Xiaomi wants to beat Apple

Chinese technology giant Xiaomi will step up its challenge to Apple by focusing on the high-end segment of the global smartphone market, said the company’s founder and CEO Lei Jun.

“We will compete with Apple in terms of products and become China’s largest high-end brand in the next three years,” Lei said in a post on the Weibo microblogging platform.

There he confirmed the strategic goal of Xiaomi to become the largest supplier of smartphones in the world during the same period. To that end, the Chinese company will invest $ 15.71 billion in research and development over the next five years.

Bets are high for Xiaomi after Apple dumped Samsung to become the world’s best smartphone vendor in the fourth quarter of last year, grabbing 22% global market share amid strong demand for its iPhone 13 line, according to a report last month by Canalys.

Analysts say Xiaomi’s goal could run into a big problem if it gets close.

They recall that the United States imposed sanctions on Huawei just when the company had become a market leader. Washington has a habit of using political leverage and sanctions to support its technology giants in a non-market way.

In the 80s of the last century, similar methods were used against Japanese automakers. Washington has a similar practice when concluding military deals. Only a year ago, the United States announced that it would impose sanctions on Indonesia if it bought Russian fighter jets, hoping to win a contract for its military concerns.

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