Tech
Tech Wrap This Week: Redmi 17 5G’s Massive Battery to POCO F9 Ultra—The Biggest Smartphone Launches You May Have Missed
A 7,900mAh battery, a massive 10,000mAh powerhouse and several new performance-focused phones made this a busy week for smartphone buyers in India and beyond.
The smartphone industry had another packed week, with major brands unveiling everything from battery-focused budget devices to powerful premium smartphones.
Xiaomi brought the Redmi 17 5G to India with an enormous 7,900mAh battery, while POCO expanded its X-series lineup with two new smartphones, including the battery-focused POCO X8 Power.
Meanwhile, Vivo continued to push the boundaries of battery capacity with the global version of the Vivo V80 Lite 5G, which packs a staggering 10,000mAh battery.
Here’s a look at the biggest smartphone announcements of the week.
Redmi 17 5G arrives in India with a massive 7,900mAh battery
The Redmi 17 5G is one of the most interesting launches of the week, particularly for buyers who are tired of charging their smartphones every day.
The new phone features a huge 7,900mAh battery, putting battery life at the centre of its appeal.
It also comes with a large 6.9-inch HD+ LCD display featuring a 120Hz AdaptiveSync refresh rate. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 7i.
Under the hood, the Redmi 17 5G is powered by a Snapdragon 4-series chipset and includes a dual-camera setup led by a 50MP primary camera.
The smartphone is priced at:
- ₹23,999 for the 6GB + 128GB variant
- ₹26,999 for the 8GB + 128GB variant
The Redmi 17 5G is scheduled to go on sale in India from September 10 through Amazon, Xiaomi’s official website, authorised retail outlets and offline stores.
Vivo T5 5G expands the T-series lineup
Vivo has also expanded its smartphone portfolio with the launch of the Vivo T5 5G, the sixth device in its T-series lineup.
The phone is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7500 Turbo processor and offers up to 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM along with 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage.
Buyers will be able to choose between Royal Bronze and Silver Green colour options.
The Vivo T5 5G is available in four configurations:
- 6GB + 128GB – ₹34,999
- 8GB + 128GB – ₹39,999
- 8GB + 256GB – ₹44,999
- 12GB + 256GB – ₹49,999
The smartphone is set to go on sale in India from September 9.
With multiple RAM and storage options, Vivo appears to be targeting buyers looking for more flexibility in the mid-to-premium smartphone segment.
POCO X8 and X8 Power bring two different approaches
POCO has expanded its popular X-series with the introduction of the POCO X8 and POCO X8 Power in India.
The two smartphones are aimed at slightly different audiences.
The standard POCO X8 has been positioned as a balanced mid-range smartphone, while the POCO X8 Power puts greater emphasis on battery capacity and durability.
Pricing starts at:
- POCO X8 – ₹29,999
- POCO X8 Power – ₹35,999
Launch offers include a ₹2,000 coupon discount, along with either a ₹1,000 bank offer or exchange bonus.
This brings the effective prices down to:
- ₹26,999 for the POCO X8
- ₹32,999 for the POCO X8 Power
Both smartphones will go on sale from September 11 through Flipkart.
Infinix Hot 70 Pro gets four colour options
Infinix has also introduced the Infinix Hot 70 Pro for Indian smartphone buyers.
The device will be available in four colour choices:
Mirage Green, Dive Blue, Silk Glow Purple and Thermo Orange.
The smartphone comes in two configurations:
- 6GB + 128GB – ₹24,999
- 8GB + 128GB – ₹27,999
The Infinix Hot 70 Pro will be available from September 12 through the company’s Indian website, Flipkart and retail stores.
The new launch adds another option to India’s increasingly competitive mid-range smartphone market.
Vivo V80 Lite 5G goes big with a 10,000mAh battery
Perhaps the most eye-catching battery specification this week came from the Vivo V80 Lite 5G.
The global version of the smartphone features an extraordinary 10,000mAh battery, significantly larger than the 7,050mAh battery found in the version previously introduced in Pakistan.
The global model is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300e chipset and supports 44W wired fast charging.
It will be offered in the following configurations:
- 6GB + 128GB
- 6GB + 256GB
- 8GB + 256GB
The phone is currently available for pre-order in Malaysia, although Vivo has not yet announced its official pricing or a confirmed sale date.
More importantly for Indian buyers, there is currently no information regarding an India launch.
POCO F9 Pro and F9 Ultra make their global debut
At the premium end of the market, POCO has introduced the POCO F9 Pro and POCO F9 Ultra globally.
The two smartphones share a similar design language and are positioned as performance-focused devices, with the F9 Ultra sitting at the higher end of the lineup.
The POCO F9 Pro starts at $699, approximately ₹66,400, for the 12GB RAM + 256GB storage variant.
Meanwhile, the POCO F9 Ultra starts at $799, approximately ₹75,900, for the same 12GB + 256GB configuration.
However, Indian smartphone enthusiasts will have to wait for more information, as POCO has not announced plans to bring either device to India so far.
The biggest smartphone trend this week? Bigger batteries
If there is one clear trend connecting many of this week’s launches, it is battery capacity.
The Redmi 17 5G brings a 7,900mAh battery, while the global Vivo V80 Lite 5G takes things even further with an enormous 10,000mAh unit.
For years, smartphones largely remained within the 4,000mAh to 5,000mAh range. The latest launches suggest that manufacturers are increasingly betting on bigger batteries as consumers demand devices capable of lasting longer between charges.
At the same time, the launches of the Vivo T5 5G, POCO X8 series, Infinix Hot 70 Pro and POCO F9 series show just how crowded the smartphone market has become.
From budget-conscious buyers and battery enthusiasts to mobile gamers and premium performance users, there appears to be a new device targeting almost every type of customer.
And with several of these smartphones scheduled to hit Indian stores in the coming days, September is shaping up to be another busy month for the country’s technology market.
