Xiaomi’s tablet set to take on Apple iPad

Xiaomi, one of the fastest growing China-brand smartphone vendors, announced yesterday in Beijing the launch of a tablet computer to challenge Apple iPad's dominance in the market, the company said on Thursday.

The 7.9-inch Xiaomi Pad, which features a 8-megapixel rear camera and advanced graphic chip made by Nvidia designed for games, costs 1,499 yuan (US$241) for a 16-gigabyte model and 1,699 yuan for 64GB model.

To be available next month, the Xiaomi Pad is designed to take on Apple's iPad Mini, which costs from 2,888 yuan for 16 GB, said Lei Jun, Beijing-based Xiaomi's chief executive.

"Xiaomi aims to copy the success story of Apple" in the tablet computer market, Lei said at a event in Beijing.

Lei, who said the Android market has "great market potential" for Xiaomi, indicated the company plans to take the No. 3 spot in the tablet computer market in a short period.

Xiaomi expects to sell 40 million smartphones this year, more than double the 18.7 million units last year. Lei predicts sales of 100 million phones in 2015.

Xiaomi also said it will debut the second-generation Xiaomi TV in Beijing. It will go on sale on May 27 for 3,999 yuan.