Xiaomi launches in the UK to take on Huawei and Samsung

Xiaomi, the fourth largest smartphone manufacturer in the world, has started to sell its products in the UK for the first time. The Beijing-based manufacturer has partnered with mobile network Three, which will sell Xiaomi-branded handsets online and in its brick-and-mortar stores nationwide.

Xiaomi is bringing its Redmi 6A, Xiaomi Mi 8, and Mi 8 Pro to the Three network. It will also be selling SIM-free smartphones for £1 as part of a special launch deal via its online retail store.

• Xiaomi UK launch: get a Xiaomi phone for £1
• Xiaomi Mi A1 review

Redmi 6A boasts a 3,000mAh battery capable of keeping the smartphone in standby one mode for up to 19 days. It also has a 13MP rear camera that includes phase detection autofocus and a 5MP front-facing selfie camera. It will sell for £99 SIM-free.

Pre-orders for the Redmi 6A from Three start tomorrow for delivery on November 21. The carrier is offering a range of 24-month contracts, starting from £12 a month, with a one-off £19 upfront cost.

But the star of the show is the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro – a flagship phone with a 6.21-inch AMOLED display, Snapdragon 845, AI-powered dual 12MP camera system, IR face unlock, 8GB of RAM and a pressure sensitive in-display fingerprint sensor.

The Mi 8 Pro ships in a Transparent Titanium finish for £499. It includes 8GB of RAM and 128GB inbuilt storage and will be available from the 9th November via Three, Amazon, Argos, John Lewis, Carphone Warehouse, Currys PC World, Very, Mobile Phones Direct, Katana and Mi.com.

Xiaomi’s flagship device will be available in Three stores and online on a range of 24-month contracts starting from £19 upfront and £22 per month, rising to £19 upfront and £46 per month for All You Can Eat (AYCE) data.

Xiaomi will also sell its devices via its own online store, Amazon UK, John Lewis, and Argos.

Xiaomi will also open an authorised store in central London on November 19, 2018.

Wang Xiang, Senior Vice President of Xiaomi Corporation, said: “Today we witness a new chapter in Xiaomi’s global expansion journey, underpinned by our global ambitions. We are thrilled to make great strides by announcing our arrival in the UK. 

"By bringing a range of our amazing products at honest pricing we want to offer more choices and let everyone in the UK enjoy a connected simple life through our innovative technology ”

Xiaomi’s entry into the UK follows its arrival in France and Italy this May, and the official entry last November into Spain, its first Western European market, where it had already become the third largest smartphone vendor.

As of today, Xiaomi is now sold in 74 markets worldwide.