News

Xiaomi 17 Ultra is now available outside China

Xiaomi brings the Ultra again outside of the Mainland

Published

February 28, 2026

Vincenz

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Just when we thought brands are getting ready for the next year, Xiaomi wraps up their 2025 by announcing the Xiaomi 17 Ultra at the very last minute — specifically right during the Christmas Day.

New Camera Champ?

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra isn’t called “Ultra” for no major reason. Xiaomi’s all-new flagship boasts a mighty camera system in partnership with Leica.

First and foremost, there’s the Leica Optical Summilux High Speed Lens that’s backed by a 50MP f/1.67 main shooter powered by a 1-inch LightHunter 1050L image sensor.

ICYMI, the the Xiaomi 17 Pro and Pro Max feature a smaller 1/1.28-inch LightHunter 950L sensor.

Furthermore, Xiaomi brings back that dual variable aperture they have removed from the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. However this time, they have incorporated it into the latest telephoto camera instead of the main sensor.

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra highlights its 200MP telephoto shooter with a 1/1.4-inch Samsung ISOCELL HPE sensor and an adjustable aperture of f/2.39 ~ 2.96.

It also has a “continuous optical zoom” feature between 3.2x to 4.3x range (75mm to 100mm equivalent).

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

And for the first time, there’s Leica’s APO Optical Certification.

Ultra-wide angle camera is capped at 50MP f/2.2 with a 115-degree FoV (Field of View).

Macro shooting is possible on both the UWA and telephoto modes with minimum shooting distance of 5cm and 30cm respectively.

Front-facing camera is also a 50MP f/2.2 shooter but with a 90-degree FoV.

When it comes to video recording, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is capable of shooting up to 8K / 30fps or up to 120fps in 4K resolution.

Toning it down to 1080p Full HD or 720p will give better slo-mo options ranging between 120, 240, 480, 960, and 1920fps.

Full-Fledged Flagship

As expected, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra runs the latest and greatest from Qualcomm: the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 3nm SoC.

That’s paired with either a 12/16GB of LPDDR5X memory plus a 512GB or 1TB of UFS 4.1 high-speed storage.

Display is never forgotten. It has a 6.9-inch AMOLED 120Hz 2D display with Superpixel technology.

It’s promised to be sharper than a 2K Pentile display. It’s also more battery efficient with its smaller 1.5K display resolution. Brightness levels can even go as low 1 nit.

Other pro-grade display features include the DCI-P3 Wide Color Gamut, DC Dimming, as well as support for HDR Vivid, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision content.

Weirdly, despite that massive display, the Ultra variant only has a 6800mAh Si/C battery. For context, the base 17 and 17 Pro Max are equipped with 7000mAh and 7500mAh respectively.

That can be topped up either via 90W wired HyperCharge or 50W wireless HyperCharge standards. USB-C PD, QC, and PPS wired charging protocols are supported as well for non-Xiaomi chargers.

For data transfers, it has USB-C 3.2 Gen2 support for faster speeds of up to 10Gbps.

Durability-wise, the front is protected by Xiaomi’s Longjing Glass 3.0. That’s then backed by the flagship-grade triple IP resistance rating: IP66, IP68, and IP69.

Xiaomi was also able to trim down the 17 Ultra’s waist to just 8.29mm (versus 15 Ultra’s 9.3mm). This makes their slimmest Ultra flagship so far.

Lastly, it runs Xiaomi’s latest HyperOS 3 with all the new Android features and AI tools in mind. Cross-compatibility with Apple’s iOS, iPadOS, and macOS weren’t left behind.

Leica Limited

With the continuous partnership of the major Chinese AIoT brand and Germany’s premium camera maker, they have also launched a limited Xiaomi 17 Ultra by Leica.

The original Leica team was involved when making this Limited Edition unit. Thus, the inspiration of Leica M-series cameras.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

That dual-tone back panel incorporates a textured leather for added grip. The mid-frame then has the “LEICA CAMERA GERMANY” engraving that provides added anti-slip grip.

And, for the first time in forever, the signature Leica red dot badge is placed at the side of the camera instead of Xiaomi’s “Ultra” branding.

But, the highlight of the show has got to be the Leica Camera Ring*. This is their way of putting the focus ring directly onto the Xiaomi 17 Ultra’s circular camera bump, mimicking how mirrorless camera lenses work when focusing prior shooting.

It’s also user-customizable as settings can be set between switching into different focal lengths, change f-stop (aperture), EV (Exposure Value), even triggering the camera app by fast-twisting the mechanism when locked.

Xiaomi and Leica made it possible by embedding 20 high-strength ball bearings and an internal optical displacement sensor. Those not only gives the tactility, it also gives smooth, fast, and precise focusing.

* FYI, don’t expect this feature to be in the regular Ultra units. This is only limited to the Leica variant.

It doesn’t stop there! It also features an exclusive Leica Essential Mode. This recreates the looks of the iconic Leica M3 and M9 cameras.

As for the process itself, it’s never simple. Xiaomi trained a “RAW-to-RGB” Style Transfer model which gives the closest authentic look possible (such as the Leica MONOPAN 50 film) — more than what regular filters provide.

Lastly, Xiaomi 17 Ultra by Leica introduces the mobile industry’s first CAI Photo Authenticity Protection technology.

It just means that in a photo taken with a digital signature, the original attributes are also stored in the phone’s dedicated security chip. This further ensures that the photograph was really taken through the lenses of the special phone and not by Generative AI.

Pricing and Availability

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra comes in Black, White, Cold Smoke Purple, and Starry Sky Green colorways.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

The latest smartphones comes in three configurations:

12 + 512GB = CNY 6999 (US$ 980 / EUR 835 / GBP 730 / SG$ 1260 / MYR 4130 / PhP 56,440 / INR 87,110)
16 + 512GB = CNY 7499 (US$ 1100 / EUR 900 / GBP 780 / SG$ 1345 / PhP 59,590 / INR 90,980)
16 + 1TB = CNY 8499 (US$ 1185 / EUR 1020 / GBP 870 / SG$ 1520 / PhP 67,670 / INR 101,930)

Leica Limited Edition is then available in Black or Off-White duotone shades with only two configurations:

16 + 512GB = CNY 7999 (US$ 1115 / EUR 960 / GBP 820 / SG$ 1430 / PhP 63,685 / INR 95,930)
16 + 1TB = CNY 8999 (US$ 1260 / EUR 1070 / GBP 920 / SG$ 600 / PhP 70,905 / INR 107,700)

* These are only estimated pricing conversions

The phone will be on-sale in Mainland China starting December 27, 2025 at 10AM. Global availability, just like Ultra releases of the past, were never mentioned.

Hopefully, they will consider international markets this time.

UPDATE: Global Release

Just today, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra makes its global debut in Barcelona, Spain. ICYMI, Xiaomi 13 Ultra was the last phone launched “globally.”

Pricing for the Xiaomi 17 Ultra starts at EUR 1499 with 512GB and 1TB options. However, purple is only China-exclusive as it did not make the cut for international markets.

Meanwhile, the Leica Edition (named Leica Leitzphone powered by Xiaomi) retails for EUR 1999 and only comes in black and 1TB storage.

The Photography Kit and Photography Kit Pro are also being sold for EUR 99.99 and EUR 199.99 respectively.

Additionally, those who will purchase the any of the Xiaomi 17 phones in eligible markets will enjoy these exclusive benefits with no additional cost:

3-month trial of Google AI Pro + 2TB Google cloud storage
3-month trial of YouTube Premium
4-month trial of Spotify Premium

News

FIFA World Cup: Lenovo’s Referee View received positively by fans

Unique first-person perspective brings action closer to viewers

Published

July 13, 2026

GadgetMatch

Lenovo has revealed that technological advancements at the FIFA World Cup 2026 has made viewers “feel closer” to the action than ever before.

Surveying fans across Australia, Canada, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States, Lenovo bared that 87% say technology is improving the viewing experience.

Close-to-action camera perspectives have also help 84% of surveyed viewers, making them feel they’re right on the pitch.

Of course, Lenovo AI has introduced Referee View throughout the World Cup. This AI-powered technology gives viewers a first-person POV of the match from a referee’s perspective.

Lenovo Referee View has been featured on an average of three times per match across the tournament in over 220 countries and territories worldwide, according to preliminary FIFA data.

Through a lightweight camera mounted on the match official, the technology gives a first-person POV of the match.

And while raw footage is fast-moving and sometimes unstable, Lenovo’s AI-powered video analytics platform automatically transforms the clips into smooth, broadcast-quality video in real-time.

Other findings from Lenovo’s research include:

76% of viewers have seen or heard about Referee View
91% say the close-to-action Referee View POV is appealing
88% say smooth and stable footage is an important part of viewing sports footage
98% say clear picture quality has been important when watching the FIFA World Cup 2026
91% are interested in seeing more technology that creates immersive or close-to-action sports experiences

Apps

Netflix suddenly resurrects 30-day free trials

It’s available only in some countries.

Published

July 13, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Over the weekend, a report emerged about Disney+ allegedly considering a new tier offered to users for absolutely free. Apparently, Disney isn’t the only one. Netflix is now resurrecting its free trial program in select countries.

Back in the day, it was easy to get into Netflix. With a 30-day free trial, you can watch the shows you’ve always wanted to catch. If you liked what you saw, you can pay the monthly fee to access the entire library without constraints. Eventually, the platform got rid of this system to favor a cheaper ad-supported tier.

Perhaps not seeing the benefits of ad-supported tiers, Netflix has suddenly resurrected its free trial program. Spotted online (via Android Authority), some countries, including Brazil and India, are experimenting with the program again. New users can get 30 days of free Netflix access.

Because only regular users are spotting this (rather than an official announcement), we don’t have a list of where the free trials are available.

Still, it’s an interesting move. Cable isn’t a thing anymore so “cutting the cable” isn’t a popular phrase anymore, but people are definitely cancelling subscriptions over rising prices. Some even rely on short clips from YouTube to catch up with their shows. Having a free trial opens up more possibilities for users, but it remains to be seen whether it’s enough for users to return to Netflix.

Apps

Disney+ might get a free tier

What would you like to see in a free Disney+ tier?

Published

July 13, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

In a world disappointingly obsessed with increasing prices beyond our means, Disney+ has miraculously remembered the phrase, “free sample.” According to a report, the streaming platform is considering making a free subscription tier.

As of late, it’s been difficult to maintain a healthy collection of streaming services. When you have to pay the equivalent of a full-course meal every month for just a single platform, you start to evaluate which ones really matter.

Perhaps feeling the sting of users leaving the platform over pricing, Disney+ is reportedly experimenting with a tier that comes at no cost to users (via Business Insider). According to two sources, adding such a tier might help the platform reach customers more.

Now, it’s still a mystery how this tier might work. Disney+ already offers an ad-supported tier, so it’s unlikely to be another one like that.

One possibility is a heavily curated feed of content either designed specifically for free users or limited exactly to give users a free sample. For the latter, think of the limited content you get on a plane. Sure, you might get the first three episodes of The Mandalorian, but you’ll have to fork over cash if you want to see the rest of the story.

And for the former, you can imagine short-form content available for free. Going back to Star Wars, you might see a short anthology series like Star Wars: Visions.

Either way, it’s an interesting concept. If the tier does offer full content, it’s a great way to get into franchises you were thinking of trying without the need to spend for a taste.