Leica Partners with Xiaomi for New Leitzphone, Ending Sharp Collaboration

Friday, 27 February 2026 at 07:42

Leica just announced a new Leitzphone built by Xiaomi instead of Sharp. That's a major shift. Sharp manufactured every Leitzphone from 2021 through 2024 across three generations. Now Xiaomi takes over.

Key Points:

Leica announces new Leitzphone manufactured by Xiaomi replacing Sharp partnership
Sharp produced three Leitzphone generations from 2021-2024 before partnership ended
New device based on Xiaomi 14 Ultra with vertical Leica logo and solid color back panel
Official launch scheduled for February 28 with first Xiaomi Leitzphone on Leica website
Partnership leverages existing Leica-Xiaomi collaboration from Xiaomi 14 Ultra by Leica

Instagram Revealed the Switch

Leica dropped the news on Instagram. The post showed "LEICA LEITZPHONE" branding with "Powered by Xiaomi" written underneath. Pretty clear message about who's building the thing now.

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This isn't Leica and Xiaomi's first collaboration though. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra already featured heavy Leica integration last year. That phone included a specialized "Leica Moment" imaging mode targeting authentic German camera aesthetics. The frame even carried "LEICA CAMERA GERMANY" inscriptions.

Design Differences from the 14 Ultra

The new Leitzphone looks like an international variant of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra but with tweaks. The Leica logo sits vertically on the Leitzphone versus horizontally on the 14 Ultra. Same goes for the "Leica" label inside the camera module—vertical placement instead of horizontal.

Back panel design changed too. The Leitzphone uses solid color across the entire back. The 14 Ultra by Leica had dual-tone styling. What material Leica chose for the Leitzphone back stays unknown since they haven't shared that detail yet.

Photo watermarks from leaked images confirm the model name as "LEITZPHONE" and explicitly state "Powered by Xiaomi."

Launch Happens Soon

February 28 is the official launch date. Leica will reveal full specs and pricing then presumably. The phone isn't listed on Leica's website yet but should appear after the announcement goes live.

This becomes the first pure "Leica phone" manufactured by Xiaomi featured on the actual Leica website. Previous Xiaomi devices with Leica branding lived on Xiaomi's site, not Leica's.

Why the Switch Matters

Sharp produced decent phones but never achieved massive scale. Xiaomi cranks out millions of devices quarterly with established supply chains and manufacturing expertise. Partnering with Xiaomi gives Leica access to better production capacity and potentially wider distribution.

Whether Leica maintains premium pricing or drops closer to Xiaomi's flagship levels will determine if this partnership expands Leitzphone's audience or keeps it niche. Sharp-era Leitzphones stayed extremely expensive and exclusive. Xiaomi could change that equation significantly if Leica wants broader reach.