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SmartphonesinChinaTakingabiteoutofAppleXiaomi,oftendescribedasChinasanswertoApple,isactuallyquitedifferentSep14th2013|BEIJING|FromtheprinteditionTweetITFEELSmorelikearockconcertthanapressconferenceasthecasuallydressedchiefexecutivetakestoadarkenedstagetounveilhisfirmssleeknewsmartphonetoanadoringcrowd.YetthiswasnotthelaunchofthenewiPhonebyAppleonSeptember10th,butoftheMi-3handsetbyXiaomi,aChinesefirm,inBeijingonSeptember5th.Withitsemphasisonsnazzydesign,glitzylaunchesandthecult-likefervouritinspiresinitsusers,nowonderXiaomiisoftencomparedtoitsgiantAmericanrival,bothbyadmirersandbycriticswhocallitacopycat.Xiaomisboss,LeiJun(pictured),evenwearsjeansandablackshirt,SteveJobs-style.IsXiaomireallyChinasanswertoApple?Xiaomisold7.2mhandsetslastyear,inChina,HongKongandTaiwan,earningrevenuesof12.6billionyuan($2.1billion).Applesold125msmartphonesglobally,earningabout$80billionofits$157billionsales.Butsinceitwasfoundedin2010,Xiaomihasgrownfast.Arecentfundingroundvalueditat$10billion,morethanMicrosoftjustpaidforNokiashandsetunit.ThatmadeXiaomioneofthe15mostheavilyventure-backedmobilestart-upsever,saysRajeevChandofRutberg,aninvestmentbank.Inthesecondquarterof2013XiaomismarketshareinChinawas5%,saysCanalys,aresearchfirmmorethanApples(4.8%)forthefirsttime.InthissectionTakingabiteoutofAppleKroescontrolMusttryharderMakingfriendsTurningagainstthetycoonsCutfromadifferentclothMoremoneythanThorReprintsRelatedtopicsAppleiPhoneCommunicationsElectronicsChinaMobilephonesYet“wehavenevercomparedourselvestoApplewearemorelikeAmazon,”saysLinBin,Xiaomisco-founder,whoonceworkedfortheChinesearmsofMicrosoftandGoogle.ApplesellsitsiPhone5foraround$860inChinaandhastheindustryshighestmargins.Xiaomioffersitshandsetsatornearcost:theMi-3,itsnewflagship,costs2,000yuan($330).Xiaomisellsdirecttocustomersonline,ratherthanvianetworkoperatorsorretailstores,whichalsokeepspricesdown.Crucially,itsbusinessdependsonsellingservicestoitsusers,justasAmazonprovidesitsKindlereadersatlowpricesandmakesitsmoneyonthesaleofe-books.Theideaistomakeaprofitfromcustomersastheyusethehandset,ratherthanfromthesaleofthehardware,saysMrLin.Xiaomisservicesrevenueswere20myuaninAugust,upfrom10myuaninApril.Itisaclassicinternetbusinessmodel:buildanaudiencethenmonetiseitlater,asGoogleandFacebookdid,notesMrLin.Sellinggames,customwallpapersandvirtualgiftsmaynotsoundverylucrative,butChinasinternetgiantshavefoundahugemarketforvirtualgoods:thebiggest,Tencent,sold$5billion-worthofthemlastyear.Anotherbigdifferenceistheiropennesstouserfeedback.AppletakesanalmostStalinistapproachtoitshandsets,limitingusercustomisationinfavourofa“weknowbest”designphilosophy.Xiaomiismoreguidedbyitsusers,releasinganewversionofitsMIUIsoftware(basedonGooglesAndroidoperatingsystem)everyweekinresponsetotheirsuggestions.InsomecasesXiaomiasksuserstovoteviaweibo,theChineseequivalentofTwitter,onwhetherparticularfeaturesshouldbeincludedorhowtheyshouldworkaformofdemocracyitsAmericanrivalwouldnevercountenance.AppleslaunchthisweekoftheiPhone5C,acolourful,slightlycheaperversionoftheiPhoneaimedatconsumersinChinaandotherdevelopingcountries,marksashiftinitsstrategyasitfacescompetitionfromXiaomiandmanyotherChinesefirms.Appleshandsetshavesoldwellindevelopedcountries,butthosemarketsarematuring.Globalsalesofsmartphonesaregrowingby50%ayear,notesCanalys,butby108%ayearinChina,whichnowaccountsforoverone-thirdofglobalsales.Forthefirsttime,AppleheldanofficiallauncheventinBeijingthisweek,indicatingitsgrowinginterestinthismarket.Yettherewaswidespreadsurpriseatthehighpriceofthe5C,whichwillcost$733inChina,limitingitsappealamonglesswealthybuyers.ArumoureddealwithChinaMobiletodistributetheiPhone5Candsubsidiseitscosthassofarfailedtomaterialise.(ApplealsounveiledtheiPhone5S,itsnewhigh-endsmartphone,whichfeaturesafingerprintreaderforimprovedsecurity.)XiaomithemoneyAsApplelookstotaptherapidgrowthoftheChinesemarket,Xiaomiisheadingtheotherway.ItrecentlyhiredHugoBarra,aGoogleexecutiveresponsibleforproductdevelopmentforAndroid,todevelopnewproductsforinternationalmarkets.YetXiaomiandotherChinesefirmssellsomanygames,appsandadd-onsinlargepartbecausetheChinesegovernmentrequireshandsetstorunaneuteredversionoftheAndroidoperatingsystem,withoutGooglesappstore,mailservice,mapsandotherfeatures.ThathelpsXiaomisellitsownreplacementservices,anadvantageitwillloseonceitstepsoutsideChina.HowscaredshouldApplebe,really,ofarivalthathasyettoprovethatitsbusinessmodelwillworkathome,letaloneabroad
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