Xiaomi pulled the wraps off its brand-new 17-series smartphones on Thursday, just about two weeks after Apple’s big iPhone 17 reveal. The Beijing-based tech giant is clearly stepping up its game in the premium phone market, and this latest launch shows it.
The lineup includes the standard Xiaomi 17, along with two flagship models, the Xiaomi 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. All three are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor.
At the launch event, Xiaomi’s founder, chairman, and CEO Lei Jun highlighted two key upgrades: an ultra-thin design and a new imaging system designed for backlight photography. This camera system is the result of Xiaomi’s ongoing partnership with German optical powerhouse Leica.
Pricing and standout features
The standard Xiaomi 17 is priced at 4,499 yuan (about US$632). The 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, which both come with a handy back screen for showing notifications or photos, are priced at 4,999 yuan and 5,999 yuan.
These price tags put the entire series firmly in the premium category, which generally means phones costing more than US$600.
Skipping straight to 17
In an unusual move, Xiaomi jumped right past the 16 series and went straight from the 15, launched in October 2024, to the 17 series. According to Lu Weibing, president of Xiaomi’s smartphone business, this wasn’t about “riding on Apple publicity” but instead reflected the major upgrades packed into the new lineup.
A stronger push into premium
Xiaomi has been working hard to expand its footprint in the global high-end phone market. Ivan Lam, senior analyst at Counterpoint Research, explained the company’s advantage.
“Xiaomi’s strength [in the premium segment] is that it brings advanced features to the entry-tier models of premium lines, which benefit consumers,” Lam said. “It has also consistently invested in imaging systems to match those of Apple.”
Counterpoint’s numbers back this up. In the first half of 2025, the global premium smartphone market grew by 8 percent, compared to a 4 percent bump in the overall smartphone market. During that same period, Xiaomi’s premium phone shipments surged 55 percent, making it the second fastest-growing brand behind Google.
Lam also noted that Xiaomi benefits from its larger ecosystem, which ranges from smart home gadgets to electric cars, as well as its use of artificial intelligence across devices.
Apple’s strong showing
Of course, Apple is still a tough competitor. The company’s iPhone 17 lineup launched earlier this month to widespread praise. In China, early sales numbers from e-commerce platforms show that the new iPhones are off to a strong start.
Consultancy TrendForce predicts that global shipments of the iPhone 17 series will be 3.5 percent higher than last year’s iPhone 16 lineup, with the Pro models continuing to drive the bulk of sales.
One thing still missing in China is Apple’s new Apple Intelligence feature, which the company says is waiting on regulatory approval.
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