Mi A1 : Android One Reviver or Killer of 'Flagship Killer' or both

Hey Guys, remember Android One? If not then let us remind you, it was Google's initiative to make Android phones more accessible to Indian consumers with a promise of pure Android on the device and certified by Google the branding was licensed to Indian manufacturers Micromax and Karbonn. These phones from respective companies were priced below 7000 INR and packed in 1 GB RAM, 8 GB ROM with Quad Core processors something which was generally available at price greater than 8000 in market at that time. A great initiative with massive advertisements, however the results were not up to the mark.

Highlights:

• Xiaomi Mi A1 is priced in India for Rs 14,999
• The phone comes with a guarantee of 2 years update from Google.
• Mi A1 Comes with Dual 12 MP rear Camera and2X optical zoom
• The device comes with 4 GB RAM, 64 GB ROM.
• Available on Flipkart, Mi.com and Mi Home Stores from 12 PM IST, 12th September

Today Google and Xiaomi announced the Android One launch with Xiaomi Mi A1 in India. The phone is a great example of what Android One represents: a collaboration between Google and its partners to deliver a software experience designed by Google.

Xiaomi Mi A1

3 years later Google is back with program albeit this time partner is changed and a lot have changed on the device profile. Though its very obvious you had to upgrade the device configuration to cope up with the market equations of today, however Mi A1 is a device which exceeds expectations by a great margin, at least on the paper. This is the device which priced at INR 14999/- can eat away the market share of present 'Flagship Killer', if you know what I mean. Thus this time there is expected to be huge hype around the device and it is expected that Android One will get a revival as Budget Flagship brand from Google . 

As you might have guessed , Mi A1 is optimized for Google's best products such as Duo, Personal Assistant and comes with security features such as Google Play Protect out of the box. The phone will receive latest Android Updates from Google for 2 years. As of now the device will come running on Android 7.1.2 Nougat. It comes with 5.5 inch full HD display with Corning Gorilla Glass protection and is powered by Snapdragon 625 octa core processor paired with 4GB of RAM. For storage you get 64 GB ROM onboard and can be further expanded upto 128 Gb via micro SD card on hybrid slot. The phone comes with connectivity options as 4G VoLTE , dual band WiFi 802.11ac, GPS, USB Type-C port and 3.5 mm headphone jack. 

For sensors the phone has accelerometer, ALS, gyroscope, IR, Magnetometer and proximity sensor. The device is fueled by 3080 mAh strong battery. 

Xiaomi Mi A1 enables the users to capture moments in stunning detail on Xiaomi’s dual camera with 2X optical zoom along with an unlimited storage space at high quality with Google Photos. The new phone will be available in dozens of countries, including India, Indonesia, Russia, Vietnam and Taiwan.

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YMS Mobitech partners with Mi India for offline accessories distribution in Eastern India

YMS Mobitech Pvt. Ltd, a tech-based distribution start-up announced today its partnership with Mi India to distribute its range of accessories in key states of Eastern India. The areas under partnership are mostly remote and this partnership should be fruitful for both the parties.The partnership will focus on offline distribution of Xiaomi accessories including Mi In-Ear Headphones, Mi Capsule Earphones, Mi Bluetooth Speaker, Mi Band 2, Mi Power Bank and other accessories. YMS Mobitech will make all Xiaomi accessories available to 2000 stores immediately across West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Assam, Sikkim and all North Eastern states.

The YMS e-distribution network boasts of 11,000 retailers and 350 distributors across 364 cities in what is India’s largest app-based distribution ecosystem, guaranteeing on-demand sales with zero dead stock and zero loss of business opportunity.

Announcing the tie up Ajay Laddha, Co-founder, YMS Mobitech said, “YMS Mobitech has been consistently working with an aim to disrupt the distribution landscape in India through its pioneering e-distribution platform. We are happy that a leading technology player like Xiaomi has placed their trust in us. We are excited to offer Xiaomi’s accessories and look forward to helping them scale new milestones in India through our distribution ecosystem.”

“We have made significant movements in our offline distribution plans for India, especially in 2016. We have been taking gradual steps in this direction and believe our association with YMS Mobitech will take us a step further in our plan. As our India portfolio grows, we are foraying into the offline accessory market for the first time to extend our accessory experience for our fans,” said Vipin Raina, Head – Offline Sales, Xiaomi India

The YMS e-Distribution Ecosystem

·         All retailers, distributors and sales team operate via YMS app

·         Distributor can transfer wallet balance to retailers by a click of a button and retailers can use the same to sell any product

·         Distributor can check outstanding amount of any retailer and enter details of payment collected

·         Distributors transfer inventory via YMS platform and track the status real time

·         Retailers can sell any product from their app and view transaction details

·         Channel partners get SMS and email for all transactions and notifications

·         Distributors can check real time reports of sales done in their channel

YMS Mobitech also creates financial products for the electronics industry, under its brand Apps You Need, and uses its technology-driven platform to sell and monitor these products. Few months ago, it also launched an accessories and IoT brand CULT. 

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Comparison: Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Vs Le Eco Le 1S

Xiaomi is no longer unknown in India and has been tremendously successful ever since its first device Redmi 1S was launched. Another brand which has been extremely popular right from the launch of its first device is Le Eco whose first device in Indian market is also co-incidentally named Le 1S. The two Chinese smartphone makers are now standing face to face in Indian market with their devices Le 1S and Redmi Note 3. In already over crowded sub 12 K segment these devices are competing neck to neck in all aspects. Let's found out which phone leads in which segment over other in this post.

Le Eco Le 1S

Design: Both Le 1S and Redmi Note 3 comes with a metal body however Le 1S sports a fully metal unibody crafted from aircraft grade aluminium and comes with screw less design which is more aesthetically pleasing to eyes and adds a premium class. The Redmi Note 3 on other hand is slightly thicker than its competitor measuring 8.65 mm on the edges as compared to that of 7.5mm of Le 1S. 

Display: Both these devices comes with similar display on paper as Le 1S and Redmi Note 3 comes with a 5.5 inch Full HD IPS display. Le 1S also sports bezel less design which gives maximum real estate on the front for the display. Moreover Xiaomi has missed any added protection on the display, while Le 1S sports Corning Gorilla Glass 3 toughened glass for added protection making it durable and scratch-proof.

Processor, RAM and storage: Redmi Note 3 runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 chipset which is combination of 1.4 GHz Quad core + 1.8 GHz Dual Core, while Le 1S has Mediatek's latest Helio X10 64 bit octa-core processor. Le 1S comes with 3 GB of RAM, while Redmi Note 3 comes in two variants one 2GB and another one in 3GB variant which costs 1000 Rs more than the Le 1S. On storage front both devices comes with 32 GB internal storage.

Battery and Charging: Redmi Note 3 has a great advantage here which comes with a massive battery of 4050 mAh while Le 1S comes with 3000 mAh battery. However, Le 1S sports USB Type C charging slot and comes with Fast charging which is absent in Redmi Note 3.

Software: Both the devices run on Android Lollipop with their customized skins on the top. Le 1S runs on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop with eUI over the top, whereas Redmi Note 3 runs on Android Lollipop 5.1 with MiUI7 running over it. We found both similar in many ways and its a matter of personal choice if customization is a deal breaker for you.

Camera: Redmi Note 3 comes with a 16 MP rear camera with F2.0 aperture , PDAF, 5 element lens and dual led Flash whereas Le 1S comes with 8 MP rear camera with F2.0 aperture, PDAF. On front both phones comes with a 5 MP shooter, however Le 1S provides wider selfie with upto 85 degree wide angle lens. Finger print sensor on both the phones work seamlessly as a shutter button.

Price: Le 1S with 32GB/3GB is priced for Rs 10,999/- where Redmi Note 3 32GB/2GB is priced at Rs 9,999/- and 32GB/3GB variant is priced for Rs 11,999/-

One extra point: Finger print scanner on Le 1S is mirror surfaced with hardness level of 6H which is a cool addition to the overall personality of the phone.

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Xiaomi Redmi Note Prime receives price cut, now available for Rs 7999

Xiaomi India today announced price cut of Rs 500 for Redmi Note Prime which was launched in December 2015, that means the device will now be available for Rs 7,999/- instead of its launch price of Rs 8,499.

Redmi Note Prime

Redmi Note Prime is second handset from the company to be "Made in India", which is an enhanced version of Redmi Note 4G with 2 GB RAM and 16 GB of internal memory which can be further expanded upto 32 GB. Redmi Note Prime runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 64-bit Quad Core processor and supports dual 4G SIM. On camera side, the device is equipped with a 13MP rear shooter and houses 5 MP camera on front for selfies. The 5.5 inch full HD display device is powered by 3100 mAh strong battery to keep it alive for the day.

The Chinese smartphone maker also announced special offers for its fans on Mi 4 and Mi4i as part of Mi Week starting 16th February to 19th February on Amazon.in. Mi fans can buy Mi 4 and Mi 4i at even more amazing prices. Mi 4 will be available at 12,999 while Mi 4i will be available for Rs 9,999 during this week.

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