What Lessons Do China’s “Steve Jobs” Disciples Teach About Product Success?

When Steve Jobs died on October 5, 2011, Chinese tech leader Lei Jun was caught in a media frenzy for his remarks about the Apple co‑founder’s mortality.

In August 2011, Xiaomi’s first phone launched, and Lei Jun, in a magazine interview, unexpectedly discussed the ailing Jobs, saying, “Jobs will die one day, so we still have a chance.” The comment was sensationalized, leading to a controversial article titled “Lei Jun: Jobs Will Die One Day, So We Have a Chance.”

After the article sparked outrage, Lei Jun apologized, explaining his remarks were off‑the‑cuff. A month later, with Jobs’ death, media paired the two with a provocative headline, “Jobs Died As Lei Jun Wished.”

Other Chinese entrepreneurs also idolized Jobs. Luo Yonghao, a fervent fan, praised Apple’s software‑first philosophy and tried to emulate it with Smartisan OS, while Jia Yueting claimed to inherit Jobs’ “reality‑distortion field,” using it to persuade investors and partners.

Lei Jun learned the most from Jobs’ marketing tactics. He observed Apple’s scarcity‑driven hype during the 2010 iPhone 4 launch in China and applied similar “hunger marketing” to Xiaomi’s first phone, which sold out quickly despite limited initial stock.

Luo Yonghao focused on software, emphasizing that iPod, Mac, and iPhone were essentially software wrapped in elegant hardware. Smartisan OS, launched in early 2013, received praise for its design but could not sustain premium pricing, leading to poor sales of the T1 phone.

Jia Yueting attempted to copy Jobs’ charisma, launching LeTV with grand visions and frequent hype events, but his “reality‑distortion field” masked underlying financial instability, culminating in LeTV’s collapse.

By 2015, Xiaomi’s growth slowed due to over‑reliance on online channels, prompting a shift toward offline stores with the “Thousand‑County Plan,” which later revived sales. Luo’s Smartisan struggled, and Jia’s LeTV imploded.

Ten years after Jobs’ death, the fervor for a Chinese “Steve Jobs” has faded. New leaders like Zhang Yiming, Wang Xin, and others have emerged, and China’s tech industry has moved beyond mere imitation toward original business models.