Kalakshar US

Practically every flagship phone can take a great picture. But that hasn’t stopped Xiaomi from continuing its partnership with legendary camera maker Leica to produce a photo powerhouse in the new Xiaomi 15 Ultra.

Powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, it goes without saying that the Xiaomi 15 Ultra has top-notch specs. It also has a huge 6,000 mAh battery, which is bigger than anything you get from Apple, Google or Samsung. Meanwhile, when it comes to charging, wired speeds go up to 90 watts or just a tad slower at 80 watts wirelessly, which is no mean feat. And unlike most phones sold in the US, it comes with a power adapter in the box.

Elsewhere, the 15 Ultra sports a gorgeous 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 1-120Hz refresh rate and up to 3,200 nits of brightness. It’s also available in three colorways: a white model with an etched back, black with an almost rubbery textured finish and a special Silver Chrome edition that draws inspiration from some of Leica’s old-school cameras. I appreciate that the white model I tested features subtle swerves carved into its back that shine in the sunlight. But let’s be honest, that two-toned metal and black one is easily the most attractive of the bunch because it really leans into what this phone does best.

In back, there’s a massive circular camera module that normally I’m not a huge fan of when used on rival devices like the OnePlus 13. However, on this device, it’s more than just a showpiece because inside it is some serious photo hardware. The Ultra 15’s 23mm equivalent main camera uses a massive 1-inch 50-megapixel Sony sensor. Then, for stuff like expansive landscapes, there’s an f/2.2 50-MP ultrawide cam. But it doesn’t stop there because there’s not one but two zoom lenses: a 50MP midrange shooter with a 70mm focal length plus a super high-res 200MP periscope array with a 100mm focal length (which equates to a 4.7x optical zoom).

Now, I haven’t had a ton of time to fully put it through its paces, but from what I’ve seen so far, the Xiaomi Ultra 15 has one of the most well-rounded photo toolkits around. It’s got Leica optics along with big sensors and lenses that cover pretty much every focal length you’d need on a daily basis. And on the software side, there are some preset Leica filters like Vibrant or Authentic to really drive home the collaboration between the two brands.

That said, one of the things that impresses me the most is that Xiaomi even created a separate Photography kit that includes an add-on camera grip with a physical shutter button, an adjustable dial and a dedicated video button. There’s also a case that allows you to attach a standard 67mm filter adapter. This means, assuming you have the right gear, you can take some of the same glass you use on your real camera and use it with the Ultra 15. And this isn’t just some half-hearted afterthought either, as the kit also comes with bonuses like a hand strap, a decorative lens ring and two different removable caps for its shutter.

Notably, unlike some Chinese phones like those from Huawei, Xiaomi handsets still have access to Google services, so you can download apps from the Play Store. Even the company’s HyperOS 2 is a relatively minimalist Android skin that looks good and is easy to use. And while this model will be available globally starting at around €850, sadly there are no official plans to bring it to the US, which is a real shame because no one is really selling handsets like this in America anymore. (RIP to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1.)

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-xiaomi-15-ultra-is-a-leica-powered-photo-showcase-143001055.html?src=rss 

While I naively hoped to see the Galaxy S25 Edge ahead of MWC, that wasn’t what I saw last week at Samsung’s pre-show briefing. However, what I did see might intrigue many of you: a cheaper slice of Galaxy hardware in the form of the Galaxy A56. It will be available later this year, starting at $499 (or £499 in the UK), which is slightly cheaper than the Pixel 8a when it first appeared. Samsung also announced the Galaxy A36 and A26 today, and they’ll start at $399 and $299 respectively. 

Many of the A series upgrades this year match what we saw from the S25. The A56 is thinner than its predecessor, down to 7.4mm from 8.2mm, while packing a marginally bigger 6.7-inch screen. The bezels, which were usually one of the most prominent visual tells of an A series, have been shaved the device’s bezels down further on the A56, too.

The hardware has been tweaked, with a brushed metal frame and a minor design twist: a new slightly protruding bump on the side where the volume and power buttons sit. When I got to handle the A56 briefly, I liked this. Asymmetry aside, it was easier to handle, which was surprising since this was a 6.7-inch device, and I’m more used to 6.3-inch phones. The A56 felt less unwieldy. (Did Samsung’s designers read my unhinged editorial on the sides of phones and decide to muddy the waters further? Perhaps.) 

It’s a mixed bag on camera specs this year. The front of the A56 now has a lower-res 12-megapixel selfie camera, while on the back sits an upgraded 12MP ultrawide, 50MP main sensor with an f/1.8 lens and optical image stabilization. There’s still a 5MP macro lens for someone out there. 

Those new cameras feature many of the latest upgrades on the S25 family, including improved image signal processing for better low-light performance, as well as a raft of AI features, including enhanced subject detection in portrait mode. Samsung says the A56 will better recognize sky, skin, faces, hair and grass for improved bokeh effects.

Regarding AI-powered image editing, there’s also Object Eraser, auto trim for videos and Create Filter, where you can choose an existing image and apply its color and tone to a different photo. You’ll also get Best Face, which lets you pick from multiple captures for everyone’s best expression, as long as you have motion photos enabled. These aren’t new features on smartphones, but their addition brings the midrange A56 closer to the Galaxy S25.

Through One UI 7, the A56 gets style flourishes and home screen improvements like the Now bar, notification panel changes and scalable widgets in different shapes and sizes. Samsung also promises six generations of OS updates (up from four on last year’s A55) and six years of security updates.

As you can tell by now, there aren’t any surprises here. The 5,000mAh battery is the same size as the A55’s, although the charging speed is now 45W. The company says you can charge the device fully in just over an hour. Samsung has swapped to its own 4nm Exynos 1580 chip, too, with CPU boosts of around 18 percent. The hardware, once again, inches closer to the quality and premium feel of what we typically see on Galaxy S devices.

It’s peak midrange phone season. The Galaxy A56 goes up against the recently launched iPhone 16e, while rumors suggest Google’s Pixel 9a could break cover very soon. 

The Galaxy A36 and Galaxy A26

Samsung also announced the Galaxy A36 5G and Galaxy A26 5G today, which both have 6.7-inch screens that get as bright as 1,200 nits and refresh at up to 120Hz. They come with One UI 7 as well, including features like Circle To Search that previously launched on pricier phones. Plus, they also feature triple camera systems on the rear with a 50MP main sensor, though their ultrawide setup camera is not as sharp as the A56 at 8MP. Some of the software features, like Best Face, are also reserved for the A56, though you’ll still find the updated Object Eraser and Filters on the pair of cheaper handsets. 

Finally, though the A36 and A26 have the same IP67 rating and 5,000mAh battery as the A56, they’ll only pack 6GB of RAM and the A36 uses the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor instead of the Exynos 1580 in the A56. 

Galaxy A56 price and availability

In the UK, the Galaxy A56 will go on preorder on March 2nd and launch on March 19th. It’ll come in four “awesome” (Samsung’s wording) colors, Graphite, Olive, Pink and Light Grey. Because nothing screams awesome like a lighter shade of grey. While we do have US pricing, Samsung hasn’t shared more precise timing for availability than “later this year.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsungs-midrange-galaxy-a56-has-ai-photo-editing-and-a-bump-for-its-buttons-230018254.html?src=rss