Earlier this week, one of the most awaited upcoming Android phones was announced - the Xiaomi Mi4 which had a great upgrade from last year's model.

In 2013, the market was stunned to see Xiaomi's Mi3 getting Snapdragon 800, 2GB of RAM and a 13MP primary camera (specs the same as the Samsung Galaxy Note 3) at below $400. And this year, the Chinese manufacturer has taken it to a higher level.

The new version of Xiaomi's Android flagship takes on the high-end phones which are currently available in the market today.

The phone packs a a 5-inch display with Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, a quad-core CPU clocked at 2.5GHz, and 3GB of RAM. Those specs are almost identical to the Sony Xperia Z2's, but it comes at a cheaper package. During its launch, the Xiaomi Mi4 is said to cost around $320 for the 16GB edition while the 64GB version will be priced at about $400.

Which brings us to our point here. According to a report from GSM Arena, one of the top upcoming Android phones for 2014 is already available for pre-order in Italy, though the price is a bit higher at €394.90 for the 16GB edition. 

Also on board the new flagship is a 13MP Sony-made camera in front, and an 8MP front cam for selfies. The phone runs on the latest Android version out of the box. Unfortunately, no microSD card slot is present, so consumers planning to buy the product should think carefully whether to get either the 16GB or 64GB edition. 

Will Xiaomi Mi4 reach millions in sales like its predecessor? From the response and interest it has been getting from the market, especially consumers, it is difficult to imagine the Mi3 performing better. Back then Xiaomi was almost a nobody in the market, but it still sold more than 10 million units. It only gets better for the Chinese brand now that it is becoming a popular name overseas.