It is not yet clear whether Xiaomi has been quietly rolling out its Mi Android TV box because the gadget was recently spotted by a customer in Walmart shelves, selling for $69 apiece.
The slight confusion could be because Xiaomi currently includes the Mi Box in its list of coming soon devices. Whatever the case is, consumers should be delighted because of the low price point.
The indicated pricing has confirmed the speculation during the Mi Box's announcement that it will hit the market with a price lower than $100. Observers consider this as a steal, given the technology that will come with the purchase.
The photo and video of the Walmart's Mi Box were taken by Twitter user George Garett, who naturally posted his find in the popular micro-blogging website. He also promptly published the video in his YouTube account.
@jasonhowell @androidshow @Ohthatflo @ronxo saw this Mi Box at Walmart today for $69. Was this released yet? pic.twitter.com/AsuNZeU5oJ
— George Garrett (@garrettdotcom) September 23, 2016
The Mi Box is powered by Android TV 6.0 and is capable of 4K streaming at 60 frames per second. It also supports HDR10 and HDMI 2.0a and features a USB port for up to 8 GB of expandable storage. The accompanying remote has Bluetooth voice functionality, while an optional Mi Game Controller will also be available soon.
Tech Times has previously reported that Xiaomi has outfitted Mi Box with a quad-core ARM Processor, Mali 450 GPU and 2 GB of RAM. The device is compatible with both Android and iOS devices, and this feature allows it to have Google Cast, which enables users to beam their smartphone content on TV.
Mi Box also supports apps such as Netflix, Sling TV, VUDU and Hulu, among others. It can also recommend videos based on the user's YouTube and Google Play preferences.
Now there are quarters who suggest that the Mi Box's Walmart appearance may have been a mistake. This is supported by the previously cited point that the official position is that the device is merely listed as upcoming.
Nevertheless, whether it is all a warehouse mix-up at Walmart or not, it purportedly indicates that the Mi Box's public release is looming.
In the meantime, observers cite that now is probably the best time to shop at your local Walmart store if you are one of those who want to get their hands on the Xiaomi streaming device first. The reason for this is that it could still get pulled out of store shelves once it is determined that there is really an inventory error.
