One Android Brand Just Declared War on the Apple iPhone 17
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Xiaomi's flagship smartphones, such as the 15 series, are strong contenders in the Android space. That’s why attention naturally turned to the expected successor, the Xiaomi 16. But ahead of its anticipated launch this month, the major Chinese brand has taken a different direction. Instead of releasing the 16, Xiaomi is jumping straight to the 17, a move that clearly signals its intent to compete with Apple’s iPhone 17.
- Also read: Xiaomi 15 review
Xiaomi 16 Is Out, 17 Is In
On Weibo, Xiaomi, through company president Lu Weibing, confirmed that it is entirely dropping the Xiaomi 16 series in favor of the Xiaomi 17 lineup. According to the post, we can expect the Xiaomi 17, 17 Pro, and a new 17 Pro Max, which appears as a step-down Ultra model. These devices are set to be announced in the coming weeks.
"This will mark the most significant leap forward in Xiaomi's digital phone lineup, launching a month earlier than the previous generation," Weibing stated.
He added that the company is choosing the "17 series" to mark five years since entering the premium smartphone category, while also highlighting the generational upgrades across the lineup. The standard Xiaomi 17 is described as a full upgrade, the 17 Pro as its most sophisticated compact camera phone, and the 17 Pro Max as its most powerful flagship in the industry.
A Strategic Move to Rival the iPhone 17
Beyond hardware, Xiaomi suggests that the renaming is also meant to align with Apple’s recently announced iPhone 17. The company appears to be making a deliberate play to capture attention by mirroring Apple’s product naming.
Xiaomi has long drawn inspiration from Apple, so this move isn’t entirely surprising. Past similarities include iOS-like UI elements, naming conventions across product categories, and iPhone-style aesthetics in its smartphone designs.
In addition to the Xiaomi 17 series, the post also confirms that the new phones will be powered by the fifth-generation Snapdragon 8 Extreme Edition, which is Qualcomm’s latest flagship chipset and successor to the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Globally, it will be branded as the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.
The most premium 17 Pro Max is rumored to feature a rear display embedded in the camera island. This design echoes Nothing’s Phone 3, which includes a monochrome display on the back, although Xiaomi appears to be implementing a full secondary screen with apps support. All phones should run on the HyperOS 3.0 operating system.
The Xiaomi 17 series will be officially announced at an event in China later this month. There’s no word yet on when the devices will launch in international markets.
Is Xiaomi’s strategy a clever marketing move or an obvious attempt to copy Apple’s playbook? Share your thoughts in the comments, we’d love to hear your take.
