Several years ago, when one mentions Xiaomi, one would often associate the brand as one that offers real value-for-money products that are very competitive against more established brands. They have been the go-to brand for those who want the best bang-for-your-buck phones–that made the Redmi Note series one of the most popular models of the brand. However, Xiaomi products have been more expensive in recent years, with the latest Xiaomi 13 Pro inching close to the Php 60k mark.

Granted that Xiaomi does have sub-brands POCO and Redmi that cater to the lucrative mid-range segment (with notable examples like the POCO X5 Pro and Redmi Note 11 Pro), this makes us wonder: Is the decision of Xiaomi to drop the Mi branding a few years ago justified for them to sell expensive phones that are fitting for the premium flagship segment?

We made an explainer video on the history of Xiaomi, and how the company has evolved through the years–from having sub-brands to cater to lower price segments, expanding their ecosystem offerings, to having their eyes on competing in the ultra-premium segment.