Xiaomi to Unveil MIUI 7 at August 13 Event

Xiaomi has confirmed an event scheduled for August 13 in China, where the company is expected to finally reveal its next flagship smartphone alongside the MIUI 7, the latest version of its ROM.Teasing the launch event, an administrator on the firm's MIUI forum said, "Xiaomi new product launch event is coming on Aug 13, 2015! And it's confirmed, MIUI 7 will be released!" The launch event will take place at the China National Convention Centre.
While the company invite for the event doesn't direct to launch of a new smartphone; though the "product launch" bit definitely points to a possibility of the Mi 4 successor launch. Considering that the Xiaomi Mi 4 was launched last year in July alongside MIUI 6 version, we can expect the company to reveal the new flagship alongside its latest ROM.
There have been several instances when the Xiaomi Mi 5 has been leaked with full specifications and even had its price tipped. According to preliminary leaks, the Mi 5 would be priced at CNY 2,399(approximately Rs. 24,500).
Some of innards rumoured for Xiaomi's next flagship include a 5.2-inch QHD (1440x2560 pixels) LCD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 for protection; Snapdragon 810 processor; 16-megapixel rear camera; 13-megapixel sensor on the front, and 3000mAh battery. The Xiaomi Mi 5 was earlier said to run Android 5.1 Lollipop and was even rumoured to release in November in the market. A leak even hinted that Xiaomi's next Mi 5 flagship will come with a built-in fingerprint scanner.

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Xiaomi Tipped to Launch Windows 10-Based Mi Tablet in Q3 2015

When Microsoft, earlier this year, announced Xiaomi as its testing partner for Windows 10 on smartphones (now dubbed Windows 10 Mobile), the announcement left a lot of people wondering as to the extent of the partnership between the two companies.
Now, a Chinese analyst has claimed that Xiaomi will launch its Mi tablet running Windows 10 in the third quarter. The news (via Gizmo China) has again kicked off the debate whether Microsoft and Xiaomi may work together for a Windows 10 smartphone or even a dual-boot device with Android and Windows 10.
Unfortunately, Pan Jiutang, an analyst, did not reveal any further details about the alleged Mi Tablet.
In other news, Joe Belfiore, Corporate Vice President, Operating Systems Group, Microsoft, posted an image of the Xiaomi Mi 4 running Windows 10 build 10240. In a follow-up tweet, he claimed to start the insider program in China with Mi phones in the coming weeks. He said, "We intend to start our insider program in China with Xiaomi phones in the next few weeks... The software is running very nicely on these!"

While the tweets don't give any clear intimation that Microsoft may launch a Windows 10-based smartphone in partnership with Xiaomi, it definitely tips the possibility in future.
Back in March, Xiaomi's Vice President of International Operations, Hugo Barra had to clarify the nature of the partnership between the two companies. He said that Microsoft's experimental program worked directly with the Mi fan community in China, and that Xiaomi had nothing to do with the program. Barra had also confirmed that the program was limited to the Chinese market. One of the reasons why Xiaomi was added as the testing partners was that Mi devices shipped with unlocked bootloader, Barra had pointed out.

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Xiaomi Mi 4 64GB India Price Cut Is Now Permanent

Xiaomi had recently slashed the price of the 64GB variant of the Mi 4 in India to Rs. 17,999 and now the company has moved to make the price cut permanent. The price was earlier valid only for Friday but Xiaomi India tweeted to confirm that the new price is here to stay.
To recall, the Xiaomi Mi 4 64GB variant was launched in India carrying a price tag of Rs. 23,999. The smartphone received its first price cut in April, bringing the price down to Rs. 21,999, followed by another price cut last month when the price was slashed to 19,999.
The Xiaomi Mi 4  runs on MIUI 6 based on Android 4.4 KitKat. It is powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.5GHz alongside 3GB of RAM. The Mi 4 sports the same 5-inch full-HD display (1080x1920 pixels) found on the Mi 3; although this time the company has used a JDI OGS full lamination display. There is a 13-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera on the Xiaomi Mi 4, with both sporting Sony's stacked CMOS sensors. The smartphone is backed by a 3080mAh Li-ion battery.
The Xiaomi Mi 4 also comes in 16GB storage capacity, which is now available at a price of Rs. 14,999.

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Xiaomi Mi 4i 32GB Variant Launched at Rs. 14,999

As expected, Xiaomi India has launched the 32GB model of the Mi 4i smartphone in India. Priced at Rs. 14,999, the smartphone will go on sale July 28 at 2pm IST. The Xiaomi Mi 4i 32GB model will be available in Dark Grey colour only.
Announcing the news, Xiaomi India said via its social channels, "To kickstart our birthday celebrations, we're introducing our Mi 4i 32GB, now with double the storage capacity and still our most compact innovation ever!" Xiaomi India is celebrating its first anniversary in the country and has announced that will reveal daily surprises for consumers from July 22-28.
The company, as of now, has not revealed whether the Mi 4i 32GB model will be available only via Mi.com or will also be up for grabs via other online and offline retail partners. Currently, only Xiaomi's official site lists the 32GB model of the Mi 4i.
The Xiaomi Mi 4i was launched in India at Rs. 12,999 for the variant with 16GB internal storage (non expandable). It features a 5-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) OGS Corning Concore IPS display; 441ppi; MIUI 6 based on Android 5.0 Lollipop; a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor; Adreno 405 GPU; 2GB of RAM; 13-megapixel rear camera with f/2.0 aperture and dual-tone flash; 5-megapixel front-facing camera; and a 3120mAh battery.
Last month, Xiaomi India revealed a new Dark Grey variant of the Mi 4i smartphone for the Indian market. The smartphone was made available initially via the company's own website, Mi.com/in.
It's worth noting that this was the first instance when Xiaomi India kicked off sales of a new phone via its own website.

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Xiaomi Mi 4i 32GB Variant Could Launch in India on Wednesday

Xiaomi, which in April this year launched the 16GB Mi 4i smartphone in India at Rs. 12,999, now seems ready to introduce its 32GB variant.

The Chinese smartphone maker on Monday posted an image to Facebook showing a cryptic message made out of matchsticks reading "16", followed by a text stating, "Move 4 to double". From the teaser it is likely that the company will launch the 32GB storage variant of the Mi 4i. The price however, remains a mystery. The launch of 32GBXiaomi Mi 4i would also go in line with company's Vice President Hugo Barra's previous statement of bumping the inbuilt storage limit of the Mi 4i. The launch of the product comes as Xiaomi celebrates its one year in the Indian market on July 22.

(See Also: Meizu M2 Note And Xiaomi Mi4i Comparison)

Needless to say, the hike in the inbuilt storage of the handset would give users much more space to store media content and other files or documents in the handset. The current 16GB Mi 4i model does not support a microSD card slot and leaves only 13GB accessible by users. Xiaomi Mi 4i was criticised for its lack of microSD slot at launch, something with Barra defended.
"For high performance devices, we are fundamentally against an SD card slot," Barra said. He claimed that microSD cards are vulnerable to failure and in most cases malfunction in various conditions. Pointing out that counterfeit SD cards are quite common, he added they are usually of "extremely poor quality" and slow as well. Barra said some of the issues caused by microSD cards reported by Android smartphones users are app crashing and loss of data.

(See Also: Xiaomi Mi4i vs Xolo Black Specifications)

The Xiaomi Mi 4i smartphone runs MIUI 6 based on Android 5.0 Lollipop. Some of the key specifications are 5-inch full-HD IPS display; 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor; Adreno 405 GPU; 2GB of RAM; 13-megapixel rear camera; 5-megapixel front-facing camera; 16GB inbuilt storage, and 3120mAh battery.

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Xiaomi's Mi Mousepad, Mi Metal Mousepad Launched in India

Xiaomi India has started selling the Mi Mousepad and Mi Metal Mousepad computer accessories via Mi.com. The Mi Mousepad (see above) and Mi Metal Mousepad are now available to buy at Rs. 269 and Rs. 649 respectively.

The Mi Mousepad is available in Black colour and features rubber backing. The company claims that the Mi Mousepad comes with "non-slip rubber" material that prevents the mousepad from sliding around. It measures 80cm in length and has 40cm width.

The Mi Metal Mousepad, on the other hand, features aluminium design. The listing notes, "The mousepad is meticulously crafted in a 5-step process, which includes punch-pressing, sandblasting, oxidation, polishing, and laser-cutting." Xiaomi claims that the Metal Mousepad goes through several tests to ensure durability and resistance to corrosion. The Mi Metal Mousepad (see below) measures 330mm in height, 240mm in width, and 3mm thick.

Last week, Xiaomi India started selling the Mi 4i smartphone without registrations. The smartphone can be grabbed now via Mi.com as well as partner websites such as Flipkart, Snapdeal, and Amazon in White and Dark Grey colours.

Xiaomi India lately has been announcing price cuts on its various smartphones including the budget Redmi 2, which received a Rs. 1,000 price cut earlier this month. The Xiaomi Redmi 2 is now available at its new price of Rs. 5,999. The price cut on the Xiaomi Redmi 2 was expected as the Redmi Note 4G price was reduced to Rs. 7,999. Before that, Xiaomi India slashed the price of the Mi 4 16GB model to Rs. 14,999, making the smartphone Rs. 5,000 cheaper than its launch price.

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Xiaomi, Li Ning Launch Smart Shoes With Military-Grade Motion Sensors

Xiaomi has already launched a number of devices including the Mi Band, television,action camera, and even an air purifier. Now, the company expanding its wearable offering has launched a Smart Shoe in partnership with sports brand Li Ning.

According to Mydrivers.com, the new shoes are called Li-Ning Smart Shoes and feature Xiaomi supplied sensors. It will be available in two variants: CNY 199 (approximately Rs. 2,000) and CNY 399 (approximately Rs. 4,000). Both the models of the Li-Ning Smart Shoes will go on sale in China starting Monday.

The new Li-Ning Smart Shoes are waterproof and are claimed to be sweat-proof and can withstand pressure while running. The shoes pack a Bluetooth chip which will allow them to connect with a paired smartphone, and are also said to feature military-grade motion sensors. The Li-Ning Smart shoes can record steps and calories among others.

With the launch, the new Li-Ning Smart Shoes manufactured in partnership with Xiaomi is likely to take on the likes of Nike's iPod-friendly shoes or the Adidas' miCoach Speed Cell. Xiaomi back in March was reported to join hands with sports brand Li Ning to make the footwear.

Li Ning said in a statement back in March had said, "We have chosen to collaborate with the Mi brand because of Huami Technology's strength in 'smart' wearable products. We hope to use this opportunity to provide professional "smart" running shoes to running enthusiasts in China at an affordable price."

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Xiaomi Mi TV 2S 48-Inch 4K Television With 9.9mm Frame Launched

Xiaomi at its Thursday event in China has unveiled its new Mi TV 2S television. The company claimed that the new Mi TV was "redesigned from head to tail."

The new Xiaomi Mi TV 2S will be available in China in two variants: a Standard edition will be available at CNY 2,999 (approximately Rs. 30,600), while a Cinema edition will be available at CNY 3,999 (approximately Rs. 41,000). Both the versions will be available starting July 22. As of now, the Chinese company has not revealed plans to launch the new TV outside China.

The firm specifies a 4K resolution, but has not provided the exact resolution or aspect ratio. Xiaomi touts that the new Mi TV 2S's frame is 9.9mm-thick, and says its the thinnest aluminium frame in its Mi TV series. It adds the TV is almost thin as the Xiaomi Mi 4.

While announcing the Mi TV 2S, Xiaomi compared its new TV set with the likes ofSamsung, Sony, and Sharp TVs. The Chinese company claimed that its new Mi TV 2S offers better clarity, colour, and contrast when compared to its competition. For audio, the company claimed that Mi TV 2S had better sound quality than the Bose Cinemate 1 SR home theatre speaker system.

Under the hood, the Mi TV 2S is powered by an MStar 6A928 processor running on the MIUI TV operating system based on Android 5.0 Lollipop. It packs 2GB of RAM and 8GB of inbuilt storage. The new TV set from Xiaomi supports latest Dolby sound technology. It also supports Wi-Fi 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.0 LE. The Mi TV 2S includes HDMI 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports while can playback 4K videos at 60fps. The company even showcased the newly designed Mi TV Plug for the Mi TV 2S. The 48-inch Mi TV 2S features an all-metal design on the back.

Xiaomi at its Thursday event also unveiled the Mi Water Purifier, priced at CNY 1299 (roughly Rs. 13,300). The device will go on sale starting July 28 in China. The company revealed that the new Mi Water Purifier uses reverse osmosis (RO) with a TDS value under 100 to purify water.

The new Mi Water Purifier uses four filters - PP Cotton filter, activated coconut carbon filter (2x) and an RO membrane. The company claimed that it can churn out 400 gallons in 1 day. It adds the Mi Water Purifier is compact, with a base area smaller than an A4-sized paper.

The water purifier measures 205x260x410mm and offers 1 litre per minute water flow. It comes with built-in Wi-Fi and can allow users to check the water quality real-time via Android or iOS app. The app can remind users when the filter needs replacement as well as can help buy new filters. The company claims that the process to connect a smartphone to Mi Water Purifier is easy and once connected the phone can search purifier automatically.

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Xiaomi Mi 4i to Go on Sale Without Registration on Tuesday

Xiaomi's Mi 4i smartphone will be available to buy without registration from Tuesday. The company announced the news via its social channels and confirmed that the Xiaomi Mi 4i will be available in an open sale model "from now on", via Mi.com, Flipkart, Snapdeal, and Amazon. The smartphone will be available in its recently unveiled Dark Grey and White colours.
At the time of writing, the smartphone was already available to buy without registration on Mi.com and Flipkart. To recall, Xiaomi launched the Mi 4i at its Global Mi Premiere event in April, the handset was the company's first smartphone to have been launched outside of China. It was priced at Rs. 12,999.
Xiaomi Mi 4i features a unibody polycarbonate build, and has a soft touch matte finish with an anti-grease coating. The dual-SIM based smartphone supports 4G LTE connectivity, and the phone is compatible with LTE bands in India. It sports a 5-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) fully laminated OGS Corning Concore IPS display. The Mi 4i's display has a pixel density of 441ppi, and a Sunlight Display feature that optimises the display for visibility under bright light.
The smartphone runs MIUI 6 based on Android 5.0 Lollipop, and supports 6 Indian languages - Hindi, Bengali, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Tamil. It is powered by a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor coupled with an Adreno 405 GPU and 2GB of RAM. The smartphone sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with f/2.0 aperture and dual-tone flash. It also packs a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. The Xiaomi Mi 4 bears 16GB of inbuilt storage, with no expansion slot. The Mi 4i includes a 3120mAh battery, and supports a quick charge feature that charges the battery up to 40 percent in 1 hour, and 100 percent in 3 hours.

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Xiaomi to Set Up E-Commerce Business in India

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi is developing a full-fledged e-commerce business model for its phones and other devices in India, a top company executive said on Friday.

Xiaomi Indian Head Manu Kumar Jain said the mobile phone maker is actively considering investing in a few startup technology companies to develop the e-commerce ecosystem. Major portion of Xiaomi sales come through its channel partners such as Flipkart or Amazon or Snapdeal, beside its own portal - Mi.com.

"The investment will go into setting up our own e-commerce business (including setting up) warehouse and logistics. We also enable sales though Mi.com, which is our own e-commerce platform. We have not done any marketing for that (to promote the site)," Jain told reporters in a media interaction in Hyderabad.

He said the company is currently getting a few thousand orders a day, adding, they would also be investing in setting up a research and development centre in Bengaluru, a manufacturing facility and expanding exclusive sales and service network.

Jain, however, did not disclose the budget that will go into the expansion. When asked about the proposed manufacturing facility, he said they are in talks with various state governments for setting up the plant. Jain said the company does not intend to manufacture the phones directly but through a contractual manufacturer.

To a poser, he said Xiaomi is currently talking to a few startups to invest in the company. "We are actively talking to few other tech companies. They are startups and none of them are like the new ones who are looking for angel's money. They are established. They have raised one or two rounds of funding and generating revenues," Jain explained.

According to Jain, Xiaomi has sold over a million smartphones in the first four months of its entry into the Indian market in July 2014, making it the fifth-largest player in the domestic market with a share of 4 percent.

The five-year-old company, which rolled out its first smartphone in August 2011, sold 61.1 million units globally last year, as against 18.7 million units in 2013, he claimed.

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Xiaomi to Hold Launch Event on Thursday, Could Unveil the Mi 5

Xiaomi has announced a July 16 event where the company is likely to reveal its flagship Mi 5 smartphone alongside the bigger variant Mi 5 Plus.
The Chinese company confirmed the launch event in a teaser post on Weibo and shared an image showing possibly the Mi 5 smartphone's side with letters "PK" imprinted in the middle of the image. The teaser invite confirms that the event will see a sleek smartphone launch; though at this point it is not clear whether the company will be launching the Mi 5 or another device.

Further cementing speculations about the launch of Mi 5 is the fact that the Xiaomi Mi 4 was launched in July (specifically on July 22) last year. It is possible Xiaomi is gearing up to reveal successor to the 2014 flagship smartphone in the same month this year.
Some of the preliminary leaks have suggested that the Xiaomi Mi 5 would be priced at CNY 2,399 (approximately Rs. 24,500). It is said to feature a 5.2-inch QHD (1440x2560 pixels) LCD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 4; a Snapdragon 810 processor; a 16-megapixel rear camera; a 13-megapixel front camera, and a 3000mAh battery. An earlier report also tipped that Xiaomi's Mi 5 flagship will come with a built-in fingerprint scanner.
The rumoured Xiaomi Mi 5 Plus, on the other hand, is said to feature a 5.7-inch QHD (1440x2560 pixels) display; Snapdragon 820 SoC; 3500mAh battery, a 23-megapixel rear camera with OIS and laser autofocus, and a 12-megapixel front camera.
Considering that lately several reports have pointed to an October-November launch timeline for the Mi 5 smartphone, it is also possible the recently spotted Xiaomi 'Libra' may be unveiled at July 16 event.
Of course, we will have to wait till Thursday to see what Xiaomi has planned to launch.

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Xiaomi 'Libra' Benchmarked With Hexa-Core Snapdragon 808 SoC

A new Xiaomi handset has been spotted in benchmark results tipping that the Chinese company might be working on a mid-range smartphone. Recent rumours have pointed that Xiaomi has been working on its new flagship smartphone, the Mi 5, alongside a bigger variant dubbed Mi 5 Plus.
According to the Geekbench benchmark results, the alleged Xiaomi 'Libra' smartphone will run an MIUI version based on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. The highlight of the smartphone is seen to be the hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 (MSM8992) processor clocked at 1.44GHz coupled with 2GB of RAM. Considering that the Xiaomi's next flagship is rumoured to pack Snapdragon 810 processor and the purported bigger variant is expected to feature Snapdragon 820 processor, we can assume that the Xiaomi 'Libra' is a mid-range smartphone. To recall, the Snapdragon 808 processor was last seen on LG's 2015 flagship, the G4.

Notably, a recent report claimed that the Xiaomi 'Libra' was the codename of the company's Mi 4 successor.
Considering that none of the information has been made official by Xiaomi, we recommend our readers to take all these leaks with a pinch of salt.
The Android 5.1 Lollipop-based Xiaomi Mi 5 was previously claimed to launch in July; though recent leaks pointed to a November release. An earlier report leak even hinted that Xiaomi's next Mi 5 flagship will come with a built-in fingerprint scanner.
A leak on Wednesday hinted that the Mi 5 would be priced at CNY 2,399 (approximately Rs. 24,500). Some of the rumoured specifications of the Mi 5 include a 5.2-inch QHD (1440x2560 pixels) LCD display; Corning Gorilla Glass 4; a Snapdragon 810 processor; 16-megapixel rear camera; 13-megapixel sensor on the front, and 3000mAh battery.
The rumoured Xiaomi Mi 5 Plus, on the other hand, is said to feature a 5.7-inch QHD (1440x2560 pixels) display; Snapdragon 820 SoC; 3500mAh battery, a 23-megapixel rear camera with OIS and laser autofocus, and a 12-megapixel front camera.

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Xiaomi Mi 5, Mi 5 Plus Specifications and Pricing Tipped in New Leak

Xiaomi's Mi 4 successor, believed to be dubbed the Mi 5, has been leaked with full specifications alongside purported pricing. The new leaked details emerging from China's Weibo also hinted at the innards of the bigger variant of the Xiaomi Mi 5, said to be called the Xiaomi Mi 5 Plus. According to the new details, the Mi 5 will be priced at CNY 2,399 (approximately Rs. 24,500).
The handset is said to include a 5.2-inch QHD (1440x2560 pixels) LCD display and will sport Corning Gorilla Glass 4 for protection. Under the hood, the Mi 5 is likely to be powered by a Snapdragon 810 processor with no word on the RAM value. The smartphone is said to sport a 16-megapixel rear camera alongside a large 13-megapixel sensor on the front. Unfortunately, there is no word on inbuilt storage on the smartphone.
The tipster KJuma has also tipped that the smartphone will pack a 3000mAh battery, which is slightly smaller than the Mi 4's 3080mAh battery. The Mi 5 is said to charge 30 percent in 40 minutes, which seems less when compared to other QuickCharge supporting handsets.
The Android 5.1 Lollipop-based Xiaomi Mi 5 was earlier said to launch in July; though recent leaks have pointed to a November release as well. A recent leak even hinted that Xiaomi's next Mi 5 flagship will come with a built-in fingerprint scanner.
It's worth noting that there have been several instances when the Mi 5 has been leaked with specifications and every time there has been different set of innards rumoured.
However, all these leaks should be taken with a pinch of salt as Xiaomi has not mentioned anything about the upcoming device and the leaks legitimacy remains questionable.
The tipster has also leaked specifications of the alleged bigger variant of the Mi 5, the Mi 5 Plus. It is said to feature a 5.7-inch QHD (1440x2560 pixels) display, much like the Mi Note Pro launched earlier this year.
Other specifications include a Snapdragon 820 SoC, a 3500mAh battery, and the smartphone is said to charge from 0 to 100 percent in 50 minutes. The new leaked details hint that the Mi 5 Plus will sport a 23-megapixel rear camera with OIS and laser autofocus, while a 12-megapixel front camera will be also on board.

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Xiaomi Redmi 2 Set to Receive a Price Cut in India on Tuesday

Xiaomi India has teased another price cut announcement for Tuesday. The company is likely to slash the price of its Redmi 2 smartphone by Rs. 1,000, down from its Rs. 6,999 launch price.
The price cut was tipped by Xiaomi's Redmi India account via social platforms. It said, "7th July 10am on mi.com/in. Put it down on your to-do list now." The social post was accompanied by an image that said, "Paint the town red. Get ready to change your phone." Notably, the image partially shows the new price for the Xiaomi Redmi 2 as Rs. 5,999.
Considering that the company has already announced price cuts on Xiaomi Mi 4 and Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G that are currently on sale in the Indian market, it makes sense the Redmi 2 is next on the list. The other two devices on sale in India are the Xiaomi Mi 4i and the Xiaomi MiPad tablet.

The price cut on the Xiaomi Redmi 2 was expected as the Redmi Note 4G is now available at Rs. 7,999 and it could have affected the sales of the Redmi 2 in India. The Xiaomi Redmi 2's new price tag is likely to get an enthusiastic response, and it will be interesting to see how well the smartphone performs in the market that now has a lot of competition in sub-Rs. 8,000 segment. The price cut on the Redmi 2 undercuts a lot of smartphones that are available in the same price category such as Micromax's Yu Yuphoria, which is selling currently at Rs. 6,999; the Motorola Moto E (Gen 2) 4G, available at Rs. 7,999, and the Lenovo A6000 Plus, retailing at Rs. 7,499.
To recall, Xiaomi India launched the Redmi 2 at Rs. 6,999 and the smartphone went on sale in its first flash sale on March 24. The dual-SIM dual-standby Xiaomi Redmi 2 sports a 4.7-inch IPS display with HD (720x1280 pixels) resolution and 312ppi. The Android 4.4 KitKat-based smartphone comes layered with company's own MIUI 6. The handset supports 4G dual-SIM functionality, where both SIM card slots support 4G networks.
The Redmi 2 runs on a 64-bit 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor (Cortex-A53) coupled with 1GB of RAM and Adreno 306 GPU. It sports an 8-megapixel rear camera along with a 2-megapxiel front-facing camera. It houses 8GB of inbuilt storage, which can be expanded via microSD card (up to 32GB). The Xiaomi Redmi 2 is backed by a 2200mAh battery.

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Xiaomi Mi 5 and Redmi Note 2 Purportedly Pictured in Leaked Images

Adding to the previous leaks dealing with Xiaomi Mi 5 and Redmi Note 2, two new images have surfaced on Chinese social networking site Weibo. These images shows the handsets' back panels, offering more details about the two smartphones.
The first image (via Gizmochina) featuring the rumoured Xiaomi Mi 5 shows the smartphone's dual-camera setup at the back along with dual-LED flash. The rear panel of the rumoured smartphone show no sign of the inclusion of a fingerprint sensor, which was rumoured earlier this week. The back panel seems to have been made out of glass.
Some of the other specifications being tipped for the rumoured Xiaomi Mi 5 include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC, 5.2-inch QHD (1440x2560 pixels) resolution display, 16-megapixel rear camera, 8-megapixel front-facing camera, 4GB of RAM, 16GB or 64GB of inbuilt storage, and 3000mAh battery.

The second image (via GforGames), said to be showing us a glimpse of Xiaomi Redmi Note 2, features a smartphone with fingerprint sensor placed below the rear camera and the LED flash. Seen in its silver colour variant, the design of the handset goes in line with the last month's leaked image, which also showed the rear panel of the unannounced Redmi Note 2.
Unfortunately, the specifications of the handset in question was not mentioned in the leak. The smartphone however, allegedly passed China's Quality Certification Centre recently, tipping some innards. As per the certification listing, the Redmi Note 2 is supposed to include a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) display; a 13-megapixel rear camera; a 5-megapixel front camera, and a battery larger than 3000mAh. 4G LTE connectivity is also tipped. Two separate report claims the handset to feature either Mediatek's Helio X10 (MT6795) chipset or Qualcomm's Snapdragon 410 (MSM8919) processor.

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Xiaomi Mi Band 1s will feature a heart rate monitor

Xiaomi is quietly working on the Mi Band successor dubbed Mi Band 1s. According to a listing sourced from the Taiwanese National Communications Commission the wearable will feature a heart rate monitor.

The Mi Band 1s carries the same design as its predecessor with three LED lights atop an aluminum cap. The heart rate sensor is located on the back of the wearable, which has constant contact with the user’s wrist.

Based on the NCC’s listing, we can only expect Xiaomi to launch the Mi Band 1s in the near future. We’ll keep an eye out for more details about the device going forward.

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Xiaomi Sells 34.7 Million Smartphones in H1 2015; Full-Year Target in Doubt

Xiaomi Inc on Thursday said it sold 34.7 million smartphones in the first six months of 2015, casting doubt on the ability of China's most valuable tech startup to achieve its full-year target.
Chief Executive Lei Jun last year spoke of reaching 100 million shipments in 2015 but in recent months has revised the figure to a more conservative range of 80 million to 100 million.
Xiaomi's new sales data comes at a moment when industry analysts believe the smartphone market in China - where Xiaomi is No. 1 - may be reaching saturation. Shipments declined in China for the first time in six years during the first quarter, according to research firm IDC, although it is unclear whether the drop was a deviation or the start of a downward trend.
In a statement, Lei framed Xiaomi's growth as stellar given the market environment.
"Even with the China smartphone market slowing down, we did a stellar job of posting a 33 percent growth on last year's numbers," he said. "It can be said that we outperformed the market and produced an excellent report card."
The Beijing-based company, which has portrayed its Android devices as a cheaper but well-designed alternative to Apple Inc's iPhones, was valued by private investors at $45 billion (roughly Rs. 2,86,403 crores) during a capital-raising exercise in December.
Still, it has faced increasingly stiff competition from more established firms like Lenovo and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, who are showing they can compete with Xiaomi on features and price - if not quite buzz.
Seeking to expand beyond the cut-throat Chinese market, Xiaomi has undergone a period of rapid international expansion, recently launching its phones in India and Brazil.

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Xiaomi Mi 5 Tipped to Sport Fingerprint Sensor, Launch in November

A new report has emerged claiming that Xiaomi's next Mi 5 flagship will be launching in November. Apart from the release time-frame, the report tips built-in fingerprint scanner alongside purported complete specifications list. A recent report also claimed that the Mi 5 might launch in October or November this year.
According to the latest report, the Xiaomi Mi 5 is codenamed Libra and will include fingerprint scanner technology. No other detail about how the fingerprint scanner feature will work on the handset has been revealed in the new report. This is in line with a previous report that suggested that Xiaomi filed a patent and detailed the fingerprint recognition method via the handset's buttons.
Some of the new purported specifications (via Mobipicker) of the Mi 5 aka Libra smartphone tipped include a 5.3-inch display with a 1440x2560 pixels resolution that can offer pixel density of 554ppi. Under the hood, the handset is said to be powered by Snapdragon 820 chipset, which is yet-to-be-revealed by Qualcomm.
Other details leaked about the Mi 5 smartphone include 4GB of RAM, apart from storage variants of 16GB and 64GB with expandable storage support. The rear camera said to sport a 16-megapixel resolution, and the front camera a 6-megapixel resolution. A 3030mAh battery is likely to be back the device. The handset is said to run Android 5.1.1 Lollipop with MIUI version on top.
Preliminary leaks had suggested a different set of innards for the Mi 5 including a 5.5-inch display; an 8-megapixel front camera, and a 3000mAh battery. Several reports had also pointed to a July launch time-frame for the Mi 5.
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi on Tuesday announced that it started making devices in Brazil for sale locally, promising to dramatically undercut rivals on price in the first big step beyond Asia for the world's most valuable technology startup. Xiaomi announced that Redmi 2 smartphone will go on sale in Brazil next week for 499 reais (roughly Rs. 10,000).

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Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G Price in India Slashed by Rs. 2,000

As expected, Xiaomi India has announced a price cut for the Redmi Note 4G, making the smartphone Rs. 2,000 cheaper than its launch price.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G will now be available at a price of Rs. 7,999, down from its launch price tag of Rs. 9,999. The price cut is applicable starting Tuesday and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G can be grabbed at its new price from Mi.com, Flipkart, Amazon, and Snapdeal, as well as The Mobile Store and Airtel retail stores.
The Redmi Note 4G was launched in December last year at Rs. 9,999 and was initially available via the company's flash sale model. The company earlier this year however made the smartphone available via its other online and offline partners in India.
The price cut seems to be an attempt to make the Redmi Note 4G more competitive against the likes of other affordable 4G LTE smartphones available in the Indian market. The price cut on the Redmi Note 4G brings it around Micromax's Yu Yuphoria, which is selling currently at Rs. 6,999; the Motorola Moto E (Gen 2) 4G, available at Rs. 7,999, and the Lenovo A6000 Plus, retailing at Rs. 7,499.
For specifications, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G is powered by a quad-core 1.6GHz Snapdragon 400 CPU coupled with 2GB of RAM, and is a single-SIM device. It comes with Android 4.4.2 KitKat and MIUI v5 skin. It comes with a 5.5-inch 720x1280-pixel IPS LCD screen and features 13-megapixel rear autofocus camera with LED flash as well as a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. It is powered by a 3100mAh battery with support for fast charging. The Redmi Note 4G features 8GB built-in storage and microSD card slot for expansion, with support for cards up to 64GB. Connectivity options include GPRS/EDGE, 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n with Wi-Fi Direct and hotspot functionality, Bluetooth 4.0, a Micro-USB port with OTG support, and A-GPS.
To recall, Xiaomi India recently slashed the price of the Mi 4 16GB model to Rs. 14,999, making the smartphone Rs. 5,000 cheaper than its launch price.

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Xiaomi reportedly shipped 35 million devices in H1 2015

China's number two smartphone player Xiaomi has shipped more than 35 million smartphones in the first half of the ongoing year, according to a local display supplier. If true, that is a 30% increase from H1 2014, when Xiaomi managed to ship a total of 26 million devices.

In 2014 as a whole, the five-year-old Chinese company shipped a grand total of 61 million smartphones. It's worth mentioning that for the year 2015, Xiaomi - which became the world’s third largest smartphone manufacturer in Q3 last year - has set a goal of shipping 80-100 million units.
The company unveiled the high-end Mi Note and Mi Note Pro phablets this January, and it is expected to launch the much anticipated Mi 5 flagship as well as the rumoured Mi 5 Plus sometime in the near future.
Via 1 | Via 2

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