The Xiaomi Mi4 specs may not have a QHD or 2K (2560 x 1440) display, phablet dimensions, or a fingerprint scanner. Nevertheless, it remains as one of the most popular smartphones especially in Asia where it coule make landfall initially. 

Announced back in July, the Xiaomi Mi4 packs a 5-inch display with Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, a quad-core CPU running at 2.5GHz, a Snapdragon 801 chip, 3GB of RAM and an option for either 16GB or 64GB of internal memory.

It also has an OIS powered 13MP primary camera and a top-notch 8MP front cam for high quality selfies and video call functions. The Android phone also comes with version 4.4.3 Kit Kat out of the box, and is powered by a 3,080mAh battery which should be enough to last a day with moderate use. 

Given these specs, the Mi4 certainly has enough specs to take on the newly-announced Galaxy Alpha from Samsung. While the phone only packs a 4.7-inch display and HD resolution, it makes up for it with a high-end chipset, a better camera and a metal frame, a first among Samsung smartphones.

The Xiaomi Mi4 has also been compared with the iPhone, and the upcoming 4.7-inch iPhone 6 is certainly a huge obstacle it needs to overcome. Specwise, the Mi4 will not have any problems as it more or less matches up decently with the upcoming Apple smartphone. 

However, it is worth noting that while the Xiaomi Mi4 has been announced almost two months ago, it is not available in a lot of markets yet, and its primary coverage right now is China. 

Considering that last year's flagship model, the Xiaomi Mi3, has just been released in some Asian markets, the Mi4 may unfortunately follow the same route, and that will certainly affect its popularity as one of the emerging giants in the smartphone industry. 

Xiaomi should release the Mi4 now, because with a pricing that begins at only $320 for the 16GB version and goes max at $400 for the 64GB edition, a quality handset with high-end specs and an affordable price tag is simply too difficult pass.