Unboxing the Xiaomi 17 Ultra by Leica, Galaxy S26 Leaks, and Tech Highlights of Week 3

While it's only the third week of 2026, one of the most eagerly awaited smartphones of the year has arrived: the Xiaomi 17 Ultra by Leica. This phone boasts an exclusive dual-tone finish inspired by Leica cameras, featuring the iconic Red Dot logo. Its retail package is particularly impressive, including a 100W charger, a braided USB-A to USB-C cable, a protective case, a metal Leica lens cap, a red wrist strap, and a polishing cloth.

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra also showcases a knurled metal frame and a Control Ring – a mechanically rotating ring around the camera module that allows users to zoom between different focal lengths and cameras.

In other news, Samsung's Galaxy S26 and S26 Ultra have appeared in new Geekbench listings ahead of their anticipated launch on February 25. Both models are expected to come equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC, although the test units indicate differing clock speeds compared to the standard CPU variant.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is believed to use a slightly underclocked version of the chip, showcasing two cores at 4.19GHz and six cores at 3.63GHz. In contrast, the regular S26 was observed with an overclocked version, where two cores are boosted to 4.74GHz and the rest are running at 3.63GHz.

Additionally, the Galaxy S26 Ultra was spotted encased in an elegant aramid fiber case, which confirms its redesigned camera module and more rounded corners.

We also learned about the Xiaomi 17 Air, which was expected to compete with the iPhone Air but has reportedly been canceled. This device was designed to be only 5.5mm thin, featuring dual cameras with a 200MP primary lens, Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, and a 6.59-inch display.

As we await the launch of the Galaxy S26 series, rumors suggest that Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S27 Ultra will feature an enhanced 200MP main camera equipped with the ISOCELL S5KHP6 sensor. This camera is expected to match the size of the ISOCELL HP2 seen in the Galaxy S25 Ultra but will incorporate newer technologies for improved performance.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that vivo’s first V70 series smartphones—the V70 and V70 Elite—are set to launch in India in mid-February, with the V70 FE anticipated to follow at a later date. Moreover, the RedMagic 11 Air is confirmed to debut on January 20, featuring the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC and an integrated active cooling fan.

Additionally, we obtained some details regarding the displays for the iPhone 18 series, which is expected to feature four models with consistent display sizes. However, both the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max are rumored to include under-display cutouts for the Face ID technology.

The Nothing Phone (4a) series is confirmed to upgrade to UFS 3.1 storage, potentially leading to higher starting prices. Furthermore, Xiaomi aims to enhance its 17 series with a 17 Max model, boasting an impressive 8,000 mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging capabilities, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip.