Xiaomi China "Redmi Note 9 Launch... Minimal 'COVID-19 Impact' on India Smartphone Business"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Cho] Xiaomi, a Chinese company that holds the number one position in the Indian smartphone market, has launched the Redmi Note 9 series despite the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Xiaomi confirmed that the COVID-19 outbreak has impacted the supply chain of key TV components but drew a line regarding its impact on the Indian smartphone business.

According to local Indian media such as India Asia News Service (IANS), Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi launched new smartphones including the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max and Note 9 Pro on the 12th. The Redmi Note 9 series, equipped with ISRO's navigation system NavIC, features a 6.67-inch Full HD display, Adreno 618 GPU, and Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor.

Anuj Sharma, Xiaomi's head of marketing in India, stated in a press release, "The Redmi Note 9 Pro series was made for true Mi fans," adding, "We maintained the best quality and specs at an honest price."

Local media especially noted that Xiaomi launched new smartphones amid growing global economic uncertainty caused by the spread of COVID-19. Murali Krishnan B, Xiaomi's Chief Operating Officer (COO), emphasized, "The impact of COVID-19 on the Indian smartphone business will be minimal."

He explained, "India is a very important market for Xiaomi," and added, "We are ensuring that the current situation does not affect us regarding smartphones, which is why we continue to launch new smartphones in India." However, Xiaomi acknowledged that it has faced difficulties in overseas panel procurement due to COVID-19, which has affected some supply chains for key TV components.

India is the world's second-largest market with 151.9 million smartphones sold over the past year. Xiaomi ranked first for two consecutive years in 2018 and 2019. The sales volume in 2019 increased by 5.1% compared to the previous year, reaching 43.1 million units, with a market share of 28.1%.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.