Xiaomi is splitting itself apart, but it has a cunning plan.
What you need to know about the POCO brand
Where did the POCO brand come from?
It looks like Russian smartphone users will have to learn another name - POCO. Those who have followed the gadget market probably know that this company is associated with Xiaomi. But what is the nature of this connection and is it worth taking devices coming out under a little-known brand?
POCO appeared in 2018 as a subsidiary brand of the Chinese Xiaomi. The name of the company is translated from Spanish as "small". The developers note that it symbolizes the ability to achieve big dreams, starting with small steps.
Initially, the new division was aimed at the Indian market, but now the company already operates in 35 countries. The brand's most successful product was the Pocophone F1 smartphone. According to the Indian version of Business Insider, at the time the device was released, it had no competitors. No one offered such a powerful gadget for under $ 300.
In 2020, POCO unveiled a new line of smartphones and announced its transformation into a manufacturer independent from Xiaomi.
POCO Brand is going independent!
Why POCO has become a brand of its own
Xiaomi's push to sell devices under a lesser-known brand may seem odd. Why not keep using a recognizable name? Android Authority analyst Druv Bhutani believes there are multiple reasons for Xiaomi.
Firstly, the POCO division will allow the production of niche devices that will meet the needs of certain groups of buyers. At the same time, Xiaomi will not overload its main line with too many gadgets similar in price. The POCO team will be able to target their audience with greater freedom by experimenting in design, marketing and development.
Secondly, Xiaomi seeks to change its image and compete with the giants of the market in the segment of premium devices. Introduced in 2020, the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro has become the company's most expensive production smartphone. On the European market, the device in the minimum configuration cost 999 euros (about 90,000 rubles at the current exchange rate). A year earlier, Xiaomi showed off the curved-screen smartphone Mi Mix Alpha starting at $ 2,800. But in the end, the phone never went on sale.
Xiaomi Mi MIX Alpha
Despite these ambitions, in the eyes of the mainstream consumer, Xiaomi is still perceived as a manufacturer of devices for the budget conscious. The company has earned this reputation mainly thanks to the Redmi series. It was these smartphones that brought Xiaomi worldwide popularity, as they embodied the ideal value for money. In 2019, Xiaomi decided to distance itself from the Redmi series, turning the line into a separate sub-brand.
Separating from itself the price-balanced Redmi and niche POCOs, the company wants to focus on the flagship Xiaomi Mi line. And then compete with Samsung and other giants of the market for the most paying audience.
How POCO smartphones differ from Xiaomi
The POCO team notes that the main difference between their smartphones and Xiaomi products is their narrower specialization. They try to focus on one characteristic, such as performance or battery capacity. But Xiaomi developers in their main Mi line create universal flagship devices for the general consumer.
After splitting from Xiaomi, the brand can experiment more boldly with design. This can be seen in the recently unveiled POCO M3. The gadget attracted attention with a back cover made of leather-textured plastic and a large glossy substrate for the camera.
POCO smartphones: M3
However, the link between the devices and Xiaomi remains fairly clear. POCO smartphones use Xiaomi's MIUI software shell. Having studied the companies, one can understand that the devices of the new brand continue to be serviced at Xiaomi service centers. So for an average user, the difference between them may not seem too significant.
What smartphones does POCO currently offer?
POCO F2 Pro
POCO F2 Pro
Display: 6.67 inches (1,080 × 2,400 pixels), Super AMOLED, PPI 395, Gorilla Glass 5.
Processor: Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865, eight-core (one Kryo 585 core at 2.44 GHz, three Kryo 585 cores at 2.42 GHz and four Kryo 585 cores at 1.8 GHz), Adreno 650.
Memory: 6/8 GB of RAM and 128/256 GB of built-in, there is no possibility to install a memory card.
Main camera: 64 MP, f / 1, 89; wide-angle sensor - 13 megapixels, f / 2, 4; macro camera - 5 Mp, f / 2, 2; depth sensor - 2 Mp.
Front camera: 20 MP.
Communications: Wi-Fi 802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, dual-frequency GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou, infrared.
Battery: 4,700 mAh.
The POCO F2 Pro has outstanding, even redundant performance. In terms of hardware power, we have a flagship.
The design of the smartphone is unusual: there are no "bangs" here, but there is a retractable front camera. Also, POCO F2 Pro has a capacious battery and fast charging. Many will be pleased with the 3.5 mm headphone jack disappearing from modern flagships.
But there are also disadvantages that are not typical of top-end devices. The phone is not protected from water, there is no stereo sound and optical zoom of the camera. The display refresh rate is not flagship - 60 Hz.
Processor: eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G with a frequency of up to 2.3 GHz, Adreno 618.
Memory: 6 GB of RAM and 64/128 GB of built-in, the ability to install memory cards up to 256 GB.
Main camera: 64 megapixels, f / 1, 89; wide-angle camera - 13 megapixels; macro lens - 2 megapixels; depth sensor - 2 Mp.
Front camera: 20 MP, f / 2, 2.
Communications: Wi-Fi 802.11a / b / g / n / ac, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, GPS / A-GPS / GLONASS / Beidou / Galileo, infrared.
Battery: 5,160 mAh with support for 33-watt fast charging.
POCO X3 NFC is a great combination of price and quality. Productive, though not top-end hardware, good camera, fast charging, high-quality display and stereo speakers. The very case when the device of the middle price segment does not try to splurge, but simply tries to give the best for its money.
Battery: 6,000 mAh, support for 18W fast charging.
The POCO M3 features a custom design and a very powerful battery. The device is suitable for those who use smartphones very actively and want to be sure that the phone will definitely survive until the end of the day. In addition, at a low cost, the POCO M3 has a fairly advanced camera, a good processor and stereo speakers. But those who are used to paying with a smartphone will be upset by the lack of NFC.
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