Xiaomi's U.S. arrival might just happen this year

When will Xiaomi enter the United States? It’s a question we’ve been asking for a number of years, and maybe 2018 is the year everything comes together as planned. Now there’s a clear commitment to enter the market.

Xiaomi put forth a statement that’s promising for consumers who’ve long looked forward to buying their phones outside of Asia and Europe. The company expects to enter the U.S. by the end of 2018 or the start of 2019. It’s unclear which phones from the company’s lineup would make their way overseas, but nonetheless, we’re excited.

Here’s the full statement from Lei Jun, the company’s chairman:

“We’ve always been considering entering the U.S. market. We plan to start entering the market by end 2018, or by early 2019.”

It’s not like the U.S. and other parts of North America are completely ignored. Xiaomi does sell an Android TV-powered set-top box through various retailers. Smaller products like headphones, earbuds, and a portable battery also been sold from the Mi Store.

What could hold Xiamoi back is carrier support. Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint have yet to state their interest in the company’s low-cost business model. And the U.S. government hasn’t been kind to Chinese companies seeking to make it big in the country.

Now we just have to wait and see how this unfolds. If Xiaomi really does intend to enter the market as the year turns to 2019, it’ll likely share additional details in the coming months.