The Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition is officially headed to international markets, but with a different name than expected. NBTC certification in Thailand confirms the flagship will launch globally as the "Leica Leitzphone powered by Xiaomi." This marks a significant expansion of the partnership between the two companies beyond China.
The Naming Strategy Explained
The lengthy name connects to Leica's previous smartphone efforts. The company released three Leitz Phones exclusively for Japan. Ernst Leitz founded the legendary camera brand, and "Leica" itself merges "Leitz" with "camera." Rather than continuing its standalone phone line, Leica appears to be integrating with Xiaomi's hardware for global distribution.
Confirmed Hardware Specifications
The Leica Leitzphone carries model number 25128PNA1G, as revealed by the Thai certification. This same model recently surfaced in the Geekbench AI database, confirming several key specifications. The device runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC, identical to its Chinese-market counterpart.
Benchmark data reveals 16GB of RAM, placing this firmly in the ultra-premium category. The phone will ship with Android 16 pre-installed, layered with Xiaomi's HyperOS 3 interface. This hardware and software combination should deliver top-tier performance and advanced AI capabilities.
Launch Timeline and Pricing
In China, the Leica Edition costs more than the standard Xiaomi 17 Ultra. Expect similar premium pricing in other regions. Industry sources point to February 28 as the potential global launch date, which would make this camera-focused flagship available internationally within days.
The rebrand represents a strategic shift for Leica. While earlier Leitz Phones never left Japan, this global release suggests the company sees wider appeal for photography-centric smartphones. International buyers get the same flagship hardware and Leica-tuned cameras, just under a different brand identity.
Via