Smart home
A 40-Minute Orbital Exclusive With Realme’s Madhav Sheth
On this week’s episode of Gadgets 360 podcast Orbital host Akhil Arora and Reviews Editor Jamshed Avari speak with Madhav Sheth, Vice President of Realme and Chief Executive Officer of Realme India, Europe, and Latin America, who takes us behind the scenes at Realme.
Sheth says that with the arrival of the Realme GT series, the company has departed its earlier Realme X family. The new series is, however, claimed to be built on the legacy of the Realme X lineup and is aimed to deliver a flagship-like experience at compelling price points.
Realme GT Review: An All-Rounder at the Right Price
“You will see very soon a lot of GT products coming in the portfolio from Realme,” Sheth says. He also indicates that the company is planning to bring new Realme GT phones next year with 125W fast charging support.
Unlike its other series, Realme is aiming to deliver a full-fledged, all-round experience through the Realme GT series, the executive tells us during the conversation.
“You do not pay the price for logos, you pay the price for the technology. And I think if you are paying for the price of the technology, you should feel it. And that’s what GT is all going to be about,” he mentions.
Realme GT series expanded with the addition of the Realme GT Neo 2 on Wednesday. The new Realme phone comes with features including a 120Hz display and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 SoC to compete against models such as the Samsung Galaxy M52 5G, Mi 11X 5G, and Poco F3 GT.
The Realme GT Neo 2 also comes with 5G connectivity and 65W fast charging. It is the third model in the Realme GT series after the Realme GT 5G and Realme GT Master Edition that is going on sale in India. Realme GT Neo 2 price in India starts at Rs. 31,999 for the base 8GB RAM + 128GB storage variant and goes up to Rs. 35,999 for the 12GB + 256GB model.
Realme GT Neo 2 First Impressions: This One’s for the Gamer
Alongside the Realme GT series, Sheth talks about Realme’s ongoing research and development in India. He also touches upon the existing ‘Make in India’ move by manufacturers like Realme to localise their production in the country.
“Where India is at this point of time is all about assembly and the semi-manufacturing,” he says, adding that he is optimistic on seeing the country moving towards the direction of reaching complete local production over time.
Sheth also highlights the growth Realme achieved so far in the ongoing festive season sales. He says that the company managed to generate Rs. 3,500 crores of sales during the sale and became number one brand on Flipkart across product categories including smartphones, laptops, and audio and ANC (active noise cancellation).
Alongside online sales, Realme is planning to grow its offline presence in the country. Sheth says that there are plans to have 1,000 offline stores next year where it would showcase its entire ecosystem of products to consumers.
We also ask Sheth on how Realme is differentiating the experience while launching multiple products on a regular basis. He says that the aim of hosting a number of product launches is to grow the community.
“It’s not about whether we are launching so many products at the same time or where people are getting confused, but they are all different categories of products. We are giving more choices to the users. We are getting more options for the users to select from what their current portfolio is all about in the market,” he says.
Realme GT Neo 2T Colour Options Teased, Tipped to Be Launched in India Soon
Later, the Realme India chief also talks about why we’re seeing 5G phones all around despite the fact that telecom networks are yet to roll out their next-generation cellular services.
You can listen to our complete wide-ranging 40-minute conversation with Sheth by hitting the play button on the embedded player above.
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During the briefing, I got a chance to check out the 65-inch variant of the X Pro QLED TV. Its design remains the same as before. It still features the same skinny metal bezel that surrounds the massive display. Apart from the 43-inch and 55-inch options, I was told that the TV will also be launched in a smaller 32-inch variant. The smaller display means that it will be offered at an even lower price point, which will make the QLED TV more accessible than it already is.
The design of the 2025 models are similar to the previous one
Photo Credit: Xiaomi
There’s a new remote. It has rounded sides, which makes it more comfortable to hold. It is also a lot taller than the previous one. Xiaomi has added a number pad to it and gets new RGYB buttons at the bottom.
The TV’s slim design is now accompanied by better-sounding, built-in box speakers. Xiaomi has considered feedback on the previous series and enhanced the TV’s audio delivery. The brand claims that these deliver better sound compared to the previous models, but in terms of wattage, the 43-inch model remains the same as before, which is 30W on paper. The 55-inch and 65-inch models get a slight boost at 34W.
The audio quality was sufficiently loud, clear, and immersive during my short experiential session. Indeed, it seemed as if it did not need an optional sound bar. But again, I was listening to and viewing a movie in a very controlled, studio-like environment.
The panels have changed… well, kind of. The displays that generally operate at 60Hz can now, thanks to DLG technology (Dual line gate), double their refresh rate when required. Xiaomi claims it is useful when watching sports (with enhanced motion) or when connected to a console to play games that support high refresh rates. Xiaomi offers 4K 120Hz panels on all three models. However, do keep in mind that DLG does reduce the resolution of the panel when aiming to deliver a faster frame-rate.
The new remote gets a number pad among other add-ons
Photo Credit: Xiaomi
The main attraction of Xiaomi’s X Pro QLED series this year is the Filmmaker Mode or FMM. Xiaomi claims that it is supposed to show any content (except for gaming content) from any source (Blu-ray discs, streaming, or broadcast) the way it was intended by the filmmaker. FMM also corrects the aspect ratios and frame rates, preventing any artificial enhancements from ruining the movie.
While it sounds fancy, it is basically a picture mode which turns off all the unnecessary alterations like frame insertion (motion-enhancing MEMC), sharpening or colour boosting that happens in the standard or other picture modes provided by the TV. The result is content that appears natural and untouched, as it was intended to appear whether you are watching standard definition content or HDR content. The mode can be activated either manually (in picture settings) or is automatically triggered by the metadata in the content being viewed.
During my short demo, the Dolby Vision Filmmaker mode in the new X Pro series did make the colours appear natural in this mode, with lesser sharpening and the motion enhancing (or motion interpolation) turned off.
In terms of software, Xiaomi’s PatchWall continues to exist. PatchWall and the underlying Android TV worked as intended during the demo. However, smart TVs (especially the affordable ones) are known to lag once they begin to age. With no hardware upgrades compared to the previous models, I am a bit sceptical about how well the new X Pro will age.
The port selection too remains the same as on previous models
Photo Credit: Xiaomi
The Smart TV experience is powered by a quad-core Cortex A55 CPU and a Mali G52 GPU. There’s 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, all of which is identical to what you get on the previous model. The port selection also remains the same as before. There are two USB 2.0 ports, one ethernet port, an AV port, three HDMI ports (one with eARC), an earphone jack and a port for the antenna.
We will be testing out the Xiaomi X Pro QLED series thoroughly in our review. With price tags starting from as low as Rs. 31,999 these TVs, given their QLED panels, do seem feature-packed but do check out our detailed review before you take the leap.
Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro Series Price in India, Availability
Price of the Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro smart TV series starts at Rs. 31,999 for the base model with a 43-inch screen. The 55-inch variant is priced at Rs. 44,999, while the 65-inch version is priced at Rs. 64,999. The new series will go on sale starting April 16 through Flipkart, Mi.com, and Xiaomi retail stores.
During the launch event, the brand also confirmed that a new Xiaomi QLED TV A Pro 32-inch variant will be available in May. Pricing details for the 32-inch TV will be revealed at a later date.
Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro Specifications
The Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro series is offered in 43-inch, 55-inch, and 65-inch displays with 4K (2,160×3,840 pixels) resolution and a 178-degree viewing angle. The display supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and offer up to 120Hz refresh rate. They use Xiaomi’s propriety Vivid Picture Engine 2 technology and DLG (Dual Line Gate) technology.
The 43-inch model has a 30W speaker unit, whereas the 55-inch and 65-inch variants have a speaker unit with 34W audio output. They support Xiaomi Sound, Dolby Audio, DTS:X and DTS Virtual: X technology. The Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro models run on Quad Core A55 chip alongside Mali-G52 MC1 GPU. They pack 2GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. They come with a MagiQ feature that is claimed to deliver vibrant, true-to-life colours. Xiaomi has also included a Filmmaker mode.
Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro series runs on Google TV with Xiaomi’s own Patchwall UI. The series has Bluetooth and dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity. All three models feature Xiaomi TV+, a platform that provides free access to live channels. They support Apple AirPlay 2, and there is inbuilt Google Chromecast and Miracast. They have an inbuilt Google Voice Assistant that lets users navigate the TV with voice commands. They offer a Kids Mode feature with a parental lock.
The new Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro series ships with a remote with a numerical keypad. It has features such as Quick Wake and Quick Settings. The TVs include three HDMI ports with support for eARC, two USB 2.0 ports, an Ethernet port, an AV connector, Antenna input, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The 65-inch variant measures 1445 x75 x833, while the 55-inch and 45-inch models measure 1226 x76 x711mm and 57x72x563mm (without stand), respectively.
Air India Integrates Apple AirTag
If the baggage containing the AirTag does not arrive at the destination, guests can report it at Air India’s Baggage Counter at the airport, as per the airline. The staff will assist them in filing a Property Irregularity Report (PIR). They will then be required to generate the Share Item Location link in the Find My app on their Apple device such as an iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and share the location link with the airline along with the PIR number via Air India’s mobile app or website. This can be done in two ways:
- Air India Mobile App – On the mobile app, guests are required to navigate to the ‘Customer Support Portal’ on the app and choose ‘Baggage’. Then, select ‘Lost and Found Check-in Baggage’ and provide the AirTag link there.
- Air India Website – Visit the ‘Lost and Found Check-in Baggage’ in the Customer Support Portal page and provide the ‘Share Item Location’ link for their Apple AirTag along with PIR number.
Following the submission of the required information, guests will receive an acknowledgment email from the airline with a link to check baggage status. Air India’s authorised teams will use the shared AirTag link to locate the baggage if it is still within airport premises. The feature requires an Apple device running on iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, or macOS 15.2 or later.
Air India says this feature builds upon other baggage tracking facilities it offers to guests. They can source real-time information available from airports. Customers can add their flight to the My Trips section on the Air India app and be automatically informed once the bags are checked in. They may also scan the barcode on their baggage receipts to initiate tracking.
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