vivo
Latest
Xiaomi retakes the smartphone lead in China as Apple slips
It looks like Apple's time at the top of China's smartphone heap was short-lived. Researchers at Canalys estimate that local brand Xiaomi has once again become the country's smartphone market share leader, snagging 15.9 percent of shipments during the second quarter of the year. In fact, Apple is down to third place -- one of Xiaomi's fastest-growing rivals, Huawei, claimed the runner-up spot with 15.7 percent. Samsung and Vivo rounded out the top five.
Year of the Goat: 11 Chinese smartphone brands to watch
2014 had been a wonderful year for the ever-competitive Chinese smartphone market. We saw the birth of new brands, the record of world's thinnest phone broken three times, and a couple of companies entering India with great reception (although not without some struggle). So with MWC following right after Chinese New Year, what better way to celebrate both than to look at the top Chinese smartphone brands? Granted, not all of these companies will be on the show floor next week (not Xiaomi or Oppo, for instance), but there's no stopping us from saying "ni hao" to them, anyway.
The world's slimmest smartphone is now 4.75mm thick
How thin is too thin? Well, the Chinese smartphone makers are always pushing their limits on this end. Following Gionee's 5.1mm Elife S5.1 and Oppo's 4.85mm R5, today Vivo has set a new record with its X5Max, a 4.75mm-thick Android phone that still manages to pack a number of notable features. The slim aluminum mid-frame houses a vibrant 5.5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED screen, a 1.7mm-thick logic board and a 5-megapixel f/2.4 front camera. Flip to the back and you'll find a 13-megapixel f/2.0 main camera -- the inevitable bulge that goes beyond the phone's official thickness by almost 2mm -- and a loudspeaker towards the bottom. On the whole, the phone feels surprisingly light (Vivo has yet to list the official weight) but also solid and well-made.
China's Vivo Xshot slaps Android on a bright and stabilized camera
Despite its relatively small presence outside China, Vivo is still a mobile brand that's worth keeping an eye on. The company's known for its fondness for high-end audio chips, and it's also often one of the very first to pack the absolute latest components into a phone, as demonstrated by its Xplay plus Xplay 3S. At one point, Vivo even boasted the world's thinnest phone until local rival Gionee broke the record. This time, the ambitious brand has launched a camera-centric smartphone dubbed the Xshot, which is the first to pack a camera with both a fast f/1.8 lens speed and optical image stabilization. Naturally, we had to get our hands dirty with it.
Vivo Xplay 3S unveiled with a 6-inch 2K display, powerful audio amp and fingerprint reader
We came away rather impressed with the Vivo Xplay from China, so today's launch of its successor, the Xplay 3S (which is a bit odd as there was never an "Xplay 2"), is something that we've been looking forward to since the teaser way back in October. As mentioned before, this new Android phone is still the first to pack a 2K (2,560 x 1,440) display, which works out to be a ridiculously high 490ppi density on the 6-inch panel. Like other recent Vivo phones, you'll find a pair of dedicated audio chips on the Xplay 3S -- here you have ESS Technology's ES9018 DAC and Texas Instruments' OPA2604 amplifier, both of which are said to be the crème de la crème in their respective categories. This should go nicely with the built-in DTS Headphone:X feature that brings 7.1 or even 11.1 surround sound effect to your stereo headphones; plus Vivo's video streaming service already hosts about 200 Headphone:X-capable movies (along with over 400 movies in 1080p and over 1,000 movies in 720p), with more to be added each month.
Daily Roundup: Vivo Xplay review, Star Wars Episode VII, Expand NY prizes and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Vivo Xplay review: $500 buys plenty of smartphone in China
A review of a smartphone that's primarily sold in China? Yes, that's exactly what this is, and with good reason. The Vivo Xplay merits attention because of the components it contains -- some of which are exotic, like its "HiFi grade" audio chips, and some of which are straightforward but desirable, like its huge, 5.7-inch 1080p display and Snapdragon 600 processor. The handset also helps to set a benchmark for what smartphone hardware is actually worth, since its $480 street price puts it closer to the smaller, Google-sponsored Nexus 5 ($350) than typical big-phones like the Galaxy Note 3 or HTC One Max, which fetch around $800 unlocked. Although US customers can import the Xplay for $520, it lacks the right bands for proper 3G support in North America and is actually more suitable for HSPA+ networks in the UK, where it costs £495. So, let's find out what China can deliver for that sort of money.
LG unveils the Fireweb, its first Firefox OS smartphone (video)
So far, Firefox OS has been limited to ultra-basic smartphones like the ZTE Open. LG is expanding the platform's reach today by releasing its inaugural Mozilla-powered handset, the Fireweb. The 4-inch device is still designed for newcomers between its 480 x 320 display, 1GHz Qualcomm processor and 4GB of expandable storage. However, its 5-megapixel camera is a big improvement over shooters in preceding phones -- this is the first Firefox OS phone with both autofocusing and an LED flash. Appropriately, LG is pricing the Fireweb above its simpler counterparts. Vivo Brazil is selling the Fireweb today for $449 BRL ($207 US) to pay-as-you-go customers, or $129 BRL ($59 US) to regular subscribers. It's now more expensive than LG's cheapest Android device, the $399 BRL ($184) Optimus L3 II. Hop past the break for both a video demo of the Fireweb and details of a Firefox OS market expansion that now includes Brazil, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay. Update: We've tweaked the post to reflect that the handset has 4GB of storage, not 2GB as previously noted.
Vivo Xplay 3S to be the world's first phone with a 2,560 x 1,440 display
China's appetite for top-spec phones has apparently reached an all-time high. Vivo, the company behind the super slim X1 and the audiophile-friendly Xplay sold in the Far East, announced on Sina Weibo that its upcoming multimedia-centric phablet will be dubbed the Xplay 3S. And yes, it's intentionally skipping the "Xplay 2" name "to break the routine." The main highlight here is that this is the world's first smartphone known to pack a Quad HD (2,560 x 1,440) display (though Vivo calls this "2K" instead, which isn't as precise). While no screen dimension was mentioned, LG did announce a 5.5-inch panel with the same resolution back in August, so it's likely that Vivo will overindulge our retinas with this 538ppi display. Other specs mentioned include Qualcomm's faster Snapdragon 800 SoC variant, the MSM8974AB, which has already been announced for the WCDMA and CDMA2000 flavors of the Xiaomi Phone 3 due later this year. Thanks to this piece of silicon, the Xplay 3S will also support both China's TD-LTE and the more common FD-LTE. That's all the information we've been given so far, so stay tuned for a launch date.
Pinterest launches an Android widget, but only for Telefonica customers
If you can't stop checking Pinterest while on the road, today's your lucky day... provided that you subscribe to the right cellular carrier, that is. Pinterest has just released an Android widget that's available exclusively to customers on Telefonica's networks, including O2, Movistar and Vivo. The portal shows both personal feeds and popular items, letting users pin their favorite things from the home screen. At present, the Pinterest widget is available only as a download for O2 UK customers. Telefonica will start preloading the software on O2 phones within a few weeks; rollouts to the brand's other carriers are coming "in due course."
Vivo X3 smartphone stuffs air gestures and high-end audio into a 5.75mm-thick shell (video)
Did you think Huawei's Ascend P6 was a slim smartphone? It has nothing on BBK's just-unveiled Vivo X3. Despite a 5-inch (if 720p) screen, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a front 5-megapixel shooter and a 1.5GHz quad-core MediaTek processor, the X3 measures a wafer-like 5.75mm thick in its blue variant. There's plenty of party tricks under the hood, too -- the Android 4.2 device has both an infrared sensor for touch-free gestures and a dedicated audio chip from ESS. It also preserves much of the better hardware from its slower and thicker X1S cousin, including the 16GB of non-expandable storage and the 2,000mAh battery. The Vivo X3 ships to China on September 1st for the same ¥2,498 ($408) as the X1S. If the device proves tempting, you can check out the Engadget Chinese hands-on; their English-language video is available after the break.
Vivo's Y19t is a phone built for China and aimed at ladies, has front-mounted flash for well-lit selfies
Vivo may not be a well-known smartphone brand here in the states, but the firm's been pushing out audio-centric phones in China for more than a minute. Its latest handset, the Y19t, is aimed at the female market (hence the hot pink exterior) and is a more imaging-conscious unit -- it's got a 5-megapixel camera and flash on its front complementing an 8-megapixel shooter round back. The phone's also equipped with a 4.5-inch, 960 x 540 IPS display, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of storage and dual SIM slots (one for micro and one for nano SIMs). Like its cousin, the X1, the Y19t has a MediaTek SoC and a non-removeable 2,000 mAh battery, but unlike its predecessor, this new phone has an MT6589 1.2Ghz quad-core chip inside its 7.4mm thick chassis. Naturally, it has Chinese-friendly TD-SCDMA and GSM radios and comes running Android 4.2.1 skinned with a Vivo UI. Like what you've seen (and heard) so far? Head on down to the source to see some screenshots, more device pics and a review of the Y19t's capabilities, but you might want to bring a translator with you -- it's written in Chinese.
The Daily Roundup for 05.07.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Vivo Xplay boasts 5.7-inch 1080p screen, dedicated audio chips and nifty single-hand mode (video)
Another 1080p quad-core Android phone, you say? Well, there's a bit more to it. Launched by BBK spin-off Vivo in Beijing just now, this 5.7-inch Xplay goes one step further than its smaller X1 and X1S cousins by packing one extra audio chip and the OPA2604 operational amplifier from Texas Instruments in order to add extra oomph to Cirrus Logic's CS4398 DAC and CS8422 stereo asynchronous sample-rate converter -- both of which are featured on the X1 series. If you're a DIY audio enthusiast, you might have already tinkered with an OPA2604 while making your own headphone amplifier; so in other words, Vivo is trying to save you the hassle. Before we dive into the audio performance, let's quickly look at the rest of the phone first. Underneath the 500-nit LTPS display lies a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core SoC (1.7GHz, 2GB RAM and Adreno 320 graphics engine), 16GB or 32GB of built-in storage, 3,400mAh battery and NFC. On the back you'll find a Sony 13-megapixel imager next to a pair of speakers (FLAC playback is supported natively), but flip the phone over and you'll be looking at a surprisingly generous 5-megapixel front-facing camera -- much like the one on Oppo's mid-range Ulike 2. Vivo's somehow managed to pack all of this into a 7.99mm-thick body with a screen bezel of just 2.3mm thick (which bests Pantech's thin-bezeled Vega Iron) and a large viewable-to-total area ratio of 75.11 percent. Alas, for 3G there's only WCDMA 2100, meaning the phone may have to rely more on GSM 850/900/1800/1900 or WiFi in many parts of the world. More after the break. Update: Hands-on photos added below, followed by a couple of video clips after the break. %Gallery-187693% %Gallery-187679%
BBK Vivo X1 hands-on
Even though we focus a lot of our CES coverage on the biggest (read: flagship) products announced at the show, we revel in the opportunity to find the little gems scattered in various corners of Las Vegas that may not receive quite as much attention. One such product is the BBK Vivo X1, a phone that was recently launched in China but hasn't seen any time on this side of the Pacific. Up until this week, this particular piece of circuitry was the title holder for "world's thinnest smartphone," measuring in at 6.55mm thick. (The Alcatel Idol Ultra now claims this title at 6.45mm, although it's technically not on sale yet.) Despite the small package, it also professes to pack a hefty audio punch, boasting a pair of Beyerdynamic MMX 71 iE earphones and Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC. We weren't able to test the audio prowess of the device in our brief interaction, but it felt reasonably good to hold in our hands overall. The Vivo X1 is one of the more sleek phones we've played with recently, but there's one piece of baggage that comes with that statement: it's slick. Our small concern with smartphones this thin is how well we can hang onto the ¥2,498 ($400) handset without dropping it on a regular basis, and its incredibly light chassis combined with its smooth plastic back add to that worry. At the very least, the 4.7-inch frame is easy to grip despite its slippery material. Spec-wise, you aren't looking anything out of the ordinary: a dual-core 1.2GHz MediaTek MT6577T processor and 1GB RAM help the phone get stuff done; it's powered by a non-removable 2,000mAh battery (rather large for such a slim phone) and offers a qHD IPS display, 16GB internal storage, a 3.5mm headphone jack, 8MP rear-facing camera and 1.3MP front cam. This device is geared primarily for China, so it's quite likely that we won't see it in many other parts of the world. But if you fancy a closer look at the Vivo X1, take a look at our extensive gallery of images below.
BBK's Vivo X1 is a phone for audiophiles, packs high-end DAC and Beyerdynamic earphones
We've never paid much attention to BBK's phones in the past, but today, this Chinese company -- who's actually the creator of the Oppo brand for the Western market -- announced a rather interesting Android 4.1 device. The idea of this Vivo X1 is that BBK wants to take audio very seriously on its new flagship phone, which is why it's been given a Cirrus Logic CS4398 digital-analog converter plus a CS8422 sample-rate converter -- a combo that's seemingly popular amongst Hi-Fi connoisseurs and manufacturers. And to match that audio performance, BBK's also throwing in a pair of Beyerdynamic MMX 71 iE earphones (20Hz-22kHz, 12Ω, 104dB) as part of the ¥2,498 ($400) package; though you can also choose the AKG K420 or the Sennheiser CX215 instead when buying from BBK's official online store. The rest of the Vivo X1, however, is more bog-standard in comparison: MediaTek MT6577T processor (1.2GHz, dual core, Cortex-A9), 4.7-inch 960 x 540 IPS display, 1GB RAM, 16GB built-in storage, eight-megapixel main camera, 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera and WCDMA 2100 3G radio. The only real highlight here is perhaps the 2,000mAh battery, which is non-removable but still rather impressive considering it's in a 6.55mm-thin body. Even the Oppo Finder has a 6.65mm thickness and yet lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack, whereas BBK's thinner phone has one. What's missing here is microSD expansion, but there's 15GB of Baidu cloud storage should users wish to take advantage of that. The Vivo X1 may just be available for pre-order now, but the folks at BBK couldn't help but tease the highlights of its next-generation device already: bezel-free design, 1080p display, big battery and 13-megapixel camera. We look forward to that.
HTC locks down Incredible S against custom ROMs too, starts a fight with its best friends
The Thunderbolt, you might have noticed, marked an unpleasant change for HTC by making it a tiny bit difficult to replace the company's own Android software with your favored community-sourced alternative. Well, turns out it's not alone and could in fact be just be the tip of an unhappy iceberg heading our way. The AndIRC guys responsible for cracking it open have also noted with some distress that the Incredible S -- likely to become the Droid Incredible 2 in the States -- features a similar signature check when flashing recovery images. In short, that means any ROMs that don't know HTC's "open sesame" password, won't be allowed to ride on your device. Bogus? Totally, dude.
