April brought many mid-range smartphones to market, including the OnePlus Nord 6, Vivo T5 Pro, Realme 16, and Vivo V70 FE. On the high-end side, we saw the launch of the Oppo Find X9 Ultra and the Honor 600 Pro. While April was an exciting month for smartphone enthusiasts, May is shaping up to be even more jam-packed with new smartphones, particularly for the high-end segment.
Oppo and Vivo will share the limelight as they prepare to launch their top-tier flagship phones in the Indian market. They will also release powerful mid-range phones, including the Oppo Find X9s and Vivo X300 FE. OnePlus is also set to unveil its affordable Nord CE 6 in May 2026.
5 Best upcoming smartphone launches in April 2026
1. Oppo Find X9 Ultra
Launch: May 2025 (confirmed)
The Oppo Find X9 Ultra was launched in China in April and is officially confirmed for an India launch in May, though a specific date has yet to be announced. It is one of the most powerful flagship phones rocking the top-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset for the absolute best performance and efficiency.
The Find X9 Ultra features a 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED panel with a QHD+ resolution, a 144Hz refresh rate, and a peak brightness of 3600nits. It ships with Android 16 out of the box and promises five major OS upgrades, up to Android 21.
The smartphone is highly praised for its excellent cameras. The quad-camera setup on the backup includes a 200MP primary sensor, a 200MP periscope telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 10x optical zoom, and a 50MP ultrawide camera. The selfie camera is also a 50MP sensor, capturing detailed shots.
The 7,050mAh battery on the Find X9 Ultra easily lasts over a day, and the 100W wired charging refills it in minutes. The device also supports 50W wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless charging. The connectivity features are also robust, supporting Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth v6.0, NFC, and USB Type-C 3.2.
2. Vivo X300 Ultra
Launch date: May 6, 2026 (confirmed)
The Vivo X300 Ultra will directly compete with the Oppo Find X9 Ultra, offering top-tier hardware and long-term software support. It has already been launched in several markets and will launch in India in the first week of May. Both flagships share a similar spec sheet, including a 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED panel and a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor.
The rear camera setup on the X300 Ultra includes three sensors: a 200MP primary camera, a 200MP periscope telephoto lens with 3.7x optical zoom, and a 50MP ultrawide camera. For selfies and video calls, it has a 50MP camera.
The X300 Ultra’s camera setup is very capable, but owners can further improve the long-range optical zoom performance using the photography kit, which includes two external optical lenses: a 400mm Gen 2 Ultra (4.7x optical zoom) and a 200mm Gen 2 (2.35x optical zoom). The photography kit costs about INR 66,000.
The Vivo flagship houses a 6,600mAh battery and supports 100W wired charging and 40W wireless charging. In Europe, the phone gets a slightly smaller 6,400mAh battery with no change in charging capabilities. On the connectivity side, the X300 Ultra features Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, and USB Type-C 3.2.
3. OnePlus Nord CE 6
Launch date: May 7, 2026 (confirmed)
The OnePlus Nord CE 6 will launch in the first week of May, alongside the more affordable Nord CE 6 Lite. According to leaks, the phone will be priced in the INR 20,000-25,000 range and is being called the fastest phone in the segment.
OnePlus has already created a microsite for the OnePlus Nord CE 6 on the official website, teasing key specs. The page reveals the Nord CE 6 will be powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 processor, promising “flagship touch response for ultra-high-FPS gaming.” It will have a 1.5K resolution display with a 144Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 1800nits.
The dual-camera setup on the rear side will be led by a 50MP main camera with dual-axis OIS. The other one will likely be a macro shooter. For selfies, the Nord CE 6 has a 32MP camera with autofocus. The smartphone will feature an 8,000mAh battery, promising over two days of battery life on normal usage.
The OnePlus Nord CE 6 is MIL‑STD‑810H certified, ensuring survival in challenging conditions. It is also IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K-certified, meaning strong protection against water jets and dust. On the software side, the device boots Android 16-based OxygenOS 16 and offers up to 6 years of software support.
4. Oppo Find X9s
Launch: May 2026 (confirmed)
The Oppo Find X9s is confirmed to launch in India in May, though a specific launch date is yet to be announced. The device has already been launched in China and several global markets, so we already know what’s to come.
The Find X9s is a premium mid-range smartphone powered by the Dimensity 9500s processor. It’s a high-end chipset that offers strong gaming performance and power efficiency. See Dimensity 9500s vs Snapdragon 8 Elite for more clarity. The device brings a 6.59-inch AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 3600 nits.
The triple camera setup on the back features three 50MP sensors: a primary lens, an ultrawide lens with 3x optical zoom, and an ultrawide lens. The selfie camera has a 32MP resolution. Underneath, the Find X9s has a large 7,025 mAh battery with support for 80W fast charging. The connectivity specs include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.1, USB Type-C, and NFC.
5. Vivo X300 FE
Launch date: May 6, 2026 (confirmed)
Alongside the top-tier X300 Ultra, Vivo will unveil an affordable yet powerful Vivo X300 FE at the same launch event in India. It’s a compact phone with a 6.31-inch LTPO AMOLED screen and a 120Hz refresh rate. The screen brightness peaks at 5000 nits, offering great visibility outdoors.
At the heart is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, ensuring smooth performance and excellent power efficiency. The phone boots Android 16 out of the box and promises OS upgrades up to Android 21.
In terms of optics, the Find X9s offers a triple camera setup, including a 50MP primary sensor, a 50MP periscope telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, and an 8MP ultrawide camera. With the photography kit, you can add an additional 200mm 2.35x telephoto lens for better long-range shots.
The Vivo X300 FE houses a 6,500mAh battery and supports 90W wired charging and 40W wireless charging. Connectivity specs include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, and USB Type-C 2.0.
Besides these top five smartphones, there are some more lined up for an official release in May 2026. This includes the OnePlus Nord CE 6 Lite, confirmed to launch on May 7, as well as unconfirmed launches such as the OnePlus 15T and Motorola Razr 70 Ultra.
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