This week, Xiaomi reported the first drop in smartphone sales in many years and, as a result, profits. It collapsed by more than half – as much as 52.9%.
This is an incredible blow that has set the company back hard. Xiaomi cites logistics problems and a sharp decline in demand due to global hyperinflation and currency fluctuations as reasons for the decline in sales.
However, it is highly likely that the Chinese just want to hide their real problems, which they have quite a lot, under the guise of what is happening.
The decline in sales of Xiaomi smartphones is an objective outcome that should have been expected for a long time.
It’s just that for a long time the company tried to ride on the earned authority, which it really had in abundance, and the existing problems did not look like something serious.
But either the available resource of credibility began to dry up, or users simply began to see clearly, but the result that we can observe is objectively negative.
Problems of Xiaomi smartphones
Xiaomi smartphones have lost their former margin of safety and credibility
In fact, globally speaking, Xiaomi smartphones have become less interesting. No, not because of mediocre technology.
There are no complaints about the company here. It annually produces dozens of devices, including frankly inexpensive ones that offer consumers some of the best technical combinations on the market. But practice has shown that it is impossible to leave only on this.
Let’s try to break down the global reason for Xiaomi ‘s failures into its components and figure out what led the company to drop sales of its smartphones:
- First, it’s price increases. In just one year, the average price of a Xiaomi smartphone has grown by almost 15%. Even if we leave aside the rationality of this approach, the rise in price will invariably lead to the perversion of the share of buyers.
- Secondly, the software of Xiaomi smartphones leaves much to be desired. Despite the company’s attempt to fix problems in MIUI 12.5 Enhanced, in practice it did little, and the software overlay is still very problematic.
- Thirdly, Xiaomi does not support its smartphones in the best way after the sale. In addition to the fact that the company can afford to simply stop updating devices that are not yet old, it updates them for no longer than three years, while others have already switched to a 4-year and even 5-year support cycle.
Let’s be objective, Xiaomi has some really cool smartphones . Here they are:
- Redmi Note 11 Pro
- Redmi 10C
- Poco M4 Pro 5G
- Xiaomi 11T Pro
- Xiaomi 11 Ultra
- BlackShark 4S Pro
Each of these devices is good in its own way. One is fast charging, the other is a cool camera , the third is high performance.
However, they all suffer from the three problems that we described above: mediocre support, high price, which no longer allows Xiaomi devices to be called top for their money, as well as problems with the MIUI firmware, on the basis of which they work.
Consumers really don’t want to buy Xiaomi smartphones anymore. Of course, they don’t give them up en masse.
But the decline in their popularity is obvious, and it is difficult to dispute it. Take, for example, the Russian market, which can be considered a litmus test due to its evolving nature and high demand mainly for low-cost smartphones.
Here, sales of Xiaomi devices began to decline at the beginning of the year, because Samsung promptly intercepted the agenda from the Chinese.
Which is better: Samsung or Xiaomi
Samsung smartphones are good software and technically, but the company’s pricing policy is especially pleasing
Why are Chinese smartphones so good? Well, there are enough reasons for this. Moreover, they lie literally on the surface, because in fact they are problems that Xiaomi has, just the opposite. See for yourself:
Samsung is very loyal to the markets it occupies and adjusts the prices of its smartphones according to local conditions.
For example, the Korean company know that in Russia they are unlikely to buy a model from the middle segment for $690
Therefore, without any problems, they simply reduce the price of the Galaxy A52 and similar models and sell them cheaper than in the United States.
In terms of support, there are no complaints against Samsung either. Not only is the company among the first to release security updates for its smartphones, it also does not allow itself to simply stop supporting them.
All devices that the South Korean brand releases will be supported for the entire period that is allotted to them. Moreover, it is known about this, as a rule, becomes immediately after the release.
The same goes for the timing of software support. A year ago, Samsung decided to be the first in the market to extend the period during which it will update its smartphones.
As a result, most devices received one new version of Android plus. But this year, the Koreans went even further and announced that they would update all new smartphones not for 4, but for 5 years. And you still ask why Samsung and not Xiaomi?
