Are you accusing Xiaomi of plagiarism? It's not as simple as just looking at the appearance.

On December 10, Xiaomi launched an air purifier. From its configuration to its design, to its price of 899 yuan, it seems to be attracting a lot of hatred. In the words of a Xiaomi insider, this is a "bulldozer-like price" in the purifier field.

Of course, for air purifier manufacturers, it would be too low-level to counterattack only from the price point of view, so some industry insiders pointed out that Xiaomi air purifiers are very similar to Balmuda products. Whether they are similar or not, pictures speak louder than words. Please see the picture below:

The picture above is the Balmuda AriEngine that netizens dug out. Because of the similarity, netizens began to discuss and question on Weibo whether the Xiaomi air purifier was independently developed or completely borrowed.

In response to this question, Xiaomi believes that its design uses two groups of 18 ultra-uniform air supply fans, while Balmuda uses two groups of 12 Greefans, and this technology is Balmuda's only intellectual property point.

Due to this special design, Xiaomi must be different from Balmuda in appearance and design. Balmuda uses air intake on both sides, while Xiaomi has 5732 air inlet holes on the product shell, providing 360-degree air intake.

In some invisible aspects, Balmuda does not have any related functions for intelligent control, and the structure of the filter is also different from that of Xiaomi air purifier.

It is inevitable that the outside world will have such doubts. Who asked Xiaomi to poach a R&D director from Balmuda? The Xiaomi air purifier is produced by Zhimi Technology, a new company invested by Xiaomi. Its project leaders are Su Jun and Omoto Yuya.

Among them, Omoto Yuya was once the R&D director of Balmuda, a Japanese home appliance manufacturer known for its design. Omoto Yuya also made air purifiers for MUJI. The dual-fan air intake method was designed by Omoto Yuya. Balmuda has not obtained any relevant patent authorization.

Unfortunately, we were unable to contact Balmuda and were unable to find out what Balmuda thought of today's Xiaomi air purifier, but some industry insiders still expressed their opinions on Xiaomi and Balmuda.

Regarding the matter of Xiaomi purifier and Balmuda, Mao Junting, co-founder of air purifier Z-air Standard, believes that Xiaomi air purifier's plagiarism of Balmuda is objectively true, and the huge gap between the two is reflected in the design. Design is the biggest feature of all Balmuda products, so this style cannot be measured by price difference.

Regarding the issue of having fewer filter layers, Mao Junting meant that more layers are certainly more helpful for purification effects, but they are not necessary. For the vast majority of families, the existing three-layer filter of Xiaomi purifier is sufficient.

Mao Junting said that Xiaomi's entry into the air purifier industry will certainly not subvert the industry order. Air purifiers are different from mobile phones. Mobile phones can be used whether they are good or not, but purifiers are related to health. The main consumer groups of purifiers are mothers and babies, people who are decorating new houses and people who pay attention to the quality of life. These people are less sensitive to prices and care more about brands and effects. Therefore, professional-grade products and those big-name imported products are selling well.

However, Liu Buchen, an expert in the home appliance industry, believes that Xiaomi's strong brand appeal, fashionable industrial design and high cost-effectiveness make him optimistic about the prospects of Xiaomi air purifiers. At present, the Chinese air purifier market has not yet formed a stable brand structure, so it is the right time for Xiaomi to enter the market. It is expected that Xiaomi's "mobile phone effect" will be staged in the air purifier market. (Ivan)

Attached is the difference between Xiaomi air purifier and Balmuda products given by Xiaomi:

1. Comprehensive performance: Balmuda CADR value is 350-360 (actual measurement), Xiaomi CADR value is 406;

2. Quality surpasses all others: engineering design rationality, assembly efficiency, plastic parts quality, component brand and quality... surpass all others;

3. Operation and display mode: Balmuda requires 3 buttons and 5 groups of 9 indicator lights for operation, which is very cumbersome; Xiaomi only requires 1 button and 4 indicator lights, which is simple and clear;

4. Intelligent control: Balmuda products do not have intelligent control function;

5. Axial-flow fans: Balmuda uses 2 sets of 12 Greefans (patented in Japan, Balmuda's only intellectual property right), while Xiaomi uses 2 sets of 18 super-uniform fans newly designed by Omoto Yuya.

6. Air suction method: Balmuda sucks air on both sides, Xiaomi has 5732 air inlet holes for 360-degree air suction;

7. The internal engineering structure design is obviously different;

8. Obvious differences in appearance: There are many differences, including volume, color, arrangement and number of buttons and indicator lights, air inlet form and arrangement, air outlet grille form, sensor form.... .

9. Power supply mode: Balmuda has a larger external transformer, 24V power supply; Xiaomi has a built-in high-quality switching power supply, 100V-220V direct power supply;

10. Different filter element structures: Balmuda activated carbon filter uses a paper honeycomb deodorizing block structure (activated carbon powder is attached by spraying glue), and Xiaomi air purifier activated carbon filter uses a PET filter paper sandwich formula coconut shell activated carbon structure (sandwich structure)

Note:

1. As for the morphological features such as white color, square and rounded corners, they are the methods commonly used in the industry;

Midea KJ40FE-NI

Pentium PW8006

2. The dual-fan air intake method was designed by Yuya Omoto, former R&D director of Balmuda (currently R&D manager of Xiaomi Technology). Balmuda has not yet obtained any relevant patent authorization.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.