Xiaomi will be dropping the ‘Mi’ branding from its products and will simply use ‘Xiaomi’ going forward. This change in branding has kicked off with the company’s latest flagship smartphone, the Mix 4, which was launched in China on August 10 and is called Xiaomi Mix 4. Xiaomi has confirmed that all ‘Mi’ branded products will be renamed to Xiaomi starting Q3 2021. The Mi branding had been in existence for about 10 years.
The change first became apparent with the recently released Mix 4 which, instead of being called Mi Mix 4 in accordance with the previous-generation phones (Mi Mix 3, Mi Mix 2, and so on), was named Xiaomi Mix 4. XDA developers citing a company representative first reported that the company’s upcoming products will come with Xiaomi branding instead of the Mi branding.
Xiaomi says that the change away from the Mi branding will unify its global presence but added that it might take some time to take effect in all regions. The company, however, plans to retain the Redmi branding.
“With the introduction of the new brand identity, two distinct product series will sit beneath the parent brand. Xiaomi products represent the pinnacle of technology and offer a premium experience. Redmi products bring big innovation at a more accessible price point and are aimed at younger audience,” a Xiaomi spokesperson told Gadgets 360. “This differentiation is also reflected in our updated logos, with both the Xiaomi and Redmi logotypes under the parent brand logo.”
The first Mi-branded smartphone, the Xiaomi Mi 1 was launched in August 2011, which makes the brand almost 10 years old. Over the years, the Mi brand expanded to tablets, TVs, smart devices, tools, toys, audio accessories, and more.
Xiaomi says its product series naming convention — Xiaomi and Redmi — will also be reflected in its IoT products portfolio over time.
A recent report by research firm Counterpoint showed that Xiaomi became the number one smartphone brand in the world for the first time ever in June 2021. Its sales grew by 26 percent compared to May, and it captured a 17.1 percent market share in terms of global smartphone shipments. Another report by Strategy Analytics stated that Xiaomi topped the 5G Android phone shipments globally in the second quarter of 2021.
Currently, the company is gearing up to launch its Mi TV 5X, Mi Band 6, and Mi Notebook in India at its Smarter Living 2022 event scheduled for August 26. It has also teased the Redmi 10 Prime that will launch in the country on September 3.
Editor’s note: This article was updated with Xiaomi’s quote confirming the rebranding.