That has driven down Xiaomi's share of the home market. Oppo's smartphone shipments more than doubled to 78.4 million units last year as it took top spot with a 16.8 percent share, according to IDC data. Huawei Technologies Co. and Vivo both rose at a double-digit pace to rank second and third. Xiaomi's shipments slumped 23 percent and had just 8.9 percent after topping the market two years earlier. Savvy use of social media and flash online promotions, where a limited number of devices are available for a short period, helped build buzz around a company that has drawn comparisons to Apple for the fervor of its fans. But that doesn't work so well in rural areas, where more than 600 million people live and new buyers want advice and demonstrations. Having its own network could also help Xiaomi push a wider variety of products.