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Xiaomi 16 series may skip Leica cameras for in-house imaging tech: Report
Harsh Shivam New Delhi
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi is reportedly planning to end its long-standing partnership with German optics brand Leica. According to a report by GizmoChina, Xiaomi's next-generation flagship devices—including the anticipated Xiaomi 16 series—and high-end Redmi and POCO smartphones will no longer feature any external branding such as Leica logos.
The report claims that co-branding with Leica added between $3 and $5 per device in licensing fees, in addition to other authorisation costs. Xiaomi now reportedly plans to redirect these expenses into improving hardware, particularly camera sensors and computational photography capabilities on its smartphones.
Furthermore, Xiaomi and Redmi devices may begin using proprietary imaging technologies or customised colour tuning developed in-house. This shift is expected to significantly enhance camera performance on Redmi smartphones, with image processing inspired by Xiaomi's flagship devices. It is worth noting that, as of now, the Leica partnership is exclusive to premium Xiaomi smartphones and does not include any Redmi or POCO models.
This move reflects a broader industry trend, where smartphone makers are gradually moving away from third-party imaging collaborations. For instance, China's Huawei ended its long-term partnership with Leica back in 2022 to focus on its proprietary 'XMAGE' camera system. Similarly, it was reported last month that OnePlus may be ending its partnership with Swedish camera company Hasselblad. According to 9To5Google, the upcoming OnePlus flagship series models may drop Hasselblad branding altogether.
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