Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition confirmed to launch globally as Leica Leitzphone powered by Xiaomi

Xiaomi has confirmed that its Leica-branded flagship will launch globally as the Leica Leitzphone powered by Xiaomi. The phone will be unveiled on February 28th in Barcelona alongside the Xiaomi 17 and Xiaomi 17 Ultra, according to a teaser shared by the company’s Spain X account.

The Leitzphone is the international version of the Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition, which debuted in China in December. Based on early renders, the global model keeps the same hardware and makes only small cosmetic changes. The two-tone rear seen on the Chinese version appears to be replaced with a uniform black finish, and the Leica branding on the back has been rotated. The circular camera module and its rotary control ring remain.

If the specifications carry over, the device will feature a 6.9-inch LTPO AMOLED display and run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip. The Leica-tuned camera system includes a 50MP main sensor, a 50MP ultrawide, and a 200MP periscope telephoto lens. The rotary ring around the camera module is expected to retain controls for zoom and white balance.

The Chinese model includes a 6,800mAh battery with 90W wired and 50W wireless charging. That capacity is larger than Apple and Samsung flagships, which typically ship with batteries closer to 5,000mAh, but smaller than Chinese Android flagships from OPPO and OnePlus who have breached the 7,000mAh mark this season. In China, the 16GB + 512GB variant launched at CNY 7,999 (around Rs 1,02,000), indicating the phone will likely sit in the premium segment if global pricing follows a similar pattern.

The Leitzphone will enter a crowded flagship market that includes Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra, Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro lineup, and OPPO’s Find X9 Pro. Apple and Samsung’s devices focus heavily on software features and ecosystem integration, while Xiaomi’s Leica partnership continues to emphasise camera controls and colour tuning. Vivo X300 Ultra, which will also be showcased at MWC, will pitch its Zeiss partnership to prospective buyers.

If camera hardware and long-range zoom are priorities, the Leitzphone stands out with its Leica tuning and 200MP periscope lens. Buyers already invested in Apple or Samsung ecosystems may find fewer reasons to switch, especially given software support and services. However, if Xiaomi undercuts rivals, it could appeal to users who want flagship specs without paying top-tier premiums. We don’t know if the device will make it to India or not.