Xiaomi began 2026 in its signature style, unveiling the Redmi Note 15 in India in the first week of the year. But the business has reiterated what Xiaomi India COO Sudhin Mathur told Gadgets 360 in an exclusive interview last month. In 2026, the focus will be on ecosystem items rather than just smartphones. The brand is preparing to rebuild depth throughout its portfolio, from production to services. Well, 2025 was all about recalibration, as Xiaomi changed its focus from value for money to value for experience.

In a closed-door select media briefing ahead of the Redmi Note 15 India launch, Xiaomi’s Adam Zeng, Senior Vice President, Xiaomi Group and President, International Business Department, Alvin T, VP, Xiaomi International, and Sudhin Mathur, Chief Operating Officer, Xiaomi India, walked us through some of the key highlights the brand will be focusing on this year.

Navigating the 2026 Market: Why Experience Is Now More Important Than Specifications

Adam chose India for his first business trip in 2026, saying, “I chose India for the first business because, you know, India is very, very important for us, an extremely important market for Xiaomi, and we are very excited about the future in India.”

Xiaomi was started in 2010. Xiaomi has grown to become a Fortune 500 firm after around 15 years of operation. We aren’t just a product firm. “We’re a Human x Car x Home shared ecosystem platform company,” he explained.

“Over the last five years, Xiaomi has achieved significant development in our products, R&D, and innovation. So I believe, and in the future. “I believe we will increase R&D in our OS, AI, and chipset.”

Alvin went on to say that buyers in India are searching for experience rather than specs. They want higher camera quality. They would prefer a more fluid operating system. During inflation, the ‘Honest Pricing’ ideology stated, “We are in the AI super cycle as we speak; prices are rising, right? But our efficient platform, our efficient manner of working, would allow us to withstand this cycle a little bit, hopefully, a little bit better than the counterparts in the sector.”