Vivo V60 Lite 5G Picture: Vivo
Chinese smartphone maker Vivo is expected to face a tough South African market following the launch of its new V60 Lite 5G.
Priced at R12 999, the V60 Lite 5G will be competing against the Samsung A series smartphones, which the company said was its main rival.
Position
With so many smartphone brands currently available at mobile operators and retailers across the country, consumers are spoilt for choice. But will it lure them to the Vivo brand when devices like Samsung, Oppo, Huawei, and Apple are on the shelf?
Vivo aims to claim the number three spot in the country, behind Samsung and Apple, but that is a tall order in a highly saturated market.
Vivo, which operates in more than 60 markets across the globe, has rolled out several devices in South Africa that range from entry-level, mid to premium smartphone segments.
Competition
Tony Shi, general manager of Vivo SA, speaking at the unveiling on Tuesday, said Samsung is its biggest competitor in the local market.
“I think that is our key competitor, but all the Chinese OEMs are also here – Xiaomi, Honor, Huawei, Oppo – and they are also our competitors. However, our key competitors are currently Samsung and Honour. These are two brands that are very aggressive in the market currently.”
While these major brands have influencers and sports stars to market their products and entice consumers, Vivo seem to lack that wow effect to make the customer say, “hey, I want that phone.”
Jay Yang, Vivo SA go-to-market manager, revealed that Vivo was number four brand in the global smartphone rankings, with 8.2% market share in the past year.
However, Vivo will have its work cut out if it wants the number three spot in South Africa.
Vivo has announced the launch of the V60 Lite 5G in South Africa, as it aims to gain a bigger market in the country. #VivoV60Lite pic.twitter.com/PpVA97jr9M
— 𝙵𝚊𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚕 𝙿𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚕 ⚡️ (@FaizelPatel143) September 30, 2025
Features
At the heart of the V60 Lite is a 6 500 mAh BlueVolt battery, to deliver heavy all-day use, according to Vivo.
At 7.69mm design, the thinness of smartphones seems to be the wow factor in smartphones, with Samsung unveiling the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Apple with its recently launched iPhone Air.
While these are flagship devices, Vivo’s V60 profile may just be what consumers are looking for in a device that is not exorbitantly priced.
It is a budget-friendly smartphone featuring a MediaTek Dimensity 7360-Turbo chipset, a large 120Hz AMOLED display and 90W fast charging.
NOW READ: Huawei Watch GT6 Pro Review
Availability
The V60 Lite 5G is equipped with a 50MP Sony IMX882 main camera and Vivo’s AI master aura light portrait system.
Vivo said Gamers benefit from Bypass Charging, enabled in Ultra Game Mode, which directs power straight to the system instead of the battery, which reduces heat generation, keeps performance smooth and stable, and extends overall battery health.
Vivo said the V60 Lite 5G will be available in the local market in October, and will be available in elegant black and titanium blue, inspired by Arctic glaciers.
The Vivo V60 Lite comes with a free smartwatch, exclusively through Vodacom and Cell C stores and online.
NOW READ: Foldable truths: What South Africans want from their next smartphone
