Xiaomi Mi A2 to go on sale at 12 PM on Amazon, Mi Store: First impression

Xiaomi, a Chinese smartphone manufacturer, is gearing up for the sale of its second-generation Google One platform smartphone – the Xiaomi Mi A2. Priced at Rs 16,999, the smartphone will go on sale today i.e. August 16 at 12 noon on Amazon and Mi online store. The successor of the Xiaomi Mi A1, the Mi A2 features a new design, better hardware, upgraded camera modules and stock Google Android Oreo, which would be upgraded to Android Pie soon, according to company’s claim.

The Xiaomi Mi A2 is a midrange smartphone built on the blueprints of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro. It features an identical design language of the Note 5 Pro with an aluminium body and Glass on the front. However, it is slim and weighs less than the Note 5 Pro, which makes it easy to hold and operate. A 5.99-inch LTPS IPS LCD screen covers the phone’s front. It is of fullHD+ resolution and stretches in an 18:9 aspect ratio. The screen is colourful and has good contrast to it. It is covered with curved Gorilla Glass 5 on top, which makes it less prone to scratches and smudges.

How Chinese manufacturers dominate price conscious Indian smartphone market

While different reports are stating different companies as India’s leading smartphone manufacturer, there is one common underlying element that these reports highlight i.e. the Chinese brands continue to dominate the country’s smartphone market. According to market analysis reports by IDC and Counterpoint for second quarter of this year, brands like Xiaomi, Vivo and Oppo continues to be in the list of top five smartphone brands in the country. Not just that, other brands such as Huawei’s Honor and OnePlus have also shown staggering growth in a price conscious India’s smartphone market.

According to IDC report, Xiaomi continues to lead the India’s smartphone market, beating the South Korean electronics giant Samsung in second quarter this year. However, a recent report by Counterpoint shows a contradicting view. According to Counterpoint, Samsung regained the smartphone leadership title in the second quarter of this year. Though it is complex to comprehend which brand rules the country’s smartphone market, it is note that both reports highlight that Xiaomi shipments grew around 100 per cent year-over-year.

70% smartphone users in India switched brands in Q2; Xiaomi biggest gainer

More than 70 per cent of smartphone users in India switched brands in the second quarter of this year, befitting Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi the most which sold nearly 37 per cent of the phones that were replaced, according a CyberMedia Research (CMR) report on Wednesday.

Xiaomi was followed by Vivo (17.8 per cent), Oppo (16.3), itel (6.7 per cent) and Huawei's Honor (4.5 per cent), according to the first edition of the CMR "India Smartphone Movement" report.

During the period, the fastest depleting brands in the category were Micromax (41.2 per cent), Intex (11.6 per cent), HTC (5.5 per cent), Karbonn (5.3 per cent) and Gionee (4.7 per cent), the findings showed.

"Customer stickiness is the paramount concern thathomegrownn brands need to address immediately," said Kanika Jain, Manager, New Initiatives, CMR.

Here's how China's Huawei, Oppo are challenging Apple, Samsung's dominance

Apple and Samsung’s domination of the smartphone world is being challenged like never before, with Chinese companies muscling in with cheaper and just as innovative devices.
In an ominous sign for the tech titans - whose iPhone and Galaxy handsets have had a stranglehold on the almost $500 billion market for years -- China’s Huawei Technologies Co. has unseated Apple to become the world’s second-largest smartphone maker. Now, it’s setting its sights on No. 1 Samsung, which has seen disappointing profits as Chinese phones gain share of a market that looks increasingly like it has peaked.

And others are not far behind. Here are the players -- and phones -- to watch:

Huawei: The Big Threat

Based in the southern Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen, Huawei is ploughing cash into bolstering its phones’ camera capabilities in a quest to dominate. Its flagship P20 Pro boasts a three-lens camera that was co-engineered with the 104-year-old German camera maker Leica. Huawei also offers a shiny, rainbow-effect handset finish known as Twilight, differentiating their product from the many monotone smartphones on the market.

Here is why Lie Jun's Xiaomi may be twice as expensive as Steve's Apple

Chinese serial entrepreneur Lei Jun has been compared with Steve Jobs. Now, analysts are saying the smartphone giant he built could be twice as expensive as Apple. Xiaomi deserves to trade at a premium to global phone brands due to its market-share gains and faster growth trajectory, according to research from Morgan Stanley, one of the banks leading its Hong Kong IPO. The Beijing-based company has a fair value of about $65 billion to $85 billion, translating into around 27 times to 34 times forecasts for its 2019 adjusted earnings, Morgan Stanley wrote in a report this week. 

That’s roughly double Apple’s valuation of 14.5 times estimated 2019 adjusted earnings, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Xiaomi should also fetch richer multiples than rival smart hardware makers like Fitbit and GoPro, as well as some major Chinese internet firms including Alibaba Group Holding and Baidu, according to Morgan Stanley. While such pre-deal research is prepared by a bank’s equity analysts, not their investment bankers, it may provide a clue into how Xiaomi plans to sell its growth story. Xiaomi, which has been planning to seek about $10 billion, is considering raising about half that from its Hong Kong IPO and the other half from an offering in mainland China, people with knowledge of the matter have said.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S may not be too different from bezel-less flagship Mi Mix 2

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi is gearing up to announce the the Mi Mix 2S, the next iteration of its bezel-less smartphones, on March 27. Before the official launch, however, the phone’s official promo material has been leaked and it drops a few hints on what to expect from the device.

Unlike the previous leak, which showed the bezel-less smartphone with all-screen display and a minute cut-out on the top-right corner for a selfie camera, the new leak shows an altogether new design, in line with the current breed of the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2.

Based on the new leak, the Mi Mix 2S would sport a Mi Mix 2-inspired design, with three-side bezel-less screen and a minimal bezel on the bottom. However, the front camera placement is not clearly visible and the phone might get a new space to host it.

As for specifications and features, the phone would boast Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 system-on-chip (SoC); this was confirmed by the company spokesperson on social media.

Xiaomi launches Amazon exclusive VoLTE ready Redmi 4A, priced at Rs 5,999

China’s smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi on Monday launched Redmi 4A -- a latest entrant in Xiaomi’s entry-level Redmi series. The Xiaomi Redmi 4A will be available exclusively on Amazon and will be sold at a jaw-dropping price of Rs 5,999.

The latest Xiaomi Redmi 4A, being an entry-level budget smartphone, offers spectacular features. The device flaunts 5-inch HD display, which is enclosed in a polycarbonate body. The dual-sim smartphone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 425, 64-bit quad-core processor and sports 16 GB internal storage – expandable up to 128 GB via microSD card – coupled with 2 GB of RAM.

The Redmi 4A boots Android 6.0 out of the box covered under Xiaomi’s MIUI 8 theme. On the camera front, the smartphone features 13-megapixel (MP) rear camera and 5 MP front-facing selfie camera. The device is powered by 3,120 mAh battery that keeps the show running.

Xiaomi has been quite successful in India and to cement its position even further, the company is commencing operations at its second manufacturing plant in India.

The company claims to employ 5,000 employees in the manufacturing plant that produces  one smartphone every second. Manu Jain, managing director, Xiaomi India claimed that more than 95 per cent of Xiaomi smartphones sold in India come from its Sri City unit manufacturing plant. (READ MORE)

Apple beats Xiaomi in China with 45 mn iPhone shipments, Oppo leads

Latest News - Shipping 44.9 million iPhones to China, Apple has beaten Xiaomi, touted as the 'Apple' of China that shipped 41.5 million smartphones and slipped to fifth spot, market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) has revealed.

According to IDC's Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker report, Apple dropped from 58.4 million iPhones in 2015 and Xiaomi from 64 million Mi phones, drops of 23 per cent and 36 per cent, respectively.

Oppo, which shipped 78.4 million phones -- more than double the 35.4 million it shipped in 2015. Huawei came in at second, shipping 76 million phones, while Vivo managed to almost double its shipments, going from 35 million in 2015 to 69 million last year.

"Increased dependence on mobile apps has led to consumers to seek phone upgrades, thus helping drive the large growth in fourth quarter of 2016. In lower tiered cities, there was a similar demand by (Read More)