Loretta Chao, for the Wall Street Journal:
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi Inc. announced its first foray outside Asia on Tuesday with the launch of its latest device, the Redmi 2, in Brazil. […]
In Brazil, the company’s low price is crucial, as it currently only has plans to sell its phones directly online, and doesn’t yet have plans to distribute through retail stores where most Brazilians buy smartphones, said Reinaldo Sakis, analyst for IDC in Sao Paulo. […]
The company’s entry into Brazil will also be a test of its ability to draw users with little exposure to Chinese culture, and who can barely pronounce its name (sh-YEOW-mee), which means “little grain of rice” in Chinese.
And from Brad Haynes, for Reuters:
Xiaomi’s global vice-president, Hugo Barra, said in an interview on Tuesday that Brazil was “stage one of our Latin America launch,” pointing to Mexico and Colombia as logical next steps in the region, although he declined to say when.
One of the most-telegraphed and anticipated moves in the smartphone industry.