Xiaomi 14 Ultra’s Launch in India is Promising, But Success Requires More Than Ambition
Xiaomi surprised everyone (even us) by launching the Xiaomi 14 Ultra in India earlier this month alongside the Xiaomi 14. The company didn’t share any teaser about the product, but closer to the launch, the brand shared the release details with the Xiaomi 14 series, which got people excited for something big.
And that’s exactly what happened when India got its first ever Xiaomi Ultra, which takes on the likes of Google Pixels, Samsung Galaxy S and iPhone Pros under Rs 100,000.
Xiaomi’s market share has weakened in the popular mid-range segment, as the competition has died down and even improved in many respects. The company has recently spoken about realizing the mistakes of the past years and promised to review its strategy, which includes a renewed approach towards the premium segment.
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is priced at Rs 99,999, which is Rs 30,000 more than what you’ll pay for the vanilla Xiaomi 14 in India. The brand has decided not to bring the Pro title because the basic version has enough in the bank to make it a viable option for buyers. When it comes to the 14 Ultra, Xiaomi has a big learning curve to overcome, which it has seen with the Xiaomi 13 Pro last year and all the other Xiaomi phones that cost more than Rs 40,000 in the market.
We have brands like Vivo, OnePlus and even Realme that cross Rs 50,000 in the country and everyone agrees that these products are not going to cheat the volumes. Even a new brand like Nothing has been quick to realize the need for a mid-range model, which it has done in the form of the Phone 2a in India and a few other markets this year.
So even though the Xiaomi 14 Ultra has been released, the battle has just begun. Most people would say that why would anyone pay Rs 100,000 for a Xiaomi phone and these concerns stem from the fact that the brand has mainly been about value for money.
Fighting the big boys will require a lot more conviction, more focus on marketing and building an experiential setup that lets people see what Xiaomi’s Rs 100,000 phone has to offer and how it competes with other premium brands. More importantly, Ultras need a sophisticated software approach with regular OS updates and reliable support with a hands-on strategy to keep buyers happy.
Anyway, we are just excited that the Xiaomi 14 Ultra has been launched in India and from now on the brand can build a portfolio that caters to the segment.
