The Sapphire Blue variant of the Vivo V9 Android mid-ranger is now available for purchase in India, having been released in the country on Friday. Originally launched in March, the Vivo V9 ended up being one of the more popular choices among Indian consumers looking for a smartphone this spring, as previously suggested by the Chinese company. The new model is coming with a price tag of Rs. 22,990, i.e. the equivalent of $340, with that figure being identical to the one attached to the original lineup two months back. The handset has so far been available in Pearl Black, Gold, and Pearl Black-Gold color options, though the Sapphire Blue variant is only available offline, i.e. from licensed brick-and-mortar retailers, whereas others can also be purchased from Amazon India.
Besides a new finish that’s said to cater to a younger demographic, the new version of the Vivo V9 remains unchanged, with the device still featuring a 6.3-inch IPS panel with an FHD+ resolution of 2,280 by 1,080 pixels amounting to a 19:9 aspect ratio, or 18:9 not counting the display notch. The smartphone ships with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 626 chip, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of flash memory expandable via a microSD card by a maximum of 256GB. A separate dual-SIM tray is also part of the package, together with a 3.5mm headphone jack, Android 8.1 Oreo-based Funtouch OS 4.0, and a 24-megapixel (f/2.0) front camera. The rear plate of the Vivo V9 accommodates a dual-camera setup entailing a 16-megapixel sensor and a 5-megapixel one, both mounted behind f/2.0 lenses and supported by a dual-tone LED flash.
As is the case with the majority of Vivo-made mid-rangers released these days, the V9 is a selfie-oriented offering that comes with a wide variety of face filters, a robust and highly customizable beautification mode powered by artificial intelligence technologies, and face unlock support. The device lacks NFC support and is largely made of plastic, so Indian consumers wanting to avoid scratches are advised to acquire it alongside a protective case. An even more affordable Vivo V9 Youth debuted in the South Asian country last month, featuring entry-level specifications.