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India Cuts Import Tax on Key Smartphone Components, Boosting Apple and Xiaomi

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India has eliminated import duties on certain key components used in mobile phone production, as announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the annual budget on Saturday. This move is expected to support local manufacturing efforts and benefit companies like Apple and Xiaomi. The electronics sector in India has seen significant growth, with production doubling in the last six years to reach $115 billion in 2024, making the country the second-largest mobile phone manufacturer globally.

Apple leads the Indian smartphone market, with a 23% share in total revenue for 2024, closely followed by Samsung at 22%, according to Counterpoint research. The components affected by the import tax cuts include items crucial for phone assembly, such as printed circuit board assembly, parts of camera modules, and USB cables, which were previously taxed at 2.5%.

These reductions are part of India’s strategy to strengthen its position in global supply chains amid challenges like U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and the shifting dynamics of U.S.-China trade tensions. India’s decision to lower tariffs comes as a response to warnings from the IT ministry, which noted that without these cuts, the country risked falling behind China and Vietnam in the smartphone export race. The changes aim to make India’s customs duty structure simpler and more trade-friendly, addressing issues like inverted duty structures that hinder efficient local production.

 

Xiaomi Launches WinPlay Engine to Bring Windows PC Games to Android Devices

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Xiaomi Unveils WinPlay Engine for Running Windows Games on Android Tablets

Xiaomi is testing an exciting new feature that could change the way users experience gaming on Android tablets. The company recently teased its WinPlay Engine, a system designed to bring Windows PC games to its tablets with minimal performance loss. The WinPlay Engine is still under development but is expected to enable users to play popular Windows games on their Xiaomi devices, including those available on Steam, the world’s largest digital distribution platform for PC games. Xiaomi aims to provide a seamless gaming experience without sacrificing too much GPU performance, with the system reportedly causing only a 2.9% loss in GPU performance during gameplay.

Testing the WinPlay System on the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4

At the heart of this testing is the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro 12.4, a high-performance Android tablet powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. The tablet features up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of UFS 4.0 storage, making it well-suited for demanding tasks like gaming. Xiaomi has shared details of the engine’s performance on Weibo, a popular Chinese social media platform, showcasing the potential of running PC games on the tablet with the WinPlay Engine. The company is currently recruiting volunteer testers in China to try out the system and provide feedback, though the program is limited to owners of the Xiaomi Pad 6S Pro for now.

HyperCore: The Technology Behind WinPlay

The WinPlay Engine is powered by HyperCore, Xiaomi’s self-developed kernel technology platform. This underlying technology is designed to optimize various aspects of performance, including graphics, network connectivity, and security. HyperCore was first introduced with HyperOS 2, an Android 15-based operating system launched by Xiaomi in October. With its focus on improving system efficiency and handling high-performance tasks, HyperCore plays a crucial role in making Windows gaming on Android tablets a reality.

Future of Windows Gaming on Android Tablets

If the testing phase proves successful, Xiaomi could revolutionize the Android tablet gaming experience by enabling access to a vast library of Windows PC games. This integration would open new possibilities for users who want to enjoy high-quality games on their mobile devices without the need for a full-fledged PC setup. With Xiaomi’s continued focus on performance optimization and innovative technology, WinPlay could be a game-changer for Android tablets, bringing the worlds of mobile and PC gaming closer together.

Apple Leads Global Smartphone Shipments in Q4 2024, According to Canalys Report

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Global smartphone shipments saw a 3 percent year-on-year increase for the October-December (Q4) period in 2024, marking the fifth consecutive quarter of growth. According to Canalys, the growth was driven by strong demand for the newly launched iPhone 16 series, helping Apple secure the top spot in the global smartphone market with a 23 percent market share. Samsung followed closely in second place, while Chinese brands Xiaomi, Transsion Group, and Vivo rounded out the top five. Notably, Xiaomi stood out as the only brand among the top three to experience year-on-year growth.

The Canalys report revealed that total smartphone shipments reached 330 million units in Q4 2024, contributing to a global shipment total of 1.22 billion units for the entire year. This represents a 7 percent increase compared to the previous year, indicating a recovery in the global smartphone market. While the overall growth is encouraging, it is also indicative of a competitive landscape where brands are vying for dominance in an ever-changing market.

Apple’s performance in Q4 2024 solidified its position as the leader in smartphone shipments, with the iPhone 16 series continuing to capture consumer interest, particularly in emerging markets like India and Southeast Asia. Despite a slight dip from its 24 percent market share in Q3 2023, Apple’s strong sales performance in these regions allowed it to maintain its edge over Samsung for the second consecutive year.

Samsung’s position in second place was challenged by the increasing strength of Chinese brands, with Xiaomi and Transsion Group showing significant activity in global markets. However, Xiaomi was the only one of the top three brands to report year-on-year growth in Q4 2024, highlighting its continued success in regions like Europe and India. As the smartphone industry continues to grow, the competition between these major players remains fierce, with each brand seeking to expand its footprint in key markets around the world.