Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun shows a pair of Mi Note smartphones at a launch ceremony in Beijing on Jan. 15. (Photo : Reuters)
Xiaomi’s flagship smartphone Mi Note is said to be changing the playing field for smartphones by breaking the myth of quality phones needing to be expensive, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Thursday.
According to the article written by Geoffrey Fowler, the Mi Note, whose first batch sold out earlier this year, stands toe to toe with devices produced by industry leaders Apple and Samsung and lamented the phone's unavailability in the U.S.
"Xiaomi says it doesn't yet have plans to sell phones in the US. But it's blazing a path that will likely bring everyone better, cheaper phones," Fowler said.
Since its launch in January, the Mi Note has been receiving positive reviews from international analysts.
On Friday, tech website Ars Technica described Xaomi as the "most important company in the smartphone industry" for producing a "well built" Mi Note at a smaller cost than its competitors, while TechCrunch stated that the Xiaomi captured the public's demand for premium affordable gadgets.
The WSJ report, however, also noted the risk of litigation over alleged intellectual property theft due to its supposed similarities with Apple and Microsoft devices and platforms.
"Between the potential of lawsuits over intellectual property from Apple and Microsoft to the advantage carrier subsidies give to pricier phones, it's just not the right time for Xiaomi to shift its focus from more obvious opportunities in China," TechCrunch reported on Jan. 18.
