Xiaomi debuts high-end phone in Europe and introduces EV, challenging Samsung.

• The Xiaomi 14 was unveiled for global markets at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, following its launch in China this week.
• Xiaomi aims to expand its presence in the premium market, where Apple and Samsung hold significant shares.
• Last year, Xiaomi introduced its first electric vehicle, the SU7, and showcased it in Europe for the first time on Sunday.

On Sunday, BARCELONA unveiled its flagship smartphone worldwide and introduced its electric vehicle to the European market, in an effort to maintain its growth trajectory.

The Xiaomi 14, which was launched in China this week, was unveiled globally at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Xiaomi's success after its founding in 2010 was due to its strategy of selling high-spec smartphones at low prices. However, as the market for low-priced smartphones became more competitive, Xiaomi decided to expand into the higher-end market, where Samsung and other companies dominate. Despite the challenges in this market, Xiaomi has seen growth, indicating that there is still demand for high-end smartphones.

Xiaomi has experienced a recovery in its core smartphone business, which accounts for just under two thirds of its total revenue. Despite a 4.7% year-on-year decline in shipments in 2023, this was a much slower fall than the previous year. In the third quarter, Xiaomi posted a small rise in revenue, after six straight quarters of decline.

Xiaomi faces stiff competition in the high-end market from established players like Apple and Samsung, as well as Chinese brands such as Honor, a subsidiary of Huawei. Samsung recently unveiled its flagship S24 series of smartphones in January.

Despite focusing on smartphones, Xiaomi has been expanding its business offerings. In 2020, Xiaomi launched its first electric vehicle, the SU7, marking a new product category for the Chinese giant. Xiaomi unveiled the car at MWC, introducing it to European audiences for the first time.

Xiaomi launched the Smart Band 8 Pro, Xiaomi Watch S3, and Xiaomi Watch 2, which are all smart fitness and smartwatch devices.

Xiaomi is adopting a strategy similar to Samsung and Apple by positioning itself as a company that provides a range of consumer devices that can be linked together through its own operating system, HyperOS, which was launched last year.

Xiaomi 14

The Xiaomi 14 is available in two variations: the standard Xiaomi 14 and the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra's "quad" camera, featuring lenses from Leica, was highlighted by the company as a key selling point.

Xiaomi boasted about its professional photography and videography capabilities, including a "movie mode" that produces an "authentic cinematic look and motion blur," as stated in a press release.