Oppo subsidiary Realme recently unveiled the Realme 5 and Realme 5 Pro smartphones in India. The two phones are successors to the Realme 3 and Realme 3 Pro that came out in May 2019, posing as value phones that pack some punch on matters specs, design and features alike.
The Realme 5 begins selling in the Asian sub-continent on August 27 priced at INR 9,999 for the 3/32GB variant and INR 11,999 for the 4/64GB variant. This sale will be limited to the online marketplace.
As for the Realme 5 Pro, the base model of 4/64GB goes for INR 13,999 followed by INR 14,999 and INR 16,999 for the 6/64GB and 8/128GB variants, respectively. Unlike the standard model, though, the Pro variant begins selling on September 4 and sales will be limited to online.
The biggest selling point (besides the affordable price tag, of course) of both Realme 5 phones is the quad-lens camera on the back. The pair is the first from the company with such a camera setup and is expected to make a big deal out of it.
In the latest episode 9 of a YouTube series dubbed #AskMadhav, Realme CEO Madhav Sheth has shed some light on a number of key things regarding the duo, other Realme phones, as well as Realme in general.
Why not Realme 4 and Realme 4 Pro?
One of the biggest questions that arose following the launch of the Realme 5 and Realme 5 Pro as successors to the Realme 3 and Realme 3 Pro is why the company skipped Realme 4 and Realme 4 Pro. Well, apparently, this has nothing to do with tretraphobia as yours truly thought.
Apparently, Madhav says the reason for skipping the number 4 is to show how big of an upgrade the Realme 5 is over the Realme 3, especially in matters of photography. That is, a shift from dual-lens to a quad-lens camera setup, which is indeed a massive leap.
Realme 5 & 5 Pro cameras have one major difference
Both the Realme 5 & 5 Pro have a quad-lens camera setup and while the two setups are mostly the same, Madhav says the major difference is the main sensor. Where the former has a 12MP main lens, the latter has a 48MP main lens. The other three lenses are the same on both handsets.
Camera2 API is enabled out of the box
Even with a quad-lens camera, the Realme 5 & 5 Pro may not stand a chance against the likes of Google Pixel 3 or even the entry-level Pixel 3a and this is all because of one major reason – the Google Camera software.
While it’s possible to grab the APK version of the Google Camera app and install it on any Android device, it’s mandatory that the device in question has Camera2 API enabled. Well, fans will be happy to know that both Realme 5 phones will come with the Camera2 API enabled out of the box.
Bootloader unlocking is coming within a month
For those who like tinkering with their devices, Realme 5 & 5 Pro have been promised to get bootloader unlocking within a month of their arrival, although Madhav says more details will be shared soon.
SOT is coming in October via OTA update
When quizzed about when Realme 5 devices will receive support for screen-on-time, Madhav was quick to note that it will not only come to the duo, but also to other Realme phones. However, only the Realme 5 pair will get it this October via a software update.
As for the other Realme phones, a timeline of when the SOT feature will begin rolling out will be released in the near future, probably after it arrives on the Realme 5 pair.
Realme 5 & 5 Pro offline availability
As noted at the beginning, the Realme 5 begins selling tomorrow, August 27, while the Realme 5 Pro will be available as from September 4. These dates are for the online availability of the duo, but for those who want to grab either device offline, availability begins in mid-September 2019.
Realme Buds coming in early September
Realme also unveiled Realme Buds 2 at the same event as the Realme 5. The earphones will go for INR 599 and apparently, availability begins in early September alongside the Realme 5 Pro. Initially, Realme Buds 2 will be available on realme.com and later on Flipkart, Amazon India, and offline.
There’s more to this story over on YouTube and you can watch it right below.
NOTE: For more Realme-related coverage, you can check out this page.
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Hillary Keverenge
2107 Posts
Tech has been my playground for over a decade. While the Android journey began early, it truly took flight with the revolutionary Lollipop update. Since then, it's been a parade of Android devices (with a sprinkle of iOS), culminating in a mostly happy marriage with Google's smart home ecosystem. Expect insightful articles and explorations of the ever-evolving world of Android and Google products coupled with occasional rants on the Nest smart home ecosystem.
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