Emir BardakçıXiaomi will make a bold jump into the South Korean market, entering both high-end smartphones and home appliances. According to a blog by Chosun, as of December 31, 2024, it has been learned that this Chinese tech giant intends to roll out flagship products and physically land in South Korea starting next month. This represents the most direct challenge thus far by Xiaomi against its Samsung and LG rivals in their home turf.
A Bold Step: Competing with Industry
Leaders It’s announced that the company wants to introduce its flagship Xiaomi 15 series smartphones, featuring the very latest chip from Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Extreme Edition. These phones would be more than 20% off compared with opposite Galaxy and iPhone equivalent models, offering an excellent value-for-money proposition for Korean consumers.
In addition to smartphones, the company is also set to introduce more high-end TV models, such as the “Xiaomi S” series and mini LED TVs. These will be geared toward medium and large-sized TVs, mostly, with sizes starting at 55 inches and above. These TVs will also be pitted against LG’s OLED and Samsung’s QLED televisions.
Strengthened After-Sales Support
Frequently slammed even in South Korea, there is a big change ongoing in Xiaomi’s after-sales services. The company plans to establish 14 new A/S centers, enhancing customer service infrastructure to better receive an ever-growing customer influx.
A History of Gradual Market Entry
Xiami entered the South Korean market for the first time in 2018 to sell cost-effective products, including electric fans and budget smartphones. By filling the gap in between middle-range and higher-end products, Xiaomi placed itself. Now, getting a foothold, it is targeting local giants high-end segment.
Rising Global Market Share
According to a report by Counterpoint Research of late, Xioami’s global smartphone market share surged from below 10% in 2018 to 14% by Q3 2024, while ranking third globally behind Samsung at 19% and Apple at 17%.
A Competitive South Korea in the Future
It has also made this strategic foray in South Korea through Xiaomi to claim a lucrative premium segment amidst the increasing competition at the hands of Chinese players. Now, more than ever, it would definitely have exerted considerable pressure on both top brands-Samsung and LG-by commanding flagship phone and top range home appliance products with very aggressively competitive price points to reconstitute the competitive landscape of Korea. This bold move signals the new phase of Xiaomi’s global expansion strategy and sets the stage for an exciting 2025 in the South Korean tech market.
