People who sell mobile phones also like to buy domain names:A glimpse into the domain name preferences of mobile phone manufacturers!

The one thing we can't live without today is undoubtedly the smartphone you hold in your hand! With the ever-expanding functionality of smartphones, we find ourselves in a constant state of "having everything at our fingertips." So, as one of our most familiar possessions, do you know what domain names these smartphone manufacturers prefer? Today, I'll give you a glimpse into the world of domain names favored by these smartphone companies!

Xiaomi

In April 2010, Lei Jun and several other founders established Xiaomi. As a leader in the internet smartphone industry, Lei Jun recognized the importance of domain names for internet brands right from the beginning.

In the first year, they launched three products: MIUI, Mi Chat, and Xiaomi smartphones, along with miui.com, miliao.com, and xiaomi.com. These three MI domain names laid the foundation for the "Xiaomi Empire." Additionally, Xiaomi protected xiaomi.net/.cn and miui.cn and even used the dual-spelled domain name hongmi.cn for the Redmi phones. Xiaomi also owns the domain name shouji.cn for "mobile phones." To expand globally, in 2013, Xiaomi spent $3.6 million to acquire one of the most expensive domain names in Chinese internet history, mi.com. In the same year, they also acquired miwifi.com. In total, Xiaomi owns nearly a hundred brand-related domain names. Xiaomi's dedication to brand domain names is evident, and its market value has reached HKD 303.831 billion.

Huawei

Huawei smartphones belong to Huawei's Consumer Business Group, founded in late 2003. Huawei, being an international giant, also values domain names greatly.

Huawei owns at least 143 domain names, with the official website domain being huawei.com, and it protects huawei.cn/com.cn/.hk/.ai, and other brand-related domain names. They also hold various brand-related domain names, such as "Honor" (honor.cn), "Huawei Mall" (vmall.com), "Emotion UI" system (emui.com), and "Huawei Cloud Services" (huaweicloud.com/.cn).

Currently, Huawei's estimated value is around $400 billion. Huawei is not only involved in developing multiple operating systems but also has a comprehensive presence in the 5G field. Speaking of 5G, speed is the keyword, and Huawei, which values domain names, may consider acquiring the domain name kuai.com for its 5G technology. In summary, emphasizing domain names and domain protection can preserve brand reputation, provide more business opportunities, and increase traffic.

Apple

Apple was founded in 1976 and is one of the world's most valuable tech companies, with a market value of approximately $1.47 trillion.

Apple owns a total of 819 domain names. Just its official website domain names Apple.com/.cn/.com.cn are quite valuable. Among them, domain names starting with "i" such as ipod.com, imac.com, and ibook.com are prominent. In 2011, Apple spent $5.2 million to acquire the cloud computing domain name iCloud.com, and in 2017, they spent $1.5 million to acquire iCloud.net. With these acquisitions, Apple finally secured all relevant iCloud domain names.

Apple also owns domains like siri.com, lala.com, mac.com, and me.com, all related to its brand. Apple holds numerous premium domain names, pays attention to brand maintenance, and as the world's first trillion-dollar company, it takes domain names seriously and plans meticulously.

Meizu

Meizu smartphones were founded in 2003, and the official website domain is the double-spelled meizu.com. They also protect meizu.cn. In 2019, they acquired flyme.cn as the official website domain for the Meizu operating system, flyme, and prepared meilan.com for their sub-brand Meilan smartphones. Additionally, they protect various brand-related domain names.

VIVO

Vivo smartphones were founded in 2009. In 2016, Vivo spent $2.1 million to acquire vivo.com from overseas as its official website domain and protected vivo.cn/.com.cn. In 2019, they acquired the complete set of domain names for the upcoming brand iQOO, and they have since started using them.

Vivo owns a total of 240 domain names, ranging from brand-specific domains to domains related to payment (pay), mobile phones (mobile), cloud (cloud), and stores (store). Vivo's brand protection awareness is strong, and they are meticulous in their approach.

OPPO

OPPO was founded in 2004, and its official website uses the four-letter domain name oppo.com, which aligns with the brand. They also protect oppo.cn under their name. OPPO holds nearly a hundred domain names.

HTC

HTC was founded in 1997, and HTC's official website domain is htc.com.

In 2013, HTC invited Robert Downey Jr., the actor famous for playing Iron Man, as their brand ambassador. In advertisements, they humorously reinterpreted "HTC" with various words like "ham sausage," "walnut village," and "good gymnastics." This playful use of domain name meanings shows that companies with good domain names can have fun. In 2015, when HTC released the Vive, a VR head-mounted display developed in partnership with Valve, they started using vive.com as their official website domain and protected vive.cn and htcvive.com.

From the domain names used by these smartphone manufacturers, it's clear that they all use brand-matching domain names, and they take domain name protection seriously. With more smartphone sales happening online, manufacturers are adopting a direct-to-consumer model in addition to other e-commerce platforms. A domain name that closely matches the brand enhances user recall and website accessibility, increasing website traffic.

A good domain name can boost a company's brand recognition and influence, while an inappropriate one can have negative effects, even hindering financing. For instance, Gionee, which declared bankruptcy, used the English logo-matching domain name gionee.com for its official website, while gionee.cn was not in its possession, and the corresponding dual-spelled domain names jinli.com/.cn were held by others.

As for Gionee's internet smartphone brand, IUNI Technology, they aimed to surpass Xiaomi. Initially, IUNI used the domain name iuni.com. While the brand concept was good, the name was too complicated and confusing to type, which led to its downfall.

For a company to thrive, it needs a domain name that matches its brand, as domain names and brand identities complement each other. Domain names are essential for shaping a brand's image, facilitating brand dissemination, enhancing user recall, and becoming a valuable marketing tool. Domain names will undoubtedly be a measure of a company's brand image!