Xiaomi taking baby steps in United States, but not with smartphones

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi plans to begin offering products to consumers in the United States, but that won't include smartphones any time soon. The company will offer smart wristbands, headphones, earbuds and a few other select items in a custom Xiaomi store - but still doesn't want to rush to compete with Apple, Samsung, and other manufacturers in the competitive US market.

"We felt that coming right after launching (the Mi Note) in China was actually ideal, because this is the best product we've ever made," said Hugo Barra, international VP of Xiaomi, in a statement to The Verge. "Our devices are really nice, but this is ultimately nice."

Launching Mi.com is a big deal for the five-year-old Chinese company, and could help create a roadmap towards future smartphone and tablet product launches. Investors and analysts are curious to see if Xiaomi can eventually crack the US mobile market, which remains the most financially lucrative market in the world.