Android’s Ultra flagship era could get a second chance in 2027

Credit: Hadlee Simons / Android Authority

TL;DR Many Android brands were expected to abandon their Android “Ultra” flagships in favor of slightly lower-placed “Pro Max” flagships, but a new leak indicates vivo could join Samsung in keeping Ultra-tier phones alive in 2027.

Leaked specs for the rumored vivo X500 Ultra include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chip, a 6.85-inch 144Hz 2K BOE flat display, a 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, and a battery with a capacity exceeding 7,000mAh.

Tipped for a China launch between March and April 2027, the phone is expected to offer hardware upgrades over the vivo X500 Pro Max.

We’ve seen an extraordinarily high number of Android “Pro Max” flagships launch over the last few weeks, almost signalling the end of Android’s “Ultra” flagship era as brands rein in their costs in this age of AI. …