Vivo is still making up its mind. A fresh leak from Digital Chat Station reveals the X500 Ultra's engineering team is testing three different 200MP periscope telephoto sensors — and the winner isn't chosen yet. The sizes in contention: 1/1.12-inch, 1/1.3-inch, and 1/1.4-inch. Three sensors. Three different philosophies. One final slot.
Summary
- Vivo is testing three 200MP periscope telephoto sensors for the X500 Ultra: 1/1.12-inch (aggressive), 1/1.3-inch and 1/1.4-inch (balanced) — none finalized.
- The 1/1.12-inch option would be one of the largest telephoto sensors ever put in a smartphone, offering exceptional light intake but requiring a thicker, more complex module.
- Vivo already cancelled a 10x dedicated periscope prototype for the X500 Ultra in June — the final design uses a single 200MP sensor with in-sensor zoom instead.
- The X500 Ultra is unlikely to launch in 2026. A first-half 2027 China debut is the current expectation, with a simultaneous global release planned.
- For context: the Xiaomi 17 Ultra uses a 200MP 1/1.4-inch Samsung HP9 periscope. Vivo is testing whether it can go bigger than that.
Three Sensors, Three Trade-offs
Here's what each option actually means in practice. The 1/1.12-inch sensor is the most aggressive choice. A larger sensor captures more light per pixel, which matters enormously at telephoto distances where you're already fighting against optical physics. The trade-off is physical: a sensor that big needs more space, a longer lens module, and potentially a thicker camera bump. At ultra-premium flagship pricing — which the X500 Ultra will certainly carry — that might be acceptable. But it's not a free lunch.
The 1/1.3-inch and 1/1.4-inch options are the balanced routes. The 1/1.4-inch is exactly what the Xiaomi 17 Ultra uses in its Samsung HP9 periscope — already a class-leading telephoto sensor by any current benchmark. Matching that spec is table stakes for the X500 Ultra. Going to 1/1.3-inch would put it ahead. Going to 1/1.12-inch would be a genuine statement.
Vivo's engineers are clearly not settling for "good enough" here. They're running actual comparison tests across three hardware variants, which suggests the performance delta between them is meaningful enough to justify the engineering time.
The decision between a 1/1.12-inch and 1/1.4-inch telephoto sensor isn't just about megapixels — it's about whether Vivo wants to build the most ambitious zoom camera system in the industry or the most practical one. Both are defensible choices.
The 10x Periscope Is Already Dead
One important piece of context from June: Vivo tested and cancelled a dedicated 10x periscope telephoto for the X500 Ultra. Digital Chat Station confirmed the prototype was shelved. The current direction is a single 200MP periscope with in-sensor zoom handling the full zoom range — the same philosophy Vivo used on the X300 Ultra. It's a known commodity. The only open variable is which 200MP sensor sits inside that system.
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In-sensor zoom at 200MP is genuinely impressive when done right. At full resolution, cropping into a 200MP frame gives you effective zoom levels that rival optical equivalents, without the mechanical complexity and potential image quality penalties of a second periscope mechanism.
When Does It Actually Launch?
Not this year. The X500 Ultra is expected in the first half of 2027 — likely Q1 or Q2 — alongside a global release rather than a China-exclusive debut. The standard X500, X500 Pro, and X500 Pro Max are the September 2026 devices. The Ultra is the follow-up. Given that sensor selection is still open in July 2026, a 2027 timeline makes complete sense. Mass production decisions typically need to be locked months before launch.
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