Yamamoto International - Xiaomi Corporation, the Chinese smartphone maker rated as the world’s second most valuable technology startup behind ride-booking service, Uber, is reportedly mulling the introduction of a laptop computer aimed at competing with Apple’s MacBook Air and Lenovo’s ThinkPad.

According to sources with knowledge of the plans, the notebook could be on sale as soon as the first quarter of 2016. Xiaomi has apparently been in talks with Korean electronics giant, Samsung about possibly supplying memory chips and, potentially, display components.

“If it were anyone but Xiaomi, we’d be highly skeptical said a Yamamoto International technology analyst. “Trying to carve out a slice of the fast-shrinking pie that is the PC/laptop market seems foolhardy but if anyone can pull it off, it’s Xiaomi.”

In the mere five years since its founding, the company has become the world’s 4th largest smartphone manufacturer by supplying stylish, high-spec devices at prices that are decidedly mid-range.

If the new notebook makes it to stores, it will be Xiaomi’s most significant venture into hardware outside its core market but timing may be a cause for concern.

“In the second quarter of 2015, smartphones sales posted their slowest growth rate since 2013 as device saturation in the US, Europe and Xiaomi’s home market, China reduced demand. It has since positioned itself to do battle for sales in India, Brazil and other markets where smartphone penetration is less acute.

“We believe that a Xiaomi notebook, if executed as well as its smartphones, could stand a good chance of challenging the likes of Lenovo, HP and Apple for market share,” concluded the Yamamoto International analyst.