Xiaomi unveils smartphone to challenge iPhone 17

Move underscores Chinese firm's ambitions to take on US rivals from Apple to Tesla

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derscoring the Chinese company's broader ambitions to take on US rivals from Apple to Tesla.

The Xiaomi 17, which will be offered in Pro and Pro Max models just like Apple's marquee series, starts at 4,499 yuan (S$815) for the most basic model, rising to 5,999 yuan at the top end, co-founder and chief executive Lei Jun said via a live-streamed event on Sept 25. That is more than US$100 cheaper than the base iPhone 17, introduced just weeks earlier, during Apple's annual product launch event.

Mr Lei is going after longtime foe Apple in the most direct fashion, shifting Xiaomi's branding and timing to measure his products against the US company's best. In a two-hour online presentation, he orchestrated a side-by-side comparison with the iPhone on battery life, display quality and camera capabilities.

On Sept 25, Mr Lei also pitted his cars against Tesla's, singling out the Model Y. Xiaomi is riding high after a successful initial expansion into electric vehicles (EVs) helped triple its market value over the past year.