Could China give birth to the next Samsung?

Fifteen years ago, if you had asked Americans what they thought of Samsung, most would have said they had never heard of the Korean company, or would have associated it with inferior, budget products. Today, of course, Samsung’s smartphones, TVs and other products are not only big sellers here, but are regarded as high-quality ones, worthy competitors to those from premium, highly trusted brands like Apple and Sony. I predict that the next Samsung — the next little-known, or poorly regarded, foreign consumer electronics brand to earn respect and success in the West — will be from China. And I think this will begin to happen in the next few years. After traveling in China for a week, meeting with a variety of tech companies large and small, it seems to me that Chinese consumer tech companies are at a tipping point. They are on the verge of emerging in a big way, as recognized, competitive brands in the wealthy, developed markets of the U.S. and Europe.