Xiaomi launches new flagship 15 Ultra smartphone to race with Apple in premium market

In an effort to push further into the premium market traditionally dominated by Apple Inc., Xiaomi has unveiled its latest flagship handset, the Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Ultra, at a global event in Barcelona and India. The new series focuses on top-tier photography, AI-powered features, and powerful performance.

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra, featuring Leica-inspired design, targets photography enthusiasts, while the standard Xiaomi 15 provides a compact, high-performance alternative. Both models operate on Xiaomi’s latest HyperOS 2 and are equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. Pricing and availability details for India will be revealed on March 11, 2025.

The Xiaomi 15 starts at EUR 999 for the 12GB + 256GB variant, while the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is priced at EUR 1499 for the 16GB + 512GB model. A separate Photography Kit for the Ultra model is available for EUR 199.

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The Xiaomi 15 Ultra features a premium Silver Chrome finish with aerospace-grade glass fiber and PU leather. It has a 6.73-inch WQHD+ AMOLED display with a peak brightness of 3200 nits. The quad-camera setup includes a 50MP 1-inch Sony sensor, a 70mm Leica telephoto lens, a 100mm ultra-telephoto lens with a 200MP sensor, and a 14mm ultra-wide camera. It supports 4K slow-motion at 120fps, Dolby Vision 4K at 60fps, and 10-bit Log video recording with advanced stabilization. The 5410mAh battery supports 90W wired and 80W wireless charging.

The Xiaomi 15 offers a smaller 6.36-inch CrystalRes AMOLED display with the same peak brightness. Available in Black, White and Green, it has a triple-camera system with a 50MP main sensor, a 60mm Leica telephoto camera, and a 14mm ultra-wide camera. It supports 8K video at 30fps and Dolby Vision 4K at 60fps. With the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, LPDDR5X RAM, and UFS 4.0 storage, it delivers fast performance. Its 5240mAh battery supports 90W wired and 50W wireless charging.

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Both models introduce AI-powered features like AI Writing, AI Speech Recognition, and AI Image Enhancement with HyperOS 2. Xiaomi’s HyperConnect feature allows seamless file transfers across devices, including macOS and iOS. With advanced cameras, AI-driven upgrades, and powerful hardware, the Xiaomi 15 Series aims to deliver a premium smartphone experience. More details on the India launch will be revealed soon.