Looks like Xiaomi plans step up into the US market to begin selling headphones and smart wristbands via e-commerce website this year.

According to reports from Forbes, in late December, Xiaomi raised a $1.1 billion round of funding that valued $45 billion, even higher than Uber. The company did not give a timeline for selling its slick but low-cost new Mi 4 and Mi Note devices in the U.S. The smartphones and tablets have proved to be huge success in China, where Xiaomi recently became the top manufacturer, owing to its iPhone-like designs, prices as low as $95, and a social media presence that has created a fanatical following that matches that of Apple in the United States.

According to reports from MarketWatch, the press event in San Francisco was Xiaomi's first in the United States marketing, and was intended as a broad overview of the company's products, it's software and the culture it has sought to build around its brand in China.

The company's vice president of international, Hugo Barra (formerly the head of Android at Google) showed off numerous features Xiaomi has created for its phones, such as "face beautification" option that edits facial features to make people appear prettier in their selfies.

CSMonitor.com notes that mobile companies such as AT&T, Verizon and Sprint have more control over the US phone market than Asian telecom companies have over their markets. As a result of the system of carrier subsidies, Xiaomi might not be able to sell smartphones for a low price as it would like. Xiaomi's flagship Mi Note phone retails for $370, which is about half the cost of a comparable iPhone 6 Plus off contract.

The 'Apple Of The East,' Xiaomi has been criticized for allegedly picking up design elements from Apple products, including the construction of the iPad Mini and the iPhone. The Android based operating system found on Xiaomi's products, MiUI, looks a lot like iOS. It's no secret that Apple has a huge amount of influence over the US phone market.

According to CSMonitor, by introducing its devices in the US, Xiaomi would be directly competing with Apple, and probably open itself up for more direct criticism that elements of its company as well as its products are borrowed from the American multinational corporation headquartered in Cupertino, Apple Inc.

That said, Xiaomi has been sending a clear message since last year that their products stand on their own merits. Xiaomi's latest designs are more unique. The company's founder and CEO, Lei Jun has eased back on the Steve Jobs jeans-and-black-shirt look for presentations. In addition to that, the company has focused on engaging directly with customers through the Mi Forum, a company-sponsored network with 40 million users.

Mr. Lin told reporters on Thursday, Feb. 12., "We're friends with our fans."

Xiaomi is giving customers an opportunity to become familiar with its brand as it expands its geographic scope slowly. And if the company does decide to come stateside, it could be a powerful competitor to big names in smartphones like Apple and Samsung.