As expected, Xiaomi Redmi 1S flash sale on Tuesday got over in seconds leaving many fans frustrated.
The company took its social media platform Facebook to boast its feat that Redmi 1S units (numbering 38,000) got sold out in a record 4.2 seconds.
Many angry fans have also cried foul that some miscreants were seen offering Redmi 1S at online classified sites like – Quikr (click here) and OLX (click here) for exorbitant prices ranging between ₹7,000 and ₹14,000.
"Xiaomi is making fun of Indian customers, if you don't have enough handsets to sell, why are you entering big markets like India, you should run a small roadside shop instead of a MNC", said Suman Mitra, one of the angry fans (on Xiaomi India Facebook page).
In reply, Xiaomi representative said -"Dear Suman Mitra, please be assured that we are not making fun of Mi fans in India. Unlike other companies, we are just less than 5 years old. Please also understand that we are managing demands + expectations within our limited resources as well. To provide a huge amount of devices at one go is not something we can do overnight but we are willing to learn and listen to every single one of you. Thank you for supporting us."
To make things go smoother for Redmi 1S sales in India, the company even temporarily suspended the Xiaomi Mi3 sale in the country.
Hearing the report, rumours started to spread on the Internet that the company was just clearing old Mi3 stocks in China by dumping it India, but the company's India head of operation, Manu Jain categorically dismissed the frivolous speculations.
In a reply to NDTV, Jain clarified that Xiaomi Mi3 sale in India is not discounted and the company just wants to shift focus on Redmi 1S for the next few weeks. However, despite persistent questioning, he did not oblige to divulge details on when Xiaomi Mi3 will be re-launched again in India.
For the uninitiated, Xiaomi Redmi 1S costs just ₹5,999 and features 4.7-inch IPS LCD screen with 720x1280p resolution, making it the cheapest HD phone in the Indian market. It is ₹1,000 lesser than the popular Motorola Moto E, which costs ₹6,999.
That's not all; it comes packed with Android v4.3 Jelly Bean OS (with custom MIUI), 1.6GHz Snapdragon CPU, 1GB RAM, 8GB inbuilt memory (expandable up to 32GB) and a 2,0000 mAh battery.
[Note: Registration window for 9 September flash sale has been opened for the public at Flipkart, interested consumers click here; The window will close at 23:59 pm on 8 September]
Key Specifications of Xiaomi Redmi 1S:
Models | Xiaomi Redmi 1S |
Display | 4.7-inch HD (1280x720p) IPS LCD screen with Gorilla Glass 2 shieldPixel density: close to 312 ppi (pixels per inch) |
OS | Android v4.3 Jelly Bean with custom MIUI |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 series quad-core CPU with 1.6GHz CPU speed |
GPU | Adreno 305 |
RAM | 1GB |
Storage capacity | 8GB, expandable up to 64GB |
Camera | Main: 8.0-megapixel camera with auto-focus, LED flash, HDR
Front: 1.3-megapixel camera |
Battery | 2,000 mAh (Li-Polymer); |
Network | 2G & 3G |
Add-ons | Dual-SIM slots, Bluetooth v4.0 (with LE, A2DP), micro-USB v2.0, GPRS/EDGE, microSD card slot, |
Dimensions | 137.0 x 69.0 x 9.9 mm |
Weight | 158 g |
Price | ₹5,999/- |
[Image credit: Xiaomi India]