Xiaomi Teases Launch of New Mi TV Series in India, Hints at Smaller, Cheaper Option

Weeks after disrupting the television market by launching its Mi TV 4, Xiaomi is set to expand its Mi TV range in India. Xiaomi Global VP Manu Kumar Jain in a tweet on Thursday teased the expansion of the Mi TV lineup in India that was further cemented in a separate tweet posted by Xiaomi India Product Manager Sudeep Sahu, who was involved in bringing the Mi TV 4 to the country. Sahu explicitly divulged that the company is set to launch a new series, and said it would be more accessible - hinting it would be smaller and cheaper than the 55-inch Mi TV 4 that arrived last month at a price of Rs. 39,999.

Jain didn't reveal any details about the new Mi TV launch in his tweet though hinted that something is in the pipeline. "Mi fans! Something new is coming to India! It's time to switch to something smarter, slimmer and sleeker. Coming soon," he tweeted. Nevertheless, minutes after the executive tweeted, Sahu confirmed the arrival of the new series and said in his tweet, "Innovation should be accessible to everyone. We are bringing a new series enabling more people to #SwitchToSmart TV experience [sic]."

If we try to decrypt the tweets posted by Jain and Sahu, it emerges that Xiaomi is about to launch a smaller and cheaper TV range than the original Mi TV 4 model. This could be the Mi TV 4A series that was launched in March last year in three screen sizes, including 65-inch, 55-inch, and 49-inch. In July, the company also brought the 32-inch Mi TV 4A model and in just January this year - which seems like the launch Xiaomi is hinting at. It launched the 50-inch variant in January this year. The Mi TV 4A range starts at CNY 1,099 (approximately Rs. 11,300), and the top-end, 65-inch variant is available with a price tag of CNY 5,699 (roughly Rs. 54,000). There are features such as AI-based speech recognition, quad-core processors, Wi-Fi connectivity, USB and Ethernet ports, and Android-based PatchWall interface.

Apart from the Mi TV 4A range, there are speculations Xiaomi could bring the Mi TV 4C series that was launched in October last year to India. The Mi TV 4C series includes two screen sizes: 43-inch and 55-inch. The 43-inch Mi TV 4C has 1GB of RAM and 8GB storage at a price of CNY 1,849 (around Rs. 19,000), whereas the 55-inch variant with 2GB RAM and 8GB storage is available at CNY 2,649 (approximately Rs. 27,200). Both variants have a quad-core Amlogic T962 64-bit processor and support Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v4.2, Dolby, and DTS Audio. There is also HDR 10 and HLG as well as a blue light-reducing mode. Additionally, there is Mi Bluetooth Remote Control support that adds Speech Recognition, Mi Touch, and Infrared features at a price of CNY 99 (roughly Rs. 1,000).

Just which model Xiaomi will launch in India remains a mystery, but we can expect it to be cheaper, and smaller than the Mi LED TV 4 model brought to India last month. It is clear that the Beijing-based company is planning to take on companies such Intex, InFocus, Sanyo, and Vu. The affordable options are also likely to make things difficult for Samsung, Sony, and LG that three are capturing a large share of the smart TV market in the country.