Xiaomi finally enters Pakistan

Pakistan has become the newest overseas market for Xiaomi as Chinese smartphone manufacturer aggressively moves beyond its home boundaries and hopes to replicate its success in foreign markets.

For its launch in Pakistan, Xiaomi has partnered with local Smart Link Technologies for distribution and after-sales service, it said today. Rocket Internet's Daraz is also a distributor for Xiaomi products in the country.

The company is beginning its operations in the country with the launch of runaway hit budget smartphones Redmi Note 4 and the Redmi Note 4A, and bezel-less arge Mi Max in the country Some of these smartphones, as well as other accessories, are already listed on Daraz website.

As the world's sixth most populous nation Pakistan is a big market for smartphone makers. The country was projected to have about 40 million smartphones last year. Qmobile is the current smartphone vendor in the country.

Much like other developing nations, most people in Pakistan prefer purchasing a handset from brick and mortar stores, something that could turn out to be a roadblock for Xiaomi if it is planning to replicate its online-focus in the country. For instance, in India, Xiaomi still relies heavily on Flipkart, and Amazon India, and its own online store for selling its smartphones and other products.

In the last two years, the six-year-old company Xiaomi has aggressively expanded its products and services in India, Indonesia, Brazil, and the United States. The company had hired former Google VP Hugo Barra to expand in the international markets. Barra announced last month that he is leaving Xiaomi to lead Facebook's virtual reality efforts.

India is Xiaomi's biggest market outside China, company CEO Lei Jun said earlier this year. In 2016, Xiaomi hit one billion dollars in revenue in the country. Even as if the company does well in India, it is losing its charm in the home country. Once the hottest phone brand in its home market, Xiaomi had slipped to fifth spot in the fourth quarter last year, according to IDC.