Xiaomi launched the Xiaomi 17 Extremely at Cellular World Congress in Barcelona on March 28. 2026.
Xiaomi
Xiaomi launched its newest flagship smartphones globally on Saturday as an unprecedented surge in reminiscence chip costs threatens to dampen gross sales.
The Xiaomi 17 and 17 Extremely characterize the Chinese language expertise large’s high tier gadgets aimed toward difficult the likes of Samsung and Apple within the high-end section of the market.
Xiaomi, which is the third-largest smartphone participant globally, has maintained the costs of the gadgets versus final 12 months’s flagship, even amid the large bounce in reminiscence costs which might be vital for smartphones. The Xiaomi 17 begins at 999 euros ($1,179) whereas the Xiaomi 17 Extremely begins at 1,499 euros.
Within the first quarter of the 12 months thus far, reminiscence costs have soared between 80% and 90%, Counterpoint Analysis stated. This surge has been pushed by a scarcity of reminiscence chips with provide being directed towards knowledge facilities for AI.
Reminiscence is an costly part in a smartphone. Smartphone costs may rise 13% in 2026, based on a Gartner forecast from Februrary. IDC forecasts the smartphone market to say no 12.9% in 2026 on account of the chip crunch.
Analysts recommend corporations promoting dearer telephones will likely be extra insulated and capable of take up the fee.
The majority of Xiaomi’s quantity comes from mid-range gadgets, a class that would take successful to demand from any value rises. Whereas its larger finish gadgets will likely be unlikely to offset any losses.
“This 12 months will likely be even worse as a result of Xiaomi doesn’t have a really sturdy premium share which signifies that they can’t depend on the premium section to offset low margins in different gadgets like Apple and Samsung can,” Francisco Jeronimo, a vp for knowledge and analytics at IDC, informed CNBC.
In November, Xiaomi administration warned that the business would probably have to lift smartphone costs in 2026.
Ben Wooden, chief analyst at CCS Perception, stated that Xiaomi will probably must hike costs of their low-to-mid-tier gadgets.
Whereas Xiaomi nonetheless makes the majority of income client electronics, the corporate has been ramping up its electrical car enterprise in China, which now accounts for round 1 / 4 of all gross sales. That is develop into an necessary income amid the reminiscence crunch.
Xiaomi reported a 3% year-on-year decline in smartphone income within the September quarter, the final publicly-available monetary figures. However gross sales at its electrical automobile enterprise surged almost 200%.
