Xiaomi does have an IP problem. They don't really have any meaningful intellectual property. And in phones in particular, that's a big problem. If you don't own any patents, you're going to pay like up to a third, if not more of the total cost of your phone and patent fees. It's probably a bit of an iteration, but it's very expensive. The reality is, is both companies need each other.
Ben and James discuss Xiaomi’s ambition to own the home, why we’re frustrated with patents, why the West is unfair to the developing world, and what makes China unique.
Links
- Jordan Lewis: Exponent Bingo – Twitter
- Ben Thompson: Xiaomi’s Ambition – Stratechery
- Ben Thompson: Handicapping the Internet of Things – Stratechery
- When Charles Dickens fell out with America – BBC
- To Live (The film about the Cultural Revolution) – Wikipedia
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