The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is not a phone that tries to disappear in your hand or your pocket. The gigantic circular Leica camera island still dominates the rear panel, just like on the previous model, but there is a subtle shift in design language. With a flatter back panel and flat side frame, the 17 Ultra leans into a cleaner, more minimal look than the Xiaomi 15 Ultra.
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra brings serious camera hardware. It is equipped with a 50MP 1"-type Light Fusion 1050L sensor with LOFIC HDR and other improvements. The 200MP telephoto camera (1/1.4" sensor) has a variable focal length lens that goes smoothly between 75mm and 100mm. It's joined by a 50MP 115° ultra-wide on the back.
The device is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon W5 wearable platform, built on a 4nm process with a quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU. The Watch 5 features a round dial, sapphire glass rated 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, and a one-piece stainless-steel body, with strap options in stainless steel, brown, and green. It is said to be Xiaomi's first smartwatch to include an EMG sensor, joining the existing ECG sensor, the company confirmed in a Weibo post.
Xiaomi and Leica have extended their strategic partnership, which is now a "co-creation model". The two companies were previously in a joint R&D model, so we can expect the 17 Ultra and upcoming devices to feature even deeper collaboration on both the hardware and software levels. Xiaomi and Leica are entering a co-creation model starting with the 17 Ultra. The accompanying announcement post on Weibo also reveals that the Xiaomi 17 Ultra will bring a "groundbreaking new generation of optical system solutions".
A recent rumor suggested that Xiaomi could unveil the 17 Ultra in China on December 26. Now, a new report claims the company has already begun accepting blind pre-orders for the device. The report notes that the Xiaomi Home retail staff have started to send invites to Mi Fans to join a blind pre-order program for an upcoming phone, which is expected to be the Xiaomi 17 Ultra.
Xiaomi's 17 Ultra has already been rumored to arrive much earlier than its predecessor, which got official in late February. Now, a new rumor from one of Weibo's most prolific leakers claims to shed a light on exactly when we should expect it to arrive. Xiaomi will apparently start taking blind reservations for the device on December 15, and that will go on up until December 25. Thus, the phone's announcement is allegedly going to happen on December 26.
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is expected to debut in China later this month, with the latest rumor pointing to a launch in the fourth week of December. Ahead of the expected launch, new details about the phone's camera setup have surfaced online. According to a tipster, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra will feature a new Leica lens coating that will offer improved clarity, reduced reflections, and minimized chromatic aberration.
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is rumored to launch ahead of schedule, with leaks suggesting the brand may unveil it by late December. The flagship is expected to deliver notable camera upgrades, and fresh details about its imaging sensors have now surfaced online. Leaked images of the Xiaomi 17 Ultra Photography kit suggest the upcoming phone will feature a triple rear-camera setup. While this may seem like a step down from the Xiaomi 15 Ultra's quad-camera setup, the change might not be a downgrade after all.
According to DCS, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra will feature a quad-camera setup on its rear, which will be a combination of one 200MP and three 50MP cameras. The primary camera will have a very high dynamic range, while the periscope telephoto unit will feature a new optical technology. We presume one of the four cameras will be an ultrawide unit, with the other being the regular telephoto camera.
