QiKU is a new company, born from a joint venture between Chinese security software giant Qihoo 360 and China’s 3rd largest smartphone manufacturer, and they are already setting their aims very high. This week, Qihoo 360’s chairman and CEO, Zhou Hongyi, came out on stage to tell us why he believes the freshly formed QiKU will have no trouble taking out Xiaomi.
Zhou proudly claimed that QiKU’s devices will have much better build quality compared to Xiaomi’s offerings and will be more affordable as well, despite not having announced any smartphones as of yet. However, Zhou has stated that QiKU plans to announce three new smartphones soon for the entry-level, mid-range and high-end markets. Some reports also say that the phones will all be made of metal, and the entry-level model will only cost only 1000 CNY, or $160.
Although QiKU has yet to show off any of their devices, Zhou proclaims that QiKU’s devices could easily sell for 5000 CNY or $805, which seems like a rather bold statement. Thankfully, Zhou also said that they don’t have any plans to sell a 5000 CNY phone anytime soon, and that the phones sold by QiKU will be sold at a close to cost price which is reassuring.
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Whether QiKU can even come close to challenging Xiaomi’s dominance is still unknown. Like we’ve seen multiple times, an all out price war doesn’t always work as well as manufacturers assume it will, and the fact that QiKU hasn’t revealed any of their devices doesn’t help. Not to mention Xiaomi is already a huge industry player with plenty of products outside of smartphones, and even coming close to them will be close to impossible.
What do you think about QiKU? Are you looking forward to seeing their first devices? Isn’t the Chinese smartphone market packed enough as it is? Can QiKU challenge Xiaomi at it’s own game?
China’s 3rd largest smartphone manufacturer??
Coolpad.
Obviously good news for customers, but if they are really going to take it that seriously why didn’t they come up with a more friendly name for international buyers?
Because if you have success in china nowadays you really don’t need the international market, also if they ever go international which probably wont happen for 5 years at least they can just change the name for international consumers.
You do but not traditional one. Next stop is Indian market as second biggest world wide. No one can arise in top 3 not going international or at least covering & India.
If your plans are to pass Xiaomi then you should start looking into a more appealing name right now since Xiaomi plans are not a mystery and they will expand abroad soon.
That’s simply my opinion and worth for Xiaomi as well.
Xiaomi already has expanded outside of China. The Chinese market is maturing, there’s little room for growth. Xiaomi right now cares more about the markets of India, Brazil, Indonesia and the countries of South East Asia.
That worth for Xiaomi was referred to a English friendly name. Lol
I believe that attack Xiaomi China market only. Won’t be going for international for next 5-6yrs
Like Xiaomi and Huawei are more friendly names lol? Took me the better part of the year to say both of those correctly.
That’s what I meant!I’ve just figure out that Xiaomi sounds like “show me”, no idea how to say huawei properly.
I had no clue either and I even worked in Cambodia next to a Huawei shop, I asked the techs there how to pronounce it and they all told me “Ha Why”. Which is terribly wrong. Here is the correct way:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGAqvpYLiGw
I say huawei like the country huawei (you know like the TV show huawei 5 0) and every one know what I’m talking about.
As for xiaomi, I say “shiauwmie”. It’s easier than trying to say ” archos.”
Lol ?
Isn’t china’s third large phone manufacturer Lenovo?
Jes it is. So they merged with who?
Yes, they forget to write who isC china’s 3rd largest smartphone manufacturer…so i had to read comments to see eill someone wrote it. Tnx David
What’s the point of preparing an event if you don’t have actual devices to present yet?
Come up with your phones than we can talk about your chances.
The point is to create buzz and get their brand name into the market so that when they do have devices to launch people will already know the brand name. The first step is something like this, next comes “leaked” specs and designs then a full on unveiling. It’s a marketing strategy. Xiaomi, Meizu, Huaweii all do it as well when they float rumors of a big announcement next month but never go into detail about what it is, until a “leak” happens.
3rd largest smartphone manufacturer is Coolpad
Wait and see mode.
“With 90% already owning a smartphone in China, a slow down in shipments starts” http://www.phonearena.com/news/With-90-already-owning-a-smartphone-in-China-a-slow-down-in-shipments-starts_id69129
name sucks
If they can be developer friendly with their source code(like OnePlus) and sell cheap without ridiculous invitation codes(like OnePlus again) they will be a success
Competition is great for the market it increases innovation and decreases costs. The problem with trying to compete with a company like Xiaomi (or Apple) is that you can match them spec for spec but the software is the difference.
Apple is in an entirely different boat with their proprietary OS so they are more or less unphased by yet another Android-based phone manufacturer starting up, especially one targetting the low end. Xiaomi on the other hand…
I wasn’t saying they could challenge Apple, I was pointing out that like Apple what sets Xiaomi apart from all these other companies is their software.
cheaper, faster to market, better products… hopefully it will not be paid by worker suicidal cases…
They are going in bed with Coolpad!
http://en.yibada.com/articles/31768/20150509/qihoo-360-joins-tech-bandwagon-partners-coolpad-new-smartphone.htm
Sell only… No updates… What the point?
lol 1000 rmb, 599,- entry price is where it’s at now, as Tcl ono and hongmi have proved.
One thing they didn’t see, and it iis price of Xiaomis entry level phone….and that is much lower then their “1000” yuan idea.
I’m looking forward to them trying anyway… If it means good quality cheap high spec phones then that’ll do most people here won’t it..?
heheheheheh !!!
Honestly, if they can just match the quality and price but not do fucking flash sales, I’d give them a shot. I totally get why Xiaomi did this earlier on from a business perspective, but it’s the most annoying thing in the world as a consumer. I really hope they have the manufacturing power in the near future to just have devices for sale. I’m pretty convinced that it’s just artificial demand manufacturing at this point though. I don’t hate it enough to boycott them because I do love the products and the fact that they’re the only android OEM who’s stock software I not only don’t hate, but actually love, is definitely more than a saving grace.