Mi Band 4 vs Honor Band 5 in India: Xiaomi's price tag can still change the game

Honor Band 5 gives tough competition to Mi Band 4 on paper and both the bands are just days or weeks away from making their way to the Indian market. But Xiaomi's aggressive pricing can still be a gamechanger, according to analysts. Even the older generation Honor Band 4 had more features than Mi Band 3 but Xiaomi's offering gained an edge in the price-sensitive Indian market.

Honor Band 5 features a bigger display compared to Mi Band 4, although both have colored AMOLED displays. Honor's biggest USP over the fourth generation of Mi Band is blood oxygen detection.

Mi Band 4, however, has a bigger battery compared to Honor Band 5. Aesthetics of the Xiaomi's fitness band also seem more appealing to many people but that's a personal choice in the end.

Pricing is where the game can change. Honor Band 4 was launched last year in India at Rs 2,599 with a color display and a ton of other features but Mi Band 3 outperformed it even with a smaller, black and white display. The reason was price, Mi Band 3 was priced at Rs 1,999 and in the Indian market that is a very important factor.

Facing tough competition from Honor and even Samsung's Fit E Band which is available at Rs 2,490, Xiaomi might price the band between Rs 1,800 to Rs 2,200 while Honor Band 5 is expected to be priced between Rs 2,400 to Rs 2,700, which can be 20-30 percent pricier than Mi Band 4.