Xiaomi’s launch of the XRing O1 at its “New Starting Point” event in Beijing marked more than just a new chip release—it was a direct challenge to industry giants Apple, Qualcomm, and MediaTek. Backed by over CNY13.5 billion (approx. US$1.87 billion) in R&D across four years, the XRing O1 is Xiaomi’s first successful flagship SoC since the ill-fated Surge S1, signaling a serious shift in the company’s silicon ambitions, as ICsmart and Reuters report.