Xiaomi to Launch Mi.com Store in US Very Soon, But Won't Sell Phones initially

Xiaomi at an event in San Fransisco announced that it will start selling accessories like headphone, smart wristbands in US. It also announced that it will launch its first online sales site Mi.com in US and other markets very soon. Mi.com is available in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Portugal, Malaysia, the Philippines, India and Indonesia.

The company will not launch its handsets and tablets in US for now because of the US's carrier sales and phone subsidy structure, which eliminates Xiaomi's advantage - its pricing. And also the time and effort needed to adopt it MIUI Android-based operating system for indiviual market and obtain certifications.

Xiaomi's Global operations Vice President Hugo Barra said “The amount of effort required to bring those products [phones and tablets] to market is significant. We just have to move at the right pace. So we’re accelerating our entry in a sense by bringing simpler products “

For now, Xiaomi is focusing on building a community to involve American consumers, the same way it has in India and China - through fan events, interactions on social media, coming to know its local preference and building its brand.

The company also stated that it is close to securing a manufacturing partner in Brazil which will help it to reduce tariffs on imported electronics when it begins sales in Latin America in the first half of this year. Brazil is the first country that Xiaomi will foray with smartphones outside its home continent Asia.