Xiaomi 14 Ultra to cost more than 13 Ultra at launch thanks to unprecedented camera tech

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is now backed to debut as all a candy-bar super-flagship smartphone should be - however, according to Digital Chat Station, there is a major catch in that the OEM will make absolutely no effort to keep the upcoming device at the same price as that of its predecessor, not even in its native China.

According to the latest leaks, the 2 devices will not look all that different in 2024; however, according to the famous tipster, the 14 Ultra will be "completely redesigned" on the inside, with "a new Leica optical full-focus four-camera solution" that will pack apparently heretofore-unseen features on top of that.

The top-end handset is also now backed to introduce Xiaomi's latest in-house battery and industrial design tweaks, which sounds exciting...but will also reportedly inflate its bill of materials by at least 700 yuan (~$98, although whether that estimation is per-unit remains unclear), an extra charge now forecast to be passed on to the consumer.

The 14 Ultra is also of course thought to introduce satellite communications to its line, which probably won't help with that prediction. Nevertheless, Digital Chat Station seems confident that an upgrade to the 14 Ultra will be worth it, even when pushed over the 5,999 yuan (~$840) mark for an entry-level model.

Nevertheless, that might also mean some early encouraging signs of its coming in more affordable than the 13 Ultra on its global launch just might be pointing the wrong way after all. Then again, it might still be able to compete if a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra still goes for $1,299 as a 256GB starting SKU on Amazon.