Smart ties up with Xiaomi

PHILIPPINE Long Distance Telephone Co.’s Smart Communications (Smart) announced Monday an exclusive partnership with China’s Xiaomi, the world’s third-biggest smartphone maker, on the launch of its newest mobile device.

Smart said in a statement that it would be the first telco in the Philippines to offer Xiaomi’s Mi 4i as it seeks to bolster the use of smartphones—and the use of its own Internet services—in the Philippines.

This is the first time that Xiaomi, among the most valuable startups globally and dubbed “China’s Apple,” has partnered exclusively with Smart, the statement showed.

The telco added that it would soon announce details on postpaid and prepaid plans for Mi 4i.

“This is the first time that Xiaomi has partnered exclusively with a local telecom to offer our devices, as we introduce different ways to make it easier for Mi fans to get their hands on our products. We are very excited to be working together with Smart,” Steve Vickers, General Manager, Xiaomi Southeast Asia, said in the statement.

“Both companies have a strong history of developing meaningful innovations for consumers, both in the devices and the services we offer the public,” Ariel P. Fermin, executive vice president and consumer business group head at Smart, said in the same statement.

A relatively young entrant in the smartphone race, Xiaomi was founded in 2010 by serial entrepreneur Lei Jun.

The smartphone maker has gained a strong following by selling cheaper devices.

It has sold more than 61 million handsets in 2014, with its products being offered in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, India, Indonesia and Brazil, the statement showed.