Xiaomi 18 Series Tipped to Launch Early in India; Ultra Model Said to Be Replaced By Pro Max Variant

Xiaomi 18 series is expected to be the upcoming flagship Android smartphone lineup. Ahead of any official announcement, a leak has disclosed the potential India launch window for the lineup. The Chinese tech brand is likely to launch the Xiaomi 18 family earlier than usual in the country. The upcoming lineup is expected to include three models, and they could run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro chipset. They could boast Leica-branded cameras. The Xiaomi 18 Ultra may have been cancelled.

Xiaomi 18 Series Reportedly Set for Early India Debut

Smartprix, citing tipster Yogesh Brar, claims that Xiaomi might launch the Xiaomi 18 series earlier than usual this year, and the lineup could go official in India in December. If this leak proves true, the new series might arrive two months ahead of Xiaomi's typical release timeline.

For reference, the Xiaomi 17 series, including the standard Xiaomi 17, Xiaomi 17 Pro and Xiaomi 17 Pro Max, was introduced in China in September 2025. The Xiaomi 17 and Xiaomi 17 Ultra were later launched in the Indian market in March this year.

The leak also indicates a change in Xiaomi's flagship portfolio. Instead of the usual lineup, the Xiaomi 18 series is tipped to include the vanilla Xiaomi 18, Xiaomi 18 Pro, and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max models, suggesting the absence of an 'Ultra' variant.

The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max is likely to be the premium model in the upcoming lineup. This model will reportedly be available in India in limited quantities.

We had previously heard that the Xiaomi 18 series would be released in China in September this year, around the Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit. The Xiaomi 18 series phones are likely the first handsets to feature the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro chipsets. They could come with Leica-branded cameras. Both Xiaomi 18 and Xiaomi 18 Pro are said to feature two 200-megapixel sensors. The Pro model is rumoured to include a 7,000mAh battery with support for 100W wired fast charging and wireless charging.