Xiaomi VP Hugo Barra’s visit to the Philippines last week signalled the Chinese smartphone maker’s imminent arrival in the country. Now Xiaomi has revealed that 3,000 Mi3 smartphones will be on sale in the country on June 26 at 12 noon. The Mi3 16 GB smartphones will be sold at Php 10,599 (US$241), which is lower than Barra’s earlier estimate of Php 12,000 (US$272). That’s likely due to Xiaomi lowering the cost of the Mi3 in China, where it costs RMB 1,499 (US$240) for the 16GB version. Customers can purchase the phone through Xiaomi’s local partner, Lazada Philippines. This announcement was made through the Mi Philippines Facebook page. Unlike other smartphone brands, Xiaomi is known for its flash sales, in which it sells phones in batches. It even does that in new markets outside China. Devices usually sell out in just a few minutes. In Hong Kong, the startup company sold 10,000 HongMi phones in only 36 seconds – its fastest overseas sale to date. Its slowest sell out is in Malaysia where it sold 4,000 Mi3 phones in 17 minutes.
As the Philippines is the fastest growing nation in smartphone uptake, many expect a quick sell-out for its first batch. Following the Philippines, Xiaomi is also set to expand in Indonesia, Thailand and India.
Source: TECHINASIA
