In a recent post, I discussed how Xiaomi is often underappreciated in the global smartphone market. Today, I want to delve further into the broader landscape of Chinese technology.
A few years ago, Huawei was at the forefront of the smartphone industry, consistently outperforming competitors. However, their rapid rise was interrupted by allegations of corporate espionage, including the theft of intellectual property from competitors. This seriously damaged their reputation and undermined consumer trust, especially in Western markets. The introduction of Huawei’s proprietary operating system, which lacks the seamless integration and ecosystem benefits of Google’s Android and Apple's iOS, made it even harder to convince users to switch away from these established platforms.
Now, as we shift focus to Xiaomi, I believe they are currently excelling in the smartphone space, but their success is being overshadowed by a lack of significant attention online. Despite their advancements in innovation and affordability, Xiaomi devices are rarely highlighted in prominent tech reviews on platforms like YouTube. My own research into issues with Xiaomi smartphones yielded little beyond a few general concerns, mostly related to older models. While some reviews mention bugs in Xiaomi’s MIUI software, these are typically issues that can be addressed through regular software updates over time.
That being said, I believe Xiaomi needs better marketing and should focus on fixing bugs and other potential issues with their products that may not be widely known. As a smartphone, it's top-tier, but addressing these concerns could make it even better.
Throughout history, Chinese products have often been associated with lower quality, particularly in terms of the materials used in manufacturing, whether it’s cars, toys, or other items. We’ve all experienced buying something as simple as a football made in China, only to have it break quickly. While reducing costs can make products more affordable, it should never be to the extent that the product can’t serve its intended purpose.
In my opinion, Chinese technology companies should focus on creating more premium or mid-range brands using high-quality materials, while emphasizing originality instead of always imitating Western technology. It may seem challenging, but by allowing innovative thinkers with strong strategies to lead, they could enter Western markets as serious contenders. Otherwise, the perception of their products will remain unchanged.
On the other hand, even if China doesn’t act on this type of advice, Europe and America should continue focusing on developing new technologies and pushing forward in innovation to stay ahead for when China finally realizes the importance of higher-quality materials. However, let’s be clear—simply changing the position of an icon is not a technological advancement... seriously.