The arrival of a Chinese technology behemoth in the country was halted by the shrinking import supplies and the lack of funds. The third-largest cell phone manufacturer in the world, Xiaomi, announced this year that it would begin production in Tierra del Fuego and open its first physical location. Plans have been put on hold because “things became extremely difficult,” lament brand-related insiders. There were considerable hopes raised by Xiaomi’s entry. The local market is highly concentrated, which is the cause. More than 90% of all cell phone sales are made up of two brands: Samsung and Motorola. Samsung is...