Top phones launching in November 2023: iQOO 12, OnePlus 12, Vivo X100 series, and more

• By Saloni Tandon -
Published On: November 2, 2023

We're reaching the fag-end of the year and while most flagships have already made their mark (including several new foldables), some high-end smartphones from the Android side of things are yet to see the light of day. While Qualcomm launched their headliner Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset in Hawaii last month, MediaTek is coming out with its competitor in the form of the Dimensity 9300 on November 6th.

While Xiaomi already announced its Xiaomi 14 series on its home turf just a day after the launch of Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, other flagships with the chipset and its able rival are to follow. Here's a list of the top five smartphone launches we could see in China, and/or globally this month:

iQOO 12 series

Launch date: November 7th in China

After launching the iQOO 11 in January this year, Vivo's sister concern iQOO is confirmed to launch its flagship iQOO 12 series in China on November 7th. The series is expected to include the iQOO 12 and iQOO 12 Pro, but as of now, only the former may make its way to India. In fact, it is set to be India's first Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 phone when it launches in the country on December 12th.

A few specs of the iQOO 12 have been confirmed, while the alleged 12 Pro has been spotted on Geekbench. The launch teaser as well as a leaked hands-on image have given us an idea of the phone's design, which is expected to have some new elements this time.

iQOO 12 specifications

• Display: iQOO 12 may come with a 6.78-inch 1.5K OLED display, a 144Hz refresh rate, 3000 nits peak brightness, and 2160Hz PWM dimming. The Pro version will have a 6.78-inch 2K Samsung E7 AMOLED display and a 144Hz refresh rate.
• Cameras: The iQOO 12 may flaunt a 50MP OmniVision OV50H primary sensor with OIS support, a 50MP Samsung JN1 ultrawide camera and a 64MP OV64B telephoto lens.
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC paired with Adreno GPU.
• RAM/Storage: The chipset could be paired with 12GB/16GB LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB/512GB/1TB UFS 4.0 storage.
• OS: Android 14 with Origin OS 4.0 custom skin out of the box.
• Front camera: 16MP camera on the front for selfies and video chats. 
• Others: The phones might feature an in-display fingerprint sensor, Hi-Res audio, stereo speakers, and possibly an IP rating.
• Battery: The iQOO 12 series is expected to pack a 5,000mAh battery and 120W fast charging support.
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, 5G, Bluetooth, NFC, dual-frequency GPS, and an IR blaster.

OnePlus 12

Launch date not official yet.

Just a month after the company's first foldable, the OnePlus Open, launched globally and in India, the OnePlus 12 is due for launch this month. Numerous leaks, including AnTuTu and Geekbench scores, live images and even price, are doing the rounds, while the company has also officially come forward and shared some information about the phone. A company official recently shared camera samples from the phone's shooter, which suggest the launch is around the corner.

OnePlus 12 specifications (expected)

• Display: The OnePlus 12 is confirmed to feature a 2K LTPO BOE X1 OLED display with an OPPO P1 display chip, and BOE single-pixel calibrating technology. The display size could be 6.82 inches.
• Processor: The company has confirmed the phone will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset.
• Memory: Up to 24GB RAM and 1TB storage.
• OS: Android 14-based OxygenOS custom skin out of the box.
• Cameras: A 50MP Sony IMX966 primary camera with OIS, a 48MP Sony IMX581 ultrawide snapper, and a 64MP 3x periscope telephoto shooter. The front camera details are unclear.
• Battery: 5,400mAh battery with 100W wired charging and 50W wireless charging support.

Vivo X100 series

Launch date: November 13th in China.

Vivo is slated to release its flagship X100 series in parts: the vanilla Vivo X100 and the X100 Pro are expected to launch together this month, while the top model of the series - the X100 Pro+ - will reportedly debut later. The company recently confirmed the Vivo X100 series will be released on its home turf alongside Vivo Watch 3 on November 13th. Leaks around the two phones also suggest the launch may be inching close. In fact, the Vivo X100 has been listed on the Chinese shopping site, JD.com, revealing tis price to be in the range of CNY 3,999 (roughly Rs 46,200).

Vivo X100 series specifications (rumoured)

• Display: The Vivo X100 series could feature an AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, curved edges, and a punch-hole cutout.
• Processor: The Vivo X100 and X100 Pro are slated to ship with the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 SoC, while the X100 Pro+ will pack the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
• OS: The phones are likely to ship with Android 14-based Funtouch OS custom skin out of the box.
• Cameras: The Vivo X100 Pro might feature a Sony IMX989 sensor, a Samsung JN1 sensor for the secondary ultra-wide-angle and an OmniVision OV64B sensor for the 3x telephoto camera. The Vivo X100 and X100 Pro might come with an independent V3 ISP. The Vivo X100 Pro+ is expected to get a 50MP ultra-wide rear camera and a 200MP telephoto lens.
• Battery and fast charging: The Vivo X100 series will likely pack a 5,000mAh battery with up to 120W fast charging. The Vivo X100 Pro and X100 Pro+ is tipped to have 50W wireless charging, but the Vivo X100 won't support it.

Realme GT 5 Pro

Launch date not official yet.

The Realme GT 5 launched in August this year, and the older sibling is expected to come out later this month. Buzz around the Realme GT 5 Pro started in September when the company started teasing a new smartphone launch with a periscope camera, a first from the brand in three years. More recently, the phone was spotted on TENAA which revealed its design and confirmed a telephoto sensor. After the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 announcement, it was confirmed the Realme GT 5 Pro will indeed pack the chipset. The phone even crossed the 2.2 million mark on AnTuTu.

Realme GT 5 Pro specifications (expected)

• Display: Realme GT 5 Pro is tipped to come with a 1.5K BOE AMOLED curved display and could have a 144Hz refresh rate.
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset paired with Adreno GPU.
• RAM and Storage: Up to 24GB LPDDR5 RAM and 1TB UFS 4.0 storage.
• OS: Android 14- based Realme UI 5.0 custom skin out of the box.
• Cameras: There is a 50MP Sony IMX966 main camera with OIS and a 50MP OV64B telephoto sensor with OIS and 3x zoom.
• Battery: 5,400mAh battery with 100W fast charging and 50W wireless charging.

Samsung Galaxy M44 5G

Launch date: Not official yet.

After silently announcing the Galaxy S23 FE in India in October, Samsung is reportedly gearing up to globally launch the successor to the M34 5G - the Samsung Galaxy M44 5G. The first time we came across this phone was in July when a purported Geekbench listing with the former flagship chipset Snapdragon 888 cropped up. More recently, we saw the Galaxy M44 on the Bluetooth SIG certification platform, hinting at an impending launch. Live images also made their way on the internet, showing the familiar triple camera setup.

Samsung Galaxy M44 5G specifications (Expected)

• Display: 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate
• Processor: Snapdragon 888 with Adreno 660 GPU
• RAM and storage: 6GB/8GB RAM, 128GB of internal storage. There could be more options.
• OS: Android 13 with OneUI custom skin.
• Cameras: 50MP primary sensor with OIS + 13MP ultra wide angle lens + 5MP macro sensor. There could be a 16MP front camera. 
• Battery and fast charging: 6,000mAh battery with fast charging support.