Xiaomi 17 Ultra Launches Globally, Leica Leitz Phone Unveiled with Physical "Zoom" Ring
Xiaomi has officially expanded the global reach of its flagship smartphone range by launching the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and a special edition Leica Leitz Phone.
The launch was held at the Catalonia Congress Center in Barcelona, Spain, on Saturday, 28 February 2026, ahead of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 technology exhibition.
Previously, Xiaomi had launched the Xiaomi 17 Ultra exclusively in its domestic Chinese market in late 2025.
Although both devices are positioned as flagship units emphasising “monster” camera capabilities, the global Xiaomi 17 Ultra and the special Leica Leitz Phone edition have several specific differences.
Fundamentally, the Leitz Phone is the international version of the “Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition” that was previously sold exclusively in China.
The Leica Leitz Phone was developed to commemorate Leica’s 100th anniversary. With an aluminium alloy body, the device features a user interface specifically tuned by Leica.
The most striking difference between the two devices lies in their design language and physical camera features.
The Xiaomi Leica Leitz Phone is designed exclusively with a deep black body and is available in only one memory variant: 16GB RAM and 1TB storage.
The device features a physical rotating ring around the camera module that can be rotated to manually adjust zoom and lighting, resembling a classic Leica optical lens.
In contrast, the standard Xiaomi 17 Ultra comes without a physical rotating ring and is offered with 16GB RAM and either 512GB or 1TB storage.
Another difference lies in battery adjustment for the global market. Whilst the Chinese Xiaomi 17 Ultra line features a 6,800mAh jumbo battery, both the global 17 Ultra and Leitz Phone are powered by a 6,000mAh battery.
The main highlight of the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is its primary camera, which features a 50MP 1-inch LOFIC (Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor) sensor. This sensor technology is claimed to prevent light leakage in very bright conditions whilst preserving detail integrity in dark areas.
The primary camera is accompanied by a 200MP telephoto lens with a focal range of 75–100mm and a 50MP ultra-wide camera.