Redmi fans, brace yourself for some unpleasant news. The Redmi 6 price has been hiked in India.
The phone was launched for Rs. 7,999 (3GB RAM + 32GB) has a new price tag of Rs. 8,499 after a Rs, 500 price increase.
The Redmi 6A which has been selling for Rs. 5,999 for the 2GB RAM + 16GB variant, will now retail for Rs. 600 more at Rs. 6,599. Likewise the 32GB storage variant will retail for Rs. 7,499, after a Rs. 500 price hike from Rs. 6,999.
That’s not all. The Mi LED TV 4C Pro 32 has also been affected by a price hike of Rs. 1,000, and will now be available for Rs. 15,999. The Mi LED TV 4A Pro 49 has gotten a price increase of Rs. 2,000, and will retail for Rs. 31,999.
Even the 10000mAh Mi Power Bank 2i Black has been impacted by the price hike of Rs. 100, which makes its new price Rs. 899.
Redmi 6 price hiked in India: Xiaomi’s explanation
Xiaomi India is blaming the Redmi 6 price hike on the Rupee, which has depreciated against US$ by about 15% since the start of the year. The company says this has increased its input costs.
Is the Redmi 6 price hike justifiable?
Xiaomi boasts that it sells millions of phones during major sale events. If those numbers are true, the company should not be suffering from any significant losses. Add to this, the fact that Xiaomi has factories in the Country, as part of the Make in India program, to manufacture/assemble its devices locally.
Can these not factor in the company’s finances? Surely making the devices in India costs significantly less, than importing pre-assembled units for selling here.
Xiaomi India’s head, Manu Kumar Jain, has himself answered this very question. Xiaomi does not manufacture its phones completely in India. Only about 50% of the device’s components are made here, like the PCB.
So, do you think that Xiaomi is right by hiking the Redmi 6 price in India along with the other devices. Or do you think that it is unfair that the consumer has to bear the brunt of the company’s mistake of not manufacturing the device in the Country?