Xiaomi releases mini AI Speaker with the Mi Mix 2S on March 27th

As already known, Chinese technology giant Xiaomi will release the Mi Mix 2S smartphone on March 27. While the first advertising posters were already available for the new smartphone, another technical device was kept in the dark: We were already able to test the big Mi AI speaker, which was released in mid 2017, now a compact mini version of the smart speaker will be released.

The budget version of the Mi AI Speaker

Visually, the mini-speaker is more like a new edition of the Xiaomi rice cooker, but the pictures taken via Weibo (China’s Twitter) show that there are controls on the top that can only be traced back to a speaker. Four buttons can be found on the speaker, which can also be found on other speakers due to their functionality: Two buttons control the volume, two others allow you to select Play/Pause and change the song.

In addition to playing music, the Xiaomi mini AI speaker should also include radio-on-demand, audio books and voice control. Further functions are not yet known, but will follow with the release. Although it is not yet certain, the speaker is most likely to join Xiaomi’s SmartHome range. As with the predecessor, the speaker will be able to control the Yeelight bulbs, ceiling lights or smart LED strips, for example.

The biggest problem with its predecessor was the Chinese language and lack of compatibility with the western market.

An enrichment for the SmartHome?

The features of the mini version of the first Xiaomi AI speaker will be very similar to those of the first model. Here you can draw a comparison between Amazons Echo and the smaller Echo Dot, which only differ in sound quality and design. What the exact similarities and differences are is not yet known and will become apparent with the publication on 27 March. It is of course important for us here whether Xiaomi also designs the device for the western market.

If Xiaomi’s now many SmartHome devices can be controlled with the Xiaomi mini AI speaker, the Chinese manufacturer is once again bringing an interesting competitor product to Amazon’s Alexa, Google Home and Apple’s HomePod. The speaker is expected to cost 199 yuan ($31), its predecessor came onto the market in 2017 at a price of 299 yuan ($45).

What do you think? If the speaker is also produced for the western market, is it exciting for you?