Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi Corp. has given its flagship smartphone an innovative one-off facelift to remind customers it has a highly powerful camera inside by attaching a Leica lens to it in response to waning global demand for smartphones.
The renowned photography partner Leica Camera AG’s removable mounted lens and an extra sensor are both included in the Xiaomi 12S Ultra Concept. While the concept itself won’t be available for purchase, Xiaomi is hoping that people will locate the 12S Ultra phone, which has a sizable one-inch sensor that was co-developed with Leica and use it with more traditional lenses attached.
A brief about New Xiaomi 12S Ultra concept phone comes with fully-detachable Leica camera lens:
Xiaomi, which was once the biggest smartphone brand in China, has been severely impacted by the global downturn as factors like inflation and rising interest rates reduce customer demand. At the same time, the business must contend with fierce competition, a dim consumer attitude at home, and potential limitations on sales in the rapidly expanding Indian market. Its Hong Kong-listed stock has lost more than half of its value this year, and its second-quarter profit was 83% lower than anticipated.
Through partnerships with renowned European picture companies like Leica, which had previously collaborated with Huawei Technologies, Chinese phone manufacturers have tried to draw users. Hasselblad’s name appears on Oppo products, while Carl Zeiss AG collaborates with Vivo.
In 2014, the Japanese company Panasonic Holdings Corp. created an Android phone with an extendable Leica lens, but it was not a commercial success.
The idea gadget “features a second 1″ sensor, one that is not covered by its own lens,” according to a report on GSM Arena (but it is covered by sapphire glass for protection). This opens the door for (semi-)professional use by enabling the user to attach Leica M mount lenses.
Also supporting this is a sophisticated camera app. The report also states that it is unclear whether Xiaomi intends to commercialize this concept smartphone.
