Vivo X500 Series Could Launch with a Dedicated Vlogging Camera and Telephoto Accessories

The Chinese tech giant is not done making advancements in smartphone cameras. This time, however, the company has gone even further than phones, having allegedly started working on a new vlogging camera and a range of phones collectively referred to as the Vivo X500 series, in addition to some telephoto accessories meant for midrange devices. Both of these advancements may hit the Chinese market in September 2026 according to some initial reports and rumors.

In an interaction with the media, the Vivo executives Huang Tao and Han Boxiao accepted the harsh truth, even though smartphone cameras are very powerful, content creators still need dedicated devices for vlogging and live-streaming.

It seems that Vivo has realized the necessity of having a product like this as it has been reported that the company has plans of launching a compact and pocket-size vlogging camera with stabilization features suitable for self-recording and vertical shooting. This indicates Vivo’s plans of competing with the likes of DJI Osmo Pocket 3 and DJI Osmo Pocket 4 which will soon hit the market.

What’s unique about this camera from Vivo is that this could be integrated with the company’s smartphones in terms of functionality. In other words, this could enable file sharing and editing between the two devices seamlessly. It would mean that creators could get DSLR stability using their smartphones.

This also shows that the company, in collaboration with Zeiss, has now started working on products that could provide quality imaging services outside of the phone as this imaging partnership was renewed only in 2025 starting with the X60 series.

Apart from the camera that can record videos for social media purposes, Vivo is reportedly testing a new telephoto extender. This technology has been used before in other smartphones, such as the Vivo X300 Ultra in China.

The accessories include the Vivo G2 Telephoto Extender and the Vivo G2 Ultra Telephoto Extender, both designed to improve distance shooting in situations such as a concert, animal watching, or sporting events.

Vivo is now considering adding this capability to the upcoming Vivo S60 series, which should be released within the May-June timeframe in China. Globally, the phone range will be known as the Vivo V Series and fall into the upper mid-range category.

The development could mean an innovative improvement in mid-range mobile phones, whose core focus usually lies on main camera sensors and front-facing selfies. The inclusion of telephoto extender support could lead to genuine long-distance shooting features, which are not available in most mid-range mobiles.

There is a caveat to the idea. Vivo has hinted at the possibility of quality inconsistency when using external attachments to capture images. Therefore, the implementation of the feature is still under consideration, with global availability, including India, pending further analysis.

The upcoming Vivo X500 Series is expected to skip the X400 branding entirely and launch directly as the next major upgrade in Vivo’s flagship lineup.

Expected Highlights:

• Likely launch timeline: Q3 2026 (around September)

• Continued focus on camera innovation and imaging hardware

• Possible debut alongside the new vlogging camera

• Expansion of accessory-based photography ecosystem

Compared to the previous generation, Vivo may launch the X500 series slightly earlier, signaling a more aggressive release cycle.

The recent strategy adopted by Vivo can be seen as part of this trend. The company is creating an entire ecosystem of cameras, involving:

• Stand-alone vlogging camera for creators

• Camera accessories (telephoto modules) for phones

• Imaging-related software improvements

Such an approach might change the way people perceive mobile photography, which has traditionally been rather incremental in the mid-range category.

Vlogging camera could prove to be just what creators have been waiting for – a compact yet efficient tool. Telephoto module accessories could introduce optical flexibility into the affordable price segment.

The strategy that Vivo has in mind when planning its Vivo X500 series goes much further than a regular smartphone update. By introducing an exclusive vlogging camera and a whole telephoto extender system, one can see that this corporation wants to take control of the world of image technology designed for creators.

And if everything goes according to plan, then this will help Vivo establish itself not only as a company manufacturing smartphones but as a developer of innovative camera technologies.