Xiaomi unveiled two new products on Friday: their first flip phone, the Mix Flip, and the latest iteration of their folding phone, the Mix Fold 4. The Mix Flip starts at $825 and pre-orders are available now with deliveries starting next Tuesday. The Mix Fold 4 remains at the same price point as its predecessor, $8,999.
Xiaomi’s founder, Lei Jun, highlighted a new feature of the Mix Fold 4 – its ability to translate languages simultaneously and display each translated language on a different screen. Jun also focused on Xiaomi’s electric car venture during the launch event. He announced that over 30,000 units of their first electric car, the SU7 sedan, have been delivered since its launch in March and they are aiming to reach 100,000 deliveries by November, a month ahead of schedule. An update in August will allow for voice-controlled access to the SU7 from outside the car.
Lei Jun also shared the story behind Xiaomi’s entry into the electric car market. US sanctions imposed in January 2021 prompted the company to explore alternative ventures in case they could no longer sell smartphones. Jun decided to pursue electric cars and secured $10 billion in funding for the project. He revealed he personally test-drove over 170 cars in 3 years and even obtained a racing license.
The sanctions were lifted in May 2021 but Xiaomi is now setting its sights on a new goal – building the fastest four-door electric car to conquer the Nurburgring race track in Germany. Tests of a new SU7 race car will begin in October.
