Can the Mi 10 Help Xiaomi Be Seen as a Brand in India? 1596l Gadgets 360

Xiaomi needs to break out of its image as a low-cost brand 5o5tc

By Jamshed Avari | Updated: 8 May 2020 22:52 IST

Will a 108-megapixel camera and Snapdragon 865 SoC tempt buyers? 323l5u

Highlights

Xiaomi has largely avoided selling high-end phones in India for years
The company says it is better prepared to serve the needs of this market
We hope to see more Mi Ecosystem products launching here soon

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The Mi 10 5G is a big move into uncharted territory for Xiaomi, as far as smartphone pricing goes. The Mi 10 5G is a "value flagship" device that challenges the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, which costs nearly twice as much. Xiaomi boasts of a 108-megapixel primary rear camera, 5G, the top-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, fast 30W wireless charging, and a sculpted metal-and-glass body. There's a lot to suggest that you would get good value at the starting price of Rs. 49,000 with the Mi 10 5G, but that doesn't necessarily mean that people will flock to this device.

non-experimental) Mi-series model the company launched in India – until now.

The Mi 10 5G has been a long time coming – Xiaomi told Gadgets 360 during a pre-launch briefing that it has waited to get back into the high-end space for a number of reasons. First, Xiaomi readily its that it is harder to sell phones in India, and so it wanted to develop its network of Mi Home stores to ensure that the sales and experiences would be adequate.

That makes sense, as it usually comes down to specifications when buying phones online, but people might appreciate materials and construction quality if they experience a device in-person. Xiaomi will have to put in a lot of work to demonstrate the Mi 10 5G's features and ensure smooth after-sales – but it is in perhaps a better position to deliver these things than many other brands in India thanks to its existing reach.

The company has also been working to strengthen its Wi-Fi 6 router is also possibly on the horizon; another product that this phone can take advantage of.

Furthermore, the Xiaomi brand has been Review) have shown that this is Xiaomi's mainstream portfolio, and the Mi series is reserved for halo products. There will be no confusing the Mi 10 5G for an overpriced low-end model.

The 65-inch willing to spend money on big-ticket products, and being a phone manufacturer hasn't hurt Xiaomi there. Rs. 54,999 is relatively inexpensive for a 65-inch TV, and therefore great value, but it's still a lot of money. That's the exact same logic that the company will be hoping translates to the Mi 10 5G.

Still, Mi 10 Pro isn't on the horizon either, as these would cost considerably more.

The Xiaomi Mi 3, launched in India in 2014, was a very different phone for a very different time

It also seems as though this is a favourable time to launch a smartphone. Xiaomi isn't alone at this price point – after being relatively stagnant for many years, we've recently seen the launches of the shouldn't let itself be left behind.

We'll always hope for better low-cost models that give more and more people the benefits of modern phones and help them stay connected, but it's also good to see the high-end market flourish. We want more choices for consumers, and if companies can make money with models, they'll be in better positions to survive the cut-throat low-end market. There's also a vast untapped middle ground between the budget segment and Samsung Galaxy models that now sell for well over Rs. 70,000 each.

A for Xiaomi in particular, we hope that this marks a new phase for the company in India. Its enormous portfolio in China includes Mi Robot Vacuum Mop is one such example.

The Mi 10 5G has every chance of being a success. It certainly won't sell in stratospheric numbers like most Redmi models, and it probably won't be too much of a thorn in OnePlus's side, but it could have some impact on the market. More importantly, it will help Xiaomi broaden its reach and pave the way for many future products.

Is Mi 10 an expensive OnePlus 8 or a budget budget S20 Ultra? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, the episode, or just hit the play button below.

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