Xiaomi sold 14.8 million smartphones in Q1 2016: IHS

Xiaomi, the Chinese vendor who has managed to woo phone markets with its flash sales and unique marketing, reportedly sold 14.8 million smartphones in the first quarter of 2016.According to Android Headlines, a report by IHS Technology claims that Xiaomi's first quarter sales are at 14.8 million, almost similar to last year. We wonder if the numbers will match Xiaomi's official announcement of the first quarter numbers.We've seen the Redmi 3 as well as Redmi Note 3 earlier this year.  However, these numbers are said to be overall, including regions outside China. Outside China, India is one of the important markets for the company, or at least what the company has been saying all along.(Also read: Our review of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3)A report late last year claimed that Xiaomi had missed its 2015 sales target mark of 80 million smartphones, which put the company under pressure to prove the valuation to investors.Xiaomi is known for its unique idea of selling a limited number of products via flash sale. The company relies only on social media to promote its products. The flash sales gathered a lot of hype, while company also started focusing on fan clubs. It was in December 2014 that the company raised $1.1 billion and leaped to a valuation of $46 million.