October DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsPC HealthRecommendedCrashes, freezes, slowdowns? Check your PC nowSpot repairable issues before they interrupt work.Check PCOctober DealsAmazon USDeal season is back - check today's better picksAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.See Picks×
Skip to content
Beijing desk3 min

POCO’s Origins: How Xiaomi’s Performance Brand Began

POCO started in 2018 with the POCO F1 in India. Here’s how Xiaomi positioned the brand, what POCO says about its independence, and where its global sites moved.
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

POCO began in 2018 as a Xiaomi smartphone brand aimed at technology enthusiasts. Its first phone, the POCO F1, launched in India on August 22, 2018. POCO later described itself as independent in product, sales, and marketing while sharing Xiaomi’s manufacturing and after-sales resources—a distinction that explains the brand’s identity without implying a fully separate company.

What is POCO?

POCO is a smartphone brand launched by Xiaomi Corporation in 2018. Xiaomi described the launch as a response to technology enthusiasts’ preference for high smartphone performance. In its 2018 annual report, Xiaomi placed POCO within a broader multi-brand strategy designed to serve different groups of users.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

POCO’s stated brand line is “Everything you need, nothing you don’t.” The focus on performance for enthusiasts was present from the start, rather than a label applied only to later phones.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Xiaomi Corporation’s 2018 third-quarter report describes the launch and dates the first POCO smartphone’s India release. The 2018 annual report explains the multi-brand strategy.

#1 Best Overall
XIAOMI Poco X8 PRO 5G Ai (Compatible with Tmobile Mint Tello & Global) (256GB + 8GB) 6.59" 50MP Gamers Phone NFC Dual sim Unlocked Model 2511FPC34G Liberado (Black)
  • USA MARKET ONLY WORK ON TMOBILE MINT TELLO OR ANY UNDER TMOBILE NETWORK PHONE NEEDS A SIM CARD ALREADY ACTIVATED ,OUTSIDE USA WORKS ANY GSM CARRIER SIM GSM FCC ID: 2AFZZPC0AG
  • Dual sim (NO MICRO SD) 5G: 5G SA: n1/2/3/5/7/8/20/26/28/38/40/41/66*(70M)/71/77/78/485G NSA: n1/3/5/7/8/20/28/38/40/41/66*(70M)/71/77/784G LTE TDD: B38/40/41/42/484G LTE FDD: B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/18/19/20/26/28/66*(70M)/713G WCDMA: 1/2/4/5/6/8/192G GSM: 2/3/5/8Supports 4x4 MIMO*5G SA/NSA N66(70M) and 4G B66(70M): UL 1710MHz~1780MHz, DL 2110MHz~2180MHz*5G connectivity may vary based on region availability and local operator support.
  • 6.59" 1.5K 120Hz ultra-bright AMOLED displayResolution: 2756*1268Contrast ratio: 8,000,000:1Refresh rate: Up to 120Hz*Refresh rate can be adjusted to up to 120Hz for supported apps.Peak brightness: 3500 nits covering 25% display areaHBM brightness: 2000 nitsTypical brightness: 800 nitsTouch sampling rate: Up to 480HzInstant touch sampling rate: 2560Hz*2560Hz instant touch sampling rate is activated under Game Turbo Mode.12-bit color depth, 68 billion colorsDCI-P3 wide color gamut3840Hz PWM dimmingOriginal color PROPro HDR displayWet Touch display 2.0HDR10+TCertifiedTÜV Rheinland Flicker Free CertifiedTÜV Rheinland Circadian Friendly CertifiedDolby VisionCorning Gorilla Glass 7i
  • Dimensity 8500-Ultra4nm manufacturing processOcta-core CPU, up to 3.4GHzMali-G720 MC8 GPU / 6500mAh (typ)100W HyperChargeUSB Type-C charging portUp to 27W reverse chargingSupports PD3.0/PD2.0Smart charging
  • Wi-Fi Protocol: Wi-Fi 6/ Wi-Fi 5/ Wi-Fi 4 and 802.11a/b/g*Wi-Fi 6 capability may vary based on regional availability and local network support. Wi-Fi connectivity (including Wi-Fi frequency bands, Wi-Fi ratified in IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications) may vary based on regional availability and local network support. The function may be added via OTA when and where applicable.WLAN frequency: 2.4G Wi-Fi | 5G Wi-FiSupports 2x2 MIMO, 8x8 Sounding for MU-MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, MiracastBluetooth 6.0Supports SBC / AAC / LDAC / LHDC 5.0 / LC3 / ASHA / AuracastNFC -

When did the POCO F1 launch?

Xiaomi’s third-quarter report says the first POCO smartphone was released in India on August 22, 2018. POCO identifies that first product as the POCO F1. The date in Xiaomi’s report is specifically the India release date, not evidence of a simultaneous worldwide launch.

The F1 established POCO’s initial identity as a phone brand for performance-minded users. POCO says the model surpassed 2.2 million shipments, though its About page does not state a timeframe for that figure, and the number is company-reported rather than independently audited in the cited sources.

Rank #2
XIAOMI Poco F8 Ultra 5G Ai (Compatible with Tmobile Mint Tello & Global) (256GB + 12GB) Ai 2K 6.9" Bose Sound 50MP Gamers Phone NFC Dual sim Unlocked Model 2510DPC44G (Black)
  • USA MARKET ONLY WORK ON TMOBILE MINT TELLO OR ANY UNDER TMOBILE NETWORK PHONE NEEDS A SIM CARD ALREADY ACTIVATED ,OUTSIDE USA WORKS ANY GSM CARRIER SIM GSM FCC ID: 2AFZZPC0AG
  • Dual SIM (nano SIM + nano SIM or nano SIM + eSIM or eSIM + eSIM) (NO MICRO SD) 5G SA: n1/3/5/7/8/20/28/38/40/41/66(70M)/77/78/71/2/48/265G NSA: n1/3/5/7/8/20/28/38/40/41/66(70M)/77/78/71 4G LTE TDD: 38/40/41/42/484G LTE FDD: 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/18/19/20/26/28/66(70M)/71 3G: WCDMA:1/2/4/5/8/19 2G: GSM: Quad Band Wireless Networks -- Bluetooth 5.4Wi-Fi Protocol: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax
  • 6.9" eye-care AMOLED display*The screen size of POCO F8 Ultra is about 6.85 inches in the full rectangle when measured diagonally. Actual viewable area is less due to the curved corner design and measurements between individual products may vary.Resolution: 2608*1200Contrast ratio: 5,000,000:1Refresh rate: Up to 120Hz*Refresh rate can be adjusted to up to 120Hz for supported apps.Peak brightness: 3500 nits covering 25% display areaHBM brightness: 2000 nitsTypical brightness: 600 nitsMinimum brightness:
  • Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform3nm manufacturing processOcta-core CPU2 x Prime Core, up to 4.6GHz6 x Performance Core, up to 3.6GHzAdreno GPUQualcomm AI engine
  • Symmetrical stereo speakers with an independent subwoofer | 3-Mic arrayHi-Res & Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification, Dolby Atmos, Sound by BoseSupports audio formats such as MP3, FLAC, AAC, OGG, WAV, AMR, AWB, APE Proximity sensor | Ambient light sensor | Accelerometer | Electronic compass | Gyroscope | IR blaster | Flicker sensor | X-axis linear vibration motor |Color Temperature Sensor

POCO’s account of its first product and early milestones appears on its About page.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Why did Xiaomi create POCO?

Xiaomi said it launched POCO in response to technology enthusiasts who wanted extreme smartphone performance. Its annual report frames that move within a multi-brand approach: different brands could address different user groups rather than asking one label to serve every buyer.

Rank #3
XIAOMI Poco X8 PRO MAX 5G Ai (Compatible with Tmobile Mint Tello & Global) (512GB + 12GB) 6.83" 50MP Gamers Phone NFC Dual sim Unlocked Model 2602BPC18G Liberado (Black)
  • USA MARKET ONLY WORK ON TMOBILE BOOST MINT TELLO OR ANY UNDER TMOBILE NETWORK PHONE NEEDS A SIM CARD ALREADY ACTIVATED ,OUTSIDE USA WORKS ANY GSM CARRIER SIM GSM FCC ID: 2AFZZPC0AG
  • Dual SIM (nano SIM + nano SIM or nano SIM + eSIM) (NO MICRO SD) 5G: 5G SA: n1/2/3/5/7/8/20/26/28/38/40/41/66*(70M)//77/78/485G NSA: n1/3/5/7/8/20/28/38/40/41/66*(70M)/77/784G LTE TDD: B38/40/41/42/484G LTE FDD: B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/18/19/20/26/28/66*(70M)/713G WCDMA: 1/2/4/5/6/8/192G GSM: 2/3/5/8Supports 4x4 MIMO*5G SA/NSA N66(70M) and 4G B66(70M): UL 1710MHz~1780MHz, DL 2110MHz~2180MHz*5G connectivity may vary based on region availability and local operator support.
  • 6.83" 1.5K 120Hz ultra-bright AMOLED displayResolution: 2772 x 1280Contrast ratio: 8,000,000:1Refresh rate: Up to 120Hz*Refresh rate can be adjusted to up to 120Hz for supported apps.Peak brightness: 3500 nits covering 25% display areaHBM brightness: 2000 nitsTypical brightness: 800 n: 2560Hz*480Hz touch sampling rate is activated under Game Turbo Mode.*2560Hz instant touch sampling rate is activated under Game Turbo Mode.12-bit color depth, 68 billion colorsDCI-P3 wide display 2.0HDR10+TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light (Hardware Solution) CertifiedTÜV Rheinland Flicker Free CertifiedTÜV Rheinland Circadian Friendly CertifiedDolby VisionCorning Gorilla Glass 7i
  • MediaTek Dimensity 9500s3nm manufacturing process1 x Cortex-X925, up to 3.73GHz3 x Cortex-X4, up to 3.3GHz4 x Cortex-A720, up to 2.4GHzImmortalis-G925 MC11NPU 890 - 8500mAh (typ)100W HyperChargeUSB Type-C charging portUp to 27W reverse chargingSupports PD3.0/PD2.0Smart charging
  • Wi-Fi Protocol: Wi-Fi 7/ Wi-Fi 6/ Wi-Fi 5/ Wi-Fi 4 and 802.11a/b/g*Wi-Fi 7/Wi-Fi 6 capability may vary based on regional availability and local network support. Wi-Fi connectivity (including Wi-Fi frequency bands, Wi-Fi standards and other features as ratified in IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications) may vary based on regional availability and local network support. The function may be added via OTA when and where applicable.WLAN frequency: 2.4G Wi-Fi | 5G Wi-FiSupports Multi-Link Operation, 2x2 MIMO, 8x8 Sounding for MU-MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, MiracastBluetooth 6.0, Dual-BluetoothSupports SBC / AAC / LDAC / LHDC 5.0 / LC3 / ASHA / AuracastNFC

That is the documented rationale for POCO’s creation. The sources describe the audience and strategy, but do not establish a complete product-by-product history or explain every later change in POCO’s positioning.

Is POCO independent from Xiaomi?

POCO calls itself an independent brand born out of Xiaomi Corporation. It says it has its own product, sales, and marketing team, while sharing Xiaomi’s manufacturing and after-sales resources. In practical terms, that is brand-level independence alongside an ongoing relationship with Xiaomi.

Rank #4
XIAOMI Poco C85 4G LTE (Compatible with Tmobile Tello Mint & Global) (256GB + 8GB) Unlocked Dual SIM 6.9" 50MP Model 25078PC3EG (Black)
  • USA USERS: Only Works on TMOBILE - MiNT IN THE USA Market (Previous sim card activated) Outside USA 4G VoLTE Worldwide Unlocked Dual Nano sim . FCC ID: 2AFZZPC3EG -
  • Dual Nano Sim + 1 Slot Micro SD 4G: LAtin Bands / 3G Quad Band Global / 2G: Quad Band Global - Supports 4G/3G/2G2G: GSM:2/3/5/8 --- 3G: WCDMA:1/5/8 --- 4G: LTE FDD: 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/20/28 / 4G: LTE TDD: 38/40/41
  • 6.9" Dot Drop displayResolution: 1600*720Refresh rate: Up to 120Hz*Refresh rate can be adjusted to up to 120Hz for supported apps.Brightness: 660 nits (typ), 810 nits HBMReading modeTÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light (Software Solution) Certified TÜV Rheinland Circadian Friendly Certified TÜV Rheinland Flicker Free CertifiedDC immingTouch sampling rate: Up to 240HzContrast ratio: 1200:1Color depth: 8-bit, 16.7 million colorsColor gamut: 83% NTSC
  • MediaTek Helio G81-Ultra processorOcta-coreCPUCortex-A75+Cortex-A55Max CPU frequency: 2.0GHzGPUMali-G52 MC2
  • 50MP main camera5P lensf/1.8Auxiliary lensRear camera video recording1080p (1920x1080) HD video recording at 30 fps720p (1280x720) HD video recording at 30 fps / 8MP front cameraf/2filmCamera | HDR mode | Soft-light ring | Portrait mode | Time-lapseFront camera video recording1080p (1920x1080) HD video recording at 30 fps720p (1280x720) HD video recording at 30 fps

This description should not be stretched into a claim that POCO became a legally separate company. The cited company materials describe the brand and its operating teams, but do not establish a legal separation or a complete timeline of organizational changes.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

How POCO grew beyond its first phone

POCO says it entered more than 35 global markets within three years of launch. It also reports more than 9 million POCO phone shipments globally in 2020. Those figures come from POCO’s own account; the cited sources do not provide an independent audit of them.

Best Value
XIAOMI Poco C85 4G LTE (Compatible with Tmobile Tello Mint & Global) (256GB + 8GB) Unlocked Dual SIM 6.9" 50MP Model 25078PC3EG (Purple)
  • USA USERS: Only Works on TMOBILE - MiNT IN THE USA Market (Previous sim card activated) Outside USA 4G VoLTE Worldwide Unlocked Dual Nano sim . FCC ID: 2AFZZPC3EG -
  • Dual Nano Sim + 1 Slot Micro SD 4G: LAtin Bands / 3G Quad Band Global / 2G: Quad Band Global - Supports 4G/3G/2G2G: GSM:2/3/5/8 --- 3G: WCDMA:1/5/8 --- 4G: LTE FDD: 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/20/28 / 4G: LTE TDD: 38/40/41
  • 6.9" Dot Drop displayResolution: 1600*720Refresh rate: Up to 120Hz*Refresh rate can be adjusted to up to 120Hz for supported apps.Brightness: 660 nits (typ), 810 nits HBMReading modeTÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light (Software Solution) Certified TÜV Rheinland Circadian Friendly Certified TÜV Rheinland Flicker Free CertifiedDC immingTouch sampling rate: Up to 240HzContrast ratio: 1200:1Color depth: 8-bit, 16.7 million colorsColor gamut: 83% NTSC
  • MediaTek Helio G81-Ultra processorOcta-coreCPUCortex-A75+Cortex-A55Max CPU frequency: 2.0GHzGPUMali-G52 MC2
  • 50MP main camera5P lensf/1.8Auxiliary lensRear camera video recording1080p (1920x1080) HD video recording at 30 fps720p (1280x720) HD video recording at 30 fps / 8MP front cameraf/2filmCamera | HDR mode | Soft-light ring | Portrait mode | Time-lapseFront camera video recording1080p (1920x1080) HD video recording at 30 fps720p (1280x720) HD video recording at 30 fps

These milestones indicate how POCO describes its early expansion, not the availability of every POCO phone in every country. Xiaomi’s global POCO page currently lists phone series, confirming an ongoing product presence on that site; local lineups and stock can differ. See Xiaomi’s global POCO page for its current listing.

What happened to POCO’s global website?

In a notice dated September 10, 2024, POCO said its global websites would close on December 31, 2024, and that product pages and services would move to mi.com/global. The notice also said Xiaomi would continue customer and after-sales support for products previously purchased through local POCO websites and the POCO Store app.

The notice concerns POCO’s global sites and specified purchase channels; it does not, by itself, establish the status of every country-specific store or support arrangement. The original POCO site-closure notice contains the terms and dates.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More from the Wire

  1. World desk4 min
    How to Spot an AI Voice Scam Before Sending MoneyDon’t rely on how a caller sounds. Pause, call back through a known number, and verify the emergency with another trusted person before sending money.
  2. Mountain View desk4 min
    Google’s SynthID Detector: How to Check AI-Generated Images, Video and AudioGoogle’s SynthID Detector looks for an embedded watermark in supported images, video and audio. Here is what its results do—and do not—show.
  3. Redmond desk20 min
    How to create a link to File or Folder in Windows 11Windows 11 gives you several ways to point to a file or folder without moving or duplicating it. You can create a desktop shortcut,…
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You DownFree scan - exact matches
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They SpreadFree repair scan

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.