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Xiaomi 17 Review: The iPhone Experience in a Non-Apple Device

A New Era of Imitation

If there were an award for unashamedly copying iPhone features, Xiaomi would surely win. No other smartphone manufacturer has done more to bring the best of the iPhone to the Android world. This year, the Chinese tech company has taken things to a new level with the Xiaomi 17, a flagship that looks more like the iPhone than any other Android smartphone this year.

Apple's trademark rounded corners, shiny rails and circular rear cameras also feature on the Xiaomi 17 in a design that, at first glance, could fool many into thinking this is an iPhone. But that's only the start of Xiaomi's mimicry.

The "Best of" iOS Software

Xiaomi has already earned itself the nickname of "the Apple of China," partly due to blatantly copied software such as the iOS-like control centre, lock screen customizations and UI designs in the camera and settings. There are, of course, also great Apple features that are still missing in this phone. You won't find MagSafe charging, for example, or satellite messaging for sending an emergency SMS when you have no signal.

But everywhere you look, you see more and more iPhone innovations with Xiaomi's own little tweaks. It's as if Xiaomi is saying: "You like Apple features? Here they are on Android, with a little extra on top."

Xiaomi's Controversial Imitations

Xiaomi's controversial imitations may be Apple flattery, good taste or downright theft, but it's clear that the company is trying to one-up the iPhone in several areas:

  • Dynamic Island: In 2022, Apple added a major software feature letting users see keep an eye on ongoing things, like music and podcast playback, timers, charging progress and updates from a rideshares - all in a bubble around the selfie camera. Last year, Xiaomi launched its own version of Apple's Dynamic Island, called HyperIsland. Now, Xiaomi is trying to outdo Apple by adding AI to its HyperIsland so you can monitor ongoing conversations with Google's Gemini.

  • More integrated in Apple's ecosystem: The latest version of Xiaomi's Android, HyperOS 3, lets you mirror your screen on an iPhone or iPad, essentially letting you use Android apps on an Apple device. Xiaomi says this means the 17 could work as a second device for some iPhone users.

  • Xiaomi also says that AirPods users will now see an iOS-like pop-up animation when connecting. With "Touch to Share," Xiaomi is copying AirDrop, allowing you to hold two compatible devices together to send photos, videos or contacts, for example. It all makes the leap from Apple to Android smaller than ever.

An Apple-like Ecosystem, but Bigger

In a way, Xiaomi is also trying to one-up Apple's well-integrated ecosystem of products with a far bigger ecosystem of its own. Like Apple, Xiaomi's smartphones, tablets and smartwatches are already designed to work seamlessly together. But Xiaomi is continually expanding its range with robot vacuum cleaners, cameras, air fryers, washer-dryers and electric cars. Smart features for these products can all be controlled in the Xiaomi smart hub.

Apple iPhone Numbering

To make it exactly clear which iPhone model you should be comparing its phones to, Xiaomi has aligned its smartphone numbering system with Apple by skipping a number. Previously, buyers had to compare a Xiaomi 15 with an iPhone 16. Now, Xiaomi's 17 rivals the iPhone 17.

One-Upping the iPhone's Camera

The Xiaomi 17 is also one up on the iPhone 17 thanks to the inclusion of a 2.6X zoom lens in addition to the ultrawide and standard wide shooter, all three of them Leica-badged and 50 MP. Apple charges extra for a dedicated telephoto lens on the iPhone Pro, but here Xiaomi includes it in its base flagship model for great portraits and other shots with a sense of depth.

The software enhancements to photos kick in two seconds after you take the photo, giving you a chance to see a blurry, zoomed-in photo become an impressively sharp one. Xiaomi's photo software - in a very Apple-esque camera app - paired with the zoom lens means you can easily go up to a 10X digital zoom and still take a passable photo.

The latest iPhone is often hard to beat for photo and video quality, but Xiaomi once again shows that its camera is in the same league as Apple.

Flagship Hardware and a Massive Battery

Like the iPhone 17, the Xiaomi 17 has a 6.3-inch display, making it almost exactly the same size in your hand. Like on the iPhone 17, there is a 120Hz LTPO screen and IP68 water and dust resistance. Xiaomi's phone is impressively bright at 3,500 nits (500 more than the iPhone). But the biggest hardware difference over the iPhone is the battery.

The Xiaomi 17 has an impressively large 6,330-mAh, up from 5,240 mAh on its predecessor, making it even bigger than the battery in the iPhone 17 Pro Max - and without the phone growing in size or weight. Charging speed has increased from 90W to 100W wired, with 50W for wireless. For comparison, the iPhone 17 charges at 30W, or 40-60W with a special Apple charger.

In Europe, the Xiaomi 17 costs €999.90 ($1,178) at launch with 12GB RAM and 256 GB of storage - a little more than Apple's iPhone 17 at €949 ($799 in the US). However, Xiaomi's prices online are known to quickly drop, and the predecessor now costs well under €700. For camera nerds, Xiaomi is also releasing the 17 Ultra at €1,499.90 ($1769).

Everything About the Xiaomi 17 Screams "iPhone, But More"

Everything about the Xiaomi 17 screams "iPhone, but more": You like the look of the two round camera lenses on the iPhone 17? Here are four! You like the Dynamic Island? Here it is with AI! You like small phones? Here's one with a bigger battery!

It's up to buyers to decide if this much iPhone imitation is classy or cringe.