Xiaomi MIX Flip Makes a Comeback: Who is the Dark Horse in the Vertical Foldable Market?

Xiaomi MIX Flip Makes a Comeback: Who is the Dark Horse in the Vertical Foldable Market?The vertical small foldable market this year has seen both triumphs and tribulations. This niche market has a limited size and, compared to large foldable phones, appeals more to women

Xiaomi MIX Flip Makes a Comeback: Who is the Dark Horse in the Vertical Foldable Market?

The vertical small foldable market this year has seen both triumphs and tribulations. This niche market has a limited size and, compared to large foldable phones, appeals more to women. Additionally, not all brands can be as "ruthless" as Xiaomi in terms of hardware, leading many to abandon this segment altogether. Eventually, only Huawei, Honor, and Xiaomi in the Chinese market released vertical small foldable models.

So, how have the sales of these three brands' vertical foldables been? On September 6th, industry insider "Wisdom Chip Guide" shared a set of data providing a direct comparison of the sales of Huawei, Xiaomi, and Honor's vertical foldable phones. Using the latest Huawei NovaFlip as the baseline, the data shows:

• Xiaomi MIXFlip, launched for 6 weeks, achieved sales 1.7 times that of Huawei novaFlip.

• Honor MagicVFlip, launched for 11 weeks, achieved sales 1.72 times that of Huawei novaFlip.

• Huawei Pocket2, launched for 17 weeks, achieved sales 7.02 times that of Huawei novaFlip.

Overall, Huawei Pocket2, launched the longest, also has the highest sales. This is tied to Huawei's unmatched brand influence in China, as well as the fact that Honor and Xiaomi's comparable models hadn't launched yet, leaving Huawei Pocket2 unchallenged.

However, the industry insider predicted that Xiaomi MIXFlip's sales could surpass Honor MagicVFlip next week. This outcome surprised many, as Xiaomi MIXFlip, with only seven weeks on the market, is poised to overtake Honor MagicVFlip's twelve weeks of sales. This signifies that Xiaomi MIXFlip's direction is correct, and the product has been well-received by the market, making it a strong contender to become the biggest dark horse in the vertical foldable market.

Xiaomi MIXFlip's remarkable success is inseparable from its unique concept. Xiaomi refused to position the vertical foldable as a "pretty but useless" device, instead striving to create a practical vertical foldable phone, like they would a flagship straight phone.

In fact, Xiaomi MIXFlip is the only vertical foldable phone in China to be built on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 mobile platform. It also features an equal-depth four-curved screen. The large external screen is compatible with over 200 applications, enabling normal use without opening the phone, reminiscent of the iPhone 4 era.

Xiaomi MIXFlip's success not only proves that there is still untapped potential in the vertical foldable market but also highlights Xiaomi's strengths in product innovation and market insight. In the future, as more brands join the fray, competition in the vertical foldable market will intensify. It remains to be seen who will ultimately emerge victorious.