Xiaomi will increase offline presence, may bring out third sub-brand
According to reports, Chinese tech firm Xiaomi is planning to launch a third smartphone sub-brand sometime later this month. It currently has two sub-brands Mi and Redmi, which are mainly focussed on online retail. Its third sub-brand will, however, be targeted towards the offline retail market. This is to compete with other smartphone makers in China. Here's all you need to know.
Countering competition
Previously, it had been pointed out that although Xiaomi has a strong online presence, its offline stores' presence is very minimal. Reports suggest that now Xiaomi is taking out this third brand exclusively to counter the rising popularity of Oppo and Vivo, subsidiaries of BBK Electronics. These brands have recently upped their offline presence in China via physical retail stores.
What's the plan
Xiaomi will open 2,000 new stores within the next three years, out of which, half will be opened overseas via partnership and rest will be owned/operated by Xiaomi in China. A rendered image of the upcoming third sub-brand has also surfaced on the Internet. It features a dual-camera setup and its aesthetics appear to be heavily inspired by Oppo R11 Plus and OnePlus 5.
Mi Max 2 is here?
In India, Xiaomi has sent out invites for a launch event in New Delhi, which is scheduled to take place on July 18. It is expected that this is going to be the launch event of Mi Max 2 in India. Priced at CNY 1,699 (roughly INR 16,100), the device boasts a 6.44-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) display and a 5300mAh battery.
