 "Google's Hugo Barra to join Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi")
Xiaomi Tech, a fast-growing Chinese maker of cheap smartphones, has hired senior Google Inc Android executive Hugo Barra to spearhead its nascent global expansion.
Xiaomi founder Lei Jun said on his Weibo feed late on Wednesday that Barra, who led product development for Google’s industry-leading Android mobile software, will join the Chinese company in October as head of international business development.
“Barra will be responsible for Xiaomi’s global business expansion,” Lei said on Weibo, a Twitter-like Chinese service.
[caption id=“attachment_1074177” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
Hugo Barra is seen at the launch of the new Nexus 7 event in this file photo. AFP[/caption]
Barra also mentioned on his Google Plus page that he was leaving the company. He wrote ,
After nearly 5½ years at Google and almost 3 years as a member of the Android team - the most amazing group of people I’ve ever worked with in my life - I have decided to start a new career chapter.
In a few weeks, I’ll be joining the Xiaomi team in China to help them expand their incredible product portfolio and business globally - as Vice President, Xiaomi Global. I’m really looking forward to this new challenge, and am particularly excited about the opportunity to continue to help drive the Android ecosystem.
AllThingsD had reported that Barra’s resignation came before personal situation related to the end of a romantic relationship he had with another Google employee who is now believed to be dating co-founder of Google Sergey Brin.
The report said that his decision to leave the company is unrelated and made before he was aware of the new relationship.
Xiaomi is known for portraying itself as China’s answer to Apple Inc, an image its billionaire founder has fostered since he started the company in 2010. Lei often dresses in the black tops, jeans and sneakers favoured by the late Steve Jobs.
Along with fellow Chinese smartphone makers Huawei and ZTE Corp, Xiaomi has aggressively seized market share by combining lower prices with quality gadgets, helping pressure margins and market share at Apple and Samsung.
Xiaomi’s latest smartphone, the Hongmi, sells for $130, much less than the $770 iPhone 5 or the $470 for the latest Samsung Galaxy model, the market leader in China.
Xiaomi sold more smartphones than Apple in the second quarter in China, the world’s biggest smartphone market, according to IT consultancy Canalys.
With input from Reuters