Xiaomi Tops Chinese Smartphone Market

[Sideswipe]

Re: Xiaomi to rival iPhone 6 Plus with new Mi Note smartphone

It's an ironic compliment to Xiaomi that the Chinese are now counterfeiting their own native brands after years of faking foreign products. Fake Xiaomi power banks and cellphones are now flooding the market. Beware.

be careful of the cheap fake power banks. spend some more money on authentic products. it's worth it. it's alright if the fake ones hold much lesser power than specified. but you don't want to take the risk of them exploding and damaging your wall sockets, or worse still, in your face.

 

[yellowarse]

Re: Xiaomi to rival iPhone 6 Plus with new Mi Note smartphone

be careful of the cheap fake power banks. spend some more money on authentic products. it's worth it. it's alright if the fake ones hold much lesser power than specified. but you don't want to take the risk of them exploding and damaging your wall sockets, or worse still, in your face.

Yes. Apparently some Qoo10 vendors have been selling fake Xiaomi power banks too. Buyers beware.

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How to Identify a Fake Xiaomi (Mi) Power Bank

by Narender Singh in Xiaomi Published on September 15, 2014 & Last updated on March 11, 2015

Owing to its quality built, better specifications and cheaper prices, Xiaomi has gained a lot of attention. But unfortunately, more popularity brings more fakes and the present scenario is that there are more fake Xiaomi Power Banks in the market than there are legit ones. I myself purchased a 10400 mAh Mi Power Bank from China and although it looks similar to the genuine one, it is not. Listed below are the various tests which would help you in identifying a fake.

Differentiating between Genuine and Fake

Depending on the company manufacturing the fakes, there can be some cases where it works similarly to the genuine one, but it will surely fail most of the following tests.

Sticker with 20-digit Code on Packaging

This is the first and easiest step to check if the power bank is genuine. There would only be a very rare case where a fake Power Bank passes this test.

Genuine – Majority of the genuine Mi power banks sold in China come with a sticker on the packaging which can be scratched off to reveal a 20-digit code. Entering the code on the Xiaomi website would confirm the genuine product. However, the power banks sold outside of China via official channels will not carry this sticker.

Purchased from WS Retail seller on Flipkart? Your product packaging will not contain the 20-digit code. It is still genuine though as it passes remainder of the tests.

Fake – Fake Power Bank will usually not include any such sticker on the packaging, confirming that it is fake. Even if it carries one, it would fail the genuinity test on the Xiaomi website.

Website to check the code – http://chaxun.mi.com (in Chinese)

Branding and Color on USB Cable

Genuine – The MicroUSB cable included with genuine Mi Power Banks does NOT carry any Mi branding. If you see one with Mi printed on it, it is a fake. The genuine cable also has a black interior in the standard USB port.

Fake – Fake Power Banks usually ship with a MicroUSB Cable which has Mi printed on it. Many of us would take this as a sign of genuine product and apparently that’s what these fake sellers want to achieve by printing Mi on the USB cable. Fake ones also have a white interior of the standard USB port.

Pass-Through Charging

Genuine: The original Mi Power bank supports pass-through charging. What it means that the power bank will also charge a mobile phone connected to it while it itself is being charged. Only necessity is that the input charger must supply enough power and as such, charging via a PC’s USB Port will not help.

Fake: The fake power bank does not have this capability and it will just charge itself and won’t pass on any current to the mobile phone connected to it. It will only charge the mobile when you disconnect the charger from the power bank.

Color of USB Ports on the Power Bank

Genuine – The front visible part of both the Micro USB and standard USB port have a rice white color.



Fake – Most of the fake power banks have a milk white color on the Standard USB port and a Black color on the Micro USB port.

Printing at the Bottom

Genuine – Has a printing in greyish ink which is lighter and clear. It is also well textured which can be felt by moving the fingers over it.

Fake – Usually darker and blurry in black ink and sometimes unclear printing.

LED Lights Function when Using

Genuine – While charging, holding the power button will turn off all the LED lights and they light up when the button is released.

Fake – No effect on pressing the power button while charging.

Branding on the Standard USB Port

Update: The branding seems to be missing from the newer 16000mAh power banks, even though they are genuine.

Genuine – Genuine power bank carries a small MI branding on the chassis of the standard USB port on the power bank. It is pretty small, but is easily visible while looking under natural lighting.

Fake – Fakes do not carry any such branding.

Thanks JR for this tip

Inbuilt Batteries

If you are still not able to determine the genunity, open up the power bank and check the inbuilt batteries:

Genuine – Branded batteries from international brands such as Samsung and LG.

Fake – Locally produced or counterfeit batteries which are generally of pink color.

NO 20800 mAh Power Bank

There are some sellers selling a Mi branded Power Bank with the capacity of 20800mAh. 16000mAh is the biggest that Xiaomi offers till date. So if you see a retailer from China or on eBay selling a Mi power bank of such capacity, you know it is a fake one.

Does your Mi power bank pass the tests above or it fails most of them? Let us know below.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Re: Xiaomi to rival iPhone 6 Plus with new Mi Note smartphone

be careful of the cheap fake power banks. spend some more money on authentic products. it's worth it. it's alright if the fake ones hold much lesser power than specified. but you don't want to take the risk of them exploding and damaging your wall sockets, or worse still, in your face.

This is what happens when you buy copycat chink products.....worse still this is copycat of copycat

 

[Froggy]

Re: Xiaomi to rival iPhone 6 Plus with new Mi Note smartphone

Please la Xiaomi is as genuine as you can get where got copy? Never is it passing off as an Apple. Anyway buy direct from Xiaomi website won't go wrong.

 

[yellowarse]

Re: Xiaomi to rival iPhone 6 Plus with new Mi Note smartphone

This is what happens when you buy copycat chink products.....worse still this is copycat of copycat

If Xiaomi were a mere copycat, the chinks wouldn't counterfeit it. You don't see fake Indian cellphones or even fake Huawei or Motorola phones. When the chinks copy your product, it means your brand has attained a certain degree of international prestige, desirability and recognition.

Xiaomi has never positioned itself as an Apple copy, apart from some stylistic references. (Xiaomi's bestselling phablet, the Mi Note, came out 2 years before Apple launched its iPhone 6 Plus.)

In fact, Samsung has infringed many more Apple patents than Xiaomi. Lei Jun might be a fan of Steve Jobs's marketing philosophy, but he is not interested in making Apple copies. He's more interested in going mass by giving high-specced phones at mid-range prices in huge emerging nations.

 

[Froggy]

That's what I've been saying....
They are in different leagues targeting different users.
Iphone owners dun choose an iPhone sorely based on specs.
Creative MP3s used to outspec the iPod and look what happened after it went head to head with apple.

It's like comparing a GTR with a Ferrari....the GTR can have its cult following and even outrun the Italian......but most people aren't bothered as at end of the day it's is still just a NISSAN. And Ferrari will always be the coveted Ferrari.

This is actually very well said, nothing about copycat. Simply different markets.

 

[Froggy]

Xiaomi Boosts Its Business In India With Strategic Investment From Tata Sons Head

http://techcrunch.com/2015/04/26/xiaomi-ratan-tata-investment/



Xiaomi is making a push to be a local player in India. Days after unveiling its first phone customized to the South Asia country (the impressive $205 Mi 4i), Xiaomi announced that it has taken investment from leading Indian businessman Ratan Tata.

Tata (pictured above with Xiaomi VP of global Hugo Barra and head of India Manu Jain) is chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons — a conglomerate with shares in over 100 businesses, including Tata Motors and Indian Hotels. 77-year-old Tata has taken an active interest in India’s technology startups of late, and his portfolio also includes an investment in Paytm, the payments firm that took money from Alibaba at a billion dollar valuation.

Xiaomi did not reveal the size or value of Tata’s stake, nor did it confirm a valuation, but it did say that he would act as an “advisor” as well as an investor. The smartphone maker’s last round came in late 2014, when it raised $1.1 billion at a $45 billion valuation. (That makes it the world’s most valuable startup, depending on how you define ‘startup’.)

Speaking at the Mi 4i launch event, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun said India is an important part of Xiaomi’s business focus. Getting a major tycoon like Tata on its side is sure to help open doors and provide a further validation of its efforts to be a local player in India.

Barra said that he is “incredibly honored by this extraordinary vote of confidence,” while Jain tweeted added his belief that Tata could help Xiaomi build a “truly Indian” business.

This investment is yet another indicator of the size of Xiaomi’s ambition in India, the country that it entered in July 2014 selling its Mi 3 smartphone through an exclusive arrangement with e-commerce firm Flipkart.

Xiaomi went on to bring other devices to India, including its $150 Redmi, and it clocked one million sales within its first five months of operations. Analyst firm IDC currently pegs it fifth in India’s smartphone standings, but it could rise up the rankings thanks to the launch of the Mi 4i — which will debut in India and includes localized tweaks — and the widening of its sales channels, which now include physical retail stores and Amazon and Snapdeal’s online commerce sites for the first time.

Xiaomi sold 61 million smartphones in 2014, and it ranks third in the world overall based on shipment numbers. CEO Lei Jun previously projected that the figure would reach 100 million in 2015 thanks to international expansions and new devices — India is sure to be a key factor in making that happen.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

This is actually very well said, nothing about copycat. Simply different markets.

The GTR actually started life as a mustang copycat.
The comparison with a ferrari is somewhat incorrect.....
I should have describe xiaomi as a Honda NSX which is a ripoff of the ferrari 308 then

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Re: Xiaomi to rival iPhone 6 Plus with new Mi Note smartphone

If Xiaomi were a mere copycat, the chinks wouldn't counterfeit it. You don't see fake Indian cellphones or even fake Huawei or Motorola phones. When the chinks copy your product, it means your brand has attained a certain degree of international prestige, desirability and recognition.

Xiaomi has never positioned itself as an Apple copy, apart from some stylistic references. (Xiaomi's bestselling phablet, the Mi Note, came out 2 years before Apple launched its iPhone 6 Plus.)

In fact, Samsung has infringed many more Apple patents than Xiaomi. Lei Jun might be a fan of Steve Jobs's marketing philosophy, but he is not interested in making Apple copies. He's more interested in going mass by giving high-specced phones at mid-range prices in huge emerging nations.

Chinks will do whatever they can make money.
So what if xiaomi is considered branded in chinks' eyes?
Sg brand bonia is also branded in chinkland they also got knockoffs.....this makes bonia on par with LV or Gucci?
If xiaomi never intend to be apple competitor then stop making those statements saying they have rival apple or outsold apple shit

 

[eatshitndie]

Re: Xiaomi to rival iPhone 6 Plus with new Mi Note smartphone

apple sold more iphones in china than in the u.s. in the last quarter and for the first time in its history. year on year revenue growth in greater china is 71%.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/live-apple-earnings-195300390.html

 

[eatshitndie]

Re: Xiaomi to rival iPhone 6 Plus with new Mi Note smartphone

which means china smartphone customers are going high end while low end made in china products have to find low end markets such as india to make ends meet. :p

 

[eatshitndie]

Re: Xiaomi to rival iPhone 6 Plus with new Mi Note smartphone

the main juggernaut for apple's growth in china is attributed to the new iphone 6 and 6+ which carry the all-in-one baseband chip that supports 4g td-lte and 3g td-scdma for china mobile. china mobile previously did not offer any iphone lineup, except for sim roaming on jailbreak iphone 3 and 4s and roaming gsm iphones from other carriers.

 

[Froggy]

Re: Xiaomi to rival iPhone 6 Plus with new Mi Note smartphone

Xiaomi tops Chinese market with 14% share
29 April, 2015



Xiaomi has maintained its top position in the Chinese smartphone market in the first quarter. According to a tweet (which cites a report from research firm IHS Technology) sent out by the company's India head, the company sold 14.2 million of the 99 million devices sold in the country in Q1.

This translates into 14% market share for the five year old company. Huawei and Apple followed with 11% share each, while Samsung and Vivo rounded up the top five with 10 and 9% market share, respectively.

In addition to China, Xiaomi is now heavily focusing on India, where it recently announced its first made for India smartphone, the Mi 4i.

http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_tops_chinese_market_in_q1_with_14_pc_share-news-12085.php

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Re: Xiaomi to rival iPhone 6 Plus with new Mi Note smartphone

Dun know Huawei made phones....
Vivo is simi lanjiao brand? I only know heard of vivo book laptop by asus. Chinks can't even come up with original sounding name
Of the so called top 5 brands.....3 wouldn't make it anywhere else.
There's another chink brand called oppo? Kns machism for opposition supporters like that

 

[Sideswipe]

what about Lenovo phones ? think they are the second largest seller of mobile phones in China in terms of volume. I have this very basic Lenovo 4" android phone, only SG$50. it's really not bad. many basic non-Smartphones cost more than $50. that Lenovo phone had little memory, so can only install few apps. but what pleases me is that it can play 1080p, high bitrate videos smoothly. the screen display is satisfactory. overall, again, it's really not bad for the cheap price.

 

[yellowarse]

what about Lenovo phones ? think they are the second largest seller of mobile phones in China in terms of volume. I have this very basic Lenovo 4" android phone, only SG$50. it's really not bad. many basic non-Smartphones cost more than $50. that Lenovo phone had little memory, so can only install few apps. but what pleases me is that it can play 1080p, high bitrate videos smoothly. the screen display is satisfactory. overall, again, it's really not bad for the cheap price.

Lenovo phones are quite good. When I was in Indonesia, many of the locals were using Lenovo. One surfer dude helped me take some pictures of my family and the pictures were actually better than those taken on my iPhone 5C.

It's all about marketing and targeting the right segment. Xiaomi has a lot of hype behind its unique marketing strategy (online sales, no brick-and-mortar) coupled with its rock-bottom pricing for high-specced phones, so it's shot to the top. People hardly see Lenovo ads outside China and some developing countries.

Huawei was shining bright a couple years ago when it released iconic models like the Ascend P2 (the world's fastest smartphone at the time) and the stunning flagship models Ascend P6 & P7 (both of which out-specs the iPhone & Samsung S5), but its star has been eclipsed by Xiaomi, though it's gaining ground rapidly in Europe and other parts of Asia.

Huawei still remains the world's largest telecom equipment maker in the world, having overtaken Ericsson in 2012. Cellphones are just a sideline, which probably explains the muted publicity and advertising.

Ascend P7:

Ascend P6 outslimming the iPhone 5:

 

[Froggy]

http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2015/05/04/xiaomi-ceos-mangled-english-now-a-viral-music-video/



Xiaomi CEO’s Mangled English Now a Viral Music Video
More than a week after he gave his first speech in English, the rock-star CEO of Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi remains in the spotlight in China for his struggles with the world’s current lingua franca.

Lei Jun’s awkwardly phrased English, delivered during a product launch in India, has been remixed into a rap song that has racked up more than 700,000 views since being uploaded late last week. The video splices together Mr. Lei’s most embarrassing moments in Dehli, including when he repeatedly shouted “Are You Ok?” in an attempt to rile up the crowd.

[video=youtube;CRU-fwS6aAU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRU-fwS6aAU[/video]

The speech has struck a chord in a country where most students study English for years, but few can speak it confidently. For some, there was certainly a sense of schadenfreude in seeing a national hero boldly mangling his English. But many in China called him brave, even while poking gentle fun at him.

Mr. Lei has taken the ribbing with good humor, and promised in a post on the social media site Weibo to work on his English as the company expands overseas. He followed through with his first post in English on Friday. “Everybody loves good products,” he wrote, as he reshared a post that included pictures of an Apple store employee in China wearing a Xiaomi fitness tracking Mi Band with a screenshot from the hit remix song. The Mi Band was the product Lei gave as a gift to eager audience members during his speech in India.

He also sought to tamp down some rumors. “Thank you for your attention,” he wrote in English on Weibo. “We don’t have any plan to enter the property and car markets.”

To see some responses from ordinary residents in China to Lei’s speech, check out CRT’s Heard in the Hutong.

 

[Froggy]

Xiaomi Mi 4i Starts Selling In Singapore May 12 For S$279

Xiaomi has finally announced that their latest flagship phone, the Mi 4i, will be available for sale in Singapore on May 12 next week. The 5-inch screen phone will be going for S$279 — a much more affordable price than its 5-inch counterparts.

While the phone does come in a variety of colours — pink, blue, yellow, black, and white — it will only be released in white in Singapore, with no word from Xiaomi on when the other colours will be arriving here. Xiaomi is also testing out some glossy unibodies, as compared to the matte and grease-free texture that it now comes in.



If you’re raring for a bright-coloured phone, Xiaomi will be releasing a series of colourful covers in yellow, blue, pink, green, and black.



With the ‘i’ in its name loosely referring to the international release for this flagship phone, the phone does indeed have much to offer Xiaomi fans worldwide. Compared to its predecessor, the Mi 4, the Mi 4i is 12% thinner and 13% lighter, at 7.8mm thick and weighing in at 130g.

In terms of size, it is comparable with the popular iPhone 6, though the Mi 4i has a larger screen-to-body ratio, giving it a 10% larger screen. With a 3120 mAh battery, it also has 38% more capacity than other 5″ display devices, and is supposed to allow for up to 1.5 days usage with power-optimisation capabilities turned on.

The display also boasts a higher NTSC of 95%, which means that colours turn up more vibrant. Upon testing, it also seemed to make colours even brighter than they actually are.

 

[bakkuttay]

hope it comes with 4g

 

[yellowarse]

hope it comes with 4g

Yes, it's LTE.

Dunno why they're not releasing their flagship Mi 4 here. The Mi 4 has a faster engine compared to the Mi 4i (2.5GHz vs 1.7 Hz), as well as a better front camera (8 MP vs 5 MP). Mi 4i's only advantages are it's dual SIM and sells for about $150 less.