Xiaomi races ahead and vivo responds: X500 Ultra could arrive early

Seems paradoxical, but when it comes to leaks we’re in uncharted territory: vivo X300 Ultra is coming in the coming months, and yet there is talk already of its successor. There are no technical details or images, but behind the scenes things are starting to move well in advance for vivo X500 Ultra to such an extent as to hint at a debut well ahead of the usual schedule, perhaps by the end of the year.

Earlier-than-expected launch for vivo X500 Ultra: the Camera Phone showdown will become even more fierce

The timelines of the Chinese manufacturer are expected to be shaken up significantly in 2026, and the blame would lie entirely with Xiaomi and Qualcomm. The current X300 and X300 Pro (with Dimensity 9500) arrived last October, and the Camera Phone par excellence will arrive around March/April.

As we await the unveiling of the vivo X300 Ultra, the brand has already started work on the next generation. For the X500 family there are rumors of bigger batteries, but the hottest topic is undoubtedly the release window.

Flagships arrive earlier: early launch for everyone?

Qualcomm has accelerated the development of its flagship Snapdragon, and the latest incarnation was announced in September: initially the appointment with the new-generation SoC was always for November, then we moved to October and now even earlier. As a chain reaction Xiaomi 17 was launched in China in September – ahead of the brand’s usual timelines.

This has created a gap with flagship devices equipped with the Dimensity 9500: evidently manufacturers were caught off guard and both OPPO Find X9 and vivo X300 were announced in October. It is rumored that at least one of the two Chinese brands (or perhaps both) will launch the new flagship generation this September, to challenge Xiaomi and Apple.

There is a possibility to see vivo X500 and X500 Pro earlier than usual; according to the latest rumors, the same could happen for vivo X500 Ultra. The two siblings with Dimensity 9600 are expected for September or October, while the flagship variant with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 could find space toward the end of the year.

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra strategy

In reality this would not be an unprecedented strategy: Xiaomi hasn’t limited itself to launching the 17 family in September, but has also moved the release of its Camera Phone. The Ultra line is generally planned after a pause of several months – from September to February/March.

Xiaomi 17 Ultra was the Christmas flagship with an announcement in December (in China). An important detail to understand the strategy of the Chinese rival: vivo could challenge Xiaomi on two fronts, in September/October and then at the end of the year with a discount among Ultra models.