After conquering the smartphone market in India, Xiaomi has set its sights on the TV segment too and plans to launch the Mi Box and Mi TV on these shores in late 2015. The former device is a small gadget to turn your screen into a smart TV, while the latter is an actual television set.
It’s possible that Xiaomi might also get into the router business in India and clash with the likes of D-Link, Belkin, Huawei and TP-Link. The company is not keen on releasing products under diverse categories in the country until it has formulated a strong content delivery strategy and logistics.
Then there’s also the question of how it will handle after sales customer care services. The Xioami Mi TV connects to the Internet so users have access to a wide range of videos, movies, games and apps. Some of the entertainment provided for it will come in the form of paid content.
Manu Jain who oversees Xiaomi’s operations in India, tells TOI that the company is in talks with several content providers and aggregators. Although no launch date has been mentioned, the Mi TV hasn’t hit shelves as early as the Chinese behemoth wished it would, according to the report.
The Xiaomi Mi Box may be rolled out to compensate for the delay. This means the two products are likely to make their debut on different dates, and the TV could arrive in 2016, for all you know. Jain has dropped hints about the company looking for promising start-ups and suitable ‘ecosystem partners’ to get into other segments too.
It apparently intends to add air purifiers, new fitness gear and other type of gadgets as well as appliances to its portfolio in India. We’re sure you want to hear about the price details of the Xiaomi Mi TV and Mi Box; but there’s nothing tangible to reveal at present.