Highlights
- Vivo X500 series launches in China today with lineup including X500, X500 Pro, and X500 Pro Max.
- A leak suggests the base Vivo X500 is priced at 6,499 yuan (~$970), nearly 50% higher than Vivo X300’s 4,399 yuan (~$605) starting price.
- Leaked slide shows multiple tiers up to 7,999 yuan (~$1,193).
The Vivo X500 series is set to launch in China today, i.e September 21. Rumours and official teasers until now have revealed some key details about he lineup, which is expected to include the Vivo X500, Vivo X500 Pro, and Vivo X500 Pro Max. While we wait for an official announcement to get the full picture, a new leak suggests Vivo could be preparing for a major price increase with its upcoming series.
Vivo X500 Price Leaked
Tipster Digital Chat Station has shared a blurry image on Weibo that appears to show a Vivo presentation slide. The slide reportedly lists the Vivo X500 with a starting price of 6,499 yuan (around $970). If accurate, this would make the new standard model significantly more expensive than the Vivo X300.
The image was captured at an angle, making some of the text difficult to read. However, the phone shown appears to be the standard Vivo X500, based on the left-aligned camera module and the name visible on the presentation slide.
The leaked slide shows five prices listed below the launch date. The base variant is said to cost 6,499 yuan (around $970), while the other visible prices are 6,999 yuan (around $1,045), 7,499 yuan (around $1,119), and 7,999 yuan (around $1,193). The fifth price is partially cut off in the image.
Vivo is not the only smartphone brand that has increased prices in China this year. Huawei, Xiaomi, and Honor have also raised prices on some of their smartphones amid increasing memory costs. However, a nearly 50% increase over the previous-generation starting price would be considerably larger than the price hikes seen from these brands.
Vivo X500 Leaked Price Compared To Vivo X300 Price
The Vivo X300 was launched in China at 4,399 yuan (around $605) for the 12GB RAM + 256GB storage variant. At the top end, the 16GB RAM + 1TB model was priced at 5,799 yuan (around $800).
If the leaked 6,499 yuan starting price for the Vivo X500 turns out to be correct, the new phone would cost 2,100 yuan (around $313) more than the base Vivo X300. This works out to an increase of roughly 48%.
Every price shown in the leaked Vivo X500 slide is also higher than the launch price of the highest-end Vivo X300 configuration.
Meanwhile, the reason for the possible price increase has not been confirmed. A Geekbench listing has reportedly revealed the phone with 12GB of RAM and either a MediaTek Dimensity 9500 or Dimensity 9600M chipset. This is said to be the more affordable chipset option for the regular Vivo X500.
Also Read –
Vivo X500 Global Edition Spotted on Geekbench With Dimensity 9500, 12GB RAM and Android 17
Vivo X500 and X500 Pro Max Global Appear on UAE TDRA Ahead of China Launch; X500 Gets TÜV Certified
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