Vivo V7+ Price in the Philippines is Php 17,990, Has 5.99-inch All-Screen Display

With the freshly launched Vivo V7+ Android handset, Chinese company Vivo - which is the 5th best-selling smartphone brand in the Philippines as of Q2 2017, according to IDC - successfully brings the near-bezel-less display feature to the mid-level category.

Priced at Php 17,990, this model comes replete with a tall 5.99-inch 18:9-aspect-ratio "All Screen Display" that takes up much of the phone's face -- especially the top and bottom bezels.

The concept is somewhat comparable to that of LG G6 and Samsung Galaxy S8's screens albeit the corners of V7+'s panel aren't rounded and its edges aren't curved.

And although Vivo V7+'s display has a lower resolution compared what those flagship-level models have, it's certainly good to see this attractive and practical hardware feature on a far more affordable device.

For snapping photos, this phone has a 16 MegaPixel f/2.0 camera at the back with phase detection autofocus that should be reliable in most conditions -- especially when there's ample ambient light. I reckon it should also do quite well in low light settings given the size of the aperture.

But in terms of imaging capabilities, the real highlight of this release is its 24 MegaPixel f/2.0 selfie-shooter in front!

Currently, this is one of the - if not THE - highest resolution front-facing camera on any smartphone that's available in the market. So if you love taking selfies, this is definitely one of the best cameraphones for you.

Now, as for design, I'd say that Vivo V7+ is largely similar to the best-selling Vivo V5.

You still get the same rectangle with rounded corners footprint, 2.5D curved glass face, and the same location of the camera module at the back as well as of the buttons and SIM card tray on the sides.

The main difference, though, is that, below the camera module and just above the Vivo logo, there's a Fingerprint Scanner that you can use to unlock the device with a touch of a finger and to add another layer of security for your files. Vivo V5's Fingerprint Scanner is integrated with its Home Button in front.

Inside its sleek shell, Vivo V7+ runs its FunTouch-OS-flavored Android 7.1 Nougat operating system with a 64-Bit Octa-core 1.8 GHz ARM Cortex-A53 and Adreno 506 GPU based Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 chipset, has 4GB of RAM, and comes with 64GB of internal storage that can be expanded using the dedicated microSD card slot. Yup, no need to sacrifice Dual SIM capability just to get more space for photos and videos!

If you love listening to music using both earphones or the loud speaker, you will surely appreciate the audio enhancement provided by Vivo V7+'s AK4376A Hi-Fi chipset. Enjoy a wider sound with deeper basses and brighter trebles.

Vivo V7+ is now available at all Vivo Mobile concept stores, kiosks, booths, and partner retailers across the Philippines.

The handset is out in two shades: Matte Black and Champagne Gold. Stay tuned for our full review!

Note: All of the photos in this post were taken by my younger brother, Val Marvin, during Vivo V7+'s official launch held at Marriott Hotel in Pasay City, earlier today - September 20, 2017. He represented TechPinas at the event as I'm currently outside the country. I give him credit for these images.

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST) Name : Vivo V7+
Type : Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category : Upper Midrange
Dimensions : 155.9 x 75.8 x 7.7 mm
Weight : 160 grams
Available Colors : Champagne Gold, Matte Black
Operating System : Android 7.0 Nougat with FunTouch OS 3.2
Display : 5.99 inches (~78.4% screen-to-body ratio), 720 x 1440 pixels (~269 ppi pixel density), IPS LCD Display, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, Gorilla Glass 4
Processor : 64-Bit Octa-core 1.8 GHz ARM Cortex-A53, Adreno 506 GPU, Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 chipset
RAM : 4GB RAM
Internal Storage : 64GB ROM, expandable ~ dedicated microSD card slot supporting up to 256GB
Camera : Back: 16 MegaPixels, f/2.0 aperture, phase detection autofocus, LED flash
Front: 24 MegaPixels, f/2.0 aperture, Soft LED flash
Video Capture : Front and Back: Full HD 1080p 30 frames per second
Audio and Video Playback : MP3, WAV, eAAC+, FLAC, MP4, H.264
Ports : microUSB 2.0, USB On-The-Go, 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity : Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth 4.2 with A2DP, LE, EDR, 3G HSPA+; 4G LTE
GPS : A-GPS, GLONASS
FM Radio : Yes
Sensors : Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity, Gyroscope, Fingerprint Scanner
Network : 2G bands GSM 900 / 1800 - SIM 1 and SIM 2,
3G HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100
4G LTE band 1(2100), 3(1800), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 40(2300), 41(2500)
SIM Card Type : Dual nanoSIM
Battery : Non-removable 3,225 mAh Li-Ion battery
Uptime : TBD
Value-Added Features : All Screen Display, 24 MegaPixel Selfie Camera
Announcement : September 20, 2017
Availability : Philippines - September 2017
Price : Official SRP - Php 17,990