MUNICH: Chinese company Xiaomi International and German firm Leica Camera AG unveiled their latest collaboration with the launch of the T15 series in Munich, Germany on Wednesday.
The launch marked a “bold evolution of Xiaomi T Series from flagship photography and cutting-edge technology built for modern trendsetters to advanced mobile technology, elevated imagery and a refined design,” the company said in a statement.
Founded in April 2010, Xiaomi Corporation is a consumer electronics and smart manufacturing company with smartphones and smart hardware connected by an Internet of Things (IoT) platform at its core.
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Leica Camera AG is a German company that manufactures cameras, optical lenses, photographic lenses, binoculars, and rifle scopes. It was founded by Ernst Leitz in 1869.
Xiaomi also collaborated with Google Gemini to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) in its mobiles.
Speaking at the launch event, Xu Fei, Vice President of Xiaomi International, noted that Xiaomi had made “significant strides” in recent years.
“Xiaomi has moved up 100 places in the Fortune Global 500 companies staying for seven consecutive years in the list,” she said, adding that the company had sold 300,000 units of its Xiaomi SU7 model within 15 months of its launch.
The official announced that Xiaomi’s electric vehicles (EVs) would go global in 2027.
The company is also expanding its retail presence, targeting 10,000 stores by 2030. “Human, car, home – far closer,” Xu emphasised.
Debuting the Leica 5x Pro telephoto camera in Xiaomi T Series, Xiaomi 15T Pro offers 5x optical zoom, 10x optical-level zoom, and up to 20x Ultra Zoom, “ideal for a wide variety of scenes, from expansive landscapes to detailed shots”, as per the company statement.
Meanwhile, a 32MP front camera is integrated across both devices for selfies and video calls.
Zaheed Sabur, Senior Engineering Director at Google Gemini, discussed the role of technology in enhancing accessibility at the launch event.
“Technology should be more helpful and accessible,” he said, highlighting Google’s Gemini personal assistant. The platform offers features such as audio, image, and video processing, screen sharing, and language translation.
Marius Eschweiler, Vice President of the Mobile Business Unit at Leica Camera AG, spoke about the partnership with Xiaomi.
“Smartphone photography is not a competitor; it grows our business,” he said. “The art of photography should be accessible without compromising on quality.” Eschweiler noted that the companies have collaborated on 26 products, available in 100 countries.
Terrence Xiao, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Xiaomi International, emphasised the importance of storytelling in photography.
“It’s about those moments that can look like,” he said. The Xiaomi 15T series, priced at €799 for the Pro model and €649 for the standard model, aims to capture life’s special moments.
The event also featured other Xiaomi products, including smart bands, LCDs, and smart home cleaners. Jennifer Zheng, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Xiaomi International, showcased several appliances, highlighting the company’s expanding product lineup.
Earlier this year, Xiaomi unveiled a plan to invest at least 50 billion yuan ($6.93 billion) in chip design over at least 10 years. The investment sum was flagged by Xiaomi’s founder Lei Jun in a post on social media platform Weibo. Xiaomi had invested 13.5 billion yuan to self-develop its advanced mobile chip XringO1, Lei said in the post, adding that the company’s chip design unit employed more than 2,500 people.
By collaborating with Google Gemini and Germany’s Leica, China’s Xiaomi is positioned to strengthen and expand its global presence.
