Xiaomi just lost Hugo Barra, its secret weapon in the smartphone wars

Jan23

by Sindy Cator on January 23, 2017 at 7:49 am

When Chinese hardware maker Xiaomi decided in 2013 that it wanted to begin expanding its smartphone business worldwide, the company made a great pick to head up the effort: Google’s Vice President of product management for Android, Hugo Barra. Over the past three and a half years, Barra has helped the brand become a formidable contender in the smartphone wars. Since he joined Xiaomi as its International Vice President, the company has launched its wide catalog of products – which goes well beyond phones to include smart home appliances and home entertainment gear, a streaming set-top box and even a…