Xiaomi is doubling down on its partnership with Qualcomm by signing a new multi-year agreement that ensures its upcoming high-end smartphones will continue to be powered by the cutting-edge Snapdragon 8-series chipsets. The collaboration, which has already spanned 15 years, is set to shape the future of Xiaomi’s premium smartphone lineup both in China and globally.
As per the announcement made on Tuesday, Xiaomi will be among the first manufacturers to adopt Qualcomm’s upcoming next-generation flagship chipset, expected to be the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2. The deal confirms that devices such as the anticipated Xiaomi 16 will arrive with this next-level silicon, offering users better performance and power efficiency.
The current Xiaomi 15 series, launched in October 2024, features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and serves as the benchmark for Xiaomi’s flagship capabilities. The Xiaomi 16 series is likely to push boundaries even further, as Qualcomm prepares to unveil its new Snapdragon chipset during the Snapdragon Summit scheduled from September 23 to 25—earlier than its usual October timeline.
The upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chip is rumored to deliver up to 25 percent performance improvements and will likely support the latest LPDDR6 RAM. The chipset is expected to be built on TSMC’s advanced N3P (3nm) fabrication technology, which offers better efficiency and lower power consumption than previous models.
Despite its deepened alliance with Qualcomm, Xiaomi is also moving forward with its in-house chip ambitions. The company is preparing to launch its own smartphone processor—the XRING 01 SoC—which has already made appearances on benchmarking platforms like Geekbench. Based on early test results, this chip sits between the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Snapdragon 8 Elite in terms of performance.
The first smartphone powered by the XRING 01 is anticipated to be the Xiaomi 15s Pro, scheduled for launch in China on May 22. However, Xiaomi has confirmed that its top-tier flagship devices will continue to use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips under the extended agreement, positioning the XRING SoC for other segments within its lineup.
This renewed collaboration not only solidifies Xiaomi’s reliance on Qualcomm’s premium Snapdragon technology but also suggests that consumers can expect flagship Xiaomi smartphones to remain competitive and performance-driven in the coming years.
