China-based handset vendors, including ZTE, Huawei, Gionee and OPPO, are developing secondary brands to help expand market share globally.

　　Difficulties for China-based brands venturing into the mid-range to high-end smartphone segment, and the successful business model initiated by Xiaomi Technology have encouraged China's handset vendors to launch new brands, according to industry sources.

　　ZTE has built up a secondary brand, Nubia, which is being operated independently and is rolling out models mainly for the mid-range to high-end smartphone segment. Nubia will also push sales to channels and overseas markets, the sources noted.

　　Huawei has created the brand Honor, under which it has launched two models, the Honor 3X for CNY1,698 (US$280) and Honor 3C for CNY698. The two models boast high price/performance ratios and are designed to take on comparable models from Xiaomi, noted the sources.

　　Meanwhile, Gionee is expected to launch a new smartphone under its new "IUNI" brand in early 2014. The model will come with high hardware specifications and an low price, revealed the sources.

　　OPPO has set up a new company to market smartphones and other smart devices through the Internet with the first model to be available globally in May 2014, said the sources.