China Tech & Business Decoded

vol.036:Xiaomi:Lei Jun and the Digital Muji Method


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The source, an excerpt from an IT journalist's newsletter titled "Key Concepts for a Deep Understanding of Chinese IT," focuses on Lei Jun, the founder of Xiaomi, and his impact on Chinese manufacturing. It details how Lei Jun, inspired by Steve Jobs and Muji's design principles, shifted the industry focus from cheap imitation to maximizing cost-performance ratio and adopting a consumer-centric development approach. The text charts Lei Jun’s career, beginning with his early days as a hacker and his tenure at Kingsoft, culminating in the 2010 founding of Xiaomi, where his unique methodology led to the successful launch of the Xiaomi 1 smartphone. Furthermore, the piece highlights how Xiaomi extended its philosophy of simple design and app-driven functionality to various home appliances, revolutionizing product categories like rice cookers and televisions.

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China Tech & Business DecodedBy Takefumi Makino