Xiaomi is set to go head-to-head with Samsung’s next flagship, unveiling its camera-focused Xiaomi 17 Ultra just days after the Galaxy S26 series breaks cover.

The Chinese company will introduce the Xiaomi 17 range in Barcelona on February 28 ahead of MWC 2026, setting up a direct clash with Samsung’s S26 launch in San Francisco earlier in the week.

The timing shows Xiaomi’s growing confidence in the premium tier – a segment long dominated by Samsung in markets such as Australia.

At the heart of the 17 Ultra is an expanded partnership with German camera brand Leica.

Xiaomi says the handset is the first developed under a new “strategic co-creation” model, with Leica involved from the earliest product-planning stages rather than simply collaborating on imaging software.

The device features a triple rear camera system built around a 1-inch main sensor, ultra-wide lens and a 200-megapixel telephoto unit.

A redesigned internal structure allows the telephoto lens to physically shift within the module, enabling continuous optical zoom across a 75mm to 100mm focal range. High-resolution zoom photography has been a hallmark of Samsung’s Galaxy Ultra models.

Powering the 17 Ultra is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, built on a 3nm process, with Xiaomi touting enhanced AI image processing and video performance.

The phone sports a 6.9-inch display with peak brightness of 3,500 nits and is protected by Xiaomi Shield Glass 3.0, which the company claims offers 20 times the drop resistance of conventional strengthened glass.

Despite packing a sizable 6,800mAh battery, the handset measures 8.29mm thick, making it the slimmest ‘Ultra’ device in Xiaomi’s line-up.

In Europe, pricing is tipped at €1,499 (A$2,500), positioning it against Samsung’s top-end models. Australian availability has yet to be confirmed.