Vivo

Once upon a time, pre-releases of Android's next version were available only to a limited few. Of course, Google's own Nexus phones, later Pixels, had first dibs on any development version but some big names in the Android empire also boasted that preferential treatment. Almost like a testament to Android's more open development strategy, a number of manufacturers have all but simultaneously announced the availability of Android 12 beta for some of the phones, some companies you might not have expected to just that early into a development preview in the first place.

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Android has long been criticized for its fragmentation, especially when it comes to OS updates. New iOS versions are almost always installed within just weeks after its release while some Android phones are still left with versions two or three years old. Of course, part of the problem lies with manufacturers that updated slowly or even rarely. Recently, however, these companies have been stepping up their commitments and Vivo is the latest to promise three years of major Android OS upgrades, at least for its flagship phones.

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In response to the US' sanctions and export bans, Huawei has been waging a campaign to rid itself of its dependence on Google's mobile operating system, or at least its proprietary parts. Although it sounds like an epic endeavor to replace Android, Huawei's Harmony OS definitely has big ambitions to be present in almost all smart markets. Going just beyond its own smartphones, however, there are now rumors that Huawei wants to spread its new platform to other phones as well, including those from its competitors and compatriots in China.

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Over the past years, Vivo has been steadily rising in the smartphone market where it now belongs among the world's Top 5 phone brands. Just like any other big phone maker these days, Vivo also has its own sub-brand, the independent iQOO that's aiming for a younger market with different tastes and different needs. One of those needs is speed and performance, particularly for gaming. That's exactly what the new iQOO 7 series is promising to deliver, especially the iQOO 7 Legend that slaps on BMW's Motorsport name to emphasize its monster gaming specs.

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It was really inevitable, no matter how much the company tried to spin the narrative. Given global conditions and a legal predicament in the US that predated this pandemic, it was only a matter of time before Huawei's mobile business took a big hit. That time has seemingly come this year, at least as far as the first quarter of 2021 is concerned. While the entire smartphone market grew, Huawei found itself pushed out of the top 5 by its own fellow Chinese rivals.

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Although it was really inevitable, the foldable phone train was, at least for a while, delayed by last year's more pressing global events. Things seem to be moving forward now, though, with Huawei finally launching its true second-gen foldable and Xiaomi finally jumping on board with the Mi Mix Fold last month. Those, however, aren't the only phone makers with foldable ambitions, and, according to some sources, OPPO and Vivo will also be joining the fray sooner rather than later.

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Throughout all the changes that smartphones have undergone through the years, one thing that has remained constant, a least in the past few generations, has been the focus on better cameras. Almost just as important as the software user experience, the ability of these personal computers in our pockets to create a visual record of our lives has proven to be of importance to people from all walks of life.

No smartphone maker has been able to turn a blind eye on that trend and this year, Vivo has gone all out on the X60 Pro+ and we take it for a test run to see if its combination of high-end sensors and the ZEISS name is all that it's cut out to be.

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2021 started with a bit of uncertainty, especially for the smartphone market. Has the economy recovered enough to take big risks in new products? Or are consumers still opting to make "safe" purchases of familiar and tested products? The one thing that remains unchanged even with the pandemic is people's needs for an accessible smartphone with top-notch cameras that can capture their memories in perfect detail and performance that goes beyond its price tag. That's what Vivo is promising with the Vivo X60 Pro, one of its first to be made in collaboration with famed optics company ZEISS, and we take an intimate look to see if it all checks out.

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This January, 2021, OPPO held the largest smartphone market share in China for the first time in history. They also became the #2 5G manufacturer in China. OPPO's smartphone market share in China reached 21% in January of 2021, beating Vivo, Huawei, Apple, Xiaomi, and the rest.

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Folding smartphones are the future of mobile devices delivering significantly larger screens while still offering a portable form factor. Folding smartphones are currently available from several manufacturers. A new patent has surfaced from Vivo, hinting at a future device with an interesting folding form factor.

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With Huawei's position in the smartphone market hanging by a thread, the opportunity for other players to displace it has become even greater. This opportunity is mostly open to Chinese manufacturers like Xiaomi, OPPO, and, of course, Vivo. The latter has just laid out its plans this year and it is quite ambitious in growing not just its market presence around the world but to also grow its digital ecosystem of apps and photography content.

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Vivo has definitely been rising in the global smartphone market, in no small part thanks to some of its rather bold new features. The Vivo X50 Pro, for example, brought the world's first phone camera gimbal system and, despite the lukewarm reception, is returning this month to a slightly smaller degree. That said, the Vivo X60's claim to fame won't be that and will instead be its partnership with famed optics company ZEISS, hoping to also raise its profile in smartphone photography circles.

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