The Vivo X500 series is officially confirmed to launch in September in mainland China, according to hardware announcements detailed by Gizmochina. Vivo product manager Han Boxiao revealed that the upcoming flagship lineup will span three distinct models: the standard Vivo X500, the Vivo X500 Pro, and the top-tier Vivo X500 Pro Max. The release marks a strategic shift for the brand, which is skipping the traditional X400 moniker entirely due to cultural naming conventions. In parts of East Asia, including China, the number four is actively avoided because its pronunciation closely relates to the word for death, a phenomenon widely known as tetraphobia.
Cinema-Grade Video Capabilities and Zeiss Optics
According to Gizmochina, the Vivo X500 series focuses heavily on advanced mobile imaging and cinema-grade video features. Vivo’s development team has partnered with Sony and Vivo’s internal BluePrint imaging group to engineer the Pro models’ main camera system. This hardware features a Zeiss Super Dynamic main sensor, identified as the 50-megapixel 1/1.28-inch BluePrint Guangyu 900 sensor. The component is engineered specifically around high dynamic range performance, capable of delivering up to 17EV of dynamic range. Gizmochina notes that Vivo characterizes this metric as the highest available in the industry, allowing individual frames to preserve shadow and highlight details in backlit environments.
Expanding beyond traditional photography, the new sensor architecture powers professional video functions. The Vivo X500 Pro series supports 4K 240fps slow-motion video recording alongside 4K 120fps HDR video capture featuring direct HDR output. To maintain smooth footage without requiring external hardware, the main camera integrates 3° OIS gimbal-level stabilization alongside CIPA 7.0 professional stabilization standards. Industry tipster Digital Chat Station reported that the internal development codename for the series is “Thanos 500,” pointing to a massive hardware push across both stills and motion capture.
Hardware Lineup and Telephoto Inheritance
The upcoming generation inherits specialized periscope telephoto technology from its predecessor. According to Gizmochina’s coverage of leaks from Digital Chat Station, the flagship lineup incorporates the 200-megapixel “Thanos” telephoto camera originally introduced in the Vivo X300 Ultra. This module utilizes a custom large-format 200MP HP0 sensor paired with a periscope lens structure. While Vivo has confirmed the September launch window and the presence of the base X500, X500 Pro, and X500 Pro Max variants, pricing details and international availability schedules remain unannounced.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the Vivo X500 series launch?
According to official statements reported by Gizmochina, the Vivo X500 series is scheduled to launch in September in China.
What models are included in the X500 lineup?
The lineup consists of three models: the Vivo X500, the Vivo X500 Pro, and the Vivo X500 Pro Max.
Why did Vivo skip the X400 name?
Vivo skipped the X400 generation due to tetraphobia, an aversion to the number four in East Asian cultures where its pronunciation closely mirrors the word for death.
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