A live photo featuring an alleged prototype version of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra flagship has recently made its way online via Weibo. And that’s not all, shared through a separate post on the same platform is a 3D sketch of the device, which corroborates the rear panel design and camera layout at the initial leak.
Based on the photo, the supposed Xiaomi 13 Ultra is shown to sport a large circular camera array on its back, which almost resembles the one featured on the Xiaomi 12S Ultra. Housed within the array appears to be four different cameras, where one of which is revealed to be a periscope-equipped telephoto shooter. Visible in the middle part of the circle is Leica’s branding, while situated within the ring of the array are the same text descriptions of the primary sensor, lens types, and tagline as its China-only predecessor.
Meanwhile, the rear panel itself is shown to feature a leather-like texture, as well as an elevated upper section to accommodate the aforementioned camera array. It is believed that this version of the phone is merely a prototype, as it lacks any Xiaomi branding on its back and looks somewhat unfinished.
That, or it could be a fake. Reason being that the camera array looks as if it has been superimposed onto the leather panel, as its shadow appears ridiculously darker than it should be. Moreover, there aren’t any reflections on the glass cover, and there’s something off about the Leica branding and text. If not a fake, perhaps it could be a mere rendition of the Ultra model instead?
However, a 3D sketch of the phone shared by a separate leak implies that its elevated section of the rear panel and camera arrangement shown in the “prototype” is allegedly accurate. However, there are some slight differences such as the camera array protruding much further, the position of the periscope camera module, and more detailed panels on the case.
Specifications of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra are still not known at this time, though it would be unsurprising if it were to feature a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and Sony’s 1-inch 50 MP sensor for its primary camera. Chances are, what would set this variant apart from the Pro model is its larger display size, higher battery capacity, and a fourth camera on its back.
https://twitter.com/_snoopytech_/status/1623707005566197761?s=20&t=FIFw-kfoyskFnDQJ0diwNQ
As usual, we advise our readers to only take the information given through leaks with plenty of scepticism. We’ll only know for sure if these leaks are accurate or not once Xiaomi is ready to confirm the Ultra model’s existence. Additionally, leakster SnoopyTech claims that the top-end model would not appear alongside its Xiaomi 13 siblings during this year’s upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC), an event which prior rumours suggest will see the first appearance of the smartphone. An on a related note, the vanilla and Pro models variants are confirmed to officially launch globally on 26 February 2023.
(Source: Weibo [1] [2], via NotebookCheck / SnoopyTech)
