55-year-old Lei Jun is still pushing forward! The Xiaomi 17 series will be released tonight: cross-generational naming to rival Apple, standard edition “more features without a price increase”.

```

At 7:00 pm on September 25, Xiaomi will release the 17 series phones, skipping the 16 series and naming them in line with the same generation of Apple iPhone. At the same time, Lei Jun will deliver his personal annual speech. Lei Jun (born December 16, 1969) stated that "being in his fifties is just the right age to strive forward" and will share the latest progress on car manufacturing and chip development at the launch event.

The Xiaomi 17 series is equipped with the world’s first Qualcomm fifth-generation Snapdragon 8 Supreme Edition processor. This chip, manufactured with third-generation 3nm process technology, reaches a record-high clock speed of 4.6GHz. President Lu Weibing stated that Xiaomi achieved "truly simultaneous first launch”—Qualcomm released the processor in the morning, and Xiaomi released the phone in the evening.

The new product line includes three models: Xiaomi 17 Standard Edition, Xiaomi 17 Pro, and Xiaomi 17 Pro Max, all equipped with Xiaomi Surge OS 3. Lu Weibing emphasized that this will be "the most significant leap in the history of Xiaomi’s digital series," with the product launch coming one month earlier than the previous generation.

Lei Jun posted on Weibo today, stating that many are concerned about the price of the Xiaomi 17 series. In fact, President Lu already mentioned it last week. The Xiaomi 17 Standard Edition, while seeing major upgrades, will offer “more for the same price”; the Xiaomi 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max will keep aiming higher, with pricing to be announced in the evening.

This move by Xiaomi comes as its performance reaches record highs. The Q2 financial report shows company revenue reached 115.96 billion RMB, up 30.5% year-on-year; adjusted net profit was 10.83 billion RMB, up 75.4% year-on-year, both setting historical records.

Skipping a Generation to Compete Head-on with Apple

In a rare move, Xiaomi skipped the 16 series and directly released the 17 series, aligning its naming with Apple’s iPhone product line. Lu Weibing said, "Xiaomi only takes on the iPhone head-on when it has real confidence," and that this confidence comes from a shift in product philosophy: "True high-end, focusing not only on leading specs but also on prioritizing user experience and deep integration of hardware and software."

The three products have clearly differentiated positioning: Xiaomi 17 is "the strongest standard flagship ever, comprehensive upgrades, more for the same price"; Xiaomi 17 Pro is "the most refined small-size tech imaging flagship"; Xiaomi 17 Pro Max is "the most powerful pinnacle tech imaging flagship ever."

Lu Weibing admitted, "Apple is still outstanding, and everyone sees the success of the iPhone 17 series," but emphasized that since Xiaomi launched its high-end strategy five years ago, "learning from the greatest competitor and benchmarking against the iPhone," Xiaomi has made "visible and significant progress" in the high-end market.

Hundreds of Billions in R&D Investment Supporting Technological Upgrades

Xiaomi’s high-end ambition is built on massive R&D investments. Lu Weibing revealed that Xiaomi has already invested more than 100 billion RMB in R&D, and will increase that to 200 billion in the next five years. This technological accumulation will be fully reflected in the Xiaomi 17 series.

Lei Jun previously noted that the decisions to make cars and restart chip development were made almost simultaneously, "putting all of Xiaomi’s hard-earned reserves from the past ten years on the line." As of the end of April this year, cumulative R&D investment in the Xiaomi Vela chip exceeded 13.5 billion RMB, with the R&D team surpassing 2,500 people. This year’s R&D investment is expected to exceed 6 billion RMB.

At tonight’s launch event, Lei Jun will also deliver his sixth annual speech, titled "Change," in which he will share stories about the Xiaomi Vela chip and Xiaomi's automotive projects. Xiaomi started its car project with an official announcement in 2023, released its first model, the Xiaomi SU7, in March 2024, and announced its first SUV, the Xiaomi YU7, at the end of the year.

World Premiere of Snapdragon Flagship Chip

The Xiaomi 17 series will be the first in the world to use the Qualcomm fifth-generation Snapdragon 8 Supreme Edition mobile platform, which Qualcomm dubs “the world’s fastest mobile CPU.” This third-generation 3nm chip significantly improves power efficiency over its predecessor and reaches a record-high clock speed of 4.6GHz.

Lei Jun commented that this processor is "indeed powerful," and Lu Weibing also said, "The fifth generation Snapdragon 8 Supreme Edition is a major upgrade with very strong product capabilities." The close partnership between Xiaomi and Qualcomm is reflected in the synchronized release times: Qualcomm releases the processor in the morning, and Xiaomi launches a phone with the chip in the evening.

Notably, competitor BYD Auto also posted on its official Weibo to wish Xiaomi 17 series a successful launch, stating "Persevering amid doubts, exploring in desolation, salute to dream chasers." Lei Jun replied "Thank you sincerely," reflecting the industry's recognition of Xiaomi's technical strength.

Risk Disclaimer and Limitation of LiabilityThe market contains risks, investment requires caution. This article does not constitute personal investment advice and does not consider individual users’ specific investment objectives, financial situations, or needs. Users should consider whether any opinions, viewpoints, or conclusions in this article suit their particular situation. Investments based on this article are at your own risk. ```