Even as OnePlus gets set to unveil the OnePlus 6T in India, Xiaomi has fired a broadside at it. And right near the venue where the 6T is to be launched, no less. People arriving near the venue have been surprised and/or amused to see a road sign comparing the Poco F1, Xiaomi’s own budget flagship device that many compared with the OnePlus 6 and will doubtless compare with the 6T too. Right above a sign marking entrances to venue with the OnePlus logo and the “Unlock the Speed” line that promotes the OnePlus 6T is a sign that reads: “Rs 20,999 < Rs 3_,999, Do the M+th. Poco F1.” (The price of the OnePlus 6T is not officially known, but is expected to be Rs 37,999, as per some sources) Ouch! It is one heck of a cheeky swipe, we have to concede and is reminiscent of some of the Coke vs Pepsi sign wars (Remember the “Coca-Cola, second floor” sign outside an office building beneath which Pepsi cheekily planted a “Pepsi Everywhere” sign?) and the days when Micromax squarely made fun of the iPhone!
Of course, there will be those who will say that the signs are actually a sign (pun intended) that Xiaomi is concerned about the popularity of OnePlus in India. There will also be those who will point out that Poco would be better off highlighting its own strengths instead of taking pot shots at a rival and thus, giving it attention. On the flip side, there is no doubt that such tactics do grab some eyeballs and when handled with wit, rather than antagonism, can even have a positive impact – a number of people did smile on seeing the sign. It is also a way of keeping a device on the users’ radar – something we think the likes of Honor could learn from. Whatever you think, what cannot be denied is the sheer entertainment value of such confrontations. Will this spur OnePlus to react? We don’t know really, but there is a smell of battle in the air already. (Note: Yes, yes, we are working on OnePlus 6T vs Poco F1!)
