Fans of upstart Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi have come to expect bold vision and swashbuckling steps from founder Lei Jun. But the launch last week of its latest Android-based software update produced disappointment in the community of effusive “Mi-fans”, who are usually full of praise.
Flanked by gigantic digital displays of Xiaomi phones, Mr Lei, clad in his trademark jeans, shirt and trainers, played up the details: a new larger font, video caller ID, and a speed test versus rival models that notably excluded Apple’s iPhone.
Mr Lei’s previous performances had set the bar high, and this one fell short. Chat boards and Weibo feeds lit up with disapproval. Miui 7 was “deeply lacking in innovation”, blared tech website ikanchai.com. “Mi crisis! Core product being marginalised,” shrieked Sohu.com. QQ Tech