This small Android flagship could outpace the Galaxy S26 and Pixel 10 with a 200MP telephoto

The earlier-than-usual launch of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 last year set a new cadence for Android flagship refresh cycles. This resulted in brands like Xiaomi and OnePlus unveiling their flagship phones, at least in China, months ahead of their usual launch timeline. And while Samsung has resisted this change — it’s launching the Galaxy S26 later compared to last year, it isn’t stopping other brands from already preparing for their next launches due later in 2026. In line with this, we’ve started hearing reports about phones from brands including Xiaomi and the upcoming Xiaomi 18 series, which could bring some exciting new changes.

Most recently, we learned about a major camera upgrade coming to the Xiaomi 18 phones. According to the leaker Digital Chat Station, an upcoming phone series is expected to feature 200MP periscope telephoto cameras across all the phones in the series. While the leaker does not specifically mention the brand, the language and the absence of the characterizing emoji they typically use with leaks for other brands suggest they are referring to the next Xiaomi flagship, most likely the Xiaomi 18.

If true, this would be a big upgrade from the 50MP telephoto camera we’ve seen on the Xiaomi 17 series (only the Ultra comes with a 200MP telephoto). Additionally, it could truly revolutionize photography on the smallest phone in the series, the Xiaomi 18. For context, the base Xiaomi 17 uses a linear telephoto, not a periscope. By switching to a periscope lens, even on the base model, Xiaomi could achieve a longer focal range, enabling more natural background blur.

The leaker hasn’t revealed specifics about the underlying sensor for this 200MP camera or the tentative aperture for this telephoto camera.

While 200MP periscopes have been the norm among Chinese smartphone makers, these sensors have been limited to Pro or Ultra variants. By bringing it to the base variant, Xiaomi could inspire other brands to follow suit and, hopefully, compel Samsung to upgrade the telephoto lens on the Galaxy S27, now that the S26 has already entered production.

In addition to the leak about the Xiaomi 18’s cameras, the leaker also said the display size could be increased slightly from the current 6.3 inches, further cementing our assumption that they are indeed talking about the Xiaomi 18. Besides that, an older post from them said that Xiaomi, among other brands, would likely skip the more expensive Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro and stick with the regular non-Pro variant.

We’re still several months away from the launch, and these aspects could change with the brand’s internal analyses over time.