Xiaomi President Lu Weibing has hinted that flagship smartphone prices may be heading into uncomfortable territory over the next couple of years. Speaking during a recent livestream, Lu suggested that some traditional high-end “candybar” phones in China could eventually cross the 10,000 yuan mark, especially toward the end of 2026.
To put that into perspective, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra started at 6,999 yuan (around $980) in China for the 12GB + 512GB version when it launched last December.
According to Lu, one of the biggest reasons is memory pricing. DRAM and NAND flash costs have been climbing sharply, and Xiaomi says those increases are becoming harder for smartphone makers to absorb. Lu mentioned that pricing for upcoming devices, including phones like the Xiaomi 17 Max, is still being discussed internally because component costs remain volatile.
He also pointed out that supply is not something manufacturers can quickly fix. Building a new memory factory can take several years from start to mass production, while demand continues to rise rapidly, especially because of AI servers and high-performance computing hardware. Lu believes the pressure on memory pricing may continue through 2027, and possibly even into 2028.
That context makes Xiaomi’s upcoming 17 Max launch particularly interesting. The phone has already been teased in China ahead of a May release and is expected to sit near the top of Xiaomi’s lineup. Leaks and teasers point to a large 6.9-inch display, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, Leica-tuned 200MP main camera, and a massive 8,000mAh battery.
Xiaomi is not the only brand dealing with rising costs either. Companies like Oppo, Vivo, and Honor are all facing similar pressure as component pricing continues to climb across the industry.
Still, Lu tried to reassure users that Xiaomi intends to keep focusing on value where possible, even if prices rise overall. Whether consumers are willing to accept flagship phones crossing the 10,000 yuan barrier is another question entirely.
If it happens, it could mark a pretty major shift for the Chinese smartphone market, where aggressive pricing has long been one of the biggest selling points.
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(Via)
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