Amidst Poco F2 launch rumours, Xiaomi drops a major ‘Poco’ announcement

If there's one thing for which Xiaomi has been in the news since past one year, it is for the next-gen Poco smartphone, dubbed as Poco F2. And considering the amount of leaks we have seen in the past few weeks, the anticipation is more than ever. As Poco F2 rumours pick pace, Xiaomi has dropped a major news for the Indian smartphone market. Announced by Xiaomi India chief Manu Kumar Jain, Poco is no longer a sub-brand of Xiaomi but an independent brand.

The brand that made a huge splash in India with the Poco F1 smartphone back in 2018 will now run as a separate brand. Details on who will head the firm and will Poco be still sharing Xiaomi's resources or not, are still a secret.

Rest assured, this move will give Poco more authority over its products as it will now have its own team and go to market strategy.

Also read: Xiaomi to launch new premium 'Mi' devices in India as it bets big on dual-brand strategy

"What started as a sub-brand in POCO has grown into its own identity in a short span of time. POCO F1 is an extremely popular phone across user groups, and remains a top contender in its category even in 2020. We feel the time is right to let POCO operate on its own now, which is why we're excited to announce that POCO will spin off as an independent brand. Join me in wishing the POCO team the best," said Jain in an official statement.

Also read: Xiaomi patents dual-sided display phones, pop-up camera with up to 7 sensors

This decision by Xiaomi comes right around the time when Poco F2 hype train has once again started gaining momentum. According to a recent leak by a tipster, Xiaomi has filed a trademark application for 'POCO F2', which does indicate that the device does exist and might be on its way.

We have seen a similar move made by Xiaomi's arch-rival Realme, which started off as a sub-brand of Oppo and now operates independently.