Ahead of its global launch on May 28, Xiaomi is putting the spotlight on the new 17T Series and its Leica partnership history.
2026 is the fifth year of Xiaomi and Leica’s partnership. Over these years, Xiaomi has released smartphones with capable Leica co-developed cameras, giving them great photography capabilities. Now, the two brands are gearing up for their latest collaboration, which promises to introduce even more exciting camera features.
Even going back to their first collab though, we’ve already seen some notable features, including the “Leica Authentic Look”, which replicated the natural Leica camera style. This was complemented by the “Leica Vibrant Look”, which preserved Leica’s core identity while giving photos a more vibrant, social media-ready style. Features like Leica watermarks and classic shutter sounds also accompanied these.
Aside from software, the partnership also extended to hardware, with later Xiaomi phones featuring Summicron and Summilux optics, delivering clearer images for a variety of shooting scenarios.
In 2025, the partnership went even deeper, as the Xiaomi 17 Ultra was the world’s first smartphone with a Leica APO lens, delivering even better sharpness and contrast.
This next step in the partnership was commemorated with the release of the Leica Leitzphone powered by Xiaomi. This special smartphone features design elements taken straight out of Leica cameras, including the iconic Red Dot badge and the Camera Ring. Aside from looks, it also came with the Leica Essential mode, which recreates the style of iconic cameras such as the M9 and the M3.
Now, the partnership continues with the Xiaomi 17T Series. Ahead of the official launch this week, Xiaomi shared some details on the special photography features of its new flagship smartphone lineup. These include the Leica Live Moment, which captures live photos with the signature Leica look. There’s also the Leica Live Portrait, which adds a natural bokeh effect to these live photos.
Perhaps the most exciting feature of the 17T Series is its 5x telephoto camera. Yes, that means all models of this smartphone family will feature great telephoto capabilities, giving users even more creative photography options.
The Xiaomi 17T Series global launch is happening on May 28, 2026. You can watch the launch live here.