Xiaomi 18 series will cancel the Ultra version, streamlining the lineup to three different models.

A blogger revealed on social media that the Xiaomi 18 series lineup has been streamlined from four models to three: the Xiaomi 18, Xiaomi 18 Pro, and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max. An Ultra version will be absent from this iteration. Many netizens speculate that this may be closely related to the significant increase in memory prices.

Since 2026, DRAM contract prices have increased by more than 340% cumulatively, and NAND flash memory prices have also increased by more than 320%. The proportion of memory chips in the material cost of mobile phones has surged from 10% to 15% to more than 30%.

At the same time, the cost of 2nm chips is also rising sharply. The cost of a single chip in Qualcomm’s next-generation flagship platform, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen6 Pro, is expected to exceed $300, setting a new record.

Following the established positioning of the Ultra product line, if top-tier imaging, large-capacity memory, and satellite communication were all included, the overall cost would be extremely high, and the price would likely exceed 10,000 yuan. However, Xiaomi has not completely abandoned the Ultra product line, and the Xiaomi 19 Ultra will still be released as planned.

Previously, Lu Weibing, president of Xiaomi Group, said in a live broadcast that in the second half of this year, especially at the end of the year, the price of some domestic flagship candybar phones may exceed 10,000 yuan.

He pointed out that the pricing of any mobile phone is now directly affected by the sharp rise in memory costs, and predicted that the upward trend in memory prices will continue at least until the end of 2027, and may even continue into 2028.

It’s worth mentioning that the release schedule for the Xiaomi 18 series has also been adjusted this year. The Xiaomi 18 Pro and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max will debut first in September, while the standard version will be unveiled separately at a later date, expected to be officially released in December.