We’ve heard a bit about different devices from Xiaomi over the previous months, though some may be more familiar with the company name for another reason. If you remember back, Hugo Barra had left Google and when he did he headed to Xiaomi. But regardless of Barra being with Xiaomi — that hasn’t lead to any of the devices being available in the US.
For the most part the devices are only available in China, though there has been some expansion. In fact, as of today the Xiaomi handsets aren’t even compatible with US LTE bands — which means even if you did import one — it wouldn’t be all that great of a user experience. Anyway, we’ve heard some talk about Xiaomi potentially coming to the US market in the past, and judging from some recent comments from Barra — they are still working towards that goal.
The details are still on the lighter side, and in fact, there isn’t any firm timeline for a US arrival just yet. For now Xiaomi has confirmed they will begin making products that are compatible with the US market starting next year. But even from that point, there is no timeline for when those in the US will be able to make a purchase.
Barra touched on how the US is a challenging and competitive market. Or in other words, many in the US only look towards carrier agreements for new phones. Again, Xiaomi hasn’t confirmed any specific plans, however we could see the company taking a path similar to Huawei — launch a US website and begin selling some devices unlocked and contract-free.
SOURCE: Android Authority
