Xiaomi’s slow shift in India to premium smartphones helps Samsung steal its crown

Xiaomi Corp is overhauling its India strategy after misjudging consumer tastes in mobile phones, a costly lapse that has allowed Samsung Electronics to pip the Chinese company to the top spot in the world’s second biggest market for the devices.

While Xiaomi remained focused on selling mobile phones under 10,000 rupees ($120), Indian consumers were willing to pay up for better looking models with richer features. South Korea’s Samsung launched products to meet those aspirations and offered innovative financing schemes that made them affordable to most.