#TechBytes: These smartphones have become costlier in India
Some budget-friendly smartphones including the Samsung Galaxy M21, Redmi Note 8, and Realme C3 have recently received a price hike in India. In some cases, the companies have said that the COVID-19 outbreak has caused a supply breakdown, resulting in a price uptick. Notably, these recent increases follow a price revision that was introduced after the GST rate on mobiles was hiked this April.
Redmi 8
The Redmi 8 (4GB/64GB) has received a price hike of Rs. 200 and it now retails for Rs. 9,499. The handset has a waterdrop-style notch, a rear-mounted fingerprint reader, and a 6.22-inch HD+ (720x1520 pixels) LCD display. It is powered by Snapdragon 439 processor, coupled with up to 4GB RAM, up to 64GB of storage, and a 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast-charging support.
The Redmi 8 has a dual rear camera setup
The Redmi 8 handset features a dual rear camera setup comprising a 12MP (f/1.8) primary sensor and another 2MP depth camera with LED flash. On the front, there is a single 8MP selfie snapper.
Redmi Note 8
After getting a price hike of Rs. 500, the 4GB/64GB model of the Redmi Note 8 retails for Rs. 11,999, while the 6GB/128GB variant costs Rs. 14,499. The smartphone has a waterdrop notch, a physical fingerprint sensor, and a 6.3-inch Full-HD+ (1080x2340 pixels) LCD display. It is powered by a Snapdragon 665 processor, paired with 3GB/4GB/6GB RAM, up to 128GB storage, and 4,000mAh battery.
The Redmi Note 8 has a quad rear camera setup
The device has a quad-camera setup on the rear, comprising a 48MP (f/1.8) primary sensor, an 8MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide lens, a 2MP (f/2.4) macro camera, and another 2MP (f/2.4) depth sensor with LED flash. There is a single 13MP selfie snapper at the front.
Realme C3
The price of the Realme C3 was hiked by Rs. 500, and it now costs Rs. 7,999 for the 3GB/32GB model. The handset has an edge-to-edge screen with a waterdrop notch and a 6.5-inch HD+ (720x1560 pixels) LCD screen. It is powered by a MediaTek Helio G70 octa-core chipset, coupled with up to 4GB RAM, up to 64GB of storage, and a 5,000mAh battery.
The Realme C3 has a dual rear camera setup
The Realme C3 handset sports a dual rear camera setup, comprising a 12MP (f/1.8) primary sensor and a 2MP (f/2.4) depth camera with LED flash. On the front, there is a single 5MP snapper for clicking selfies.
Samsung Galaxy M21
The Samsung Galaxy M21 became costlier by Rs. 500 and it now starts at Rs. 13,999 for the 4GB/64GB model. The handset sports a U-shaped notched design, a 6.4-inch Full-HD+ (1080x2340 pixels) AMOLED screen, and a rear-mounted fingerprint reader. It is powered by an Exynos 9611 processor, coupled with 4GB/6GB RAM, 64GB/128GB storage, and a 6,000mAh battery.
The Samsung Galaxy M21 has a 48MP primary camera
The handset houses a triple rear camera setup comprising a 48MP (f/2.0) primary sensor, an 8MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide camera, and a 5MP (f/2.2) depth sensor with LED flash. On the front, there is a single 20MP selfie snapper.
