Can Xiaomi’s New Xring O1 Chip Compete with Apple Silicon?

Xiaomi has entered the premium chip race. At a tech showcase in Beijing, founder Lei Jun unveiled the Xring O1, a 3-nanometer mobile processor aimed at powering its high-end devices. The chip will debut in three products, including the new Xiaomi Tablet 7 Ultra.

Xiaomi’s latest chip pushes the company deeper into processor design, a space long dominated by Apple and Qualcomm. Lei positioned the Xring as a step toward matching Apple Silicon, though he acknowledged it still lags behind Apple’s processors in certain areas, including speed. “Can our chips also be compared against those of Apple’s?” he asked during the livestream. While the answer for now may be no, Lei framed the Xring O1 as a breakthrough for Xiaomi’s in-house team, still in its early stages of development.

Homegrown Ambitions

Xiaomi’s chip ambitions are backed by a $7 billion, 10-year investment plan. It’s part of a broader push to expand beyond budget smartphones and household gadgets into what Lei calls “hard tech”—chips, AI, and electric vehicles. The goal is to position Xiaomi alongside global tech giants, not just as a device maker but as a full-stack technology company.

This mirrors Huawei’s earlier advances in chip development, which alarmed U.S. officials over China’s growing capabilities in critical technologies. Xiaomi’s move is equally significant. It reflects a wider trend among Chinese firms to reduce reliance on foreign chipmakers amid ongoing tech tensions.

Tech Expansion Amid EV Pressures

As Bloomberg told, Xiaomi’s ambitions aren’t limited to silicon. The company also introduced the YU7, its first electric SUV, expected to launch by July. It comes amid a troubled period for Xiaomi’s EV program. In March, a fatal crash involving the SU7 sedan led to public backlash and raised questions about the company’s autonomous driving claims. The YU7’s success may depend on whether Xiaomi can regain consumer trust.

Alongside its EV and chip projects, Xiaomi has begun pushing into AI. It recently introduced MiMo, a proprietary large language model. While details are limited, the launch marks Xiaomi’s first tangible step into AI product development.

Conclusion

The Xring O1 won’t match Apple Silicon overnight. But Xiaomi’s growing investment in processors signals long-term intent. Whether it can close the performance gap remains to be seen, but the company is betting big on controlling its tech stack—and challenging U.S. dominance in the process.