Vivo X Fold 5: The Foldable Market Just Got Interesting

Vivo just dropped teasers for the X Fold 5’s India launch, and honestly, it’s about time. The foldable market here has been largely dominated by Samsung, so any competition is welcome, even if it comes with the inevitable anxiety of spending lakhs on something that literally bends in half.

The X Fold 5 landed in China recently, and now it’s making its way to Flipkart and Vivo’s online store. No word on the exact date yet, but given how aggressively they’re teasing it alongside the X200 FE, expect announcements soon.

Here’s what’s actually interesting: Vivo claims the carbon fibre hinge can handle 600,000 folds. That’s roughly 164 years of opening it 10 times a day, which is either impressive engineering or wildly optimistic marketing. At 217 grams and 9.2mm folded (4.3mm unfolded), it’s not exactly pocket-friendly, but then again, what foldable is?

The spec sheet reads like Vivo raided the parts bin and said yes to everything. Triple 50MP cameras with Zeiss branding? Sure. Two selfie cameras at 20MP each? Why not. Snapdragon 8 Gen 3? It’s not the newest chip anymore, but it’ll do the job without complaints. The 6,000mAh battery with 80W charging is genuinely solid, though foldables are power-hungry beasts.

Both screens use 8T LTPO tech—the main one stretches to 8.03 inches while the cover display sits at 6.53 inches. Nothing revolutionary, but competent enough for the premium segment Vivo’s clearly gunning for.

The durability claims are where things get ambitious. IPX8 and IPX9 water resistance, IP5X for dust, and apparently it works at -20°C. Great news for anyone planning to unfold their phone during a Himalayan trek, I guess.

They’ve thrown in a customizable shortcut button, which is one of those simple additions that makes you wonder why every phone doesn’t have one. It’s programmed for quick access to camera, torch, notes—basic stuff that’s actually useful.

The real question is pricing. Vivo’s been pushing into premium territory lately, but the Indian foldable market is still finding its feet. Samsung’s been charging astronomical amounts for their Folds, and while competition usually drives prices down, foldables seem immune to normal market logic.

Look, foldables are still a flex more than a necessity. The X Fold 5 seems competent enough—good cameras, decent processor, solid battery, and durability claims that might actually hold up. Whether that’s enough to crack Samsung’s monopoly here depends entirely on whether Vivo prices it like they actually want to sell it, or if they’re just here to show they can play in the big leagues too.

Either way, more options can’t hurt.