Vivo X200 Ultra Officially Launched in China, Touted as iPhone 16 Killer

Vivo has officially launched its latest flagship smartphone, the Vivo X200 Ultra, in China. Packed with high-end specs and advanced camera technology, it is being positioned as a strong rival to the upcoming iPhone 16.

The device boasts a 6.78-inch QHD+ LTPO AMOLED quad-curved display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Powering the phone is the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, paired with the Adreno 830 GPU.

It runs on OriginOS 5 based on Android 15, with Vivo promising four major Android updates and five years of security patches. The phone is also IP68 and IP69 certified, ensuring durability against extreme dust and water conditions.

Photography is the standout feature here. The X200 Ultra uses a large Sony LYT-818 50MP sensor for both the main and ultrawide cameras. The highlight, however, is the 200MP periscope lens (ISOCELL HP9) offering 3.7x optical zoom.

Enhanced by two dedicated image processing chips—V3+ and VS1—the phone utilizes AI for superior photo quality. Vivo also includes ZEISS optics with up to 8.7x optical zoom capability. Video recording supports 8K at 30fps and 4K at 120fps.

Fueling the device is a massive 6,000mAh battery, with 100W wired fast charging and 30W wireless charging. It also supports reverse charging and features an in-display fingerprint sensor.

Chinese pricing starts at:

• 12GB/256GB: CNY 6,499 (~US$920)

• 16GB/512GB: CNY 6,999 (~US$990)

• 16GB/1TB: CNY 7,999 (~US$1,130)

Color options include Black, Red, and White with a suitcase-inspired Rimowa design.

China Smartphone Market Heats Up, iPhone Sales Plunge

China’s smartphone market surged in Q1 2025, with shipments reaching 71.6 million units—a 3.3% YoY growth, outperforming the global growth of 1.5%.

The growth is largely driven by ongoing government subsidies extended through January 2025, which have also boosted the global smartphone market.

Despite Apple’s dominance worldwide, its performance in China continues to decline. Only 9.8 million iPhones were sold in Q1 2025, marking a 9% drop YoY.

In contrast, Xiaomi experienced the highest growth, up 39.9% YoY, shipping 13.3 million units to claim an 18.6% market share. Huawei followed closely with 12.9 million units (18%). Oppo and Vivo also posted growth, albeit modestly, at 3.3% and 2.3% respectively.