Xiaomi aims to double smartphone sales; Targets 40 million shipments in 2014

China's apple of the eye and a rising star internationally, Xiaomi is wasting no time and already getting their todo list together.

According to Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun, the company is aiming at 40 million smartphone shipments for 2014. This is precisely double of what the little over 3 year old company had set for 2013 -- 20 million shipments. In a repost of Lei Jun's original message, Xiaomi VP Li Wangqiang hinted that 30 million out of the target of 40 million smartphones will be directly sold by Xiaomi, while the remaining 10 million would go via telecom partners in China.

Xiaomi's modus operandi is distinct from other Chinese compatriots. They bank on revenue generated from their MIUI ecosystem, which enables them to offer devices at highly affordable prices (i.e., freemium). On the other hand, most other players still rely on making a cut on initial sales, for hardly any other manufacturer has a software ecosystem as large as Xiaomi's.

[Via]