Particle.news
Download on the App Store

MWC 2026 Opens With Early Hardware Fireworks: Xiaomi’s 17 Ultra Goes Global as Leica Leitzphone Debuts

Pre-show launches spotlight premium cameras, ultra‑thin design, plus modular experimentation, with selective European rollouts including a €1,999 Leica‑branded phone.

Overview

  • Xiaomi announced the global launch of the 17 Ultra, now rolling out in Europe, with a 1-inch 50MP main sensor, a 200MP telephoto, a manual zoom ring, a 6.9-inch 120Hz OLED, and a 6,000mAh battery, starting at £1,299.
  • Leica Leitzphone by Xiaomi was unveiled at €1,999 with Leica’s custom camera interface and a mechanical control ring; it is not launching in the United States and drew the strongest audience reaction at Xiaomi’s event.
  • Honor detailed the 4.8mm‑thick MagicPad 4, billed as the thinnest Android tablet, featuring a 12.3-inch 165Hz OLED display, Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, up to 16GB of RAM, a 10,100mAh battery, and 66W charging, with pricing still to come.
  • Tecno showed a modular concept smartphone just 4.9mm thick at its base that uses magnetic attachments for up to 10 swappable modules, including camera lenses, a gaming grip, and a power bank.
  • MWC 2026 runs March 2–5 in Barcelona, with additional demos and announcements expected as the exhibition floor opens.