128 GB with microSD card
• Rear Camera: 13 MP | f/2.0 aperture | PDAF | 1.12 micron pixel size | 5 piece lens
• Battery: 3,080 mAh
• Dimensions: 153 × 76.2 × 7.55 mm
• Weight: 150 g

Both the products are Amazon exclusive, and the first sale happens on November 8 at 12 noon. Subsequently, the devices will be available at Xiaomi’s offline stores and partners. What do you think of this new chapter in Xiaomi’s best-selling Redmi series? Tell us in the comments.