Xiaomi Tops Chinese Smartphone Market

[Froggy]

Xiaomi launching their Mi Note on 27th July in Singapore


http://www.cnet.com/news/xiaomi-partners-uber-in-asia-to-sell-its-mi-note-phones/


Uber to courier Xiaomi Mi Note phones directly to customers in Asia

The ride-hailing company will hand-deliver the Chinese smartphone maker's new phablet to impatient buyers in Singapore and Malaysia.


For those who really can't wait for their latest new phone, they can now have it delivered by hand within the hour. One Internet-savvy company, the Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi, has enlisted another, the ride-hailing service Uber, to convey its devices across the city state of Singapore as fast as traffic allows.

Drumming up publicity for the launch of its 5.7-inch Mi Note phone at an event in Singapore, Xiaomi said customers will be able to order the phablet from within the Uber app when the phone goes on sale.

Unlike Xiaomi's regular online sales, through which customers have to wait an excruciating five working days for their new devices, the Uber partnership will let customers get their hands on a unit on the same day. Within 4 minutes of them placing the order, Xiaomi says, an Uber driver will be on the way to deliver the phone.

The partnership will also be expanded to Malaysia, but only in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. A limited number of Mi Note phones will be allocated for the Uber and Xiaomi event and will take place on July 27, a day before online sales begin.

While obviously a publicity stunt, this new approach also shows how two of the world's most valuable startups can work well together. Xiaomi, valued at $45 billion, is in a growth phase, expanding for the first time outside of Asia to Brazil, and selling 35 million handsets so far this year. The company sells its phones close to cost, forsaking traditional retailers in most of the markets in which it operates in order to keep costs as low as possible.

This allows Xiaomi to sell its high-end flagship phone, the Mi Note, at a killer price of S$569 in Singapore -- that's around $415, £270 or AU$560, much lower than comparable devices such as the HTC One M9 or the Samsung Galaxy S6. The low price also plays very much into Xiaomi's favor in an ultracompetitive smartphone market such as Singapore.

The 5.7-inch Mi Note is already available in Hong Kong and will go on sale on July 28 in Taiwan and Malaysia. Besides a 5.7-inch display, the glass-clad phablet boasts a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor and 3GB of RAM. Other specs include a 13-megapixel rear camera and 64GB of onboard storage. It's powered by Google's Android software, with Xiaomi's own MIUI 6 user interface.

 

[Froggy]

Finally the long wait is over soon

 

[Froggy]

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2015/07/24/impulse-phone-buys-now-possible-thanks-to-xiaomi-and-uber/


Impulse Phone Buys Now Possible Thanks to Xiaomi and Uber

Ever sitting on your couch and decide you need a new smartphone within the next five minutes? And you can’t be bothered to get up?

For those in this predicament in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, you can sit back at ease. Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi and U.S. ride-hailing company Uber have launched a partnership for “on-demand” smartphone delivery in these two Southeast Asian cities.

Sure, it’s a publicity stunt. But it’s a clever one, and an exercise in testing the limits of convenience in the brave new world of O2O – or “online-to-offline” for the uninitiated.

Xiaomi explained the process in a press release Thursday.

“Ordering a Mi Note follows the exact same process as calling for an Uber – users simply open the Uber app, use the slider at the bottom of the screen to select ‘Xiaomi’ (which shows Xiaomi-orange colored Uber cars on the map equipped to deliver the new smartphone), and hit request. Payment will be charged directly to the credit card tied to a rider’s Uber account and a Mi Note will be delivered to the user within a few minutes.”

The fast phone service begins July 27 in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. The companies don’t have any immediate plans to expand to other cities.

Uber and Xiaomi are likely to find each other strategic allies. Xiaomi is seeking to extend its reach outside of China, where Uber has millions of users. Uber is trying to establish itself in China, and is looking for local partners with political connections.

The on-demand Xiaomi phone delivery appears to be logistically similar to Uber’s food-delivery service UberEats, which is available in a handful of cities. Both services preload Uber cars with a narrow selection of items, resulting in very fast delivery for customers who want exactly that item.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Finally the long wait is over soon

I think only you've been waiting for it

 

[Froggy]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/panosmourdoukoutas/2015/07/26/xiaomi-now-controls-18-of-the-chinese-smartphone-market/



Jul 27, 2015 @ 12:49 AM 241 views
Xiaomi Now Controls 18% Of The Chinese Smartphone Market

Domestic producers continued to gain market share in the Chinese smartphone market in Q2, according to IHS Technology. Xiaomi is reaching a market share of 18%, leaving foreign competitors in the dust, including Apple and Samsung.

Xiaomi’s climb in the Chinese market comes at a time the company continues its global expansion with the manufacture and launch of its new $160 device, the Redmi 2, for the Brazilian market.

Apparently, Xiaomi is getting bigger. Fast, very fast.

In less than five years, Xiaomi was transformed from a start-up to a $45 billion company, gaining market shares from Apple and Samsung. As of the third-quarter of 2014, Xiaomi’s sales accounted for 5.2% of the global smartphone market, according to IDC research data.

That’s more than double the 2013 market share and five times the 2012 share.

While Xiaomi is getting bigger, it is growing smarter, too, according to recently publishes MIT’s 50 smartest companies list.Xiaomi rose to the 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] position this year, up from 30[SUP]th[/SUP] position last year, while Apple climbed to the 16[SUP]th[/SUP] position, up from nowhere last year.

Xiaomi has been riding a fast growing market for less expensive smartphones in China, learning a lesson or two from Googlehttp://www.forbes.com/companies/google/, and Applehttp://www.forbes.com/companies/apple/, and Amazon.com. From Google, Xiaomi has adopted an open operating platform that has won consumer enthusiasts. From Apple, Xiaomi has learned how to master brand buzz. From Amazon, Xiaomi has learned to compete on razor thin profit margins.

To be fair, Xiaomi has added its own technological and marketing touch to smartphones. Last August, for instance, Xiaomi introduced the Mi4 smartphone–a high-end product which has helped Xiaomi’s sales in emerging Southeast Asian markets. Now it is introducing, the Redmi 2 for the Brazilian market. Is something for the American market next?

It remains to be seen.

 

[xvnxsz]

I think only you've been waiting for it

hahahahaha

 

[yellowarse]

Xiaomi Regains Top Spot In China’s Smartphone Market, Ahead Of Huawei And Apple

[FONT=alright_sansmediumitalic]Posted 18 hours ago by Jon Russell (@jonrussell)

[/FONT]

Xiaomi regained its crown as the top smartphone firm in China during Q2 2015, according to reports from two analyst firms.

The Chinese company, which is valued at more than $40 billion and recently launched in Brazil, topped the scales in China with 15.9 percent of all shipments, according to figures from Canalys’. Apple, which was first in China in the previous quarter, fell to third, with Huawei taking second place (15.7 percent) thanks to impressive 48 percent quarter-on-quarter growth fueled by its Honor products. Samsung and Vivo rounded out Canalys’ top five.

Analyst data is, of course, subject to interpretation, but figures from Counterpoint Research appear to validate most of Canalys’ findings. Counterpoint placed Xiaomi first (15.8 percent marketplace), ahead of Huawei (15.4 percent), Apple (12.2 percent) and Vivo (8.1 percent marketplace; 250 percent year-on-year growth), with Samsung in fifth.

While Apple lost the top spot, both analyst houses commented that it put in a strong quarter considering that its flagship devices — the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus — are no longer new to the market. We already knew Apple had a blockbuster Q2 in China as its financials showed, and the fact that it can still compete at this point in the year bodes well for its upcoming devices.

As for Samsung. The firm continues to suffer in China, most likely due to the popularity of mid-range devices from Xiaomi and (now) Huawei. The Korean firm has placed serious focus on China, turning out a series of super thin, mid-range phones that debut there first, but that strategy hasn’t drawn the desired results yet.

Xiaomi, on the other hand, bounced after two success dips back to take spot. Its Mi Note phablet and new $150 Redmi 2 the top two devices in the quarter, according to Counterpoint. That said, Huawei’s growth and increased competition from Samsung are of concern in the longer term.

“Apple and Samsung have both increased their sales activities in the China market, expanding rapidly in channel coverage through flagship stores and small to medium size phone retailers respectively. Xiaomi is under immense pressure to maintain its top position in the quarters to come,” said Canalys analyst Jingwen Wang in a statement.

Overall, the Chinese market — the world’s largest for smartphones — continues to slowly contract following a dip in the previous quarter. Counterpoint estimated that shipments slid by 2 percent year-on-year in Q2 2015, but did rise 4 percent quarter-on-quarter.

 

[yellowarse]

Having topped the world's most populous market, Xiaomi looks set to conquer the world's second most populous nation and fastest-growing smartphone market.

---

Xiaomi-Foxconn factory opens in India

PUBLISHED 3 HOURS AGO

MUMBAI • China's Xiaomi Inc has joined forces with Taiwan-based tech giant Foxconn to start assembling phones in India, seeking to cut costs and grab a bigger slice of the world's third-largest smartphone market.

The factory, in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, is a fillip for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is trying to turn India into a manufacturing powerhouse to boost economic growth and create much-needed employment.

India is the world's fastest-growing smartphone market, but a lack of good suppliers and infrastructure has hampered efforts to manufacture phones, forcing most of the country's more than 100 different phone companies to import from China and Taiwan.

​

From Monday, the south Indian assembly line began rolling out Xiaomi's first locally made smartphone, the Redmi2 Prime, an India-specific upgrade to its best-selling Redmi2 budget smartphone. It will be sold at 6,999 rupees (S$150), company executives said.

Neither Xiaomi nor contract electronics maker Foxconn disclosed the size of their investment or production capacity.
The Indian market, which Xiaomi entered in July last year, has fast become its second-largest as the company's low-priced phones find favour with young and cost-conscious customers.

In the April-June quarter, Xiaomi ranked seventh in terms of smartphone shipments in India - a segment that is dominated by Samsung Electronics and India's Micromax Informatics, according to Counterpoint Research.

Mr Manu Jain, Xiaomi's India head, said that apart from bringing tax benefits, the new facility would help the company better manage inventory and reduce lead times from three to four weeks to under two weeks. "Over time, most Xiaomi phones sold in India will be made in India," he said.

The number of smartphone users in India stood at around 140 million last year. It is expected to reach 651 million by 2019, according to a study by Cisco.

The assembly line marks a return to India for Foxconn, officially known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. The world's largest contract electronics manufacturer had to close shop in India last year after client Nokia stopped making phones at its plant.

REUTERS

 

[Songofdeath]

It is getting more and more expensive...

 

[Blanka]

​

 

[laksaboy]

Your beloved Xiaomi phones will be manufactured in India.

Foxconn to build Xiaomi phones in India
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/08/12/foxconn_builds_xiaomi_phones_india/



With the world of mobile phones fragmenting into local markets, both Taiwanese maker-of-everything Foxconn and China's rising dragon Xiaomi are keen to find a route into the Indian market.

Earlier this week, El Reg reported that Foxconn will spend $5bn (£3.2bn) on new factories in India.

It's now emerged that the company will build phones for Xiaomi. India is already the world's third-largest smartphone market. Xiaomi will be taking on Samsung and the local brands of Micromax, Intex, Karbonn, and Spice, but will face the challenge of making distribution work.

Nokia was the dominant force in the Indian market, so much so that the word “Nokia” is still a colloquialism for mobile phone; but with the demise of Nokia, the local brands have filled the vacuum. This plays well to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stated intention to build India as a manufacturing nation, and he has launched a "Make in India" campaign.

Next Monday, the factory in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh will begin making Xiaomi smartphones, starting with the Redmi2 Prime. Local manufacturing will help to better manage inventory and reduce lead time: halving it from three or four weeks to a fortnight.

As well as challenging Samsung, Xiaomi is looking to take on Qualcomm. It has already switched its flagship products from Qualcomm to MediaTek processors, and now DigiTimes claims that Xiaomi is looking to build its own application processors using technology licenced from Leadcore Technology.

 

[Vega.]

Xiaomi Mi 4C Retail Box Surfaces, Confirms Snapdragon 808

August 31, 2015 - Written By Kristijan Lucic

Xiaomi was incredibly successful last year. The company managed to become China’s number one smartphone OEM and ship 61 million smartphones. Xiaomi is looking to improve upon that next year, and they’ve released a number of really compelling handsets thus far. The company has unveiled their flagship Mi Note phablets, along with a slew of other devices, like the Mi 4i for example. This is the first Xiaomi handset to make it to India before anywhere else, and it’s more than a decent mid-ranger, not to mention it’s quite affordable.

Well, we’ve spotted another variant of Mi 4i in China recently, dubbed Mi 4C. The reports have been claiming that the ‘C’ stands for China, and the device has also surfaced on TENAA (China’s equivalent to the FCC) quite recently. The device was said to sport Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 808 64-bit hexa-core SoC, and a newly-leaked retail box of the device actually confirms that fact. If you take a look at the provided images, you’ll notice that not only the Snapdragon 808 is listed here, but some other details about the device as well. The box says that the Snapdragon 808 will be clocked at 1.8GHz, and that the device will ship with 3,000mAh battery. 4G LTE support will be on board as well, and the device will also sport the Type-C USB 3.0 port that we’ve seen on the OnePlus 2 (and a couple of other smartphones) recently.

According to the previously-leaked AnTuTu listing of this device, this thing will be identical to its predecessor (aside from SoC, of course). The phone will sport a 5-inch 1080p (1920 x 1080) display, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. The 13-megapixel shooter will be available on its back, and a 5-megapixel snapper will be located up front. Android 5.1.1 Lollipop will come pre-installed on this smartphone, and Xiaomi’s MIUI OS will be placed on top of it. We still don’t know which variant of MIUI will be installed though, MIUI did unveil MIUI 7 recently, but it’s still unknown if this phone will come with that version pre-installed. Either way, Xiaomi is expected to announce this handset soon, so stay tuned.

 

[yellowarse]

THE FIRST XIAOMI LAPTOP THREATENS APPLE IN CHINA

APPLE'S MOST FORMIDABLE RIVAL IN CHINA, XIAOMI, IS EXPANDING FROM SMARTPHONES TO AFFORDABLE LAPTOPS.

BY PAVITHRA MOHAN

Xiaomi, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer, is competing with Apple on yet another front, by creating its first laptop. According to the Taipei Times, hardware firm Inventec will be making the device, which is set to ship within the first six months of 2016. The news confirms a Bloomberg report from earlier this month, which said Xiaomi was "considering the introduction of its first laptop."

"I am upbeat about the business outlook for Xiaomi’s notebook computers, as the firm has more than 200 million registered smartphone users," Inventec chairman Richard Lee told reporters in New Taipei City this week. "I am not sure if the smartphone approach will be applicable to notebooks, but I expect Xiaomi’s entry into the notebook industry to bring something new to the market." While Xiaomi's laptop could still make a dent in China, it's unlikely it would meet with much success in the U.S., where Apple already monopolizes the market.

Apple has long fought to win the Chinese smartphone market, but has been continuously sidelined by Xiaomi, whose Android smartphones are far more affordable than iPhones. Xiaomi's brand appeal is also stronger in China, where it is native; it garners the same ardor from fans in China as Apple does from its user base in the U.S. This year, however, for the first time, Apple has sold more smartphones in China than Xiaomi, over two consecutive quarters—a potential red flag for Xiaomi, which has yet to make significant inroads outside of China.

One of Fast Company's most innovative companies last year, Xiaomi is worth $46 billion and is one of the most valuable startups in the world, second only to Uber. Fast Company's September issue deemed the competition between Xiaomi and Apple one of the biggest ongoing business rivalries, but also noted that Xiaomi's success beyond China's borders was still yet to be determined:

The companies’ global ambitions will increasingly collide, as Xiaomi has begun experimenting in markets outside China. It recently moved to sell accessories like headphones and activity trackers in the U.S. and Europe, though many of the factors that make the company a phenomenon back home—such as Lei’s local celebrity—are moot here in the States. Xiaomi also lacks the sort of patent portfolio that would shield it from intellectual-property lawsuits from Apple or other companies. Meanwhile, its value proposition—high specs at low prices—may not resonate in fully developed economies. "In the U.S., the sort of person Xiaomi is competing for just doesn’t exist," says Thompson. "Most geeks and enthusiasts can afford an iPhone."​

 

[Froggy]

I'm really stuck on Apple's Mac for a number of years it's hard for me to get back to Windows. Have to admit I'm addicted to Apple's OS which is quick especially during startup and shutdown and imprisoned by iTunes.

 

[yellowarse]

I'm really stuck on Apple's Mac for a number of years it's hard for me to get back to Windows. Have to admit I'm addicted to Apple's OS which is quick especially during startup and shutdown and imprisoned by iTunes.

Agree. I've been on Mac OS since the turn of the century. Windows sucks. Once you go Mac, you never look back.

However, truth be told, I actually prefer Android's functionality and flexibility over iOS. But am using an iPhone because it allows me to sync my contacts, notes, e-mails and Safari bookmarks seamlessly.

 

[Froggy]

Agree. I've been on Mac OS since the turn of the century. Windows sucks. Once you go Mac, you never look back.

However, truth be told, I actually prefer Android's functionality and flexibility over iOS. But am using an iPhone because it allows me to sync my contacts, notes, e-mails and Safari bookmarks seamlessly.

And these conveniences are what I'd deem highly addictive

 

[Froggy]

Inventec to ship Xiaomi's 1st laptop, expected early 2016
CNA
September 28, 2015

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan-business/2015/09/28/446970/Inventec-to.htm

TAIPEI--Taiwanese contract notebook maker Inventec Corp. (英業達) is working with China's Xiaomi Inc. (小米), the world's fourth-largest smartphone maker, to produce Xiaomi's first laptop, which is expected to ship early next year.

Inventec Chairman Richard Lee confirmed the news to reporters Tuesday on the sidelines of the 12th cross-Taiwan Strait forum on technical standards for information technology, saying that Inventec has also manufactured tablet computers for Xiaomi.

He said the upcoming Xiaomi laptop is expected to start shipping in the first or second quarter of 2016, amid optimism that it will draw attention from the current 200 million users of Xiaomi smartphones.

"At least they will create a different look for their laptops, just like their smartphones," Lee said, referring to the Beijing-based company's stylish phones with premium components at mid-range prices.

Lee said the Xiaomi laptop is developed by Inventec's handset subsidiary, Inventec Appliance Corp., which assembled about 30 million smartphones for Xiaomi last year.

The five-year-old Xiaomi's vault into the PC business could bring additional cost pressures against industry leaders such as Lenovo Group Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Co. and Apple Inc., according to a Bloomberg News report in early September.

Taiwanese media reported earlier this month that the Xiaomi notebook will be around 15 inches in size and will run the Linux operating system, with a starting price of 2,999 Chinese yuan (US$471).

Xiaomi was the world's fourth-largest smartphone maker in the second quarter of this year, capturing a 5.3 percent share and trailing behind Samsung Electronics Co.'s 21.7 percent, Apple's 14.1 percent and Huawei Technologies Co.'s 8.9 percent, according to research group International Data Corp. (IDC).

 

[yellowarse]

WHY XIAOMI IS APPLE’S BIGGEST THREAT IN CHINA (AND SOON, EVERYWHERE ELSE)

THE BEIJING-BASED ELECTRONICS MAKER IS OFTEN DISMISSED AS A COPYCAT, BUT IT’S QUICKLY BECOME ONE OF CUPERTINO’S FIERCEST COMPETITORS.

BY HARRY MCCRACKEN

When the new iOS 9 comes out this fall, Apple’s iPhone Maps app will finally offer public-transit directions. At first, the feature will be available for just 10 cities worldwide. Except in China, that is, where it’s launching in more than 300 localities at once.

This is just the latest indication of how much Apple cares about China and its booming class of affluent consumers, which Tim Cook has said he expects to become Apple’s largest market. If he’s right, it will be because the company has figured out how to fend off one of the most unstoppable forces the tech industry has ever seen: Xiaomi.

Founded by serial entrepreneur Lei Jun in 2010 and headquartered in Beijing, Xiaomi announced its first smartphone in 2011. A little over three years later, research firm IDC declared Xiaomi to be the industry’s third biggest player in terms of global unit sales, trailing only Samsung and Apple. Nearly all of the 61 million handsets it produced in 2014 were for the Chinese market.

In the West, Xiaomi has a reputation for shamelessly cribbing the iPhone’s stylistic cues and applying them to dirt-cheap phones. That’s clearly Apple design honcho Jonathan Ive’s take: "I think it’s theft, and it’s lazy," he snapped, when asked about the company at a conference last October.

Xiaomi is doing too many interesting things to be dismissed as a mere Apple wannabe, though. Its Mi smartphones appeal to "a technically inclined, geeky, typically younger sort of customer who can’t afford a top-of-the line Apple or Samsung phone," says Ben Thompson, whose Stratechery blog is avidly followed by tech-industry insiders. Xiaomi sells Android phones with fast chips, high-resolution screens, and other potent technologies via its own website—often via flash sales—and foregoes profits on hardware, instead generating them from its marketplace for apps, games, and other content. It rolls out weekly software updates based on input from its online community of fans, who spot bugs and propose new features. And it’s using its muscle as a direct marketer to enter other product categories, ranging from 4K TVs to air purifiers.

None of this has prevented Apple from thriving in China, though, where the iPhone’s powerful image as a luxury item helps it continue to command a high price tag. In fact, for two quarters in a row, Apple has sold more smartphones in the country than Xiaomi has.

The companies’ global ambitions will increasingly collide, as Xiaomi has begun experimenting in markets outside China. It recently moved to sell accessories like headphones and activity trackers in the U.S. and Europe, though many of the factors that make the company a phenomenon back home—such as Lei’s local celebrity—are moot here in the States. Xiaomi also lacks the sort of patent portfolio that would shield it from intellectual-property lawsuits from Apple or other companies. Meanwhile, its value proposition—high specs at low prices—may not resonate in fully developed economies. "In the U.S., the sort of person Xiaomi is competing for just doesn’t exist," says Thompson. "Most geeks and enthusiasts can afford an iPhone."

A more promising battleground for Xiaomi could be India, where it has been wildly promoting the Mi4 and is setting up local manufacturing (to help it bring the price tag of its devices even lower), and where the free-spending types who snap up iPhones are scarcer than in China. There’s also Brazil, which Xiaomi entered by storm in June with its $160 Redmi 2. (The iPhone retails for more than $1,000 in the country.) As Ben Bajarin, an analyst at Creative Strategies, puts it, these are "very big markets nowhere near saturated, where Xiaomi’s strategy could do really well." Which is why Apple’s home turf feels like safe ground—at least for now.

 

[Froggy]

China's Xiaomi's is changing the U.S. too
By Clay Shirky
Updated 0130 GMT (0830 HKT) October 15, 2015


http://edition.cnn.com/2015/10/14/opinions/shirky-xiaomi-chinas-apple/


(CNN) Xiaomi is the most important phone manufacturer you've never heard of.

In the rich world, dominated by Apple and Samsung and where even fading brands such as Nokia and Blackberry remain familiar, Xiaomi (pronounced like the "show-" in shower, plus "me") is still largely unknown.

Yet this firm, only 5 years old, has already become a formidable supplier of smartphones in its home market of China (the world's largest), and has begun a remarkably successful campaign of international expansion.

As the firm gets ready to announce its newest model, the Mi5, next week, it is worth tuning in, because more than any company other than Apple, Xiaomi will show us where smartphones -- which is to say the mobile, networked computers we all have in our pockets -- are going worldwide.

China and the United States are the two most important economic powers in the world, and that goes double for technology.

For three decades, that relationship could be summed up as "invented here, produced there." (The iPhone box may say "Designed in California," but it is made in Shenzhen, China.) Xiaomi is one indicator among many that that relationship is over. Its phones are well-designed and cheap, and, more importantly, the firm has been engineered to rely on the Internet, allowing it to build one of the leanest manufacturing and sales operations the world has ever seen.

In a half decade, Xiaomi has gone from a startup focused on making a new mobile phone interface to beating Samsung as the No. 1 phone vendor in the largest market in the world last year.

Xiaomi's products are so popular in China that it has become the third largest ecommerce firm there, just selling its own products. As 2014 closed, the company was valued at $45 billion, an increase in value of something like 18,000% since its first round of fund-raising. It is, by several metrics, the most valuable startup ever.

Xiaomi is widely referred to as the "Chinese Apple," a phrase that carries both a sense of awe at its design prowess and derision at its habits as a design copycat. Both reactions are warranted -- some of their phones look like little else on the market (the Mi3), while others are almost-copies of iPhones (the Mi4).

The firm was founded in Beijing in 2010 by Lei Jun, a computer scientist and charismatic serial entrepreneur now in his mid-40s, who is predictably, often compared to Steve Jobs, both for his energy and brilliance, and for his Jobsian taste in clothes and product launches.

Xiaomi's importance, though, is about more than just its growth. It's about how it grew. The company was designed, from the beginning, to assume that both social media and ecommerce were normal. The rapid and enormous success came about largely because these tools allowed the firm to do everything backward.

For starters, the company recruited users before it had a product, and it shipped software before it started making phones. Xiaomi intended to offer an upgraded version of the Android operating system (owned by Google and used by every smartphone manufacturer except Apple), so its first order of business was to go on Chinese sites looking for passionate and knowledgeable Android users to test its products. Its first 100 users became a kind of external brain trust and auxiliary marketing arm, offering both detailed feedback and public praise for MIUI, the Mi User Interface, pronounced, quite by design, "Me You I."

A hardware company started with software because Lei understood the paradox of computing, which is that the better the hardware is, the more difference the software makes. Xiaomi's first products were dozens and dozens of iterations of MIUI. (It still ships an updated version of MIUI every week.)

This rapid cycle of iteration, launch and feedback got Xiaomi an eager early audience and a continually improved version of the operating system for the phone it would eventually ship.

After a year of that, Xiaomi shipped the Mi1 but only sold it online, often offering limited production runs in "flash sales" where the phones would sell out in a few hours (and, as they got popular, in a few minutes.) Every one of these decisions and countless others gave the company a slight edge over its competitors. Taken together, they have made the company globally important in a short time.

Xiaomi's coming expansion will be its real legacy. Mobile phones are the most broadly desired category of complex goods in the world, beating out their only rivals -- cars and televisions -- by a mile. The mobile phone is also the near-universal source of connectivity for most of the world's population, increasingly the gateway to every form of communications other than face to face, to every form of content other than karaoke, and to every form of commerce other than haggling.

Though Apple invented the iPhone, and Samsung spread smartphones, it's Xiaomi that showed the world how to create a defensible market between luxurious and crappy, and to scale up to meet the rising demand of the rapidly expanding middle class in Nigeria, Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico, India, cumulatively the world's biggest market by far.

There are opportunities for the United States here since good, cheap products benefit U.S. consumers, too. There is also competitive risk, as always. But the biggest threat Xiaomi poses is for companies that don't take it seriously.

Xiaomi marks the end of China as a pure importer of products designed elsewhere. It was one of the first companies to adopt the new methods that are making China a center of innovation in design, electronic commerce and services. Xiaomi introduces a new risk in that relationship -- not a risk that Chinese firms will copy too much from the United States, but that the American firms will copy too little from China.

 

[Froggy]

Xiaomi preps Linux laptops for the post Christmas sales rush
Cheap'n'cheerful firm introduces yet another product line
28 Oct 2015 at 11:58, Andrew Orlowski

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/10/28/xiaomi_linux_laptop/

Pumped up by a (claimed) $1bn in profit in 2015, Chinese phone-maker Xiaomi will start selling Linux laptops early next year, according to a report.

DigiTimes suggests that two models will be built by contract manufacturers, Inventec and Compal, and feature 12.5 inch and 13.3 inch displays.

According to the trade paper, Xiaomi has been tapping up Lenovo executives "aggressively" to manage the new laptop venture.

The consumer electronics upstart is best known for selling smartphones at cost, or close to cost price, a strategy that allowed it grab the No.3 spot in vendor market share worldwide.

It's currently slipped to No 5, and Huawei has clawed back top spot in the PRC in the most recent quarter.

Xiaomi already produces a curious mix of white goods, networking kit and consumer electronics, ranging from an air humidifier to routers, TVs, and a fitness band. So why not?

There's no indication that Xiaomi will impact Western buyers, but as we've seen with phones, the volumes generated in the highly competitive Chinese market can have a dramatic impact.