History of Xiaomi

 

History of Xiaomi, from its founding to its position today as one of the world’s largest consumer-electronics companies.

1. Founding and Early Vision (2010)

Xiaomi Corporation was founded on April 6, 2010, in Beijing, China by Lei Jun and seven co-founders.

Founders

Lei Jun (Chairman & CEO) – former Kingsoft executive

Lin Bin – former Google China engineer

Zhou Guangping, Liu De, Li Wanqiang, Hong Feng, Wong Jianlin, Jiang Fan

Original Vision

Create high-quality technology at honest prices

Operate with thin profit margins

Build products with users, using community feedback

The name “Xiaomi” (小米) means “millet”, symbolizing small beginnings and humility. Lei Jun famously compared Xiaomi’s mission to “starting from a grain of rice.”

2. MIUI and Software-First Strategy (2010–2011)

Before making phones, Xiaomi focused on software.

MIUI (2010)

Custom Android ROM

Weekly updates based on user feedback

Strong community-driven development

This approach helped Xiaomi:

Build a loyal fan base

Understand user needs before hardware production

Differentiate from traditional phone makers

3. Entry into Smartphones – Mi 1 Era (2011–2013)

Xiaomi Mi 1 (2011)

High-end specs

Price far lower than competitors

Sold online only (flash sales)

Xiaomi Mi 2 (2012)

Snapdragon processor

Major performance leap

Strengthened Xiaomi’s “flagship killer” reputation

Key Innovations

Online-only sales model

No traditional advertising

Direct-to-consumer distribution

4. Explosive Growth in China (2013–2014)

Redmi Brand (2013)

Budget-friendly smartphones

Massive popularity in lower-tier cities

Helped Xiaomi dominate China’s smartphone market

Achievements

Became China’s #1 smartphone brand (2014)

Valuation rose rapidly

Known as the “Apple of China” (design + ecosystem)

5. Global Expansion & Challenges (2014–2016)

International Expansion

Entered India, Southeast Asia, Brazil, Europe

India became Xiaomi’s largest overseas market

Challenges

Slowing China smartphone market

Supply chain issues

Strong competition (Huawei, Oppo, Vivo)

By 2016, Xiaomi’s growth stalled, forcing internal restructuring.

6. Strategic Comeback (2016–2017)

Major Changes

Improved logistics and manufacturing

Expanded offline Mi Stores

Focused on innovation again

Mi MIX (2016)

Revolutionary bezel-less design

Ceramic body

Repositioned Xiaomi as an innovator

7. IPO and New Business Model (2018)

IPO Details

Listed on Hong Kong Stock Exchange

Raised over $4 billion

One of the largest tech IPOs at the time

Business Philosophy

Xiaomi defined itself as:

“An internet company with smartphones and smart hardware at its core.”

Internet + Hardware + Ecosystem

Smartphones

Smart home devices

Internet services (ads, cloud, content)

8. Ecosystem Expansion – “Everything Smart” (2018–2020)

Xiaomi invested heavily in ecosystem companies.

Popular Products

Mi Band (fitness trackers)

Smart TVs

Air purifiers

Robot vacuum cleaners

Electric scooters

Power banks

By 2020, Xiaomi had one of the world’s largest IoT ecosystems.

9. Premium Push & Global Success (2020–2022)

Flagship Devices

Mi 10, Mi 11 Ultra, Xiaomi 12

Focus on cameras, displays, performance

Leica Partnership (2022)

Co-engineered camera systems

Major step into premium photography

Global Ranking

Became world’s #2 or #3 smartphone brand (depending on quarter)

Strong presence in Europe, India, Asia

10. Electric Vehicles & Future Tech (2021–Present)

Xiaomi EV Announcement (2021)

$10 billion investment

Long-term commitment to smart mobility

Xiaomi SU7 (2024)

First electric car

Integrated with Xiaomi ecosystem

Strong initial market response in China

11. Xiaomi Today – What It Represents

Core Business Areas

Smartphones

AIoT (smart home & wearables)

Internet services

Electric vehicles (emerging)

Key Principles

High specs, fair prices

Fan-driven development

Ecosystem thinking

Low hardware profit margins

Global Impact

One of the most influential consumer tech brands

Competes with Apple, Samsung, Huawei

Strong brand loyalty (“Mi Fans”)

1. Smartphones

Xiaomi (Mi → Xiaomi branding)

Mi 1, Mi 2, Mi 3, Mi 4, Mi 5

Mi 6

Mi 8, Mi 9

Mi 10 series

Mi 11 / 11 Pro / 11 Ultra

Xiaomi 12 / 12 Pro / 12S / 12S Ultra

Xiaomi 13 / 13 Pro / 13 Ultra

Xiaomi 14 / 14 Pro / 14 Ultra

Xiaomi 15 series

Xiaomi MIX

MIX 2 / MIX 2S / MIX 3

MIX 4

MIX Fold / Fold 2 / Fold 3 / Fold 4

MIX Alpha

MIX Flip

Redmi

Redmi 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Redmi Note series (1 → Note 13 / 14)

Redmi K series (K20 → K70)

Redmi A series

Redmi Go

Redmi Y series

Redmi Turbo series

POCO

POCO F series

POCO X series

POCO M series

POCO C series

Black Shark (gaming – discontinued)

Black Shark 1–5

Black Shark Pro models

⌚ 2. Wearables

Smart Bands

Mi Band 1 → Mi Band 8 / 9

Redmi Band series

Smartwatches

Mi Watch

Mi Watch Lite

Xiaomi Watch S1 / S2 / S3

Xiaomi Watch 2 / 2 Pro

Redmi Watch series

POCO Watch

Audio Wearables

Mi True Wireless Earbuds

Redmi Buds (all generations)

Xiaomi Buds Pro / Ultra

Neckband earphones

🏠 3. Smart Home & AIoT (Huge Ecosystem)

Smart Lighting

Mi LED bulbs

Yeelight bulbs & lamps

Smart desk lamps

Ceiling lights

Smart Security

Mi Home Security Camera (all versions)

Smart doorbells

Smart locks

Motion & door sensors

Smart Cleaning

Mi Robot Vacuum

Vacuum Mop series

Handheld vacuum cleaners

Air & Environment

Mi Air Purifier (1 → 4)

Humidifiers

Dehumidifiers

Temperature & humidity sensors

Kitchen Appliances

Rice cookers

Induction cookers

Air fryers

Microwaves

Blenders

Smart kettles

Home Appliances

Washing machines

Dryers

Refrigerators

Air conditioners

Heaters

Fans

📺 4. TVs & Media Devices

Televisions

Mi TV series

Xiaomi TV A / P / Q / S series

Redmi TV series

OLED TVs

Mini-LED TVs

Media Devices

Mi Box

Mi TV Stick

Streaming dongles

💻 5. Laptops, Tablets & PCs

Laptops

Mi Notebook Air

Mi Notebook Pro

RedmiBook series

Xiaomi Book Pro

Xiaomi Gaming Laptop

Tablets

Mi Pad 1 → Mi Pad 6 / 6 Pro / 6 Max

Redmi Pad series

Monitors

Mi Curved Monitor

Gaming monitors

Professional displays

🎮 6. Gaming & Accessories

Gaming mice

Mechanical keyboards

Controllers

Mouse pads

Gaming headsets

🔋 7. Power & Charging

Power banks (all capacities)

Wireless chargers

GaN fast chargers

Charging cables

Car chargers

🚲 8. Mobility & Lifestyle

Mobility

Mi Electric Scooter (1 → Pro / Ultra)

Electric bikes (China)

Hoverboards

Lifestyle

Smart backpacks

Suitcases

Shoes

Jackets

Smart glasses

Umbrellas

Towels

Water bottles

🚗 9. Electric Vehicles (EV)

Xiaomi Auto

Xiaomi SU7

SU7 Max

SU7 Ultra

Upcoming SUV models

🧠 10. Software & Platforms

MIUI (now HyperOS)

Mi Home app

Xiaomi Cloud

Xiaomi AI Assistant

Internet services & ads platform

🧩 11. Ecosystem Partner Brands (Partial List)

Xiaomi invested in 300+ ecosystem companies, including:

Yeelight

Roborock

Huami (Amazfit)

Ninebot

1MORE

ZMI

Viomi

Aqara

Mijia (core lifestyle brand)

⚠️ Important Note (Honesty)

👉 There is no single public list that literally contains every Xiaomi product ever made, because:

Many are China-only

Many are discontinued

Some are white-label ecosystem products

Regional renaming (Mi / Xiaomi / Redmi / POCO)

What you see above is the most complete human-readable catalog possible.