Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi has accelerated its global expansion with the international launch of its flagship Xiaomi 17 series in Barcelona, signaling a stronger push into the premium smartphone market.

The launch event, held ahead of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, marked the global debut of the Xiaomi 17 and Xiaomi 17 Ultra, months after their initial release in China. Both models are powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor. The Xiaomi 17 starts at €999 (about US$1,180), while the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is priced from €1,499.

The new devices position Xiaomi in direct competition with Apple and Samsung in the premium segment, typically defined by smartphones priced above US$600. By comparison, Samsung’s Galaxy S26 starts at around US$900, while Apple’s iPhone 17 begins at approximately US$800.

According to market research firm Counterpoint, Xiaomi retained its position as the world’s third-largest smartphone vendor in the fourth quarter of 2025 with an 11 percent global market share, trailing Apple at 25 percent and Samsung at 18 percent.

The Xiaomi 17 series was first introduced in China last September with multiple variants, followed later by the 17 Ultra model. The global launch also highlighted Xiaomi’s broader technology ambitions, featuring new products including the Xiaomi Pad 8 tablet lineup, the Watch 5 smartwatch, and the Vision Gran Turismo electric hypercar concept.

Company founder and CEO Lei Jun reaffirmed Xiaomi’s commitment to investing 200 billion yuan (approximately US$29 billion) in research and development over the next five years, focusing on core technologies such as semiconductor chips, artificial intelligence, and operating systems.

The company stated it has already invested more than 100 billion yuan in research and development over the past five years, reporting progress in proprietary chip design and other key technologies.