The reason why Xiaomi "Redmi Note 11", which is serious about capturing the Japanese market, is convinced that it is not compatible with 5G

Saturday, March 5, 6:05 ITmedia Mobile

Xiaomi's Redmi Note 11 to be released in Japan on March 10th.The photo is the European version taken at MWC Barcelona 2022

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The cost performance of the middle range model has been highly evaluated, and Xiaomi is gradually increasing its presence in Japan. As the first model in 2021, the company will release the "Redmi Note 11", which was announced globally on January 26, on March 10. The price is 24,800 yen (tax included) while it is equipped with a 4-eye camera including a 50-megapixel main camera. It is a style that demonstrates the high cost performance that Xiaomi is good at. With the theme of "redefinition" in 2021, Xiaomi was the first to launch the 5G smartphone "Redmi Note 9T" in the low 20,000 yen range, and teamed up with KDDI to form a Japanese-only model "Redmi Note 10 JE". Has expanded its lineup by launching. As a flagship model, the cheap "Xiaomi 11T / 11T Pro" has also been added to the lineup. It is said that further localization will be promoted by Xiaomi in 2022. This includes not only terminals, but also the company's system, marketing activities, and sales channels. Here, we will introduce the features of Redmi Note 11 and explain the company's strategy in the Japanese market. ● Redmi Note 11 that realizes specifications comparable to the middle range at an entry level price Redmi Note 11 is a smartphone introduced by Xiaomi for the volume zone market. Although it is a 4G model, Qualcomm's "Snapdragon 680" is used for the processor. In addition to the 50-megapixel main camera, it also has an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, a 2-megapixel macro camera, and a 2-megapixel depth camera. Since it is not possible to take pictures with a depth camera alone, it is actually a three-lens camera, but it can be said that it has high specifications for a terminal in this price range. The display is also "more than the price". In the case of terminals in the 20,000 yen range, it is often a liquid crystal display due to cost, but Redmi Note 11 adopts a 6.43-inch organic EL display. Moreover, the refresh rate is up to 90Hz, and 60Hz makes scrolling and moving images smoother than the standard entry model. The body is made of resin, but the paint is used to reproduce the hard feeling, and it doesn't feel cheap. The OS is Android 12, and it will adopt the latest "MIUI 13" that Xiaomi has modified independently. MIUI 13 has few noticeable changes in the user interface, but it is said that it has been deeply customized to improve the basic performance of the terminal. "Liquid Storage" is one of them. This is a function that improves the efficiency of defragmentation by 60%, and it is said that the read and write speed can be kept at 95% after using it for 36 months. The average Android drops to 50%, so you can see how effective it is. Another feature of MIUI 13 is that it optimizes memory (RAM). In the case of general Android, memory is managed for each application, but in MIUI 12, it is said that only the necessary ones are left by looking at the detailed functions in the application. As a result, background processing efficiency is improved by 40%. MIUI 12 also features features such as improved CPU processing speed and improved battery life. MIUI 13 is an Android customized OS adopted for flagship models such as "Xiaomi 12" and "Xiaomi 12 Po" announced in the Chinese market, but it is easy to expand to other models because it is software. In terms of performance improvement, the entry model and middle range model are likely to benefit more than the flagship model, which originally has high processor processing power. ● Why is it only Redmi Note 11? Terminal development tailored to the Japanese market Redmi is a series that plays a central role in Xiaomi's middle range. Cumulative global sales have exceeded 240 million units, and the high cost performance is highly evaluated. The company also exhibited the Redmi 11 series at MWC Barcelona 2022, which was held from February 28th to March 3rd in Barcelona, ​​Spain. A corner was set up near the entrance of the booth, and it was exhibited extensively. On the other hand, the Redmi Note 11 series has four terminals with slightly different specifications. Only the core model, the Redmi Note 11, will be launched in Japan. The release of the "Redmi Note 11S" with the main camera enhanced to 108 million pixels and the "Redmi Note 11 Pro" equipped with a 108 million pixel main camera and a 120Hz drive display has not been announced. The sales plan for the top model "Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G" compatible with 5G was not disclosed. The Redmi Note 11 is the cheapest of the four models and has the lowest specs. Why did you only launch Redmi Note 11 in the Japanese market? "The (Japanese) market isn't big enough to bring everything," said Akihiko Adachi, general manager of the Product Planning Department at Xiaomi Japan. While developing a carrier model at the same time as the SIM lock-free model, Xiaomi achieved a rapid growth of 500% compared to the previous year in 2009, but the actual scale is still small. Apple, Sharp, Samsung Electronics, Sony, and FCNT occupy the 5th place in the share of smartphone shipments by manufacturer in 2021 announced by research company MM Research Institute on February 9, and the day has passed since the entry of OPPO and Xiaomi. Shallow manufacturers are summarized in "Other". Whether the lineup comes first or the market size comes first is like a chicken and an egg, but it is not realistic to develop four models with a small difference in specifications due to this sense of scale. As mentioned at the beginning, Redmi Note 11 is reasonably priced at 24,800 yen, and "it may be possible to offer it at a very reasonable price through a partner" such as MVNO, which offers discounts associated with contracts (same as above). .. With the smartphone market in the low 20,000 yen range expanding rapidly, it makes sense to launch the most affordable handsets. If it is sold as a manufacturer model and also handles MVNOs, the need for 5G support will diminish. In Japan, the number of DoCoMo 5G subscribers is still small at about 10% of the total, the market size of the 4G model is larger, and it is difficult to take advantage of the high speed and large capacity that are the characteristics of MVNO lines. Since the throughput of MVNO depends on the total capacity of the line borrowed from a major carrier and the traffic flowing there, there is a strong tendency for terminals to place more importance on cost performance than 5G support. The Redmi Note 11 fits this market. ● Xiaomi deepens localization in 2022, expanding the role of the Japanese corporation In 2021, Xiaomi introduced a model dedicated to the Japanese market that supports FeliCa, waterproof and dustproof, etc., and promoted localization, but Redmi Note 11 is The global version is almost the same. The corresponding frequency is adjusted to Japan, and the menu is also translated into Japanese, but other than that, it is the same as Redmi Note 11 sold overseas. It is a terminal for people who want to get a terminal with high basic performance such as performance and camera at a more reasonable price. While launching a model like the Redmi Note 11 that leverages the strengths of global manufacturers, Xiaomi is trying to deepen its localization in 2022. Steve Wang, Xiaomi's general manager for East Asia, says "100% global, 100% localization" is the 2022 strategy. Its localization is wide-ranging. The first is the enhancement of Xiaomi Japan itself. "Operations in Japan should be local and we want to invest more in human resources," Wang said. Part of that was the adoption of Mr. Adachi, who appeared earlier. He is a person who has been in charge of product planning such as Xperia at Sony (at that time Sony Mobile, Sony Ericsson). The terminal plays the role of "reflecting feedback in product creation and development in the Japanese market" (Mr. Adachi). As Mr. Wang says, "I'm thinking of launching a more deeply localized product in Japan this year," a Japanese-specific terminal that seems to have evolved the Redmi Note 10 JE will appear within 2022. To do. In addition, Mr. Adachi said, "I hope to deliver a product that can leave some kind of nail marks in about a year in a way that will be useful to the Japanese market," and after 2023, a model exclusively for Japan from Xiaomi Japan will be released. It also suggested the possibility of introducing it. In addition, while expanding the sales channels to more than 4000, "We have been working to localize everything from product development to logistics, finance, and accounting," Wang said. Beyond that is the "real store". The company is expanding Xiaomi's shops overseas, selling not only smartphones but also IoT home appliances. This is because "stores can experience all products and (consumers) can see the entire business model, which contributes to branding" (same as above). "I'm thinking of bringing this store to Japan" (same as above). On the other hand, operating a unique store requires considerable preparation, such as selecting a location, building a business model, and hiring staff. Therefore, Xiaomi's idea is "I want to try (potential) at shop-in-shops and pop-up stores" (same as above). It's been three years since Xiaomi entered the electric shocking Japanese market, but it can be seen that Xiaomi is starting to get serious about the expansion period.

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