Xiaomi's New 17 Series May Resemble iPhone 17, Yet Packs Bold Tricks That Might Win Over Even Hardcore Apple Loyalists
Xiaomi has launched its 17 Series in China, directly competing with Apple's iPhone 17. The lineup includes the Xiaomi 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max, featuring innovative elements like a 2.7-inch secondary display, triple 50MP cameras co-engineered with Leica, and massive battery capacities ranging from 7,000mAh to 7,500mAh. Prices start at ¥4,499 (~$630), with preorders open and a global rollout expected in early 2026. Meanwhile, Apple's iPhone 17 series is experiencing strong sales despite a recent decline in shipments, with forecasts suggesting growth in the second half of the year.
On Thursday, Xiaomi (OTC: XIACY) (OTC: XIACF) unveiled its 17 Series in China, positioning the lineup against Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone 17, but with bold extras like secondary displays, massive batteries and competitive pricing designed to impress even die-hard Apple fans.
Xiaomi Launches 17 Series In Beijing To Rival Apple
At the 2025 Lei Jun Annual Speech in Beijing, Xiaomi debuted the Xiaomi 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max, alongside the Xiaomi Pad 8 series and a wave of new home appliances.
By skipping the "16" naming convention, the company left little doubt that it is directly targeting Apple's iPhone 17 lineup.
Secondary Displays And Premium Design In Pro Models
The Pro versions feature a bold new addition: a 2.7-inch secondary display integrated into the rear camera bump.
With 904 x 572 resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and 3,500-nit brightness, the mini display works like a cover screen, offering widgets, music controls and a selfie viewfinder.
The Xiaomi 17 Pro weighs just 192 grams with a 6.3-inch main display, while the Pro Max carries a 6.9-inch panel at 231 grams. The standard Xiaomi 17 sticks to a single 6.3-inch display and a square camera module.
Triple 50MP Cameras Co-Engineered With Leica
Xiaomi once again teamed up with Leica to deliver advanced photography. All three models carry triple 50-megapixel systems, with the Pro Max standing out thanks to its larger telephoto sensor and faster f/2.6 aperture for better low-light performance compared to the Pro's f/3.0 lens.
Massive Batteries And Fast Charging
Battery capacity is another standout feature: the Xiaomi 17 includes a 7,000mAh unit, the Pro houses 6,300mAh, and the Pro Max leads with 7,500mAh. Each supports 100W wired and 50W wireless charging.
In a side-by-side demonstration, Xiaomi compared its device's endurance against the iPhone 17 Pro Max — even with Apple's 5,000mAh MagSafe pack attached — saying that Xiaomi's battery life outlasted its rival.
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 And HyperOS 3
Under the hood, all models run Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor with Xiaomi HyperOS 3, based on Android 16.
Configurations range up to 16GB RAM and 1TB storage. Features include Wi-Fi 7, seamless cross-device connectivity — including with Macs and iPads — and AI-powered personalization via Hyper XiaoAi, which can remember user preferences to suggest apps and services.
Price, Colors And Availability
The Xiaomi 17 comes in black, white, ice melting blue and snow mountain powder, while the Pro and Pro Max add merino green and cold smoke purple.
Pricing starts at ¥4,499 (~$630) for the Xiaomi 17, ¥4,999 (~$700) for the Pro and ¥5,999 (~$840) for the Pro Max.
Preorders are open in China with release set for Sept. 27. A global rollout is expected in early 2026, likely timed with Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Apple iPhone 17 Faces Fresh Competition In China
Meanwhile, Apple's iPhone 17 series, launched Sept. 19 in China and India, is already seeing strong sales, particularly for the Pro Max, priced from 9,999 yuan ($1,406).
Despite a 6% decline in Apple's shipments during the first eight weeks of the third quarter, Omdia senior analyst Chiew Le Xuan forecasts an 11% year-over-year increase in iPhone shipments in China in the second half, which could fuel 5% full-year growth for Apple in 2025.
Globally, Apple holds 25.71% smartphone market share, compared with Samsung Electronics Co. (OTC: SSNLF)'s 20.96% and Xiaomi's 10.82%, according to Statcounter Globalstats.
Price Action: Apple shares climbed 1.81% on Thursday and are up 12.02% over the past month, according to Benzinga Pro.
Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings indicate that AAPL is maintaining an upward trajectory across short, medium- and long-term periods, with additional performance insights available here.
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Photo courtesy: Alan Sau / Shutterstock
