Xiaomi 18 Leaks Reveal Big Camera Upgrade, Standard Model Gets a Class Up

Xiaomi 18 will carry a telephoto periscope lens, an ultrasonic 3D fingerprint sensor (photo; x @rockleaks)

JAKARTA - Xiaomi seems to be preparing to raise the camera standard in its next flagship line. The latest leaks from China indicate that the Xiaomi 18 series will get a significant improvement, especially in the photography sector, with all models said to be equipped with a telephoto periscope camera. If accurate, this will be a big leap for the standard Xiaomi 18 model which has often lagged behind the Pro variant.

This information comes from the well-known Digital Chat Station leaker on Weibo. Although it does not mention the name of the device explicitly, the details revealed are strong in the Xiaomi 18 series. According to the leak, all Xiaomi 18 models will carry a telephoto periscope lens, an ultrasonic 3D fingerprint sensor, and wireless charging support.

This step will change the position of the regular version of Xiaomi 18. For comparison, the standard Xiaomi 17 is only equipped with a 50-megapixel telephoto camera with 2.6x zoom. Meanwhile, the Pro and Pro Max variants enjoy a 50-megapixel periscope camera with 5x optical zoom which also supports macro photography. If the periscope camera is really present throughout the Xiaomi 18 line, then the feature gap between the standard and Pro models could potentially narrow.

In addition to the camera, the leak mentions improvements in other sectors. The presence of a 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensor indicates an increase in security and authentication speed, while wireless charging support is expected to be a standard feature across all variants. There is also a claim about water protection with a higher standard, although it has not been explained whether this means a specific increase in IP certification.

Digital Chat Station says the standard model of the Xiaomi 18 will "open a wave of major upgrades", hinting at Xiaomi's strategy to make the regular version more attractive without having to go up to the Pro variant. There is even speculation that the standard Xiaomi 18 will inherit the imaging technology from the Xiaomi 17 Pro, a move that could change users' perception of Xiaomi's non-Pro line.

The Xiaomi 17 series itself debuted in China last year with four models, including the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, and has not even been fully launched into the global market. Even so, leaks about the Xiaomi 18 have started to be crowded, signaling an aggressive development cycle.

If you follow the previous pattern, the Xiaomi 18 series is expected to be introduced in the second half of this year. For now, this leak gives a clear signal: Xiaomi seems to want to make the standard model feel less "standard". In the increasingly crowded flagship market, periscope cameras across the board can be Xiaomi's weapon to steal the spotlight, and may also force competitors to level up.