Tianshi Lv, who previously headed Xiaomi in Peru, where the company increased its smartphone market share from 1% to 30%, has now been appointed as the head of Xiaomi's representative office in South Africa with the aim of achieving similar results.
In his first media interview in this new role, conducted with TechCentral before the launch of the Redmi Note 17 smartphone line, Lv noted that the company views South Africa as a 'significant and strategic market,' but declined to state the current or target market share.
Strategy Successfully Applied in Peru
Lv explained that the approach that succeeded in Peru consists of three key elements that will also be implemented in South Africa: increasing brand awareness, offering a full range of products across different price categories, and distribution through all sales channels, including mobile operators, retail stores, and online platforms.
He emphasized that South African consumers are technologically savvy and demonstrate brand loyalty, meaning Xiaomi must first 'tell its story' before expecting customer migration.
When asked about the confidence despite weak economic growth and limited consumer disposable income, Lv did not directly discuss the economic situation. He stated that there is a large number of tech-savvy consumers in the country, and Xiaomi intends to operate in the region long-term.
He also avoided answering how South Africans purchase phones—whether through operator contracts or cash purchases via e-commerce—mentioning that 'the market remains very diverse.'
Memory Cost Issues
Xiaomi's active expansion occurs during a challenging period for the company. According to research firm Omdia, global shipments of the company's smartphones decreased by 26% year-on-year, reaching 31.2 million units in the second quarter of 2026, which is 6% above the global market decline. Despite this, Xiaomi maintained the third position globally, behind Samsung and Apple.
Omdia pointed out that since over half of Xiaomi's shipments cost less than $200 USD, the company was most vulnerable among the top five sellers due to rising memory chip prices, especially in emerging markets, where price increases for entry-level models negatively affected demand.
When directly asked how Xiaomi is managing increased component costs and whether the Redmi Note 17 line is more expensive than its predecessors, Lv did not give a direct answer. Instead, he focused on the features of the new devices, stating that Xiaomi is integrating flagship features into mid-range devices.
Redmi Note 17 Lineup
Three models became available in South Africa last week through Vodacom, Takealot, Incredible Connection, HiFi Corp, and TFG:
- Redmi Note 17 Pro Max 5G: R15,999 or from R599 per month on a 36-month contract
- Redmi Note 17 Pro 5G: R12,999 or from R499 per month
- Redmi Note 17 5G: R9,999 or from R399 per month
The Pro Max model, the first in the Redmi Note series with this name, is equipped with a 10,000 mAh silicon-carbon battery—the largest Xiaomi has placed in a smartphone. Lv reported that it supports 100W charging. The device runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 chip. The Pro model has an 8,340 mAh battery with 67W charging, and the standard model has a 7,700 mAh battery with 45W charging.
Both Pro models have ingress protection ratings of IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K, ensuring resistance to dust, immersion, and high-pressure water jets. Xiaomi guarantees up to six years of security updates for the entire lineup.
Robot Vacuums, TVs, and Scooters
Smartphones are just the beginning. Lv also announced that Xiaomi sells robot vacuums, smart TVs, and its Electric Scooter 6 model range in South Africa. These scooters cover a price range from entry-level to premium and target active lifestyle buyers and enthusiasts.
The broader assortment aligns with Xiaomi's 'People x Car x Home' strategy, which integrates phones, cars, and smart home devices through unified software. Lv did not provide information on Xiaomi's proprietary retail stores, which the company operates in several other markets, including Peru. Furthermore, there are no plans for local assembly, unlike Hisense, which manufactures its televisions at a factory in Atlantis near Cape Town, although Lv stated Xiaomi intends to become 'increasingly localized.'
No Cars Yet
Xiaomi's electric vehicles have been the company's biggest success story in the last two years. As reported by CnEVPost, citing founder Lei Jun, cumulative deliveries exceeded 800,000 units on September 7th, approximately 29 months after the first SU7 sedans were delivered in April 2024. Lei confirmed that the company plans to enter the European market in 2027, according to The Standard in Hong Kong.
South Africa is not on this list. Lv stated: 'We do not have specific information right now.'