Leak suggests vivo X500 Ultra will keep Android’s Ultra tier alive in 2027

The report cited a Weibo post from tipster Digital Chat Station saying an upcoming “super large cup,” or Ultra-tier, flagship is “essentially locked in” with Qualcomm’s SM8975 platform, commonly called Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6. The post is very likely alluding to a vivo flagship, which would mark it as the vivo X500 Ultra, Android Authority said.

Leaked specifications for the rumored device include a 6.85-inch 144Hz 2K BOE flat display, a 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and a battery with capacity exceeding 7,000mAh. The phone is tipped for a China launch between March and April 2027. It is expected to offer hardware upgrades over the vivo X500 Pro Max, according to the report.

The leak follows a run of Android “Pro Max” flagship launches in recent weeks. Many Android brands had been expected to abandon Ultra flagships in favor of slightly lower-positioned Pro Max models, a shift that would have signaled the end of Android’s Ultra flagship era as brands rein in costs in the age of AI, Android Authority reported. The report described the recent volume of Pro Max launches as unusually high.

Samsung is still expected to launch the Galaxy S27 Ultra in 2027. If the vivo leak proves accurate, vivo would join Samsung in retaining an Ultra-tier phone, even as other brands move toward Pro Max naming and positioning.

The reported details remain unconfirmed by vivo. The timing, chipset and display specifications come from a single tipster post cited by Android Authority, and the X500 Ultra name is presented as the likely identity of the device rather than an official confirmation.