China’s Xiaomi enters UK with phones, wristband and scooter – BBC
What happened: Xiaomi is opening a brick-and-mortar Mi Store in Westfield London that is due to open on November 18. The Chinese smartphone maker said the initial line-up includes three smartphones, a fitness-tracking wristband, and an electric scooter. Xiaomi’s flagship phone for the UK will be the Mi 8 Pro, which was unveiled for the first time outside of China in the UK capital yesterday.
Why it’s important: Although Xiaomi put a greater focus in China and other Asian markets, it has been making a foray into Western Europe since last November. The company currently has 10 stores operating in Spain and it expanded into France and Italy in May. Xiaomi is hardly alone in Europe. The on-going US-China trade tension has driven quite a few Chinese hardware makers to Europe, including One Plus.