Ahead of its initial public offering filing which could very well be the world’s biggest IPO since Alibaba went public in 2014, Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi today announced that it’s officially expanding into other markets in the West. The company has largely been limited to China and Asian markets but has been working hard to expand its presence in the West.
Xiaomi has announced that its smartphones will soon be available in the United Kingdom and more European markets. CK Hutchison, a conglomerate based in Hong Kong, owns one of the UK’s biggest mobile networks Three UK. That network will now be carrying Xiaomi smartphones.
Many of Xiaomi’s other products will make their way to these markets as well. They include smart bikes, smart TVs, air purifiers, rice cookers, and more. The company hasn’t confirmed as yet which of these smart products will also be released in these markets.
These devices will be sold through the 3 Group’s stores in European markets such as Italy, Denmark, Austria, Ireland, and Sweden. 3 Group is the parent company of Three UK. A.S. Watson’s Fortress, Superdrug and Kruidvat located in Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Netherlands will carry these products as well.
Despite being one of the fastest-growing smartphone manufacturers on the market, Xiaomi is yet to break in the United States. It may enter the market this year as Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun said last month that the company is looking to sell its smartphones in the United States by the end of 2018.