Xiaomi has launched its first smart speaker with display to take on Google and Amazon. The Chinese smartphone maker has introduced XiaoAI Touchscreen Speaker Pro 8 with powerful speakers in its home market. The device comes after the company teased the device in its home market last week. The new smart display from Xiaomi features a design similar to Google Next Hub and Amazon Echo Show 8. Ahead of its launch in China, the device had leaked in the form of official box last week.
Xiaomi XiaoAI Touchscreen Speaker Pro 8: Price, Features
Xiaomi has priced its XiaoAI Touchscreen Speaker Pro 8 at RMB 499 (around Rs 5,100). The listed price is lower than the leaked box, which tipped the price to be around RMB 599 (around Rs 6,700). While it has a design similar to Google and Amazon’s products, the device will challenge local rivals. The smart speaker from Xiaomi will compete with the likes of Alibaba and Baidu in the Chinese market.
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Smart speakers have been gaining popularity among consumers and Amazon is the clear leader here. However, the retail giant is followed by Alibaba and Baidu as the second and third major smart speaker brands, according to Canalys. Xiaomi seems to challenge these two home-grown internet giants in China with its smart speaker. Canalys report shows that Xiaomi is currently fifth at the end of third quarter of this year. It reportedly shipped 3.4 million smart speakers during the quarter ending September.
In terms of features, the smart display speaker from Xiaomi features an 8-inch display mounted on top of a speaker unit. It is equipped with three subwoofers and a 50.8mm, 10W driver along with DTS tuning. The product is listed on Xiaomi Youpin site and it will go on sale from December 18. It will also be available for purchase via online platforms such as Mi.com and JD.com. While it supports Android and iOS, there is no mention of global availability or price just yet.
The smart speaker comes with XiaoAI, the smart assistant from Xiaomi. It also supports OTT platforms such as Douyin, iQiyi and Youku in China. There is also a front camera to make and receive video calls. Connectivity options include dual-band WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0. If Xiaomi’s smart display arrives in India it would be competing with Google’s Nest Hub and Amazon Echo Show. Google’s Nest Hub smart display is available in India at Rs 9,999. Amazon Echo Show smart displays are available in India starting at Rs 8,999.
