Hong Kong-based Xiaomi, the Chinese smartphone maker, became the world's most valuable tech startup after it took in $1.1 billion in its latest round of fundraising, the company's founder and CEO Lei Jun said Monday. The latest investments grew Xiaomi's value to $45 billion, Lei said on China's messaging service Weibo. Last year, Xiaomi rose to the top of China's smartphone market, the largest globally. According to Strategy Analytics report, “Smartphone Vendor ASP and Revenue Share by Region: Q3 2014,” Apple holds the top spot worldwide by revenue. Samsung dipped to second spot by revenue, but maintained its first place in volume. Another Strategy Analytics report showed that the global smartphone installed base achieved the two billion mark in 2014 and will reach a record high in 2015. Android will maintain the top spot as the world's most popular platform through 2015 with 31 percent of projected sales followed by Apple's iOS. However, Microsoft, Firefox and Tizen will be among the fastest-growing operating systems in 2015 and they will attack Android's installed base. Strategy Analytics stated that Chinese manufacturers will continue to rise with Huawei, Lenovo, ZTE, TCL Alcatel, Coolpad, Oppo, Vivo, Micromax and Tionee joining Xiaomi in capturing market share from US and South Korean manufacturers. There are more and more niche players as well. Look at just a few of the smartphones taking aim at specialty markets. Mobiado's Professional 3 X series is for those in the luxury handset market who want their smartphone to be art. This smartphone showcases an asymmetrical exotic wood grip and an advanced battery cover mechanism. It offers dual SIM quad-band GSM and has dual band 3G coverage, WCDMA (on main SIM only). It is equipped with a 2.4” QVGA display, expandable microSD memory, camera and video camera, web browser, Bluetooth 3.0, email support and a music player. The frame is CNC machined from aircraft aluminum and then finished with a black anodized coating. Large sapphire crystal plates are hand painted with silver lettering and precision inset into the body. The battery cover mechanism displays three rubies and is accessible only with a Mobiado key. It is available in two different wood versions, Amboyna Burl and Olivewood. The world's slimmest smartphone went on sale in the GCC as the Fly Blade was launched in the region through a partnership with Fly and Dubai-based distributor, Eurostar Group. Measuring at only 5.1mm in thickness, the smartphone weighs just 95.5 grams. It offers a face recognition phone lock, smart gestures and a 4.8” Super AMOLED display made of Gorilla Glass. Fly promises that the metal encasing ensures the device does not bend. The Fly Blade runs Android 4.4 KitKat and is powered by an octa-core 1.7Ghz processor. An 8MP camera, lithium battery with 8 hours talk time and 16GB memory complete the package. Last today, please consider the Kurio Phone, which is advertised as the “safest smartphone built for kids.” It offers a 4-inch capacitive touch screen display, 4GB storage, two cameras and runs on Android 4.2. Connectivity of the smartphone is through GSM, Wi-Fi 802-11 b/g/n and Bluetooth v3.0. Kid safe apps, games, music and video come pre-loaded in the phone and more may be downloaded from Google Play. The smartphone uses the Kurio Genius Internet Filtering System which allows or blocks content based on controls set by parents. Parents also control the apps children can access, monitor the phone's location, set limits on calls and texts, block numbers and much more. The Kurio Phone is the smartphone that kids want, combined with the safety technology that parents need.
