Having been quiet for well over a month in 2018, Xiaomi, the reigning smartphone leader for the last two quarters, is set to make a big splash this Valentine's Day launching a bevy of feature-rich Android phones and surprisingly new product range.
As per the Xiaomi's official teasers, the company is launching Redmi Note 4 [Review] successor and also a Mi TV series for the first time in India.
Xiaomi Product Launch 2018 Prediction
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 series
Xiaomi is reportedly planning to launch two models, one a generic Redmi Note 5 and a top-end Redmi Note 5 Pro.
The standard version will sport a 5.7-inch full HD+ (2160x1080p) FullView screen with 18:9 aspect ratio and come packed Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core, 3GB/4GB RAM, 32GB/64GB storage, Android Nougat-based MIUI 9.5 OS, hybrid SI slots, 3.5mm audio jack, single 12MP primary camera, a 5MP front snapper and a 4,000mAh battery.
On the other hand, the Redmi Note 5 Pro series will flaunt a 5.9-inch/5.7-inch full HD+ (2160x1080p) FullView screen with 18:9 aspect ratio.
Under-the-hood, it is expected come packed with Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 octa-core backed by 4GB/6GB RAM, 64 GB storage, 3.5mm audio jack, 12MP+5MP dual-camera on the back, a 20MP shooter on the front and a 4,000mAh (or more).
Android-powered Xiaomi Mi TV
Though there is no official word on what model Xiaomi intends to debut in India, there is a slight possibility that company might launch the most recent Mi TV 4A 50-inch model because, if Xiaomi releases older versions, fans might assume the company treats India as a dumping market.
It has to be noted that the Redmi Note 5 series is also coming first in India, before being released in Xiaomi's home market, which has been the norm with the previous iteration since its India debut in 2013.
Things have changed in the Indian smartphone market since 2017, particularly for Xiaomi, as it has managed to beat long-reigning Samsung, as the top smartphone-seller, in the last two quarters.
Like smartphones, LED TV (including smart and generic full HD) segment has a big business opportunity in home-entertainment (read never-ending soap operas) loving India. Samsung and LG are leaders in the smartphone and LED TV market respectively. Now, Xiaomi looks to disrupt the market which is estimated to be valued more than Rs 25,000 crore (as of September 2017).
So, it won't be a surprise if see the new Xiaomi Mi TV 4A make its debut in India this Valentine's Day.
Xiaomi Mi TV 4A sports a 50-inch 4K UHD (3840x2160 pixels) resolution display having 60Hz refresh rate, 178-degree wide viewing angle, 5000:1 contrast ratio and support HDR10+ HLG.
The Mi TV 4A series flaunts frameless design and comes with many attachments including Mi TV Bar with 10 speakers, 2 wireless rear satellite speakers, and a subwoofer. The Mi TV also boasts the world-renowned Dolby Atmos audio system with dual up-firing speakers, which offers an immersive 3D sound experience, the company claims.
The Xiaomi Mi TV 4A package also includes Mi Bluetooth Remote Control, with features such as Bluetooth, Speech Recognition, Mi Touch, and Infrared.
Under-the-hood, the Mi TV 4A houses a 64-bit class 1.5GHz Amlogic L962 quad-core processor backed by 750MHz Mali-450 MP3 graphics engine, 2GB RAM, 8GB of internal storage, Dolby and DTS HD Audio decoding support.
Similar to the company's Redmi and Mi-series smartphones, Mi TV 4A is powered by Android TV OS with MIUI TV skin on top with Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based PatchWall assistant. It is a layer on top of Android TV OS which relies on deep learning AI technology to give content-based recommendations.
As far as the connectivity is concerned, Mi TV 4A features Bluetooth v4.23 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, an AV input, 1 ethernet port and an S/PDIF audio output port.
In China, 50-inch Xiaomi Mi TV 4A price starts at ¥2,399 (approx. Rs 24,293). Considering its features, it's a steal and would certainly find traction in a price-sensitive market like in India.
Stay tuned. We will be on the ground at Xiaomi Product Launch 2018 event in New Delhi on February 14. Follow us @IBTimesIN_Tech on Twitter for live updates on Xiaomi products.
