Abstract: As a pivotal element in vivo's premiumization strategy, the X200 series was expected to build upon the success of the X100 and further solidify vivo's premium status. However, issues such as flaring and other product-related flaws may have turned the X200 into a disappointment, not only disrupting vivo's blueprint for three consecutive generations of premium smartphones but also undermining its claim as the "King of Imaging".

According to insiders, vivo's internal algorithms were overly aggressive, significantly impacting imaging quality, which contributed to the underwhelming performance and unmet expectations.

While Xiaomi's 15 series and OPPO's Find X8 series have surpassed the 1 million sales mark, vivo has yet to disclose sales figures for its X200. Addressing the aftermath of the X200 incident is a critical challenge that vivo urgently needs to address.

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At the beginning of this year, vivo allocated 5 billion yuan to support its premiumization strategy.

In October, the launch of the latest premium flagship, the X200, aimed to continue the success of the X100 and further enhance vivo's premium status.

Despite significant investments in channels, marketing, and other areas, numerous controversies surrounding the X200 itself hindered it from becoming vivo's next premium hit.

X200: Continuing the Premium Legacy

As a key part of vivo's premiumization strategy, the launch of the X200 began with a proud proclamation of past achievements.

On October 14, 2024, Huang Tao, vivo's Vice President of Products, revealed that vivo had held the top share of the domestic mobile phone market for 3.75 consecutive years and ranked second in the 4K-6K price segment in 2024.

The highly anticipated X200 was then officially unveiled, aiming to solidify its position as vivo's second high-end hit product, showcasing significant sincerity.

In terms of imaging, the X200 inherited the X100's reputation as a "photography powerhouse," equipped with a powerful telephoto lens, an exceptional main camera, and an ultra-wide-angle camera.

In terms of performance, the X200 utilized the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 processor, the first flagship chip based on a 3nm process, featuring a CPU clock speed of up to 3.626GHz and IPC performance surpassing that of the Apple A17 Pro based on the Arm V9 architecture. Additionally, the X200 saw improvements in design, screen quality, and battery life.

It was evident that vivo spared no effort in its premiumization ambitions, hoping that the X200 would build upon the success of the X100 and mark another victory in its premium strategy.

However, as a crucial part of vivo's premiumization strategy, the X200's performance fell short of expectations, potentially becoming a setback in vivo's efforts.

The Rise and Fall of Imaging

Much of the criticism directed at the X200 centered on the product itself. Besides issues such as the non-standard inclusion of the RF enhancement chip, subpar LTPS screen visual effects, and game frame rate drops causing ghosting, the most significant flaw of the vivo X200 was its severe imaging issues.

Following the launch of the X200 Pro on October 19, numerous users reported flaring issues on various online platforms, particularly in bright light scenarios, where significant flaring appeared in images, significantly impacting imaging quality, especially in high-light and night scenes.

However, neither vivo's official channels nor well-known Bilibili reviewers mentioned any flaring issues in their reviews and promotional videos, sparking widespread skepticism about the X200 series.

As public opinion continued to grow, vivo's official channels remained silent, failing to address fans' and users' concerns. On October 23, FilmoraGo responded, apologizing for not detecting the flaring issue in previous tests. The next day, Huang Tao also issued an apology.

In his public apology, Huang Tao explained the causes of the X200's flaring issue: one related to the f/1.57 large aperture design, which increases the likelihood of out-of-frame flaring due to greater light intake; the other related to the coating technology strategy to avoid ghosting, where vivo X200 Pro's coating compromises on the blue spectrum, resulting in a more prominent blue out-of-frame flaring compared to the gray flaring of other products.

In addition to the reasons mentioned in Huang's public apology, insiders revealed that vivo's internal algorithms were overly aggressive, significantly interfering with imaging quality, which was another crucial factor contributing to the underwhelming imaging performance.

It's noteworthy that Huang Tao's lengthy apology did not address after-sales service for the vivo X200 Pro, leaving consumers who purchased the phone from offline flagship stores struggling with returns, disappointing some long-time vivo supporters.

Although the widespread public outcry over the flaring issue undoubtedly impacted X200 sales, vivo eventually acknowledged the out-of-frame flaring and promised to expedite OTA image optimization software updates and customized peripheral optimization solutions, providing them free of charge to those in need. The impact on vivo's corporate image remains manageable.

"Strong imaging capabilities" is a brand label that vivo has cultivated over a decade.

As the foundation of vivo's first major hit, the X100 series, "taking good photos" and "high-end camera configuration" have become the cornerstone of vivo's user trust.

The recent flaring issue with its latest premium flagship undoubtedly tarnishes vivo's current premiumization strategy.

Overall, from a sales perspective, the highly anticipated X200 series likely fell short of vivo's expectations. This not only disrupted vivo's blueprint for three consecutive generations of premium smartphones but also undermined its claim as the "King of Imaging".

Xiaomi and OPPO's Smooth Premiumization Journey

As the year draws to a close, domestic smartphone manufacturers are actively advancing their premiumization strategies.

Xiaomi has taken the lead in premiumization. At the end of October, the Xiaomi 15 series, comprising the Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Pro, targeting the small-size flagship and standard flagship markets, respectively, were officially released.

According to media reports, Xiaomi 15 series sales surpassed those of the iPhone 16 series during the Double 11 shopping festival, becoming the first flagship model of the year to exceed 1 million activations, with approximately 1.3 million units sold; first-month sales exceeded 850,000 units, a 6% increase from the previous generation.

Xiaomi is expected to launch the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, a true high-end flagship, in February next year.

Currently, the Xiaomi 15 series has maintained the success of the 13 and 14 series, positioning Xiaomi well to achieve its goal of "three consecutive hits" in the premium market.

Meanwhile, due to inventory pressure and aggressive reforms in organizational structure and distribution channels, OPPO's premiumization progress previously stalled. Currently, it emphasizes a high-margin premiumization route, requiring its brands to maintain a gross profit margin of around 25%.

Since its launch on October 24, the OPPO Find X8 series has surpassed 1 million sales in the Chinese market, becoming the best-selling Find series product in the same period, with equally impressive first-day sales overseas.

While Xiaomi leads the way and OPPO also focuses on premiumization, achieving remarkable results, vivo's X200 has yet to surpass the 1 million sales mark.

Without the flaring issue and subsequent public backlash, the X200 undoubtedly would have performed better.

Conclusion

In the fiercely competitive technology landscape, even a moment's hesitation can create a significant gap.

Addressing the aftermath of the X200 incident, restoring the brand's professional image in imaging, and readjusting the strategic pace of its premiumization route are critical challenges that vivo urgently needs to address.

Judging from vivo's current promotional efforts with Zheng Qinwen to vigorously promote its S20 series, vivo is actively mitigating the adverse effects of the X200 incident.

In similar situations, companies like Apple regularly recall devices with technical issues and offer free replacements or three-year free repair services. Similarly, after receiving numerous complaints about frequent restarts, Huawei decided to offer free out-of-warranty repair solutions for this issue.

It is evident that for vivo, addressing consumer demands and fulfilling its responsibilities are the correct measures to quickly mitigate the impact and restore its reputation.