Update: Xiaomi is gearing up to launch its next budget segment smartphone- Redmi Note 5. According to the code of event website and first spotted by Techook, Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 is making a debut in India on February 14.

Xiaomi is seemingly working on the next device in the Redmi Note series, the Redmi Note 5. Specs of the next device in Xiaomi’s successful Redmi Note line-up have been leaked, suggesting that the Chinese smartphone maker will be launching two variants of the Redmi Note 5 in India.

The company has already released Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus in China back in December last year. It is expected that the Redmi 5 Plus will become India's Redmi Note 5 when it arrives on February 14.

Apart from the SoC, Redmi Note 5 leaks also suggest that Xiaomi may be bringing a dual camera setup to the Redmi line-up for the first time. While the new leaks are all hinting at a very good upgrade from the Redmi Note 4, Xiaomi may still not increase the price of the Redmi Note 5. Most importantly, some reports suggest that the "Note" name may be dropped, with Xiaomi continuing this under the Redmi series from now on.

Source - Weibo

The Redmi Note 5 could launch in India in February with the phone currently being tested internally at Xiaomi. Earlier reports had suggested that the Redmi Note 5 may launch sometime in January, in line with the usual schedule for Xiaomi's Redmi Note series.

The company is expected to price the 3GB RAM/32GB storage variant of the Redmi Note 5 at 999 Yuan (Approx Rs 9999) and 1299 Yuan (Approx Rs 13000) for the 3GB RAM/32GB storage variant. There could be a 4GB RAM variant with 64GB storage as well, that is rumoured to cost 1699 Yuan.

Source: Weibo

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 design and display

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The Redmi Note 5 is rumoured to be one of the few mid-rangers that’ll boast an 18:9 aspect ratio, and the freshly leaked renders shed some more light on how the device may look. The rear looks very identical to the Redmi Note 3 with slight curves on the sides, the plastic chin and forehead.

The newly leaked pictures on TENAA do not confirm that the phones shown are the Redmi Note 5, but if we align it with what we have seen in past, the design and specifications are highly relatable to the existing Redmi Note phones.

According to the leak, the devices, codenamed MET7 and MEE7, have minimal bezels around the display and 18:9 aspect ratio. The leaked images hint at a back panel that looks more like the Redmi Note 3 with rounded sides, a circular camera lens and a fingerprint sensor right below it.

The main difference in the appearance is that the phone has a 5.99 inch display on the front, but it should be compact because of the taller aspect ratio. The LCD panel has a resolution of 2160x1080 pixels.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 camera

Credit: @laenix (Weibo)

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Furthermore, the Redmi Note 5 is said to have a dual camera setup, and the latest reports are in line with this. According to source, the phone is expected to feature a 12MP+5MP camera setup on the back, aided by a dual-tone LED flash. Finer details about the sensors and camera capabilities are not known yet.

On the front, the Redmi Note 5 may come with an upgraded 12MP camera. Rounding up the spec sheet, the Redmi Note 5 is reported to come in 3GB and 4GB memory variants, with 32GB and 64GB of storage respectively. The phone will also have a fingerprint sensor, 4,000mAh battery, dual SIM with 4G VoLTE support are other remaining aspects that have been revealed.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 OS and power

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One of the major talking points of the new Redmi Note 5 is the processor. According to the latest set of leaks, the Redmi Note 5 is expected to be powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 processor, featuring eight Cortex A53 cores.

As a successor to the Note 4, Xiaomi was expected to use the Snapdragon 630 chipset in the Redmi Note 5. However, some earlier leaks had also suggested that we could see the Snapdragon 660 in the phone instead. The Snapdragon 632 seems to be a choice made for efficiency, over raw power.

Lastly, TENNA listings had earlier showed that the smartphone will run a 2.0GHz octa-core processor, which was expected to be either the Snapdragon 660 or the Snapdragon 636 . Xiaomi is expected to launch the Redmi Note 5 with Android 7.1.2 Nougat out of the box with MIUI 9 update on top of it.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 listed on Oppomart

The Redmi Note 5 had also been spotted on an Oppomart listing. The website has a page for the upcoming smartphone showing a picture of the purported Note 5. The specifications here say that the phone will feature a 5.99-inch, 2160x1080 pixel display and 18:9 aspect ratio. The Redmi Note 5 will come with narrow bezels on the sides, which is in line with the current trend of smartphones.

Furthermore, Oppomart says that the smartphone will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, which interestingly also powers the current generation of the Redmi Note. This is unlikely, since the Snapdragon 630 by Qualcomm replaces that chipset on the market.

Additionally, the listing also states that the Redmi Note 5 will have a 12-megapixel rear and a 5-megapixel front facing camera. It will be available in RAM and memory variants of 3GB/4GB and 32GB/64GB. Oppomart reveals that it will be powered by a 4,000 mAh battery, which supports quick charge.

Alleged live pictures of Redmi Note 5 leaked

A user on SlashLeaks had posted a live picture of what seems like a Xiaomi smartphone with very slim bezels. The smartphone was rumoured to be the Redmi Note 5, but as with most leaks, it remains unproven. The specifications are in-line with the Oppomart listing where some features are unlikely to feature on the actual smartphone. This might be a prototype but it establishes one fact, that Xiaomi is gunning to launch a slim bezel 18:9 mid-range smartphone soon.