With the termination of its co-branding agreement with Leica for all future SM8850 sub-series smartphones, Xiaomi is implementing a significant change in its approach to smartphone imaging. These phones will use Xiaomi’s proprietary imaging technologies instead of the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chipset, which is anticipated to power them.
Future Xiaomi and Redmi models, according to tipster Digital Chat Station, will either employ proprietary imaging brands or apply unique colour tuning that draws inspiration from the primary flagship series. There will be no external branding on these devices, such as Leica logos.
It is anticipated that the action will lower manufacturing costs and show Xiaomi’s faith in its in-house R&D teams. According to reports, co-branding with Leica resulted in additional authorization fees and licensing fees of $3 to $5 per device.
Xiaomi intends to upgrade its hardware with the money it saves from branding fees. Better sensors, enhanced computational photography, larger batteries, and modern flat-panel displays are anticipated in future devices. Additionally, Redmi’s camera capabilities are expected to be significantly improved, according to Digital Chat Station, which described the change as “epic-level.”
