Leica's Pocket RocketIs This 2025's Ultimate Camera Phone?

With Xiaomi pairing up with the German imaging house Leica, the gleaming new 15 Ultra is not just specifications loaded, it whispers of German engineering finesse. It is really more of a Leica you can also use as a phone. As part of Xiaomi HyperCore, AI is baked in at a system level. Annoyingly, though, you don't get a charger in the box.

- By Sahil Mohan Gupta

THE “ULTRA” SMARTPHONE game plan, as we've come to expect by early 2025, is usually about cramming in the absolute bleeding edge of tech, often with a stylistic subtlety. But Xiaomi's gleaming new 15 Ultra, tested here in New Delhi and further afield, feels like it's dancing to a different, more refined tune - one conducted by the legendary German imaging house, Leica. It's not merely spec-loaded; it whispers of German engineering finesse, feeling less like a phone with a formidable camera bolted on, and more like a Leica you can happen to make calls with. This isn't just flagship; it's flagship with an artist's soul, aiming to redefine what we expect from a premium device.

Built Like a Leica, Handles Like a Dream:

There's a palpable sense of considered craftsmanship about the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, a deliberate and welcome departure from the legion of identikit glass slabs. Dressed in a smart dual-tone silver and black outfit, its unique glass fibre rear panel, paired with a sumptuously plush leatherette material, feels as reassuring and premium as gripping one of Leica's iconic M-series rangefinder cameras. This tactile pleasure is a constant reminder of the collaboration.

Attach the optional photography kit, and the transformation is rather magical. It genuinely morphs into something akin to Chieftain tank, using aerospace-grade aluminium for its sturdy frame and boasting IP68 water and dust resistance, making it ready for almost anything the urban jungle or a dusty Indian photo expedition can throw at it, but don't expect it to lie perfectly flat on a table.