Redmi is following its parent Xiaomi to launch its first true wireless earbud in India. Xiaomi launched Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 in India early this month. Now, the sub-brand is entering the fastest growing audio segment with the launch of Redmi Earbud S. According to Counterpoint Research, the true wireless earbuds segment posted 700 percent year-over-year growth in India last year. The top three brands contributed almost half of the total shipments in 2019; giving ample opportunity for Xiaomi and Redmi to disrupt the market.
Redmi Earbud S: Price in India, Features
The easiest way to understand the Redmi Earbud S is that it is a rebranded Redmi AirDots S, which was launched in China last month. With the rebranded name, Redmi will ensure there is no confusion with boAt Airdopes true wireless earbuds in the market. The Redmi Earbuds S is priced at Rs 1,799 in India and will be available via Amazon, Mi.com, Mi Home and Mi Studio. The first sale is set for May 27, 2020 at 12:00PM IST. With the budget price, Redmi is competing against the likes of brands like Noise, boAt, P-tron and others.
Xiaomi seems to be following a three-pronged strategy in India’s true wireless earbuds market. It started with Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 and has now added Redmi Earbud S as a budget offering. It will soon add Poco Pop Buds as the third offering targeting a different market vertical. With Redmi covering the base of the market, Xiaomi and Poco will cater to the higher end of the price spectrum. With the demand for true wireless earbuds in the sub-Rs 2,000 price segment growing, Redmi has a true shot at reaching a critical mass.
In terms of features, the Redmi Earbud S comes with automatic second connection, single and double use and a dedicated gaming mode. It supports Bluetooth 5.0 but lacks instant pairing. You will have to take the buds out of the case and manually pair via Bluetooth setting. In order to pair with a second device, you need to disconnect from the first, put the earbuds back in the charging case and pull them out again to start pairing. This might sound complicated but it is not in the real world.
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The Redmi Earbud S features 7.2mm driver and DSP noise reduction for better call experience. They are tuned towards bass and are set to cater to content consumed by a bulk of Indian consumers. The earbuds themselves are rated to last for four hours and you can get up to 12 hours with the charging case. The earbuds also have physical buttons to control music, calls and voice assistant. These earbuds are also IPX4 rated, making them splash proof and usable even at gym or during workout.