TL; DR
- Xiaomi cancels planned 15 Civi launch in India.
- Company pivots from premium strategy to budget phones.
- Decision follows poor sales of the previous 14 Civi.
Xiaomi India appears to be navigating a challenging period. The company’s strategy, which involves scaling back its smartphone portfolio while simultaneously aiming for ‘premiumization,’ appears to be creating internal conflict and market confusion.
The latest casualty in this strategic scale-back is a highly anticipated product. According to our industry sources, Xiaomi has cancelled the launch of its Xiaomi 15 Civi mid-range smartphone in India.
This move is surprising, especially after the Xiaomi 14 Civi launched last year with considerable fanfare, banking on the appeal of Leica-branded cameras in a more accessible mid-range device.
The decision to cancel the Xiaomi 15 Civi is puzzling. It suggests a pivot away from the premium mid-range segment and back towards the budget market, where a new Redmi phone is set to launch soon. By shelving the 15 Civi, Xiaomi is effectively vacating the ₹35,000 – ₹45,000 price bracket, putting its premiumization goals on the back burner.
This cancellation could be a direct result of lower-than-expected sales for the Xiaomi 14 Civi, which the company is now selling at a significant discount.
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Xiaomi 15 Civi: The Phone That Won’t Arrive
The cancelled device was set to feature a vibrant 6.55-inch 1.5K micro-curved display, offering a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and an impressive peak brightness of 3,200 nits. Under the hood, it was to be powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 SoC, paired with configurations of up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and up to 512GB of high-speed UFS 4.0 storage.
In the camera department, the phone boasted a Leica-tuned triple-camera system on the rear, comprising a 50MP primary sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, and a 50MP telephoto sensor. For selfies, it was equipped with a high-resolution 50MP front-facing camera. Powering the entire package was a massive 6,000mAh battery, with support for 67W fast charging to ensure quick top-ups.
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We think that this strategy will backfire for the brand, especially while pitching the Premium devices, which Xiaomi has always struggled to move in volumes in the country.
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