Xiaomi Accelerates Chip Development and AI Expansion Amid Global Push
Xiaomi Corp. will release a new smartphone chip annually, mirroring Apple Inc.'s cadence, as the Chinese tech giant tightens integration between hardware and software. The move follows last year's debut of its 3-nanometer XRing O1 system-on-chip—a rarity among smartphone makers beyond Apple and Samsung Electronics Co.
President Lu Weibing revealed the roadmap at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, signaling ambitions to challenge Qualcomm Inc. and MediaTek Inc.'s dominance. "This is our first chip product. Going forward, we should most likely release a yearly upgrade," Lu said, with the next iteration slated for a China-first launch in 2024 before global rollout.
The accelerated timeline contradicts earlier executive comments suggesting irregular updates. It aligns with Xiaomi's HyperOS strategy—a fork of Android designed to leverage custom silicon for performance gains over competitors using off-the-shelf components.
Concurrently, Xiaomi prepares an international debut for its AI assistant, complementing plans to export electric vehicles. The company has deployed humanoid robots for factory testing, though details remain scarce.