Xiaomi tests online European market with small accessories

[MUNICH] Xiaomi, China's largest smartphone maker, is testing the European market with its online store offering fitness bands, headphones and power banks in France, Germany and the UK.

Xiaomi, whose products on Mi.com start at US$10, said it does not plan to sell major items including smartphones and tablets in Europe and the United States yet, as "smartphones are a lot more complex to introduce to a new market."

"It requires much more time to localize smartphones at the hardware level, and carry out certification processes," a Xiaomi spokesperson told Reuters on Wednesday.

Xiaomi, which started an online store in the United States earlier this month, will announce the website's launch in Europe in the near future, the spokesperson said.

The company's Mi devices, which scored with Chinese users because of their low costs and Xiaomi's heavy reliance on user interaction and feedback, are now sold online across Asia, including most recently India.

REUTERS