As reported on October 7th by Kuaitech， the Xiaomi 17， launched just before the National Day holiday， garnered significant attention. Recently， it unexpectedly surged into the top ten trending topics on Weibo， sparking widespread online discussion among netizens.
The primary points of discussion currently revolve around the product’s name and its unique secondary display design on the back. Many users have expressed their strong liking for this rear screen. This innovative feature， exclusive to the Xiaomi 17 Pro series， integrates a full-screen display within the camera module area. This rear screen is highly customizable， allowing users to display various content such as clock themes and personalized patterns. Furthermore， it supports interactive functions like countdowns， call management， music controls， flight check-in information， and even a preview for rear-camera selfies. It also synchronizes with the “Super Island” dynamic notification system， providing real-time updates for services like ride-hailing and food delivery， encompassing dozens of “Super Island” information categories.
Beyond these functional enhancements， the Xiaomi 17 Pro series also introduces a nostalgic handheld game console protective case. When attached， this case transforms the smartphone into a retro gaming device， appealing to users who appreciate vintage aesthetics and gaming nostalgia.
Lu Weibing， a partner at Xiaomi， previously revealed that considerable resources were invested in the energy efficiency and durability of the Xiaomi 17 series during its initial design phase. He specifically highlighted that the rear screen was a significant undertaking， costing an estimated “10 small targets，” which translates to one billion RMB (approximately $140 million USD). Lu Weibing further commented that while competitors might consider replicating this feature， they may struggle to match the investment due to its high cost， suggesting a significant competitive advantage for Xiaomi.
Lu Weibing emphasized that the Xiaomi 17 series aims to bring distinct “new things” to smartphones， moving beyond mere underlying technological advancements. This strategy is intended to combat the perceived monotony in current mobile product offerings， making the user experience more engaging and novel. The market reception appears to validate this approach， with the Xiaomi 17 series achieving a rapid sales milestone of over one million units. Notably， the Pro Max variant has become the best-selling model， indicating a significant shift and differentiation from previous product line performance.
