Should Apple be worried? Xiaomi opens flagship London store as it pushes further into Europe

Xiaomi has officially opened a new flagship store in London, marking another step in its expansion across Europe, and giving UK shoppers their best chance yet to get hands-on with some of the brand’s best camera phones.

Located in Westfield Stratford, the new Xiaomi Store is open from today, and it’s clearly designed to raise the brand’s profile in a market still dominated by Apple and Samsung. But, for photography fans in particular, this new store could be a big deal.

Xiaomi’s recent camera phones have been among the most exciting I’ve tested, but they still feel like niche picks rather than mainstream hits. Take the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. In my experience, it’s one of the most capable camera phones on the market right now, delivering a Leica-tuned flagship-level imaging performance, yet it still flies under the radar for most everyday consumers.

The timing of the new store also feels very deliberate. Xiaomi is expected to bring the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and a 17 Ultra Leica Edition to Europe soon – models that could push Xiaomi even further as a photography brand. If Xiaomi can back up its hardware with a strong retail presence, it could start to look like a serious threat to established flagship brands.

But the big question is, will Xiaomi's physical retail presence move the needle in a market so dominated by a few big players? Certainly being able to walk into a store, handle the devices, compare them side-by-side, and test the cameras for yourself can make a huge difference. Xiaomi’s new London store gives shoppers exactly that opportunity, but it might have its work cut out to tempt anyone to consider ditching Apple, Samsung, or Google.

For now, this new flagship store represents a definite statement of intent. Xiaomi clearly wants to be seen as a genuine competitor. Whether this is enough to make Apple nervous is another question, but Xiaomi is certainly becoming harder to ignore.

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