Xiaomi’s long-standing partnership with Leica may end very soon. According to reports, the Chinese tech giant is considering to drop the co-branding logo from its upcoming flagship devices running the SM8850 sub-series chipsets. That said, the phones are expected to pack Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 and come with Xiaomi’s in-house imaging technologies.
No More Leica Logos on Xiaomi Phones
This is expected to impact a range of upcoming devices from the Chinese brand, including the Xiaomi 16, 16 Pro, 16 Ultra, and 16 Ultra Max, as well as the Redmi K90 Pro and Poco F8 Ultra. These phones will no longer feature the Leica DCS (Dual Camera System) branding, marking a clear shift toward Xiaomi’s internal research and development.
Digital Chat Station explains that co-branding with Leica added roughly $3–$5 per unit in licensing fees, plus extra costs for brand authorization. Xiaomi is expected to save large amount of money by dropping this partnership, especially for its budget-friendly sub-brands like Redmi and Poco.
In-House Innovation and Hardware Upgrades
The money saved from cutting licensing fees could be put to better use like improving hardware, including better camera sensors, enhanced computational photography, larger batteries, and flat-panel displays. Redmi’s upcoming models are also said to receive a major camera overhaul, with leaks calling the upgrade “epic-level.”
This move aligns with a wider industry trend. Huawei previously dropped its Leica partnership and developed its own XMAGE imaging system. On the other hand, brands like Vivo, Oppo, and Honor still collaborate with ZEISS, Hasselblad, and Harcourt, respectively.
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