Xiaomi to Open Online Store in US, But won't Sell Smartphones

Xiaomi, the fast-growing smartphone maker in Asia, will make its calculated entry into the US later this year. The five-year old company, which was roughly valued at $45 billion last year, will launch an array of accessories through its online store.

The company, however, said that it will not bring its popular smartphones into the US yet. Instead, the firm is interested in selling low-cost accessories such as headphones, fitness trackers and battery packs. As of now, Xiaomi has no plans to sell smartphones and TV sets in the US market, citing regulation issues.

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According to The Verge, "Barra cited problems like hardware certification, software testing, infrastructure, and other similar logistical challenges the reasons for not bringing devices like handsets and tablets to the U.S."

Xiaomi is currently selling its devices in eight countries, including India. The company will soon enter Brazil soon. In just a couple of years, Xiaomi has expanded from mobile phones to TVs. Its low cost devices are extremely popular in emerging markets, given they are affordable and feature rich.

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The firm has had managed to surpass the likes of Samsung in the Chinese handset market. Xiaomi is now the third-largest smartphone maker in the world, after Samsung and Apple.

Source - Gigaom, Buisnessinsider