Xiaomi Redmi S2 tipped to bring dual-cameras and face unlock to India (Update)

Update (04/23/18 at 01:57 A.M): It looks like China’s TENAA has listed a Xiaomi phone with some similar specs to the Redmi S2. There’s a 2GHz octacore chipset, rear fingerprint scanner, a tall 1440×720 display (measuring 6 inches), 16GB/32GB/64GB of storage, a 3000mAh battery and 2GB/3GB/4GB of RAM.

The images also show a phone with a dual-camera setup, although megapixel details weren’t immediately clear. But we do get a listing of color variants, namely black, rose gold, gold, white, blue, red, pink, gray, and silver.

Thanks to the TENAA listing we now have a better picture of what to expect from the upcoming smartphone. It certainly suggests that we’re looking at another budget-minded handset. But the lower resolution display and presumed 2GB/16GB entry-level model means we could be seeing one of the better bang for your buck phones around.

Original article: Indian smartphone users have some great budget options from Xiaomi, but we can add one more to the list in the form of the Xiaomi Redmi S2.

The (presumably) budget phone was uncovered by XDA-Developers, after obtaining firmware files for the device. And these files reveal a few key details about the handset.

In the power stakes, you’re looking at a Snapdragon 625 processor – a mainstay of budget-minded Xiaomi phones since late 2016. The site was unable to figure out the amount of RAM in the phone but found references to a 16GB model with expandable storage. The Xiaomi Redmi S2 is also tipped to pack an 18:9 display with a 1440 x 720 resolution.

A 3,080mAh cell powers everything, which is the same battery size found inside the Mi A1. The combination of a power-efficient chipset and lower resolution screen means we can reasonably expect better endurance than Xiaomi’s Android One phone.

Moving to the camera arena, XDA-Developers unearthed a 12MP and 5MP dual-camera setup on the back. The front plays host to a solitary 5MP shooter. The firmware also yielded a few camera-related features, such as Portrait Mode, face unlock functionality and electronic image stabilization.

Finally, the site found references to both an Indian and Chinese variant, all but confirming initial markets for release.

The news comes as the company gears up for an event on April 25 in China, where we’ll see the Mi 6X revealed. The phone is expected to pack a 20MP + 12MP dual-camera setup, as well as a capable Snapdragon 660 chipset.