Xiaomi installs a phone-dispensing vending machine in India

Manu Kumar Jain, Xiaomi India’s managing director, announced a new way to buy devices from this OEM in the country. It is a vending machine, but one that offers phones and other devices rather than candy or beverages. The company calls it the "Mi Express Kiosk", and has set it up in the Manyata Technological Park Bengaluru.

The Mi Express Kiosk reportedly dispenses products from the POCO and Redmi brands, as well as from Xiaomi. It also has buttons for power banks, Bluetooth speakers, earphones, tripod selfie sticks and chargers. It accepts cash, credit cards and debit cards, as well as UPI (a rapid transfer method set up by the Indian banking system).

The Xiaomi executives present at this machine's unveiling hinted that this could be the first of many installed in locations around India. This launch was also tweeted by Jain, whereupon it was received warmly by the prolific leaker Ishan Agarwal. On the other hand, the tipster also pointed out that vending machines are not that common in the Mi Express Kiosk's new home.