The next “big” camera phone is launching April 18. Xiaomi has officially announced the launch date for the highly anticipated Xiaomi 13 Ultra, to give the company “a shot above” its camera-centric rivals in the smartphone space.
(Update, April 19: The Xiaomi 13 Ultra has arrived!)
The device will, of course, come equipped with software tuning courtesy of iconic German camera brand Leica, just like its predecessor and the Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro we reviewed earlier. It will retain the 1-inch 50-megapixel Sony IMX989 image sensor, which debuted on the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, but will sport Leica’s new Vario-Summicron lens with an f/1.8 aperture in a circular camera module. Xiaomi also confirmed that the camera system on the 13 Ultra will offer a large aperture across a variety of focal lengths.
The main camera will be joined by a 50-megapixel ultrawide shooter and two telephoto options with 50-megapixel sensors as well. One telephoto camera will probably have a periscope lens for better optical zoom, while the other could be for portrait shots.
The three other cameras on the back of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra will use a Sony IMX858 sensor. Xiaomi has also teased improved noise reduction and HDR for its next camera-focused flagship offering.
Based on last year’s release calendar, it is likely that the Ultra will initially be available to customers in China, even though the flagship smartphone will launch in China and globally on the same date.
In the Philippines, the Xiaomi 13 Pro is officially priced at P59,999 (about $1,087) for the 12GB/256GB storage variant, so expect the higher-end Ultra variant to cost more when or if it hits local stores.
Share this Post
Learn About This Author
