Xiaomi has launched the Mijia Desktop Photo Printer 2 in China, challenging established competitors like Canon and HP with aggressive hardware pricing and significantly lower per-print costs.

Key Points

• The Mijia Desktop Photo Printer 2 launched on Xiaomi’s Youpin platform at a crowdfunding price of 699 yuan, or approximately $107.
• The device utilizes 4-color dye sublimation technology and supports both 4-inch and 6-inch photo formats via Bluetooth connectivity.
• Xiaomi claims a per-print cost as low as 0.99 yuan, or roughly 14 cents, when using high-volume paper bundles.
• The printer integrates with the Mi Home app to provide features like AR photo playback, ID photo generation, and custom LUT filters.
• Current market incumbents, including Canon and HP, typically retail compact photo printers between $140 and $160 with higher per-print expenses.

Why it Matters

Xiaomi is attempting to disrupt the photo printer market by undercutting the traditional hardware-plus-consumables business model used by established brands. This strategy forces a competitive pricing dilemma for industry leaders who must decide whether to lower their margins or rely on existing brand loyalty to maintain market share.