XIAOMI Corp., which recently became the world’s most valuable technology startup, sold 61.1 million smartphones in 2014, up from 18.7 million in 2013 and beating the firm’s expectations.

    Lei Jun, Xiaomi’s founder and chief executive, said that 2014 sales, including taxes, more than doubled from a year earlier to 74.3 billion yuan (US$11.97 billion), The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday.

    Xiaomi didn’t provide details on profitability.

    “In 2015, the smart devices playing field will become extremely competitive, especially as the growth of the smartphone industry on the Chinese mainland slows down,” Lei said.

    Lei said Xiaomi sold more than a million smartphones in India in five months. The company’s performance in India came despite a temporary injunction issued last month by the High Court of Delhi on the sale and import of Xiaomi handsets in the country.

    The Indian court ordered the temporary injunction as it waited to hear a patent complaint by Swedish telecommunications-equipment maker Ericsson, which alleged that Xiaomi was using its technology without paying royalties. Later, the court gave temporary permission to resume the import of Xiaomi devices. (SD-Agencies)