Xiaomi Is Entering U.S. With Earphones and Bands, Plans To Secure a Manufacturing Partner in Brazil

Xiaomi - the Chinese smartphone sensation - is entering the market of U.S but starting small. The company will begin selling headphones, smart wristbands and other accessories in the coming months.

Xiaomi is also close to securing a manufacturing partner in Brazil which will help it skirt punishing tariffs on imported electronics when it begins sales in Latin America's largest economy in the first half of this year, Fortune reported.

Xiaomi is just a five year old startup which was valued at $45 billion last December. The company has been rapidly expanding its global footprint through direct online sales.

It's flagship Mi series smartphones managed to score well with Chinese users because of their low cost and the company's heavy reliance on customer interaction and feedback.

"While Apple tends to keep its future product plans secret, Xiaomi has invited customers to nosh on popcorn at company parties, chat on Xiaomi's online forums and review or make suggestions for new features, which Xiaomi frequently builds into its weekly software updates," noted Washington Post.

For Xiaomi, Brazil will the first market outside its home continent. Reportedly, the company intends to begin selling its phone in the first half of the year.

A Xiaomi phone "may not be the best product out there but a product with the best combination: a very affordable price and good quality," said Bing-Sheng Teng, a corporate strategy expert at the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business in Beijing.

"We're keen on being in the conversation in the U.S.," global operations vice president Hugo Barra told reporters.