Leica has found a new partner in the smartphone market. Since 2016, numerous Huawei smartphones have been equipped with Leica-certified cameras, and the German manufacturer from Wetzlar will be working closely with Xiaomi in the future. The first result of this collaboration is the Xiaomi 12S series, which was officially presented on Monday. The top model is the Xiaomi 12S Ultra with a huge camera module on the back, whose main camera is supposed to score with a huge sensor from Sony. This brings back memories of the Sharp Aquos R6, which is only available in Japan.
Xiaomi and Leica want to revolutionize smartphone cameras
According to Xiaomi, the new smartphone lenses of the new 12S series were developed in close cooperation with Leica. On the top-of-the-range Xiaomi 12S Ultra, the main 1-inch sensor camera (Sony IMX989) uses an 8P aspheric lens to address common issues such as flare, ghosting, and color aberration. In addition, the camera module is equipped with an anti-glare coating, a lens edge coating and an infrared filter, among other things. Xiaomi promises an overall clearer overall image that's consistent across the lens.
Xiaomi 12S Ultra
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra with leather back is available in three variants: 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage, 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage and 12 GB RAM and 512 GB storage. It is also the first Xiaomi smartphone to feature two in-house developed Xiaomi Surge chips: the Xiaomi Surge P1 chipset for fast battery charging and the Xiaomi Surge G1 chipset, which is said to offer improvements in battery management and overall user experience. Wired charging is possible with up to 67 watts, wireless charging with up to 50 watts. With up to 10 watts, it is also possible to charge other Qi-enabled devices (reverse charging).
New top smartphone from Xiaomi: the 12S Ultra.
Android 12 / MIUI 136.73 inch AMOLED display 1,440 x 3,200 pixels / 120 Hz Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processorRear triple camera (48 + 50 + 48 megapixels)32 megapixel front cameraIP68 certification5G / WiFi 6 / Bluetooth 5,24,860 mAh Battery price: between 855 and 1,000 euros
Xiaomi 12S Pro
The Xiaomi 12S Pro is similarly equipped. However, you have to do without the large 1 inch sensor on the main camera. The cell phone even makes wired charging possible with 120 watts, while wireless charging is also possible here with 50 watts. Reverse charging is also possible with 10 watts. Four storage variants are available: 8/128 GB, 8/256 GB, 12/256 GB and 12/512 GB.
A little cheaper: the Xiaomi 12S Pro.
Android 12 / MIUI 136.73 inch AMOLED display 1,440 x 3,200 pixels / 120 HzQualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processorRear triple camera (50 + 50 + 50 megapixels)32 megapixel front camera5G / WiFi 6 / Bluetooth 5,24,600 mAh batteryPrice: between 670 and 845 euros
Xiaomi 12S
The Xiaomi 12S again offers a slightly smaller screen. A panel is used here that measures only 6.28 inches diagonally. Wired charging is possible with this smartphone with up to 67 watts, while wireless charging is also possible here with up to 50 watts. The Xiaomi 12S is also available in the four storage variants in which the 12S Pro is also available.
The "entry-level" model of the new smartphone series: the Xiaomi 12S.
Android 12 / MIUI 136.28 inch AMOLED display1,080 x 2,400 pixels / 120 HzQualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processorRear triple camera (50 + 13 + 5 megapixels)5G / WiFi 6 / Bluetooth 5,24,500 mAh batteryPrice: between 570 and 745 euros
New Xiaomi smartphones initially only available in China
All three new Xiaomi smartphones of the 12S series are only available in China at market launch. A later introduction in Germany is not excluded. In this country, however, the prices should then be around 100 euros higher.
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