Tag: Xiaomi

According to Xiaomi President, Mi5 to Arrive Next Month

Xiaomi looks upbeat and in a mood to surprise. The upcoming device by the Chinese smartphone manufacturer, Mi5, has already created quite a buzz in town and now the Co-Founder and President of the company, Bin Lin has disclosed that their new flagship smartphone would be unveiled in January.

Along with the revelation of a $1.1 billion funding, Bin mentioned in his post,

In January 2015, we will be unveiling our next flagship device.

However, Bin didn’t disclose the exact date of its arrival, GizChina claims that the device will launch by 15th of January, 2015.

Few days back, some pictures of the Mi5 were spotted on the internet, which demonstrated most of its display specifications.

The website also stated that the phone would have a 5.7-inch QHD display with 2560×1440 pixels resolution. It will be powered by a 64-bit Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor along with Adreno 430 GPU and 3 GB of RAM. The Mi5 is said to feature a massive 20.7MP front camera coupled with a fingerprint scanner and Sony Exmor sensor.

There are also rumours about the expected launch of Mi Pad 2 and Redmi Note 2 (temporarily titled). The Mi Pad 2 is expected to sport a 7.9-inch screen. Meanwhile the successor of Redmi Note is rumored to have a 5.5-inch display along with a 64-bit Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor, 2 GB of RAM and 8 MP camera.

Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 4G will go on sale on 30th December. The specs quoted for the next generation Mi device seems to put it directly on top of the food chain. Xiaomi has already become the third biggest smartphone company in the world. This flagship may be a direct assault on the big boys; Apple and Samsung. And if Xiaomi prices the device as competitively as it has done in the past, this might again be a big winner for the company. Seems like there’s no force yet which might stop Xiaomi’s roaring momentum.

December 29, 2014
Despite Several Hiccups, Xiaomi Manages to Sell 1 Million Smartphones in India

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi claims to have sold 1 million smartphones off the virtual shelves of Flipkart, its exclusive retail partner in the country. The company started selling its products in July, which means that in less than 6 months it has crossed the 1 million mark.

Xiaomi India Head, Manu Kumar Jain has announced this news via Twitter, commenting that the company crossed the one million mark this December (without specifying a date). The Chinese manufacturer, which is also known as China’s Apple, entered the Indian market only with its Mi3 smartphone. It was soon followed by Redmi Note and Redmi 1S, along with Mi power banks and earphones.

In dec, we reached a major milestone – 1 mn phones sold in India! Thank u for your love and support. @MiIndiaOfficial pic.twitter.com/LSXijujP87

— Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) December 25, 2014

All the devices have done exceptionally well in the Indian market despite the company’s much-criticised flash sale strategy. The recent ban of the company from India may have affected their sales, however, it seems the company is doing fine considering the latest figures. Recently the ban was lifted, and this saw the company bring back the Redmi 1S on sale along with an announcement about Redmi Note 4G’s arrival.

December 27, 2014
Xiaomi Redmi 1S Has a Slow Sales Day in its Comeback Flash Sale

Xiaomi fans, who were dejected after the ban on the company’s devices, have a reason to smile today. The Xiaomi Redmi 1S went on sale after a gap of nearly a month. The devices were selling faster than hot cakes before the ban was imposed. At 2pm today, the devices were up again for purchase on Flipkart but the virtual stampede by fans to buy the device was missing. The sale went on for over thirty minutes before going out of stock.

Xiaomi’s VP, Hugo Barra had announced the sale through a Facebook post on 16th December:

The Delhi High court had banned the devices after a patent infringement accusation by Ericcson. Ericcson claimed that Xiaomi infringed on eight of its patents that include features like AMR, EDGE and 3G technologies. Xiaomi later appealed to the court saying that it sold Qualcomm chipset based devices, and Qualcomm had obtained the required licenses from Ericsson. This meant that the Xiaomi phones running on Qualcomm chipset did not infringe on the patents of Ericsson. Thus the Delhi High Court raised the ban on the company allowing them to sell Qualcomm chipset based devices. And hence the Redmi 1S with its Snapdragon 400 chipset went on sale today.

Xiaomi had brought up to 50,000 devices for sale today, which is one of the biggest stocks from the company for a single flash sale. It was a slow sales day at Mi India’s page at Flipkart. During previous sales we saw the devices disappear within seconds but this time around, the window of purchase was open for several minutes before the devices went out of stock.

Xiaomi also said that it will be bringing the 4G variant of the Redmi Note, which runs on a Snapdragon processor to the market. However the date of sale is yet to be specified. We would like to assume that the folks have been saving for the Redmi Note, which carries a bigger display with almost the same specs as the Redmi 1S. The Note also supports 4G so it surely has that advantage over the 1S. But even with a slow sales day, Xiaomi still managed to clear all its stocks which means the love for the company hasn’t ended yet.

If you are one of the many who scored the device, share your joy with us in the comments. We will also keep you updated on the date of sale of the Redmi Note. Keep checking iGyaan for more.

December 23, 2014
Xiaomi to Resume Sales of Redmi 1s from December 23rd

Update : The company has updated Redmi Note’s Flipkart page and now the popular phablet is up for registeration. The sale will start at 2PM on 23rd December.

For those who missed out on the opportunity to acquire the Redmi 1s earlier, here is your chance. Hugo Barra, Xiaomi’s VP announced on the Mi India Facebook page that his company will be holding yet another flash sale on December 23rd through their online partner Flipkart.

Last week the Delhi High Court had announced a ban on the sale of Xiaomi devices in India due to patent infringement. However, a day ago the High Court passed an order allowing the company to sell devices powered by Qualcomm chipsets.

Without wasting any time, Xiaomi’s VP Hugo Barra announced through their social media page that Xiaomi will be resuming the sale of the Redmi 1s through Flipkart on December 23rd. He also added in this post that the Redmi Note (4G variant) is not far behind.

After a series of litigations there is finally something to look forward for the Xiaomi fans. Stay updated with iGyaan for details regarding the next flash sale.

December 17, 2014
Xiaomi to Resume Sales (But There’s a Catch)

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has been reportedly granted some reprieve after announcing the ban on the sale of their handsets in India last week. As per a tweet by Press Trust of India (PTI) the Delhi High Court today permitted the sale of their smartphones powered by Qualcomm chipsets till January 8 in India.

Prior to the ban, the company was selling two smartphones in the country: Redmi 1S and Redmi Note. Redmi 1s runs on a Qualcomm chipset, while Redmi Note is powered by a MediaTek processor. This release would imply that Xiaomi can sell the Redmi 1s for nearly a month. Additionally, Xiaomi had earlier planned to launch Redmi Note 4G in December, which is also powered by a Qualcomm processor implying that this too could be sold till January 8th.

Delhi HC permits Xiaomi to sell and import Qualcomm chipset based handsets till January 8.

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 16, 2014

However no official word is out on the much awaited Xiaomi Mi4. Although Xiaomi planned to launch this device with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, however it still remains to be seen whether they will go ahead with the launch or wait patiently till the dust settles.

Last week the Delhi High Court had passed an injunction suspending any import or sale of smartphones in India due to patent infringement complaints by Swedish telecom giant Ericsson. The court is scheduled to hear the case on February 5, so it is likely that Xiaomi phones will again be banned in the country from 9th January unless the court passes another similar order.

However, in the mean time, Xiaomi has three more ‘Happy Tuesdays’ in which they can resume their flash sales and reach out to maximum number of aggrieved customers.

December 16, 2014
Xiaomi Plans to Lead the Home Automation Race; Invests Over $200 Million in ‘Midea’

After recently announcing the Mi Air Purifier, the company is showing further interest in the Smart Home business. Reports have surfaced that Xiaomi has invested around $205 million in Chinese home appliance maker Midea, acquiring about 1.29 percent share in the Chinese home appliance maker.

“The deal between Xiaomi Technology and Midea will see strategic cooperation between the two companies in smart home initiatives and electronic products,” said Xiaomi.

Midea was established in 1968 and shares the vision of a true smarthome with Xiaomi. The home appliance maker revealed that it is planning to invest CNY 15 billon over the course of the next three years on smartphone home research and development. Midea is focussing on a range of smart home management systems for air, water, nutrition and health.

Smartphones aren’t its only forte, Xiaomi has a bunch of smartdevices like a set-top box, smart TV, the Mi Band fitness tracker and the already mentioned Mi Purifier. The company also added that nearly 25 countries have shown initiative in its growing smart home ecosystem.

The past week, Xiaomi has had a tough time in India. The company has been banned from importing and selling handsets in India. Well, since the ban is only on smartphones, hopefully we will see some of its future home automation offerings arrive in our country.

December 15, 2014
The Xiaomi Wave: Here’s All You Need to Know About the Xiaomi Ban
It has been a busy last week for Xiaomi. The Delhi High Court has put a halt on Xiaomi’s surging sales in India by passing an ex-parte injunction order. Ericsson India filed a case against Xiaomi for infringement of patents under the IPR Rules, 2007. This adverse order came into light when Xiaomi allegedly refused to reply to Ericsson’s repeated communications. The injunctions subsequently led to a suspension of sales through Flipkart and also a shut down of their Xiaomi India Site.

Xiaomi continues to insist that they have not received any notice but will take all necessary measure to comply with all the rules and regulations.

The Criers: Those Adversely Affected
- Xiaomi
Although Xiaomi does not seem to be panicking, however this suspension would adversely affect their company both strategically and financially. India is among the largest markets for the Xiaomi handsets and this ban would be a big blow for this Chinese company. On the other hand, Xiaomi seem determined to take necessary legal action to lift the ban as soon as possible.
- The Xiaomi Fans
Of course the Xiaomi fans will also immensely disappointed. Xiaomi had entered the Indian markets earlier this year in the month of July with great anticipation and it surpassed all expectation with flying colours. This ban would imply no more devices would be sold till further notice. To add fuel to the fire, this injunction would also imply ban to the much anticipated Xiaomi Mi4 which was set to release in India at the end of this month.

The Smilers : Those who Benefited

Xiaomi, however, has not been the only budget smartphone launched this year . There has been an influx of impressive smartphones in 2014. This interdiction would mean good news for other smartphone manufacturers like OnePlus and Motorola, who can seek a competitive edge in the market. Other domestic companies like Xolo, Asus, Iris who earlier didn’t stand a chance infront of this impressive device now have the opportunity to establish themselves till this case is settled.

What Happens Now ?

Although Xiaomi has ruined plans for many domestic smartphone manufacturers; it is a necessary evil. Xiaomi has forced the domestic manufacturers to also introduce budget smartphones to compete in the market. This healthy competition has led to the growth of the smartphone industry in India.

The bad news for Xiaomi, however, is that court hearings in Delhi are never dependable. Although the ban is till February 5 as of now; however, when Xiaomi will be able to sell it handsets again cannot be said. A similar incident took place with Chinese manufacturer Gionee, who chose to resolve the same out of court. Though this may seem like an ideal situation, however Xiaomi is not a cash rich company and does not have any corporate offices in India.

Although Xiaomi seems adamant to stay; only time will tell whether they will actually survive in this cut throat market.
December 14, 2014
Xiaomi Adamant to Fight Back High Court Order; Assessing Legal Options

Post the verdict of Delhi High Court to ban Xiaomi handsets in India, the Chinese smartphone maker spoke openly for the first time. In a conversation with Economic Times, Xiaomi India Head, Manu Jain, said that the company will comply with the court orders to stop the sale of its smartphones in India, “We have not been served the notice till now, but we know about the issue. If the court has asked us not to do it, we won’t do it.”

He further said, “We would want to be 100% compliant with Indian rules and regulations.” The smartphone manufacturer is trying every possible bit to fight back legally on the issue, “We will explore all options including legal options on what can be done. Our lawyers and legal teams are working on it, but we don’t know how this will proceed.”

Redmi 1s, one of Xiaomi’s most popular handsets is no longer available on Flipkart

Apologizing to the Xiaomi enthusiasts for the inability to deliver handsets, the International Operations Head, Hugo Barra, commented on the prevailing issue and the drew light on the company’s take to deal with the situation. “We have been forced to suspend sales in India until further notice due to an order passed by the Delhi High Court. As a law abiding company, we are investigating the matter carefully and assessing our legal options,” said Barra.

Meanwhile, registration is closed for both for Redmi 1S and Redmi Note and the upcoming flagships have also been suspended in the country. Yes, that means the upcoming Mi4 will not be available in our country for some time.

The Delhi High Court imposed the ban after hearing the allegations by Ericsson of infringing eight of its registered patents. The company cannot assemble, import, sell or advertise its devices until 5th February.

As of now, both the companies have been asked to submit the list of devices sold by them. Along with that, they have to furnish revenue details generated by the sale of the devices.

December 13, 2014
Flipkart Suspends Xiaomi Redmi Note, 1S Sales Until Further Notice

Flipkart, the e-commerce website which was also the official online shopping partner for Xiaomi’s handsets has been directed to stop all imports and sales of the handsets until further notice. Flipkart’s dedicated webpage now mentions that the phones are ‘not available’.

Xiaomi fans would have to wait for a while till the case settles. Till then, Xiaomi sales in India would be hugely affected, leaving the fans disappointed. However, those who have ordered the Redmi Note handset and the Redmi 1S handsets from this week’s sales should be getting their devices as scheduled. The next weeks sales will not be held till further notice.

Xiaomi Vice President, Global, Hugo Barra, also mentioned the same on the official Xiaomi Facebook page which reads as follows-:

The decision had been arrived by the Delhi High court two days ago when Ericsson approached the Court claiming that Xiaomi has infringed its patents and failed to reply to Ericsson’s notice. Along with Xiaomi, Flipkart also was roped in and directed to stop all imports and sales of the handsets till further February.

The silver lining, if any, for the Xiaomi fans is that the ban is only on handsets. Those who wish to purchase power banks and other accessories can still do so through Flipkart.

December 12, 2014
Xiaomi Reportedly Banned From Importing and Selling Handsets in India

The Delhi High Court has reportedly put a halt on Xiaomi’s surging sales in India by passing an ex-parte injunction order. Hearing a case filed by Ericsson India against Xiaomi, the court on Monday passed an ex parte order from “selling, advertising, manufacturing or importing devices” that infringe upon Ericsson’s patents. In fact, the judge also directed the customs officials to stop the imports under the IPR Rules, 2007. Moreover, local commissioners too have been appointed to visit Xiaomi India offices to ensure the implementation of the order.

The adverse order in the case seems to have come about after Xiaomi allegedly ignored Ericsson’s repeated communications. Reports indicate that Flipkart is also implicated in the case, and that the Delhi High Court granted the injunction after Xiaomi did not respond to Ericsson’s missives.

In an emailed statement to NDTV Gadgets, Xiaomi India Head, Manu Jain, responded to the Delhi High Court Injunction

While we haven’t received an official notice from the Delhi High Court, our legal team is currently evaluating the situation based on the information we have.

India is a very important market for Xiaomi and we will respond promptly as needed and in full compliance with Indian laws. Moreover, we are open to working with Ericsson to resolve this matter amicably.

Xiaomi had launched its India operations in July 2014 and the country is the second largest market for the company and also the fastest growing one. It sells phones exclusively through online marketplace Flipkart via flash sales in limited numbers. In such a limited span Xiaomi has made an unparalleled impact completely throwing the domestic smart phone players off their game.

Will this injunction imply the end of Xiaomi in India? A similar incident happened with Gionee, early this year when Ericsson had managed to halt sales for the brand, but the case was resolved out of court in a matter of hours.

In Xiaomi’s case, the company may not have enough “moolah” to get away with an out of court settlement. Will India witness the rise and fall of one of the most dynamic smartphone company all in a span of 6 months?

Only time will tell…!

Update :

Not just sales, Xiaomi now shuts down its Indian website too. Following the suspension of its handsets through Flipkart, Xiaomi shut down its Indian website. The company has put out an announcement, which now contains only one page that shows the letter from its global vice president Hugo Barra addressing the Xiaomi fans. On the brighter side, the facebook page of Xiaomi is still live, so all the Xiaomi followers can stay updated.

December 10, 2014
Clearance Sale! Xiaomi Redmi 1S Available Registration-Free on Flipkart Today

It’s a great day for the fans of Xiaomi Redmi 1S, as the smartphone is now available on sale on Flipkart without all the flash sale drama. The purchase of the device doesn’t require registration, however this offer is valid only for today.

The smartphone was launched back in July. It has a 4.7-inch 720x1280p display and is powered by 1.6 GHz processor along with 1 GB of RAM. On the camera front, the phone sports 8 MP rear shooter.

Xiaomi has created a storm in the smartphone market by giving high specs in low price. Millions of Redmi 1S handsets have been sold in a matter of months. Lately, the company released its yet another power-packed device, Xiaomi Note phablet. It is a mid-range Android device. The electronics giant has permanently discontinued the Mi3 and this sale might be the last sale of Redmi 1S. So, all those who missed the chance of grabbing this awesome device can now avail the offer.

Watch our full review of the Redmi 1S here:

December 8, 2014
Xiaomi’s Mi Fitness Band Sweeps Wearable Market, Sales Reach 1 Million in 100 Days

Xiaomi has been the talk of the town, be it cheap smartphones, power banks or fitness trackers. The Chinese electronics giant has once again made it to the headline by selling 1 million Mi fitness trackers in just 100 days. The band was launched in July this year and went on sale on 18th August.

The company disclosed that it has shipped a maximum of 103,000 in a single day. The wearable is, as of now, available in China only, but the same will go on sale in Hong Kong and Taiwan from tomorrow onwards. The device has been priced at 79 Yuan (that translates to around Rs. 800), which is ridiculously cheap. This is one of the reasons people all over the world are desperately waiting for the Mi fitness band to launch in their countries.

Xiaomi Mi band is a water-resistant gadget with a battery life of up to 30 days. Although, it does not have a display of its own, the same can be paired with your smartphones and tablets to show fitness statistics. The band sports indicator lights. Apart from tracking health stats, it can become an alarm clock for you. Additionally, the band is a smart tool as it unlocks your Xiaomi smartphone, in case you don’t wish to type the password several times a day.

NDP group released a report on the sales figures of various brands, which speaks that between April 2013 and March 2014, around 3.3 million fitness bands and activity trackers were sold in the US. Out of this, 67 percent sales was made by Fitbit and 18 percent by Jawbone.

With numerous technology options available in the market, the Mi fitness band seems the most popular among fitness freaks.

December 1, 2014

Xiaomi Redmi Note: Unboxing and Hands On

In the house, we have the new Redmi Note from Xiaomi. The device was launched just a few days back and will be available in two variants, one is a 3G variant, while the other one is the 4G LTE compatible variant. The one with us is a 3G variant. The phone comes in the recycled MI style brown box. The first thing that you see once you unbox is the Redmi Note, which has a nice and glossy back. Delving deeper in the box, we see the microUSB to USB charging cable along with a fairly nice quality wall charger. Also included in the box is a 3.8 volt, 3100mAH battery along with a manual, service booklet and a bunch of other documentation.

Getting back to the phone, on the front we have a 5.5-inch IPS LCD screen with a resolution of 720p. A 5MP wide angle camera capable of 1080p video recording sits on the top of the device. Right below the display, we have three red coloured touch capacitive buttons. The right side houses the power button along with the volume rockers. On the top lies the 3.5 mm headphone jack along with a secondary microphone for voice cancellation. There’s nothing on the left, while at the bottom lies the USB port along with the main microphone.

Coming on to the back, we have a 13MP camera bundled with a LED flash. The back has a nice glossy finish with a MI logo at the bottom along with the speaker grill right below the logo. Removing the back panel reveals the two SIM slots and an SD card slot.

Talking about the specs of the Redmi Note, the chipset on the device is a MediaTek octa-core MTK 6592 processor clocked at 1.7GHz bundled with 2 GB RAM. It offers 8 GB in-built storage expandable up to 32 GB. The device is powered by a pretty solid 3200 mAh battery. On the camera front, you get a 13MP primary camera along with a wide angle 5 MP front-facing selfie shooter.

Key Specs

Specifications	Xiaomi Redmi Note (3G)
Display	720×1280 pixels, 5.5 inches IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen
Processor	1.7 GHz Octa-core
Storage	8 GB + microSD upto 32 GB
RAM	2 GB
Camera	13 MP, 4128×3096 pixels, autofocus, LED flash 5 MP front camera
Battery	Li-Po 3100mAh
Operating System	Android OS, v4.2 (Jelly Bean)

Powering on the device, the first thing you see for setting up the device is a keyboard input method. Once through with the setup process, you get to see the same MIUI we saw in the MI3. The exact version is the MIUI 29.0, while the Android version is 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. It will be updated soon to the KitKat. Coming back to the UI, the interface seems quite snappy and swift. Scrolling is really fast and responsive, there are a lot of quick toggle notifications. Multitasking should be fairly good as we always have a little over 1 GB RAM free.

The screen has a nice feel to it, so you would want to avoid putting a screen protector to retain that feel. We also tried playing a few videos and it runs videos pretty well, though the audio output is not as good we’ve seen with devices in the same price range.

Talking about aesthetics, the device feels really good in the hand, though slightly on the heavier side. The device has a nice glossy finish all round, so it does attract a lot of fingerprints.

Overall, the device seems fairly decent and comes at a very economical price point and will definitely make the holiday list of the phones. The build quality, look and feel seem quite good given the price of the device. You will able to get your hands on the device very soon as the first flash sale is scheduled for 2nd of December. So that’s about it for now, keep checking back for an in-depth review of the new Xiaomi Redmi Note.

November 28, 2014

Everything You Wanted to Know About the Upcoming Redmi Note

Xiaomi is about to add a third member to its Indian family. The new device will sit comfortably between the flagship challengers Mi3/Mi4 and the low-end market disrupter Redmi 1S. Xiaomi’s Redmi Note will not be just the third offering from the company; it is also a big screen multimedia lovers delight on a budget. We tell you all that makes the device so unique.

The Specs

Just like Xiaomi’s other offerings, the Redmi Note is good on specs front. It is powered by an octa-core 1.7 GHz processor from MediaTek along with 2 GB RAM. The device gets its juice from a healthy 3100 mAh battery. It has 8 GB of internal memory that is expandable up to 32 GB. The phone is a solid purchase even on the camera front. The main camera is a 13MP shooter, while the front sports a 5MP selfie shooter.

The Display

The huge screen will be appreciated by gamers, readers and multimedia lovers alike.

Redmi Note flaunts a 5.5-inch 720p HD IPS display. This will be a delight for multimedia enthusiasts, e-book readers and gamers alike. With 267ppi, the display of the device has lower pixel count in comparison to the Redmi 1S, so don’t expect the same level of quality. It also doesn’t have the Gorilla Glass protection as is available on the Redmi 1S. So you’d need to spend on a screen protection.

MIUI makes the device unique.

MIUI

The Note, of course, carries Xiaomi’s own MIUI, which is one of the best user interfaces out there. With a slew of regular updates, MIUI is always working towards being bug-free. Xiaomi has released MIUI 6, which is its latest UI buy it is not sure as of yet if the Redmi Note will be getting the update.

Battery Power

The huge battery that powers Redmi Note is one the winning features of the device. The company claims that the phablet can run 14 hours on 3G use, 38 hours on 2G use and offers up to 60 hours on music playback.

Note Cases

Considering the device’s Chinese upbringing, it comes in multiple colour options. These include classy navy blue to hot pink, whatever pleases you.

Overall, this is a great multimedia device on a budget. It has good specs, and the massive screen is its USP. This dual-SIM phablet is the bigger sibling of Xiaomi Redmi 1S and it sure will attract the same kind of attention. The device is expected to be priced at Rs. 9,999 but we will wait till the launch to confirm the same. So keep checking iGyaan for more.

November 24, 2014
“India is Xiaomi’s Most Important Overseas Market” Says CEO Lei Jun

The four-year-old Chinese smartphone company Xiaomi has become one of the most talked about smartphone maker in Indian tech industry. With high-end specs and low costs, the company has managed to create a huge market for itself in our country.

Xiaomi’s chairman and CEO Lei Jun at the recent World Internet Conference commented on ‘how India has become the most important overseas market for Xiaomi. Jun also shared the company’s strategy to become world’s largest smartphone maker.

The panel attending World Internet Conference on ‘Creating an Online Global Village Together’ included tech heavyweights like LinkedIn Chairman Reid Hoffman, Nokia CEO Rajeev Suri, Baidu President Zhang Yaqin and China Telecom Chairman Wang Xiaochu.

Talking about India as a market place, Jun said, “India is becoming our largest overseas market.” Its smartphones offering tempting specifications at an affordable price range have been lapped up by buyers.

Xiaomi is hosting an event today in Delhi where it will unveil Redmi Note before it reportedly goes up on sale next week.

Even though, the company has been criticised for the limited availability of its products and privacy related issues, the smartphones have been seen flying out of shelves in a matter of seconds during the flash sales every Tuesday.

CEO Lei Jun showed up late for the conference which made up the headline of various publications. At the same time, the company was hosting a press conference in Beijing to announce that it and Shunwei Capital (of which Lei is also chairman) are investing $300 million in Baidu’s IQiyi.com video website. It’s all part of Lei’s plan to plow $1 billion into video content to help bolster sales of Xiaomi’s Internet-ready televisions and set-top boxes.

“I believe that no one thought the Xiaomi from three years ago, which just made its first phone, would later rank as the third largest player,” Jun said. “Within five or 10 years, we have the opportunity to become number one smartphone company in the world.”

The company has a stronghold on the Indian market already with its current offerings Mi3 and the entry-level Redmi 1S. Xiaomi is now planning to launch the Redmi Note in India. It is hosting an event today in Delhi where it will unveil the phablet, before it reportedly goes up on sale next week.

November 24, 2014