Xiaomi flagship phone 2025 : In a bold move that underscores his company’s ambitions to challenge tech giants like Apple and Tesla, Lei Jun, the billionaire co-founder and CEO of Xiaomi Corp., unveiled the Xiaomi 17 smartphone priced at just $630. This unveiling aligns with Xiaomi’s strategic push into the premium smartphone market and expansion into electric vehicles, signaling a transformative new era for this Chinese tech powerhouse.
Xiaomi’s New Flagship: The Xiaomi 17
Lei Jun introduced the Xiaomi 17 during a livestreamed event on September 25, 2025. The smartphone will be available in two variants, the Pro and Pro Max, mirroring the lineup of Apple’s iconic flagship models. The starting price of the Xiaomi 17 is 4,499 yuan (approximately $630), significantly undercutting the entry-level iPhone 17, which was launched just weeks earlier and retails for over $730. The higher-end Xiaomi 17 Pro Max model is priced up to 5,999 yuan.
This aggressive pricing strategy signals Xiaomi’s intent to compete head-to-head with Apple in the high-end smartphone segment, where Apple currently dominates with 62% of global premium smartphone sales. Despite Xiaomi’s smaller single-digit market share in the premium category, the company is confident in its product’s features and value proposition.
Direct Challenge to Apple
In his presentation, Lei Jun didn’t hold back from directly comparing the Xiaomi 17 to Apple’s iPhone 17. He highlighted key performance areas such as battery life, display quality, and camera capabilities, aiming to showcase Xiaomi’s competitiveness in delivering a premium user experience at a more accessible price point.
- This approach reflects Xiaomi’s broader branding shift from a value-for-money
- device maker to a serious contender in the premium technology segment—a change
- that has evolved over the past five years into what Lei calls a “completely new Xiaomi.”
Diversification Beyond Smartphones
Lei Jun’s ambitions extend well beyond smartphones. The event also spotlighted Xiaomi’s ongoing advancements in electric vehicles (EV). Xiaomi’s electric vehicle division, which launched its first model, the Xiaomi SU7, last year, has seen impressive early success. Its second vehicle, the YU7 SUV, launched in June 2025, has reportedly outsold Tesla’s Model 3 in China within a short period.
- The electric vehicle segment has rapidly grown and is expected to become a major
- revenue driver for Xiaomi in the coming years. Analysts project that EVs could account
- for 10-15% of Xiaomi’s profits by 2026, doubling their current contribution.
- Lei personally oversees the EV division, viewing it as his “final major entrepreneurial
- endeavor” and has pledged significant investment to build out technology and manufacturing capabilities.
Technology and Innovation Focus
- Beyond hardware, Xiaomi is heavily investing in semiconductor development and
- artificial intelligence. Lei Jun announced plans to invest $7 billion in creating
- Xiaomi’s own mobile processors and developing AI models, which will help
- Xiaomi secure a competitive edge in the increasingly complex global tech landscape.
- The company’s efforts in research and development span multiple fields,
- including consumer electronics, automobiles, and semiconductors, reflecting
- Lei’s vision to transform Xiaomi into a diversified technology leader.
#Lei Jun: From Humble Beginnings to Tech Mogul
- Lei Jun’s rise is a story of ambition and transformation. Born in 1969 in a small
- town in Hubei Province, China, he grew up in a modest family, the son of two teachers.
- His early fascination with electronics and computer science led him to
- Wuhan University, where he graduated in 1991.
After working his way up in various tech companies and founding multiple startups, Lei co-founded Xiaomi in 2010. Under his leadership, the company quickly grew from a budget smartphone maker into one of the most recognized global technology brands. As of 2025, Lei’s net worth is estimated at over $40 billion, making him one of the wealthiest tech entrepreneurs worldwide.
Xiaomi’s Future Outlook
Xiaomi, currently valued near $200 billion, is aggressively targeting the high-end market and expanding its product portfolio. The company’s gross margin is expected to improve due to better economies of scale and a favorable product mix. Meanwhile, the Internet of Things (IoT) segment is poised to further boost consumer electronics revenue, helping offset an anticipated slowdown in smartphone sales.
