Vivo would like to expand its smartphone portfolio with the upcoming Vivo X500 series that has been officially announced for a September 2026 launch in China. Most of the new products will be camera and video focused, and the Pro will be more camera focused. The Vivo X500, X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max will be the new series.
One of the most dramatic things of the announcement is Vivo's decision to move from the X300 generation to the X500 series. The company has not made an X400-branded generation and the odd numbering decision has been attributed to tetraphobia, a superstition in parts of East Asia associated with the number four. Vivo would not even say that this is the reason for not using the X400 name, so it is an interpretation and not a definite answer.
The missing X400 name has brought attention, but the camera technology of the X500 series seems to be the bigger focus. Vivo has noted that there have been significant improvements in video recording, especially on the Pro and Pro Max versions. This is what it would be like to have a new main camera system in collaboration with Sony with Zeiss branding for Vivo to continue raising the bar for premium mobile photography in the future.
The Pro models will have a 50-megapixel main camera with a 1/1.28-inch sensor and the imaging hardware is expected to be developed jointly by Vivo's BluePrint imaging team and Sony. Vivo claims that the new sensor can provide up to 17EV of dynamic range so smartphones can keep more detail in very bright and dark areas of a scene. This could be particularly useful when shooting subjects in challenging lighting conditions.
Video recording is another major highlight. It is expected that the Pro versions will support 4K recording at 240 frames per second, for the sake of high quality slow-motion videos. The phones are also expected to offer 4K 120fps HDR video, allowing content creators to record high quality videos with improved dynamic range. This could make the X500 series particularly intriguing for users who regularly record videos on their smartphones.
Stabilisation is also receiving a lot of attention. Vivo is going to offer up to 3-degree optical image stabilisation on the main camera, which the company speaks of as gimbal-level performance. The X500 Pro Max is expected to be the most advanced version of this stabilisation system, with a CIPA 7.0 rating mentioned in the information provided on the list.
The Pro Max also could have a very powerful telephoto camera beyond the main camera. Reports currently indicate a periscope telephoto camera of 200 megapixels, but these are still based on initial specifications and not final specifications. The standard X500 will also have a 64-megapixel periscope telephoto camera.
The rest of the hardware is also expected to get big upgrades. Leaks and certification information in the reports suggest that the Pro models could have a MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro processor as well as the new memory and storage standards. Vivo has not officially described all processor and hardware specifications and therefore all the details of these are just expectations rather than final specifications.
Battery capacity could also be a strength for the series. Reports say that the X500 lineup could have batteries from about 6,500mAh to 7,500mAh, while the standard model is tipped for 90W wired charging and 40W wireless charging. These are still under investigation.
Display specifications are also expected to vary substantially between the three models. The standard X500 is said to have a 6.59-inch OLED display, while the X500 Pro could have a smaller 6.37-inch OLED panel with a 144Hz LTPO refresh rate. The X500 Pro Max is expected to have a larger 6.85-inch OLED display.
For Indian consumers, however, the big question remains availability. Vivo has formally announced the launch date for China in September, but they have not released an international or India launch date. Based on the release pattern of the previous X300 generation, we have the possibility that an international release could occur after the Chinese release, but this is still not yet known. There is also no pricing as yet.
The Vivo X500 series now looks like a major flagship launch, with camera and video capabilities at the centre of the upgrade. Zeiss-branded imaging, a Sony-developed sensor, high dynamic range, 4K 240fps recording and advanced optical stabilisation could make the Pro models particularly appealing to photography and video enthusiasts.
With the September 2026 China launch now confirmed, we expect more details about specifications, pricing and global availability as the launch approaches. Until Vivo makes any further announcement, even a few hardware details are expected or leaked specifications rather than confirmed features.
