Looking for a new smartphone? Here’s a list of five smartphones that are expected to launch in India in November 2018.
Diwali just ended and the New Year hasn’t even arrived, but we’re already expecting a slew of big-ticket launches – Xiaomi, Samsung, HMD Global, Huawei, and ZTE are all rumoured to launch new smartphones in India this month. South Korean major, Samsung, is planning to introduce the Galaxy A9 (2018) in the Indian market, the world’s first smartphone with four cameras on the rear.
Then there is Xiaomi which might launch the Redmi Note 6 Pro, an upgrade to the Redmi Note 5 Pro. Huawei is also not far away in the race as it plans to introduce the Mate 20 Pro in the country, its answer to the Apple iPhone XS Max and Samsung Galaxy Note 9. HMD Global too plans to launch the global version of Nokia X7 aka Nokia 8.1 in India. Lastly, we can expect to see the launch of Nubia Red Magic, ZTE’s comeback phone in the country.
Here’s a closer look at five smartphones that will make their India debut in November 2018.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro
Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro could launch in India sooner than expected, although the company is yet to announce any formal launch date. The Redmi Note 6 Pro is highly anticipated, given the massive success of the Redmi Note 5 Pro in India. There’s a lot of chatter about the Redmi Note 6 Pro – after all, it packs four cameras in total.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro will succeed the Redmi Note 5 Pro, Xiaomi’s most successful smartphone in India to date.
There’s also a talk about its 6.24-inch FHD+ notched display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor, and a 4,000mAh battery. We expect the Redmi Note 6 Pro to launch in the third week of November at a starting price of Rs 15,999.
Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018)
Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018), the world’s first smartphone with four cameras, is expected to launch in India in the month of November. While there is no official statement from Samsung about the release of the Galaxy A9 in India, multiple reports suggest the launch is going to take place sometime this month. The marquee feature of the Galaxy A9, of course, is a quad camera setup on the rear that distinguishes it from other mid-end smartphones in the market. Samsung has gone with a 2MP primary cameras paired with a 5MP depth sensor for portrait mode. It also comes with an 8MP ultra-wide camera with 120° field of view and a 10MP telephoto camera with 2X optical zoom. It all starts and end with the camera. It might cost Rs 40,000 when it hits retail shelves later this month.
Huawei Mate 20 Pro
The Mate 20 Pro is the latest attempt by Huawei to challenge Apple and Samsung in the high-end smartphone segment. The Mate 20 Pro has a massive OLED screen, a Kirin 980 processor, an in-display fingerprint scanner, and a huge 4200mAh battery. It also features 3D depth facing camera, similar to that used by Apple for its Face ID in the iPhone X.
Huawei Mate 20 Pro is a top-tier smartphone that aims to take on Apple iPhone XS Max and Samsung Galaxy Note 9.
On the back, you will notice Huawei’s award-winning Leica-branded triple-camera setup with improved image optics. Perhaps what makes the Mate 20 Pro different is the ability to charge other smartphones wirelessly. The good news is that the handset is coming to India towards the end of this month at a “premium” price tag.
Also read: Huawei Mate 20 Pro hands-on: Premium design, but can it take on iPhone XS Max?
Nokia 8.1
It seems HMD Global is on a launch spree in India and the company’s next big launch will be the Nokia 8.1. In case you are not aware, Nokia 8.1 will be rebranded version of Nokia X7, which was recently launched in China. Sources close to 91 Mobiles claim the launch will happen on November 28 in India, although the Finnish company is yet to announce a release date. It’s being also said that the phone will cost Rs 23,999, which makes it in direct competition to Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018), a phone with triple rear-facing cameras. Nokia 8.1 will be pitched as a premium mid-end smartphone, similar to that of the Nokia 7 Plus.
Nubia Red Magic
There’s a school of thought which says that to play graphics-intensive games on a mobile you need to buy a gaming-focused smartphone. The Nubia Red Magic is exactly what it promises to offer: gaming on the go. If you’re hunting for a new gaming smartphone, then you should look at Nubia Red Magic. Expected to launch sometime this month, the phone is ergonomically designed for extended gameplay.
ZTE Nubia Red Magic is a dedicated gaming smartphone.
It is claimed to be the first smartphone to use the all-new air convection system which is designed to dissipate heat effectively. This is a slick, gaming-ready phone that a distinctive RGB LED strip. Although it packs last year’s Snapdragon 835 processor, it’s still very fast and beefy, thanks to 8GB of RAM. Speculation is rife that the Nubia Red Magic might be priced under Rs 30,000 with the launch expected to happen soon.