Xiaomi today took the wraps off its strongest contender yet to the iPhone, the 2,599 yuan ($390) Mi 5S Plus smartphone, which comes equipped with dual cameras and a pressure-sensitive screen.

The 5.7-inch Mi 5S Plus is the Chinese startup's most powerful device, sporting one of Qualcomm's speediest processors as well as 6GB of memory. The phone's screen detects varying degrees of pressure, much like Apple's 3D Touch. Other features include 13-megapixel cameras.

One of the main features of the Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus is the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner. It is located at the usual place - directly on the glass under the display. However, according to Xiaomi engineers, it is more accurate and reliable than conventional scanners in mechanical buttons. Just like its predecessor, the smartphone has a modern USB Type-C port for charging.

Xiaomi has slipped behind Huawei Technologies Co. and Oppo in a home market it once dominated, while efforts to make headway in Latin America and India have stalled.

"We were aiming to challenge Samsung and Apple in camera capability. With the Mi 5S, I believe we beat both of them," co-founder and chief executive Lei Jun said at a launch event in Beijing at which it also introduced a 65-inch, 4K smart television.

Xiaomi also announced the Xiaomi Mi 5S, which osts around $300. The phone uses a Snapdragon 821 processor (2.15 GHz per core) and 3 / 4 GB LPDDR4 RAM, and it features a 5.15-inch display with a 1080p resolution. The Mi 5S also accepts 64 / 128 GB UFS2.0 flash cards and is equipped with
a12 MP Sony IMX378, f/2.0 main camera along with a secondary 4 MP, f/2.0 front shooter.

The Mi 5S Plus and the smaller, 1,999 yuan Mi 5S go on sale Sept. 29, though not in the U.S. The company is preparing to enter the American market by employing the same online sales and social media marketing that helped the six-year-old company become China's largest privately funded startup.