Xiaomi And Leica Partner On A New Smartphone: Here’s What We Know

Previous leaks have already shown us renders of the upcoming Xiaomi 12 Ultra, featuring an enormous camera at the back of the phone with a small Leica logo in the corner. It doesn’t get much clearer than that. Putting two and two together strongly points to the new Xiaomi and Leica collaboration being the next-gen flagship Ultra 12. What remains to be seen, (provided this is confirmed, of course), is whether the previously-leaked design will stay the same as on the rendered images.

Although there’s very little doubt as to the power of the enormous camera showcased above, it’s a little hard to shake off the thought that for a smartphone, it just might be too big and too bumpy. Assuming the camera sticks out a fair bit (which it does on the rendered image), the phone might be unable to lie fully flat. On the other hand, the potential for greatness is apparent in what looks to be a four-camera setup. 

In our initial coverage of this leak, we noted that the camera might also come with a 3D Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensor and a color temperature sensor. Intrepid leaker of insider information Ice Universe suggested that this new device would deliver “the closest smartphone camera ever to DSLR.”

For those who love taking pictures with their phones, the rumored Xiaomi 12 Ultra might be a dream come true, even if it does end up a little too bulky for the current aesthetic trends. After all, if Leica’s words prove to be accurate, it just might become the best smartphone camera on the market.