The Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 has set a new record in China by selling 800000 units within 12 hours in its first flash sale yesterday. Sadly, India won’t be able to join in the fun as the company isn’t planning to launch the phone in India anytime soon.
The device was announced in its native country last week. It’s proven to be highly successful there, perhaps because it contains a Helio X10 chipset. The octa-core processor is usually seen in high-end models such as the HTC One M9+ which costs almost four times as much as the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2, whose price starts at CNY 799 (approx Rs 8000).
However, MediaTek’s flagship SoC might be the reason why the handset can’t be launched in India. Xiaomi is still battling with Ericsson over a patent lawsuit that resulted in the manufacturer being barred from importing or selling smartphones with MediaTek CPUs in them. It was later allowed to sell devices with Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets in them.
In a statement to BGR India, Xiaomi confirmed it would not be releasing the Redmi Note 2 in the country as of now. It didn’t comment on the reason for the decision since the legal case is still ongoing. Ericsson had accused the brand of not paying royalties for technology innovations covered under its Standard Essential Patents for wireless technology standards such as 3G, GSM and EDGE.
Specifications of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 at a glance:
– OS: Android 5.0 Lollipop-based MIUI 7
– Display: 5.5-inch, 1080 × 1920 pixels
– Memory: 16GB, 32GB
– CPU: 2.2GHz 64-bit octa-core MediaTek Helio X10
– RAM: 2GB
– Camera: 13MP rear, 5MP front
– Battery: 3060mAh
– Connectivity: dual-SIM, 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, A-GPS, GLONASS, microUSB 2.0
The company is set to enforce these patents under Free Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory (FRAND) terms. It is currently embroiled in similar suits against manufacturers like Micromax and Intex as well. The former has been asked to pay almost 1% of the selling price of its phones as royalties according to a Delhi High Court judgment.
Also See: Xiaomi Redmi Note 2, Redmi Note 2 Prime with MIUI 7 announced
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 was expected to be released alongside the global launch of MIUI 7 in New Delhi on August 19. We’ll keep you posted on any new products the brand announces during the event.