SUS has launched the ZenFone AR in its native Taiwan, (officially) revealing the price of the second-ever Tango smartphone, and the first to support Google’s Daydream VR platform. It’s also the first phone to have both. But as many had feared, it won’t come cheap, with the 8GB RAM model going for 24,990 New Taiwan dollars — about $822 or P41,000 — on the Taiwanese market.
OPPO A57 is an affordable and handy ‘selfie expert’
PPO has announced the OPPO A57 (click for complete specs) in the Philippines, providing a more affordable option for those who want a reasonably powerful, selfie-centric phone but can’t stretch their budget to cover the cost of an OPPO F3 or F1s. It also completes the trio of mid-tier devices for the company, at prices separated by just P2,000, or approximately $40.
Moto C is an Android Nougat phone for under P4,000 ($80)
ENOVO-OWNED Motorola has a new budget smartphone available for purchase in the Philippines through online retailer Lazada. The Moto C (click for complete specs) is about as low-end as they come these days. It’s as cheap as acceptable budget phones come, too, checking in at P3,699 or around $75.
Cherry Mobile Desire R7 mini quick review: An iPhone clone for cheap
HERRY Mobile’s recently outed Desire series of smartphones places a premium on aesthetics over everything else. And although the Desire R7, R7 Plus, and R8 phones serve as the de facto faces, another model may be more distinguishable than the rest.
Samsung Galaxy J2 Prime review: Not your typical Samsung phone
AMSUNG has been coming out with some really good premium phones in recent years (you can read about the Galaxy S8 here and here). And the Seoul-based company hasn’t eased off the gas pedal on the entry-level market as it continues with its annual release schedule, which includes the phone you see above, the Samsung Galaxy J2 Prime (click for complete specs).
The OnePlus 5 may be launching sooner than you think
HE OnePlus 5 hype train is in full motion. And as of today, you can add a possible launch date for one of 2017’s most anticipated Android smartphones.
First look: HTC U Ultra big-screen flagship phone
TC announced the HTC U Ultra (click for complete specs) in January 2017 at a post-CES press conference that attempted to hijack the spotlight away from phones that made their debut at the world’s biggest tech event.
Sony Xperia XZ Premium launched in PH with premium pricing to boot
N the market for an Android flagship? Sony Philippines has something that is pretty special and may strike your fancy. But you’d have to be prepared to spend top money for it.
In PH, these are the top 10 best-selling smartphones in Q4 2016
ETAIL analyst GfK has released its report for the fourth quarter of 2016, revealing the 10 best-selling smartphones in the Philippines. Turns out the selfie-focused OPPO F1s was the most saleable model in the country, per data from the study.
Selfie-focused Vivo V5s debuts in PH
HINESE brand Vivo today unveiled the Vivo V5s (see complete specs) in the Philippines, just months after a similar product, the Vivo V5, hit the streets. The V5s is priced higher than its predecessor, and the extra cost will get you more storage and a redesigned, unibody phone that looks like the V5 Plus — or, if you prefer, the iPhone 7.
What Android Go is, and why you should care
ODAY’S keynote address at the Google I/O 2017 developer conference saw the announcement of Android Go. What is it, and why should you care? To put it simply, it’s a basic mobile operating system for basic phones.
Meet the smartphone that now has the highest-rated camera
TC has a new a smartphone to compete with the likes of the Google Pixel, the Samsung Galaxy S8, and the Apple iPhone 7. And expectedly, the Taiwan-headquartered phone maker is keen to brag about the camera on the HTC U11 (click for complete specs), which is apparently unprecedented in the mobile industry — both in terms of shooting stills and video.
Xiaomi Mi 6 now available in PH, but there’s a catch
HE Xiaomi Mi 6 (click for complete specs), the affordable, dual-cam Samsung Galaxy S8 challenger from China, is now available in the Philippines through online retailer Widget City, albeit unofficially. There’s always a catch, isn’t there?
Midrange Sony Xperia XA1 quietly gets released in PH
ONY today announced the arrival of the Sony Xperia XA1 in the Philippines. Announced at the Mobile World Congress or MWC 2017 in Barcelona, the XA1 is the Japanese brand’s newest entry in the midrange segment and the successor to the seriously underrated XA from last season.
Here’s why the Apple iPhone 8 will be delayed, report claims
OULD the iPhone 8, the most anticipated non-Android phone of 2017, be the most elusive as well? That’s what the rumor mill would have us believe, and we think it’s entirely plausible that Apple won’t be able to keep up with the market at launch.
Vivo Y53 review: Expectedly handy, surprisingly capable
UDGET smartphones have come a long way in a short time. As you probably know, some even come with a fingerprint reader, which is crazy given that, up until a couple of years ago, the luxury of biometrics security was limited to higher-end devices. The outliers, many originating from the Far East, offer many of the features you’d want on your next purchase — and at bargain prices.
Sony Xperia XZs with slow-motion camera drops in PH
F you’ve bought a Sony Xperia XZ recently, you may want to cover your ears for this: the Japanese company today announced the entry of the Sony Xperia XZs (click for complete specs) to the Philippine market.
Alleged OnePlus 5 sample photos surface online
NE of the most anticipated phones of 2017 is launching in the coming months. We’re not talking the iPhone 8, or iPhone 7s, or whatever Apple ends up calling its next handset. Soon, the internet’s short attention span will focus on the OnePlus 5, which is being worked on “without a break,” according to the company’s CEO, Pete Lau.
Cherry Mobile Flare P1 review: Two rear cameras, one low price
UAL-CAMERA smartphones have been all the rage lately. So as expected, Cherry Mobile has unveiled its own dual-cam entries under the Flare P series, with “P” standing for photography. Or at least we think so. The cheapest of the bunch is the Cherry Mobile Flare P1 (click for complete specs).
New Meizu E2 phone is tempting, but good luck finding one
EIZU has a new budget smartphone on offer in the Meizu E2. But chances are, you won’t even get a whiff of it — unless you live in the company’s home country of China. Sorry, Philippines, India, and the rest of the world.