Xiaomi is launching its next Ultra phone earlier than usual, and the company says it’s doing so for a very practical reason: people want better photos during the holidays.
During a recent live broadcast, Xiaomi Group president Lu Weibing explained why the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is arriving ahead of schedule. According to Lu, many fans had asked Xiaomi to release the Ultra model before the Chinese New Year, so they could use it to take family photos during the holiday.
In response, Xiaomi decided to move up the launch. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is set to arrive before New Year’s Day, giving users time to use it throughout the Chinese New Year period.
Xiaomi has already confirmed that the Xiaomi 17 Ultra will be officially unveiled next week. As expected, imaging is once again the main focus here. The phone will have its cameras tuned by Leica, however, Xiaomi says the 17 Ultra more than just camera tuning.
Starting with the 17 Ultra, the two companies have adopted what Xiaomi calls a “strategic co-creation model,” meaning Leica is involved from the very beginning of product development rather than just tuning the camera at the end.
Lu says this deeper collaboration has resulted in a new-generation 1-inch main camera sensor and a Leica APO-certified telephoto lens designed specifically for mobile photography.
Xiaomi claims this new optical system delivers major improvements in both night photography and telephoto performance.
The brand is clear on the price hike
Alongside the early launch, Xiaomi is also being upfront about a price increase. The previous Xiaomi 15 Ultra launched at 6,499 yuan, but the Xiaomi 17 Ultra will start at at least 6,599 yuan, with Lu hinting it could be even higher.
During the live stream, Lu explained that rapidly rising memory costs are a major reason behind the price hike. He said that AI-driven demand has caused memory prices to climb sharply since late 2022, and that 2025 through 2027 will be especially challenging years for component costs.
Lu also reminded viewers that when the Xiaomi 15 Ultra launched, he had already called it the “last” Ultra phone at that price. This time, Xiaomi isn’t just dealing with higher processor and camera costs; memory prices have also jumped significantly. While Lu admitted the increase is noticeable, he argued that the final price is still a good value compared to how much component costs have risen overall.
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(Via 1, 2)
