Vivo’s next flagship foldable is being tested with a 200MP camera and Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, setting it up for a direct fight with Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 on both imaging and performance, according to early leaks.
Vivo X Fold 6 leak: camera and chip
A reliable Weibo tipster known as Smart Pikachu claims the Vivo X Fold 6 prototype pairs a 200MP rear camera with Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 and a side-mounted fingerprint reader. For context, the current X Fold generation relies on Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and a trio of 50MP sensors, striking a balance between premium imaging and cost by avoiding the top “Elite” bin of Qualcomm’s flagship silicon. Moving to 200MP suggests a more aggressive push for camera leadership, while the side-mounted scanner hints at a slimmer chassis and dependable unlocking on both screens, which is often preferable in large foldables where in-display ultrasonic readers add thickness and complexity.
Why 200MP matters for foldables
High-megapixel sensors are not just about spec sheet bragging rights. A 200MP sensor such as Samsung’s ISOCELL HP3 uses tiny 0.56µm pixels and typically bins them 16‑in‑1 to produce 12.5MP images with a much larger effective pixel size, improving low-light performance without sacrificing fine detail. This resolution also enables in-sensor cropping, delivering cleaner, “lossless-style” short-range zoom before optical lenses need to step in. Vivo already leans on this approach: its X100 Ultra uses a 200MP periscope telephoto to deliver unusually sharp 10x and long-range zoom, aided by advanced stabilization and multi-frame processing, and porting a similar idea to a foldable—especially if the 200MP unit is a periscope rather than the main wide—would make the X Fold 6 stand out.
Overcoming typical foldable camera compromises
Foldable phones usually lag behind slab flagships in camera quality because internal space around the hinge must also accommodate batteries, cooling hardware, and complex display mechanisms. That constraint often forces brands to use smaller sensors or less ambitious optics compared to their bar-shaped flagships. If Vivo can integrate a stabilized 200MP camera stack without upsetting weight distribution or thickness, it could reset expectations for what book-style foldables can do in mobile photography.
Performance, thermals, and design trade-offs
Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is expected to bring generational gains in CPU and GPU performance, power efficiency, AI throughput, and ISP capabilities over Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The stronger image signal processor and on-device AI are crucial for handling 200MP data streams, enabling advanced multi-frame fusion, denoising, and semantic segmentation to preserve detail while cleaning up noise. Thermal management remains a question mark: foldables offer more surface area for vapor chambers yet must cool two displays and a powerful SoC inside a thin frame, which is why Vivo’s choice to avoid the most expensive chip bins likely reflects a focus on sustained efficiency rather than peak benchmark scores. The side-mounted fingerprint reader also points to pragmatic industrial design, since analysts note that the ultra-thin inner panels of large foldables leave limited room for complex under-display modules, making capacitive side sensors a fast and reliable alternative.
Head-to-head with Galaxy Z Fold 8
Samsung’s Fold series traditionally favors balanced camera setups—around a 50MP main sensor with solid but not class-leading zoom—relying heavily on software tuning rather than extreme hardware. Rumors now point to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 itself adopting a 200MP main camera and Snapdragon 8 Elite 2, which would raise the bar further in Samsung’s camp. A 200MP module on the X Fold 6 could shift the narrative toward superior zoom reach and micro-detail, areas where high-resolution sensors and aggressive binning can shine, particularly if Vivo continues to lean on its ZEISS partnership, color science, and proven periscope strategy. In that scenario, Vivo’s foldable would not just be an alternative to the Fold 8 but a camera-centric choice for users who prioritize long-range zoom, texture detail, and flexibility when shooting on a big-screen device.
Market outlook for premium foldables
Research firms such as Counterpoint and IDC suggest the global foldable market is recovering, with 2025 shipments forecast to grow in the mid-single digits to high double digits depending on region, even as the category remains firmly premium and relatively niche. Analysts point out that better designs, slimmer profiles, and more compelling headline features—especially cameras—are key levers to entice users to upgrade from conventional premium slabs. If Vivo sticks to its usual launch cadence, the X Fold 6 could arrive just as rivals refresh their lineups, positioning it not merely as a competing foldable but as the go-to option for photography enthusiasts who want ultra-high-resolution imaging and robust zoom in a book-style device.
