Xiaomi held its global launch event on February 28 in Barcelona under the theme “The New Wave of Imagery,” officially introducing the Xiaomi 17 series to international markets just ahead of MWC 2026.
The event marked the fourth year of Xiaomi’s strategic partnership with Leica, with both companies jointly announcing an upgrade from co-engineering to full “strategic co-creation.” In a letter co-signed by Leica CEO Matthias Harsch and Xiaomi President William Lu, the two companies described their renewed focus on bringing the essence of “Essential Leica Imagery” to the smartphone form factor.
Only two models are coming to global markets at launch — the standard Xiaomi 17 and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra. The Pro and Pro Max variants, which feature a secondary rear Back Display, remain exclusive to China.
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is the undisputed centerpiece of the launch. At just 8.29mm thin, it sports a 6.9-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a 2608×1200 resolution, 3,500 nits peak brightness, 2160Hz PWM dimming, Dolby Vision support, and Dragon Crystal Glass protection.
Under the hood sits the same Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip paired with 16GB RAM.
The camera system is where Xiaomi makes its boldest statement. The main camera uses a 1-inch Light Hunter 1050L sensor with LOFIC (Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor) high dynamic range technology, delivering a dynamic range approaching 110dB — bringing smartphone photography closer to professional camera territory in high-contrast scenes.
The standout feature, however, is the 200MP periscope telephoto lens, which has become the world’s first smartphone telephoto to receive Leica APO (Apochromat) optical certification — the highest optical standard in Leica’s camera lineage, guaranteeing minimal chromatic aberration and color fringing across the entire zoom range.
Using a 3G+5P dual floating lens group architecture, it enables continuous optical zoom from 75mm to 100mm, with all focal lengths capable of delivering full 200MP optical output without digital cropping. The system is completed by a 50MP 115° Leica ultrawide lens with 14mm equivalent focal length and super macro capability.
Video recording supports full 8K without time limits and 4K 120fps Dolby Vision capture, with color science developed in collaboration with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The global Xiaomi 17 Ultra carries a 6,000mAh battery (reduced from the Chinese model’s 6,800mAh), with 90W wired and 50W wireless charging. It also gains satellite communication support for connectivity in remote areas — a first for the Ultra lineup globally.
Alongside the standard Ultra, Xiaomi is also bringing the Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Leitzphone Edition to select global markets. This variant features the iconic Leica red dot, a mechanical rotating zoom ring that physically adjusts between 3x and 7x optical zoom, exclusive Leica film simulation filters, and a distinctive two-tone design. The name “Leitz” traces back to Leica founder Ernst Leitz, making this the most Leica-forward smartphone Xiaomi has ever produced.
In Malaysia, the Leica Leitzphone powered by Xiaomi is available in a single configuration — 16GB+1TB in black — priced at RM7,499. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra comes in three colours (white, black, and Starlight Green), with the 16GB+512GB variant at RM5,499 and the 16GB+1TB at RM5,999.
The standard Xiaomi 17 also runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, with the 12GB+256GB version going for a launch promo price of RM3,299 (usual price RM3,499), and the 12GB+512GB at RM3,799.
The pre-order period runs from March 1 to 5. Those who pre-order the Xiaomi 17 Ultra or Leica Leitzphone during this window will receive a free Xiaomi 17 Ultra Photography Kit Pro (worth RM1,099) and a Xiaomi Sound Party (worth RM349), while stocks last.
Pre-orders are available at all Xiaomi physical stores, the official website, and the official stores on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.
To know more, visit Xiaomi Malaysia website.
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