Xiaomi 17 Ultra launching tomorrow: Design, top specs and more
Xiaomi is set to launch the Xiaomi 17 Ultra in China tomorrow, highlighting a slimmer design and major Leica-powered camera upgrades focused on low-light photography.
Xiaomi is all set to unveil its most premium smartphone of the year, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is set to launch in China tomorrow. The company has already started building momentum around the device through official teasers, giving a clear idea of what to expect from the next Ultra model in its flagship lineup. Positioned as the direct successor to the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, the new phone will sit at the top of the Xiaomi 17 series and is clearly targeted at users who care deeply about mobile photography and design.
Xiaomi 17 Ultra launching tomorrow: Design, top specs, expected price and more
The launch event will take place on December 25 at 7 PM local time in China, i.e. 4:30 PM IST. Xiaomi has confirmed that the phone will be unveiled during its Xiaomi x Leica Imaging Strategic Collaboration Upgrade event, hinting that camera improvements will be the main topic of discussion. While the brand hasn’t revealed everything yet, it has already promised a new synchronized telephoto optical system and described it as a big step forward in low-light photography.
In terms of design, Xiaomi has officially unveiled the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, and it doesn’t stray too far from the visual identity of its predecessor. The phone features a large, circular camera module placed in the center of the rear panel, which dominates most of the back. The LEICA branding is clearly visible inside the camera deco, reinforcing the ongoing partnership between the two companies. Xiaomi has confirmed black and white color options, both of which give a clean, premium look.
Along with these, the company has also teased a third variant named Starry Sky Green. According to Xiaomi President Lu Weibing, this version uses ore particles in its design to create a texture that resembles a starry night sky. This variant also reveals some subtle hardware details, including the segmented circular volume buttons, a design element that brings back memories of older iPhone models. The phone will have a large flat display with rounded corners, described as an R-angle 2D flat screen.
Xiaomi has also revealed how thin the new Ultra model is. At just 8.29mm thick, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is officially the thinnest Ultra smartphone the company has ever made, which is remarkable considering the massive camera hardware it packs.
Camera performance is clearly the focus this year. Xiaomi has already shared an early camera sample taken from the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, which was shot at ISO 64 with a shutter speed of 1/50 sec. The image was captured using an f/1.67 aperture, giving an early glimpse of its low-light capabilities. On paper, the phone has a triple rear camera setup, with a 50-megapixel primary camera using a 1-inch OmniVision OV50X sensor. It is paired with a Leica-branded 200-megapixel periscope telephoto camera, which is expected to handle long-range zoom and portrait photography.
Other specifications and pricing details are still under wraps. However, with the launch just a day away, Xiaomi is expected to reveal full hardware details, software features and official pricing during the event itself. Given its Ultra branding and camera hardware, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is likely to sit firmly in the premium flagship price segment, just like last year’s model.
All eyes will now be on tomorrow’s launch to see how far Xiaomi has taken the imaging and design with its latest ultra phones, especially as competition in the flagship space continues to heat up.
