Xiaomi 13 Ultra Abounds with a New and Improved Periscope Zoom Lens

The rumored Xiaomi 12s Ultra successor from the 13 series finally started leaking on the internet. Since their flagship 13-lineup is yet to become whole, enthusiasts are excited to witness the MI 13 Ultra's entry. The rumor mill has managed to unearth its highlighting features before an official announcement.

In a recent break on Twitter, a notable leaker from the NotebookCheck website claims that the giant's new Xiaomi 13 Ultra variant will feature a new and improved periscope camera on the rear. The tipster stated that the periscope sensor under its squared socket would shock everyone. 

For those of you who don't know, periscope sensors are optical zoomers with the sensor embedded sideways. They fold up inside smartphones and transmit light from the lens to the image sensor with prisms, much like the periscope in submarines.

When it comes to photography, a periscope zoomer is not new for Xiaomi. Since the last Ultra MI 12 brought a premier 48MP periscope with 5X OIS zoom, the sensor following it is bound to shock everyone. The publication on the former's website also hints that the new optical build on 13 Ultra will challenge Samsung S22 Ultra's 3x and 10x photography at a flagship Xiaomi phone price.

Since the leaker didn't mention the camera stats anywhere, we are skeptical about his claim. While optical builds are Xiaomi's forte, its phones lack the software capabilities to optimize images from the lenses. In smartphones these days, hardware improvements are only as functional as the AI doing the post-processing. Most companies use the same flagship sensors by Sony and still need to catch up to their competitors (i.e., Samsung, Pixel, and iPhones) in terms of photography. 

Whether Xiaomi will improve periscope zoom through software is still under debate. We'll have to wait for the official word to confirm the suspicions. The brand's upcoming top-end flagship device will offer high-end features, while lower-end value-added devices like the Redmi 10C cater to budget-conscious consumers. Redmi 10C's latest price in the market is Rs. 31,999.