The Chinese smartphone manufacturer aims to make the leap: negotiations underway with Hasselblad to equip the next top of the range with top-notch optics.
Xiaomi has set out to make the leap and replace Huawei in the role of premium Chinese smartphone manufacturer. And to do so, it knows very well that its smartphones must have one key feature: a super camera, which takes excellent photos. And to take excellent photos you need two things: an ultra-high resolution sensor and professional optics.
The Chinese manufacturer, for years now, has solved the first problem: Xiaomi's smartphones have ultra-high resolution cameras and the latest top of the range, the newly presented Xiaomi Mi 11, confirms it with its 108 MP main sensor. But despite the "ultra" sensors, Xiaomi's cameras have never been excellent, due to lenses that are not up to the sensor. Xiaomi would have decided to solve this problem by following the path already traced by other competitors, Chinese and not: to ally with a large and prestigious international name in professional photography. That name is Hasselblad.
Who is Hasselblad
In the world of consumer electronics, few people know the Swedish brand Hasselblad, but not so in the world of digital photography. Hasselblad is probably the best manufacturer in the world, at least at the moment, of professional medium format cameras.
Hasselblad's X1D, which costs about 6 thousand euros, is the object of desire of many professional photographers and amateurs who can afford it.
Xiaomi chooses Hasselblad?
Hasselblad, therefore, is not only a guarantee of quality optics but also has a remarkable name and fame. Xiaomi lo sta e starebbe trattando con la casa svedese per realizzare insieme la fotocamera principale dei prossimi smartphone top di gamma. In questo modo non solo la qualità delle foto aumenterebbe notevolmente, ma crescerebbe anche il prestigio di Xiaomi e la sua appetibilità per chi cerca un “camera phone“.
A riportare la notizia della trattativa in corso tra Xiaomi e Hasselblad è stato il leaker cinese Digital Chat Station, su Weiboo. Un leaker di solito abbastanza affidabile. Ma, oltre al leaker affidabile, a dar credito a questa notizia è l’idea stessa di uno smartphone Xiaomi con ottica professionale.
Altri competitor, infatti, hanno già fatto lo stesso e con ottimi risultati: Huawei ha un nome e un mercato anche grazie alle ottime ottiche Leica dei suoi sensori (usate anche nell’ultimo flagship Mate 40 Pro), mentre Vivo recentemente si è affitata a Zeiss per le ottiche del suo ultimo X60. Insomma, il binomio smartphone cinese e ottica famosa funziona e Xiaomi lo sa.