Leaker: Xiaomi 16 Ultra to be a one of a kind in 2026

Xiaomi appears to be in the midst of finalizing the specs for the Xiaomi 16 and Xiaomi 16 Pro, and already has quite concrete plans for the Xiaomi 16 Ultra, according to one particular leaker. He has revealed correct information about upcoming Xiaomi hardware in the past, but the following details are yet to be officially confirmed.

A few weeks ago, Kartikey Singh caused a stir with the announcement that the actual successor to the compact Xiaomi 15 will be the Xiaomi 16 Pro, with an additional Xiaomi 16 Pro Max set to succeed the Xiaomi 15 Pro. Last weekened, it was then announced that the Xiaomi 16 Ultra, for the first time, would not use a Sony, Samsung or Omnivision sensor, but rather one from Shanghai-based component manufacturer SmartSens, which also provides the 1-inch sensor in the Huawei Pura 80 Pro and Huawei Pura 80 Ultra.

Just recently, the leaker provided further information on the Leica camera portfolio for 2025-2026. Accordingly, the Xiaomi 16 will be the only model in the series to feature an Omnivision sensor, which we suspect will be for the main camera. Starting with the Xiaomi 16 Pro, there will apparently be new SmartSens sensors across the board, specifically in the Xiaomi 16 Pro, the new Xiaomi 16 Pro Max and the Xiaomi 16 Ultra.

Furthermore, the leaker claims that Xiaomi's camera flagship will be the only one next year to offer a combination of a 1-inch sensor for the main camera and a 200-MP telephoto lens, making it a one of a kind. This confirms our speculation that the 1-inch SmartSens sensor from the Pura 80 Ultra will also be used in the Xiaomi 16 Ultra.