In a significant move for the Indian smartphone market, Xiaomi has announced that it will phase out its GetApps store and replace it with the Indus Appstore, powered by PhonePe. The transition is set to take effect from January 2025, impacting all Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco devices sold in India.
Xiaomi’s GetApps to Be Discontinued in India
GetApps, often criticized for its aggressive advertising and system bloat, has been a point of contention among Xiaomi users. The shift to the Indus Appstore is seen as a strategic move by Xiaomi to enhance user experience and comply with evolving regulatory norms.
The Indus Appstore, launched earlier this year, is an Android-based app marketplace that aims to offer a more localized and user-friendly experience for Indian consumers. It will provide access to a wide range of apps and games, including popular titles and regional offerings. Currently, it has more than over 200,000 apps and games across 45 categories.
It supports 12 Indian languages as well. PhonePe’s integration with the app store will enable seamless payments and other digital services. The transition will be seamless for users as it will occur through system updates. GetApps will no longer be preloaded or supported on any Xiaomi devices in India, whether new or existing.
While the transition to the Indus Appstore is expected to bring several benefits, including a cleaner user interface and potentially fewer ads, some users may have concerns about the potential for data privacy issues and the overall performance of the new app store. It remains to be seen how well the Indus Appstore will perform in comparison to the Google Play Store, which is the dominant app store in India.
Xiaomi plans to launch a variety of smartphones in India in 2025, covering flagship to budget segments. The Xiaomi 15 series, including the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, is expected by March, while the Redmi Note 14 series is set for early 2025. Budget options like the Redmi A4 and Redmi 14 are also anticipated to cater to entry-level buyers. Rumors hint at a Xiaomi 15 Civi launch mid-year.
As Xiaomi continues to expand its presence in the Indian market, this strategic partnership with PhonePe is a significant step towards strengthening its position and meeting the evolving needs of its customers.
(Source)
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