Today, Xiaomi has formalized the arrival in France of its latest new high-end smartphones, the Mi 10 and the Mi 10 Pro. Their selling price: 799 euros and 999 euros, respectively. A price much higher than that of their predecessors, since the Mi 9 was launched at 499 euros only. Inflation that has affected the brand’s prices since its arrival in the West.
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Last year, we saw with interest and curiosity a spike in the pricing position of the OnePlus brand. With the OnePlus 7 Pro, superb and very ambitious achievement, the Chinese brand exceeded 700 euros. The flagship killer was even offered at a price of 829 euros in its best configuration. An amount well above habits. The OnePlus 7T Pro slightly reconsidered this pricing positioning with only one configuration offered at 759 euros. Certainly because the audience had been a little chilled.
Also read: Getting started with Oppo Find X2 Pro: a smartphone that will hurt the Galaxy S20 Ultra
One of OnePlus’ best competitors, in terms of technology, pricing and marketing, is a compatriot: Xiaomi. With the Mi and Redmi, the Chinese brand has forged a good reputation in France. And this in only two years of presence on the territory. It is moreover the Redmi Note that allowed Xiaomi to break through so strongly. But the flagships also have a good reputation for powerful, complete and cheaper smartphones than other brands in the world’s Top 5 (Huawei, Samsung and Apple not to mention them).
From conquest strategy to pricing policy
However, as with OnePlus, we note a good price inflation this year with the Mi 10 series, whether with the Mi 10, the Mi 10 Pro and even the Mi 10 Lite, announced today for Europe. The first will arrive in France in a few days at the price of 799 euros. The second will follow him in stride, but at 999 euros. And the last one, which will not arrive on distributor stalls until May, will be offered at 399 euros (note that some countries will benefit from a 349 euro version). The predecessors of these three smartphones were offered at a much more modest price.
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Mi 8 Lite: 269 euros | Mi 9 Lite: 329 euros | Mi 10 Lite: 399 euros |
| Mi 8: 499 euros | Mi 9: 499 euros | Mi 10: 799 euros |
| Mi 8 Pro: 599 euros | Mi 9 Pro: not available in France | Mi 10 Pro: 999 euros |
Go back. In 2018, Xiaomi arrived in France. As an ambitious challenger, the brand offers the Mi 8 at 499 euros, the Mi 8 Pro at 599 euros and the Mi 8 Lite at 269 euros. We tested here the Mi 8, for those who no longer remember. Also remember that, at the same time, the Redmi Note 5 was offered below the 200 euro mark and presented itself as the best value for money at the time. A year later, Xiaomi presents three models in the Mi 9 series, but only two will arrive in France: the Mi 9, which we tested here, and the Mi 9 Lite. The first is sold 499 euros, like its predecessor, and the second 329 euros, or 60 euros more expensive. The idea is then to differentiate yourself from the Redmi range.
The Mi 10 is 60% more expensive than the Mi 9
This year, it’s the Mi 10 which is experiencing high inflation: 300 euros. It still corresponds to a 60% increase in the price. It’s not nothing. Of course, the data sheet of the two phones is not the same. The Snapdragon 865 has a reputation for being excessively expensive. Beautiful technologies are offered with the phone. However, Xiaomi changes range. And, if you know the catalog of the brand well, you realize that the Mi 10 and the Mi 10 Pro are sold on the same price range as the Mi MIX (remember that the Mi MIX 3 was launched in France at 529 euros and its 5G version at 649 euros).
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Of course, Xiaomi’s argument is the rise in technology of its smartphones, which implies this inflation. But the fact that the Redmi brand achieves an almost similar result at a price below makes us doubt that this argument is entirely true (but it is partly, it is certain). We also believe that it is no coincidence that Xiaomi decides to raise its prices this year. First, because the overall trend is towards inflation. Huawei, Samsung, Apple and even Oppo, with Find X2 Pro, have largely proven it. Second, because Huawei’s difficulties following the disappearance of supermarkets in EMUI suggest the ambition of the competition, which hopes to recover market share on the high end.
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