4 Chinese smart phones that should have been Micromax's inspiration for the Canvas 4

The highly anticipated Micromax Canvas 4 launch has left a sour aftertaste. We’d even go so far as to say it is one of the few disappointing smart phones of the year so far. The reason is simple—over the last one year, expectations from Micromax have increased by manifold. Blu, a Florida-based company, uses the same low-cost production model that Micromax has thrived on and both companies get their smart phones manufactured by OEMs in China. There's talk that Canvas 4 is an imitation of the Blu LifeOne. Canvas 4 shares almost all of the LifeOne's specs, including theMediatek MT6589 chipset. And it also has the same aluminium mid-housing. However, if Micromax had to look for inspiration somewhere, it could have taken cues from some Chinese-branded smart phones.
Before moving on to the list of Chinese smartphones, let’s take a look at thespecificationsof theMicromax Canvas 4:
Weight - 182 g Display - True HD IPS displaySize - 5 inches (12.7 cm) Resolution - 720 x 1280 at 294ppi (pixel density) Protection- Corning Gorilla Glass Chipset - Mediatek MT6589 Processor - 1.2GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6589 GPU - Power VR SGX544 RAM - 1GB LPDDR2 RAM Storage - 16GB internal, expandable up to 32 GB via micro SD Primary Camera - 13MP camera with LED flash Secondary Camera - 5MP front-facing Video recording - Full HD 1080p @30fps Battery - 2000mAh Lithium Ion
iBerry Auxus Nuclea N1
iBerry had earlier introduced some nifty tablets in the Indian market, and now thecompany has begun the pre-order of its feature-loaded budget smartphone dubbed Auxus Nuclea N1. While theCanvas 4 is powered by the Mediatek MT6589, theNuclea N1 takes a step further with theMediatek MT6589T Turbo version that is more powerful and expensive. The quad-core processor clocks at a higher 1.5GHz and overall the device weighs much lessat 120.7 grams. One of themost significantfeature of theNuclea N1 is its 5-inch 1080p IPS display. The displayuses OGS (One Glass Solution), which helps give it a slimmer look. It also has a bigger battery at 2800 mAh. Both Canvas 4 and Nuclea N1 come with a 13MP rear camera, but thelatter has a higher 8MP front-facing camera. Moreover, Auxus Nuclea N1 has managed to beat Micromax Canvas 4 not just with betterspecs, but also with its cheaperprice tag. iBerry has put up the Nuclea N1 forpre-order at a price of Rs 15,999, which is Rs 2,000 less thanCanvas 4's launch price.
Zopo C2
The next contender is theZopo C2, which is powered by a 1.2GHz Mediatek MT6589 quad-core processor (same as theMicromax Canvas 4) but has an upper edge when it comesto the display. The C2 comeswith a full HD 1920 x 1080 5-inch IPS display. It is lighterin weight at 150 grams and also has support fordual SIMs. Most of the other specificationsremain the same, such as 13MP rear camera, 5MP front-facing camera and 2000 mAh battery. The Zopo C2 is priced at around Rs 13,500, which is way cheaperthan theCanvas 4.
UmiX2
The Chinese phone maker Umihad launched the X2 inthe Indian market earlier this year. It also has theMTK6589 quad-core processor just like theCanvas 4, but comes with a higher 2GB RAM. The smartphone was launched with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS version but got the4.2 update inApril. It has a 5-inch IPS LCD with a full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The 16GB model of Canvas 4 is priced at Rs 17,999, while Umiis sellingits 16GB and 32GB X2 models forRs 14,000 and Rs 16,000 respectively. It further offers up to 64GB of expandable memory compared to 32GB offeredby the Canvas 4. Just like the Canvas 4, it has a 13MP rear camera, but a slightlyinferior (on paper) 3 megapixel front-facing camera. It is lighterin weight at 155 grams and comes equippedwith a better 2500 mAh battery.
Gionee Elife E6
Launchedin China today and coming to India inAugust, theGionee Elife E6 has also managed to pack ina 1080p full HD display. The only hiccupseems to be its higher pricetag, expected to be priced somewherearound Rs 23,000. However, it has a faster 1.5GHz quad-core processor with 2GB RAM (likely to be Mediatek MT6589T Turbo chipset). Moreover, it's just 6.1 mm thin, making it one of thethinnest smartphones in theworld. Just like the Canvas 4, it will come with a 13MP rear camera, 5MP front-facing camera and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS. The smartphoneis lighterat 128 grams and has a gigantic 32GB internal memory.
Just as we speak, another Indian phone maker, Spice has looked at the above smartphones forinspiration and has now launched theSpice Pinnacle for an MOP of Rs 16,999. Despite being lessexpensive than theCanvas 4, it has a higher resolution 1080p displayand a faster 1.5GHz quad-core processor. However, the 8MP rear camera and 2MP front-facing camera could be seen as a compromise.
So what do you think? Is theCanvas 4 looking like a weaker device incomparison to these Chinese smartphones? We think Micromax has missed a beat with theCanvas 4. Let us know if you agree.