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<ul><li>A new incident has been reported of the <keyword id="10865875" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oneplus-nord-2" source="Orion">OnePlus Nord 2</keyword> exploding in India.</li><li>The explosion caused grave injury to the user according to images shared on Twitter.</li><li>OnePlus is in touch with the user, and is working on resolving the issue.</li></ul>There have been a few isolated incidents of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-nord-2-mobile-phone-review/articleshow/85040249.cms">OnePlus Nord 2</a> reportedly exploding in India. It seems like there’s a pattern now as another user has reported of a OnePlus Nord 2 explosion, and this time it gravely injured the person too. This incident was shared on Twitter by Suhit Sharma from Dhule in Maharashtra. According to Sharma’s tweet and images shared, the OnePlus Nord 2 suffered a serious blast while inside the pocket of “a boy”. The phone looks completely damaged and burnt on the right side. The images also indicate that the phone was kept inside the pocket of the user’s jeans which also suffered some damages. We can also see one image of the user whose thigh is burnt due to the blast. This looks like the worst OnePlus Nord 2 explosion incident so far. (Warning: Graphic images) <div type="twitter" handle="suhitrulz" handlename="Suhit Sharma" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1385126715169533954/57nOLX8B_normal.jpg" favoritecount="5775" retweetcount="2967" status="@OnePlus_IN Never expected this from you #OnePlusNord2Blast see what your product have done. Please be prepared for… https://t.co/qlhyWfYNMO" createdat="1635921104000" id="1455784742083706887"></div> Sharma shared updates in the tweet thread saying that OnePlus has contacted him and the research and development (R&amp;D) team is in touch to get this matter resolved. There’s no update though on whether the device was indeed faulty or if the explosion was caused by some external factor. “We take such incidents seriously. Our team has already reached out to the user and we are in the process of collecting the details to investigate this further”, OnePlus India said in a statement. This isn’t the first time that the OnePlus Nord 2 has been caught in explosion incidents. In September, a OnePlus Nord 2 user shared on Twitter about the phone’s <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-nord-2-smartphone-charger-blast-company-says-due-to-voltage-fluctuations/articleshow/86546821.cms">Warp charger exploding</a> while plugged into the socket. The company said it was due to a voltage fluctuation issue, and provided the user with a new charger. There was another <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-nord-2-smartphone-charger-blast-company-says-due-to-voltage-fluctuations/articleshow/86546821.cmshttps://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-sends-legal-notice-to-lawyer-who-alleged-nord-2-explosion-asks-him-to-remove-tweets-and-offer-an-apology/articleshow/86388611.cms">incident</a> involving Delhi-based lawyer Guarav Gulati who claimed that his <keyword id="12494710" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oneplus-nord-2-exploded" source="Orion">OnePlus Nord 2 exploded</keyword> in his gown when he was sitting in his chamber. This incident took a different turn as OnePlus sent him a ‘cease and desist’ notice stating that he has been posting false information to harm the company’s reputation and that the explosion was due to external factors. The company also asked him to remove all tweets and any other information shared by him on social media, and not post such content any more. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-nord-2-x-pac-man-edition-announced-in-india-starting-at-37999/articleshow/87598928.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">OnePlus Nord 2 x PAC-MAN Edition announced in India starting at ₹37,999</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/android-12-to-roll-out-on-these-devices-heres-when-your-phone-may-get-the-update/articleshow/87598681.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Android 12 to roll-out on these devices: Here’s when your phone may get the update</a>

OnePlus Nord 2 smartphone caught in another blast allegation

<ul><li><keyword id="2210217" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="OnePlus" source="Orion">OnePlus</keyword> has sent a legal notice to a Delhi-based lawyer claiming his tweets are posted with “malicious and mala fide intent”.</li><li>Gaurav Gulati had claimed that the <keyword id="11908596" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="OnePlus-Nord-2-5G" source="Orion">OnePlus Nord 2 5G</keyword> had exploded in his gown when he was sitting in his chamber.</li><li>This is the second instance of the <keyword id="12138906" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oneplus-nord-2-explosion" source="Orion">OnePlus Nord 2 explosion</keyword> in two months. </li></ul>OnePlus has sent a legal notice to a Delhi-based lawyer, Gaurav Gulati, who claims that the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-nord-2-mobile-phone-review/articleshow/85040249.cms">OnePlus Nord 2</a> phone had allegedly exploded in his gown. The ‘cease and desist’ notice claims that the lawyer has been posting disparaging content with ‘malicious and mala fide intent’ to harm the company’s reputation. As per the notice, Gaurav Gulati must remove all the tweets and any other information posted by him on social media platforms. He has been asked to cease and desist from making or publishing ‘any such defamatory videos or derogatory statements’ against OnePlus and its products. Advocate Gaurav Gulati shared the legal notice sent to him in a tweet<a href="https://twitter.com/Adv_Gulati1/status/1439251394205155333"></a>. The notice was sent by DSK Legal, which is the legal partner of Mobitech Creations — the subsidiary of OnePlus in India. The company confirmed the same to <a href="https://gadgets.ndtv.com/mobiles/news/oneplus-nord-2-5g-explosion-delhi-advocate-legal-notice-2547346">Gadgets360 </a>saying, “We confirm that we have issued a cease-and-desist notice to the concerned individual. We will follow the proper legal procedures to resolve this matter.” <div type="twitter" handle="Adv_Gulati1" handlename="GAURAV GULATI" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1426452311312715777/ajyosdBS_normal.jpg" favoritecount="954" retweetcount="366" status="सत्य परेशान हो सकता है लेकिन पराजित नहीं.... @barcouncilindia @OnePlus_IN @OnePlus_SupportSo I have recieved this… https://t.co/iW7isDZk6z" createdat="1631979247000" id="1439251394205155333"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Offer unconditional apology" comment="subhead" text="Offer unconditional apology">Offer unconditional apology</cmsannotation> Along with removing the tweets, the lawyer has been asked to issue written communication to all media publications where he had previously given statements and clarify that the statements made by him were unverified and unsubstantiated. He has also been asked to offer an unconditional apology for the ‘disparaging content’ along with an undertaking that he will not post or disseminate any information that adversely affects OnePlus. OnePlus had reached out to Gulati after he posted about the explosion on Twitter. Gulati alleges that the blast took place when he was sitting in his chamber and it was not in use or charging. Gulati had refused to give the phone for investigation claiming to have found the team to be insensitive and that it could tamper with the evidence regarding the explosion. The lawyer alleged that the explosion happened on September 8 and he suffered burn injuries on his stomach due to the severe heat coming from the phone. Earlier, he said that he will sue the company for the explosion. <div type="twitter" handle="Adv_Gulati1" handlename="GAURAV GULATI" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1426452311312715777/ajyosdBS_normal.jpg" favoritecount="1422" retweetcount="489" status="#Blast &amp; #Fire in my brand new #oneplusnord25g.@OnePlus_IN Today morning while i was in my office ( Court Chamber)… https://t.co/0dcJsB7YWj" createdat="1631087794000" id="1435512369380085766"></div> The second explosion of <keyword id="10865875" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oneplus-nord-2" source="Orion">OnePlus Nord 2</keyword> 5G This is the second such explosion reported against the OnePlus Nord 2. Last month, the phone allegedly exploded in the sling bag of a woman in Bengaluru. OnePlus had then said that the explosion was caused by an isolated incident involving external factors and not due to any manufacturing defects. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/enterprise/news/locally-manufactured-iphones-dominate-the-indian-market-as-foxconn-and-winston-increase-production/articleshow/86359786.cms">Locally manufactured iPhones dominate the Indian market as Foxconn and Winston increase production</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/google-could-be-working-on-a-galaxy-fold-style-foldable-smartphone/articleshow/86359564.cms">Google could be working on a Galaxy Fold-style foldable smartphone</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/ios-15-will-be-released-for-all-compatible-iphones-on-september-20/articleshow/86223330.cms">Everything you need to know about iOS 15: Release date, new features, supported devices</a>

OnePlus sends legal notice to lawyer who alleged Nord 2 explosion — asks him to remove tweets and offer an apology

<ul><li>A <keyword id="10865875" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oneplus-nord-2" source="Orion">OnePlus Nord 2</keyword> owner said that the charger exploded when plugged into the socket.</li><li>The customer care centre offered to replace the charger, and said that it could be due to voltage fluctuations.</li><li>This is the third instance of an alleged explosion related to the OnePlus Nord 2.</li></ul>OnePlus was in the news recently for its Nord 2 smartphone that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-sends-legal-notice-to-lawyer-who-alleged-nord-2-explosion-asks-him-to-remove-tweets-and-offer-an-apology/articleshow/86388611.cms">reportedly exploded</a> on two occasions. In both cases OnePlus said that the explosion was due to external factors and not because of manufacturing defects. A new incident has now been reported and this time it’s the Warp charger of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-nord-2-mobile-phone-review/articleshow/85040249.cms">OnePlus Nord 2</a>. The owner, Jimmy Jose shared the incident on Twitter detailing exactly what happened along with photos. According to Jose, the <keyword id="12182205" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oneplus-nord-2-charger" source="Orion">OnePlus Nord 2 charger</keyword> was plugged into the socket when he heard a loud sound and saw that it blew up the socket. Images of the blast show the charger damaged but Jose confirmed that the adapter is still intact and that it worked fine even after the blast. The OnePlus Nord 2 also worked fine and the phone was charged to 75% when the incident occurred. <div type="twitter" handle="TheGlitchhhh" handlename="Jimmy Jose" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1295771696016711680/bu7OgDts_normal.jpg" favoritecount="2512" retweetcount="470" status="I wanted to get this to your immediate attention. My OnePlus Nord 2 warp charger blasted with a huge sound and it b… https://t.co/eoMWI3CHsv" createdat="1632596167000" id="1441838947496202246"></div> Jose also said that he was asked to visit the customer care centre where he was told that the blast could be because of power surge. He was also assured a replacement for the damaged product. He added that a OnePlus representative called him and asked him about and also emphasised that this was caused due to a “voltage fluctuation issue.” The tweet has received much attention as expected with over 2,000 likes, 467 retweets and 121 quote tweets. The replies also have mixed reactions over some suspecting it as foul play, some suggesting that it could have been due to a power issue, and others saying that the product could indeed have had some issues. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Not the first time" comment="subhead" text="Not the first time">Not the first time</cmsannotation> This case appears to have been resolved unlike the OnePlus Nord 2 explosion where even a court order was issued. Delhi-based lawyer Guarav Gulati had claimed that his OnePlus Nord 2 exploded in his gown when he was sitting in his chamber. OnePlus sent him a ‘cease and desist’ notice stating that he has been posting false information to harm the company’s reputation and that the explosion was due to external factors. It also asks him to remove all tweets and any other information shared by him on social media. He has also been asked to not make or publish any such content. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-calendar-users-can-now-group-chat-with-meeting-attendees-before-during-or-after-the-event/articleshow/86474268.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Google Calendar now lets you group chat with meeting attendees, before, during, or after the event</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/new-smartphones-launching-in-india-in-coming-days/slidelist/86448401.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Realme Narzo 50 to Samsung Galaxy M52 5G — phones launching in India this month </a>

OnePlus blames voltage fluctuation after a user reports Nord 2 charger explosion

<ul><li>The <keyword id="11364707" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="oneplus-blockchain-survey">OnePlus blockchain survey</keyword> has been posted in the company’s community app.</li><li>Questions in the survey hint that OnePlus is exploring the possibility of launching its own cryptocurrency wallet.</li><li>OnePlus’ survey tries to understand what cryptocurrency users use, the problems they face and how often they trade in crypto, among other things.</li></ul>Smartphone maker OnePlus is surveying its users about blockchain technology and by extension, the need for a cryptocurrency wallet. The survey revolves around cryptocurrencies and whether OnePlus users use or have used popular cryptocurrency wallets like Coinbase, Binance among others. The <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSclgfGi61ev2v99FnZ6CEoHl0AeX7U9ogTkxu5ifNbdRy6Lew/viewform">survey</a>, first spotted by <a href="https://pricee.com/api/redirect/t.php?from=gadgets360&amp;redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mysmartprice.com%2Fgear%2Foneplus-crypto-wallet-survey%2F">MySmartPrice</a>, contains a list of questions asking users if they have invested in any type of cryptocurrency, their anonymous demographic details and more. This could be a hint at OnePlus entering the blockchain/cryptocurrency space, even if it’s in the form of a wallet to store all your <a href="https://wazirx.com/signup?invite=2kpah6gr&amp;utm_source=business-insider&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=microsite">cryptocurrency</a> purchases. Given that cryptocurrencies have exploded in popularity in India – OnePlus’ biggest market – and in other parts of the world, it might make some sense for the company to dip its toes in this space. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="What is this OnePlus blockchain survey about?" comment="subhead" text="What is this OnePlus blockchain survey about?">What is this <keyword id="11364705" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="oneplus-blockchain">OnePlus blockchain</keyword> survey about?</cmsannotation> So far, going by the questions in the survey OnePlus seems to be trying to understand the dealings of its users and what they think about cryptocurrencies. Apart from this, the survey also tries to understand the issues faced by users, be it investing or simply holding cryptocurrencies. There are a few other questions related to using these cryptocurrency wallets, including the ease of use and what users feel about the security offered by these wallets. Essentially, the survey revolves around what cryptocurrency users use, how often they invest or trade in crypto, the ease of use and security. The company has also posed questions about non-fungible tokens (NFT). These questions seem essential from the point of view of designing a product, which suggests that OnePlus is indeed exploring the need and value of creating its own cryptocurrency wallet. Business Insider has reached out to OnePlus for a comment. We will update this story as and when we receive a response. So far, Samsung and HTC have launched their own <a href="https://wazirx.com/signup?invite=2kpah6gr&amp;utm_source=business-insider&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=microsite">cryptocurrency</a> wallets or solutions. More specifically, Samsung’s blockchain wallet has been around since the launch of the Galaxy S10 series in 2019. HTC went a step further and <a href="https://www.htcexodus.com/mea-en/">launched</a> its dedicated cryptocurrency phone called the <keyword id="77924" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="exodus">Exodus</keyword>. It remains to be seen if the <keyword id="11364703" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="oneplus-cryptocurrency-wallet">OnePlus cryptocurrency wallet</keyword> becomes a reality in the near future. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/google-photos-alternatives-are-hardly-any-good/articleshow/83138238.cms">Google Photos' free storage comes to an end, and there are hardly any good alternatives</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-nord-2-release-date-specs-price-leaks/articleshow/82829154.cms">OnePlus Nord CE 5G release date, specifications and everything else we know so far</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-is-giving-away-9000-worth-google-stadia-bundle-for-free-but-its-not-available-in-india/articleshow/82965884.cms">OnePlus is giving away ₹9,000 worth Google Stadia bundle for free – but it’s not available in India</a>

OnePlus cryptocurrency wallet could be in the works, company survey suggests

<ul><li>Charging technology is likely to see a significant upgrade next year.</li><li>At least five phones including <keyword id="11214893" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oneplus-10-pro" source="Orion">OnePlus 10 Pro</keyword> are expected to feature 125W <keyword id="1658654" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fast-charging" source="Orion">fast charging</keyword> technology.</li><li>The super-fast chargers can charge a 4,000mAh battery fully in 20 minutes.</li></ul>The next year is expected to bring some massive fast-charging upgrades to smartphones from <keyword id="1731609" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oppo" source="Orion">Oppo</keyword> and its subsidiaries. According to a tipster, <a href="https://twitter.com/stufflistings/status/1459050670720380932">Mukul Sharma</a>, five upcoming smartphones including <keyword id="6485927" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="realme" source="Orion">Realme</keyword> GT 2 Pro, Find X4 series, OnePlus 10 Pro, Oppo N series phone, Reno 8 Pro are likely to feature 125W fast-charging technology. Oppo has already teased its 125W fast-charging technology <a href="https://www.techradar.com/in/news/oppos-new-125w-fast-charging-tech-can-fill-your-phones-battery-in-just-20-minutes">last year</a> and now its Find X4 series phone is tipped to get the technology according to the Digital Chat Station on <a href="https://m.weibo.cn/detail/4701185858866341">Weibo</a>. OnePlus and Realme share the same parent organisation, BBK Electronics Corporation, while Reno is the sub-brand of Oppo and this could be the reason that the upcoming devices are expected to get the fastest charging technology. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="OnePlus 10 Pro" comment="subhead" text="OnePlus 10 Pro">OnePlus 10 Pro</cmsannotation> Last week, we got to see the leaked render images of the OnePlus 10 Pro’s <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/leaked-images-reveal-first-look-of-oneplus-10-pros-large-camera-bump/articleshow/87619260.cms">large camera bump</a>, but its fast charging technology would be a major upgrade from the 65W charger the company currently uses on its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/comparison-between-oneplus-9-vs-oneplus-9-pro-mobiles/slidelist/81664642.cms">OnePlus 9 Pro</a>. Last month, the OnePlus’s <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/oneplus-10-pro-is-rumoured-to-get-5x-optical-zoom-in-addition-to-a-periscope-lens/articleshow/86775266.cms">upcoming flagship phone</a> was rumoured to get a 5x optical zoom in addition to a periscope lens, making it a device to watch out for in 2022. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Oppo N Series" comment="subhead" text="Oppo N Series">Oppo N Series</cmsannotation> Another interesting addition to the list of phones that are likely to see the the125W charging is the Oppo N series phone that may make a comeback after nine years since its first phone, the <a href="https://www.oppo.com/en/smartphone-n1/">Oppo N1</a>. The phone came with a 360-degree rotating camera, and we may see similar hardware if the phone is to launch next year. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Fast charging technology" comment="subhead" text="Fast charging technology">Fast charging technology</cmsannotation> Currently, Xiaomi’s 11T Pro comes with a 120W charger and this new upgrade from Oppo, OnePlus and Realme will see them take on their rival with the fastest charging technology to date. In terms of charging speed, Oppo has revealed that a 4,000mAh battery could be charged from 0 to 100% in 20 minutes. For charging a battery, the charger splits the battery into two and charges them in parallel. Safety measures are employed so that the internal do not heat up and explode. For now, this comes as a big upgrade, but we will know more about the impact of such super-fast charging technology on the phone’s internals. At the moment, we can just be glad that the charging times are going to be reduced significantly. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/oneplus-tv-u1s-65-inch-review-superb-value-for-a-large-4k-screen-on-a-budget/articleshow/87662577.cms">OnePlus TV U1S 65-inch review: Superb value for a large 4K screen on a budget</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/iphone-x-with-usb-c-port-sells-for-64-lakh-at-ebay-auction/articleshow/87666364.cms">iPhone X with USB-C port sells for ₹64 lakh at eBay auction</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/apples-patent-reveals-special-glasses-that-only-allow-its-users-to-view-content-on-the-iphone/articleshow/87659771.cms">Apple’s patent reveals “special glasses” that only allow its users to view content on the iPhone</a>

OnePlus 10 Pro may get 125W fast-charging tech along with four other phones next year

<ul><li>A user’s <keyword id="9622655" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="poco-m3" source="Orion">Poco M3</keyword> caught fire and exploded last week.</li><li>The company assures support and investigation into the cause of the blast.</li><li>The image of the blast shows a destroyed smartphone with a burnt-out bottom, and only the camera module is visible.</li></ul>In yet another smartphone explosion, a <keyword id="6785002" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="poco" source="Orion">Poco</keyword> M3 blasted and it was shared by the user’s brother on Twitter. We have had a few smartphone blasts in India over the past few months, notably a few of them involved <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-nord-2-smartphone-caught-in-another-blast-incident/articleshow/87599625.cms">OnePlus Nord 2</a>. In this incident, Mahesh (@<a href="https://twitter.com/Mahesh08716488">Mahesh08716488</a>) shared a tweet with an image of the destroyed phone. He claimed that his brother’s Poco M3 blasted on the morning of November 27. However, he did not give any details about the reason for the blast or if anyone was injured due to the explosion. Poco acknowledged the tweet and responded that customers’ safety was very important and that it took such matters seriously. Surprisingly, both Mahesh and Poco’s tweets have now been deleted. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Poco M3 destroyed by the blast" comment="subhead" text="Poco M3 destroyed by the blast">Poco M3 destroyed by the blast</cmsannotation> In the image shared by Mahesh, you could see the bottom half of the phone, completely burnt and destroyed and only the camera module was visible. After the incident was notified, the company assured that a team was investigating to find out the cause of the blast and it wants to resolve the matter quickly. When we reached out to Poco for a statement, they responded, “at POCO India, customer safety is of utmost importance and we take such matters extremely seriously. At this stage, our team contacted the concerned customer as soon as the issue was notified and is awaiting his visit to the nearest service center. We are committed to examine the issue in detail, and extend all our support to the customer and resolve this on priority. All our devices go through various levels of stringent quality tests to ensure that the quality of the device is not compromised at any level.” We have reached out to the user as well to find out more details about the explosion, however, we are yet to hear from him and we will update the story as we receive a response. This is the second such incident involving Poco, as earlier in September a <a href="https://www.91mobiles.com/hub/poco-x3-pro-blast-allegation-report/">Poco X3 Pro had caught fire</a>, which the company classified under ‘customer induced damage’. These incidents are becoming a concern for the users and smartphone makers should address them soon. Whether these incidents take place due to manufacturing defects or customer negligence, here’s how you can <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/heres-how-you-can-protect-your-smartphone-from-exploding/slidelist/87625685.cms">protect your smartphone from exploding.</a> SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/uber-now-lets-you-book-rides-from-whatsapp/articleshow/88045049.cms">Uber now lets you book rides on WhatsApp in Lucknow — slated to roll out in more Indian cities soon</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/motorolas-ar-glasses-with-touchpad-bearing-neckband-and-snapdragon-8-gen-1-chipset/articleshow/88044197.cms">Project Ironman: Leak sheds light on Motorola’s AR glasses with touchpad-bearing neckband and Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset</a>

Another smartphone from a popular Chinese manufacturer burst into flames, this time it’s the Poco M3

Samsung<ul class="summary-list"><li>Just one year after the bungled launch of its first foldable smartphone, Samsung is trying again with an all-new design, name, and price.</li><li>The Galaxy Z Flip is $600 less than the starting price of last year's Galaxy Fold, and it also folds up and down like a pocket mirror, instead of horizontally like a book.</li><li>Despite the phone's many hardware improvements, Samsung's new phone just isn't as magical or exciting as last year's design.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Last February, Samsung took the smartphone world by storm with the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/samsung-galaxy-s10-event-unpacked-live-blog-all-announcements-2019-2">surprise introduction</a> of the Galaxy Fold at Mobile World Congress.The Galaxy Fold was big, bold, and beautiful. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/samsung-galaxy-fold-release-date-price-specs-features-2019-2">It had two screens and five cameras</a>. It also cost about as much as a laptop, with a starting price of $1,980.But everything fell apart when Samsung actually sent test units to journalists months later. Many of the review units broke within 24 hours.Twitter/Steve KovachSamsung took a beating on social media over the Galaxy Fold review units breaking.For Samsung, it was a hardware disaster, and a PR nightmare. The company went back to the drawing board and re-released the Galaxy Fold later in the year, but the damage was already done. The Galaxy Fold, like the <a href="https://www.wired.com/2017/01/why-the-samsung-galaxy-note-7-kept-exploding/">Galaxy Note 7 and its exploding battery</a> from 2016, had become the butt of a joke. This year, Samsung is taking another crack at a foldable smartphone - and in doing so is addressing the many failures of the Galaxy Fold.The new Galaxy Z Flip might have the worst name between the two phones, but it has a much better hinge and screen design, so no dust can get in and brick the device. It's more difficult to tamper with, due to the clamshell design that protects the phone's screen. It's also significantly cheaper, with a starting price of $1,380 - $600 less than last year's model.Unfortunately for Samsung, despite its many improvements this new foldable phone also happens to lack all of the appeal that made the Galaxy Fold so magical in the first place.<h2>The biggest letdown doesn't show up on the specs sheet</h2>To understand why the new Z Flip isn't as exciting as the Galaxy Fold, it really helps to see it in person.Here's the Galaxy Fold:Business Insider/Antonio Villas-BoasThe Galaxy FoldAnd here's the new Galaxy Z Flip:SamsungThe Galaxy Z FlipThe Galaxy Z Flip takes up less space than the Galaxy Fold, when it's either closed or open. But the problem with the Galaxy Z Flip is that you will be constantly touching that crease along the center of the phone.Lisa Eadicicco/Business InsiderYou'll be constantly touching the hinge on the Galaxy Z Flip.Think about how often you scroll on your current smartphone. You do it all the time, to browse webpages or find that song you're looking for in Spotify. Since the phone has a horizontal crease across the middle of the phone, you'll come into contact with it all the time.This wasn't an issue with the Galaxy Fold, which had a vertical crease that rarely interfered with the interface.Hollis Johnson/Business InsiderScrolling up and down on the Galaxy Fold wouldn't interfere with the crease.With the Galaxy Fold in its open position, you can have two apps on the screen, or one giant app, but you probably had little reason to drag your finger across the meridian of the display.Hollis Johnson/Business InsiderUnless you needed to touch content in the middle of the screen, you'd rarely interact with the crease on the Galaxy Fold.The Galaxy Z Flip also lacks that "wow" factor. The Galaxy Fold allowed you to use the phone one-handed in its closed position, or give you a big tablet-like interface when you opened it up.Hollis Johnson/Business InsiderThe Galaxy Z Flip can't be used in full from its "closed" position; you can only see the time, and some small bits of information like notifications. And when it's open, it's no bigger than your average smartphone. Being able to make your phone smaller is useful, but it's not as exciting as having a phone transform into a tablet at will.Samsung/YouTubeThe rest of the Galaxy Z Flip looks solid on paper. It has adequate cameras, powerful chips to make it all work, and a large bright display. But those things were all good on the Galaxy Fold, too. The things that don't show up on the specs sheet for this phone - how often you'll come into contact with the crease, for instance, or how often you'll notice it during regular use, or how annoying it is to open and close a clamshell phone dozens of times throughout the day compared to a traditional smartphone - are far more important than the size of this phone's battery.Overall, I wish I could recommend this phone, but I can't at its current price point. For that much money, you could buy yourself a more polished smartphone experience - through Apple if you want to try iOS, or through one of many Android manufacturers like OnePlus or Motorola or Google, which all make excellent Android phones that cost a fraction of the price of the Galaxy Z Flip. That said, I applaud Samsung for rebounding after last year's Galaxy Fold debacle, taking another risk, and trying something new. If anything, seeing a working foldable smartphone gives me hope that we'll start seeing more radical phone designs in the years to come. <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/samsung-foldable-flip-phone-galaxy-z-2020-2">Watch Samsung unveil its foldable flip phone - the Galaxy Z</a></h3>

Samsung's new $1,400 folding phone totally misses the appeal of foldable smartphones

<keyword id="3658" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> is consistently being bandied as the next major growth market for all smartphone companies, but there is one company that’s really struggling to crack India. The company in question is the most valuable one in the world -- <keyword id="6354427" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="apple">Apple</keyword>. According to CounterPoint’s latest report, Apple’s market share has dropped to an all-time low in India, with its share of the smartphone market dropping to below 2%. The problem is a combination of the nature of the Indian smartphone consumer, Indian laws and Apple’s stubbornness. This quarter Xiaomi and Samsung have emerged as the defacto leaders with their combined market share in India pushing 30%. Samsung managed to regain its lead in India with a share of 29%, up from 24% in the previous quarter, as per a report by Canalys. Xiaomi also grew to 28% market share in the country. While Tim Cook has reiterated often that India is a key market for the Cupertino-based giant, Apple has hit a new low in India, which is clearly the most important smartphone market outside of China. Pricing doesn’t allow Apple to compete for market share in India The problem for the company is that India is primarily a sub Rs 15,000 market, while the cheapest <keyword id="6354606" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="iPhone">iPhone</keyword> – the iPhone SE costs Rs 26,000, and runs three-year-old hardware. Apple doesn’t make cheap products because it doesn’t want to be perceived as a mass market smartphone brand. The Indian market is wildly different from the one in the United States, Europe and even China, which is Apple’s favourite market off-late. These markets are dominated by the operators and their contracts, where users can get the latest and greatest iPhone for about the same Rs 15,000 amount, put in as down payment. The space for phones that cost more than Rs 30,000 is just 4% of the Indian smartphone market. And that is commanded by OnePlus, followed by Samsung. Even if Apple were to get 100% market share in the premium space, it would still only command 4% of the market. Even when competing on price, older iPhones like the 6S and 7 lose out to newer phones from companies like OnePlus on both marketing and also technical capability. Indians tend to buy phones on the basis of specifications and even some of the newer models lose out to brands like OnePlus in the premium segment as the iPhone 6S and 7 models are perceived to be inferior. Hardware disadvantage Apple’s hardware disadvantage swells up when one talks about the cheapest iPhone models in this country. Apple simply doesn’t have a product in that price bracket, the sub-Rs 20,000 zone, and that’s the price point where the market for new smartphones is exploding. While the cheapest iPhone, the SE, costs Rs 26,000, it’s not the best selling iPhone here. It is the iPhone 6, which first popped up in 2014...and here we are in 2018. There are two reasons for this -- first, the iPhone 6 has a bigger screen (4.7-inch) which is more to the liking of Indian users; and second, design-wise, it’s not too dissimilar from the iPhone 8 which came out at the fag end of 2017. With the entry of Reliance Jio in India in late 2016, Indians have developed a voracious appetite for consuming video on the go. The iPhone SE, which uses the design of the iPhone 5 and 5S, has a rather small 4-inch screen. Newer phones like the Redmi Note 5 have much larger 5.99-inch screens. That’s a difference of 2-inches and considering mobile video, it's a huge one. The iPhone SE and iPhone 6, which are the two cheapest iPhones in India also have dated cameras. Nowadays, phones like the Honor 9 Lite and Redmi Note 5 Pro also offer dual cameras with an iPhone X-like bokeh mode -- something these older, cheaper iPhones can’t hope to match. Network conditions in India are often quite poor, connectivity wise, which results in smartphones consuming more battery. Apple’s iPhones have never been known for battery life. The most affordable iPhone in India (iPhone SE) has a meagre 1,624mAh battery, while phones half its price are pushing battery packs that are more than double the size. iPhones also don’t offer hardware features that are popular in emerging markets like ours. For instance, there is no support for dual SIM cards, and there is no support for expandable memory. With newer models like the iPhone 7, iPhone 8 and iPhone X, there isn’t even a headphone jack -- something competitors like Samsung and OnePlus are providing to customers in the premium segment. Apple hasn’t been able to push its design as a premium advantage either, as Chinese smartphone manufacturers have aped iPhone-like designs on almost all their phones. In fact, the design of the iPhone X has been democratised by Chinese smartphone makers. For instance, the iPhone X-style notch display can be found even on new phones like the Honor 9N that starts at just Rs 13,999 while offering dual cameras on not only the back but also for selfies, and also providing a battery that’s almost twice as big as the iPhone SE. Even their software is designed in a way that Android looks more like iOS. Android modifications from vendors like <keyword id="6357456" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="huawei">Huawei</keyword>, Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo follow the same basic iOS-like design language. Software disadvantage It’s bad enough that many Android smartphone makers have designed their software to mimic the look and feel of iOS, but Apple’s problems are compounded by the fact that its own services perform poorly in India or are non-existent. Apple Maps is perhaps the biggest no-show. It doesn’t do turn-by-turn navigation in India and its mapping coverage is abysmal in the country. It is a matter of fact that Apple Maps can’t be used in India as a reliable tool for commuting. Apple Pay isn’t available in India at a time where digital payments are taking off in the country. Paytm and Google’s Tez payments systems are taking off in India massively. Samsung launched Samsung Pay in India last year. Apple Pay is dependent on NFC, while Samsung Pay uses a combination of NFC and magnetic secure transaction (MST), which mimics the magnetic signal a credit or debit card makes to a POS machine. Siri, on most days doesn’t understand the Indian accent as well as the Google Assistant, and nor can it do much. Heck, <keyword id="10387" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Microsoft">Microsoft</keyword>’s Cortana and Amazon’s Alexa do a better job and this is despite the fact that Apple was the first company to deploy a virtual assistant. While Apple’s services hobble on its own trophy -- the iPhone -- its competitors -- Google, Amazon and Microsoft have their services performing better on iOS. For mapping, most people use Google Maps. For search, Google Search becomes the default, and for productivity, Microsoft’s Office crushes Apple’s iWork apps. Rarely, you’re using Apple software on the iPhone in India. Even Apple Music, which is one of the rare examples of an Apple service doing well in the country, has been flanked by local competition like Ganna.com, Jio music, Wynk and Saavn. All of whom have a free tier. On older iPhones, Apple’s iOS updates have also crippled the experience of the iPhone. A couple of years ago, there used to be a strong argument in favour of the iPhone as it would perform well for over two years. Apple’s recent updates have made older iPhones inferior in comparison to newer Android phones that cost the same. Apple is addressing this issue in this year's iOS 12 update, which makes huge performance improvements to older iPhones, but it could be too little too late. The app store also doesn't make life easy for users as it demands a credit card for a user to even download free apps. That's not the case on the Google Play store. Apple has been late in localising services for India The larger issue here is that Apple isn’t localising its services for India in the way it has attempted to for China. This is indicative of the fact that Apple hasn’t taken the time or put enough resources behind localising its services for this country. Samsung and Huawei have R&amp;D centres in India customising services for the market. Xiaomi also prioritises and customises products for India. Apple opened an App Accelerator in Bangalore and a facility for Apple Maps in Hyderabad only in 2016. Google has had software and services being developed out of India since the mid-2000s, while Microsoft has been in India since the early 90’s. This has, in turn, inhibited Apple’s ability to quickly pivot. Its biggest competitor, Google, on a platform level, makes products for India. Google CEO Sundar Pichai said last year, “India shapes how we build products. If something works in India it will work globally.” And this philosophy can be seen in the customisations that Google has made to core services like Android, Maps, YouTube, Search and even payments. Its next billion division has made “Go” editions of Android, YouTube, Search and Maps, which are designed to work better on low power phones and poorer network conditions. They have even invested in KaiOS that powers feature phones like the Jio Phone creating its own versions of YouTube, Google Search and Assistant in India. For Apple to replicate its China success in India, it has to do a lot more than what it did in China. Even in China, Apple’s momentum has slowed so it has a steep slope to climb there as well. In China, Google and Amazon are almost non-existent. In India, they are big players. Apple isn’t able to compete with Google with regards to services. Most people use Google services which are part of all Android phones and one doesn’t need to buy a comparatively expensive iPhone to enjoy them. Apple and the Indian government: Frenemies? Apple hasn’t seen eye to eye with the Indian government for long. Apple expected concessions for manufacturing in India. It never made headway with that. While it lobbied for tax concessions -- brands like Xiaomi, Oppo and Huawei all got on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ programme which grants locally assembled phones some tax concessions. Only recently, Apple has started manufacturing both the iPhone SE and iPhone 6S in India. There are some reports that Apple has locked in a deal with one of its ODM vendors to manufacture even the iPhone X, but that’s not happening right now. The price variance between the iPhone X and the new Samsung Galaxy S9+ is quite startling. The iPhone X tops out at a whopping Rs 1,07,999 while the latest Galaxy S9+ tops out at Rs 69,000 for its top-end model in India. That’s almost a gap of Rs 40,000 which ironically is the cost of the 128GB model of the OnePlus 6 which is currently the best selling smartphone in the premium segment in this country. In the US, the iPhone X costs $1,149 which is around Rs 79,000 and the Galaxy S9+ costs $792 (around Rs 55,000). This points towards the fact that India is the most expensive place to purchase an iPhone and also the fact that Samsung’s phones have a huge price advantage in India that they don’t enjoy even in the US. And a lot of this is due to the fact that the S9+ is assembled in Samsung’s factory in Greater Noida (a satellite town outside New Delhi) which also happens to be the largest smartphone manufacturing plant in the world. The iPhone is further hobbled by the fact that it has an international warranty and India has a bubbling <keyword id="395545" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="grey-market">grey market</keyword>. It’s totally possible for someone to buy an imported iPhone for much lesser than the official price in India and still enjoy global warranty on the product. For years, Apple has been hoping to get permissions to set up its iconic Apple Stores in India. Indian law stipulates that single brand retail can only happen when products use 30% raw materials that are locally sourced -- that’s a hard problem to solve for Apple. That’s led to it selling its phones via resellers who often have discounted products to move inventory, thereby diluting Apple’s premium identity. In order to move more affordable iPhones, the Indian government has also rejected Apple’s plan for selling refurbished iPhones in India. More recently, Apple has been deadlocked in a stalemate with Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in India over the installation of its spam reporting app on the iPhone. The telecom regulator has been reported to be taking extreme steps which could result in the iPhone being blocked from telecom networks in India if Apple doesn’t play ball, but that seems to be changing. An update in iOS 12 could possibly pave the way for an extension in the iMessage app for the TRAI to push out its spam reporting feature. The big takeaway is that Apple’s brand positioning makes its life hard enough in a market where feature phone sales are still growing, however, it hasn’t helped its own cause by not investing in India in a timely manner and also not adopting and partaking quickly enough in initiatives of the Indian government which has put it at a disadvantage with regards to lobbying.

Here’s why the iPhone can’t compete in India

IF YOU want to understand how China innovates, look no further than its hyper-competitive market for smartphones. Though Samsung and Apple dominate the business globally, the technology superpowers are being squeezed in China by aggressive local manufacturers. Now Chinese firms are selling their handsets abroad in ever-greater numbers and a battle is set to be fought that will reshape the global marketplace for handsets.
China's smartphone-makers have a ready launchpad. Thanks to the frugal but feature-rich offerings from local firms, domestic sales have exploded. Over 100m smartphones were sold in the second quarter, accounting for over a third of global sales and making China the world's largest market.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Strikingly, eight of the top ten vendors were local firms. Xiaomi, a startup that only sells online, shot past Samsung to become the leading brand of smartphones in the country. After selling 15.4m in the second quarter (see chart), the firm is on track to peddle 60m handsets this year, and wants to sell 100m in 2015.
The rise of the inexpensive smartphone is a boon for Chinese consumers, many of whom are going online for the first time. However, Chinese firms are no longer content to scrap for a share of the spoils at home. They are increasingly eyeing lucrative foreign markets.
With much fanfare, Xiaomi launched in India in July. It did so in partnership with Flipkart, a leading local e-commerce firm. Xiaomi's handsets are now also available in most of South-East Asia and the firm plans to sell in Brazil next. Though it does not officially sell its phones in America, GPS patterns suggest that around 1m of its snazzy handsets have been detected in the country. As foreigners find it hard to pronounce its name, Xiaomi has even grabbed the website mi.com, perhaps to rebrand itself overseas as "Mi".
Another local firm on the move is OnePlus. Reviewers in developed markets have been raving about its clever handsets, which offer top-notch performance and features for around $300--less than half the list price of the latest iPhone. Carl Pei of OnePlus argues that unlike its rivals, his firm was "born a global company". Since its founding late last year, it has targeted 16 countries--including such challenging markets as America and Britain. "It helps that a lot of people don't know that we are a Chinese firm," he confides.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>
Adding to the advance are those Chinese firms that have long been global, even if they are relatively new to the smartphone business. Huawei has sold unbranded "white label" handsets to telecoms carriers for a while, but is now keenly pushing its own Ascend and Honor brands. Lenovo has spent $2.9 billion to acquire Motorola Mobility, Google's handset division, which dramatically expands its reach in North and South America. It, too, has announced plans for a line of smartphones to be sold only on the internet.
Rumours resurfaced this week that Lenovo might even buy BlackBerry, an ailing Canadian handset-maker. That seems unlikely as it makes little sense for a rising star to join hands with a sinking firm: Lenovo already turns a profit on the phones it sells outside China. Moreover, concerns that the Chinese government uses local tech companies to spy--unproven claims that prompted America's Congress to blacklist Huawei and ZTE, another Chinese telecoms-equipment firm--might prompt Canadian regulators to block any deal.
They are emerging in force, but how will Chinese firms fare outside their sheltered home market? Some observers are sceptical, dismissing Chinese technology firms as shameless copycats incapable of innovation--the beneficiaries of a dodgy legal system that allows local firms to infringe <keyword id="6356001" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="international">international</keyword> patents and keeps out world-class foreign competition. Google services, including the app store for its popular Android operating system, are effectively blocked in China.
Jonathan Ive, Apple's lead designer, gave succour to the naysayers with recent comments dismissing Xiaomi's designs as derivative: "it really is theft and it's lazy and I don't think it's OK at all", he complains. Some things about Xiaomi are clearly borrowed from Apple, from its sleek designs and pleasing user interface to the Jobsian jeans-and-black-top presentations given by Lei Jun, the firm's charismatic founder.
A serious threat to Chinese firms as they head overseas is lawsuits from Apple and Samsung, who themselves have long been entangled in nasty battles over intellectual property (IP). Ben Qiu of Cooley, an American law firm, believes that "Xiaomi is in dangerous waters of potential patent-infringement claims on the international markets." But he argues that the firm's clever management team, which includes former Google executives, can navigate these perilous seas because it is well prepared for legal and regulatory battles.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"></div></div>
He points out that Tencent, a Chinese internet giant, expanded abroad successfully in part because its general counsel is a seasoned Silicon Valley lawyer. In addition to lawyering up, Chinese handset-makers must also build up arsenals of licences from existing patent holders. To sell phones in rich countries (which, unlike developing ones, strictly enforce IP rights) they have been forced to pay a quarter of revenues to patent holders.
Building patent banks can reduce this burden: a mighty arsenal may scare off lawsuits, and patents can be sold or cross-licensed as necessary, to avoid conflict. Lenovo has spent pots of money of late to acquire thousands of patents from NEC, a Japanese firm, from Motorola and from patent trolls. Most importantly, they must come up with valuable inventions in-house. To their credit, Huawei and ZTE are among the world's most prolific generators of new patents.
That intense rivalry and race to generate new ideas is the best reason to believe the Chinese upstarts can make it. The confluence of a giant market and cost-conscious consumers has forced them to squeeze component costs, make contract manufacturing more efficient and adopt technological innovations more quickly. This has prepared the best of the local firms to do battle with global titans.
There is no denying that many Chinese firms got their start by copying foreign ones at the leading edge. But imitation has often been the starting point for innovation at companies in the rich world. Apple did not invent the compact music player or smartphone. Steve Jobs even flew a pirate's flag atop the old Macintosh headquarters as a reminder to his employees that innovators need to be rule-breakers. That transition from imitation to innovation is happening now at a breathtaking pace in Chinese technology firms.
Click <a href="https://subscriptions.economist.com/nwcd">here</a> to subscribe to The Economist

Chinese Phonemakers Are Preparing To Take On The World

One of the biggest threats to Apple's future profits and stock price is growing price pressure in the smartphone business.
An estimated 70% of Apple's profit comes from the iPhone. And most of that comes from high-end iPhones that sell for about $600 apiece ($200 to the consumer, with subsidy, in rich countries). Apple's gross profit on these phones is estimated to be about 50%.
Over the past couple of years, the growth rate of Apple's iPhone business has tanked (see below), which has caused Apple's profit growth to slow. Sales growth has slowed because developed markets have matured, and Apple has not had a phone priced to sell well in huge emerging markets like China and India, where growth is still rapid.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image">Business Insider</div></div></div>
Apple's decision not to offer a low-priced phone has opened the door for, first, Samsung and other incumbents, and, now, a group of upstart Chinese smartphone makers that are growing like mad.
The first phones offered by Apple's low-price competitors were cheap because they were crappy.
In the past year, however, the quality of low-priced phones has improved dramatically, to the point where the design and specs of some of these phones, as well as the religious devotion of some of their brand fans, has come to rival that of Apple.
And sales of these phones are starting to explode.
In the first quarter, for example, sales of phones by Xiaomi, the "Apple of China," soared to a staggering 15 million, up 278% year over year. See the chart from <a href="https://intelligence.businessinsider.com/xiaomi-sold-15-million-smartphones-in-the-second-quarter-2014-7">analyst Tony Danova of BI Intelligence below</a>.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image">BII</div></div></div>
Xiaomi already sells more phones than Apple in China. The 15 million is also approaching nearly half the number of phones that Apple is expected to sell worldwide this quarter (about 35 million).
Yes, when Apple finally releases the big-screened iPhone 6, the company will likely sell something on the order of 60-70 million of them for a couple of quarters. But at the rate Xiaomi's sales are growing, it won't be too long before it's sales start to close in on Apple's.
Xiaomi's top-of-the-line phone, the Mi3, sells for about $320, about half the price of a comparable iPhone. Xiaomi also makes other well-designed phones that sell for $100.
Nor is Xiaomi the only maker of high-quality, low-priced phones. BI tech editor Steve Kovach recently tried a phone from a new company called OnePlus. Steve says it's<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/oneplus-one-review-2014-6"> one of the best phones he has ever used </a>(and he's picky.) And this phone, the One, also costs less than half of a top-shelf iPhone.
The chart below, also from BI Intelligence, shows the rise of the low-priced smartphone makers. Collectively, they already sell way more phones than Apple.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image">BII</div></div></div>
Importantly, many of these phones are not "cheap plastic crap," as Apple devotees (I'm one) are fond of sniffing at any gadgets that aren't made by Apple. They're slick. And Xiaomi and its charismatic founder, who learned a thing or two about designing and launching products and building fan loyalty from Steve Jobs, has a fanatical following in China.
The ~$300 difference in price between these phones and Apple's phones is Apple's profit.
If Apple is ever forced to reduce its prices to compete with the likes of Xiaomi-or if any would-be full-priced iPhone buyers are ever seduced by the far more attractive prices offered by the likes of Xiaomi-Apple's profit is going to tank.
Will that happen?
Diehard Apple fans scoff at the idea.
Apple, they say, is like BMW or Mercedes-a premium brand for premium customers.
Xiaomi, et al, meanwhile, are like, well, Chrysler or Ford.
That analogy sounds persuasive... until you remember two things:
First, Apple's customer base has already expanded way beyond the "luxury" market composed of folks who buy Mercedeses and BMWs. Apple's market share in the United States, for example, is about 40%. The "luxury" share of the overall U.S. auto market, meanwhile, is only about 10%-11%. So Apple is already selling a lot of phones to people who drive Chryslers and Fords. 
Second, unlike cars, phones are a "platform market," meaning that third-parties build products (apps and services, in this case) that are designed to work with a particular platform. In platform markets, market share is important: If a platform's share falls too low, there is less incentive for third parties to build products and services for the platform. And with fewer products and services built for the platform, there's less reason to use the platform. So if Apple's low and declining market share in some markets could ultimately make it even harder for the company to compete, even if it priced its products more aggressively.
Apple will likely have an easier time maintaining its prices in developed markets like the U.S., in which carriers continue to offer subsidies, and in which the subsidized top-of-the-line iPhone only appears to cost $200. In emerging markets, however, and in markets without subsidies, the threat from lower-priced phones is more immediate. And the combination of low platform share, plus price, will likely make it very hard for Apple to grow its share much in markets like India and China.
Does this mean Apple is toast?
No. 
The iPhone 6 upgrade cycle is likely to be huge, and Apple's profit margin is so gigantic that it could get creamed and still be making staggering amounts of money. Apple also has more money in the bank than it or any other company will ever need.
But it does mean that Apple's profit margin is likely to come under pressure in the next couple of years, as the smartphone business fully matures and high-quality, low-priced phones become ubiquitous. And margin pressure generally does not bode well for stock prices.
Disclosure: I'm still an Apple shareholder (iPhone 6, baby!)
SEE ALSO:<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/rich-people-dont-create-jobs-2014-6"> Sorry, Folks, Rich People Don't Create The Jobs</a>

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