'China's Apple' Xiaomi forays into India with Mi smartphones

New Delhi, July 15 (IANS) Chinese handset manufacturer Xiaomi Tuesday forayed into the Indian market with a range of flagship Mi smartphones.

The first Mi smartphone that Xiaomi, often referred as 'Apple of China', has launched in India is the Mi 3 priced at Rs.13,999. It will go on sale on July 22, said the company.

The pre-registration opened Tuesday and only customers who register till midnight July 21 will be eligible to purchase the Mi 3.

The Mi 3 has a 5-inch full HD 1080p IPS display, 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800AB processor, 13-megapixel rear camera and extra large 3050 mAh internal battery.

The company has entered into exclusive partnership with e-commerce site Flipkart to sell its products.

Xiaomi has also set up 35 service centres across India, including two exclusive Mi service centres in Delhi and Bangalore, to ensure after-sale services for its customers.

The company will also launch another two Mi smartphones -- Redmi 1S and Redmi Note -- in India over the next few weeks. These Mi smartphones will be available at more affordable prices. The 4.7-inch Redmi 1S will retail at Rs.6,999, while the 5.5-inch octa-core Redmi Note will have a Rs.9,999 price tag.

Talking about their India foray, Bin Lin, Xiaomi co-founder and president, said: "We see India as a huge opportunity for us and are excited about bringing Mi products to this market. Just like in our other markets, we will strive to provide users with incredible value and the best customer experience possible."