Xiaomi 17 Pro Max vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
Xiaomi is preparing to unveil the 17 series later this month. Company President Lu Weibing seems to have little regard for secrecy. On the Chinese social network Weibo, he compared the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max with the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max. In the short video below, you can see him testing both devices.
Video Comparison
He wanted to dispel fears that Xiaomi had copied Apple’s camera island design—but he apparently disagrees. At least the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max has a display in the camera module, and the telephoto camera has been moved to the bottom. From a design perspective, however, there’s actually not much difference.
Xiaomi says the design is inspired by the Mi 11 Ultra from 2021, and the similarity is hard to miss. The company also insists it didn’t skip the Xiaomi 16 to align with Apple’s naming scheme. This statement is even more questionable considering that the Chinese company is also launching its own Pro Max model.
Photo Comparison
Lu Weibing said that the 17 series will be available in China before October 1st and confirmed that they will be the first devices with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, which will be launched on 23rd. September. Xiaomi has also secured longer-than-usual exclusivity for the chip, so competing devices aren’t expected to launch before October.
Xiaomi 17 Pro Prices
The Xiaomi 17 Pro will cost between 5,000 and 6,000 CNY (600 to 720 euros/700 to 850 US dollars), while the Pro Max will cost between 6,000 and 7,000 CNY (720 to 840 euros/850 to 1,000 US dollars). These are, of course, the prices for the Chinese market. Should the two models ever launch internationally, a significant price premium is to be expected.
The rear screen can be used for call management, music control, travel information, and countdowns, and serves as a full-fledged camera viewfinder, allowing you to take even better selfies with the rear cameras. Lu compares it to the cover displays of foldable flip phones.
