Lack of patents may hamper Xiaomi's global ambitions

Beijing

XIAOMI became the biggest smartphone seller in China without an extensive - or expensive - collection of patents. That low-cost approach is now backfiring as accusations of technology infringement stall its global push.

Ericsson sued Xiaomi in India, saying the smartphone maker hadn't licensed inventions by Ericsson that enable wireless devices to connect to networks. Judges banned some Xiaomi devices in the company's biggest overseas market, pending another hearing next month.

The lawsuit threatens founder Lei Jun's drive to boost next year's shipments to 100 million units, a fivefold gain from 2013, with an eye towards overtaking Samsung and Apple globally. It …