Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun Caught Using An iPhone, Facing Backlash From Fans

Karamchand Rameshwar - May 13, 2020


Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun Caught Using An iPhone, Facing Backlash From Fans

Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun has faced backlash from Xiaomi fans in China as he was caught using an iPhone to share one of his recent Weibo posts.

Apple products are popular in China, so it's not surprising to see wealthy people using iPhones in the country. But if it was the CEO of a major phone company in China like Xiaomi, that would be much more interesting. The undeniable proof of this is his recent Weibo post.

Xiaomi Ceo Lei Jun Use Iphone
Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun spotted using an iPhone to share a Weibo post.

Weibo often detects which smartphone is being used to post an article, and in the past, it was used as a way to see which unreleased smartphones were in development. But sometimes it backfires like this case of Mr. Lei Jun.

At that time, Xiaomi's CEO was sharing an article to encourage fans to buy some useful books. But netizens Weibo quickly discovered that the post came from an iPhone. Such a regular post like this has actually sparked outrage among Xiaomi fans.

Just a few days ago, the official fanpage of the company also posted an image of Apple's newly released iPhone SE 2020, criticizing this smartphone for having an outdated design as well as low battery capacity. 

Mr. Lei Jun appeared to have deleted the post, but a Xiaomi partner, Pan Jiutang, defended him. He said that if any CEO or product manager of any smartphone brand claims not to use Apple, Samsung, or phones from other competitors, it is all hypocritical.

Xiaomi Ceo Lei Jun Use Iphone 1
Xiaomi partner Pan Jiutang defends Jun's incident. Do you agree with that?

He also said that creativity sometimes has to be accompanied by copying and then improving based on what is already there. In fact, Huawei's CEO Richard Yu and Realme's CEO also use iPhones. Even Li Nan, the former director of Meizu, once revealed that after leaving the company, he also switched to using iPhone.

Moreover, Mr. Lei Jun is said to have stated that Xiaomi officials and employees are not prohibited from using products from rival brands. But that did not ease the anger from fans when it was embarrassing that the brand's founder used the iPhone.

Xiaomi Ceo Lei Jun Use Iphone 2
The post is now up again but posted by a Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro this time.

At least maybe we all know why the MIUI user interface looks so similar to Apple’s iOS.

>>> Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Launched: 48MP Quad Cameras & Helio G85 SoC

Comments

Sort by Newest | Popular

Next Story

Read more

Xiaomi Launches Affordable Tracker to Compete with Apple's AirTag

Mobile- Feb 16, 2026

Xiaomi Launches Affordable Tracker to Compete with Apple's AirTag

For users tired of ecosystem lock-in or high prices, the Xiaomi Tag represents a compelling, no-frills option that delivers core functionality at a fraction of the cost.

Anticipating the Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26+: Key Rumors and Specs

Mobile- Feb 17, 2026

Anticipating the Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26+: Key Rumors and Specs

The Samsung Galaxy S26 series is on the horizon, sparking excitement among tech enthusiasts.

X Platform Poised to Introduce In-App Crypto and Stock Trading Soon

ICT News- Feb 15, 2026

X Platform Poised to Introduce In-App Crypto and Stock Trading Soon

X has been laying the groundwork for this expansion.

Google's Project Toscana: Elevating Pixel Face Unlock to Rival Apple's Face ID

ICT News- Feb 18, 2026

Google's Project Toscana: Elevating Pixel Face Unlock to Rival Apple's Face ID

As the smartphone landscape evolves, Google's push toward superior face unlock technology underscores its ambition to close the gap with Apple in user security and convenience.