It is a widely believed assertion that Apple products are over-priced by a massive margin. But, if enough people buy them, then Apple doesn’t have to make price cuts to compete. Similarly, Samsung can keep their slightly-lower but just as crazy high-end Galaxy prices and widen the range to meet all budgets.
With other vendors, the further down the value chain we go, prices drop as specs fall and quality or design ambition is compromised. Enter Xiaomi and the Mi MIX 2S to shake things up. Visit the product page here if you’re able to read Chinese.
If Xiaomi’s fresh claims that its half-the-price but just-as-good Mi MIX 2S competes with the iPhone X, then a lot of buyers in its native China will be interested, and it could go some way to shaking up the market. The Xiaomi brand is also making a positive impression in the west, and while the company is still in the early stages of selling here, this could be the device to crack our markets and boost the company’s brand.
The Mi MIX 2S features include:
- Ceramic rear
- Near bezel-less display
- 5.99-inch IPS LCD HD+ screen (2160×1080)
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset
- 8GB RAM/256GB Storage (6GB/64GB or 128GB lower-cost option).
- Dual 12mp main cameras (wide angle/telephoto)
In China, that will cost just 3,299 yuan (around $525) for the lower end model, but even the 3,999 yuan ($635) high-end version is a massive saving on current generation products from leading brands.
Xiaomi on the Rise
The Chinese company is planning an IPO later this year and will need to offer more than just local market share, among its varied investments, as a carrot to investors. Westerners are already impressed by products like the Mi 2 band, which is a fraction of the cost of many rivals but offers good features and a solid design, with a slick app. So, if the Mi MIX 2S does come our way, or a similar product with western-focused styling and branding, then the leading brands can expect a fight if it does pick up sales.
As it is, I’d be delighted to import one, and it runs on global 4G networks. Catch a rerun of the live-streamed event here.
YouTube: Meet Mi MIX 2S LIVE from Shanghai #MiMIX2S
Photo credit: Xiaomi
