Xiaomi, the Chinese company that has made a career out of following Apple’s every move, is complaining that other companies are cloning its own products, reports Business Insider.
Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun lamented the proliferation of counterfeit manufacturers capitalising on the company’s wild popularity. “What is the biggest problem? There are so many fakes. If there were no counterfeits, our sales would be double or triple.”
This from the company which launched the Mi Phone, whose Mi Pad replicates the iPad mini in both appearance and spec and which created an Android overlay that is almost a direct copy of iOS 7. Lei Jun himself used to wear the blue jeans and black polo neck synonymous with Steve Jobs, even using his ‘One more thing’ line in Apple-style product launches.
Perhaps he should try Jony Ive for a sympathetic ear …
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This is so ironic. Copycat Xiaomi should be closed in the first place.
Someone help me out… what’s the Chinese equivalent concept of karma?
I believe the proper term is: blaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahaha!!!
Real prison for these dirtbags…
And there’s the number one reason I HATE China… they waste such valuable resources on substandard products, pollute then environment (the like of which can be felt all the way to the US), and consume everything in their path. AND, our companies flee there to save a few bucks…
Wow. Just wow. Xenophobe much?
I disagree with Marty’s opinion on the matter, but fail to see the part of his statement that makes him a “xenophobe”. I think he is pretty clear in the reasons why he feels the way he feels and none of them would qualify him a such.
He has an opinion, let him have it without using political correctness and fake outrage to try and shut him -or anyone- up.
I see nothing in his post that is false. Yours on the other hand.
He expressed reality very well.
I’m sure Michigan never wasted any valuable resources on substandard products. Beep beep!
So IMAGINE the big three in CHINA then! Holy crap!
You’re kidding me, right? You should take a look at your own country first before pointing fingers. Speaking of polluting the environment… China may produce 300 million tons of garbage annually, which is about 100 million more than America produces (in case your math is bad, the US produces about 200 mln tons per year). But China has almost 1100 MILLION more people. So the average person in the States produces a sh*t load of garbage.
About 75% of the waste is recyclable, but only 30% of it is actually recycled. Let’s compare that to Sweden, for instance. They actually recycle 99% of the waste in that northern country. 99 percent!
Americans throw away about 25 million plastic bottles every HOUR. If every American recycled just 1/10th of their newspapers, you could save 25 million trees every year.
1% of the stuff that Americans buy is still in use 6 months after the purchase – 99% is trashed.
Americans constitute about 5% of the world’s population, but consume 24% of the world’s energy.
But guess what, I’m not hating America or Americans. So I have two pieces of advice for you, my friend. Firstly, take care of the mess back home before you start pointing fingers. And secondly, never hate! We have enough violence in the world.
PS: And on another note, do you really think that if all the production and what not would occur in the States, that the companies would just have less earnings? You’re not that ignorant, are you? Again, two things. Firstly, there is nothing wrong with great earnings. If Elon Musk would not have made a lot of money with PayPal and all his other companies, he would not have had the capital to start Tesla Motors. So we’d have no Tesla. Entrepreneurs need money to start companies and create jobs. And they should have a bit more than they need for obvious reasons. If you need a billion dollars to start a company (which might fail) and you only have a billion, you may not want to take that risk. You want to have some financial security and also luxury. I mean, you worked hard in your last company (you took risks, were on guard 24/7-365 – only paid employees can turn off their phone after 5 PM), so you do want to enjoy some of the things that come with material success. And secondly, if companies were not making a lot of money, there wouldn’t be many investors, shareholders and incentive for the owner to really work his butt off. We have few Steve Jobs’ or Elon Musk’s who are not necessarily in it for money, but most are. So why bother creating the next Apple if you end up earning slightly more than your local pizza restaurant? Why go through all this hassle?!
So if they would produce everything in the States, that would result in significantly higher prices in EVERYTHING. Your T-shirt would not be 25 bucks – it might be 125 bucks. Your iPhone wouldn’t cost 900 bucks, it might cost 2500 bucks. Don’t forget, it’s not only the assembly part you are fighting here – you say that everything should be produced in the States. You want the US companies to stay out of China for good. So let’s produce our own metal and what not. Let’s do it all ourselves. No cheap labor, no cheap production.
If you’d have to pay 125 bucks for a lousy T-shirt, you’d be back here yelling how awful everything is. Those goddamn capitalists, right?!
Peace from Northern Europe! :)
+1
who do you think made your iphone ?
Maybe the could launch a “Genuine Clone” program. I mean… a clone is a clone, but a clone OF a clone?!? That’s a contagious mutant pathway to hell. That’s like marrying your sister man.”
Ever made a VHS copy of a DVD, then a VHS copy of that VHS copy? Ewww…
The article doesn’t specify, but are they talking about other companies making similar products or other companies claiming to be Xiaomi? If they are talking about other companies claiming to be Xiaomi then this isn’t a story. That’s not irony. Xiaomi isn’t claiming to be Apple. Yes, they copy them to death, but they are a separate company.
I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the actual issue here. On sites I follow that focus on listing “deals”, every time there is an xiaomi product listed at a retailer for sale there is inevitably discussions on whether what is being sold is original or a counterfeit. It appears they are a target of companies producing products that sell with their name and a design that is 99% identical, as opposed to being very very similar to another brand, but sold under their own name.
If that’s the case then it’s very different. If you buy an xiaomi product at least you know it’s not an Apple device, just Apple inspired. That’s far different to buying an Xiaomi branded battery pack only to be told while making a support claim that what you have wasn’t manufactured by the company, and probably doesn’t meet the same technical specifications either. In this case the buyer probably suffers alongside the company.
Basically they are even copying Apple’s complaints about copycats…
You, sir, just won the thread.
Not to mention the black shirt and jeans and keynote appearance. Thieves…
Sad. No wait… It’s hilarious. No, sad…
You guys just don’t get it. Xiaomi complaining that other companies are copying their products is what Apple does everytime they see a similar feature or design on a different product from another company. In short they are copying Apple’s products and behavior. This is some next level copying from Xiaomi.
Except that Xiaomi is selling a stolen copyrighted designed rip off. Apple has every right to complain and sue. This Chithieves company doesn’t have a leg to stand on but in it’s own pathetic country that protects it’s thieves.
Your comment is not even apples and oranges, it’s more like apples and hand grenades.
To quote Homer J. Simpson: Mmmm, The irony is delicious…”
To quote me: Screw Xiaomi
Nothing ironic here, he’s talking about counterfeit products, not “clones” or “copycats”.
Xiaomi’s products are very big in China so many people are making fake ones.
I’m not sure Apple considers Xiaomi as a bandit (any more than Samsung and other copycats), as they let them have their apps on the App Store.
Irony at this extreme level deserves a new word to describe it. The Germans are great at this, schadenfreude is so much better than gloat, surely they must have something appropriate to this.
Xiaomi is the world’s most valuable startup. Yes, they did copy in the beginning (like samsung) but they have really improved. I wish they would come to U.S. but Apple’s Lawyers would have a field day. What makes me mad is if a tablet has a 4:3 ratio screen then it automatically copies the ipad. Apple did not event 4:3! The nexus 9 is unique in it’s own right, as is the nokia n1.
Personally I think 3:2 ratio is the best, which is only on Microsoft’s surface tablets and B&N’s Nook Hd+.