Vivo S10’s Photochromic Rear Panel Enables For Interesting But Temporary Cover Designs

Vivo had recently unveiled its new S10 smartphone series in China last week. The series consist of a standard and Pro variants, which feature similar mid-range specifications but differ in terms of camera capabilities. Most interesting of all, both phones are the first from the brand to come with a rear cover which changes colour under direct sunlight.

This is thanks to an existing method known as photochromic technology, which has been re-engineered by Vivo in order to be used as smartphone covers. If the name sounds familiar, it is because the approach is also widely featured on certain eyewear – where its lenses would darken when exposed to bright sunlight and later revert back to normal when under normal or low lighting conditions.

The same effect also applies to the rear panels of the Vivo S10 series, which changes its default icy blue with an orange hue colour to a darker “Klein blue”. Vivo says that the process will only take three seconds to shift its tone under direct sunlight, and would gradually revert back to its original colour when kept away from it. Clearly, photochromic plays no significant role aside from being a visual gimmick, but it can be loads of fun with a bit of creativity.

Use this article’s header image for instance, which was shared by well-known leakster Ice Universe. In order to achieve something similar to that, simply place the Vivo S10’s rear panel underneath an object that features openings that allow sunlight to pass through, while also keeping some parts of the phone covered. In another example provided by Sparrow News, a flower is left on top of the case for a few seconds which then forms a very nice looking motif. As mentioned earlier, this is merely intended to be a nifty little trick to impress people at parties (probably).

Also, keep in mind that the photochromic effect isn’t to be confused with another colour changing technology that Vivo showcased last year, which was the electrochromic glass technology. Unlike the one featured on the S10, this piece of tech is a bit more fancier as it uses electricity to “turn off” an overlapping colour in order to expose a different one that is hidden below.

As for the smartphone series itself, both the standard and Pro variants come with the same 6.44-inch SuperAMOLED FHD+ display with 90Hz refresh rate, as well as an under-display fingerprint scanner. Housed within the screen’s notch is a 44MP + 8MP dual front camera system, while the upper bezel features dual front-facing LED lights which are similar to those offered on the Vivo V21.

The Vivo S10 series are powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 1100 chipset, paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. Powering the duo is a 3,970mAh battery with 44W fast charging technology via USB-C.

What sets both variants apart is the different primary cameras featured. The standard S10 model is equipped with a 64MP main camera, whereas the S10 Pro comes with a larger 108MP shooter. Both of which are accompanied by the same 8MP ultra-wide and 2MP macro cameras.

The Vivo S10 smartphone series is slated to go on sale in China on 23 July 2021 at a starting price of RMB2,799 (~RM1,832). The brand has not announced any plans of releasing either model in other regions at this time.

Samsung Display Providing Foldable Screens To Vivo And Xiaomi

Recently, Korean news outlet ETNews reported that Samsung is selling its ultra-thin glass (UTG) to Google for an upcoming foldable phone. Now, another Korean news outlet, TheElec, reports that the company is also supplying foldable OLED displays to two other brands. They are Vivo and Xiaomi, which are also poised to release their own foldable phones.

The report states that Google’s device will make use of a 7.6-inch panel that folds inwards. No mention of a secondary display for this one as of yet. As for Vivo’s model, it is said to be getting an 8-inch main screen and a 6.5-inch secondary screen. No details on the new Xiaomi foldable phone, though.

Among the three brands now buying displays from Samsung, only Xiaomi has experience in making a foldable phone. The company announced the Mi Mix Fold back in March. Chances are we will see something similar when the new model gets released.

Incidentally, the report also says that the OLED panel production for all three companies will only start in October. The report goes on to say that all three will be revealed in the fourth quarter of the year. With both display production and announcement happening in the same time window, their availability seems unlikely to be within 2021.

Samsung Display Providing Foldable Screens To Vivo And Xiaomi

Recently, Korean news outlet ETNews reported that Samsung is selling its ultra-thin glass (UTG) to Google for an upcoming foldable phone. Now, another Korean news outlet, TheElec, reports that the company is also supplying foldable OLED displays to two other brands. They are Vivo and Xiaomi, which are also poised to release their own foldable phones.

The report states that Google’s device will make use of a 7.6-inch panel that folds inwards. No mention of a secondary display for this one as of yet. As for Vivo’s model, it is said to be getting an 8-inch main screen and a 6.5-inch secondary screen. No details on the new Xiaomi foldable phone, though.

Among the three brands now buying displays from Samsung, only Xiaomi has experience in making a foldable phone. The company announced the Mi Mix Fold back in March. Chances are we will see something similar when the new model gets released.

Incidentally, the report also says that the OLED panel production for all three companies will only start in October. The report goes on to say that all three will be revealed in the fourth quarter of the year. With both display production and announcement happening in the same time window, their availability seems unlikely to be within 2021.

vivo X60 Series Pre-Order Begins In Malaysia; Price Starts From RM 2,699

First launched in China last December, vivo today has begun accepting pre-orders for the new X60 and X60 Pro in Malaysia. As noted in our previous report, the Malaysian variant of both devices is equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 instead of Samsung Exynos 1080.

For starters, the X60 is equipped with a 6.56-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display which also has a 120HZ refresh rate and housed a 32MP punch hole selfie camera. On another hand, the X60 Pro also has a similar screen size, refresh rate and selfie camera as well but its display has curved edges which are missing from the standard X60.

On the specs sheet, X60 and X60 Pro looked as if they have the same rear camera setup since both of them have a 48MP main camera as well as a 13MP telephoto camera and another 13MP ultra wide-angle camera that also acts as a macro camera. However, only the Pro model has a gimbal stabilizer for its main camera although all the rear cameras on both devices do come with Zeiss optics.

Somehow, vivo has decided not to include the 8MP periscope telephoto that was present in the Chinese variant of the X60 Pro to the unit meant for the Malaysian market. Meanwhile, both the standard and Pro version of the X60 Series devices in Malaysia are equipped with 12GB of RAM and 256GB internal storage as well as the support for 5G connectivity.

While both of them do support the 33W FlashCharge charger, the X60 carries a slightly larger 4300mAh battery as opposed to its Pro counterpart which has a 4200mAh battery instead. Price-wise, the vivo X60 can be obtained for RM 2699 while the X60 Pro goes for RM 3,299.

Available for pre-order from now until 26 March, vivo Malaysia provides additional freebies for the early adopters of the X60 Series devices through selected platforms. For example, vivo Malaysia’s own online store is giving away a robot vacuum while the brand’s official store on Lazada and Shopee is giving away an X8 smartwatch.

At the same time, the company is also providing the Protection Plus package which includes a 1-year extended warranty and a 1-year screen crack protection to all pre-order customers of X60 and X60 Pro. This regardless of whether they purchase these devices through vivo Malaysia’s official online stores, vivo concept stores, or participating dealers.

There is also a gift box and luggage bag but if you need further clarification, you can always reach out directly to vivo Malaysia through its official Facebook page.

Vivo X60 Smartphone Series Now Official; Launching In China On 29 December

Vivo has officially lifted the drapes over its new X60 smartphones, which features the new Samsung Exynos 1080 chipset and also Zeiss-equipped cameras. The phone is revealed to launch in China on 29 December 2020. 

The company has not revealed much regarding the X60’s specifications, although it is said to also come with Vivo’s revamped operating system. As announced by Samsung China last month, the new phone is the first device to be equipped with the Exynos 1080 mid-range processor.

From the official image, it appears that we will be expecting two variants of the Vivo X60 which has yet to be officially named. Both models feature the same Zeiss-equipped triple camera setup, one of which is larger and more prominent than the other two. An additional periscope camera module is seen on what seems to be the Plus or Ultra variant of the new smartphone series.

Specifications such as the series’ RAM, storage and battery configurations, as well as details of its cameras are expected to be fully revealed during the upcoming launch. Vivo has yet to reveal if it is planning to release the new X60 series outside of China after its initial debut.