Chinese tech giant Xiaomi has lambasted one of its competitors, Qihoo 360, after the latter announced a new Wi-Fi router that features a setting specifically for use around pregnant women, which led it to be accused of scaremongering.
The two companies are considered fierce rivals offering similar services, but Qihoo 360’s release of the router appears to give Xiaomi a right to criticise the company given that there is no credible scientific evidence that Wi-Fi signals have any effect on the development of unborn children.
According to the BBC, Qihoo 360 claimed that its router can reduce the amount of radiation emitted by the unit by 70pc when placed on the ‘pregnant women’ setting
Despite some groups stating otherwise, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that: “Based on a recent in-depth review of the scientific literature, the WHO concluded that current evidence does not confirm the existence of any health consequences from exposure to low-level electromagnetic fields. However, some gaps in knowledge about biological effects exist and need further research.”
Qihoo 360 issued a statement on the release of its new router and, according to the South China Morning Post, the company’s CEO Zhou Hongyi did little to dispel Xiaomi’s accusation of scaremongering.
“We will wait and see who has a more profound understanding of Wi-Fi routers, me or our competitors,” Hongyi said, before concluding “we are targeting people who are afraid of radiation”.
In response, Xiaomi took to China’s social network Weibo to say: “We firmly oppose, and feel ashamed of, those who create rumours and arouse instability for business purposes.”
Public Wi-Fi zone image via Shutterstock
