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Next Competitor For iPhone 6 Comes From Chinese Company Xiaomi

By Kristine Croto
Published on: 09:29 PST, Jan 18, 2015

Chinese company Xiaomi has positioned its next device, the Mi Note, in direct competition to Apple’s iPhone 6, according to Time magazine. CEO Lei Jun, at the company’s launch, pointed out that the device is both slimmer and lighter than the iPhone, and that the smartphone’s 13-megapixel camera is flush to the phone. Time pointed out that some users have been frustrated that the camera on the iPhone juts out on the back of the device.

The Mi Note runs a 5.7? screen, is 6.95mm thick, and weighs 161 grams, according to Engadget. The phone is wrapped in Gorilla Glass, “2.5 D curved” on the front, and “3D curved” on the back.

Xiaomi’s Mi Note will be available in two resolutions. The base model will be available on January 27th, and have Sharp / JDI 1080p (386 ppi) NEGA LCD, with a price around $370 off contract. Those who are willing to wait until March for a more premium device could enjoy a Quad HD panel for around $530 off contract, according to Engadget. The Mi Note Pro will also be available in a gold color. The iPhone, by comparison, starts at $649 unlocked. Software and hardware design chief at Apple, Jonathan Ive, spoke to Vanity Fair in October about the close comparisons that have been made between Xiaomi’s products and previous iterations of the iPhone.

“I don’t see it as flattery. When you’re doing something for the first time, you don’t know it’s going to work. You spend seven or eight years working on something, and then it’s copied. I have to be honest, the first thing I can think, all those weekends that I could have at home with my family but didn’t. I think it’s theft, and it’s lazy.”

Hugo Barra, Vice President at Xiaomi, responded to these and other similar criticisms at the time fairly mildly. He told PC World as follows.

“Point me to a product in our industry, a new product that came out that had completely unique design language. You’re not going to be able to find one.”

While the Mi Note seems designed to take a direct bite out of Apple’s iPhone marketshare, reviewers like BigMid are also drawing comparisons to the Galaxy Note 4 from Samsung, while mobot noted 5 ways the Mi Note excels.

Do you think the Mi Note stands a chance in competition with the iPhone?

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