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Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi on Thursday held a launch event in New Delhi, India, where they unveiled their two new products for the Indian market. One is a mid-range smartphone, dubbed the Mi 4i, which is a global first for Xiaomi. In a nod to the rising importance of the Indian market in the Xiaomi scheme of things, this is the very first smartphone in the history of the company to have been unveiled outside of mainland China. According to Mr. Hugo Barra, Xiaomi’s Head of International Operations, the Mi 4i will also be released in India before anywhere else. The phone features a 5-inch 1080p display and is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 615 SoC (System on Chip). It runs Android 5.0 Lollipop overlaid with Xiaomi’s proprietary customized interface, MIUI 6.
While the invites for the event had teased the 4i, Xiaomi also went ahead and launched another accessory to add to the previously launched Mi Power Banks. That accessory would be the Mi Band – a wearable smart band and fitness tracker that resembles a bracelet in its design. The band is made of aluminum and contains activity trackers with sensors to monitor fitness and sleep and comes wrapped in a “hypoallergenic wristband with anti-UV and anti-microbial properties”, according to Xiaomi. It supports LED notifications for calls and messages and comes with an app that will offer health advice. The app can apparently also be used to share the fitness data of the user through social networks. The device comes with a 41 mAh battery that Xiaomi claims is good enough for 30 days on standby. Its IP-67 certification makes it water and dust resistant and it syncs to Android phones and iPhones via Bluetooth. The band is also a ‘proximity un-locker’ for Xiaomi smartphones, meaning that Xiaomi smartphones won’t need a password to be unlocked when it is in close proximity with the band, indicating that it’s with its legitimate owner.
Xiaomi has priced the Mi Band at only Rs. 999 ($16) and will be available exclusively through mi.com. Mr. Barra also said that he’ll make the first 1000 units available for just Re. 1 (2¢) each. The device will follow Xiaomi’s much talked about flash sale model and registrations for the first round starts on April 28th.