Xiaomi is often called the “Apple of China” because of the similar style that the two have, not to mention how Xiaomi blatantly rips of many of Apple’s products. However, Xiaomi does have a much more diverse line of products than Apple does, including smart televisions and now even an entry-level action camera. The camera, known as the Yi Action Camera, is a direct competitor to the GoPro Hero and is much cheaper.
Xiaomi is back with another reminder that it doesn’t just make phones. (Despite dethroning Samsung as China’s top smartphone company in 2014.) Xiaomi’s latest device is a GoPro-like camera which, as we’ve come to expect, is selling for a fraction of its U.S. rival’s price. A GoPro Hero, the company’s entry-level camera, retails for around $130, but Xiaomi’s ‘Yi Action Camera’ is available for 399 CNY, that’s around $64. Standard caveat here: the device is limited to China, initially at least, where it can be bought via its Mi.com store using Xiaomi’s (usual) flash sale model. The device is being sold by Xiaomi, but it is from partner company Xiaoyi. Yi Action Camera (that’s the official English name for the product, Xiaomi told TechCrunch) records video at 1080p (60 frames per second) and includes a 16-megapixel camera that uses Sony’s highly rated Exmor R BSI CMOS image sensor. That’s superior on paper to the Hero, which records at 1080p30 or 720p60 and includes a five-megapixel camera.
