Opinion: Leica helped Xiaomi create a flagship that takes better photos than the iPhone, and their partnership makes sense despite Xiaomi copying iOS elements
I am one of the ‘knock-off’ critics in the post and I am delighted … Dan Seifert / The Verge : Leica licenses its brand to Xiaomi because it makes sense to.Former Verge reporter Sam Byford has a lengthy rebuttal in his Multicore newsletter to the criticisms … Jason Snell / Six Colors : Sam Byford on ‘Chinese knockoffs’ ↦ X: Sam Byford / @345triangle : wrote about xiaomi, leica, apple, and china. truly a multicore greatest hits. link in following tweet because elon [image] Sam Byford / @345triangle : tagging @sdw and @gruber because they're mentioned and i respect both of them. i don't blame anyone for not being unhinged like me and swapping between a dozen phones a year, but it does give me a certain perspective Sam Byford / @345triangle : i think it is time to stop considering chinese phones knockoffs or ripoffs if you haven't spent time using them and understanding the worldwide mobile market. https://www.multicore.blog/... Ryan Fenwick / @ryanfenwick : Chinese tech companies (like all companies) certainly aren't perfect, and often the decisions made internally are confusing to Westerners. But Sam's article here is a very solid look at why brands like Xiaomi, OPPO and OnePlus deserve more respect. They've earned it. Ben / @bencsin : I'm very similar to Sam here, give or take a few details. I am all in on Mac too, and I too think ipad pro/apple watch are the best products in their class. But I just can't use an iphone as my main phone. The 15 PM improved enough to tempt me tho (whereas 13/14 were HELL NO) [image] Forums: r/apple : On ‘Chinese knockoffs’ and why Leica works with Xiaomi
Context & Ripple Effects
The piece revisits Xiaomi’s long-running tension between low-cost imitation critiques and its effort to build a broader product ecosystem. Earlier coverage characterized Xiaomi as an aggressive undercutter, while its software-linked ecosystem strategy suggested the company was seeking more than one-off phone sales.
Leica’s licensing partnership is presented as a case for judging Xiaomi on current product execution rather than solely on design resemblance. That matters because Apple’s advantage has historically been framed around hardware-software integration, not just component specifications.
First-order effects
- Leica gains a route to extend its imaging brand through Xiaomi flagships, while Xiaomi gains a credible camera-focused differentiator in comparisons with the iPhone.
- The rebuttal challenges the idea that iOS-like interface elements should automatically disqualify Xiaomi’s hardware and camera work from premium consideration.
Second-order effects
- Premium Android rivals face greater pressure to pair camera hardware with recognizable imaging brands or demonstrate equivalent imaging credibility on their own.
- For buyers, camera quality becomes a more salient basis for comparing Xiaomi with Apple, alongside ecosystem integration and software experience.
Third-order effects
- If such partnerships continue to shape flagship purchasing decisions, phone makers may compete increasingly through bundled brand credibility and imaging tuning rather than specifications alone.
- The broader implication is not that copying concerns disappear, but that product categories can mature from price-led competition toward differentiation through execution, ecosystems, and specialist partners.
The trend: Smartphone makers are using specialist brand partnerships and integrated product experiences to move premium competition beyond raw specifications and price.