Xiaomi Skips 16 Series and Jumps to Xiaomi 17 to Take on Apple’s iPhone 17

Xiaomi has just made one of the boldest strategic moves in the smartphone world. In an industry where numbering sequences and incremental updates often dominate, the Chinese tech giant is tearing up the playbook.

Forget about the Xiaomi 16 series – it simply won’t exist. Instead, Xiaomi is jumping straight to the Xiaomi 17 family, and this leap forward is not just a marketing gimmick. It’s a carefully calculated move designed to pit the company directly against Apple’s newly launched iPhone 17 lineup.

For years, Xiaomi has been working hard to evolve from a brand associated with affordability to one that stands shoulder to shoulder with Apple and Samsung in the premium segment. According to company president Lu Weibing, skipping the 16 series and unveiling the Xiaomi 17 marks the single most significant milestone in Xiaomi’s five-year journey into the flagship tier. The message is clear: Xiaomi wants buyers, particularly in its home market, to view the Xiaomi 17 as the natural Android rival to Apple’s latest iPhones.

The Xiaomi 17 series lineup

The new lineup, which is set to debut at the end of the month in China, will include the Xiaomi 17, the Xiaomi 17 Pro, and the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max. Noticeably absent from the roster is an Ultra model – at least for now. Each device will run on Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, a chip that promises dramatic improvements in power efficiency, AI processing, and raw performance. Weibing has already gone on record to say that the 17 Pro Max will be the most powerful smartphone Xiaomi has ever built, a bold claim given the strong reputation of its earlier Ultra models.

Battery life, secondary screens, and other surprises

If there’s one area where Xiaomi intends to shake things up, it’s battery capacity. Rumors suggest that the base Xiaomi 17 will come equipped with a massive 7,000mAh battery, while the Pro Max could boast a colossal 7,500mAh pack. These figures dwarf most competitors in the flagship space, where 5,000mAh has become the standard. For power users and gamers, that kind of capacity could be transformative. Even more intriguing, the Pro Max may feature a secondary display – a design choice that Xiaomi has teased and one that could offer new multitasking possibilities.

Despite these leaps forward, pricing is expected to remain steady compared to the previous generation. In a market where Apple has continued to push premium pricing higher, Xiaomi appears to be betting that delivering big upgrades without raising costs will give it a serious edge with consumers.

The bigger picture: Xiaomi vs Apple

Skipping directly to the 17 series is not just about generating buzz. It’s about optics and perception. By aligning its flagship naming convention with Apple’s iPhone 17, Xiaomi positions itself as an equal player, not a brand playing catch-up. It’s a subtle but powerful way of telling the world: if you’re considering an iPhone 17, you should also be looking at the Xiaomi 17.

Apple’s new iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max come with enticing trade-in deals, dazzling displays, and upgraded designs, and they remain the gold standard for many users worldwide. But Xiaomi is countering with massive batteries, potentially longer endurance, and hardware that is cutting-edge without the sky-high Apple pricing. Lu Weibing has even suggested that Xiaomi’s upcoming models will introduce features designed to reduce the fatigue many buyers feel about repetitive smartphone upgrades.

Global ambitions and uncertainty

While the Chinese market will be the first to see the Xiaomi 17 series, the company’s global rollout strategy remains less certain. Traditionally, Xiaomi has released only select models outside China, carefully choosing which devices will appeal to Western and other Asian markets. Early speculation points to the standard Xiaomi 17 and the Pro Max as the most likely candidates for international release, leaving the Pro potentially as a China-exclusive for now. If true, Xiaomi would be mirroring Apple’s strategy of segmenting models across different regions to optimize sales.

R&D and the road ahead

Weibing also used the announcement to highlight Xiaomi’s heavy investment in research and development. Over the past five years, the company has poured billions into refining its design, camera systems, and software ecosystem. Now, Xiaomi plans to double down, expanding its R&D spending even further. This reinvestment signals a company that no longer wants to be seen as just a “budget-friendly” brand but as an innovator leading the charge in premium Android experiences.

Why this matters

The smartphone industry thrives on disruption, and Xiaomi’s decision to skip an entire generation is disruptive by design. It signals that the brand is not afraid to challenge conventions or the dominance of Apple in the high-end market. The Xiaomi 15 series, particularly the Ultra, already topped charts with its remarkable cameras, but the Xiaomi 17 aims to raise the bar across the board: performance, battery, features, and long-term vision. If Xiaomi manages to deliver all this while keeping prices stable, it may finally tip the balance for users debating whether to stick with Apple or try something new.

All eyes are now on the official unveiling. Only then will we see whether Xiaomi’s bold gamble truly pays off – and whether the Xiaomi 17 can genuinely stand toe to toe with the iPhone 17 on the global stage.