Xiaomi is dropping the Ultra tier from its upcoming smartphone lineup, a move that removes a direct rival to Samsung's Galaxy S27 Ultra from the market. This cancellation reshapes the high-end Android landscape by leaving a gap in the premium segment where Xiaomi previously competed with top-tier hardware. Buyers looking for a Chinese Ultra flagship in the current cycle will need to look elsewhere.
Development halted for the top model while Pro variants continue
The Xiaomi 18 Ultra was the device set to carry this premium branding, but development has reportedly been halted entirely. The company will still release the Xiaomi 18 Pro and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max, which will serve as the primary flagships for this generation. This change indicates that Xiaomi is reassessing its product roadmap for the upcoming year.
Leaker Kartikey Singh stated that Xiaomi is ending development of the Xiaomi 18 Ultra entirely, instead choosing not to offer an "Ultra" flagship phone in its next-gen lineup. Rising memory costs are cited as a likely reason for the cancellation, as these expenses may have made the device too expensive to produce profitably. The source claims Xiaomi will return to form with the Xiaomi 19 Ultra next year.
The decision to cancel the Ultra model leaves the Xiaomi 18 Pro and Pro Max as the sole high-end options for this release cycle. This decision affects buyers who were seeking the high-end camera and display capabilities usually found in Ultra models. We looked at Xiaomi's previous Ultra models while tracking this cancellation to understand the brand's historical approach to premium hardware.
Source: NotebookCheck
