Xiaomi 15 and 15 Extremely launch: Worth, specs, availability

BARCELONA — Xiaomi launched its newest flagship smartphone on Sunday persevering with its push into higher-end units because it seeks to problem market chief Samsung.

The Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Extremely are the latest pair of smartphones from the Chinese language expertise large sporting the most recent chips and boosted cameras. They had been unveiled on the Cellular World Congress in Barcelona.

The Xiaomi 15 begins at 999 euros ($1,047) and the Xiaomi 15 Extremely begins at 1,499 euros ($1,571).

Each units are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Cellular Platform, one of many newest processors. The 15 Extremely mannequin additionally comes with a better spec digicam and larger show.

“Xiaomi has been vastly profitable of constructing its model with reasonably priced expertise and however now it is shifting up the worth chain because it strikes extra into premium units and that is well-suited to the European market the place we see an prosperous viewers,” Ben Wooden, chief analyst at CCS Perception, advised CNBC.

In 2024, Xiaomi’s world smartphone shipments grew 15.4% year-on-year, outpacing rivals together with Samsung and Apple, in keeping with the Worldwide Knowledge Company. The corporate’s worldwide market share rose to 13.6% from 12.5% in 2023.

Xiaomi began up in 2010 promoting low-to-mid worth smartphones at very cut-throat costs. Since then it has expanded abroad, inserting a giant emphasis on its European foothold. Xiaomi has additionally constructed a portfolio of related units from TVs to smartwatches.

Final 12 months, the enterprise jumped into the electrical car house with the SU7, because it seems to diversify past client electronics. It even introduced the automobile to the Cellular World Congress in 2024, displaying the car on the firm’s giant sales space and making a buzz.

Francisco Jeronimo, vice chairman for knowledge and analytics at IDC, mentioned the EV has given a lift to Xiaomi’s model.

“They’re utilizing the automobile as leverage to construct on their model which I believe is a intelligent thought,” Jeronimo mentioned.

“They are going to seize quite a lot of consideration with the automobile even when it isn’t going to be out there in Europe, nevertheless it’s that type of innovation. And customers perceive {that a} model that may construct a automobile can even proceed doing excellent telephones.”

A latest restoration within the smartphone enterprise, mixed with the success of the electrical car to this point, has helped gas a virtually 300% rise in Xiaomi’s inventory within the final 12 months.

Xiaomi’s shares, that are listed in a Hong Kong, hit a report excessive this week. The agency is hoping to proceed that momentum with the most recent smartphones and the launch of the SU7 Extremely, a high-performance model of its electrical automobile that was launched on Thursday.

Nonetheless, the corporate is dealing with a giant problem within the smartphone house at attempting to eat continued share away from Samsung, particularly with different Chinese language manufacturers like Oppo on its heels.

“The drawback is the premium house is now unbelievably crowded, and though all Android telephone makers aspire to take share from Apple, the fact is that if you are going to develop in Android, it’s worthwhile to take it from one other Android participant. So meaning for Xiaomi, they must be eroding Samsung’s share,” CCS Perception’s Wooden mentioned.

“However sadly, you’ve got bought 2 different huge Chinese language gamers in Oppo and Honor who’re very very hungry to construct share.”