Xiaomi may not be a household name yet in the U.S. and some other regions but the most recent numbers out of India suggest that the company is making significant headway in the global mobile market. That’s because India is one of the world’s most rapidly growing tech markets. In 2016, the country reported around 120 million smartphone sales and the number is expected to double by 2020. That places the country in a position of particular importance for smartphone manufacturers both in terms of financial growth and in terms of brand recognition. Xiaomi, meanwhile, to secure around 17 percent of the overall India market in around three years time. That already puts the company just behind Samsung and in the number two spot within the country, but Xiaomi plans to build on that and take the top position within the next five years.
Xiaomi is also planning to take the gains of its successes outside of those borders, following statements from the company’s CEO, Lei Jun, earlier this summer. In that statement, Jun hinted that the company was aiming at a goal to ship out more than 100 million of its smartphones over in 2018. Xiaomi isn’t simply banking on its financial success in India to make that happen, either. To be clear, any revenue gained from the company’s dominance in that market will probably help Xiaomi approach its global aspirations. However, perhaps even more importantly, the past three years have been a massive learning experience for the company. Over that time it has built up its reputation as a company capable of creating intriguing, high-value devices that can genuinely compete across nearly every pricing tier. It has also been taking feedback and overcomes stumbles to improve its customer service support, in addition to developing a more consistent and enjoyable software environment.
Beyond that, the company has persistently worked toward implementing new marketing tactics and strategies through partnerships, flash sales, and e-commerce. Xiaomi’s latest effort on that front is the newly announced Xiaomi A1. As the name might imply, the A1 is an Android One device targeting users looking for a pure Android experience. However, it also marks another important step onto the world stage for the company, showcasing its dedication both to the Android platform and to bringing in new customers.