Xiaomi phones across the the Middle East will now come preloaded with the talabat delivery app as part of a drive by the firms to increase user engagement.
The Internet Business Department of Xiaomi said in a statement that the partnership will span four markets across the region – United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt and Iraq.
It comes as Xiaomi, a consumer electronics and smart manufacturing company, this week, reported a 10.9% rise in fourth-quarter revenue boosted by an improvement in overall smartphone shipments in the second half of 2023. According to Reuters, Xiaomi’s fourth-quarter global smartphone shipments were up 23% from a year earlier, a further sign of recovery after a long period of sluggishness for the market. In total, 40.7 million handsets were shipped, ranking it third globally with a market share of 13%.
Speaking on the new deal, Mr George Zhang, Head of Internet Business Department, SEA, Xiaomi said: “The launch of the Air Preload Solution in United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt and Iraq represents a strategic milestone for talabat and Xiaomi’s Internet Business Department as they continue to explore opportunities in other markets potentially after this phase.”
Parul Goel, Manager Marketing Partnerships at talabat, added “We’re continuously looking at ways to create engaging and relevant partnerships with industry leaders – collaborating with Xiaomi to pre-install the talabat app on Xiaomi mobile devices across the region proves our commitment to simplify the everyday life of customers in the region, by delivering food, groceries and more to their doorstep.”
