Xiaomi launches Redmi Sonicbass wireless earphones and Redmi Earbuds 2c

 

Chinese technology company Xiaomi on Wednesday launched in India the Redmi Sonicbass wireless earphones and Redmi Earbuds 2c wireless earbuds. Priced at Rs 1,299, the Redmi SonicBass Wireless earphones will be available in black and blue colours at an introductory price of Rs 999 from October 7 at Mi online store, Flipkart, Mi Homes, Mi Studios and select retail stores. The Redmi Earbuds 2C are priced at Rs 1,499 and it will be available at an introductory price of Rs 1,299 from October 7 at Mi online store, Amazon, Mi Homes, Mi Studios and select retail stores.

Redmi SonicBass wireless earphones: Features

The Redmi SonicBass wireless earphones are in-ear neckband styled earphones. It boasts an anti-slip design made of flexible material for comfort. The earphones have an on-board volume controls and a multi-function button for ease of access to various multimedia controls. The earphones weigh 21.2g and feature anti-wax silicone ear tips with magnetic earbuds. It has 9.2mm audio driver tuned for bass-heavy output. The Redmi SonicBass Wireless Earphones has IPX4 rating for protection from water spillages and splashes. It features a dual-pairing through multipoint Bluetooth technology, which allows it connect with two devices simultaneously. It has dual mics for voice and ENC (Environmental Noise Cancellation). 

Redmi Earbuds 2C: Features

The Redmi Earbuds 2C is an affordable pair of true wireless stereo earbuds. Like the Redmi Earbuds S, the Earbuds 2C feature silicone ear tips for passive noise isolation. It features easy Bluetooth pairing feature, which allows single earbud to be used independently. The earbuds feature tactile buttons for controls like receiving/ending calls, playing/pausing music and for voice assistants.

The Redmi Earbuds 2C support ENC through its built-in microphones. It comes with an IPX4 rating for sweat and splash resistant.

Xiaomi launches Redmi 8A Dual, Redmi power banks in India: Details here

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi on Tuesday launched the Redmi 8A Dual in India. The budget smartphone will go on sale from February 18 at 12 noon on Mi.com, Amazon India and Mi Home stores. The phone will also be available for sale in offline retail stores soon.

The Redmi 8A Dual comes in in sea blue, sky white and midnight grey colour variants. It comes in 2GB/32GB and 3GB/32GB RAM and storage configurations, priced at Rs 6,499 and Rs 6,999, respectively.

In terms of specifications, the Redmi 8A Dual is a minor upgrade over its predecessor, the Redmi 8A. The phone has a 6.22-inch HD+ screen with a tall 19:9 aspect ratio. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 system-on-chip, which is an octa-core processor that operates at up to 2.0GHz frequency. The phone’s imaging is covered by a 13-megapixel primary sensor, mated with 2MP depth sensor for portrait shots. On the front, the phone has an 8MP selfie camera with AI portrait mode. The front camera doubles up as a biometric module for face unlock.

The dualSIM phone has a dedicated microSD card slot for storage expansion (up to 512GB). Powering the phone is a 5,000 mAh battery. Like other Xiaomi smartphones, the Redmi 8A Dual has a P2i coating for protection against minor splashes and spillage.

Along with the Redmi 8A Dual, Xiaomi also launched the Redmi-branded power banks of 10,000 mAh and 20,000 mAh battery capacity. The Redmi power banks will be available in white and black colours. The 10,000 mAh and 20,000 mAh models will be available for at Rs 799 and Rs 1,499, respectively. Sale will start on February 18 at 12 noon on Mi.com and Mi Homes. It will be also be available on Amazon India soon.

Xiaomi launches Mi TV 4X (55) 2020 edition: Know price, features, and more

Chinese electronics maker Xiaomi on Thursday launched in India the Mi TV 4X (55) 2020 Edition. Priced at Rs 34,999, the smart television will be available on Amazon India starting December 2, apart from Mi online store and Mi Home. As part of the television’s introductory offer, the company is offering Airtel direct-to-home (DTH) connection bundled with a four-month subscription, worth Rs 3,450, at a discounted price of Rs 1,800.

Successor to the Mi TV 4X (55) Pro, the Mi TV 4X (55) 2020 Edition has a 55-inch screen of ultra-high-definition (4K) resolution. It has a 10-bit HDR panel, complemented by company’s in-house image processing algorithm and a vivid picture engine. Audio is covered by 20W speakers, which are tuned by Dolby and support Dolby Audio and DTS-HD.

Powering the Mi TV 4X (55) 2020 Edition is the Android 9 Pie operating system, covered under company’s custom PatchWall 2.0 user interface. Unlike its predecessor, the smart television gets native support for popular over-the-top platforms, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Hotstar. The Mi TV 4X (55) 2020 Edition has built-in Google Chromecast. It also comes pre-installed with Google Assistant, YouTube, Google Play Store and Data Saver services.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 review: Affordable smartphone with imperfect design, UI

Chinese electronics maker Xiaomi recently launched in India the Redmi Note 8. A successor to the Redmi Note 7, the smartphone has got several upgrades, including a quad-camera module on the back, premium glass design with Gorilla Glass 5 protection, USB type-C charging and data transfer port, and fast charging support. Priced at Rs 9,999 for the base model (4GB RAM + 64GB storage), the phone seems to be a feature-rich option in the budget smartphone segment. But is it an all-round performer? Let’s find out:

Design and display

The Redmi Note 8 does not look any different from its predecessor. Its design might seem dated to some, but it has its own strengths. Like its predecessor, the phone has curved Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the front and back that most phones in the segment lack. The glass construction, however, makes the phone heavy (190g) and you might find it difficult to operate for extended hours. Moreover, the protruding rear-camera module makes it uneven on flat surfaces. Therefore, you might not find it convenient to use while it lies on the table top, or other flat surfaces.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8On the front, the phone has a 6.3-inch screen with a dewdrop-shaped notch on the top for front camera. The display has prominent bezels all around it, and a thick chin – big enough to have Redmi embossed on it. Nonetheless, the display has fullHD+ resolution, another thing that not many phones in the segment have. It is bright, vivid and has good touch response. The phone has Widevine L1 certification to confirm its ability to play content from over-the-top platforms like Amazon Prime and Netflix in high definition.

Camera

The Redmi Note 8 has a quad-camera set-up on the back. It has a 48-megapixel primary sensor of f/1.79 aperture, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor pf f/2.2 aperture, a 2MP depth sensor of f/2.4 aperture and a 2MP macro sensor of f/2.4 aperture and auto-focus lens. On the front, the phone has a 13MP selfie camera.

In daylight conditions, the Redmi Note 8’s rear cameras are a decent performer. The primary sensor takes detailed shots with satisfactory dynamic range and minimal noise. The ultra-wide sensor is good for landscape shots but tends to miss details and capture unnatural colours. It does, however, straighten the shots and show minimal barrel effects. The macro lens is a good addition to the mix. Though its auto-focus is slow, and sometimes inaccurate, it does impress with the output if you manage to get the focus fixed on the object.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8For low-light imaging, the camera user interface has a dedicated night mode. It does brighten the dim-lit scenes but also captures noise; that hampers its overall utility. Moreover, the night mode works only with the primary camera, not the ultra-wide one.

The phone’s selfie camera is good, but it tends to process the images heavily, resulting in unnatural output. This may or may not impress everyone. Like the rear cameras, the selfie camera struggles in low light.

Performance

Powering the Redmi Note 8 is Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 system-on-chip, paired with up to 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. The phone boots Android Pie operating system covered under Xiaomi’s proprietary MIUI 10 user interface. The phone’s performance is decent and it handles everyday tasks without any hiccups. The phone also handles graphic-intensive games, but not at their maximum graphics settings.

While the performance is decent, the phone’s custom UI tempers the user experience with irksome app notifications and advertisement in MIUI 10. Both ads and notifications can be turned off, but the process is cumbersome and lengthy. Moreover, the UI seems unpolished at places. For example, the UI takes some time to show caller's name on the screen, especially if you get a call while playing a game or using a video-streaming app.

Battery

The Redmi Note 8 has a 4,000 mAh battery, which is good for a day's use. The phone comes with 18W fast charger, which takes around two hours for the phone to charge fully. Though fast charging is a welcome addition, the phone heats up a bit if it is used excessively while charging.

Verdict

Except for the cameras, the Redmi Note 8 does not seem to bring any major upgrade over the Redmi Note 7 and Redmi Note 7S. Perhaps that is a reason why Xiaomi decided to keep its price similar to its predecessor's. Nonetheless, the phone is a decent budget offering with sturdy design, capable display, good imaging, and satisfactory performance.

About 99% of phones Xiaomi sold in India were made in the country, says COO

Almost all of the phones that Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi sells in India are made in the country, a top company executive said here on Monday, stressing that 'make in India' Xiaomi smartphones are now being exported to other countries too, though at a small scale.

'About 99 per cent of the phones sold in India are made in the country. We make three phones per second,' Muralikrishnan B, Chief Operating Officer, Xiaomi India, told reporters. Xiaomi phones in India are manufactured mainly by Taiwanese giant Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd.

The manufacturing is being done at Xiaomi's two facilities -- one at the Sri City special economic zone in Andhra Pradesh and the other at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu.

Xiaomi said it has also started exporting phones made in India to Bangladesh and Nepal.

'We have started exporting to these two countries at a small scale. With more government incentives, we plan to scale up the export of 'make in India' phones,' Muralikrishnan noted.

'We will have to see if we can manage the entire logistics. Ultimately, we will have to realise that cost efficiency also matters,' he added.

The COO of India's biggest smartphone seller said that there are various issues hindering export of its 'make in India' products to other countries including certification issues and low rate of duty drawbacks.

'BIS certification is not accepted in many parts of the world. If the government can make BIS certification accepted in countries in Europe, it would help us scale,' he said, adding that India has a lot to learn from Vietnam in terms of incentivising domestic manufacturing.

About 65 per cent of Xiaomi phone components are also sourced from within the country.

'In terms of manufacturing, the progress that India has made in the past 5 years is phenomenal,' said Foxconn India Country Manager Josh Foulger.

Besides initiatives under 'Make in India', the corporate tax relief and improvement in ease of doing business have helped a lot, he added.Significantly, all the operators at Foxconn's Sri City facility for Xiaomi are women. The facility employs over 15,000 people.

Xiaomi A3 review: All the goodies of Mi phones, and better performance

What is it that a mid-segment smartphone should have to capture a user's fancy? The answer cannot be an easy one: There are several parameters on which smartphones are rated these days. A good camera set-up can indeed help a smartphone escape the scrutiny of detractors, but the user won't spare it if it doesn't tick all the right boxes on the performance metrics.

We recently reviewed the Xiaomi's Mi A3, which has a 48MP triple-camera set-up, Qualcomm 665 processor paired with up to 6GB RAM, and a 4030 mAh battery. What's interesting in this smartphone is that its super AMOLED display makes the Android One experience even better. The 4GB + 64 GB version costs Rs 12,999 and the 6GB + 128 GB version has a price tag of Rs 15,999.

There's more to the phone that needs mention. Let's take a look at all that the Xiaomi A3 has to offer:

Design and display

Xiaomi A3 review

The Xiaomi Mi A3 is made to fit into your hands, and that makes single-hand use a lot easier, something rare in smartphones these days. The device, with a 6.08-inch Super AMOLED screen, also fits well in your pocket. For people on the move, this should be the near-perfect size.

The phone is also a good-looker, with a fine colour scheme on the back. It doesn't feel bulky, but that’s when you keep it without a cover. But you may end up buying a cover, as the back panel is prone to scratches.

Xiaomi has also given a Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the front screen and the rear glass panel. However, the phone doesn't support wireless charging. The charging port (Type-C) sits at the bottom along with the speaker, while the 3.5mm jack is placed at the top.

Xiaomi A3 review

Coming to display, the 1560×720 resolution may not be the best in class, but the viewing experience is not bad. The HD+ resolution may not impress many, as there are several options in the segment with full HD display. The sunlight legibility is fine, but don't expect too much.

The phone has Widevine L1 certification, so users can easily enjoy Netflix and other OTT platforms in HD on this smartphone.

Performance

Xiaomi A3 review

This is where the phone is strong and can easily take on rivals. There isn't anything negative to point out— the experience is fine, with hours of streaming and texting, Instagramming, gaming (PUBG is passe, Call of Duty is the real deal), and a lot of YouTube.

The only thing that doesn't go well with the script is the interface. There is no custom layering, so it's the raw version of android — something that most people look for; we couldn't really enjoy it much. Perhaps it looks a bit too simple, or maybe we're now used to custom skins, so much so that the pure Android doesn't feel good enough.

The 4030 mAh battery easily lasts about a day with the activities mentioned earlier. There is an 18-Watt charger that makes the phone ready for another day of grind in just about two hours.

The in-display fingerprint scanner is a good addition, and it works well.

Camera

Xiaomi A3 review

Mi phones are known for their decent camera set-ups, and the Mi A3 works the same way, with a slightly better performance.

It's equipped with a 48MP primary shooter with the Sony IMX586 sensor, an 8MP ultra wide-angle lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. The camera set-up churns out crisp photos with less distortion upon zooming. The colour saturation is fine, but not very rich. However, in this price range, there is not much to pin-point when it comes to the nitty-gritty of mobile photography.

Xiaomi A3 review

For an average user, the camera would work just fine. The ultra-wide mode doesn't distort the image quality much. Overall, it fits fine in everyday camera use.

The portraits are impressive, though. The camera maintains the thin line between fine blurring and making it too much.

Verdict

The Xiaomi Mi A3 has everything that should be there in a mid-segment smartphone. However, the display resolution it offers for Rs 15,999 (6GB +128 GB) could be a dampener for some. Xiaomi has indeed kept the basics strong in this device. But the phone might miss on a few points (for keen techophiles) in the highly competitive mid-range smartphone segment. We can't blame it, though, can we? That’s the case with most of the phones these days.

Redmi 8 review: A performer for its price, if you don't mind the processor

Chinese electronics manufacturer Xiaomi's recent smartphone launches in the budget segment have shown a trend where the company sprinkles in a bit of everything while retaining its focus on utility features — sturdy but better-looking smartphones with big batteries and decent cameras. The Redmi 8, the latest addition to the company’s budget smartphone portfolio, however, seems to be a fresh move in a new direction. The phone comes in two variants: 3GB RAM + 32GB storage and 4GB RAM + 64GB storage, priced at Rs 7,999 and Rs 8,999, respectively.

Business Standard took the 4GB + 64GB variant out for a spin. Here is our review:

Design and display

As mentioned, Xiaomi has visibly started paying more attention to how its budget phones look. So, in the Redmi 8 you get a premium-looking phone with a sleek build and thin bezels, courtesy of the dot-notch display. The phone is light and comfortable to carry around. Towards the back, the smooth glossy polycarbonate build looks good but is susceptible to fingerprints. The fingerprint sensor works fine.

Xiaomi Redmi 8The front is standard Redmi — thin bezels with a dot-notch making space for a selfie camera. You get a 6.2-inch HD+ IPS LCD display of a 720 x 1520p resolution. The display is not dazzling but it will be bright enough even in daylight and for casual multimedia consumption. The screen is protected under a sheet of Gorilla Glass 5, something that most phones in this segment lack.

Performance

The Redmi 8 is powered by Snapdragon 439 chipset — as is the Redmi 8A — which is a downgrade from the Redmi 7's Snapdragon 632. While it is understandable that Xiaomi would want to compensate for a bigger battery and other features with some cuts, the choice of an inferior processor might rub some users the wrong way. Nonetheless, the 4GB RAM ensures that there isn't much lag while switching between apps — a problem seen in the Redmi 8A. I could play PUBG and a few other heavy games, albeit with a few frame drops, so a casual gamer should have no problem. For users who really like their high-end games to run smooth might like to look elsewhere. The phone runs on the MIUI 10, which brings with it various worthy features and bloatware alike. If you can stomach that, the user interface is actually smooth.

Battery

Xiaomi has done some good work by making USB type-C standard across its Redmi-branded smartphone. Another good addition is the 18W fast charge support, but the phone comes bundled with a 10W charger that replenishes the phone’s 5,000 mAh battery in a little over 90 minutes. The phone’s on-battery time is seemingly good as it keeps on going consistently for one full day on every charge.

Camera

The Redmi 8 has a dual-camera set-up on the back, featuring a 12-megapixel primary sensor of an f/1.8 aperture and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, it has an 8MP shooter of an f/2.0 aperture. The phone’s rear camera is average at best. You do get some decent shots in good lighting, especially in the AI mode, but night-time shots look mediocre — they tend to be fuzzy and lack details. While Xiaomi can definitely do better, a high-quality camera isn't something I was expecting at this price point anyhow.

Xiaomi Redmi 8Verdict

Starting at Rs 7,999, you get USB-C port and 3 GB RAM, among other things. Even the 4GB RAM variant is available for the same price (first 5 million units only; after that you will have to fork an additional Rs 1,000). Xiaomi has definitely done some good work in key features, but a big trade-off has been in downgrade of the processor which might deter a few users. If you can ignore that, you get a decent performer that also looks beautiful and goes on and on, and some more.

Xiaomi plans to launch more than 10 5G phones in 2020: CEO Lei Jun

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi Corp plans to launch more than 10 5G phones in 2020, Chief Executive Officer Lei Jun (pictured) said on Sunday, speaking at the World Internet conference in the eastern Chinese town of Wuzhen.

Lei’s remarks come as the company faces intense competition in its home market from rival Huawei Technologies.

Last month Xiaomi launched the Xiaomi Mi 9 Pro, the company’s first 5G-enabled phone for the domestic market.

According to Lei, demand for the phone exceeded the company’s expectations and led to supply chain issues. The device’s reception has prompted Xiaomi to launch 5G models for the high, middle, and low-end price tiers next year.

“People in the industry fear that next year 4G models won't sell, this is a step you have no choice but to take” Lei said. “So we hope that operators can speed up their expansion of 5G base stations.”

Xiaomi’s share price has fallen steadily this past year as China’s smartphone market grows more competitive. In September the company announced it would plan a $1.5 billion share buyback.

In the second quarter of 2019, Xiaomi occupied 11.8 per cent of China’s smartphone market, down from 13.9 per cent one year prior according to research firm Canalys.

All other top Chinese brands suffered declining sales volumes as consumers flocked to Huawei, driven in part by patriotism. The Shenzhen-based handset maker became the centre of US-China tensions in May when Washington effectively called for U.S. companies to cease supplying parts to it.

However, Xiaomi has enjoyed success in Europe, where it remains a relatively new player in the continent. The company’s market share in the region during the second quarter of 2019 hit 9.6 per cent, up from 6.5 per cent the year prior, making it one of the fastest growing phone brands in the region.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro India launch today at 12 PM: Expected specs, & more

Chinese electronics manufacturer Xiaomi is set to launch the Redmi Note 8 Pro in India on October 16. Successor to the Redmi Note 7 Pro, the phone would bring several new upgrades, including a 64-megapixel sensor-based quad rear camera set-up, MediaTek Helio G90T mobile processor and fast charging support. Apart from the phone, Xiaomi is also expected to announce its next iteration of Android operating system-based user interface, the MIUI 11.

Redmi Note 8 Pro specifications

The Redmi Note 8 Pro boasts a glass build with Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the front and back. On the front, the phone has a 6.53-inch dot-shaped notch screen of fullHD+ (2340 x 1080p) resolution. The HDR-ready screen has anti-oil and anti-fingerprint coating for protection against smudges. Powering the phone is MediaTek Helio G90T system-on-chip, which is a midrange mobile processor aimed at gaming-centric smartphones. Though the phone’s Chinese version is powered by Android 9 Pie operating system-based MIUI 10 user interface, there are chances that the Redmi Note 8 Pro Indian version would boot the MIUI 11.

Imaging is covered by a quad camera set-up on the back, featuring a 64-megapixel primary sensor with an f/1.89 aperture, an 8MP ultra-wide angle sensor of an f/2.2 aperture and 120-degree field of view (FoV), a 2MP macro lens and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, the phone has a 20MP sensor of an f/2.0 aperture.

Powering the phone is a 4,500 mAh battery, which supports 18W fast charging through supplied charger. The phone has USB type-C port for charging and data transfers, and a 3.5mm port for audio out. The phone’s Chinese variant comes with 6GB RAM and up to 128GB internal storage. However, the Indian variant is likely to get different RAM and storage configurations.

Xiaomi Redmi 8A review: Great battery, performance for a budget smartphone

Just months after the launch of the Redmi 7A, Chinese electronics maker Xiaomi has launched its successor, the Redmi 8A, with a big screen, better design and a more powerful battery. With a price starting at Rs 6,499, the affordable smartphone comes in 2GB and 3GB RAM variants, both with 32 GB storage (expandable to 512 GB). People can choose from among sunset red, ocean blue, and midnight black colour variants. I used the 2GB sunset red model for good two weeks and here's how it performed:

Design

The Redmi 8A is a beautiful phone, especially considering its low price tag. One of the reasons I say this is that it incorporates the trendy thin bezel design, usually seen in higher-end phones, makes an already decent 6.22-inch display seem even bigger. The screen's HD+ (1520 x 720p) resolution is slightly lower but the colours are vivid even under bright daylight. The screen is shielded by the Corning Gorilla Glass 5 — another feature found usually in expensive phones. The curved sides give the Redmi 8A a firmer, comfortable grip. On the back, Xiaomi has given the phone a textured finish with a somber touch. It has an Aura wave grip design, which, the company says, helps with the grip and it does seem that way.

The phone is bulky, which could be because of its massive 5,000 mAh battery under the hood, and using it with just one hand isn't always easy. In any case, at 190 grams, it is slightly heavy too. There's no fingerprint sensor but the face recognition works fine. It is also splash-proof with a P2i rating, which is a good considering the affordable price tag of the smartphone.

Performance

The Redmi 8A is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 octa-core chipset. It works smoothly but tends to lag when launching a heavy app (something like PUBG mobile game) or while switching between such apps. I imagine the 3GB RAM variant would perform better in this respect. The phone runs on the Android 9 Pie with Xiaomi's MIUI 10.3. As with other Xiaomi phones, you'll be bombarded with endless and needless MIUI and GetApps notifications, which is a major irritant.

Coming to battery, this is where Xiaomi has done a really good job. Not only does the Redmi 8A have a big 5,000mAh battery but it also provides a USB Type-C charging port. According to the company, the phone supports 18W fast charge, but you get only a 10W charger in the box and it charges the phone in a little over two hours. The battery backup is impressive and the phone easily goes on for almost two days with occasional gaming and turning the mobile data at all times.

Camera

The phone has a 12-megapixel camera with LED flash on the back and an 8-megapixel selfie camera that sits in the tear-shape hollow carved on the front. The back camera has an f/1.8 aperture with a dual-pixel autofocus. Apart from portrait and pro, you get a short video mode too. There are HDR and AI scene detection options. In good light, you can use the latter to get decent pictures with enough details, but the pictures tend to get grainy as sharpness dips in low light. Also, the HDR mode takes some time to deliver the output. You also get the 'beauty' option and various frames. All in all, the camera is decent but nothing much to write home about.

Verdict

The Redmi 8A has a big display, catchy design and a good capacity battery with fast-charge support that makes it a decent option in the budget smartphone segment. However, the phone isn't without faults, and there are devices from brands like Realme that do better overall, but at Rs 6,499, it's a great buy.

Xiaomi launches TVs, water purifier, Mi Band 4, night light: Details here

Chinese technology company Xiaomi on Tuesday launched several products in India, including four new televisions, a water purifier, fitness band cum activity tracker and a motion sensor-based night light. Here are the details of every product that the company announced at the Smart Living 2020 launch event:

Xiaomi smart televisions

Xiaomi introduced four new smart televisions with a screen size ranging from 40-inches to 65-inches -- 65-inch (Mi TV 4X 65), 50-inch (Mi TV 4X 50), 43-inch (Mi TV 4X 43) and 40-inch (Mi TV 4A 40). The 65-inch model sports a metal frame and legs. It is powered by Xiaomi’s vivid picture engine for enhanced colours, brightness and saturation. Its screen panel supports wide range of colours and has a dedicated reality flow chip to upscale content captured in 24 frames to 60 frames for smooth transition. Besides these features, all three televisions in the Mi TV 4X-series have a 4K (UHD) display panel and the 40-inch 4A-series model has a fullHD resolution panel. All televisions support HDR10, four sound drivers (2 x twitters and 2 x woofers) with a maximum output of 20watts and Dolby audio.

Xiaomi Mi TV 4X 65Xiaomi has joined hands with new content partners, including Netflix and Amazon Prime Videos, and the new range of televisions come pre-loaded with their respective applications out of the box. These televisions are powered by the Android 9 platform with patchwall 2.0 user interface loaded on top of it. The updated user interface has a new light theme, carousal interface and a dedicated tab for live news. The television has built-in chrome cast.

The Mi TV 4X (65) will be available for pre-order on Mi.com and Flipkart at an introductory price of Rs 54,999 starting September 29. The Mi TV 4X (50) will be available via Mi.com, Amazon and Mi Home stores starting September 29 for Rs 29,999. The Mi TV 4X (43) and Mi TV 4A (40) will be available via Mi.com, Flipkart and Mi Homes from September 29 for Rs 24,999 and Rs 17,999, respectively.

Along with the new range of televisions, Xiaomi also announced black colour variant of the Mi Soundbar, which will be available for Rs 4,999.

Mi Smart Water Purifier (RO + UV)

The Mi Smart Water Purifier (RO+UV) features a penta purification process, including reverse osmosis and ultra violet light. The water purifier boasts of a five-level water purification process, facilitated by three filters – PolyPropylene + Activated Carbon (PPC), Reverse Osmosis (RO) and Post Activated Carbon (PAC) along with an in-tank UV light. The Mi Smart Water Purifier (RO+UV) supports connections with smartphones through Mi Home App to show water TDS levels and filters’ life. When connected, the app also sends out notifications when a filter replacement is needed, with an option to buy directly from Xiaomi.

Xiaomi Mi Smart Water PurifierThe Mi Smart Water Purifier (RO+UV) will be available via Mi.com, Flipkart and Mi Homes for Rs 11,999 from September 29. The filter cartridges will be available for Rs 3,997 for the complete set.

Mi Band 4

Successor to the Mi Band 3, it has all the features of the predecessor, and some additional featues. The fitness band-cum-ctivity tracker has a three-axis gyroscope sensor, along with a three-axis accelerometer sensor for enhanced activity tracking. It is also capable of tracking swimming sessions, including strokes. It is 5 ATM water resistant, has a new user interface with unlimited watch faces, provision to set pictures as watch wallpapers, etc. The Mi Band 4 also supports music controls, call alerts and app notifications, five-day weather forecasts, sleep monitoring and tracking and continuous heart rate monitoring.

Mi band 4The Mi Smart Band 4 will be available via Mi.com, Amazon and Mi Homes starting September 19 for Rs 2,299.

Mi Motion Activated Night Light 2

The Mi Motion Activated Night Light 2 is a night lamp that automatically turns on upon detecting motion. It has two brightness settings and conserves energy by shutting off in 15 seconds if no motion is detected.

The Mi Motion Activated Night Light 2 will be available via Xiaomi’s crowdfunding platform for Rs 500 starting September 18 at 12 noon.

Xiaomi's offline market share jumps to 20%; forays into Rs 25K category

On the back of a growing number of its flagship and partner stores in 100 cities, leading smartphone brand Xiaomi has seen its offline market share in India jump from 0.5 per cent in Q1 2017 to 20 per cent in Q4 2018.

The rise in offline market share has also meant that Xiaomi's online:offline ratio shift from 95:5 in 2017 to 65:35 in 2019. Having now launched its Redmi K20 series of smartphones, including Redmi K20 and Redmi K20 Pro, priced above Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000 respectively, Xiaomi is now looking to up the ante in the premium category going forward.

Redmi K20 series is powered by a huge 4,000 mAh battery, USB Type-C port, 3.5mm headphone jack and 27W SonicCharge support. The series boasts the highest quality standards. While the P2i nano-coating makes the phones splash-proof, there is Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and rear of both the phones. Other quality improvements include fall detection, which makes the pop-up camera retract automatically in case of a drop.

Xiaomi's foray into the Rs 25,000 and above category comes on the back of a rising share in India's smartphone market. Industry estimates peg total smartphones market in India at $150 million in 2019, of which smartphones in the Rs 25,000 and above category have grown from 5-6 per cent in 2018 to 8-9 per cent in 2019.

Currently, 35 per cent of the total 150 million smartphones in India are sold online. Xiaomi's market share in online smartphones is around 50 per cent, said Reddy.

According to Reddy, Redmi K20 also marks Xiaomi's first flagship smartphone to be completely assembled in India. The company has 7 plants across states like Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, with a capacity of manufacturing three phones per second, up from two phones per second last year.

Meanwhile, having made its foray into 100 cities through offline stores including its flagship Mi Homes, the company, said Reddy, will continue to grow offline in other cities in the future.

Xiaomi Redmi K20-series India launch at noon: Livestream, specs, and more

Chinese technology company Xiaomi will launch its premium Redmi K20-series in India on July 17. The series includes the Redmi K20 Pro and Redmi K20, both of which were launched in China in May. The Redmi K20 Pro is a premium smartphone with flagship features and specifications. The Redmi K20, on the other hand, is a vanilla version of the Pro edition. The Redmi K20-series will be Flipkart-exclusive and the home-grown e-commerce platform has already listed a dedicated page with a livestream embed.

Redmi K20 Pro

The Redmi Pro is a premium offering inspired from Xiaomi’s premium Mi-series smartphones. It has 3D curved body, motorised pop-up selfie camera and triple camera module on the back. The triple camera setup on the back has a 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 primary sensor of f/1.8 aperture, 13MP wide-angle lens, and an 8MP telephoto lens capable of up to 2x zoom. The pop-up selfie camera module boasts a 20MP front camera.

The phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 system-on-chip. The phone sports a 6.39-inch AMOLED screen of fullHD+ resolution stretched in 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The phone has an in-display fingerprint sensor. The Redmi K20 supports anti lowlight flickering technology (DC dimming).

Redmi K20

Being a vanilla version of the premium K20 Pro, the Redmi K20 has a same design and features but different specifications. Like its premium sibling, the Redmi K20 has a 3D curved body, motorised pop-up selfie camera of 20MP and triple camera module on the back. The triple camera setup on the back has a 48-megapixel primary sensor of f/1.8 aperture, 13MP wide-angle lens, and an 8MP depth sensor of f/2.4 aperture. The phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 system-on-chip. It sports a 6.39-inch AMOLED screen of fullHD+ resolution stretched in 19.5:9 aspect ratio.

Xiaomi Redmi K20-series to challenge OnePlus dominance; launch on July 17

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi is set to launch in India the Redmi K20 and K20 Pro on July 17.

The company's India head Manu Kumar Jain recently confirmed the launch date in a tweet, saying: "Mi fans, it's time for the knockout punch! #RedmiK20 and #RedmiK20Pro are unleashing on 1+7 17th July 2019! Time for Flagship Killer 2.0."

Both, the K20 and K20 Pro feature a 6.39-inch fullHD+ AMOLED panel with 19.5:9 aspect ratio and 91.9 per cent screen-to-body ratio.

While the K20 Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 855 system-on-chip (SoC), paired with Adreno 640 GPU and up to 8 GB of RAM, the K20 has the Snapdragon 730 SoC.

 Manu Kumar Jain

✔

@manukumarjain

 Mi fans, it’s time for the knockout punch!#RedmiK20 and #RedmiK20Pro are unleashing on 1+7 = 17th July 2019! Time for Flagship Killer 2.0 🥊 🥊 

Save the date. 🤩 RT if you are excited as I am. 🔄 #BelieveTheHype #Xiaomi ❤️ #Redmi

4,441

11:59 AM - Jul 5, 2019 · Xiaomi India

1,846 people are talking about this

Twitter Ads info and privacy

In terms of optics, the K20 Pro also has an artificial intelligence-powered triple rear camera setup on the back that features a 48MP Sony IMX586 primary sensor with an f/1.75 lens, a 13MP secondary sensor with a wide-angle lens, and a third 8MP sensor with an f/2.4 lens. There is a 20MP pop-up selfie camera in front as well.

The triple rear camera setup of the Redmi K20 has a 48MP Sony IMX582 primary sensor.

Connectivity options on both phones include Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS/ A-GPS, NFC, USB Type-C, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. They also pack a 4,000mAh battery.

The K20 Pro has 27W fast charging support, while the K20 has 18W fast charging.

Xiaomi Redmi 7A India launch at noon: Livestream, expected specs, price

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi is set to launch in India the Redmi 7A at noon on Thursday. The Redmi XA-series is a budget smartphone series and the most affordable in Xiaomi smartphone line-up. Therefore, the Redmi 7A is also expected to be priced competitively to compete in sub Rs 8,000 segment.

The Redmi 7A is not a new phone. It was launched in China a couple of months back, therefore, most of its specifications and features detail are already out in public domain. The Chinese version of the Redmi 7A sports a 5.45-inch HD+ screen of 18:9 aspect ratio. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 system-on-chip, mated with either 2GB/16GB, 2GB/32GB and 3GB/32GB RAM and storage configuration.

The dual SIM phone has a dedicated microSD slot for storage expansion to up to 256GB. Powering the phone would be a 4,000 mAh battery.

Imaging is covered by a 13-megapixel primary sensor of f/2.2 aperture on the back and a 5MP sensor on the front. The rear camera supports phase detection autofocus, dark light enhancement technology, standard HDR, auto HDR and continuous shooting mode. The front camera has AI portrait mode, background blur and AI smart beauty mode. Important to note, these specifications and features are of Chinese version and the Indian version might get a slightly different configuration. The Indian version is expected to come with a 12MP primary sensor on the back, instead of 13MP in the Chinese version.

Xiaomi to challenge Samsung in offline market with 10,000 stores in India

Chinese tech major Xiaomi Wednesday said it expects to have 10,000 retail stores in India and 50 per cent of its business to come from the offline route by the end of this year.

Xiaomi, which had started its India journey as an online-only brand in 2014, is also launching a new retail format 'Mi Studio' in India as it competes head-on with rival Samsung.

"About two years ago, we realised that while we had a 50 per cent share in online sales, our offline presence was negligible. That's when we started our offline expansion," Xiaomi Vice-President and MD Manu Jain told reporters here.

The company now has well over 6,000 outlets across three formats - Mi Homes (experiential stores -75 in number), Mi Preferred Partners (retail stores) and Mi Stores (in smaller towns).

"We aim to open over 10,000 retail stores across these four offline channels by end of year 2019. About 50 per cent of our smartphone sales is expected to come from the offline market by end of this year," Jain said.

As per research firm IDC, Xiaomi was ahead of rival Samsung with a 28.9 per cent share of the smartphone shipment volume in the December 2018 quarter. Samsung had 18.7 per cent share in the same quarter that saw a total shipment of 36.3 million units.

Samsung has a strong hold in the offline market. Xiaomi is hopeful of maintaining its lead in India, given its aggressive stance on offline expansion.

A few Mi Homes are owned by Xiaomi and franchise-operated but the rest are under the franchise-owned and operated model. Mi Studios will be following the latter route.

"Mi Studios aim to offer premium brand experience in 50 top cities. This format is an optimised version of Mi Homes replicating the same design and displaying modern, minimalist interiors," Jain said. He added that Xiaomi is working towards 200 Mi Studios by the end of 2019.

While Jain declined to comment on investments being made for the offline expansion, he said Xiaomi is committed to the Indian market and is pumping in funds across manufacturing, product development and the startup ecosystem in the country.

The first two Mi Studios have been set up in Bengaluru and Mumbai, with an average size of 400-600 sq ft. Talking about Mi Stores, Jain said the company has set up 1,000 such points. With the 1,000 Mi Stores, Xiaomi India has been able to generate employment for over 2,000 people, he added.

Last year, Xiaomi had said it will set up 5,000 Mi Stores across rural India by the end of 2019, a move that is expected to generate over 15,000 jobs.

The company also launched its Redmi Y3 in India, priced at Rs 9,999 onwards. The handset - which hits the market from April 30 - features 6.26-inch display, 12MP+2MP rear and 32MP front camera, and 4,000 mAh battery. The 3GB RAM/32 GB internal memory version will be available for Rs 9,999, while the 4GB RAM/64GB memory will be available for Rs 11,999.

Xiaomi also unveiled its Redmi 7 for Rs 7,999 onwards.

The company also launched a smart bulb - Mi LED Smart Bulb - that will be available through crowdfunding on Xiaomi's website.