So gadgets enthusiasts are in it for a good treat this Friday, 21st February.
As we previously reported, China’s main smartphone maker Xiaomi is officially launching in Singapore. The first smartphone by Xiaomi for the Singapore market will be Redmi. Available at only S$169 (US$133), Redmi is a high powered budget Android smartphone: it sports a quad-core processor and a high definition 720p screen which has a pixel density close to that of Apple’s iPhone 5s. The phone can also hold two SIM cards, a feature not common among smartphones in Singapore.
M1, SingTel and StarHub also noted that they are in discussions with Xiaomi to sell its smartphones in Singapore.
As a teaser, Vice President Xiaomi Global Hugo Barra tweeted out a Singaporeanized MIUI theme to celebrate the upcoming launch this Friday.
According to Wikipedia, MIUI, “Me You I”, developed by Xiaomi Tech, is an aftermarket firmware for smartphones and tablet computers based on the open-source Android operating system.
It features a heavily modified and hard-coded user interface that does away with the Android app drawer and has drawn comparisons with Apple’s iOS and Samsung’s TouchWiz UI.The Custom ROM includes additional functionality not found in stock Android, including a theme-able user interface, new music, gallery, and camera apps, and an alarm clock that rings even if the device is turned off.
Also read: Xiaomi is the world’s third most innovative company; “Made in China” now a compliment
For the longest time, China has been known as a manufacturing powerhouse and because of that, its quality of goods has a notorious reputation.
However, that is now changing, with Xiaomi leading in terms of innovation.
Fast Company just announced their own list of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies. Other than tech giants from the west such as Google, Apple, Tesla, Dropbox and a handful of others, Xiaomi, emerged as the third most innovative company just behind Google and Bloomberg, beating several other companies including Apple and Nike. Xiaomi is reinventing the smartphone business, a segment that is exploding around the world now.
We are definitely looking forward to the entry of Xiaomi into the Singapore consumer market.
Also read: It’s official, China’s Apple, Xiaomi is coming to Singapore