Update: If you missed Xiaomi’s official launch tonight, you can still be in with a chance to get some free goodies at the Three store on Grafton Street! Read the bottom of this post for more information.
Update 2: We have the list of products Xiaomi intends to launch in Ireland, complete with pricing. Check it out here!
Xiaomi is the fourth largest smartphone maker in the world, with a huge user base in China and India. The company has slowly grown globally as people imported them through the likes of AliExpress, and they’ve begun to officially launch throughout Europe. IrishTech received an invitation to the company’s official launch event in Ormond Quay, Dublin, with two of our writers (Adam Conway and Jack Price) working in the company’s experience zone as well. Not only did Xiaomi reveal that they would be releasing the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S in Ireland, but they are also bringing the Redmi 6 and the Redmi Note 5 as well. Three will have an exclusive license to sell Xiaomi products in Ireland.
That’s not all either, as they also revealed that they are bringing some of their other products like speakers and headphones, along with the Mi Band 3, a fitness-oriented smartwatch. If you’re really a fan of the company, you can even buy a Xiaomi branded scooter for €449. We have all of the details of where (and when) you can buy these items. Xiaomi is a company known for providing powerful smartphones at a low price thanks to their commitment to not having larger than 5% profit margins, and that philosophy is unchanged in Europe thus far.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S
The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S is one of the company’s more interesting smartphones, and it makes sense why they’d choose this phone in particular to enter a new market. It features a bold, bezel-less design without a notch – and it still has a front-facing camera as well, just on the chin of the phone. With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 and 6GB or 8GB of RAM, it’s a top performer for sure. Coupled with that, you’ll also get a pretty large 3,400 mAh battery and a 5.99-inch 1080p display. If that sounds good, then the price is going to sound even better. It is going to launch at a starting price of €459.
| Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Dimensions and weight | 150.9 x 74.9 x 8.1mm, 191g |
| Software | Android Oreo-based MIUI 9 |
| CPU | Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (4x 2.8GHz Kryo 385 Performance + 4x 1.8GHz Kryo 385 Efficiency) SoC |
| GPU | Adreno 630 |
| RAM and Storage | 6GB of RAM with 64GB of storage / 6GB of RAM with 128GB of storage / 8GB of RAM with 256GB of storage |
| Battery | 3400mAh |
| Display | 5.99-inch (2160 x 1080 pixels) Full HD+ 18:9 IPS display |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11ac |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Ports | USB Type-C (USB 2.0), Dual Nano SIM Slots |
| Rear Cameras | 12MP primary camera with 1/2.55″ Sony IMX363 sensor, f/1.8 aperture, 1.4 micron pixels, 4-axis OIS, and Dual Pixel autofocus; 12MP secondary camera with 1/3.4″ Samsung S5K3M3 sensor, 46mm telephoto lens, 2x optical zoom, dynamic bokeh |
| Front Camera | 5MP front camera with f/2.0 aperture and AI portraits |
Xiaomi Redmi 6
If you’re not willing to splash out €449 for a new smartphone, then something like the Redmi 6 could be a better deal for you. At a starting cost of €149, it’s the perfect phone for someone on a budget.
| Xiaomi Redmi 6 | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 147.5 x 71.5 x 8.3mm |
| Software | Android Oreo-based MIUI 9 |
| CPU | MediaTek Helio P22 |
| GPU | PowerVR GE8320 |
| RAM and Storage | 3GB of RAM with 32GB or 64GB of storage |
| Battery | 3000mAh |
| Display | 5.45-inches, 18:9, HD+ |
| Ports | microUSB, Dual Nano SIM Slots |
| Rear Camera | 12+5MP, PDAF, EIS, Portrait Mode |
| Front Camera | 5MP, Portrait Mode |
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5
The Note line of smartphones from Xiaomi is arguably what made them famous in the first place, offering uncompromising performance for a lower price. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 system-on-chip and a 4000mAh battery, the Redmi Note 5 is highly battery efficient. It comes in at a starting price of €199, and will likely be the most popular device of the three phones released.
| Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 | Specs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 158.5 x 75.5 x 8.1mm |
| Display | 1080 x 2160p 18:9 403 ppi |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 636 |
| RAM | 3/4 GB |
| ROM | 32/64GB |
| Camera | 12MP / 5MP |
| Battery | 4000mAh |
Earphones, speakers and… a scooter?
Not only does the company intend to launch smartphones in Ireland, but they’re also planning to launch a number of extra peripherals as well. While we don’t have exact details yet of which models the company intends to release, we know that they will be bringing earphones and portable speakers to Ireland as well to be sold through Three. If you want to be a little bit more of a hardcore Xiaomi fan, you can also pick up a Mi Scooter for €449 which can travel at 25km per hour.
Update: Celebrate Xiaomi’s Launch at the Three store on Grafton Street
Are you a fan of Xiaomi? If you’re not, you can head down to the Three store on Grafton Street tomorrow afternoon at 13:30 to help change your mind! The company will be giving away the Mi Band 3, music accessories and other goodies too. You don’t even need to make a purchase, simply head down and check it out!
