As Xiaomi prepares its next flagship, a series of leaks from internal testing builds have surfaced, offering a detailed and surprising look at the upcoming Xiaomi 17 Ultra. The information points not only to significant hardware changes in the camera system but also to a potential dual-branding strategy for different global markets, marking a new chapter in Xiaomi's partnership with Leica.
A Tale of Two Brands: Xiaomi 17 Ultra and Leitzphone
The most intriguing revelation from the leaked camera watermarks is the apparent split in branding strategy. For the Chinese market, the device aligns with the expected naming convention, appearing as "Xiaomi 17 Ultra by Leica." However, for global markets outside China, the watermark references "Leitzphone powered by Xiaomi." This "Leitzphone" name, derived from the surname of Leica founder Ernst Leitz, suggests a more distinct, Leica-centric identity for international audiences. This move indicates a deeper, more strategic collaboration between Xiaomi and the iconic camera maker, potentially aiming to leverage Leica's premium heritage more directly in competitive global markets. The strategy is further supported by distinct model numbers found in the code, with three variants for the standard Xiaomi 17 Ultra and two separate identifiers for the "Leitzphone" models.
Branding Strategy by Region
- China Market: Expected to launch as "Xiaomi 17 Ultra by Leica".
- Global Markets: Leaked watermark shows "Leitzphone powered by Xiaomi". "Leitz" references Leica founder Ernst Leitz.
A Streamlined Triple-Camera System Replaces Quad Setup
In a notable shift from previous rumors and its predecessor, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra appears to be moving from a quad-camera to a triple-camera rear array. The main sensor is reported to be a 50MP OmniVision OVX10500U, part of the Light Hunter 1050U series, which is rumored to feature a large 1-inch format. It is joined by a 50MP ultra-wide camera using a Samsung S5KJN5 sensor. The most significant change comes in the telephoto department, where a single 200MP Samsung S5KHPE sensor is expected to handle all telephoto duties. This represents a consolidation from the Xiaomi 15 Ultra's dual-telephoto setup, which used separate 50MP and 200MP sensors for different focal lengths. How Xiaomi plans to manage optical zoom ranges with a single high-resolution telephoto lens remains a key question for photographers.
Reported Xiaomi 17 Ultra / Leitzphone Specifications
| Component | Specification (Leaked) | Previous Model (Xiaomi 15 Ultra) |
|---|---|---|
| Main Camera | 50MP OmniVision OVX10500U (1-inch rumored) | 50MP Sony LYT-900 (1-inch) |
| Ultra-Wide Camera | 50MP Samsung S5KJN5 | 50MP |
| Telephoto Camera | 200MP Samsung S5KHPE (single) | 50MP Sony IMX858 (70mm) + 200MP Samsung HP9 (100mm) |
| Front Camera | 50MP | 32MP |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (expected) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 |
| Rear Display | Rumored to be removed | Present |
| Model Numbers (China) | 2512BPNDAG, 2512BPNDAI, 2512BPNDAC | - |
| Model Numbers (Global) | 25128PNA1G, 25128PNA1C | - |
Performance and Front-Facing Camera Upgrades
Beyond the rear cameras, other specifications are also seeing upgrades. The front-facing selfie camera is reportedly jumping from 32MP to 50MP, promising higher-resolution self-portraits and video calls. Powering the entire device will almost certainly be Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. This next-generation processor is expected to bring substantial gains in both raw performance and, crucially, AI-assisted computational photography, which will be essential for processing images from the high-resolution sensors, especially the 200MP telephoto.
The Trade-offs and Unanswered Questions
The leak highlights several strategic trade-offs. The removal of a dedicated telephoto lens for medium-range zoom could be a compromise to accommodate the larger main sensor or other components, as rumors also suggest the secondary rear display has been removed to free up space for the camera module and cooling systems. The success of this new camera architecture will heavily depend on Xiaomi's software processing to leverage the 200MP sensor for both lossless cropping and high-quality zoom. Furthermore, while the dual-branding strategy is clever, it risks creating confusion in the global market about the relationship between "Xiaomi" and "Leitzphone" products.
As with all pre-launch leaks, these details should be considered provisional until an official announcement. However, the consistency of the information across model codes and watermark data suggests Xiaomi is in the final stages of defining both the hardware capabilities and the market positioning of what could be one of 2026's most interesting camera-focused smartphones.