Xiaomi has joined forces with Uber to deliver smartphones

In an interesting pairing of two of the world’s hottest startups, Xiaomi is partnering with Uber to help deliver phones in Singapore and Malaysia. Customers in those countries will be able to order a Mi Note smartphone the same way they hail a ride. “Ordering a Mi Note follows the exact same process as calling for an Uber — you simply open the Uber app, use the slider at the bottom to select “Xiaomi” (which shows Xiaomi-orange colored Uber cars on the map equipped to deliver the new smartphone), and hit request,” Xiaomi international chief Hugo Barra said in a post on Facebook. “Payment will be charged directly to the credit card tied to your Uber account and a Mi Note will be delivered to you within a few minutes. Pretty cool, right?” Xiaomi has been aggressively trying to expand beyond its home market of China, recently launching in Brazil, its first market outside Asia. Barra also said earlier this month that the company is bulking up its patent portfolio in order to support its long-term goal of entering the U.S. market.