Xiaomi’s Lu Weibing: Redmi K90 price hikes? “We understand our competitors — we’re feeling the pain too”

Short answer from Xiaomi (小米) and Redmi (REDMI)

Xiaomi Group partner and president Lu Weibing, who also heads Xiaomi’s mobile division and the Xiaomi brand, answered a fan on Weibo today asking whether the Redmi K90 series will rise in price. His reply was blunt and empathetic: “We understand our competitors’ price hikes; everyone is having a hard time, and we’re feeling the pain too” (“很理解友商的涨价，大家都很难，我们也扛得很肉疼。”). Will Xiaomi pass higher component costs to buyers? Lu’s tone suggested sympathy rather than a firm pricing decision.

Broader industry pressure: memory shortage and rolling price adjustments

It has been reported that Lu previously warned this round of memory (storage) price increases is unusually long — with some forecasts stretching to the end of 2027 — and that the squeeze is rippling across the entire consumer‑electronics sector. The pressure showed up in concrete moves today: OPPO (欧珀) announced price adjustments on certain already‑shipped models effective from 00:00, and vivo (维沃) and iQOO (iQOO) have also said they will adjust suggested retail prices for parts of their lines. It has been reported that some dealers expect new‑model price hikes of roughly RMB 500–2,000, though exact figures depend on official announcements.

What this means for buyers and the market

For Western readers: Xiaomi and its Redmi sub‑brand have long competed on aggressive pricing and value. A sustained rise in memory costs — driven by tight supply and broader semiconductor market dynamics — forces every OEM to weigh margin versus market share. If component inflation persists, expect more official price adjustments across China’s smartphone brands and potential knock‑on effects for global pricing and promotions. For now, Lu’s message is clear: Xiaomi recognizes the pain, but whether it will shoulder the cost or pass it on remains a commercial decision to watch.