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As the buzz surrounding the Xiaomi 14 series starts to fade, users’ eyes are turning to Xiaomi’s upcoming flagship series, the Xiaomi 15 series.
The most promising rumor yet is that these devices could mark the debut of Qualcomm’s next-generation Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chipset. However, there are also whispers of new periscope cameras for the Xiaomi 15 Pro and 15 Ultra.
Here’s everything we know so far about the Xiaomi 15 series, including its release date, prices and possible features.
When will the Xiaomi 15 be released?
Xiaomi has not yet revealed any news about the next generation of flagships. For context, this is when the previous models were launched:
- Xiaomi 13 – December 2022 (China), March 2023 (Worldwide)
- Xiaomi 12 – December 2021 (China), March 2022 (Global)
Based on this, we expect the Xiaomi 15 series to be unveiled soon December 2024 in China, ahead of a global launch in March 2025.
However, the rumors of this being the first Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 phone could change things. Qualcomm’s next flagship phone chip will almost certainly be announced at the Snapdragon Summit on October 21 and 23, so it could arrive in China earlier than usual. GSMArena believes this could mean an October launch.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
We expect to see three models: the Xiaomi 15, Xiaomi 15 Pro and Xiaomi 15 Ultra. However, the Xiaomi 15 Pro may never leave China, as was the case with the Xiaomi 14 Pro.
And as with all Xiaomi phones, don’t expect any of the 15 series phones to ever be sold in the US. Your best bet is to try importing one.
How much will the Xiaomi 15 cost?
As with the release date, there are no details on what the new models will cost, so we’re looking to the precedents for clues.
Here are the launch prices of the previous generations:
There were slight price increases in the 13 series compared to the 12 series, but the 14 series remained the same price. We think it’s likely that Xiaomi will stick to roughly the same levels when the Xiaomi 15 series arrives.
However, according to a Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station, the Xiaomi 15, Xiaomi 15 Pro and Xiaomi 15 Ultra could be more expensive than their predecessors. However, it is not clear how much more expensive.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
What specifications and features will the Xiaomi 15 have?
At the moment, there are not many rumors and leaks about the Xiaomi 15 series.
However, according to Digital Chat Station, the Xiaomi 15 series entered the next phase of internal testing in April and mass production will begin in September this year.
This means we could soon find out a lot more about these devices.
Design
Notebookcheck has revealed details about the fingerprint scanner in the 15 series, indicating a shift to single-point ultrasonic technology from the optical fingerprint technology used in the Xiaomi 14 series.
Ultrasonic fingerprint recognition, which works via ultrasonic waves under the screen, generally provides better security and reliability as it is typically faster, more accurate and more resistant to water.
Display
In December 2023, Digital Chat Station (via Gizmochina) stated that the standard Xiaomi 15 would retain its 6.36-inch screen size, similar to the Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 14. Unlike the Pro variant, Xiaomi is not planning a curved panel to be used for the standard model.
The leak also suggests that the display will offer a peak brightness of 1400 nits and a power-efficient 120 Hz LTPO refresh rate technology.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
In the same post and also that of June 2024 (via GSMArena), Digital Chat Station has additionally revealed details about the upcoming Xiaomi 15 Pro.
Rumor has it that it will have a micro-curved screen with “2K” resolution, like the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, and with even thinner bezels compared to the Xiaomi 14 Pro, from 0.9mm to an impressive 0.6mm.
Performance
Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chipset is expected to debut in October and will likely power top-end mobile devices.
According to Yogesh Brar, a usually reliable source, Xiaomi apparently has an exclusive deal to be the first to use the chipset. That means the Xiaomi 15 series is likely to be the first with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4.
Cameras
Xiaomi is reportedly planning to use the Omnivision OV64B in the Xiaomi 15 Pro, a 64Mp sensor seen in several POCO, Redmi and Xiaomi smartphones, including the Poco X6 Pro. While the Poco
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra may have a 200Mp periscope camera with a variable zoom length of 3x to 5x.
Despite these changes, the primary cameras are expected to remain at 50MP. GSMArena says that “the Xiaomi 15 and 15 Pro will both feature a custom OmniVision 50mp main snapper with a 1/1.3-inch sensor size and a large (but undisclosed) aperture,” based on Digital Chat Station’s post on Weibo of May.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
A more recent post from the leaker (also via GSMArena) claims that the Xiaomi 15 Pro will feature a new 50Mp single aperture main camera and a “super-sized” sensor, replacing the variable aperture of its predecessor. Additionally, it may have a 50MP 3x telephoto periscope zoom camera and could be slightly thinner.
Both phones may also feature a new multi-layer anti-reflective coating, which should improve light transmission and reduce glare and ghosting.
Charge battery
According to Notebookcheck, the Xiaomi 15 and 15 Pro are said to be equipped with high-density batteries, but their capacities are not known for the time being.
To recall, the Xiaomi 14 is powered by a 4,610mAh battery, supported by 90W fast wired charging and 50W wireless charging.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
On the other hand, the 14 Pro packs a 4,880mAh battery and supports 120W wired charging and 50W wireless.
A 5300mAh battery in the 14 Ultra is significantly larger than the 14 Pro’s 4880mAh cell, although 90W wired charging is actually slower. To compensate, there is 80W Qi wireless charging.
Software
The Xiaomi 15 series will most likely be available with Android 14 and Xiaomi’s HyperOS skin out of the box. However, given the expected December release date in China, it is also entirely possible that it will debut with Android 15 on board.
This is everything we currently know about Xiaomi’s upcoming flagships. We will update this article if we learn anything new.
In the meantime, check out our guides to the best phones and the best Xiaomi phones to see what the Xiaomi 15 series will be up against.