Xiaomi wants to tackle the US market “in the near future”

We might finally see Xiaomi take a legitimate stab at the US market, according to Hugo Barra. He's talked about the US smartphone market before, citing that subsidized flagship phones make it very difficult for a mid-range brand like Xiaomi to compete. It's a sensible reason, but with the rise of device payment plans and the death of two-year contracts, things might have shifted in Xiaomi's favor.

Barra says the company wants to enter the US "in the near future," although there are no specific dates for that to happen. International expansion is inevitable if Xiaomi wants to keep growing, and the US is one of the most lucrative markets in the world. Microsoft also recently sold 1500 technology patents to Xiaomi, which might have been one of the last things they needed before proceeding into a new market. We all know how some of the bigger companies tend to get lawsuit happy in the US, and Xiaomi likely wouldn't have the ability to fight off an Apple or Samsung.

While Xiaomi does get much of their popularity from their wallet-friendly smartphones, keep in mind that they do make other devices ranging from televisions to rice cookers. There's a very good chance that the first device they actually release in the US is something that's not even phone related as a way to test the waters and start building out a social media following, which is where most of the company's advertising and success comes from.

The expansion is happening, we just don't know when. But I'm sure we're all going to be excited when it's easier to buy a Xiaomi smartphone anywhere in the world.

source: Bloomberg

Born in southern Alabama, Jared spends his working time selling phones and his spare time writing about them. The Android enthusiasm started with the original Motorola Droid and an unhealthy obsession with fixing things that aren't broken. This accidentally led to being the go-to guy for anything more complicated than a toaster, which he considers more of a curse than a blessing. Jared is enrolled in online classes at the University of Phoenix, and spends his spare time on video games and listening to music.

Source: Xiaomi wants to tackle the US market "in the near future"