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Imagine two 200MP sensors sitting side by side on a phone that isn’t the Ultra. Sounds like a stunt? That’s exactly what the latest whispers from the supply chain are promising for Xiaomi’s next flagships.
Digital Chat Station, a source that regularly surfaces credible Xiaomi leaks, has pointed to a new flagship in development with a 6.3-inch screen and dual 200-megapixel cameras. The tip stopped short of a formal model name, but the implication is clear: the Pro variants in the upcoming 18 series could be getting a big photographic upgrade.
According to these leaks, Xiaomi’s Pro models could be the first non‑Ultra phones to carry twin 200MP main sensors.
Why does that matter? Pixel counts are just the beginning. Doubling down on 200MP modules suggests Xiaomi wants to push computational photography, sensor stacking, and lossless cropping to new limits. It also points to aggressive mirror‑image hardware between Pro and Pro Max — much like the 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max — where the guts are similar but one model scales up display size, battery, and perhaps sensor variants for different imaging behavior.
Leaked details also mention a 50MP ultra‑wide to support the main setup, plus a more versatile secondary display on the back of both Pro models for selfies, notifications, or creative camera previews. For those holding out hope for stronger zoom, there’s a separate claim that the standard Xiaomi 18 might finally adopt a periscope telephoto unit, trading the current telephoto layout for more meaningful optical reach.
Under the hood, the rumored lineup looks straightforward: Xiaomi 18, 18 Pro, and 18 Pro Max are said to use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6. The Ultra model, positioned above them, could move to a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro variant — a small but notable distinction that would help justify the Ultra’s premium positioning while keeping the Pro models competitive.
Timing is part strategy, part patience. The series is expected to debut in China around September, with the Ultra potentially following later. Xiaomi is also busy bringing the 17 and 17 Ultra to global markets, even as the 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max reportedly remain China exclusives. Translation: whether the 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max will land worldwide is still up in the air.
Leaks never arrive empty-handed. They tease choices Xiaomi might be making: higher megapixel fidelity, mirrored Pro hardware across sizes, a secondary rear display that nudges usage habits, and incremental chipset differentiation. They don’t, however, prove final decisions. Components shift. Strategies pivot. Rumors mature into announcements — or vanish.
So where does that leave early adopters and photographers who live for hardware leaps? Watch the camera modules and the cooling solutions closely. If Xiaomi really packs two 200MP sensors into a Pro-class phone, the company will need the thermal headroom and image processing pipelines to make that extra resolution useful in everyday shooting. And if battery life and global availability align, we could be looking at a very compelling handset family come autumn.
Keep your expectations calibrated, but keep watching. When leaks this bold appear, they often change the conversation — and Xiaomi likes to keep the conversation interesting.
Source: gizmochina
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