This upcoming phone could beat the Galaxy S27 Ultra, and here's when it might launch

Vivo just launched the X500, X500 Pro, and X500 Pro Max phones in China yesterday, but recent history suggests that the X500 Ultra is also in the works. Now, the company may have officially confirmed the existence of the Ultra phone, along with a launch window.

According to leakers Smart Pikachu and Digital Chat Station on Weibo, Vivo apparently revealed that the X500 Ultra was coming, and would launch in March or April next year. A screenshot posted by Smart Pikachu purportedly shows a vivo executive confirming a launch window. You can view the machine-translated screenshot below.

We’ve asked vivo for confirmation of the X500 Ultra and its launch window, but the company hasn’t come back to us with an answer just yet. Nevertheless, we’re expecting a cutting-edge camera experience if or when it eventually launches.

The last two vivo Ultra phones shipped with a 35mm main camera, so it’s a safe bet that the X500 Ultra might offer this option once again. The X200 Ultra also shipped with an optional 200mm (8.3x) add-on camera lens, while the X300 Ultra upped the ante with a 400mm (~16.6x) external lens. So don’t be surprised if the X500 Ultra ships with similarly impressive camera accessories. Otherwise, we’re expecting flagship Snapdragon silicon and a focus on high-quality video capture.

There might also be good news if you’re waiting for the vivo X500 series at large to launch outside China. The X500, X500 Pro, and X500 Pro Max may have just been spotted on the EU’s EPREL database, strongly hinting at a wider release. So you might not have to wait too long for a global launch.