the Xiaomi 14 UltraThe amazing camera setup means it’s not just one of the best camera phones of 2024, it’s one of the best cameras. I saw a phone. It achieves this primarily with its 1-inch type image sensor, which is physically larger than almost any smartphone camera sensor. That larger size, along with the wide, variable aperture, let it capture more light to produce some of the best results I’ve seen from a camera phone. We were even hit when taking pictures during Taylor Swift’s Eras tour.

It also packs a top-end processor for lightning-fast performance, a vibrant display and a battery that lasts the better part of a day. Overall, this is a great Android flagship phone for those who want to focus on their image capture.

But the world of technology does not last long and there are rumors circulating about what we can see from its successor, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. Here’s what we know about this potential photo powerhouse. We’ll be updating this article in the coming weeks and months as more rumors emerge, so be sure to check back often to learn more about the phone.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra release date and price

The 14 Ultra was announced in China in February and was first shown by the Western press – including CNET – on Mobile World Congress 2024 in Barcelona in February. It wasn’t until late March that I got my hands on it for testing. While Xiaomi has not yet confirmed the launch date for the phone, all indications suggest that the company is planning a similar timeframe for the follow-up.

It has already taken the wraps off the base Xiaomi 15 and 15 Pro for the Chinese market – again, following the same schedule as last year’s 14 and 14 Pro. The 14 Ultra retails in the UK for £1,299 and while it’s not officially on sale in the US, that price equates to $1,640. There’s no word on any significant price changes from the company so we expect the 15 Ultra to sit in that ballpark.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra cameras

Xiaomi’s Ultra line has always been focused on photography, with the 14 Ultra packing not only a large image sensor, but a variable aperture and an impressive 5x optical zoom. We strongly expect the 15 Ultra to be equally aimed at photographers and indeed the early leaks support that.

Known tipster Reported by Ice Universe that the periscope telephoto camera on the 15 Ultra has a stunning 200-megapixel image sensor. That’s a big step up from the 50-megapixel sensor found on the 14 Ultra. The downside? Ice Universe also says that the optical zoom will drop from 5x to 4.4x, although the increased resolution will likely allow for more digital zoom without a noticeable loss of quality.

This change in the telephoto camera unit is apparently backed by leaked renders of the phone from SmartPrixwhich features an off-center camera unit on top. An additional leaked image (through the GSM Arena) that supposedly showed the internals of the camera setup showed that it was off-center to make room for its large periscope unit. The renderings, if accurate, also confirm the continued relationship between Xiaomi and Leica, so expect high-quality lens optics and a variety of Leica color presets to enhance your images.

Recently, internet tipster Kartikey Singh posted a picture of X which is supposed to be behind the 15 Ultra, while confirming the 1-inch type of image sensor and 200 megapixel resolution. The image fits the previous interpretation.

At the moment there are some other rumors around the other cameras, including any changes to the main camera and its 1-inch type sensor. I really hope that Xiaomi will continue to use at least this sensor size – if not bigger – and maintain its variable aperture, which can go from wide open at f / 1.6 to more which is closed at f / 4, which results in attractive star bursts around the points of light at night.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra processor, display and battery

Given that the 14 Ultra packs the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor when it was launched, it is safe to assume that Xiaomi will equip its new model with Qualcomm’s next-generation silicon. Qualcomm took the wraps off the Snapdragon 8 Elite in Octoberand we have already seen the power that this chip can offer in the OnePlus 13. It’s also the same chip found inside Samsung’s entire Galaxy S25 range.

In addition to the expected overall speed increase, the 8 Elite processor promises improved web browsing speed and is especially aimed at AI tasks, including enabling on-device AI tools such as of Samsung’s Galaxy AI. At its launch, Qualcomm showed off an AI-powered device that adds artificial lighting to your selfies, which Called CNET’s David Lumb “it was fun and helpful” when he tried it for himself. We expect to see various AI tools on board Xiaomi’s 15 Ultra, for both image manipulation and virtual assistance.

Rumors suggest that the display of the 15 Ultra will remain at 6.7 inches, like the 14 Ultra, although the battery can be expanded to 6,000 mAh, from 5,000 mAh. Whether this remains the case for models outside of China remains to be seen as the 14 Ultra has a smaller battery size for models sold within China.

It is expected that the phone will continue to offer 90W wired charging, although I would like to see the company continue with this. Few of Xiaomi’s other phones — including the 11T Pro, due out in 2021 — offer 120W fast charging and it’s disappointing not to see such speeds on the company’s most powerful, most expensive model.