Vivo is launching another mid-range smartphone from its V series, the V60, which adds a telephoto lens to the rear camera system. Vivo’s product cycle is faster than perhaps any other brand with exposure to multiple markets, considering it just launched the previous V50 a mere six months ago.
Granted, where the global version of the V50 first launched in India and spread to other markets, Vivo is releasing the V60 in Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam first, branching out to others afterward. As has been the case for a few generations now, Zeiss’ collaboration with Vivo anchors the camera, and while there’s still a focus on portrait photos, adding a telephoto lens should provide far more versatility.
The Vivo V60 Is Brighter and Tougher
Not surprisingly, many of the changes from the V50 are iterative and incremental. The V60 uses the same 6.77-inch AMOLED screen (2392 x 1080) with a 120Hz refresh rate, only it’s a little brighter by comparison and has new tougher Diamond Shield screen protection.
A 6500mAh battery is pretty monstrous for something in this range, and it’s an upgrade over the 6000mAh battery in the V50. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset is an upgrade, too, albeit a minor one. The V60 comes with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The body has both IP68/69 dust and water resistance, so it’s built to be durable. There’s even a One-Tap Water Ejection feature that pushes moisture away from speakers.
Telephoto Joins Newer Camera Layout
The 50-megapixel “Super Telephoto” periscope-style camera (73mm equivalent) is the big addition, using a Sony IMX882 sensor and f/2.65 aperture. This marks a first for the V series, and Vivo will throw various modes and features at it. One is applying it to the existing Zeiss Multifocal Portrait mode that emulates focal lengths of 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 100mm, with a special emphasis on the 85mm as the one that feels the most genuinely tuned for photographers. The standard Aura Light ring light returns as well.
Then there’s the 10x Stage Portrait mode (243mm equivalent) for hybrid zoom close-ups from further away, along with a 30x zoom Super Telephoto Enhancement algorithm that tries to clean things up. Vivo claims that even 100x zoom shots are usable, which is almost unheard of for a phone in this range.
Vivo also changes things up with the main 50-megapixel main camera (23mm equivalent) by going with a Sony IMX766 sensor to boost low-light photography and benefit from better dynamic range. The 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera is the newest one Vivo’s used since the V30, though it says little about it otherwise.
AI Photo Tools
The Vivo V60 will also add AI-enhanced photo tools, including a newer one called AI Four-Season Portrait, which applies seasonal color palettes to outdoor shots. The idea is that you can swap out the background for scenery reflecting any of the four seasons. AI Erase 3.0 lets users remove unwanted people or objects with a tap. AI Reflection Erase removes glare from glass surfaces, and AI Magic Move allows users to reposition subjects in the frame while automatically filling in the background.
Users can try to extend the edges of a photo to create more expansive compositions via AI Image Expander. Finally, AI Photo Enhance tries to revive old or low-resolution images through an upscaling process.
Google Gemini is also part of the AI mix with features like Circle to Search, AI Captions, Live Text, and AI Screen Translation. Another one called AI Smart Call Assistant runs real-time call captions and translations during global business calls. Others, like AI Intelligent Summary and AI Captions, provide automatic notes and transcripts.
As always, Vivo’s Funtouch OS is the Android overlay, and the company is extending support to four years of Android and security updates when the previous limit was three years.
Available Soon for Under $500
Vivo will launch the V60 in four colors: Berry Purple, Ocean Blue, Summer Blue, Desert Gold, and Mist Gray. Pricing is expected to settle between $400 and $500, based on current conversion rates.
Image credits: Vivo