Leica’s Xiaomi-powered Leitzphone is a camera brand tie-in done right
The Leica-badged Xiaomi 17 Ultra goes all-in with a custom design and software
Phone photographers, get ready to experience badge envy. Renowned camera firm Leica is putting its iconic Red Dot logo on a smartphone again – only this time you might actually be able to buy one. The Leica Leitzphone powered by Xiaomi is the first time a Leica-branded phone has gone global.
Previous Leitzphones were only sold in Japan and produced by Sharp but 2026 sees Xiaomi lend a helping hand, while shipping is being expanded to Europe and beyond.
The Leitzphone is essentially an even more premium version of the Xiaomi 17 Ultra. It has been slightly tweaked from the Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition sold exclusively in China, but keeps the all-important camera setup. That means an oversized 1-inch main sensor, 200MP telephoto with 75-100mm continuous zoom, a 50MP ultrawide and a 50MP front selfie cam. It’s basically at the bleeding edge of cameraphone hardware.
The Leitzphone proudly wears Leica’s red dot in a prominent position on its fibreglass rear panel, right next to the giant camera module. The two-tone look of the China-only Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition has been ditched for an all-black appearance, but the knurled sections along its metal frame that add more grip stick around. So does the unique mechanical ring around the rear camera island.
Giving it a twist lets you physically control zoom, exposure value, ISO, shutter speed or focal length, with haptic feedback mimicking the feel of an actual camera. It can also toggle between the camera app’s thirteen different Leica Look picture presets.
Leica even had a hand in customising the camera app, supplying icons and fonts to match the UI found on models like the Q3 fixed-lens compact. A Leica Essential mode then pulls from the firm’s history, offering colour profiles inspired by the legendary M9 system camera and Leica Monopan monochrome analogue film. You’ll also find Leica-themed icons and fonts on the Android homescreen, along with bespoke widgets.
Each Leitzphone then ships with an accessory bundle that includes a matching case and Leica-badged silver lens cap, a microfibre cleaning cloth, and fabric wrist strap in Leica’s signature red colour. It looks like the firm’s influence runs deep through this collaboration – it’s absolutely something rival camera brands should take note of.
Beyond the bespoke additions, the Leitzphone’s hardware is largely identical to the Xiaomi-badged 17 Ultra. It’s a full-on flagship, with a 6.9in AMOLED screen good for a 2608×1200 resolution, 1-120Hz adaptive refresh and 3500 nits peak brightness. An ultrasonic fingerprint sensor lurks underneath the display and the whole thing is IP68 rated against dust and water.
Power comes from a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, paired to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of on-board storage. It runs Android 16 out of the box, and promises 90W wired and 50W wireless charging. The 6000mAh battery is smaller than the China-only Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition, but still eclipses rivals like the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and Google Pixel 10 Pro XL on sheer capacity.
Just like anything else that wears a Leica badge, however, the Leitzphone comes at a price premium over the competition. It’s on sale right now, through the official Leica website, brick-and-mortar Leica Stores and select partners, for £1700/€1999.
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor 
