Confirmed iPhone 6 Release Date Threatened by Xiaomi Mi4 as Chinese Company Emerges to Kill Samsung
Apple and Samsung have been faced with competitors for the past years but the most threatening to date is Xiaomi. The company's recently released Xiaomi Mi4 has been generating quite the buzz with talks about its potential against the iPhone 6. As Apple gears for the release of its flagship iPhone 6, some analysts believe that its position may be challenged by Xiaomi's Mi4. Can Apple maintain its position and deliver the big release amidst the Chinese competition?
Apple's iPhone 6 has been making such big waves that The Wall Street Journal estimated that Apple can move as many as 70 up to 80 million units towards the end of the year. If this proves to be true then Apple's iPhone 6 can be considered as the biggest handset release for the year according to Seeking Alpha. However, Xiaomi's Mi4 has been generating enough buzz for some analysts to consider as a contender for Apple's smartphone market share.
Apple is expected to unveil two smartphone handsets: one with 4.7-inch screen and a 5.5-inch screen or phablet version. Xiaomi's Mi4 came with a $320 price tag, 5-inch 1080p HD display, Snapdragon 801 processor and 3GB RAM. Business Insider notes that the Mi4 offers enough impressive specs that it can compete head to head with tech giants like Apple and Samsung. The company's penetration in the Chinese market contributes to its potential against the big names in tech.
The rise of Xiaomi in China is only the start according to analysts. If the company has already been gaining traction in China, with limited influence outside, then future expansions can propel Xiaomi's position. It appears Xiaomi is getting on to that as its Mi3 handset has started selling in India last July. While there are still no specific data results to prove success India, Seeking Alpha points out that anecdotal evidence spell bright for the company's future. To set a good point, the Xiaomi Mi3 sells for $230. Apple's iPhone 4s, which is around three years older, still sells for double.
Analysts believe that with value Xiaomi is offering it can well be poised to be among the top tech players soon.
Update: According to reports, Xiaomi sold 20,000 units of Mi3 in India within seconds via Flipkart. There were more than 100,000 people who registered for the sale despite only a tenth of the demand available according to Economic Times.