Xiaomi has confirmed plans to phase out its "Mi" product branding around 10 years after launching its Mi 1 smartphone. "Starting in 2021 Q3, Xiaomi's product series 'Mi' will be renamed 'Xiaomi'," said the company following the publication of a report by XDA Developers. The aim is to "unify our global brand presence and close the perception gap between the brand and its products," it added.
The updated naming convention will also be applied to Xiaomi’s ecosystem and IoT products over time, including its PCs, laptops, smartwatches. However, Xiaomi said the Mi brand logo will continue to be used in its Mi Home stores for now.
The new approach comes after the company launched the latest phone in its Mi Mix series as the Xiaomi Mix 4 even though the previous phones were called the Mi Mix, Mi Mix 2 and Mi Mix 3. In China phones such as the Mi 11 flagship are already called the Xiaomi 11, so the move brings Xiaomi’s global product branding in line with its Chinese naming strategy.
In its statement, Xiaomi added that it will retain the Redmi brand for products available “at a more accessible price point and aimed at a younger audience", while Xiaomi-branded products will continue to “offer a premium experience.”
