Vivo X Fold 5: World’s Lightest Foldable Packs Huge Battery and Surprising Apple Features
Just as Samsung prepares to launch its Galaxy Z Fold 7, vivo has fired a major competitive shot with the launch of the Vivo X Fold 5 in China. The new device reclaims the title of the world’s lightest book-style foldable and introduces several industry-first features, including groundbreaking integration with Apple’s ecosystem and a massive 6,000mAh battery, setting a new benchmark in the foldable category.
At 217 grams, the vivo X Fold 5 narrowly surpasses its predecessor to become the lightest device of its kind. While its 9.2mm folded thickness means it isn’t the absolute thinnest on the market, it boasts what might be the most robust durability ratings for a foldable to date, with IP5X for dust resistance and both IPX8 and IPX9 ratings for water resistance.
A New Benchmark in Battery Life and Power
Despite its lightweight and slim profile, the vivo X Fold 5 packs an impressive 6,000mAh battery, a capacity previously unseen in a foldable and on par with traditional flagship phones. When depleted, it supports rapid 80W wired and 40W wireless charging.
The device is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. While not the absolute latest silicon from Qualcomm, it remains a powerful flagship processor more than capable of handling demanding tasks. Other key hardware includes a large 8.03-inch main OLED screen, a 6.53-inch cover display, Wi-Fi 7, and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.
Groundbreaking Integration with the Apple Ecosystem
Perhaps the most surprising feature of the X Fold 5 is its deep integration with Apple devices. Vivo claims it is the first Android phone to offer native connectivity with the Apple Watch, enabling support for calls, texts, and health data synchronization (after initial pairing with an iPhone).
This connectivity extends to “seamless” pairing with Apple AirPods and deep integration with Macs, allowing the foldable to be used as an extended screen. The device can also pair with an iPhone to mirror calls and notifications, a feature set that blurs the lines between the two competing ecosystems.
Cameras and Software
The X Fold 5 features a versatile triple rear camera system, consisting of a 50MP main sensor, a 50MP ultrawide lens, and a 50MP 3x telephoto camera with macro capabilities. A 20MP selfie camera is available on each screen.
Running on Origin OS 15 (based on Android 15), the software includes an advanced multitasking system that allows up to five apps to run simultaneously on the screen.
Pricing and Availability
The vivo X Fold 5 is currently a China-exclusive release, with prices starting at 6,999 yuan (~$976) for the 12GB/256GB model. While a global launch has not been confirmed, rumors suggest a future release in India, sparking hope for wider availability.
