Xiaomi lands in Western Europe with the launch of the Mi A1 and Mi Mix 2

To the disappointment of many folks out in the West, Xiaomi has until now focused its business on Eastern markets. This becomes especially trying when the company releases another high-power, low-cost flagship exclusively in China that we’re all desperate to get our hands on. Today, at least some people’s prayers have been answered, as Xiaomi introduces its first major smartphones in Western Europe.

At a launch event in Madrid, Xiaomi introduced the Mi A1 and Mi Mix 2 to Spain, with both devices set to go on sale this month. This marks Xiaomi’s first major smartphone release in Europe, following years of rumors regarding plans to move into the US, and it looks like it will pave the way for more European business to come.

Speaking to The Verge, Xiaomi senior vice president Wang Xiang (who replaced Hugo Barra at Xiaomi earlier this year), said: “In order to be focused, we want to make Spain successful first. And then we can think of other markets and countries. We want to learn from the customers about the taste of European people.”

In addition to the smartphone launches, Xiaomi is also releasing some of its other products in Spain such as its Mi Electric Scooter, priced at €349.99 (~$405), the Mi Band 2 for €24.99 (~$29) and Mi Action Camera 4K for €134.99 (~$156).

While it’s a relatively small-scale start for Xiaomi in Europe — the company has a vast catalog of products, most of which aren’t included in this launch — success in Spain may soon see it expand to other European territories; Chinese rival HUAWEI, who has already established itself in Europe, might be worried.

The Xiaomi Mi A1 will go on sale in Spain for €229 (~$265), while the Mi Mix 2 will cost €499 (~$577), and they’ll be available online as well as at two new Xiaomi brick-and-mortar stores in Madrid. The devices will be available from Xiaomi’s online and offline channels from November 11 — with pre-orders starting tomorrow — as well as AliExpress, Amazon, Carrefour, MediaMarkt, and Phone House. Other retail partners will have the device from November 22.