Xiaomi’s New Redmi Note Launches In India As Apple Prepares For iPad Air 2, Mini 3 Launch On Nov. 29

China's Xiaomi launched its latest Redmi Note smartphone and a 4G variant of the device in India on Monday, while the Indian market is also anticipating the launch of Apple’s new iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 on Friday.

Xiaomi, which became the world’s third-largest smartphone maker by market share in the third quarter of 2014, announced the launch of the Redmi Note for 8,999 rupees ($145) and a 4G version of the handset for 9,999 rupees ($162). The announcement of the new Xiaomi handsets has come at a time when Apple too is reportedly preparing to launch the latest version of its flagship tablets in India later this week.

According to Xiaomi, the Redmi Note features a 5.5-inch HD display with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. The device is powered by 1.7Ghz octa-core Mediatek processor, and sports a 13-megapixel rear camera, a 5-megapixel front-facing camera and a 3,100 mAh Lithium-Ion Polymer battery.

The Redmi Note 4G is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon Quad-core 1.6GHz processor, while the device’s camera and battery specifications are similar to those of the standard model. Both models sport 2GB RAM and 8GB storage, which is expandable up to 32GB.

Other key features of the Redmi Note include a gyroscope, a compass, an accelerometer and a proximity sensor. With a maximum download speed of 150Mbps, the 4G version of the device is claimed to be “fast enough for almost any conceivable wireless application.” The company has reportedly announced a partnership with Airtel, a major Indian carrier, for the Redmi Note 4G.

Redmi Note will be available on Flipkart, one of India's leading online retailers, from Dec. 2, while preorder for the device will begin from Tuesday. The Redmi Note 4G will be available at a later date in December, The Economic Times, a local Indian business newspaper, reported Monday.

Meanwhile, Indian consumers are expected to get their hands on the new iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 starting Saturday.

“Pre-bookings for iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 have already started. Both the models will be available across Apple authorised retail stores from November 29,” an authorized Apple channel partner, told the Press Trust of India (PTI), a local news agency.

The 16GB Wi-Fi only model of the iPad Air 2 will be priced at 35,900 rupees ($582), while the 64GB version will cost 42,900 rupees ($693). The 128 GB model will have a price tag of 49,900 rupees ($806) after tax.

The iPad Air 2 with both Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity will be priced at 45,900 rupees ($742), 52,900 rupees ($855) and 59,900 rupees ($968), including tax, depending on storage capacity.

Meanwhile, the iPad mini 3 models have been priced in the range of 28,900 ($467) rupees to 52,900 rupees ($854), PTI reported.