(Pictured: Cherry MX Board 6.0)
Rumours suggesting that Xiaomi is planning to release a mechanical keyboard has been circulating on the Internet; especially among Chinese tech sites and Weibo. Interestingly, Xiaomi even wrote on its Weibo account that it “could make a 199 Chinese yuan (about RM115) mechanical keyboard.” However, this isn’t exactly a confirmation – far from it, in fact.
Xiaomi’s statement above was actually a reply to Cherry’s China division Weibo post. (Cherry is the manufacturer behind the famous MX switches found in many mechanical keyboards.) When rumours started surfacing that Xiaomi will be releasing a mechanical keyboard, here’s what Cherry posted on its Weibo account (loosely translated from Chinese by snowComet on Linus Tech Tips’ forum):
Xiaomi Mechanical Keyboard, the first mechanical keyboard for youngsters. It use the world-leading Mi-Switch, has operating life of 100 million cycles. Top model is only 199 Yuan.
Things get even more hilarious when Xiaomi replied with the following statement: “yes, If Cherry sold us those switches with cost price. Without channel profit, we could make a 199 yuan mechanical keyboard.” Cherry China seemed taken aback by this statement when it replied “Xiaomi is really going to do it( making mechanical keyboard)!?”
After rumoured prices of the alleged Xiaomi mechanical keyboard start circulating on Weibo, Cherry China continued the charade but finally confessed in the end: “With MIUI, you can connect the keyboard with other gadgets like smartphones, tablets, TV, smart home appliances. The last component in Xiaomi’s ecosystem, smart mechanical keyboard, Top model with RGB is only 149 yuan. Ok, I can’t continue making stuff up like this…”
Basically, this is just a playful exchange of comments between Xiaomi and Cherry China. Chances are, this is nothing more than a rumour. However, that being said, we won’t be surprised if either company will approach the other and start a serious discussion.
(Source: Linus Tech Tips Forum)
