History of Xiaomi in Timeline

Xiaomi is a Chinese multinational corporation specializing in consumer electronics, software, and electric vehicles. It is the world's second-largest smartphone manufacturer, known for its Xiaomi HyperOS operating system. A relatively young company, it ranks 338th on the Fortune Global 500 list. It has garnered the nickname "Apple of China" due to its similar business model and product design philosophies.

November 2012: Xiaomi's Smart Set-Top Box Stops Working

In November 2012, Xiaomi's smart set-top box stopped working just one week after its launch due to the company violating regulations set by China's National Radio and Television Administration.

January 2013: Xiaomi Overcomes Regulatory Issues

In January 2013, Xiaomi overcame the regulatory issues that caused its smart set-top box to stop working.

2013: Xiaomi Pledged to Release Kernel Code

In 2013, Xiaomi stated its intention to release the kernel code.

2013: Debate Over Xiaomi's Innovation

In 2013, critics debated how much of Xiaomi's product innovation was genuine versus effective public relations.

August 2014: Taiwanese FTC Investigates Xiaomi's Flash Sales

In August 2014, the Taiwanese Fair Trade Commission investigated Xiaomi's flash sales, finding that Xiaomi sold fewer smartphones than advertised and fined them NT$600,000.

October 2014: Xiaomi Announces Server Setup Outside China

On October 23, 2014, Xiaomi announced it was setting up servers outside of China for international users to improve services and comply with regulations.

December 2014: Delhi High Court Bans Xiaomi Products in India

On December 9, 2014, the Delhi High Court issued an ex parte injunction banning the import and sale of Xiaomi products in India due to a patent infringement complaint by Ericsson. On December 16, Xiaomi was granted permission to sell Qualcomm-based devices until January 8, 2015.

January 2015: Xiaomi Allowed to Sell Qualcomm-Based Devices

On January 8, 2015, the Delhi High Court allowed Xiaomi to continue selling Qualcomm chipset-based handsets until March 2018.

February 2015: Hearing Scheduled for Xiaomi Patent Case

On February 5, 2015, the Delhi High Court was scheduled to summon both parties for a formal hearing of the Xiaomi patent case.

January 2018: Criticism for Non-Compliance with GNU General Public License

In January 2018, Xiaomi faced criticism for not complying with the GNU General Public License terms, specifically regarding the distribution of the Android kernel source code.

March 2018: Extension of Interim Order for Qualcomm Chipset-Based Handsets

In March 2018, a judge extended the division bench's interim order, allowing Xiaomi to continue selling Qualcomm chipset-based handsets.

2018: Xiaomi Becomes Top-Selling Brand in Russian Online Stores

Since 2018, Xiaomi has been the top-selling brand in Russian online stores.

2019: Autonomous Cleaning Device and Wind Path Structure of Same Patent Granted

In 2019, Xiaomi was granted the 'Autonomous Cleaning Device and Wind Path Structure of Same' robot vacuum patent, later disputed in a lawsuit by Wyze Labs.

2020: Kernel Source Code Available on GitHub

In 2020, the kernel source code for Xiaomi devices became available on the GitHub website.

January 2021: US Government Names Xiaomi as Military-Linked Company

On January 14, 2021, the U.S. government designated Xiaomi as a company "owned or controlled" by the People's Liberation Army, restricting American investment.

January 2021: KPN Sues Xiaomi for Patent Infringement

On January 19, 2021, KPN, a Dutch telecommunications company, sued Xiaomi for patent infringement.

February 2021: Xiaomi Files Lawsuit Against US Government

On February 17, 2021, Xiaomi filed a lawsuit with the United States District Court for the District of Columbia challenging its designation as military-linked.

March 2021: Xiaomi's Logo Update

In March 2021, Xiaomi updated its logo, replacing the orange square with rounded corners, or a "squircle," while retaining the "MI" letters in a slightly darker hue. The new logo was designed by Kenya Hara.

March 2021: Federal Court Blocks US Investment Ban on Xiaomi

On March 12, 2021, a federal court blocked the U.S. investment ban on Xiaomi, expressing skepticism about national security concerns.

May 2021: Xiaomi Reaches Agreement to Remove Military-Linked Designation

In May 2021, Xiaomi reached an agreement with the United States Department of Defense to remove its designation as military-linked.

July 2021: Wyze Labs Files Lawsuit Against Xiaomi

In July 2021, after Xiaomi alleged patent infringement against Wyze Labs, Wyze filed a lawsuit against Xiaomi in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, arguing the invalidity of Xiaomi's 2019 robot vacuum patent.

September 2021: Lithuania Urges Citizens to Dispose of Chinese-Made Phones

In September 2021, amidst political tensions, the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence advised citizens to discard Chinese-made mobile phones, alleging Xiaomi devices had built-in censorship capabilities. Xiaomi denied the accusations.

2021: Harman Kardon and Xiaomi Collaborate on Mi 11 Series

In 2021, Harman Kardon collaborated with Xiaomi to feature Harman Kardon-tuned dual speakers in the Xiaomi Mi 11 series smartphones.

2021: Xiaomi Announces Investment in Electric Vehicles

In 2021, Xiaomi announced a US$10 billion investment into electric vehicles (EVs).

2021: Xiaomi Collaborates with Directors for Short Films

In 2021, Xiaomi began collaborating with directors to create short films shot entirely using the Xiaomi Mi 11 line of phones.

2021: Global Supply Chain Crisis Beginning

The 2021-2023 global supply chain crisis began in 2021.

2021: Market Share Contraction in China

Throughout 2021, Xiaomi's market share in China experienced a contraction, declining from 17% in Q2 to 14% in Q3, and further dipping to 13.2% by Q4.

February 2022: Xiaomi Announces High-End Smartphone Market Entry

In February 2022, Lei Jun announced Xiaomi's plans to enter the high-end smartphone market, aiming to surpass Apple in China within three years. Xiaomi committed to invest US$15.7 billion in R&D over five years and benchmark against Apple's products.

March 2022: Xiaomi Inaugurates Mobile Device Manufacturing Plant in Pakistan

On March 4, 2022, Xiaomi inaugurated its mobile device manufacturing plant in Lahore, Pakistan, in conjunction with Select Technologies (Pvt) Limited.

April 2022: India's Enforcement Directorate Seizes Xiaomi Assets

In April 2022, India's Enforcement Directorate seized assets from Xiaomi as part of an investigation into violations of foreign exchange laws.

May 2022: Indian Court Lifts Freeze on Xiaomi Assets

In May 2022, the Indian court lifted the $725 million freeze on Xiaomi assets by federal agencies.

July 2022: Uncertainty Surrounds Xiaomi's Pakistan Plant

As of July 2022, the future of Xiaomi's mobile device manufacturing plant in Pakistan is uncertain due to the 2021-2023 global supply chain crisis.

July 2022: Xiaomi Holds Top Spot in Russian Smartphone Market

In July 2022, Xiaomi and its sub-brand POCO held 42% of the Russian smartphone market, ranking first in terms of sales.

August 2022: Xiaomi Launches Xiaomi MIX Fold 2

In August 2022, Xiaomi launched the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 as a result of their partnership with Leica Camera.

2022: Xiaomi Leads Indian Smartphone Sales in Q1

According to a 2022 Canalys report, Xiaomi led Indian smartphone sales in Q1, emphasizing device affordability.

2022: Xiaomi Made Two Short Films with Jessica Henwick

In 2022, Xiaomi and Jessica Henwick made two short films.

2022: Xiaomi Debuts Humanoid Robot Prototype

In 2022, Xiaomi announced and debuted its humanoid robot prototype, marking the company's ambitions to integrate AI into product designs and further develop its humanoid robot project.

April 2023: Ukraine Lists Xiaomi as 'International Sponsor of War'

On April 13, 2023, Ukraine's National Agency on Corruption Prevention listed Xiaomi and 13 senior executives as 'international sponsors of war' due to continued business in Russia.

September 2023: Finnish Carriers Halt Sale of Xiaomi Products

On September 21, 2023, some of Finland's mobile carriers (Telia, DNA, and Elisa) halted the sale of Xiaomi Technology products due to the company's ongoing business activities in Russia.

October 2023: Lawsuit Hearing Stopped in Favor of Xiaomi's Request

In October 2023, the Regional Court of Duesseldorf stopped hearing the lawsuit in favor of Xiaomi's request.

2023: Bus Girl Was Long-Listed for Best British Short at BAFTA

In 2023, Bus Girl was long-listed for Best British Short at the BAFTA.

2023: Xiaomi's Industrial Design Registrations Published

In 2023, Xiaomi had 315 designs in industrial design registrations published under the Hague System, contributing to its 5th-place ranking in the 2024 WIPO report.

2023: Xiaomi Auto Unveils First Production Vehicle

In late 2023, Xiaomi Auto unveiled its first production vehicle, the Xiaomi SU7, publicly announcing a goal to become one of the five largest automakers in the world.

2023: Global Supply Chain Crisis Continues

The 2021-2023 global supply chain crisis continues in 2023.

March 2024: Xiaomi Officially Launches SU7 Sedan

On March 28, 2024, Xiaomi officially launched the SU7 sedan in Beijing, manufactured under contract with BAIC Group.

July 2024: Lei Jun Explains EV Decision Due to Sanctions

In July 2024, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun stated that the decision to build cars and establish the Xiaomi electric vehicles company was a direct consequence of the U.S. sanctions announced in January 2021.

July 2024: Xiaomi Obtains EV Production License

In July 2024, Xiaomi obtained a production license for electric vehicles, allowing it to independently manufacture its electric vehicles.

2024: Xiaomi Ranks 5th in WIPO's Industrial Design Registrations

In the 2024 review of WIPO's annual World Intellectual Property Indicators, Xiaomi was ranked 5th in the world for industrial design registrations, with 315 designs published under the Hague System during 2023.

April 2025: Xiaomi Releases MiMo-7B Reasoning Model

In April 2025, Xiaomi released the MiMo-7B reasoning model, entering the field of Artificial Intelligence Race.

May 2025: Research Exposes Weak Encryption in Xiaomi's Mi Store Apps

In May 2025, research by Princeton University and Citizen Lab revealed that 47.6% of tested apps from Xiaomi's Mi Store used non-standard and weak encryption protocols, enabling third-party eavesdropping, with over 130 billion vulnerable app downloads.