Xiaomi 17 Ultra tipped to surpass Oppo Find X9 Pro and Vivo X300 Pro with elaborate telephoto cameras

Xiaomi has just got the Xiaomi 17, Xiaomi 17 Pro and the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max out the door. Nonetheless, evidence is piling up that the company has already pivoted to the Xiaomi 17 Ultra. Based on recent evidence, only the compact Xiaomi 17 will join the Xiaomi 17 Ultra globally though, just like the Xiaomi 15 Ultra and smaller Xiaomi 15 earlier this year (curr. $897 on Amazon).

In recent weeks, Digital Chat Station has indicated that the Xiaomi 17 Ultra will be Xiaomi's first mass-produced smartphone with 'true' optical zoom. However, the leaker now suggests that Xiaomi will take a different approach to recent Sony Xperia flagships that integrate all periscope zoom optics within the phone itself. Instead, Digital Chat Station asserts that Xiaomi is developing a new external teleconverter lens, just as Oppo and Vivo have with their current flagships.

Seemingly, this will be a dedicated telephoto lens, rather than the camera kit accessories that Xiaomi has offered for its Ultra smartphones in recent years. Moreover, the leaker emphasises that Xiaomi's solution will provide a superior visual experience than those created for the Find X9 Pro or X300 Pro. Incidentally, Xiaomi showcased an equivalent external camera lens this year during MWC 2025 in Barcelona. Potentially, this Laserlink-backed lens could form the basis of Xiaomi's camera plans for the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, albeit perhaps not with a dedicated 100 MP M/4.3 camera sensor. Currently, Xiaomi is expected to unveil the Xiaomi 17 Ultra before the end of the year.