Xiaomi believes it can replicate the success it has had in other western European markets with its UK entry, as the company used a launch event to debut its Mi 8 Pro flagship outside China for the first time.

At a launch event in London, SVP Wang Xiang said its entrance in the UK was a new chapter in its global expansion. It will offer its smartphones through a partnership with operator 3 UK.

He highlighted Xiaomi’s rise through the ranks in its relatively short history as evidence it can successfully crack the UK: analyst company IDC ranks the company as the world’s fourth-largest smartphone maker.

Xiang also highlighted the fact Xiaomi is number three in Spain, which in November 2017 became its first western European market. It has also seen strength in France and Italy following launches this year.

In addition to giving the Mi 8 Pro flagship its global debut at the event, Xiaomi also showed off its budget Redmi 6A smartphone, a new Xiaomi Band 3, its Mi Electric scooter and revealed it will be opening its first ever authorised Mi store in London later this month.

Mi 8 Pro
Priced at £499, the Mi 8 Pro is key to Xiaomi’s early attempts to gain a strong market share in the UK.

Director of product management Donovan Sung (pictured) highlighted how the device, despite being significantly lower in price than rival offerings from Samsung, Huawei and Apple, measured up in terms of specs.

A key selling point was the device’s artificial intelligence-powered dual camera features, including portrait, beautify and scene detection. The device offers an 8MP and 12MP combination on the rear.

It is powered by the Snapdragon 845 processor, includes an AMOLED display and packs an in-display finger sensor.

“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,” added Xiang in a statement.