Xiaomi is gearing up to launch more affordable 5G smartphones. In fact, all new mobile phones from its budget Redmi series that cost more than 1500 yuan (US$210) will be 5G enabled, according to a statement from Xiaomi’s President for China Lu Weibing reported by local media.
It comes as the company introduces the newest addition to its lineup, the Redmi 10X. Starting at 1599 yuan (US$223), the 10X line features a 48-megapixel camera and a MediaTek Dimensity 820 processor. (There’s also a 4G model in the Redmi 10X line with a different processor.)
The first 5G phones were all premium smartphones, but Chinese phone makers have been quickly bringing down prices. The competition is strong: Huawei’s budget Honor 30 series starts at US$425 while Oppo is offering the Find X Lite for US$540. Vivo’s Liu Hong said in March that by the fourth quarter of this year, 5G phone prices might approach US$200.