Expect more selfie-centric Xiaomi phones in the future
As it faces tough competition in the saturated smartphone market in China, Meitu—best known for its selfie app and selfie-centric smartphones—announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Xiaomi.
Under the said partnership, Meitu will be licensing its hardware and tech to Xiaomi, while Xiaomi will handle the majority of the work—from design and research to production and marketing. Co-developed phones will come preinstalled with Meitu’s own photo and social apps.
The partnership is a lifesaver for Meitu, which is projected to have a net loss of around $137 million and $173 million this year—the biggest loss for the company to date. For this year, Meitu only launched one phone with the Meitu T9.
For Xiaomi, the Meitu partnership is an opportunity for them to try out new technology under a sub-brand, and will further help in its rapid expansion across the globe.
