Chinese device maker, Xiaomi has announced its arrival into Brazilian market and the Xiaomi Redmi 2 is the only smartphone going on sale for now.
The company also plans to expand to other emerging markets in Latin America like Colombia; in Asia with Vietnam and Thailand but there is no timeframe yet.
The Redmi 2 is selling for R$500 ($160) and can be paid for in Ten instalments for R$54.90 ($17.50). At the moment, they would be available for sale online (br.mi.com) on July 7 rather than physical stores which most Brazilians are accustomed to buying from.
Former Google Executive and current VP Global at Xiaomi Global, Hugo Barra, announced the company’s entry in Brazil at an event in São Paulo.
“I am thrilled to finally introduce Xiaomi’s amazing products to my hometown, Brazil,” he said. “We already had a very engaged community of Mi fans in Brazil before our launch today, and many of them have been eagerly looking forward to getting their hands on our products. I strongly believe that Redmi 2 will be a game changer in the Brazilian market, offering consumers a quality option never seen before in this price category.”
Brazil is the first country outside Asia which Xiaomi will venture in and also the first it would start manufacturing it’s devices in outside China. Being aware of the unstable economic condition in the country, Xiaomi expects that its lower pricing will encourage users to buy.
The first batches of smartphones would be imported into the country but starting with the second batches the company would have Taiwanese contract manufacturer, Foxconn start manufacturing them in its Sao Paulo based factory to avoid heavy taxes placed on foreign imported devices.
In addition to the Xiaomi Redmi 2, the company would also have accessories like the Xiaomi Mi Band Fitness tracker, activity monitor, portable charger, the Portable 10,000mAh Mi Power Bank and more for sale in Brazil.
