Vivo Y series smartphones include Y12, Y15 and Y17 come with a 89% screen-to-body ratio, AI Triple Camera to the Magical Color Fusion design, and is a perfect blend of technology and style usually only featured in premium smartphones.
Vivo has been breaking new ground in the mobile experience arena with its industry-leading Elevating Front Camera smartphone, NEX and its popular series is the V series. Its latest V15Pro is the first model after the NEX to incorporate the industry’s first Elevating Front Camera, a clear example of Vivo’s commitment to bringing advanced technologies to consumers from all around the world and from all walks of life.
The budget smartphones have only improved over the years offering more features at an affordable price, a huge step away from times of basic phones being available at the entry-level point.
vivo, the new smartphone entrant in the Kenyan market has continued to release phones in all price ranges having two series, The V series which has the V 17 pro only acting as the most expensive, it was initially launched last year in November and the Y Series which has a wide range of affordable products, according to market speculation, this is the best performing series for the brand.
The reason for the good performance of the Y series might be because it cuts in well for the budget-conscious buyers and vivo has made sure that the lineup won’t make one break the bank and at least have a decent device.
All vivo Y series have their key differences but offer pleasing performance at affordable prices. They include the vivo Y19, vivo Y17, vivo Y15, vivo Y12, vivo Y11 and vivo Y90.
Here’s what they pack:
vivo Y11
The device sports a 6.35′′ 720p Halo FullView™ Display monitor, chromatic and a color gradient back that houses the rear fingerprint sensor, a dual AI-powered rear camera that comprises a 13MP and a 2MP depth detector. There’s an 8MP selfie device with AI face charm, too. Under the hood, there is an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 CPU, 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage. Android 9 Pie and Funtouch 9.1 are operating the series. The phone is operated by a 5000 mAh battery that runs via a 10W converter. It’s for Ksh 13,499.
vivo Y12
This Rocks a 6.35′′ 720p Halo FullView™ Display monitor, close gradient back to the vivo Y11 that uses magic color fusion technology. At the rear, you’ll get AI-powered triple cameras that include 13MP Main Camera, 8MP Super Wide-Angle Camera, and 2MP Depth Camera. The 8MP front-facing selfie camera threatens the surrounding bezel-less monitor because it is placed in a waterdrop notch like the vivo Y11. You’re having Android 9 Pie and Funtouch App 9. Within, you’ve got the Mediatek MT6762 Helio P22 CPU, 3 GB RAM and 64 GB of internal storage. The 5000mAh battery is powered by the phone and priced at Ksh 14,999.
vivo Y90
vivo Y90 sports a 6.22′′ 720p Halo FullView™ touchscreen, 2 GB RAM and 32 GB on-board storage, Face Access for facial unlock because there is no back fingerprint sensor, 4030mAh battery, 5MP selfie camera, and 8MP main camera, Funtouch 4.5 and Android 8 Oreo operated by Mediatek MT6761 Helio A22 chip. It’s going to be Ksh 10,999.
vivo Y17
vivo Y17 sports a 6.35′′ 720p Halo FullView™ monitor, back curve, triple rear camera configuration the same as the Live Y15. You get a 20MP front-facing camera in the same waterdrop notch for selfies. Internals provides 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of onboard storage, Android 9 Pie and Funtouch 9. The octa-core Helio P35 processor and the 5000mAh 18W Dual Engine battery are easy to charge the phone priced at Ksh 24,999.
vivo Y15
It comes with a 6.35′′ 720p Halo FullView™ panel, a back curve, the same triple rear camera configuration as the Y12, which comprises a 13MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 2MP deep camera. Yet you get an updated selfie system–a 16MP front-facing camera in the same waterdrop notch. Android 9 Pie and Funtouch OS 9 are operating the display along with a Mediatek MT6762 Helio P22 CPU, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage. Live Y15 is powered by a 5000mAh battery and is operated by Ksh 21,999.
vivo Y19
The Y19 Packs a 6.53′′ 1080p Halo FullView™ monitor, a rear gradient with a rear fingerprint sensor and a triple camera package identical to the vivo Y17 that includes a 16MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 2MP macro camera. The 16MP selfie sensor is located in the waterdrop window. You get 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of onboard storage, Android 9 Pie, Funtouch 9.2 while the Mediatek Helio P65 processor powers the device. A 5000mAh battery drives the handset which utilizes18W Dual Engine quick charging and 5W reverse charging. vivo Y19 is available at Ks 26,999.
vivo Y19 Image
Final Verdict on Vivo Y series
In our smartphone market, the Y series of devices occupy the 10 K to around 30 K price range. Looking at the features, the competition in the budget-friendly to the lower bracket is still competitive.
According to the features of the deferent devices, it is clear that vivo is trying to offer all-round devices from photography, specification and the most significant one the battery where the Y series looks dominating in the entire market.
To sell the products as unique to the Kenyan consumer, vivo needs to put in effort in positioning the brand differently, last year it was quite chaotic for the brand without a clear communication plan, this looks promising despite the normal challenges.
It is a fact that we cannot ignore that the vivo devices in the Y series already have decent specs, but they need a little polishing to add value for money, particularly at their price points. We ought to improve their cumulative expertise to switch from products worth evaluating to products worth having when crushing the competition.