The company's marketing strategy is often described as riding on the back of the "cult of Apple"[17] using a similar marketing strategy.[49] After reading a book about Steve Jobs in college,[50][51] Xiaomi's chairman and CEO, Lei Jun,[52] carefully cultivates a Steve Jobs image,[53] including jeans and dark shirts,[54] and Jobs' style of product announcements.[55] He has been categorized as a counterfeit Jobs.[56][57] The company's strategy has been categorized as counterfeiting philosophy, mindset and an icon.[58] Despite repeated comparisons to Apple Inc., Xiaomi maintains that it espouses a different set of principles.[17][59] Xiaomi has no retail stores nor does it partner with third-party distributors. Instead, all Xiaomi products are sold directly via the company's website.[60] Skeptics categorize the products as non-innovative[55][61][62] low-price iPhone imitations[63][64] that have no significant hardware or software advantages,[54] and that any perception of innovation is good public relations.[65] Others point out that while there are some similarities to Apple, the ability to customize the software based upon user preferences sets Xiaomi apart.[66]