Vivo Cell Phones
Want to buy a Vivo smartphone? All available Vivo phones can be found here conveniently in one overview. The Vivo brand may not be well known outside China, but that doesn't mean they make unattractive phones. Compare them all here, including prices. For those who want something different, this is the starting point of your search. Read more
Found: 4 phones
Vivo in the news
Vivo originated from China's BBK Electronics. In 2023, BBK Electronics was split into three companies: Vivo, Oppo, and BBK Education Electronics. OnePlus and realme merged with Oppo, and iQOO with Vivo.
Vivo history
Vivo was founded in China in 2009 by Shen Wei. The company did not start marketing its products outside of China until 2017. These products mainly consisted of smartphones, accessories, and software. In 2020, Vivo began selling smartphones in Europe.
Vivo series
Vivo releases smartphones in three series: V, X, and Y. There is also the S series in its home country, China, but they rarely leave the country.
- Vivo V Series - Affordable camera phones
- Vivo X Series - Flagship series with elegant design
- Vivo Y Series - Youth series with appealing specs for little money
Sponsorship
Vivo also sponsors some sporting events and clubs. Examples include the World Cup, European Championship soccer, and the NBA in China. Vivo previously sponsored the Pro Kabaddi League in India, but that partnership ended due to disputes between China and India.
Funtouch OS
Vivo uses a self-developed version of the popular Android operating system for its smartphones. In their home country, China, this is called Origin OS. Outside China, it is named Funtouch OS. Vivo follows Google's version numbering, with Funtouch OS 14 being based on Android 14. With Funtouch OS, it is simply possible to download Android apps and use Google services.
There were rumors that Vivo would change the name to JoviOS for the European market, but nothing ever came of that.
Patent disputes
Vivo has been involved in several lawsuits in Europe regarding the use of patents. As a result of a court ruling, Vivo withdrew from some European markets. First in Germany and later from even more European countries. Vivo could reenter those markets when it has agreed with Nokia to use its patents.
Vivo + Zeiss
Vivo and Zeiss entered into a multi-year partnership in 2020 to combine the knowledge and skills of both companies. Therefore, we find lenses from the German company Carl Zeiss in some models, especially in the X series. These Vario-Tessar lenses are known for their high quality and can be found in the more expensive segment. In addition to lenses, Zeiss provides the Vivo phones with filters and settings for better camera results.
In addition to Vivo, Zeiss also collaborates with Sony. For example, some Xperia phones are equipped with a Zeiss lens.
