It was a packed week for hardware. Flagship launches landed in China, foldables went nationwide in the United States, and the budget segment got fresh 5G contenders. Here is every major launch that mattered between September 21 and 24.
Vivo X500 series: the cinema camera flagship
Vivo launched its next flagship line in China on September 21, the Vivo X500 series, comprising the X500, X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max. The Pro models are positioned as movie-level video recording phones, featuring what Vivo calls the world's first Zeiss Super Dynamic main camera, co-developed with Sony around a new BluePrint Phantom 900 sensor. Vivo claims up to 17EV of dynamic range, the highest in the industry, alongside 4K at 240 frames-per-second slow motion and 4K at 120fps HDR video with real-time processing.
The X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max also get 3-degree optical image stabilization with gimbal-level steadiness and support for a teleconverter kit. Vivo showed off the X500 Pro Max in silver and a dual-tone orange colorway. An India launch has not been confirmed, though reports suggest the series could arrive before Diwali 2026.
Motorola goes all-in on foldables at Verizon
On September 24, Verizon announced nationwide availability of three Motorola devices: the Razr Fold, the Razr+ 2026 and a Swarovski crystal edition of the Razr 2026. The Razr Fold is priced at 1,949.99 dollars, though Verizon's Simplicity plan drops it to 25 dollars per month over four years, a total of just 1,200 dollars. The Razr 2026 with crystals by Swarovski costs 999.99 dollars, or 10 dollars per month over four years, while the Razr+ 2026 is 1,099.99 dollars, or 15 dollars per month.
Verizon is also offering up to 1,100 dollars off with an eligible trade-in, a free 349.99 dollar Moto Watch Ultra when adding a new connected watch line, the Moto Buds 2 Plus for 149 dollars, and six months of Google AI Pro free, including Gemini access and 5 terabytes of Google Drive storage, at half price after the trial.
Realme goes full wizard mode
Realme launched the 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition on September 21, a themed special edition riding the franchise's enduring popularity. Themed editions have become a reliable way for brands to stand out in the crowded mid-range segment, and the Harry Potter treatment gives the 16 Pro a collector's angle beyond its spec sheet.
The budget battleground: OnePlus N6 Lite and Mivi One 5G
The OnePlus N6 Lite launched on September 22, extending OnePlus's push into the affordable segment. Then on September 24, Mivi launched its first-ever smartphone in India, the Mivi One 5G. It features a Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset, a 6,000mAh battery, a 50-megapixel primary rear camera, an IP64 dust and water resistance rating, a 6.74-inch HD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate and an 8-megapixel selfie camera, in five color options.
OnePlus 16 camera teased ahead of launch
Looking ahead, OnePlus confirmed the cameras of its upcoming OnePlus 16 flagship: a high-resolution 200-megapixel primary camera paired with two 50-megapixel rear cameras, powered by Oppo's LUMO imaging engine. The confirmation suggests the flagship camera race is about to heat up again heading into the holiday quarter.
For Pakistani buyers, most of these devices will reach the local market through imports and the grey market, where PTA taxes remain the decisive factor in street prices. With Jazz and Zong expanding 5G coverage, buying 5G-capable hardware is finally starting to pay off, and the budget launches this week, from the N6 Lite to the Mivi One 5G, are the ones most likely to show up in local shops at prices most buyers can reach.
