With Xiaomi putting out major hints and sending out invites for the launch of a new device by it for the Indian market on November 2, there is some buzz in the air on what to expect. There is a strong sentiment that the company could be launching its Mi Note 3 smartphone. Of course, there are others who feel it may not be this model but a whole new series not seen earlier.
If it is the Xiaomi Mi Note 3, then this would be a debut of sorts since the company has not sold its Note series phones in this India so far. Xiaomi highlights the artificial intelligence based 'Adaptable AI Beautify' feature as the USP as far as the Mi Note 3 is concerned. This AI based algorithm helps the smartphone users to click selfies and then edit them to present the best image of their faces. Men and women can access different algorithms for this purpose as well.
Another interesting point of discussion within the market circles is the lightning symbol included in the invite for the November 2 launch. The Xiaomi Mi Note is expected to feature a 3500mAh battery and could the lighting symbol indicate there is a fast charging feature included in it? There is some confusion here as the translation from Chinese has yielded the result ‘fast charge 3.0’ whereas the name associated with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC fitted on the device should be Qualcomm Quick Charge 4.0.
Obviously, one will have to wait till the official announcements during the launch to be sure of what to expect. If it is the Mi Note 3, then it may be pertinent to know the prices the model sells in China. The 6GB/64GB variant of the Mi Note 3 retails for CNY 2499 (roughly Rs 25,000) and the 6GB/128GB for CNY 2899 (Rs 28,300). The latter variant in blue color commands a premium of another CNY100 or Rs 1000.
Those who claim that the device to be announced on November 2 may not be the Mi Note 3 also advance many reasons from their end. Besides referring to the set policy being followed by Xiaomi with regard to the models it chooses to launch in India and other marketing strategies it adopts, they point out that the invite and the teasers being released are through the Redmi handle of the company and not the Mi division and there is also the wording on the invite which says “I’m not a Note’ clearly implying it may not be the Xiaomi Mi Note 3.
The fact remains that Xiaomi has been on the ascendancy in the Indian market and recent reports suggest it has virtually caught up with Samsung in terms of the market share and whatever Xiaomi does or does not do in the country is watched with keen interest.