Xiaomi made its expected move into the Brazil market on Tuesday, announcing plans to sell its affordable Redmi 2 smartphone for 499 Brazilian reals ($161).
Xiaomi Continues International Push, Starts Selling $160 Redmi 2 Phone in Brazil
To avoid import taxes, Xiaomi is working with Foxconn to have the devices built in Brazil.
Asa Mathat for Re/code
Hugo Barra, the former Google executive in charge of Xiaomi’s international moves, announced the entry at an event in São Paulo.
“I am thrilled to finally introduce Xiaomi’s amazing products to my hometown, Brazil,” he said. “We already had a very engaged community of Mi fans in Brazil before our launch today, and many of them have been eagerly looking forward to getting their hands on our products. I strongly believe that Redmi 2 will be a game changer in the Brazilian market, offering consumers a quality option never seen before in this price category.”
To avoid hefty taxes placed on foreign imports, Xiaomi is working with Foxconn to have the devices built in Brazil, with additional products coming soon.
Brazil is as close as Xiaomi’s phones have gotten to the U.S. market.
At the Code Conference last month, Barra said that selling phones here is part of the company’s long-term ambitions, but said there is no time frame for that move. The company has started selling accessories here.
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.
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