Chinese phone maker Xiaomi unveiled its new Xiaomi 13 Series at a release event on Dec. 11, with camera systems from Leica and nine colors for the standard version and four for the Pro version. The new addition to the brand’s annually-updated flagship offering, the Xiaomi 13 series has a price range of RMB 3,999 to RMB 6,299 ($572.97 to $902.51).
Why it matters: Xiaomi’s flagship is a key indicator of the firm’s intention to appeal to a more premium market segment, with top-of-the-range specs and relatively affordable prices.
- The adoption of a high-speed UFS 4.0 storage chip suggests that the use of this chip could be a regular offering for forthcoming Android flagships.
- The standard version of the Xiaomi 13 has an iPhone-like design with a flat-side frame, which has rarely been used in high-end Android phones in recent years. This rule-breaking design might help it stand out among its rivals.
Details: The Xiaomi 13 series come with top specs in major areas, including a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, a high-brightness display, and cameras with a large sensor.
- For display, the two models support a 120 Hz refresh rate and 1,900 nites peak brightness, which comes courtesy of a new generation of illuminating materials. However, the standard version is equipped with a smaller 6.36-inch display (compared to 6.73 inches for the Pro model) and does not support LTPO adaptive refresh rate.
- The two models both feature Leica technology in hardware and software form for their cameras, including lens and color profiles. However, like its predecessor, the 12S series, the large 1-inch CMOS is exclusive to the most expensive model, which is co-developed with Sony. The Xiaomi 13 Pro also features special optical tech – floating focus – with its 75 mm lens, powering super close-up shots.
- The Xiaomi 13 is equipped with a 4500 mAh battery and a 67 W wired charging speed, while the Xiaomi 13 Pro comes with a larger 4820 mAh battery, supporting 120 W charging speed via wires. Both models feature 50 W wireless charging and 10 W reverse charging.
- The series will be available on Dec. 14 via Xiaomi’s official channels in mainland China, offering up to 12 GB RAM and 512GB storage.
- Xiaomi has suggested they will introduce the series to overseas markets, with more details yet to be revealed.
Context: Xiaomi is the third-largest phone vendor globally by shipments in the third quarter, accounting for 14% of the market, according to hardware insight firm Canalys.
- The phone maker generated RMB 70.47 billion in the third quarter of 2022, a 9.7% yearly decline, and its phone shipments also fell 8.4% year-on-year to 40.2 million units amid a global slowdown in consumer electronics.