Smartphone maker Xiaomi is keen on expanding its ‘smart’ offerings to various other product categories, including washing machines, refrigerators and water purifiers.
A Chinese brand, Xiaomi that made waves since foraying into India five years ago with the smartphones also claims to have struck big success with the televisions it had launched more recently.
There are a number of more products that could be launched after making suitable customisation for the India market, Xiaomi India managing director Manu Kumar Jain said. The company has already set the process in motion. “Our portfolio two years ago was phones, power banks and MI bands… what we have launched in these two years are routers, TVs, soundbars, security cameras, fashion products like luggage, shoes,” he said.
Without committing a time-frame by when more products and in what order will be launched, he said customisation required time. Xiaomi, which does not have a manufacturing facility of its own anywhere and partners third-party manufacturers instead, may go for new products depending on customer response, partner with more facilities and source more components from India.
“The aim is, majority of products which are there [with Xiaomi China] will be launched… also launch products designed for India,” said Mr. Jain, who is in the city for the offline launch of Redmi K20 and K20 Pro smartphones. The new phones are priced ₹21,999 onwards.
To queries, he said Xiaomi would be keen on replicating the success of smartphones to consumer durables, washing machines, water purifiers...” It also expected the smartphone sales to be evenly distributed between the online and offline segments.
Phone with gold cover
Interacting with the media, he said a limited edition of K20 Pro with diamond-studded gold back cover is being launched. Some twenty such units are to be made, each priced at ₹ 4.80 lakh. The back panel, he replied to queries, is made with around 100 grams of gold and can be detached only by the trained technicians.
