Published 16:57 IST, February 4th 2019
After pens and pillows, Xiaomi gearing to launch Mi footwear in India
The company’s Mi India arm has started teasing the launch of the new product category on social media hinting at possible launch in the days to come
After pens and pillows, Xiaomi is gearing to launch footwear in India. The company’s Mi India arm has started teasing the launch of the new product category on social media hinting at possible launch in the days to come. Xiaomi is also getting ready to launch the Redmi Note 7 in India this month so it is yet to be seen if the Mi footwear will be announced alongside or separately.
The Mi footwear teaser falls perfectly in line with a report doing the rounds of the Internet that says Xiaomi will launch its Mijia Sneakers 2 in India soon under the name of Mi Sport Shoes. Mijia, to recall, is a subsidiary of Xiaomi that specializes in making ecosystem products like the Sneakers 2. Moving on, the report adds that Xiaomi will launch the Mi Sport Shoes (rebranded Mijia Sneakers 2) in India at a price of Rs 2,999. In as many as four different colours including black, floral blue, flower grey, and white.
Xiaomi’s Mijia Sneakers aren’t smart as say its smartphones, but they are seemingly smart in their own subtle way. Made using a 5-in-1 uni-moulding process and high-elastic knitting, Xiaomi’s Mijia Sneakers, have what it claims to be a ‘breathable sole’ and a lightweight fish bone locking design. Xiaomi says they are resistant to deformation under pressure and can also be thrown into the washing machine for cleaning.
With products like pens and pillows already in its portfolio, it isn’t even surprising that Xiaomi is launching footwear in India now. The company has been slowly and steadily ramping up its portfolio of ecosystem products in India, seemingly inspired by buyer demand. Xiaomi is a community-driven company and the Mi Forum is a major driving force behind its product decisions.
I remember Xiaomi co-founder and CEO Lei Jun once telling me, during a round-table, that its Mi fans want Xiaomi to bring everything (everything that it sells in China) to India. While this wasn’t possible say a couple of years ago, Xiaomi is surely in a much better position now. It is the country’s top smartphone brand and is looking to do the same with smart TVs now. Products like the Mi footwear are a gradual extension of this, that would invariably help Xiaomi spread word of mouth through fans, possibly adding more to that growing list.
Xiaomi has also recently launched the ShareSave app in India that “aims to offer users outside of Chinese mainland a convenient and cost-effective way to purchase ecosystem products that have only been available within Chinese mainland.” In simple terms, it lets you easily buy its China-exclusive ecosystem products in India at “honest pricing.”
Updated 17:09 IST, February 4th 2019