: Is Xiaomi store landing in Japan !? Xiaomi's GM talks about 2022 Japan strategy

2022 is from "Redmi Note 11"!Xiaomi attaches great importance to Japan this year as well

Xiaomi will release "Redmi Note 11" on March 10th for 24,800 yen. At the same time, Mr. Steve Wang, General Manager of East Asia of Xiaomi, talked about the strategy in Japan in 2022.

Redmi Note 11

Redmi Note 11 uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon 680, which uses a 6nm process for the chipset. The main memory is 4GB, and when the capacity is insufficient, 1GB can be virtually added from the storage. Storage is 64GB. The display is 6.43 type (2400x1080 dots), and the refresh rate is 90Hz, so it can provide "attractive visual beauty". The surface is reinforced with gorilla glass, and the fingerprint authentication sensor is built into the side of the main body.

Key features of Redmi Note 11

The camera is equipped with a quad camera with 50 million pixels, an ultra-wide-angle 8 million pixels, a macro 2 million pixels, and a depth sensor. The front is designed with 13 million pixels and self-portraits in mind. It has various modes such as slow motion, night mode, and time lapse.

The battery is 5000mAh and supports 33W quick charge, and the time required for full charge is as high as about 1 hour (61 minutes). The charger is also included in the package. By installing a 6nm process chipset, it is said that power efficiency is improved by 20%. It is a finish that is conscious of entertainment use such as dual speakers and Z-axis linear motor vibration.

Main specifications of Redmi Note 11

The main body size is about 73.87 x 159.87 x 8.09 mm, and the weight is 179 g. The width is reduced and the size is easy to hold with one hand. The body color is graphite gray, twilight blue, and star blue. The communication method supports 4G.

The price is 24,800 yen (tax included) and it will be on sale on March 10, and advance reservations will be made from 9:00 on March 4. The official sales channels are Amazon, EC Current, NTT Plala, Softbank Selection, Mi.com, murauchi.com, Rakuten Ichiba, Rakuten Books. Mass retailers are EDION, K's Denki, Joshin Denki, Nojima, Bic Camera, Yamada Denki, and Yodobashi Camera. And the MVNO will be IIJmio, AEON Mobile, and goo Simseller. After the pre-order sale on March 4, the first 500 purchasers on Mi.com or Rakuten Ichiba (1000 in total) will be able to purchase for 22,800 yen as an early purchaser benefit. The warranty period is 12 months, and a 6-month screen warranty is provided to users who purchased and activated on the above official channel by April 9. The screen is damaged and can be replaced for free only once.

Official sales channel

In addition, this product has not been localized for Japan such as FeliCa, and products equivalent to the global model will be launched in Japan. Globally, four models of the Redmi Note 11 series have been announced, and 5G models have also been released. In Japan, at a price in the 20,000 yen range, we will introduce only Redmi Note 11, which will be a 4G model, in order to give a sense of bargain in parts other than the network, such as full HD + display, 50 million pixel camera, 33W charging support and charger included. He said he decided.

Redmi Note 11 will be equipped with a new user interface "MIUI 13". MIUI 13 has improved the core experience and features the following four features and one new feature.

Unique features of MIUI 13

Liquid Strage A function that aims to fragment storage, improving the defragmentation effect by 60%. With normal Android, the writing speed at the time of saving will decrease by 50% after 3 years of use, but MIUI 13 prevents deterioration to 95% and provides the same speed as new.

Atomized Memory By automating memory optimization and stopping unused applications, memory can be released and switching between applications can be performed smoothly. It also improves background processing efficiency by 40%.

Focuses Algorithms Optimize resources for each application.

Improve battery life by 10% by monitoring and optimizing Smart Balance performance and battery in real time.

New features from Sidebar MIUI 13. Tap the left edge of the display to display the application shortcut bar for quick launch. It can also be displayed in a pop-up.

Sidebar enables quick launch of apps

Strengthening localized products for Japan Expanding Xiao Mi Store in Japan

Xiaomi launched many new products in Japan in 2021, and the number of smartphone shipments also increased significantly. Steve Wang, general manager of East Asia, talked about his strategy for the Japanese market in 2022 in a group interview.

Steve Wang, General Manager for East Asia

──What kind of year was 2021 for Xiaomi?

Mr. Wang Became the world's third-largest smartphone maker, and I think Fortune's global 500 companies have made great strides, rising 84 ranks to 384th. The number of users of our smartphone UI "MIUI" has also exceeded the 500 million mark. It also announced that it will launch an EV (electric vehicle) in 2024, and plans to invest US $ 10 billion in EV-related products over the next 10 years. Currently, we have 16,000 R & D personnel and will invest 1.8 trillion yen over the next five years.

── In the Japanese market, 2021 was a big leap year.

For Xiaomi, 2021 was a year to "redefine" the Japanese smartphone market. The number of smartphones shipped has exceeded 1 million units, and the growth rate from the previous year has exceeded 500%. We believe that changing the image of "Xiaomi is a manufacturer that produces cheap terminals" and launching products that give higher value to users led to the result. For example, the "Redmi 9T" is a low-priced, 5G-compatible product that has created great benefits for the Japanese market. In addition, wearable terminals have been aggressively deployed since 2021, ranking second in the smart band, growing 225% year-on-year.

Also, for us, who always listen to the voices of users, the number of followers on Twitter is an important indicator of our business. In Japan, the number of followers exceeded 120,000 in 2021, and we receive various feedback every day. In the third quarter of 2021, the number of tweets in Japan was the same, and we would like to express our gratitude for the support of our brand.

──What kind of development will you make in Japan in 2022?

Mr. Wang We have set a new slogan of "100% global, 100% local" and will further deepen the development of the Japanese market. Because it is a global company, the Mi 11T Pro's 120W quick charge could be immediately introduced to the Japanese market. On the other hand, by fusing the local capabilities of Japan, we will promote the development of optimal products for Japanese consumers from a long-term perspective.

Xiaomi's Japanese strategy after 2022, two pillars

Specifically, we plan to further strengthen Japan's development in the following six directions.

1. Strengthening marketing Increase investment in marketing such as advertising so that more consumers will know about our products in Japan. We also want to strengthen public relations.
2. Strengthening human resources Increase the number of Japanese team personnel by 1.5 times. By operating Japan in Japan, we would like to further improve efficiency and deepen our understanding of the market.
3. Expanding Channels In 2022, we plan to open more than 4000 local retail bases nationwide so that consumers all over Japan can experience our products. I would like to introduce not only smartphones but also AIoT products there. We are not only a manufacturer of smartphones, but we have partnered with more than 360 partners to sell more than 400 million IoT devices globally. We would like to actively expand these products to the Japanese market.
4. Operation We will promote efficiency by conducting local operations not only in product development but also in logistics, finance, and accounting.
5. Expansion of product development In 2021, we introduced localized products for Japan for the first time, such as waterproofing. In 2022, we plan to launch not only functions but also products that are more localized than consumers demand. We want to create products that are 100% satisfying for Japanese consumers and channels. We would like to promote the localization of products other than smartphones and develop the "Xiaomi Ecosystem" in Japan.
6. Real stores The number of our actual stores operating globally exceeds 10,000. Not only can you get in touch with the products at the store, but you can also experience our business model and the entire ecosystem. We are planning to take some action in 2022 to open a real store in Japan.

Raising the presence of Xiaomi in Japan in six directions

──Do you mean that the Xiao Mi Store will open in Japan as well?

Mr. Wang It has not yet been decided when and where to open it. We are planning to consider whether to develop everything in-house or to partner with a partner. I'm also thinking about opening a store-in-store on a trial basis or expanding it in a pop-up store first.

── Thank you.

Xiao Mi store is about to open in Japan (pictured is an overseas store)