Xiaomi confirms Leica partnership, co-branded phone out in July
Xiaomi officially confirmed its partnership with legendary camera brand Leica with a smartphone that will launch in July this year.
The announcement came via a press statement from Xiaomi's official site and social media channels. The "strategic cooperation" between the two companies promises to bring their first ever jointly developed imaging flagship smartphone by July 2022.
No other details were given about the specific smartphone model, but there are rumors that it will most likely be the Xiaomi 12 Ultra (or Xiaomi 13) if the company's model naming conventions are to be followed.
"Xiaomi focuses on creating the ultimate user experience, and has always hoped to explore the capabilities of smartphone photography to the extreme," said Lei Jun, founder, chairman and CEO of Xiaomi Group in the press statement.
"Xiaomi and Leica agree with each other's pursuits and ideas and appreciate each other's advantages and industry. This cooperation will provide a strong boost to Xiaomi's imaging strategy. During the cooperation, from optical design to tuning aesthetic orientations, the innovative technologies, product philosophies and imaging preferences of both parties have experienced unprecedented in-depth collision and fusion," he added.
"It is an honor to announce the long-term strategic cooperation with Xiaomi today," said Matthias Harsch, CEO of Leica Camera AG. "Leica and Xiaomi are both global premium brands and during this unprecedented deep cooperation process, both parties have successively worked on the goal of providing customers a new era of mobile photography. We are convinced that the first jointly developed imaging flagship smartphone makes the pioneering progress of both companies visible."