If you asked us a few years ago to predict the top five smartphone brands in the Philippines in 2022, we probably wouldn’t have included Transsion Holdings, the parent company of Infinix Mobile, on our shortlist.

But, against the odds, the then-challenger brand has made huge strides since its entry into the local market, even managing to leapfrog Xiaomi and Samsung to take the No. 2 spot in IDC’s Q2 2022 report after growing 152.2% year-on-year and 13.5% quarter-on-quarter in the country. A huge part of that success is because of Infinix, with the latter accounting for almost 60% of Transsion’s shipments, thanks to an aggressive retail expansion and marketing campaign. You could see the signs at sale events, where Infinix consistently came out as one of the bestselling brands.

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‘A huge part of Transsion Holdings’ success in the Philippines is because of Infinix Mobile, with the latter accounting for almost 60% of its parent company’s shipments

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Though Infinix is now a well-established name in the Philippines, especially in the mobile-gaming community, its victory did not come overnight, nor did it take just one or two well-received smartphones to bring it to where it is today. Each model had to offer reasonably good specs, but affordability and consistency were its keys to success. They still are.

Besides launching devices that promise great value for money, Infinix also forged partnerships with popular IPs, such as Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and PUBG Mobile, to appeal to mobile gamers who want to play harder and better, for longer, without blowing their budgets. The Infinix Hot 10S and Infinix Note 10 Pro Mobile Legends: Bang Bang [MLBB] Edition come to mind, and so does the Infinix x PUBGM Cup tournament, which coincided with the domestic release of the Infinix Note 12 earlier this year.

SEE ALSO: Infinix ZERO ULTRA 5G: 12-minute charging and other flagship features at a price you can’t resist!

The latter has been credited with helping the upstart technology company move 507,945 devices shipped locally in the second quarter of 2022, according to the hard numbers released by IDC. That period between April and June saw an increase of a whopping 320% over the period before that (2021). These numbers put Infinix at the top three in terms of market share in the Philippines at 11.9%. It also ranked third based on domestic smartphone-shipment figures.

According to the company, its impressive sales performance in Q2 2022 was largely driven by the Infinix Note 12. To recap, the Note 12 is powered by a capable MediaTek Helio G96 4G chipset that combines two Cortex-A76 cores with up to 13GB of extended RAM for smooth gameplay. Infinix also introduced the higher-end Note 12 Pro 5G based on the Dimensity 810 SoC following the successful launch of the 4G variant on the local market. The standard Note 12 was priced from P8,999 (about $154) at the time of its release, whereas the Note 12 Pro 5G fetched a higher P12,499 ($213) price tag when it launched.

Infinix’s portfolio of products has also expanded to laptops to create a larger and more comprehensive ecosystem, similar to that of other technology brands. Recall the Infinix Inbook X1 laptop, which sold at an affordable price of P24,990 ($429) for the Core i3 model last October. Its follow-up, the Inbook X2, is a similarly budget-priced Windows 11 notebook that starts at just $399 (P23,390).

And with the Infinix ZERO ULTRA 5G now up for sale on the market — for an absolutely jaw-dropping price, might we add — Infinix looks more focused and driven than ever to help Transsion take pole position and dominate as the Philippines’ best-selling smartphone vendor. With its latest flagship, Infinix proves that it has what it takes to compete — and even surpass — its peers in the high-end category, while maintaining an edge on pricing. And if the ZERO ULTRA 5G is a sign of where the company is headed, then maybe it won’t be long before Transsion snatches the crown from the competition and takes a more prominent role in shaping the industry.

In the Philippines, the Infinix ZERO ULTRA 5G carries a suggested retail price of P21,999 ($375) for the lone 8GB/256GB variant. You can purchase the smartphone online through Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok Shop, as well as offline at Infinix stores and partner retailers nationwide.

Ultra-fast charging, ultra-sharp camera

As you might know, the Infinix ZERO ULTRA 5G boasts the fastest-charging standard of any locally available phone, thanks to Infinix’s proprietary Thunder Charge technology, which bumps up the charging power up to an impressive 180 watts and allows the device to achieve a full charge in just 12 minutes.

To put that into perspective, Thunder Charge is about 10 times as fast as most Android handsets that support rapid charging over USB-C and nine times as fast as the top-shelf Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max. Keep in mind, though, that for best results, you need to enable Furious Mode in the Settings menu, charge the phone in a cool environment where the temperature does not exceed 25°C, and avoid using the ZERO ULTRA 5G while plugged in. On top of that, you need to use the included power brick and cable as well and start from 1% or 2%.

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‘Infinix’s proprietary Thunder Charge technology bumps up the charging power up to an impressive 180 watts and allows the Infinix ZERO ULTRA 5G to achieve a full charge in just 12 minutes. It should be fine for daily use, too, as the phone’s quick-charging system has been classified as safe by independent certification body TÜV Rheinland’

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It should be fine for daily use, too, as the phone’s quick-charging system has been classified as safe by independent certification body TÜV Rheinland. The Infinix ZERO ULTRA 5G also arrives equipped with 111 software and hardware security protections, as well as 20 different types of temperature readings that protect both the phone and the charging cable. It can likewise automatically shut off power when it reaches full charge to extend its battery’s life span.

Perhaps more importantly, especially for camera enthusiasts and mobile photographers, the Infinix ZERO ULTRA 5G arrives as the Philippines’ first smartphone with a 200-megapixel camera sensor. The main camera on the back uses an Isocell HP1 sensor — the sharpest in the category — coupled with optical image stabilization, double PDAF autofocus, and a decent Night mode for better low-light performance. For landscapes and group shots, you get a 13-megapixel ultrawide cam, which offers decent colors and dynamic range in ideal lighting conditions. The front-facing camera, while obviously not as sharp as the one on the back, is still impressively sharp and has 32 megapixels.

Zero compromises on the hardware

When it comes to the hardware, the Infinix ZERO ULTRA 5G doesn’t compromise at all, sporting an attractive design that curves on both edges and a 71-degree Waterfall AMOLED Display which spills over to the sides and has a fast 120Hz refresh rate. The screen features a TÜV Rheinland Certified Low Blue Light function to reduce the harmful effects of blue light as well. You get two color options — Genesis Noir and Coslight Silver, with the latter flaunting a 3D textured-glass finish that subtly changes color according to the light.

Inside, the ZERO ULTRA 5G is powered by a 6nm MediaTek Dimensity 920 chipset, which, in our experience, can handle basic tasks with ease and run modern games, including Genshin Impact, at medium to high graphics settings. Not to mention, the Dimensity 920 offers a premium network experience, particularly to those who have access to 5G data and Wi-Fi routers that support newer wireless standards. Outside of 5G and Wi-Fi 6 with 2×2 MIMO, you also get Infinix’s own Erdal Engine 3.0 technology, which allows the handset to automatically switch between cellular and Wi-Fi networks without any service interruptions.

What the Zero Ultra 5G means for future Infinix devices

The latest Infinix ZERO ULTRA 5G is no doubt an impressive smartphone, and one that should be on the shortlist of people who want high-end specs and features for less. But what does it mean for future devices from the company?

While it’s unlikely that the ZERO ULTRA 5G’s 180-watt Thunder Charge technology and 200-megapixel camera trickles down to phones at the bottom, its design — along with some software features — might. We could even see the Note 12 Pro 5G successor with a similarly curved AMOLED screen and Dimensity 900 series SoC sometime later this year. In any case, the ZERO ULTRA 5G sets the bar high not only in its segment, but also for future Infinix offerings from top to bottom.

This likewise signals that Infinix is serious in investing in groundbreaking technologies and exciting innovations that push the boundaries of smartphone capability. This brand is in the game for the long haul.

Beyond smartphones

Crucially, the launch of the ZERO ULTRA 5G also marks Infinix’s debut in the NFT [non-fungible token] space, as the company celebrates the phone’s release with the announcement of its own limited-edition Xboy Explorer NFT collection. The space-themed set includes five individual NFTs, or variations of the Xboys — cute blocky robots that represent the essence and technological innovations of the Infinix ZERO ULTRA 5G and the planets of the solar system.

The characters are Mirror from Jupiter (representing the curved Waterfall Display), Vision from Mercury (200-megapixel primary camera), Wisestar from Mars (6nm Dimensity 920 5G chip), Chic from Saturn (stylish glass design), and Flash from Venus (180-watt Thunder Charge), which is the ultra-rare, limited-edition NFT variant of the Xboy collection. Buyers of the smartphone will be entitled to a lottery card that offers the chance to claim an animated NFT that can be traded with other users on the marketplace.

With the release of its own NFTs, Infinix looks to establish its reputation as a trendsetter among global mobile brands by embracing cryptocurrency and the metaverse.

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