Smartphone enthusiasts will have likely heard of Xiaomi. It's the Chinese smartphone manufacturer behind dazzling phones like the Mi Mix 2, and it has quickly shot up to being one of the top five globally, according to IDC.
Despite its growing size and popularity, it hasn't yet pushed its phones in the US market. That may change soon, as Xiaomi is starting to make moves in the US, but it's smartphones are curiously absent from the picture.
Xiaomi just started something of a brand awareness campaign, connecting with social media influencers to spotlight the company's products. But, instead of focusing on its slick flagship phones or solid budget handsets, it's set on making the all-important first impression with a large mobile power bank, as seen in our roundup of the best power banks, and a battery-powered scooter.
The Mi Power Bank Pro is a rather run-of-the-mill external battery for USB devices, though comes at a reasonable $29 for the 10,000mAh capacity. The Mi Electric Scooter is a pricey $499 electric scooter with an advertised 18.6-mile range and 15.5mph top speed. While cool in their respective ways, they certainly not smartphones – the company's bread and butter. Alas, the question lingers as to why Xiaomi would leave its noteworthy phones out of this push.
A missed opportunity?
While the iPhone X and Samsung Galaxy S9 battle over reduced bezels, Xiaomi's Mi Mix 2 is a worthy adversary that many mobile consumers in the US will never even hear about.
This marketing push by Xiaomi is intended to establish a deeper footprint in the US market with products that can connect with Millennials. But, it's curious that Xioami thinks a scooter and battery pack will do a better job of that than its impressive smartphones.
