After leaving its mark in the smartphone space, Xiaomi is now betting bigger on the smart home segment.
The China-based company has unveiled a $150 smart rice cooker in Beijing in a move to capture domestic consumers. The revolutionary appliance is part of the Xiaomi Ecosystem, which invests in startups to develop a range of products, including smart air purifiers, intelligent TVs and other Internet of Things (IoT).
Called the Mi Induction Heating Pressure Rice Cooker, the product pairs with a smartphone and uses an app to enable various functions. For example, it can scan a rice package to identify its type and origin. Data will be uploaded to the cloud. Based on gathered data, the rice cooker will apply the most suitable heating method.
The product is said to recognize about 200 rice brands and support up to 2,450 heating techniques.
Xiaomi's decision to expand its line of smart appliances comes as no surprise. According to ABI Research, the smart home market is seen to double this year.
Several companies are already joining the bandwagon, including Sony and Samsung, who launched a smart home hub and an IoT-ready smart TV, respectively.
Xiaomi has already ventured in this market as manifested by its $200 million investment in Midea, a company that specializes in home appliances.
With the new rice cooker, Xiaomi wants to lure buyers looking for low-cost yet high-quality appliances. According to a report by Ars Technica, Xiaomi's goal is to make a rice cooker from China that will be able to compete against veteran brands in the segment, such as Toshiba.
Instead of buying from Japan, China's rival when it comes to consumer electronics, homeowners can now consider looking at their own backyard for quality appliances.
The rice cooker is marketed under the Mijia brand to differentiate itself from Mi, the brand that ships the company's smartphones. It will be available in China starting April 6.