Xiaomi hits back over Apple's 'theft' accusation

Xiaomi was accused of theft by Apple's design director Jony Ive. [File photo]

Xiaomi's president Lin Bin responded to Jony Ive's accusation, saying that one can only judge Xiaomi's gadgets after he or she has used them.

Lin gave those comments after Apple's head of design, Jony Ive, accused Xiaomi and other companies that produce cell phones closely resembling Apple's iPhone of "theft."

Lin said, "Xiaomi is a very open company, which would never force anyone to use its products. However, one can only judge Xiaomi's gadgets after he or she has used them. I'm very willing to give a Xiaomi cell phone to him [Jony Ive] as present, and I look forward to hearing his remarks after he uses it."

On Thursday evening, when answering a question about Xiaomi's highly Apple-like designs during a live interview at Vanity Fair's New Establishment in San Francisco, Jony Ive said, "I don't see it as flattery. I see it as theft, and it's lazy. I don't think it's ok at all."

In the second quarter of this year, Xiaomi surpassed Samsung and Apple to become the biggest smartphone maker in China, according to a report from Canalys.

Lin said that the biggest challenge for Xiaomi currently is to increase its productivity. In the first half of the year, Xiaomi produced 26 million cell phones, and it will make a total of over 60 million this year. "At present, we can produce 6 to 7 million cell phones each month, and we will continuously improve that," said Lin.

Lei Jun, Xiaomi's founder, said yesterday that Xiaomi would not go public in the next five years.