Category: Xiaomi

Xiaomi Reportedly Setting Up a Manufacturing Unit in India

Xiaomi is doing incredibly well in India as well as overseas. Infact India is one of the most critical markets for Xiaomi both in terms of user base as well as revenue. That’s the reason, the heads at Xiaomi are seeing India as the major market place. A report has arrived which says that the China-based smartphone manufacturer may enter India soon.

The Chinese producer is planning to expand outside China, and India and Brazil are reportedly the possible destinations. With latest updates coming from Digitimes, the Chinese giant has joined hands with Inventec and the former company will be doing its manufacturing business in Chennai, India, through the Inventec. It is said that the smartphone production will commence in second or third quarter of 2015.

A few days ago, Xiaomi said that it would soon retail its devices in India on its official Mi India website, rather than Flipkart. It shows the company’s inclination towards the Indian smartphone market. Additionally if this deal does materialise there would be an even further reduction in the prices on account of savings due to custom duty and octroi.

Meanwhile, there is no official word from the company and these continue to be mere speculations. An event is going to take place on February 12 in San Francisco, in which Xiaomi is expected to make certain announcements including this one.

February 5, 2015
Xiaomi Rolls Out MIUI 6 Update for Mi 3 Devices in India

A couple of days back, Xiaomi launched its flagship device Mi 4 which comes with the latest MIUI 6 update. The company announced that it would soon roll out the update for Mi 3 based on Android 4.4 KitKat in India, and the company has kept up its promise.

Xiaomi has released the update for the Indian Mi 3 users, and one can download it from the official Forum page of Xiaomi. It will take some time for the OTA update to appear on the device. Meanwhile, other models like Redmi Note 4G will receive the update by February, while it will reach the Redmi 1S and Redmi Note 3G by March.

The new MIUI 6 has some fantastic features that are simple yet beautiful. The key features of the new Mi User Interface are Motion, Colour Content, Customisation and Security. Also, it introduced animation to apps like Clock, Weather, and Device unlock, etc.

The Dialler has been tweaked to give it a clean look. Now, users can identify unknown numbers, and avoid fraudulent and sales calls. There is a brand new notification panel that has toggles for convenient on and off. Also, the Notifications is divided; so one can classify important and unimportant as per preference. Also, it facilitates you to access notifications through the Lock Screen itself.

The MIUI 6 adds more than 5,000 themes and powerful tools to achieve more in less time. The Calendar has been improved to subscribe your interests ranging from games, holidays to TV shows and more.

January 30, 2015
Redmi Note 4G to Go On Sale Offline Today At Airtel Stores

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G phones will be available exclusively in Airtel retail stores, today. Customers can walk-in to the nearest Airtel stores in six cities, including Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi-NCR and Kolkata to get their Redmi Note 4G without any pre-booking.

Xiaomi has ditched the usual online route, to make available the Redmi Note 4G in the Airtel Stores near you. Airtel, calling it Mi Day will sell Redmi Note 4G on first-come-first-serve basis till stocks last. Users can book the handset from Airtel’s dedicated Mi page and select their preferred Airtel store in the aforementioned cities where they wish to pick up the device.

Post by Mi India.

Airtel postpaid customers having at least 500 MB 3G data pack activated on their connection can easily move to the Redmi Note, however, Airtel prepaid and non-Airtel customers will have to first have to opt for an Airtel postpaid myPlan when they purchase the Redmi Note 4G.

Airtel postpaid users in Bengaluru, where Airtel already has a 4G network, can get up to 10GB free 4G data by logging on to company’s Airtel Live website via their Redmi Note 4G smartphones. In cities where there’s no Airtel 4G network, customers will automatically be upgraded to 4G whenever it is rolled out.

Following are the tariff plan details on Airtel’s 4G services:

January 30, 2015
Xiaomi to Setup its First Ever R&D Base in India

Xiaomi, who recently boomed the Indian Market with the MI handsets, is ready to establish its research and development base in Bangalore, India. It will be the first such facility outside China.

India is one of the largest market for Xiaomi. All the three devices by the company, Mi 3, Redmi 1S and Redmi Note, cumulatively sold more than a million devices since it was first launched in 2014.

Xiaomi India Head Manu Jain said-

We have always stated that India is one of our most important markets. We are in process of signing the lease on a facility in Bangalore, which will be our R&D unit. This is the first one outside China, the R&D unit will focus on India-specific products to begin with. We will focus on localization, themes and then India specific features to cater to local requirements here.

He, however, refused to disclose the investment details and the number of people who would employed at the centre.

The company expects the centre to be fully operational in the next few months.

This could be a big step to boost their sales even further espcially with the launch today of the Xiaomi Mi4, which will be available on Flipkart on 19th February, 2015.

January 28, 2015
Xiaomi Mi4 vs OnePlus One : Who Will Lead The Indian Race?

Xiaomi, the world’s third largest smartphone manufacturer, has launched its much awaited Mi4 handset in India. By tripling its sales last year, Xiaomi has shown its might and recently has launched two new devices MI Note and Note Pro. While there is some time for these handset to come to the Indian shores, Xiaomi’s Mi4 will go on sale on February 10 via company’s exclusive e-commerce partner Flipkart. Meanwhile, another blockbuster Chinese manufacturer, OnePlus has been embraced by Indian consumers with phenomenal response.

Both these Chinese manufacturers are fighting a battle for supremacy in the Indian market. While both smartphone continue to remain scarce in the Indian market, Xiaomi have still managed storm ahead via flash sales from Flipkart.

Lets have a quick comparison with both these devices to see which one marched ahead

Design

The look and the feel of the Mi4 is very similar to iPhone 5S. On the other hand, OnePlus sports a rugged feel with its sandstone back cover. The OnePlus One is bulkier than the Mi 4, although but both feature the same thickness of 8.9mm. The Mi 4 is lighter than the One weighing at 149 grams, compared to the One’s 162 grams.

Both the handsets pack in full HD display, but the clarity on the screen will differ slightly because of the different screen size. The OnePlus One features a 5.5-inch display, while the Mi 4 features a 5-inch display. This difference in size affects the pixel density. The One’s display has a pixel density of 401ppi, while the Mi 4 has a pixel density of 441ppi.

Hardware

Both handsets, being flagships, ensure top notch performance when we talk about the hardwares. Both Mi4 and OnePlus One sport a quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.5GHz along with 3GB of RAM. Neither of the flagships support external SDcard for expanding the memory. One feature that stands out in OnePlus One is 64GB of internal memory while Mi4 comes with only 16 GB. Only time will tell whether the Mi4 will be able to compete with the OnePlus One on the hardware end.

Camera and Battery

The One and the Mi 4 both feature 13-megapixel rear cameras with auto-focus, and LED flash. Sefie lovers won’t be disappointed either. OnePlus One packs in a 5-megapixel front-facing camera while the Mi 4 leads the race with an 8-megapixel selfie snapper upfront.

Both the handsets pack impressive battery. The One has a 3,100mAh battery, while the Mi 4 has a 3,080mAh unit.

Software

While both the handsets run on Android KitKat, their custom skins and features make a lot of difference. The Mi 4 runs on Android 4.4.3 KitKat wrapped under the company’s MIUI. The OnePlus One, on the other hand, runs on CyanogenMod 11S OS based on Android KitKat. Though CyanogenMod known to be highly cutomizable and very user-friendly; however Xiaomi has launched the MIUI6 and it will be interesting to observe the battle of the Os’s

Availability

Xiaomi’s social media campaigns are funded by their massive reserves of cash due to their position as China’s top smartphone seller and their most recent round of funding. While OnePlus uses a combination of viral marketing, coupled with special events and CyanogenMod to try and thrust themselves into the spotlight. Both the companies have employed the flash sale model to sell their products. Xiaomi has partnered with Flipkart while OnePlus with Amazon. Amazon has been criticized for a price glitch in the Yu Yureka flash sale earlier this month. Both phones however, continue to be in demand without enough supply from either Chinese manufacturer.

Battle of the Patents

Both these Chinese Superpowers seem to be involved in legal turmoil regarding patent infringement. While Xiaomi was sued last month by Erricson for patent infringement in relation to LTE; OnePlus was sued by Micromax for patent infringement regarding use of the CyanogenMod. However both companies seemed to be unhindered by these legal issues and continue to push on stronger than ever.

Conclusion

While neither company is very old, they have managed to attract quite a bit of attention, even if they are far from household names globally. In India, both of these chinese companies have done quite some trade, despite being surrounded with controversies regarding patent infringement. The Mi 4, however, lags behind the One in important parameters, less internal storage and lack of 4G network support.

January 28, 2015

Battle of the Fittest : Xiaomi Mi4 vs OnePlus One vs Mi3 vs Honor 6

Xiaomi’s much awaited Mi4 handset has been launched in India. The popular smartphone was unveiled in July last year, and has been widely appreciated for its high end features and specification in the budget segment. The Xiaomi Mi4 will go up against likes of OnePlus One and Huawei Honor 6. Lets see how the Mi4 matches with its opponents in our Spec Battle.

Specs	Xiaomi Mi4	Xiaomi Mi3	OnePlus One	Huawei Honor 6
Display	5.0 inches, 1080 x 1920 pixels	5.0 inches, 1080 x 1920 pixels	5.5 inches, 1080 x 1920 pixels	5.0 inches, 1080 x 1920 pixels
Processor	Quad-core 2.5 GHz, Snapdragon 801	Quad-core 2.3 GHz, Snapdragon 800	Quad-core 2.5 GHz , Snapdragon 801	Quad-core 1.7 GHz + quad-core 1.3 GHz, Kirin 920
RAM	3GB	2 GB	3 GB	3 GB
Storage	16GB, non expandable	16/64 GB, non expandable	64 GB, non expandable	16/32GB, non expandable
Camera	13MP Rear and 8MP Front	13MP Rear and 2MP Front	13MP Rear and 5MP Front	13MP Rear and 5MP Front
Battery	3080 mAh	3050 mAh	3100 mAh	3100 mAh
OS	Android 4.4.3 KitKat With MiUi 6	Android OS, v4.3 (Jelly Bean), upgradable to v4.4.2 (KitKat)	CyanogenMod 11S	Android OS, v4.4.2 (KitKat)
Price	Rs. 19,999	Rs. 13,999	Rs. 21,999	Rs 17,999

Xiaomi has enjoyed lot of success lately with its pocket friendly devices, Mi4 seems to be directly competing with OnePlus One in terms of Specs. With the company’s improved and smoother MiUi 6, the device’s look and feel is expected to be phenomenal too. The Mi 4, however, lags behind the One in important parameters, less internal storage and lack of 4G network support.How will the device do in the Indian market? Stay tuned for the follow up news, unboxing and full review of Xiaomi Mi4 on iGyaan.in.

January 28, 2015

Xiaomi Finally Launches the Mi4 in India Along With MIUI6

Xiaomi has enjoyed quite some success in the Indian smartphone market with its flash sales and aggressive pricing despite being surrounded with various controversies regarding patent disputes and privacy concerns. Now, the world’s third largest smartphone maker has launched its much awaited Mi4 handset in India at a price of Rs.19,999.

Launched back in July 2014, the Mi4 flaunts a 5 inch 1920 x 1080 pixels IPS display and is powered by a 2.5 GHz Quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor paired with 3 GB of RAM. The handset gets in juice from a 3,080mAh battery. The Mi 4, however, lags behind it competitors in two important parameters, less internal storage and lack of 4G network support.

Post by Mi India.

On the camera front, the Mi4 has a power packed 13MP rear snapper with LED Flash, Sony IMX214 BSI sensor and 4K video recording, along with a whopping 8MP front shooter with Sony Exmor R sensor. The phone runs on Android 4.4.3 KitKat and includes connectivity options like 4G LTE, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and Wi-Fi Direct.

Along with Mi4, Xiaomi has announced its latest OS – MIUI 6 bringing a design overhaul with more colorful, minimalist looks, enhanced security and new phone features. MIUI 6 brings a less-distracting, simpler UI and Xiaomi claims it will be a dive-in-and-use affair without the need to familiarize yourself with it. Colors play a big part of MIUI 6, while many apps appear white or grey key accents are coloured in red, orange and a spectrum of other colours, making MIUI 6 look a little like iOS 7 and 8. Some apps even appear to have an immersive parallax effect – the Clock for one.

If the sale of any of its previous models is anything to go by, the Mi4 is going to have an epic response. All of Xiaomi’s phones have been ultra-coveted and ultra-successful because they offer a combination of specs and price that is virtually unbeatable. This is what also makes the Mi4 such a potential sensation.

Sale of this device will take place in the traditional ‘Flash Sales’ stratergy on Flipkart on 19th February, 2015. Registrations for this device will be open today at 6 PM.

Specs	Xiaomi Mi4
Display	5.0 inches, 1080 x 1920 pixels
Processor	Quad-core 2.5 GHz, Snapdragon 801
RAM	3GB
Storage	16GB, non expandable
Camera	13MP Rear and 8MP Front
Battery	3080 mAh
OS	Android 4.4.3 KitKat With MiUi 6
Price	Rs. 19,999

January 28, 2015

Xiaomi Invites Beta Testers to Try Out Lollipop-Based MIUI 6

According to a new post on the MIUI forum, Xiaomi has started the beta testing phase of the Lollipop-based MIUI 6. Hugo Barra (CEO) spoke about the company’s plans for Lollipop, making it clear that the beta testing will begin soon.

According to the post on the MIUI forum, Mi2/S/A users will be given a chance to try out the beta ROM soon, only if they meet a certain set of requirements. Users need to have ‘English forums credits over 50’ and they should be willing to report bugs to the forum. A total of 50 testers will be shortlisted by 30th of January 2015, hence only a handful of applicants would get access to try out the beta.

But why would Xiaomi choose an older device to run the beta? One possibility could be the fact that if the Mi2 runs without any major glitches, then getting the MIUI 6 on newer devices should be easier. But that’s just speculation.

Meanwhile, the company says it working hard to strike the right balance between MIUI skin and Google’s new material design elements in Android 5.0. For those of you interested in the beta, you can find more information on the MIUI forum.

January 27, 2015
Xiaomi is All Set to Launch the Mi4 in India Tomorrow

The Mi4 has been the next most awaited flagship by Xiaomi and without testing more patience of its fan base in India, the company is geared to launch the Mi4 tomorrow. The world’s third largest smartphone manufacturer has sent out media invites for the same.

The press invite adds a photo that depicts three similar devices in a row. On the top of them is a quote “Mi hits a 4 and 6.” Xiaomi has tapped on the right nerve to entice Indian customers by talking the language of cricket. It can be said that the Chinese smartphone maker might have special plans for Mi4 and a collaboration with sports can be expected.

Xiaomi unveiled the Mi4 in July last year. The phone flaunts a 5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) IPS display. The device is powered by a 2.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor paired with 3 GB of RAM. Packing a massive battery of 3,080mAh, the handset comes with 16 GB or 64 GB of nonexpendable internal storage capacity.

On the camera front, the Mi4 has a power packed 13MP rear snapper with LED Flash, Sony IMX214 BSI sensor and 4K video recording, along with a whopping 8MP front shooter with Sony Exmor R sensor. The phone runs on Android 4.4.3 KitKat and includes connectivity options like 4G LTE, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and Wi-Fi Direct. The handset is likely to be priced under Rs. 20,000.

January 27, 2015
Xiaomi Ventures into Gaming Hardware; Launches Super-Cheap Bluetooth Gamepad

Xiaomi, few days back, teased a gaming hardware with the launch date expected to be 20th January. Now it has been revealed that this mysterious device was none other than a bluetooth game controller, which carries an amazingly low price tag (surprise, surprise) of 99 Yuan.

The Xiaomi game controller sports a D-pad, analogue sticks, Y, X, A, and B buttons, as well as two shoulder buttons on either side. It also has a back button, menu button, and a home button with Mi branding. It is powered by 2xAA batteries.

It looks awfully similar to the XBox One controller and according to the company, has a very ergonomic and comfortable feel while holding. The shell is made of tough materials manufactured by Samsung. Xiaomi claims that the remote controller is made using the same quality manufacturing process as the Sony PS4 remote.

Another interesting thing about the controller is that it is scratch and sunlight resistant. The company hopes that you can play your games for hours without getting tired.

The controller comes with some serious features for heavy gamers; 360-degree field of precision positioning, which has an accuracy of 0.172 degrees, shaking, center-specific anti-tampering measures of 0.5 degrees and high precision arrow keys which have a 360 degrees movement technology, ensuring a uniform gap around the keys. It connects with Android devices using Bluetooth 3.0 and comes with a power management system which turns the device into standby mode after 5 minutes of remaining idle.

The official website states that the first 300 buyers of the Bluetooth game controller would only have to shell out just CNY 1 (roughly Rs. 9) for the device. As mentioned above, the controller is priced very competitively at 99 Yuan which rounds up to about Rs. 1000 in India currency.

January 21, 2015
Xiaomi Fans Get Ready, the Mi4 is Coming to India

The long wait for Xiaomi’s Indian fans is coming to an end. For those who were anxiously waiting for the Mi3 to make a return for a Flipkart flash sale, this might be a bit disappointing. But for those who were eyeing the Mi4, it’s time of a happy dance.

In an exclusive interview with Indian Express, Xiaomi’s India Head Manu Jain, said that the company would be bringing the Mi4 to India on the 28th of January.

The Xiaomi Mi4 flaunts a 5-inch Full HD IPS LCD display. Its processing might comes from a 2.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor and possesses 3 GB of RAM. The device is available in 16 and 64 GB variants. It is powered by a 3080 mAh battery.

The Mi4 sports a 13 MP main camera and an 8 MP front camera and the device runs on Android 4.4.3 KitKat operating system.

The price of the device is expected to be around Rs 20,000. So if you were waiting for the Mi3 and had saved for it, you have about nine days to gather the rest of the money before the stampede begins.

January 19, 2015
Xiaomi Invests in Gaming and Software Giant Kingsoft

After gaining huge success in India and overseas through its impressive smartphone line-up, the Chinese electronics manufacturer Xiaomi has plans to expand further. Seems like the company is now eyeing the games and software market.

Xiaomi recently acquired 3% of Kingsoft’s share and the deal was finalised at approximately $68 million. The partially acquired company is a Chinese games and software giant, which started by developing PC games and is now a renowned name in security, entertainment and enterprise products. With this buyout, Xiaomi seems to be laying the ground for dedicated a gaming experience and improved services for its loyal customers.

Until now, Xiaomi was inking deals in hardware only – a whopping $203.7 million investment in home appliance maker Midea Group and a strategic funding in wearable start-up Misfit. The Chinese top smartphone manufacturer bought the shares of Kingsoft from the Chinese investment holding Tencent and the deal is likely to finish by January end.

Last week, Xiaomi amazed everyone with the launch of the 5.7-inch Mi Note. The company still has something in its bag and will unveil it on 20th January; it left its fans longing with an image that speaks of a mysterious new gaming hardware.

Recently, the news cropped up that the smartphone giant has plans to invest in Indian tech start-ups, as well as overseas media content. With Xiaomi investing in almost every business segment, there will be soon a day when this Chinese producer will beat the current top-listers and will dominate the tech industry.

January 19, 2015
Xiaomi Teases Mysterious New Device, Expected to Arrive on 20th January

Just when we thought Xiaomi had opened all its cards, it went ahead and released a new teaser. The teaser, launched on its official Weibo page, hints at a possible new announcement by the company on 20th January 2015. The interesting thing is that the teaser image comes not from its smartphone weibo account but from its official gaming account.

As always, the teaser image doesn’t reveal what the device could be. It includes three rectangles, with the title ‘Bigger is Better’. The fact that it comes from its official gaming page hints that this upcoming device might be gaming hardware.

The company had surprised us just a few days back. While everyone expected the Chinese manufacturer to launch the second generation Redmi Note or the Mi5, the company decided to take a step ahead and launched the Xiaomi Mi Note. The new device flaunts a 5.7-inch 1080p display and seems to be Xiaomi’s contender against the OnePlus One (with a price to match.)

Looks like we’ll have to wait and see what Xiaomi has in store next.

January 18, 2015
Here’s Everything Xiaomi Launched Today (Other Than the Mi Note)

Chinese smartphone powerhouse, Xiaomi has kicked off the year with the launch of its new flagship, the Xiaomi Mi Note. Going much further than its predecessors, this device directly takes an aim at the big name flagships and as usual comes with an extremely competitive price tag, although still higher than the usual Xiaomi pricing. The device packs some exceptional specs and the Pro version goes on to challenge the smartphones on the top of the food chain.

At the stage, Xiaomi founder and CEO, Lei Jun stated “We want to be the biggest phone company in the world,” and they delivered their products accordingly. It has expanded its portfolio to challenge the dominance of big brands with this launch event. So let’s take a look at all the other products that Xiaomi has unleashed today from its stage that got overshadowed by the awesomeness of the new Mi Note and Mi Note Pro.

Mi Smart Home App

Xiaomi began with explaining its plans to enter into the smart home market where the smartphone will be command center. The company offers a Smart Home App which connects all the appliance with one app.

Xiaomi has invested RMB 1.26 Billion($203 Million) in home appliances company Midea last December, to take its smart home objective forward.

Mi Headphones

Apple bought Beats and Xiaomi, as always following footsteps, launched its own headphones. They have dual 50 mm drivers and exchangeable ear cups.

In true Xiaomi fashion, these headphones are priced at 500 Yuan or about Rs. 5000. The Mi Headphones look attractive but we can only be sure about their quality when we put them to test.

Mi Box Mini

The next launch was the Mi Box Mini which is a tinsy tiny set top box from Xiaomi. This device is powered by a quad-core 1.3GHz processor along with 1GB RAM. It has 4GB internal flash memory and supports 1080p resolution along with Dolby and DTS audio and dual band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

So overall Xiaomi did what it is known for and it sure was a good show. Now that the products are out, get ready for a long line of speculations about their date of arrival on the Indian shores. Xiaomi does consider India an important market, but it may consider releasing these devices in India only after it gets out of the legal hassles it is facing in the country.

January 15, 2015
Xiaomi Directly Targets OnePlus One With the Launch of 5.7-inch Mi Note

World’s third largest smartphone maker, Xiaomi took a great leap in order to challenge the likes of Apple, Samsung and OnePlus with the new 5.7-inch phablet called the Mi Note.

Many expected the Chinese manufacturer to launch the second generation Redmi Note or the Mi5, but instead the company decided to take a step ahead and launched the Xiaomi Mi Note. The new device flaunts a 5.7-inch 1080p display and seems to be Xiaomi’s contender against the OnePlus One (with a price to match.)

The device is powered by a Snapdragon 801 processor and comes with 3 GB RAM. The phablet will be available in 16 and 32 GB variants. The company has also launched a Pro version of the Mi Note which is powered by 64 bit Snapdragon 810, comes with 4GB of RAM and has a 64GB version only. The pro version flaunts an enticing 2560×1440 at 515ppi screen (2k display.)

Both are powered by a 3000mAh battery. The devices also sport a 13MP main camera with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and a 4 MP front facing selfie camera. They run on MIUI 6, which is based on Android 4.4 KitKat. The Mi Note and Pro are 7 mm thin and weigh 161 gm.

Mi Note is protected on both sides with 2.5D + 3D curved Gorilla Glass 3. According to the company, it’s highly resistant to scratches and shattering.

Xiaomi has become the world’s fastest growing smartphone manufacturer swelling its shipment three times last year. The new Mi Note will compete head to head with OnePlus’ One which was launched last year.

There is no doubt the company has a strong hold on the tech market, however, Xiaomi is still struggling with the idea of breaking into the western market. With the launch of Mi Note, we can expect the Chinese smartphone giant to break free from the Asian market and focus on a more global scale.

The Xiaomi Mi Note will retail for 2,299RMB, which is about $371 or Rs. 22,893, while the Mi Note Pro is priced for 3,299RMB, which is about $532 dollars or Rs. 32,800.

Correction (19/01/15) : Front facing camera 4MP with 2-micron pixels. Thickness 7mm

January 15, 2015