Xiaomi And Leica To Stop Making Branded Camera For Phones? What Reports Say
Xiaomi has launched phones with Leica-engineered cameras in the last few years but it seems that tie up could soon end.
Xiaomi and Leica have been working together on phone cameras for the last few years and the results have been good. However, a new report this week claims Xiaomi could be looking to go solo and end its partnership with Leica in the near future.
The details suggest Xiaomi is now confident of developing its own imaging ID that will deliver premium quality without needing a Leica badge and expertise to make it work. The rumour has come via a post by tipster Digital Chat Station from China without actually naming the brand.
Xiaomi signed up with Leica which was done to give it the premium outlook in the market and it worked to some extent. However, the company's actual focus in the mid-range segment faced challenges as pricing became an issue. Now, if the Leica branding and royalty payments go away, Xiaomi can deliver high-quality cameras across its range.
The tipster even suggests Redmi and Poco could benefit from this strategy and Xiaomi could really up the ante with its hardware production cost now being more manageable. We don't know how much the Leica branding actually costs Xiaomi but going by other arrangements, it surely costs them something significant.
Building On It
Leica had previously worked with Huawei for the P-series that were launched globally. And once the duo decided to go separate ways, the China-based brand had developed its own sensors to take forward the legacy without a heavy badge.
Vivo is the other brand that has relied on Zeiss Optics to develop some of the best imaging solutions with the X-series. These collaborations are not meant to last forever, and their close association gives them deeper access to the knowledge and the skilled workforce involved in the business.
First Published:
July 07, 2025, 09:25 IST
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