Upcoming Android Phones 2014: Why Is The Xiami Mi4 The 'Perfect' Smartphone For The Market?

One of the upcoming Android phones for 2014 was just announced yesterday, and from the looks of it, Xiaomi really wants to make an impact. 

Last year, when it launched the Xiaomi Mi3, it became a household name in its home market and it was during this time that it garnered the title 'the Apple of China'. Of course, for Apple fans this is totally an absurd statement considering Xiaomi is selling smartphones half the price of the iPhone. 

But for the mass market, which consists of China, India and other neighboring countries which have seen significant smartphone sales increase in the past two years, being 'Apple-like' may not just be about the price but the quality. 

Yesterday, the Chinese brand launched the Xiaomi Mi4, and almost from all angles it is worthy contender for the Android crown, and the smartphone battle as a whole. 

The device packs a 5-inch display with Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, 3GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 801 chipset with four cores running at 2.5GHz. The phone has either a 16GB or 64GB of built-in memory and a 3,000mAh battery. 

Like other flasghips today, the Xiaomi Mi4 runs on Android 4.4.2 Kit Kat out of the box, with its MIUI interface on top. There is also a 13MP Sony-made camera at the back, and an industry-leading 8-megapixel front camera which is especially tailored for a selfie-heavy Asian market. 

With all those high-end specs, the pricing for the Xiaomi handset is just unbelievable. The 16GB model is priced at only $320 while the 64GB version costs $400. 

For the past couple of years, the word 'premium' has mostly been attached to Apple and its aluminum-clad devices which are paired with warranties and other after-sales perks. 

But Xiaomi is emerging to be one of the best in terms of design, and the company always attaches a very attractive price tag. Of course there will always be compromises, such as the absence of a microSD card slot, the longer arrival of Android updates, or the super close resemblance of MIUI to Apple's iOS, but for people who go for value first, the Mi4 is such a steal.