Xiaomi India has announced that POCO will function as an independent brand going ahead into 2020. Global VP and India MD, Manu Kumar Jain shared this news on Twitter, stating that while POCO was their sub-brand, it's popularity and positive response to POCO F1 led them to this decision.
"What started as a sub-brand in POCO has grown into its own identity in a short span of time. POCO F1 is an extremely popular phone across user groups and remains a top contender in its category even in 2020. We feel the time is right to let POCO operate on its own now, which is why we’re excited to announce that POCO will spin-off as an independent brand. Join me in wishing the POCO team the best!” Jain says in a media release.
Excited to share: #POCO will now be an independent brand!What started as a sub-brand within Xiaomi, has grown into its own identity. POCO F1 was an incredibly popular phone. We feel the time is right to let POCO operate on its own.Join me in wishing @IndiaPOCO all the best.January 17, 2020
POCO will now function as a separate legal identity independent of Xiaomi with a new team and market strategy. With this announcement, POCO F1 has seemingly disappeared from the Mi India store. A website Poco.in has popped up with a listing page for POCO F1.
In the about section of the website, the company's mission reads: "We deliver the best innovations that truly matter to all". Scrolling down to the Team section, it's stated that there are eight smartphone enthusiasts in the team with "professional backgrounds ranging from products to marketing to software development."
"All of us had ample experiences in the smartphone industry, working for Xiaomi and OnePlus in the past few years. Couple of us have even started companies in the past," it reads. The text accompanies a silhouette image of eight people but it's unconfirmed who these team members are. Do note, it could also be a generic image.
POCO debuted with the POCO F1 on August 22, 2018, and was the world's most affordable phone to be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845. It had flagship-grade features for its time with a combination of great features and a low price tag. The phone garnered immense praise from across the world with both reviewers and users calling it a great value for money phone. Its 2020 and the POCO F1 still sells, according to Jain.
In 2019, the brand didn't announce a sequel to the POCO F1 and the excitement grew out of bounds. The rumour mill started churning out leaks and tidbits but Xiaomi never spoke officially until now.
Elsewhere on a YouTube Channel, Jain says that Xiaomi took "some time" to understand how to go forward with POCO which is why it kept mum on the whole "when is POCO F2 coming" bandwagon.
