Next week, 4th July to be more precise, we will get to see that latest flagship offering from Xiaomi in the form of is 12S Ultra.

The Chinese firm has been drip feeding details about the device, with the latest being the 1″ Sony co-developed sensor that will power the Xiaomi 12S Ultra.

The new era of mobile photography is here.

Everything will be unveiled at 19:00 (GMT+8) on July 4th, 2022. #Xiaomi12SSeriesLaunch pic.twitter.com/nteecJfIYV

— Xiaomi (@Xiaomi) June 28, 2022

Xiaomi is really talking up the photographic capabilities of the new 12S series, with Leica announced as a new strategic partner following its split from long-time collaborator Huawei.

Along with having some of the clout that Leica carries, Xiaomi is also leveraging the technology of Sony and utilising a 1″ IMX989 sensor in the 12S Ultra. “This sensor helps boost focus speed and allows for better dynamic range,” Xiaomi has highlighted in the lead up to next week’s event.

To put the size of the sensor into perspective, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra features 1/1.33″ sensor, making the one found in the 12S Ultra about 1.7 times larger in terms of surface area. While size is not everything, the larger surface area should result in more detailed images and higher levels of nuance, which should also be boosted by some of the work that Leica is doing too.

While we would need to test out the camera ourselves, the 1″ sensor being utilised is on par with a Sony point and shoot Cyber-shot RX100VII. As such, we could see Xiaomi billing it specifically for photography enthusiasts or vloggers.

For now, we need to temper our excitement as it is unclear at this stage whether the 12S Ultra will be heading to South Africa, especially as notable flagship phones from the company are hard to find locally.

If the device has piqued your interest, you will be able to tune into the event come 21:00 SA time on 4th July via Xiaomi’s YouTube channel.