Vivo X70 series puts the focus on photography yet again
Like any other big player in the smartphone market, Vivo has quite a number of device families catering to different audiences. Since last year, the Vivo X series has been making headlines in mobile photography, particularly with its unique yet odd miniature gimbal system. Just less than a year after it launched the Vivo X60 series, one of the world's top five smartphone brands is coming with a new Vivo X70 with some new photography tricks up its sleeve while maintaining one important marketing detail.
Although they differ quite significantly in specs and capabilities, all three Vivo X70 models still bear that same ZEISS T* branding, referring to the special coating that's known for reducing reflectivity, ghosting, and other unwanted image artifacts. Other than that, though, the three mostly share the same name only, though the X70 Pro and base X70 definitely sound like close siblings. Only the Vivo X70 Pro+, for example, has that "Ceramic Window" that takes up almost half of the phone's back, acting as a sort of mirror for taking selfies using the main cameras.
Of course, Vivo lavished the X70 Pro+ with the best technologies it could muster, particularly its new self-designed Imaging Chip V1. The phone maker says that the chip uses an AI system for noise reduction and motion estimation, motion compensation (MEMC) effects. For the main camera, it uses a 50MP Samsung "Ultra-Sensing) ISOCELL GN1 that it pairs with a 48MP Sony IMX598 Ultra-Wide Gimbal Camera, without any mention of the gimbal system it used on the Vivo X50 Pro and Vivo X60 Pro/Pro+.
The Vivo X70 Pro and Vivo X70 have none of those and instead employ an "Ultra-Sensing Gimbal Camera" and Gimbal Stabilization 3.0 to compensate for motion. Again no mention of that physical gimbal system. These two phones are also powered by MediaTek 1200 5G chips while the Vivo X70 Pro+ runs on a Snapdragon 888+ 5G. To further emphasize the latter's premium nature, the X70 Pro+ gets a 6.78-inch 2K E5 AMOLED screen considered to be one of the best in the smartphone market.
Despite their differences, all three Vivo X70 series phones will launch with Funtouch OS 12, though it isn't clear if that is based on Android 11 already. That's because the Vivo X70 series is already rolling out in select global markets, with a September 17th shipping date in China. Prices range from 3,999 RMB ($620) for the Vivo X70, 4,799 RMB ($745) for the Vivo X70 Pro, and 5,999 RMB ($930) for the Vivo X70 Pro+.