Xiaomi launched the Xiaomi 14 Civi in India last year as an upper mid-range smartphone. However, the phone has struggled to attract buyers in the country. As a result, Xiaomi might have decided to cancel the launch of it next iteration, the Xiaomi 15 Civi, in India.
According to Smartprix, Xiaomi will not be bringing the Xiaomi 15 Civi to India. The reasons are speculated to be lower than expected sales, the firm making space for its upcoming Redmi smartphones and a broader rethink of its sub Rs 40,000 smartphone strategy in the subcontinent.
The Xiaomi 14 Civi originally launched at Rs 42,999 in India for the base 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage variant. However, due to weak demand, the phone has seen steep price cuts and is now down to Rs 29,999.
For those unaware, Xiaomi has already launched the Civi 5 Pro in China, which was expected to be a rebranded Xiaomi 15 Civi. The device features the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset, a 1.5K 120Hz OLED display, 50 MP Leica triple cameras and a 6,000mAh battery with 67W charging.
The phone's potential cancellation would be a major blow to not just Xiaomi fans, but also the Rs 35,000 to Rs 45,000 segment, which currently has very few options. Aside from the iQOO Neo 10, which doesn't particularly excel in the camera department, competition in this price band remains thin.
Xiaomi cancelling the 15 Civi could be due to the firm shifting focus on budget and mid-range devices like the upcoming Redmi 15 and Redmi Note 15 series. This could be a strategic move to avoid internal competition between its Civi and Redmi lines, something that could cannibalize sales and hurt the brand’s already diminishing market share in India.
Alas, the Xiaomi 15 Civi would've been an excellent camera phone and probably even one of the best phones under Rs 40,000 in India. Without more devices, the price bracket is expected to remain barren, with most upcoming phone launches targeting the sub-Rs 30,000 segment, including the Realme 15 series.
