Xiaomi, which announced its foray into the Indian market with a range of flagship smartphones, could become bigger in India than in China, according to Lin Bin, co-founder of the Chinese phone company.

"Chinese smartphone market is nearing saturation while in India the market is just beginning to grow. I do not rule out the possibility of India becoming bigger for us," Bin told Business Line . Xiaomi is targeting to sell 16 million units this year but Bin does not have a target for India yet. "Our first objective is to see how Indian users perceive our products. Market share is not priority," he said.

Xiaomi will sell phones in India through a partnership with e-commerce marketplace Flipkart for sale and delivery of these products across India. Xiaomi has also set up 35+ service centers, with dozens more to come, across India including two exclusive Mi service centers in Delhi and Bangalore to ensure a robust after-sales service and a hassle-free customer experience.

Product range

The first Mi smartphone that Xiaomi has launched in India is the Mi 3. Priced at Rs 13,999, Mi 3 will go on sale on July 22. Pre-registration for Mi 3 is now open at >www.flipkart.com/Mi . Only customers who register till July 21 midnight will be eligible to purchase their Mi 3.

In addition, Xiaomi has announced it will also launch Redmi 1S and Redmi Note over the next few weeks. These Mi smartphones deliver high performance at even more affordable prices. The 4.7-inch Redmi 1S will retail at Rs 6,999 while the 5.5-inch octa-core Redmi Note will go for Rs 9,999.

Talking about their India foray, Lin said, “We see India as a huge opportunity for us and are excited about bringing Mi products to this market. Just like in our other markets, we will strive to provide users with incredible value, and the best customer experience possible.”

Commenting on bringing their flagship device to India, Hugo Barra, Vice President, Xiaomi Global, added, “Mi 3 is the fastest Mi phone ever. We are very excited to offer one of the world’s most powerful smartphones in India at an incredibly affordable price point of Rs 13,999. We hope Indian users will love MIUI, our super intuitive Android-based operating system."

Talking about the company’s India operations, Manu Jain, India Operations Head, Xiaomi, said “We are looking to provide the best in class experience to our Mi fans in India. We are starting with 35+ service centres across top 20 cities, a hotline that operates 7 days a week, and a vibrant Mi India Facebook page. "

Commenting on this partnership, Flipkart co-founder & CEO Sachin Bansal, said, “This partnership is a natural progression of our promise to bring world-class products to our customers. We are a technology-focused company with innovation as part of our DNA – and this complements what Xiaomi stands for globally.”

Mi 3 specifications:

• 5-inch Full HD 1080p IPS display enabling super crisp details and incredible viewing angles

• 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800AB processor for the best performance no matter how demanding your apps and games are

• 13-megapixel rear camera with dual-LED flash and industry-leading HDR functionality for amazing photos

• Supports high speed HSPA+ 3G connectivity up to 42Mbps

• Extra large 3050 mAh internal battery

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