Xiaomi Smartphones to Land in US Stores in 2019?
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi is reportedly making plans to massively sell its products in the United States starting next year.
The United States is Xiaomi's next planned destination for its worldwide expansion in terms of offering its smartphone products. This was made clear by no less than the head of Xiaomi during a recent annual legislative session in Beijing, China.
"We've always been considering entering the U.S. market," Xiaomi Chairman Lei Jun said according to Wall Street Journal. "We plan to start entering the market by end 2018, or by early 2019."
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The same report noted that the move to sell smartphones in the United States was not surprising considering that the company was planning to publicly offer its stock in the western market as well.
Xiaomi is also not a rookie to the whole expansion process. After establishing its place in the Chinese market, the company successfully entered other key regions, including Southeast Asia and India as well as Spain.
Xiaomi is not the first Chinese smartphone maker hoping to make a name in the U.S. market. Several other China-based brands have been releasing unlocked versions of their devices but have yet to reach the level that South Korean company Samsung has been in for years. And this is not necessarily because their products are not good enough.
Earlier this year, there were headlines on how AT&T and Verizon ditched Huawei at the last minute and prevented the latter from selling its premium flagship smartphone - the Mate 10 Pro - via U.S. carriers.
While the device can still be ordered through other retailers at its full price, it cannot be denied that the U.S. consumers' primary option when it comes to buying smartphones is still through their carriers due to the flexibility of their offers in financing and trade-in programs.
The carriers were reportedly prohibited by the U.S. government from continuing their partnerships with Huawei due to previous claims that the electronics company could be conspiring with the Chinese government in acts of espionage.
