Vivo has launched its first 18:9 (or 2:1) aspect ratio display phone with a large 24MP selfie camera. Tall, nearly bezel-less phones are the “in” thing in 2017 as realized in the LG G6/Q6/V30, Samsung S8/S8+/Note 8, Xiaomi Mi Mix/Mix 2, and iPhone X. (Note that these phones are out megapixel’d by the Vivo V7+’s selfie camera.) But Vivo is one of the first to offer a selfie-focused, upper-midrange-priced phone (P17,990) with a nearly bezel-less display after the midrange LG Q6 (which only has a 5MP front camera). The V7+ clearly aims for selfie lovers who would enjoy taking and seeing their selfies on a display sans borders. From September 21 to 29, the phone will be available for pre-order at Lazada PH.
Just a few thoughts before we hit the full specs:
Snapdragon 450, the processor on the V7+, only supports up to 21 MP in a single camera. So the phone’s 24MP front camera is most likely software-enhanced. But that’s actually fine, as you’ll see in the sample front camera selfie below.
The V7+’s P17,990 price means it competes with other selfie-focused, upper midrange phones which may offer better specs and selfie cameras – the OPPO F3 (P16990, dual 16MP normal and 8MP wide angle front cameras) and Vivo’s own V5 Plus (P19990 at launch, price dropped to P16990; 20MP and 8MP bokeh-capable selfie cameras) and V5s (P14990, 20MP selfie camera). These phones all have Full HD (1920×1080) displays; the V7+ “only” has HD+ (1440×720). So it’s possible selfies on the V7+ can’t be enjoyed on its HD+ display in all the image’s dense pixel fullness. But we’re sure it’s not as bad it sounds.
The V7+’s camera software doesn’t seem to capitalize on what a 2:1 display can do, unlike the camera app of the LG G6 (P37990 at launch, price dropped to P29900) and Q6 (P12990) which offer a film reel (see shots you took while inside the camera app), guided shot (one square as a guide photo, the other square as viewfinder), and dual shot (front and back camera used at once), among other features. But Vivo can always release software updates that expand what the V7+’s camera app can do.
While Vivo’s own V5 Plus and V5s seem better spec’d (FHD display, processor, dual cameras in the V5 Plus, etc.), there’s no denying that a nearly borderless display looks more alluring (and it makes Vivo’s older phones look, well, old). Hence, the absence of a front physical home button on the V7+. We think the launch of this phone is the company’s statement: From hereon, this will be the new look our phones.
And we’ll just say it: the V7+ looks a lot like the LG G6 (the first commercially available 18:9 / 2:1 aspect ratio smartphone) and the Q6 (the first midrange smartphone with same aspect ratio display).
Vivo V7+ Full Specs
5.99-inch HD+ FullView Display with 2.5D curved glass
1440 x 720 resolution at 267 ppi
1.8GHz 64 Bit Snapdragon 450 Octa-Core Processor | 4GB RAM
Adreno 506 GPU | Dual Nano SIM
64GB storage, up to 256 GB via dedicated micro SD card slot
Rear Camera: 16MP F2.0 OV16880 with Auto Focus and LED flash
Selfie Camera: 24MP F2.0 with softlight flash
3,255 mAh Battery
Android 7.1 Nougat with Funtouch OS 3.2
WiFi, 3G, LTE, Bluetooth 4.2, OTG, FM Radio, GPS, A GPS, GLONASS
Accelerometer, ambient light, digital compass, proximity gyroscope
Fingerprint sensor, AK4376A HiFi DAC,
Comes in Matte Black and Champagne Gold
155.87 x 75.74 x 7.7 mm | 160 g
PHP 17,990
The Vivo V7+ will be available for pre-order at Lazada PH from September 21 to 29, will be offered at Smart and Globe postpaid plans, and is scheduled to hit local stores starting September 30.
Actual images of the V7+ were provided by our friend from Gizguide.com, Peter Icogo. See sample selfie image below using the V7+. (Update Sep 22, 2017. The image that previously appeared below was not a sample selfie image taken with the V7+. It has now been replaced with an actual V7+ selfie photo.)
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