Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun Thanks Competitor Huawei for Advancing Chinese Tech
Chinese smart devices maker Xiaomi launched a new smartphone in Beijing on November 5. After receiving high scores for the phone’s camera performance, Lei Jun, founder and CEO of Xiaomi, thanked his competitor Huawei for being part of the advancement of Chinese innovation.
The cameras on the Xiaomi CC9 Pro, the company’s latest device, were ranked first by renowned camera benchmark platform DxO for overall photography performance along with Huawei’s Mate 30 Pro.
“To have Chinese tech companies crown DxO Mark’s rankings really makes my heart full of pride,” Lei Jun said. Rather than criticizing Huawei, Lei congratulated his competitor for being an impetus in driving the Chinese tech industry forward.
Lei, who previously held the view that one should “fight harder if one’s unsatisfied,” seems to have changed his attitude toward Huawei.
“Some people say that the most profound hatred stems from peer competition. But I really don’t think so. I believe having a competitor like Huawei is Xiaomi‘s greatest fortune. Because the person who know you the most is definitely considered a peer. The person who loves you the most is also a peer,” Lei said during a press conference.
“I’m often asked why we [Xiaomi and Huawei] speak ill of each other professionally. That’s a misunderstanding. Xiaomi and Huawei are working together. We compete, we surpass each other and we grow together,” Lei explained his view on industry competition.
“I feel that China needs more talented technology companies. A lone flower’s bloom isn’t Spring; a full blossoming garden is,” Lei said.
Xiaomi’s photography development has come a long way. The company mentioned that for the CC9 Pro, significant research and development resources were invested in optimizing camera performance, with nearly 1,000 engineers involved in the whole project.
SEE ALSO: Xiaomi Launches Upper Mid-Range CC9 Pro With Penta-Camera
When Xiaomi‘s core device division was established in 2016, the camera did not feature any special software or algorithms. Since then a lot has changed because in May, 2018 the Xiaomi camera division became completely independent.
Software algorithm development and device manufacturing were all in one team. Xiaomi currently has 9 camera R&D centers around the world stationed in Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Nanjing, and countries like France, Finland, the United States and Japan.
