Update Xiaomi initiates smartphone tie-ups with Maxis, DiGi, Celcom

by **Cals** Tue 20 May 2014, 00:01

Update Xiaomi initiates smartphone tie-ups with Maxis, DiGi, Celcom

Business & Markets 2014

Written by Jeffrey Tan of theedgemalaysia.com

Monday, 19 May 2014 14:33

KUALA LUMPUR (May 19): Rising Chinese consumer electronics firm Xiaomi will tie up with local mobile service providers Maxis, DiGi and Celcom to introduce its flagship smartphone Mi 3 in Malaysia.

Vice President of Xiaomi Global Hugo Barra said the firm dubbed the 'Apple of China' will start selling the Mi 3 directly from its online store — [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] — at 12pm tomorrow ( May 20).

"It [Mi 3 smartphone] will also be available very soon through all three mobile operators Maxis, DiGi and Celcom here in Malaysia," said Barra, at Xiaomi's official launch in Kuala Lumpur today.

"They will announce the exact availability of the smartphones soon. We are really excited to be working with these three partners here in Malaysia," he said.

Barra said it is possible for the three mobile service providers to sell the Mi 3 online, but added 'it is up to them to decide'.

"We do not have any other partners to sell Mi 3 apart from Maxis, DiGi and Celcom," he said.

On sales target in Malaysia, Barra said Xiaomi did not have a target number of units to be sold, but said the company's focus is to meet demand. The firm also does not have a target profit or revenue to hit.

"We do not have a target here in Malaysia or anywhere else for that matter," he said.

"We just want to increase availability, production capacity and focus on customer fulfilment. So, we do not set targets in the markets that we are in," he explained.

Barra said the firm would establish four service centres in Malaysia and possibly more in the future.

The service centres will be located in greater Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kuantan, and Perak.

Meanwhile, Xiaomi’s co-founder Bin Lin said the tablet Mi Pad, which was launched last week in China in a beta testing period, would be launched "as soon as possible" in Malaysia.