Oppo May Have Canceled Its Ultra Flagship, But Vivo Seems on Track

Oppo may have scrapped its ultra flagship, but Vivo appears to be on schedule to unveil its own. Digital Chat Station indicates that Vivo is progressing with the development of its X500 Ultra smartphone, slated for release in March or April 2027. Huang Tao, Vivo's Vice President and Product Vice President, has confirmed this timeline, stating the phone aligns with its typical development cycle and will be launched in March or April.

The X500 Ultra aims to outperform the Pro Max model, particularly in camera capabilities, with a focus on catering to professional content creators. Vivo initially launched the X500 series in China without an Ultra version, making the X500 Pro Max the top-tier device available at present. The X500 Ultra specifications, according to leaks, may incorporate Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chipset, potentially replacing the MediaTek chip used in the Pro Max.

The device might boast a 6.85-inch BOE display with a 2K+ resolution, a 144Hz refresh rate, and LTPO technology. The screen is expected to have a flat design, uniform bezels, and rounded corners. It could also feature a 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. As for the camera setup, reports suggest the X500 Ultra might sport a triple rear camera system comprising 50MP, 50MP, and 200MP lenses, along with a 50MP front camera.

The specific role of each rear sensor remains uncertain, with earlier leaks pointing to various 200MP telephoto lenses, causing some ambiguity about the final camera configuration. Vivo has not acknowledged or confirmed these leaked specs, and the company may yet make additional hardware adjustments prior to the release. As of now, the X500 Ultra is still projected to hit the market in March or April 2027, though Vivo has not fixed a specific launch date.