Xiaomi as a company gained fame around the world due to the company’s ability to bring modern features and advancements at a lower cost than what was available in the market. Its Note series of devices is a testament to this exact philosophy. Since its inception in the Indian market, however, Redmi and Xiaomi decided to split into two separate brands and enter various markets, such as IoT, accessories and even apparel. What has lacked is fitness products, with the only thing on offer from Mi and Redmi being the fitness bands and the rather expensive Mi Watch. Now, it seems Redmi is gearing up to set another segment alight, with the launch of the Redmi Watch, which has been scheduled for May 13. This might seem to be quite positive, but it puts Amazfit, a sub-entity of Xiaomi, at risk. Here’s Why.
What Does The Redmi Watch Offer?
The Redmi Watch is already on offer in certain markets under names such as the Mi Watch Lite, so we know what to expect from the watch. First of all, the company, as part of its advert, has teased built-in GPS, 11 sports modes, sleep monitoring, breathing assist and heart rate monitoring. There will also be over 200 watch faces on offer. In terms of the key specifications, the Redmi Watch features a 1.4-inch colour HD display with a resolution of 320*320 pixels with a 2.5D glass layer on top. The device is compatible with Xiaomi’s Mi Fit application. The Watch, in global markets, offers seven sports modes, some of them being cycling, running, indoor swimming. The watch is also water-resistant at up to 50 metres. There is also support for 24-hour heart-rate monitoring with a report of resting heart rate over a span of 30 days. Sleep monitoring is also provided. Whilst this might not debut in India, the global version also features NFC for contactless payment. The battery is capable of lasting 7-days on typical use, with 12 days on offer via the battery saver mode. It should take 2 hours to fully charge the 230mAh battery.
Why Should This Worry Amazfit
We cannot predict the exact price of the Redmi Watch, which, as mentioned earlier, is set to launch on 13 May, but we can predict that it will not cross the 5-8k barrier. This is a segment dominated by Amazfit. Amazfit is a company that has internal ties with Redmi and Xiaomi and has seen success all over the country, with offerings available in multiple segments, with devices priced from 2.5k all the way to Rs 15k. This might not dent Amazfit’s market share, but it does give the company something to think about since people might trust Redmi’s brand value over Amazfit in a tough situation.
