Starting with seven co-founders, Xiaomi Corp has taken less than two years to become one of the best-known smartphone companies in China. It now has some 1,500 employees in Beijing. “The fundamental reason for our fast growth is that we offer products that are beyond customer expectations,” said Li Wanqiang, Vice President and one of the founders of the company. Xiaomi sold more than 3.52 million smartphones in 10 months following the launch a year ago of its first and only product, the Mi 1, which was priced at CNY1,999 at the time. It introduced an updated version in August, the Mi 1S, and will launch its second-generation product Mi 2 in October. “Cellphones in the future will replace computers to be the center of people’s work and life, and the change will bring demand for new products,” said Vice President Li.  “We call it cellphone computerization.” Xiaomi’s sales are expected to grow 100% in each of the next three years. The company aims to sell 100 million units in 2016. Xiaomi may start exports to Taiwan at the end of the year, said CEO and co-founder Lei Jun. As in the domestic market, the company will either sell its smartphones online or cooperate with telecom carriers abroad, he added. Xiaomi aims to have half of its sales generated from overseas markets in 2016.