Redmi

About Redmi

Redmi is owned by Xiaomi Corporation. Xiaomi launched the first Redmi phone in 2013, then made Redmi an independent brand in January 2019.

The name now covers a lot more than cheap phones. You'll find Redmi Note phones, numbered Redmi and A models, the K series on Xiaomi's China store, Redmi Pad tablets, and Redmi Buds and Redmi Watch wearables. Xiaomi's own pages mostly write it in capitals now: REDMI.

Where does it stop? Xiaomi keeps its premium flagships under the Xiaomi name, and POCO runs its own performance-led range.

Who owns Redmi?

Xiaomi Corporation owns Redmi. It was never bought from anyone or sold on. Xiaomi built it in-house, so there's no acquisition year or deal value to quote.

Xiaomi was founded in April 2010. It has been listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange since July 9, 2018, under stock code 1810.

You can see the link everywhere Redmi shows up. Redmi phones, tablets and wearables are sold on mi.com, Xiaomi's own store. And Xiaomi's annual reports treat Redmi as one of its own brands, reporting Redmi launches right next to Xiaomi-branded phones.

When did Redmi launch, and when did it become its own brand?

The first Redmi smartphone launched in 2013, according to Xiaomi's own company timeline. For its first few years, Redmi phones sat alongside Mi phones under the one Xiaomi umbrella.

That changed in January 2019. In its 2018 annual report, Xiaomi wrote that "Xiaomi and Redmi have become independent brands since January 2019."

The same report set out the split. The Xiaomi brand would focus on pioneering technology in the mid- to high-end market. Redmi would "pursue the ultimate price-performance ratio" and focus on online channels.

By its 2020 report, Xiaomi described Redmi as committed to making advanced technology accessible to the mass market.

What does Redmi make today?

Phones are the core, but Redmi now spans several product types, going by Xiaomi's own stores.

Redmi Note phones lead the range, such as the REDMI Note 15 and Note 17 Pro 5G on Xiaomi's UAE store. Numbered Redmi phones and A models sit alongside them, such as the REDMI 15C and A7 Pro. The REDMI K series, such as the K80, shows up on Xiaomi's China store.

Beyond phones, there are REDMI Pad tablets, and Xiaomi's 2025 annual report mentions rising REDMI Pad 2 shipments in global markets. Redmi Buds earbuds and REDMI Watch smartwatches round it out.

Xiaomi's 2020 annual report also mentions Redmi TVs and RedmiBook Pro laptops.

Which phone brands does Xiaomi own, and where does Redmi fit?

Xiaomi sells phones under three names: Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO. All three appear on Xiaomi's own store, and all three are listed on Brandligo as Xiaomi brands.

Xiaomi-branded phones are the premium end. Xiaomi's 2025 results talk about breakthroughs in its premiumization strategy, with the Xiaomi 17 Pro and Pro Max singled out.

Redmi is the mass-market range, covering phones, tablets, earbuds and watches.

POCO started in 2018. It has its own product, sales and marketing team, while sharing Xiaomi's manufacturing and after-sales. When Xiaomi laid out its brands in 2019, it pitched POCO at tech enthusiasts.

Who is Redmi for, and when is a sibling brand a better fit?

Redmi is for you if you want a lot of phone for the money and you'd rather not pay flagship prices. It also makes sense if you want a tablet, a watch and earbuds from the same family as your phone.

If you want Xiaomi's premium phones, look at the Xiaomi-branded flagships instead. That's where Xiaomi puts its top-end push.

If you care most about raw speed for the price, compare the POCO range too. Its taglines lean hard on power and speed.

One quirk: line-ups vary by country. The REDMI K80, for example, is listed on Xiaomi's China store, while the UAE store lists Note, numbered and A models.

What should you check before buying Redmi or partnering with it?

Check the region first. Redmi model names and line-ups differ by country, so match the exact model to your local Xiaomi store before you buy.

Check software support next. Xiaomi publishes security update information for its phones and tablets on its Security Center at trust.mi.com.

Check the seller. Xiaomi runs country stores on mi.com, so start there or with a seller Xiaomi authorises.

For partners and resellers, Redmi is a Xiaomi brand rather than a separate company. Distribution and co-marketing conversations start with Xiaomi.