As Xiaomi prepares to launch the Redmi Note 5 on February 14, the company may have a big surprise for fans in India. There is speculation that Xiaomi could launch the first Mi TV in the Indian market, the same day as it launches the Redmi Note 5. Xiaomi has put out a teaser about another upcoming device on Twitter. “Mi fans! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? #WhatIsThat Something wonderful is about to happen this Valentine’s Day”, the company has written on the social media site and also shared a video.
The teaser video hints at the device that looks ultra-slim from one side, which indicates this could be a TV since there is no phone in the market which is so thin from the side. Xiaomi’s invite though has not hinted anything about a Mi TV launch. Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 5 launch will take place on February 14 at 12:00 PM IST and as always the company will have a live-stream on Mi.com. Xiaomi makes no mention of the Mi TV in the video clip. It has been reported earlier that Xiaomi would launch a television set in India in the near future. However, every time the company has brushed aside those rumours.
Mi TV or not, the Redmi Note 5 or the Redmi 5 is expected at the event. Based on the source code of the Xiaomi event website, the name Redmi Note 5 was confirmed for the upcoming smartphone. It will likely have similar specifications to the Redmi 5 Plus that was launched in China. The new Redmi smartphone is expected to have an 18:9 aspect ratio display, according to some of the teasers that the company has put out. It will also be Flipkart exclusive when it first goes on sale.
Coming to the Mi Tv, if Xiaomi eventually starts selling television sets in India, it will be seen as a big shift in the company’s strategy. Xiaomi is still perceived as a smartphone company in India, though it has brought the Mi Air Purifier 2 to the Indian market. For Xiaomi though, the phones are driving volumes – and the company now occupies the numero one position in India with a market share of 25 per cent, according to Counterpoint research.
The launch of a television set will help position the company to market itself as a consumer electronics company, which is crucial for its success in India in the long run. Xiaomi reached $1 billion in annual revenue in India in 2016 and the company has strategically expanded its footprints in the offline market with its Mi Home stores. In China, Xiaomi has a range of home products including television sets, water purifiers, air purifiers, etc.
0 comments:
Post a Comment