logo
Xiaomi announces 16 Ultra with Leica camera, says it will take mobile photography to new height

Xiaomi announces 16 Ultra with Leica camera, says it will take mobile photography to new height

India Today6 days ago
Xiaomi has officially confirmed that its next premium flagship, the Xiaomi 16 Ultra, is in the works. This time, the company isn't waiting for rumours or leaks to make the first move. Lu Weibing, who is Xiaomi's President, announced on Weibo that the new Ultra-series phone is coming and promised that it will set a 'new height of mobile imaging.' The teaser also confirmed that Xiaomi and Leica will continue their collaboration for camera tuning, just like they did for earlier Ultra-branded devices.advertisementThis confirmation comes much earlier than expected. Usually, Xiaomi unveils its top-tier Ultra smartphones a few months after the standard flagship series. However, this time, the brand seems to be speeding things up. Well-known Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station has now suggested that the Xiaomi 16 Ultra might arrive before its usual launch window. In fact, the tip hints at a debut sometime towards the end of 2025. If that happens, Xiaomi could be planning to launch the Xiaomi 16, 16 Pro, and 16 Ultra models together, something the company hasn't done before.To put things in context, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra was introduced in China in February 2025. A month later, it was showcased globally at MWC 2025 in Barcelona and then brought to India in March. The phone was launched in a single variant featuring 16GB RAM and 512GB of internal storage, priced at Rs 1,09,999.
While Xiaomi hasn't officially revealed the specifications of the 16 Ultra yet, several leaks have already given us a good idea of what to expect. The focus, as always with the Ultra line, will be on the camera. The 16 Ultra is tipped to feature a 50-megapixel main sensor with a large 1-inch size for better light capture. This could be paired with a high-resolution 200-megapixel periscope-style telephoto camera measuring 1/1.28 inches, offering strong zoom performance. Additionally, a 50-megapixel Sony LYT600 sensor is also expected to be part of the rear camera system.The upcoming phone is also said to come with a large 6.8-inch LTPO display that supports 2K resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. It could be powered by Qualcomm's upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chipset, which is expected to drive many Android flagships launching later this year and early next year.Battery life may be another strong point. Reports claim that Xiaomi might use a battery with a capacity between 7,000mAh and 7,500mAh in the 16 Ultra. If true, this would place the phone well ahead of most premium models when it comes to power backup. Fast charging support is also expected, with 100W wired charging and 50W wireless charging being rumoured.Although there is no official confirmation about when the Xiaomi 16 Ultra will arrive in India, the early teaser suggests the company is preparing for a global push sooner than usual. For now, all eyes are on Xiaomi's next move, as it looks to further strengthen its Ultra lineup in the premium flagship space.- Ends
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

‘We want to disrupt the luxury car segment'
‘We want to disrupt the luxury car segment'

New Indian Express

time2 hours ago

  • New Indian Express

‘We want to disrupt the luxury car segment'

How has been the drive so far, especially on the EV front? We are standing for technology and safety. Those two factors have been very well-received by our customers. As we look at our next chapter, we realise there are a couple of trends that are shaping the country. One, luxury brands across categories are actually moving at a very fast pace. Secondly, the penetration of new energy vehicles in the luxury segment is much higher than it is in mass brands. That also presents an opportunity as that segment has not really been disrupted yet. It's been headed by a couple of OEMs all along. We believe that much like in the mass segment, we have been able to create some level of disruption in the luxury space in such a short time. So, what are your plans for the luxe space? The first one is the Cyberster (launched on July 25 at Rs 75 lakh apiece), which is a roadster and is a sports car. The second is the M9, our first luxury MPV and it's the longest and the widest in the segment. Both these cars are going to stay true to our brand promise. These two vehicles will have technologies that you have never seen before and are going to have safety features that you have never seen before. And it is going to create experiences that you have never experienced before. You have seen a runaway success with the Windsor, primarily because of its pricing. Why the switch to luxury now? The overall luxe car space is about 50,000 units per annum. We are playing in a fairly niche segment, and that is the segment we want to disrupt. Given your relationship/partnership with the Chinese firm Saic Motor, how good or bad is your rare earth materials position? We are as impacted or not impacted as anybody else. It impacts not just EVs, but ICE products as well. And it is very important to ensure that as an industry, we work alongside the government and our national body SIAM to have this addressed. Our production is unlikely to be impacted in the immediate future, but we are watching the situation very carefully. Because at this point of time, we have a longer lead time of three-four months of cycle. What about your partnership with Saic? Is it not an advantage? I don't think it is a question of advantage or disadvantage. For one, it is a very serious issue. Because it impacts many components, both in ICE and EVs. If someone thinks this is only impacting EVs that is not true. Very importantly the SIAM is working very closely with the government to ensure that this issue does not impact production of all vehicles.

Electric cars: Still needing a push?
Electric cars: Still needing a push?

Time of India

time4 hours ago

  • Time of India

Electric cars: Still needing a push?

People have been dreaming about electric cars for a long time. In fact, the first electric car, called the Electrobat, was already driving around in 1894! And in 1909, an electric car even beat a petrol (gasoline) car in a traffic race. So why aren't electric cars everywhere by now? Right now, only about 25 out of every 100 cars sold in the world are electric. That may sound like a lot, but most of these cars are made and bought in just one country — China. That means in the rest of the world, most people still use petrol or diesel cars, called ICE cars (short for internal combustion engine). Even Tesla, the most famous electric car company, is struggling. It's selling fewer cars in Europe, and it's making less money. One big reason Tesla made so much money before was by selling something called carbon credits — basically, rewards from the government for making clean cars. But those rewards are starting to go away, especially in the US. And soon, people in the US will also lose a big $7,500 discount they got for buying electric cars. China also spent a huge amount of money — around $231 billion — to help its electric car industry grow. Now, Chinese carmakers are building more cars than people want to buy, which is causing problems. This raises a big question: If electric cars are really the future, why do they still need so much help from governments? When Henry Ford built his Model T car in 1908, it cost $850. Within a few years, he made it so efficiently that it cost only $300 — and millions of people bought it. He didn't need any government help to do that. Electric cars are amazing for the planet. But maybe, just maybe, they need to learn how to survive without help — and roll forward on their own four wheels. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.

China enrols robot in theatre PhD, sparks debate on art and AI
China enrols robot in theatre PhD, sparks debate on art and AI

India Today

time4 hours ago

  • India Today

China enrols robot in theatre PhD, sparks debate on art and AI

The first for China, and possibly the world, a humanoid robot has been admitted to a PhD programme in Drama and Film. Named Xueba 01, the robot will pursue doctoral studies at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, focusing on traditional Chinese announcement was made during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on July jointly by the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology and DroidUp Robotics, Xueba 01 is designed to interact with humans both verbally and It speaks fluent Mandarin, stands at 1.75 metres tall, weighs 30 kilograms, and is built with silicone skin to mimic facial is a Chinese slang term used to describe a high-performing student. The name seems robot will train under Professor Yang Qingqing, a noted figure in Chinese performing arts. Its coursework includes stage performance, scriptwriting, set design, motion control, and language a rehearsal earlier this year, the robot replicated a famous hand gesture, called the 'orchid fingers', from Peking opera legend Mei Yang noted that human students in the room unconsciously mimicked the robot's movement. She described it as a form of 'aesthetic exchange,' not a human-vs-machine moment. Image: X While it's easy to focus on the machine's hardware or code, the Shanghai Theatre Academy seems more interested in what happens when technology enters a traditionally human space, live robot refers to itself as an 'AI artist' and has expressed a desire to collaborate with classmates, share script ideas, and even provide white noise for it completes the four-year programme, Xueba 01 could become a museum-based opera director, or even start an AI art the development hasn't gone on Chinese social media have raised concerns about priorities. They ask if funding this robotic student might take resources away from real human candidates, some of whom earn less than 3,000 yuan (US$420) question whether a machine, regardless of how refined, can grasp the emotional layers required in live the experiment has sparked widespread interest. Earlier, an older version of Xueba 01 completed a half-marathon in humanoid form and placed third. This step into the world of performance and storytelling, however, may be its boldest move many, the real story isn't about a robot earning a degree. It's about what happens when learning, art, and machines begin to share the same stage.- Ends

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store