Xiaomi

Xiaomi 17 Ultra is the latest addition to the company's Ultra portfolio, which has been raising the bar for what a smartphone camera can do. The 12S Ultra launch in 2022 was a start to a camera purist smartphone range, and since then, we have got a new iteration every year - Xiaomi 13 Ultra in 2023, Xiaomi 14 Ultra in 2024, and Xiaomi 15 Ultra last year. And, 2026 is no different, thanks to the 17 Ultra launch.

In the premium segment, buyers expect nothing but the best from their smartphones. This would include excellent displays, crazy-good cameras and phenomenal battery life. But come 2025, we witnessed the reemergence of compact flagships. Devices that claimed to offer 'Pro'-grade hardware (including cameras) in a compact form factor, minus the 'Pro' price tag. A segment once dominated by Samsung's Galaxy S series, now has competition from a bunch of manufacturers like Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi that launched a series of compact and premium devices. 2026 is no different. Rising prices (due to the RAM crisis) have forced manufacturers to add more variety, with handsets like Vivo's V series entering the fray, starting at as low as Rs. 51,999. With so much competition, it does seem a bit odd that Xiaomi decided to raise the price of its latest compact flagship tag to a new high.

In the premium segment, buyers expect nothing but the best from their smartphones. This would include excellent displays, crazy-good cameras and phenomenal battery life. But come 2025, we witnessed the reemergence of compact flagships. Devices that claimed to offer 'Pro'-grade hardware (including cameras) in a compact form factor, minus the 'Pro' price tag. A segment once dominated by Samsung's Galaxy S series, now has competition from a bunch of manufacturers like Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi that launched a series of compact and premium devices. 2026 is no different. Rising prices (due to the RAM crisis) have forced manufacturers to add more variety, with handsets like Vivo's V series entering the fray, starting at as low as Rs. 51,999. With so much competition, it does seem a bit odd that Xiaomi decided to raise the price of its latest compact flagship tag to a new high.