Xiaomi 18 Pro Could Launch Before Standard Xiaomi 18 Model, Tipster Claims

Xiaomi 18 series is believed to be in the works with the purported Xiaomi 18, Xiaomi 18 Pro and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max models. While we wait for Xiaomi to confirm its existence, a new leak from China claims that the company could launch the Xiaomi 18 Pro and Xiaomi 18 separately this year. They are likely to ship with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro chipset, which has not been unveiled yet. They could keep the predecessor's trademark Leica tuned cameras.

Xiaomi Could Be Plannning a Staggered Launch for the Xiaomi 18 Series

Tipster Digital Chat Station (translated from Chinese) claims in a post on Weibo that Xiaomi will change its launch pattern this year for the Xiaomi 18 series. Instead of releasing the standard and Pro models together, the company is said to be planning to introduce the premium Xiaomi 18 Pro first. The standard Xiaomi 18 is said to arrive thereafter.

The tipster states the gap between the two launches will be short, and both devices are likely to go on sale before the Chinese Spring Festival, which will take place in February next year. The Xiaomi 18 Pro is rumoured to see the light in September.

Xiaomi's rumoured launch pattern appears to be similar to Apple's rumoured plans for its iPhone 18 series. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models are said to go official in September this year, while the standard iPhone 18 could be launched at a later date in 2027.

Last year, Xiaomi 17 was launched in September in China alongside the Xiaomi 17 Pro and Xiaomi 17 Pro Max models. The Xiaomi 18 is tipped to feature a 6.4-inch screen with 2K resolution. It was recently spotted on the GSMA database under the codename "Madrid".

Both Xiaomi 18 and Xiaomi 18 Pro are said to feature Leica-branded rear camera units, including two 200-megapixel sensors. They could run on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro chipset.