China's Xiaomi unveils cheap water purifier as Hong Kong still rattled by lead-in-water scare

China’s top smartphone maker Xiaomi released teasers this week of a water purifier it will launch soon that it claims is easy-to-use and attaches to a kitchen tap. 

The promotional effort is nothing if not timely, as Hong Kong has been beset by news that potable water supplies at a public housing estate in Kowloon contained dangerous levels of lead. 

On its official Twitter account, the electronics giant said its Mi Water Purifier turns tap water into drinking water by reverse osmosis, which applies pressure through a membrane to separate purified water from tap water.

It did not say when the device would be made available in Hong Kong. Shoppers in mainland China can buy it from July 28 at a cost of 1,299 yuan (US$209).

Xiaomi has recently branched out into products for “smart” homes. It released an air purifier last December and unveiled a whole suite of gadgets in January for a more digitally connected home, including human motion sensors.

At the same event, Xiaomi also announced an update to its range of cut-price, high quality smart televisions.