I also think the smartphone market is quite different from the PC business. It's much easier now to create a viable platform than it was back then. Apps are mu

I also think the smartphone market is quite different from the PC business. It's much easier now to create a viable platform than it was back then. Apps are much simpler. You can bootstrap an entire ecosystem by just implementing a few services (messaging, email, maps & a few others). Nokia was on its way with the N700-N9/Maemo-Meego series, and afterwards with Nokia X. Both killed before getting the chance to succeed, but they might have had an impact had they lived longer. Jolla is now taking the same route, but also adding an Android VM which offers almost seamless interop with Android apps. Very interesting approach. Not fully open yet, though. If I were Xiaomi, I would go full steam ahead with MIUI. Don't just create another shallow Android mod. There are too many of those already. Try to evolve it into a whole open ecosystem free of Google. Think Cyanogen + f-droid, on steroids. It would really make them different.