Xiaomi 17 launched in China but analyst expects less shipments, here's why

Xiaomi 17

Xiaomi went all in this year with its latest flagship lineup, borrowing heavily from Apple’s playbook. The company not only renamed its top-tier phones after the iPhone 17 — even offering a Xiaomi 17 Pro Max — but also mirrored Apple’s celebrated redesign. The only real twist was a rear display on the Pro models, a flourish meant to set them apart. But despite the bold stunt, sales haven’t matched expectations.

According to a noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Xiaomi has cut shipments of its latest phones by around 20 percent. Demand for the base Xiaomi 17 has fallen short, dragging down the series as a whole. Unless things improve, the 17 lineup risks underperforming compared to last year’s Xiaomi 15 series.

The Pro and Pro Max versions have fared slightly better, helped by their daring redesigns and premium specs, but not enough to offset the lukewarm response to the entry model. Kuo suggests the issue is simple: imitation only gets you so far. While Xiaomi’s 17 borrows cues from the iPhone 17, consumers appear to prefer the original. Apple’s redesign has been years in the making and, unsurprisingly, has sent iPhone 17 demand soaring in China.

That’s a disappointment, because Xiaomi’s hardware deserves more attention. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 makes its debut in the 17 Pro series, and the phones feature cameras that benchmarkers say even outclass Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra. The rear display, while divisive, offers a genuinely novel touch.