14 DAY TRIAL // This wouldn’t be the first time Xiaomi is accused of copying Apple, but the Chinese tech giant is now getting ready to launch a smartwatch that looks a lot like the Apple Watch from pretty much every single angle.
In fact, Xiaomi’s new smartwatch not only that reminds of the Apple Watch, but also seems to be using some design cues from the iPhone 4, which itself is one of the most successful iPhone models ever released.
Xiaomi hasn’t provided any specifics on this smartwatch, other than it’ll be unveiled at an event on November 5.
As you can see in the teasers here and originally posted on Weibo, the Xiaomi smartwatch features what looks like the Apple Watch digital crown, as well as a side button and even a microphone cutout on the right side.
Xiaomi betting big on wearables
The Chinese company is becoming more and more interested in wearables, a market that it’s already dominating together with Apple.
IDC data for 2018 shows that last year Xiaomi was the runner-up name in terms of wearables sales. Apple sold a total of 46.2 million wearable units last year, while Xiaomi was the second company in the charts with 23.3 million units and a year-over-year growth of no less than 44.6 percent.
This means Xiaomi has every reason in the world to insist for expanding its product portfolio, even if this means using devices launched by its competitors as source of inspiration.
“The company's products remain strong in its home country of China. However, recent investments in Europe and other Asian countries have paid off and helped cement Xiaomi's name as a competitive force. Xiaomi's Mi Band 3 alone accounted for over 30% of all wrist bands shipped during the quarter,” IDC said in an analysis of Xiaomi’s performance in 2018.
More information on the new smartwatch will be provided next week during its official unveiling.
