BARCELONA: Leica is expanding its push into the global smartphone market, unveiling a new edition of its Leitzphone that will be marketed worldwide for the first time.
Around 20 years ago Leica nearly went bankrupt after missing the shift to digital, but the smartphone segment has since become a pillar for the revitalised manufacturer.
The German camera and lens brand had already brought a Leitzphone to market, albeit only in Japan, first introduced in 2021 in cooperation with Japanese electronics giant Sharp.
Because of the comparatively small target market, experts then saw the Sharp tie-up more as a brand experiment than a serious attempt to generate significant smartphone revenue.
That is now set to change with a new partnership with Chinese electronics group Xiaomi, announced ahead of the MWC mobile fair in Barcelona.
With a price of just under €2,000 (RM9,200) in Europe, Leica is taking on premium makers such as Apple and Samsung.
To compete with the iPhone and top models from Samsung and others, Leica is leaning on technology normally found in large professional cameras. This includes a large image sensor that is much bigger than in typical smartphones.
It can capture more light, delivering better pictures especially in poor weather or at night. Around the rear camera there is a metal ring that can be rotated to adjust settings such as zoom or brightness, similar to a conventional camera.
Exclusive to the Leitzphone, the camera software includes filters that emulate the look of famous Leica cameras M3 and M9, producing, for example, distinctive black-and-white images.
In the cooperation with Xiaomi, Leica says it is bringing expertise in optics, colour calibration and image aesthetics. "Xiaomi complements this expertise with a powerful mobile platform that ensures high computing performance and efficient workflows," Leica chief executive Matthias Harsch said.
Leica optics are also found in several of Xiaomi’s flagship models, including the Xiaomi 17 and Xiaomi 17 Ultra phone, also announced this weekend.
Leica has posted record sales for four years and has long left behind its corporate crisis two decades ago. Back then it nearly missed the transition from analogue film photography to the digital world and came close to collapse.
Despite the current product success, the company is the subject of reports about a possible change of ownership. US private equity firm Blackstone, which has held around 44% since Leica delisted from the Frankfurt stock exchange in 2011, is preparing its exit, according to media reports. According to those reports, Leica Camera AG is being valued at around €1bil (RM4.6bil). – dpa
