Xiaomi Mi 9 mega 48MP camera phone is real and out in February

The Xiaomi Mi 9, a monster 48-megapixel camera phone, has been revealed at MWC 2019.

The high-resolution camera phone will be one of a new generation of handsets using the Sony-made IMX 586 48-megapixel sensor. But this will no be the only camera on the handset. 

It has now been revealed that this will be a triple-lens camera phone with ultra-wideangle and telephoto options thrown into the photographic mix. 

The telephoto-lensed camera will be a 12 megapixel affair, whilst the wide-angle camera will have a 16MP sensor. There is also expected to be a 16MP selfie camera, plus a further sensor to offer fingerprint recognition. It will be the first Xiaomi camera to feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, which promises a chip that is dedicated to processing photos and videos. 

Xiaomi Pocophone F1

Xiaomi Pocophone F1

Other 48-megapixel camera phones include the recently launched Honor View 20, the Huawei Nova 4,  and the Oppo F11 Pro which is also scheduled for an MWC 2019 release. Other 48-megapixel smartphones may well also be revealed at the trade exhibition.

Of course, megapixels are not everything – but this is proof the the race for more pixels is far from over. The previous record holder in this particular race was the Nokia with the Nokia 808 PureView which has a 41MP camera... so this is a significant leap. 

The Xiaomi Mi 9 is out in February costing just 449 Euros.

Read more:
MWC 2019: every camera phone we're expecting from the show

The best camera phone in 2018

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Marc Chacksfield

A technology journalist who has been in the industry for 17 years, Marc is the former editor-in-chief of TechRadar and has also steered the ship for technology brands including T3, Tom's Hardware and Tom's Guide, and is currently the director of Shortlist Media and co-owner of Shortlist.com. 


An expert in the field of camera phones and mobile tech, Marc has been a long-time specialist when it comes to phone reviews, hands-on coverage, reviews and rumors. As a frequent visitor to big trade shows like CES, he has also had boots on the ground for the latest camera announcements and breaking developments in fields such as 8K video.