Theta Android News: Redmi Note 9 may have just appeared online, revealing design, specs (Update)

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Redmi Note 9 may have just appeared online, revealing design, specs (Update)

Update, April 23 2020 (1:55AM ET): A Redmi phone with the model number M2003J15SC appeared on TENAA recently, revealing a budget device in line with recent Redmi Note phones.

We initially thought this could be the Redmi Note 9, but a new listing suggests a different name. Gizmochina spotted the new phone and model number on China Telecom's website, and it's listed as the Redmi 10X 4G.

The listing confirms some of TENAA's specs listed below, while also noting that the phone has a Helio G85 chipset. The Helio G80 processor was one of the more powerful budget chipsets in theory (if MediaTek's benchmarks are accurate), so we're guessing an incremental upgrade is on the cards here.

Original article, April 20 2020 (3:41AM ET): The Redmi Note 9 Pro devices were launched last month, making for two solid budget phones on paper. But it looks like Redmi could have one more phone in the family to announce.

China's TENAA telecommunications authority has listed a new Redmi phone with the model number M2003J15SC (h/t: XDA-Developers). The rear design is very similar to the Redmi Note 9 Pro phones, featuring a near-identical camera housing (albeit with a fingerprint scanner). We also have a punch-hole cutout here, although it isn't center-mounted like the Pro phones. Nevertheless, the similarity suggests that we're looking at the Redmi Note 9.

Specs listed on TENAA include a 6.53-inch FHD+ LCD screen, a 2Ghz octa-core processor, 3GB to 6GB of RAM, 32GB to 128GB of expandable storage, and a 4,920mAh battery.

The phone also packs a quad rear camera setup, featuring a 48MP and 13MP setup at the very least. If it's anything like the other Redmi Note 9 devices, then we can expect macro and depth sensors as well.

Redmi Note 9 Pro review: Great value, even against strong competition

The importance of the Note series of phones in Redmi's lineup cannot be overstated. It is the phone that put the company on the map and helped Xiaomi gain massive global momentum. The Redmi Note …

Weibo tipster Digital Chat Station suggests that the phone could be equipped with a Helio G80 processor, but we'll need to wait until the device is revealed to be sure of that. Either way, we're expecting the processor to be a step down from the Snapdragon 720G seen in the Pro phones.

Pricing is another intriguing question, as the cheapest Redmi Note 9 Pro device starts at ~$175 in China. So we're expecting a lower price in its home market, especially as TENAA reveals that it's available with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Meanwhile, the cheapest Redmi Note 9 Pro has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.