Xiaomi announced the launch of its Mi Box streaming player in the U.S. The digital media box costs $69, and it is available online at the company’s official website, shipping later this week and becoming available at Walmart as soon as next week.
The official U.S. launch of Xiaomi’s Mi Box follows an unfortunate accident with its commercial partner Walmart. The mega-retailer unknowingly placed the Mi Box on store shelves ahead of its release, and a customer bought it and uploaded an online review.
Just as reported back then, the Mi Box was and continues to be a $69 item. Xiaomi’s introduction of the Mi Box to the American public represents the company’s latest efforts to diversify its catalog beyond the smartphone market.
It also comes at a time when rival companies have announced similarly priced players like Roku’s Premiere, Amazon’s Fire TV Stick and Google’s upcoming Chromecast Ultra.
Xiaomi’s Mi Box supports 4K streaming
The Chinese company is renowned back in its homeland for offering quality products at affordable prices. The Mi Box is no different since it packs several top-of-the-line features in a solid player for a reasonable price.
Straight out of the box, Xiaomi’s player is capable of 4k Ultra HD streaming. Content playback on the Mi Box can be as smooth as 60 fps and, in supporting TVs, the picture quality is ramped up to more vibrant colors thanks to its HDR10 support.
Moreover, the Mi Box box packs a Mali 450 GPU, 2GB of DDR3 RAM and 8 GB of expandable internal storage.
The Mi Box runs on Google’s specialized digital media platform Android TV. The modified OS allows users to search for content and navigate the interface in the most seamless way. As a flagship Google product, Android TV offers integration with other brand devices through a Google account. It also supports content viewing from said devices through Google Cast.
Xiaomi’s Mi Box features
The box includes a remote controller capable of more than just zapping. The Bluetooth remote has a built-in microphone to prompt playback commands. Customers can also use it to play games available at the Google Play Store.
The Vice President of Xiaomi Global Hugo Barra expressed his excitement in a statement for the company’s official press release.
“We believe everyone is entitled to benefit from technological breakthroughs, and Mi Box is a reflection of that belief: an incredible entertainment experience at an unprecedented price of $69, less than the cost of a single night out for two,” said Barra.
Xiaomi’s Mi Box also offers over $75 worth of added value, including credits and free trial offers for services like Pandora, Sling TV, and VUDU. The digital media player will soon become available at Walmart stores nationwide.
Source: Xiaomi