POCO, a smartphone brand that emerged from Chinese tech giant Xiaomi in 2018, has carved out a niche by offering inexpensive high-performance devices, catering to tech-savvy young adults.
Our team recently conducted an online interview with Angus Ng, Head of Product Marketing at POCO Global, to discuss the brand’s rapid rise in the mid-range market and its unique positioning within a highly competitive smartphone market.
Next month, POCO will unveil its latest X7 series of smartphones. To help readers better understand the brand, here are insights Angus shared during our interview, highlighting the strategies and innovations that have driven POCO’s growth.
Q: What is POCO’s unique brand positioning as a sub-brand of Xiaomi, and how does it differentiate itself from Xiaomi’s other product lines to attract a specific consumer group?
Angus: POCO, an independent brand of Xiaomi since 2018, operates mainly online, offering devices at competitive prices through direct-to-consumer e-commerce channels. The brand has rapidly expanded and now serves over 98 global markets. POCO’s target audience includes tech-savvy men aged 18-30 who are passionate about innovation. These tech enthusiasts prioritize advanced specifications and cutting-edge features and are strongly interested in gaming.
Q: What product lines does POCO currently offer, and what are the unique design or feature characteristics of these products?
Angus: With its philosophy of “Everything you need, nothing you don’t,” POCO strives to become the world’s most trusted smartphone tech curator, creating innovations that resonate with users in today’s crowded digital space.
Our smartphone lines include:
F Series: Flagship, equipped with industry-leading technology.
X Series: Quasi-flagship, designed to bring flagship-level experiences with great value and make flagship-level experiences accessible to more users.
M Series: Entry-level, focuses on delivering best-in-class entertainment.
C Series: Entry-level, tailored to meet users’ everyday needs.
In the field of AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things), POCO has been active since 2022. Our goal with AIoT products is to ensure they are closely related to our smartphones. For this reason, we led with tablets, earphones, and smartwatches.
POCO Pad: In May 2024, POCO launched the POCO Pad with Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 platform，120Hz 12.1-inch LCD，10000mAh battery, and 33W charging, suitable for daily use.
POCO Buds Pro: In 2022, POCO launched POCO Buds Pro x Genshin Impact special edition.
Q: What technological innovations has POCO made?
Angus: POCO has always focused on integrating the best technology into its devices. One of the most innovative features that has made a big difference in POCO’s strongest attribute, performance, is in-house game tuning software called WildBoost Optimizations. This pushes performance to the next level, maximizing users’ hardware potential. As a result, our devices outperform their price segment with ease.
Q: How is POCO performing in global markets?
Angus: 2025 marks POCO’s 7th anniversary, during which the brand has achieved over 74 million smartphone shipments globally.
Q: How has POCO structured its sales channels in India and Southeast Asia, and what effective marketing strategies has it used to increase brand awareness and sales?
Angus: POCO has always focused on e-commerce platforms, enabling the brand to prioritize digital advertising over traditional retail channels and offline ads. The brand’s social media portfolio has over 10 million fans on Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, among others. Our strategy focuses on online engagement, directly reflecting the prices of our devices and our strong relationship with partners Flipkart, Lazada, and Shopee.
Q: How does POCO collect and handle user feedback, and how does it influence product upgrades?
Angus: After every product launch, the POCO team conducts an after-sales survey for new users to collect feedback and ultimately improve future devices. Although not all feedback is reflected immediately, we focus on the ones that are requested by our users and fans the most. For example, we have considered removing the 2MP macro camera on every single smartphone, but sometimes, due to how the device was built and its cost, it doesn’t happen.
Q: As a sub-brand of Xiaomi, what resources does POCO share in terms of research and development, production, and sales?
Angus: POCO shares resources with Xiaomi, but operates independently in marketing, sales channels, and operations. As a smaller brand, POCO benefits from Xiaomi’s larger infrastructure, making quality control and access to innovative technology more efficient. This partnership helps POCO compete with bigger brands like Samsung and Apple.
Q: What are POCO’s future development plans, including product line expansion, technological innovations, and market expansion?
Angus: Some of POCO’s future development plans are:
- Expanding e-commerce channels
POCO plans to collaborate with more major e-commerce platforms to bring innovative technology experiences to an even wider global audience.
- Communicating with young users through social media
With over 50 regional social media accounts across platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and X, POCO has built a vibrant tech community for young users, engaging with 13 million followers. The brand will continue to explore their needs through platforms they love.
- Reaching diverse groups through brand collaborations
POCO has partnered with popular gaming titles like Genshin Impact, PUBG, League of Legends, and Aura Esport to connect with gamers. The POCO X7 Series will feature a special edition for comedy fans.
Q: POCO has announced that it will shut down its global website on December 31, 2024, and transfer user data to Xiaomi’s official website. What are the reasons behind this decision and the arrangements for this transition?
Angus: The management of POCO and Xiaomi want to keep their relationship close and share more resources as one group. Mi.com has become a global hub where new and exciting devices are showcased. As part of the Mi.com website, we hope POCO can strengthen its brand presence further and expose its unique products to a broader global audience.
For fans and users who have held coupons or POCO points in their accounts since creation, existing user account information and coupons will be transferred to Mi.com upon completion of the merge. For detailed account information, please refer to the official website announcement.
The above text has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
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