Smartisan Founder Luo Yonghao Rumored to Join Xiaomi

As the Xiaomi-backed gaming technology company Black Shark is getting closer to the release its first 5G gaming phone, the Black Shark 3, Xiaomi might usher in new major personnel changes.

SEE ALSO: Black Shark 2 Review – Powerful Gaming Phone With Affordable Price Tag

On March 2, Smartisan founder Luo Yonghao shared a succession of six Weibo posts about Black Shark’s upcoming device, commenting, “it’s a good phone”. As his unusual posts aroused widespread curiosity, the flamboyant internet personality clarified on Weibo that these posts were not paid content. “I was merely helping friends to promote good stuff”, Luo said in one Weibo post. “I don’t do paid content because I’m very picky about the quality of products”.

Luo also interacted with multiple Xiaomi executives on social media on the same day, among whom were Xiaomi’s founder and CEO Lei Jun, newly appointed Vice President Chang Cheng, and Redmi CEO William Lu. As the key executives of Xiaomi forwarded Luo’s Weibo post at around the same time, many started speculating that they were signaling Luo’s possible joining of the company.

Luo had previously mocked Xiaomi at one Smartisan launch event stating, “We are both merely assemblers on supply chain. Don‘t be a bluff!” Luo had also praised Lei Jun as “the one who understands Smartisan’s value best”.

The newest Black Shark gaming phone will be released in partnership Chinese telecommunication and gaming giant Tencent. The phone will come with the Snapdragon 865 chipset paired with up to 16GB RAM and a 120Hz QHD display.