The Xiaomi Mi4 is one of the biggest handset releases in China this year, so we just couldn't resist testing one out
Xiaomi might not be a name that is instantly familiar to most western mobile users, but in its native China, the company sells more smartphones than Apple and Samsung. Despite being quite a young firm –– it was only established in 2010 –– Xiaomi is now the dominant force in its homeland and it has achieved this stunning success by emulating the world's most famous tech brand: Apple.
In 2014 the company experienced unprecedented growth in its native China. Handset sales grew by 227% and cemented the company as one of the fastest growing handset manufacturers on the planet. And, in the spirit of striking while the iron is hot, Xiaomi has just completed its first round of funding in the US where it raised $1.1 billion and earned itself a market cap of $45 billion. Not bad a company that is just four years old.
"Xiaomi sold 60.8 million smartphones in 2014 and is holding 14.97% of the market," reports Android Headlines. "Samsung is ranked second in this report, this Korean company has sold 58.4 million smartphones and has a 14.38% market share in China. I actually expected that the difference between the two companies will be even more pronounced considering that Samsung's profits took a 50% dive in Q3 2014, as far as China is concerned, but Samsung is really close second."
Xiaomi Mi Note AND Mi Note Pro Launched
If the Mi4 has got you all hot behind the collar for Xiaomi then you might want to check out its two latest handsets: the Xiaomi Mi Note and Xiaomi Note Pro. Designed as legit iPhone 6 Plus killers, the handsets really do have to be seen to be believed. Specs. Hardware. Looks. These things HAVE IT ALL.
It's not all sunshine and cider, though. In 2014 the company was also forced to stop selling its handsets in India until February 5 after a patent dispute with Ericsson. Xiaomi is being investigated by Hong King officials too, following claims the company sent user data without consent back to servers in mainland China. Still, company founder Xiaomi Lin Bin is very optimistic about the future –– and he has every right to be too.
Xiaomi's attempt to imitate Apple is almost slavish; the firm even holds Apple-like press conferences complete with a "Just one more thing" slide at their conclusion. Xiaomi's Android-based operating system MIUI has, in its latest iteration, blatantly ripped off the look of iOS 7 and 8. However, while Xiaomi clearly wears its inspiration on its sleeve, it hasn't tried to clone Apple's hardware –– until now, that is.
Viewed from afar, the Xiaomi Mi4 looks like a massive iPhone 5s. It has the same chamfered metal edges, the same familiar front layout and an identical "Home" button symbol. This is brand worship taken to a hitherto unseen level, but the most amazing thing is that Xiaomi has actually pulled it off; the Mi4 is arguably one of the best-made Android handsets available right now. It also manages to combine amazing specs with excellent custom software and all at a price which is almost a third of the cost of an actual iPhone.
And all of this seems to be working for the Chinese company in its home country, as it is now listed as the third biggest mobile manufacturer on the planet behind Apple and Samsung, as noted by IDC's latest research: "Xiaomi jumped into the top 5 list for the first time at the number 3 position thanks to its focus on China and adjacent markets, which resulted in triple-digit year-over-year growth. Key to its success was the launch of its Mi4 smartphone in August, which was positioned as a high-end alternative to the status quo. What remains to be seen is how quickly the company can move beyond its home territories to drive volumes higher."
Xiaomi Mi4 Review: Design & Display
Ever since the iPhone launched, rival tech firms have taken large amounts of inspiration from Apple, but the Mi4 really does take things to an entirely new level. It's a shameless copy of the iPhone 4 and 5's design, with a metal chassis fronted by a Gorilla Glass screen and backed with a plastic rear panel. Along the bottom you'll find a single speaker –– again looking like the one seen on the iPhone 5 –– and a rather odd USB port. The phone uses MicroUSB-B, whereas every other mobile on the planet (aside from the iPhone, of course) uses MicroUSB-A. The USB-B connection will still fit, however, but there's the added danger of inserting it upside down here.
Once you've got over how similar the phone is to Apple's world-famous handset, you slowly but surely begin to fall in love with the Mi4. The build quality is fantastic, and the use of metal elevates this to a standard with isn't usually seen in the Android arena (outside of HTC's all-metal devices, of course).
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