Xiaomi has reportedly canceled the Xiaomi 18 Ultra, removing it from its launch plans, with the phone’s rumoured $1,500 price tag said to be the main reason. The claim comes from leakster Digital Chat Station, who suggests the company feared the flagship would not sell well enough to justify its cost.
The report follows Xiaomi’s confirmation that the Xiaomi 18 Pro and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max will launch globally. That move is notable in itself, since the predecessors of those phones stayed limited to China. An earlier rumour in August had already claimed the Ultra model was dead, and the new leak points to price as the deciding factor.
A Price Too Steep to Launch
According to the leak, the Xiaomi 18 Ultra was expected to cost around $1,500 for the base version with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Xiaomi reportedly believed that figure was simply too high, and that sales would not be strong enough to make the phone viable.
For comparison, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra launched at about $1,044 for a 12GB/512GB version. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra Leica Edition cost around $1,193 with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. At $1,500, the 18 Ultra would have sat well above both, despite offering less storage in its base version.
Three 200MP Cameras
If the leaked specifications were accurate, the phone would have leaned heavily on camera hardware. It was reportedly planned with a 200MP main camera using a 1/1.12-inch LOFIC sensor, a 200MP periscope camera with a 1/1.28-inch sensor and continuous optical zoom, and a 200MP ultrawide camera with a 1/1.56-inch sensor.
It was also expected to carry a flagship chipset, a flat display with 1mm bezels, and symmetrical stereo speakers. The camera system may have been the biggest cost driver, which makes the $1,500 estimate more believable given only 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage in the base model.
What We Know About the Canceled Xiaomi 18 Ultra
One caveat matters here. The original Digital Chat Station post is reportedly no longer accessible, so it is unclear whether the leakster still stands by the claim. Xiaomi has not officially confirmed the cancellation either.
For now, the phone should be treated as reportedly canceled rather than officially discontinued. The pricing question may also depend on where rivals land. Camera-focused flagships such as the Vivo X500 Ultra and the Oppo Find X10 Ultra have not yet revealed their prices, so it remains to be seen whether $1,500 becomes normal for this category.
FAQs
Has Xiaomi officially confirmed the Xiaomi 18 Ultra cancellation?
No. Xiaomi has not confirmed that the Xiaomi 18 Ultra has been canceled. The claim comes from leakster Digital Chat Station, whose original post is reportedly no longer accessible.
How much was the Xiaomi 18 Ultra expected to cost?
The phone was reportedly expected to cost around $1,500 for the base 12GB/256GB version. Xiaomi reportedly believed the price was too high for sales to be strong enough.
What cameras did the Xiaomi 18 Ultra reportedly have?
Leaked specifications pointed to three 200MP cameras: a 1/1.12-inch main sensor, a 1/1.28-inch periscope with continuous optical zoom, and a 1/1.56-inch ultrawide.
Which Xiaomi 18 phones will launch globally?
Xiaomi has confirmed that the Xiaomi 18 Pro and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max will launch globally. Their predecessors remained limited to China.
