Xiaomi is dropping the ‘Mi’ as it changes its branding strategy for future releases
For years, Xiaomi has used its ‘Mi’ branding on a wide array of devices, and it has pretty much become synonymous with the brand on the whole. However, according to a statement provided to XDA Developers, Xiaomi will be going through a bit of a transition. Moving forward, the ‘Mi’ branding will be phased out in favor of simply using ‘Xiaomi’.
The news comes shortly after the release of the Xiaomi Mix 4, with the first three devices in the Mix lineup being known as the ‘Mi Mix’. Even the company’s foldable phone used the Mi Mix branding earlier this year when it was unveiled, but the time has come for Xiaomi to change things up a bit.
In the statement provided, Xiaomi confirmed that it will continue to primarily use both Xiaomi and Redmi branding. The former is aimed at a more professional and “premium” experience, while the latter will apply to more budget-friendly devices aimed at a “younger audience”.
Starting in 2021 Q3, Xiaomi’s product series “Mi” will be renamed to “Xiaomi”. This change will unify our global brand presence and close the perception gap between the brand and its products. This change may take some time to take effect in all regions.
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. This differentiation is also reflected in our updated logos, with both the Xiaomi and Redmi logotypes under the parent brand logo.
The product series naming convention — Xiaomi and Redmi — will also be applied to our ecosystem and IoT products over time.
Xiaomi has already been pivoting to the new naming convention in other areas of the world, as evidenced by the Xiaomi Mi 11 simply being named the “Xiaomi 11” in China. The company also claims that it will not “go back” and change the names of already-released devices like the Mi 11 Ultra or the aforementioned Mi Mix Fold. So we won’t be surprised if the “Mi 12” is now just called the Xiaomi 12 whenever it is unveiled.