Xiaomi 18 Ultra is reportedly not coming out, and that's a shame. Brutal specifications, including three 200Mpx cameras, have leaked.

The saga surrounding Xiaomi’s best-equipped camera phone has taken another turn. Back in July, Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station claimed that the development of the Xiaomi 18 Ultra model was only paused. In August, another informant, Kartikey Singh, reported that the manufacturer had canceled it entirely. Now, Digital Chat Station himself confirms the cancellation – and revealed everything the phone was supposed to offer. Those who were saving up for a successor to the excellent Xiaomi 17 Ultra will most likely have to look elsewhere.

Xiaomi 18 Ultra was supposed to have three 200Mpx cameras

The list of specifications for each camera sounds truly insane. All three rear cameras were supposed to offer 200 Mpx resolution, with two of them based on LOFIC technology, which extends the dynamic range of images. This is how the setup was supposed to look according to the leak:

• main camera: 200 Mpx, 1/1.12″ sensor with LOFIC technology
• periscope telephoto lens: 200 Mpx, 1/1.28″ sensor with LOFIC and continuous optical zoom
• ultrawide-angle camera: 200 Mpx, 1/1.56″ sensor

For context, even the ultrawide-angle sensor would be as large as the main camera of many mid-range phones. According to Gizmochina, the setup was also supposed to include a multispectral sensor and support for a magnetically attachable external lens.

The rest of the features would not lag either. The phone was supposed to get a flat display with bezels around 1 mm on all four sides, symmetrical stereo speakers, and a large 0916 vibration motor for more pronounced haptic feedback. Performance would be handled by a flagship chip, which was expected to exceed 5 million points in benchmarks. The leaker did not specify the exact name or test, but it would probably be the recently introduced Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Extreme.

Why was Xiaomi 18 Ultra canceled?

According to the leaker, the reason for the cancellation is the price. The version with 12 GB RAM and 256GB storage was supposed to cost 9,999 yuan in China, which translates to around 38,000 CZK including VAT. Digital Chat Station concluded the post by asking if so many people would even pay that much for the phone, and immediately added that the project is canceled. Xiaomi, according to him, internally concluded that the price was too high and sales would fall short of expectations.

It would have been a noticeable jump. Last year’s Xiaomi 17 Ultra started at 6,999 yuan in China (about 27,000 CZK including VAT), and that was with double the storage at 512GB. In our country, it was eventually sold for 35,990 CZK

The new report aligns with earlier leaks, according to which the main reason for the cancellation is the rising prices of RAM and storage. The Ultra series is not supposed to disappear forever – it is expected to return with the Xiaomi 19 Ultra model around 2027 and 2028, once component prices stabilize.

It’s not a definitive end yet

However, it’s not entirely certain this time either. The original post by Digital Chat Station is no longer available according to GSMArena, so we don’t know if the leaker still stands by the information.

Xiaomi’s own approach also fits into the puzzle. The manufacturer is preparing Xiaomi 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max models for the global market, which is a change from last year’s 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, which never left China. It is speculated that this may be related to the missing Ultra – the Pro Max would take on the role of the top flagship outside of China.

Would you pay around 38,000 CZK for a Xiaomi 18 Ultra with three 200Mpx cameras?

Sources: GSMArena, Gizmochina