Xiaomi’s 17 Ultra, backed by Leica, challenges Apple’s iPhone Pro Max in mobile imaging

Xiaomi on Thursday unveiled the 17 Ultra, its latest premium smartphone model that features improved night photography and mobile imaging capabilities on the back of the firm’s enhanced partnership with German camera maker Leica.\n“We work together to build future-proof optical technology … and completely reshape the mobile photography experience,” Xiaomi president Lu Weibing said at the handset’s launch.\nIn a side-by-side comparison of dimly lit photos taken in Hong Kong with Xiaomi’s 17 Ultra and Apple’s high-end iPhone 17 Pro Max, Lu claimed that the set of Xiaomi images was noticeably sharper, while the iPhone photos appeared blurred.\n“By bringing our optical expertise into Xiaomi smartphones, we’re making professional photography more accessible,” said Siegmund Dukek, managing director of Leica Camera Greater China.\nThe confidence of the two partners reflected their determination to win over iPhone fans in mainland China, while defying expectations of tepid domestic demand owing to weak consumer spending and heightened competition from Chinese competitors like Huawei Technologies and Honor.\n\nBeijing-based Xiaomi also introduced on Thursday a special-edition handset, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra by Leica, which features the classic Leica logo and a design inspired by the German firm’s cameras.\n“Holding it is like holding a Leica camera,” Lu said.\nPrices for the special-edition handset start at 7,999 yuan (US$1,141), while the Xiaomi 17 Ultra sells from 6,999 yuan.\nThe cost of the 17 Ultra was nearly 8 per cent higher than the previous generation, which was priced from 6,499 yuan.\nDays before the launch, Lu warned that the 17 Ultra would cost more, as memory chip prices soared owing to high demand from enterprise artificial intelligence projects.\nOther 17 Ultra specifications include a 6.9-inch screen, storage capacity that starts at 512 gigabytes, improved battery and enhanced temperature control when taking photos for an extended time, according to Lu.\n\nIn the third quarter, Xiaomi ranked as the world’s third largest smartphone vendor with a 43.5 per cent share of global shipments, according to data from research firm IDC. Samsung Electronics and Apple’s market shares were 61.4 per cent and 58.6 per cent, respectively.\nChina’s third-quarter smartphone sales fell 2.7 per cent from a year earlier, according to data from Counterpoint Research. It said consumer demand remained subdued amid the sluggish economy during the summer holiday and back-to-school periods.\nStill, premium handsets such as Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro models saw strong demand because of its notable design and performance upgrades, Counterpoint said in a report earlier this month.\nApart from the 17 Ultra, Xiaomi on Thursday released a fresh range of consumer electronics products, from tablets and air conditioners to lamps.\n