The government-imposed lockdown, and the mostly voluntary locking of ourselves at home that followed it has meant different things for different sectors. It’s certainly bad news for gyms and multiplexes, but these have been good times for streaming platforms. We’re hearing that it has also been a good time for some television manufacturers, and Mi in particular. In June this year, Mi was reported to have had a steady hold of its nearly 30% market share for more than 6 months. The brand has emerged as the leading smart TV player in the Indian market. We’ve dug around to find clues as to what makes Mi TVs so incredibly popular among Indian buyers.
Variety
Mi offers low cost Android TVs, as well as more high end 4K models. We believe most Indians will agree with us when we say that we live and breathe diversity on a daily basis. If a brand intends to succeed in this market, they need to recognize the diversity that exists even among buyers of something that might seem very generic, such as a TV. The brand must also be able to cater to the diverse needs that the market displays. On Mi’s website you can choose between 9 different models, priced between a little over Rs. 13,000 and a little over Rs. 54,000 that come in various sizes.
There are your standard 32 inch LED TV in the mix, starting at Rs. 13,000, and then there are 4K UHD 65-inch models for Rs. 54,000. There are two 32-inch LED TVs on offer, three 43-inch models, a 40-inch model, a 50-inch model, a 55-inch model and a 65-inch model. Although one might assume that the 32-inch LED TVs are the brand’s top-selling models, according to Xiaomi, its 43-inch models are the most popular, and therefore offers further variety in that segment.
Price perfect
A Mi TV’s price is its best friend, and the most significant contributor to its popularity. Indians are big spenders, but need to be cajoled into spending by offering an excellent deal. Xiaomi has clearly recognized this, and Mi TV prices are extremely attractive, offering excellent value for money. Three of the nine models on its website are priced under Rs. 20,000. Similarly, it has 3 models in the under Rs. 30,000 price segment and two models in the under Rs. 40,000 segment.
Pricing is possibly the most likely reason for the tremendous popularity of Mi TVs in India. Mi also tactfully offers discounts and sales on its own website.
The brand has clearly positioned itself as the answer to the budget-seeker’s prayers with its under Rs. 20,000 models such as its Mi 4A (40-inch TV), and the answer to the mid-range buyer’s demands with its under Rs. 30,000 models like the Mi 4X (48-inch) TV. And it has done so without entirely ignoring upmarket buyers either, because it also targets the high end buyer with its top-of-the-line Mi 4X (65-inch) TV.
Value and features
The best part about the brand is that the Mi TV price offers excellent value-for-money in relation to the features that they offer. The brand’s base products offer nearly frameless (they call it bezel-free) viewing experience. Expect high audio quality and the standard 1366 x 768 pixel display resolution that comes with 32-inch LED TVs. These TVs offer a refresh rate of 60Hz. You also get two USB ports, a headphone jack (remember what we said earlier about diverse needs), and a quad-core processor. Processors are able to help manage and enhance image quality, and therefore a quad-core processor makes a difference to the viewing experience.
At the other end of the spectrum, the brand’s most expensive 4K model comes with an 65-inch screen and 4K 10-bit HDR display. The Mi 4X 65 TV offers a 3840 x 2160 pixel screen resolution. It comes with 20W Dolby speakers, and new content partners including Amazon Prime and Netflix. Then there’s all the models in the middle – smaller screens that still offer 4K display capability can be found here. Overall, no matter what the price segment, buyers usually find that the features and benefits far outweigh the price of Mi products.
If you’re looking to upgrade your TV, this is usually the best time of the year to bag fantastic deals. Don’t worry about saving up either; just opt for No Cost EMIs, a payment option that you will find on nearly all e-commerce platforms. It allows you to pay for your TV in easy installments while you are already enjoying it. Check out the best-LED TV in India.