POCO debuted the Pocophone F1 for a global audience today in India and the handset goes on sale for a mind-boggling price of Rs 20,999 on August 29 on Flipkart and Mi.com. I attended the launch event on behalf of Gizchina and we’re going to point out the standout features of the device in this article.
Without doubt, the biggest highlight of the handset is its unbelievable price. At Rs 20,999, it is hands down the cheapest Snapdragon 845 phone across the globe. While it is the cheapest, how much more value can it provide besides performance? That is the big question. It is a question that only time will answer.
The battery is an area where the Pocophone takes top accolades. Just count the number of flagships with a 4,000mAh battery and you’ll know why. There are many premium phones that make have top notch battery optimizations but there is no substitute for a bigger battery. The topping on the cake is Quick Charge 3.0 with a compatible charger included in the box. Props to Xiaomi for doing what many manufacturers forget to do.
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If the Pocophone’s breathtaking price is the headline grabber, then the Snapdragon 845 inside its guts is the invisible hero of the story. That processor will enable Pocophone F1 users to fly through pretty much anything. It is unbridled raw power in the hands of the common man.
MIUI for POCO was a big surprise at the event. POCO has modified Xiaomi’s own skin over Android, and with the help of user feedback, has brought some really handy features. For example, MIUI now has an app drawer, support for custom icon packs, gestures, and Turbocharged engine. What’s that you ask? well, it is POCO’s optimizations that allows for even faster app load times, faster swipe response, and faster foreground apps. This is just a trailer of new features.
If you like these features, then Jai Mani, General Product Manager at POCO announced that the POCO Launcher will debut on Google’s Play Store in Beta by the end of this month. Also, Android Pie is promised by Q4, 2018.