When it comes to smartphones, there are only a handful of OEMs who actually use processors they have designed themselves. This includes Apple, Samsung, and Huawei, but if a recent report is to be believed, it seems that come 2016, Xiaomi is expected to debut their very own processors as well.
As it stands Xiaomi largely relies on brands such as Qualcomm and MediaTek for their processor needs, but if Xiaomi were to be able to control their own hardware, it would potentially allow them to sell their products for even less money, and could lead to be more optimized experience since they have more control over what it does.
The report claims that Xiaomi has already gotten the necessary ARM licenses they need in order to start building their own processors, and have also reportedly hired Qualcomm China’s former President Wang Xiang who will no doubt be able to help them reach their goal given his previous experience at one of world’s largest mobile chipset makers.
Such a move would not be unsurprising especially when you consider that Xiaomi is at the top of their game at the moment, and a good way to stay ahead of the competition is to stop relying on the same technology that everyone else uses. The company has yet to officially announce anything yet so until then, take it with a grain of salt.