Xiaomi launches “WeiGuan Duanju” app

Xiaomi has officially entered China’s booming short drama market with the quiet release of its new ad-free app, Watch Short Dramas (WeiGuan Duanju). The app, now available exclusively on Xiaomi’s own app store, promises “massive short dramas for free without advertisements” and has already drawn over 20,000 downloads since launch.

Developed by Chengdu Share Information Communication Co., Ltd, a company wholly owned by Xiaomi Group, the app reflects the tech giant’s deeper move into entertainment distribution. Currently limited to Xiaomi and Redmi devices, Watch Short Dramas offers a lightweight, phone-native experience with a 23MB installation size. Its catalogue spans more than 20 genres, including romance, revenge, urban life, family, and CEO dramas. Built-in charts, comments, and community features hint at Xiaomi’s intent to create a more interactive storytelling ecosystem.

This launch follows Xiaomi’s earlier experiment in July, when its Redmi brand collaborated with TikTok and Wanhe Tianyi to co-produce the short drama Partners in Time and Space. That project was primarily a marketing initiative, but the new standalone app marks a strategic pivot from using short dramas as promotional tools to building a full-fledged content platform.

The timing is strategic. China’s short drama market continues to surge, valued at 50.4 billion yuan in 2024 and projected to reach 68.6 billion yuan in 2025, with more than 662 million users spending an average of 101 minutes daily watching micro-dramas. Major players such as Bytedance, JD.com, and Alibaba have already established strong positions in the space. Xiaomi’s entry underscores how consumer technology companies are expanding beyond hardware into content distribution, seeking to own both the device and the entertainment experience.

However, the competition is fierce. The market suffers from content homogeneity, urban romance accounted for over 60% of the top short dramas in 2024, and regulators continue to raise the bar on quality and compliance. To succeed, Xiaomi will need to pair its design-driven philosophy with stronger storytelling and sustainable monetisation models.

Still, this move represents more than just a new app launch. It’s a signal that short dramas are no longer a niche experiment but a defining frontier in mobile entertainment. As brands like Xiaomi step in, the line between tech and storytelling continues to blur, turning every phone screen into both a stage and a cinema.

Article written by Blessing Azugama

#blessingAzugama

Sources :

• Securities Times, October 15, 2025

• The Standard, October 16, 2025

• Futu News, October 15, 2025