t is usually Xiaomi’s Ultra phones that stay exclusive to China, but even the 14 Pro may share the same fate this time, much to the dismay of Xiaomi’s global fans.
In late October, Xiaomi introduced its flagship smartphones, the Xiaomi 14 and 14 Pro, which subsequently became available in China shortly thereafter. Historically, Xiaomi has followed a pattern of initially releasing its end-of-year smartphones in China, followed by a global launch a few months later. This trend was expected to continue with the Xiaomi 14 series.
However, a recent report suggests a deviation from this pattern. While the Xiaomi 14 is still slated for a global release, the Xiaomi 14 Pro reportedly will not be part of this international rollout. This conclusion is drawn from an analysis of the software development activities of Xiaomi for international markets.
Unfortunately, it appears there’s no ongoing development for global versions of Xiaomi’s HyperOS for the 14 Pro, in contrast to the continued development for the standard Xiaomi 14. While there’s a possibility that this information may be incomplete or that other sources on Xiaomi’s servers haven’t been checked, the current indications suggest that only the Xiaomi 14 will be released internationally.
This strategy might be understandable considering the potential introduction of a Xiaomi 14 Ultra. If the 14 Ultra does launch, the 14 Pro might find itself in an awkward position in Xiaomi’s lineup, overshadowed by both the more basic Xiaomi 14 and the more feature-rich 14 Ultra. Market research might have indicated a preference among consumers for either the basic model or the top-tier Ultra, leaving little demand for the mid-range 14 Pro.
For those eagerly anticipating the international launch of the 14 Pro, this news might be disappointing. However, nothing is officially confirmed yet, so there’s still a glimmer of hope. More information might be revealed soon, especially with rumors suggesting that the Xiaomi 14’s global debut is scheduled for January, with a later launch in India also anticipated.