News

Flagship OnePlus 3T replaces not-so-old OnePlus 3

Published

November 16, 2016

Marvin Velasco

It took only half a year for OnePlus to discontinue its best-ever phone and add a “T” to its immediate successor. Welcome the OnePlus 3T, a somewhat faster and better-equipped OnePlus 3.

The plain OnePlus 3 was very well-received and has been in demand since it’s launch last June, so it’s a surprise to see it scrapped so soon. We did our own unboxing and hands-on of the handset, and we were wholly impressed.

Changes are actually quite minor; so much so that the newer model looks identical to its predecessor. Some fans may be turned off by the higher price tag, but the updated internal hardware hopes to justify the slight increase.

Shelling out $439 for the 64GB storage variant or $479 on the 128GB storage model (both have 6GB of memory) gives you a faster chipset in the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 (compared to the original’s Snapdragon 820), a jump to a 3400mAh battery from capacity of 3000mAh, and double the front camera’s resolution at 16 megapixels.

Looks exactly the same as the original

The only glaring omission is Android’s seventh-generation Nougat operating system, meaning you get the same old 6.0 Marshmallow the older OnePlus 3 has. The company promises a Nougat rollout for both phones by the end of the year, so you’ll have to make do with whatever refinements OxygenOS is offering this time around.

That’s pretty much it; no waterproofing, improved rear camera, or curved display has been added. This is obviously OnePlus’ way of milking its third-generation design before a real successor comes out next year.

And yet, the decision to replace a flagship phone so soon — a fantastic one at that — and offer something more expensive undercuts the company’s own strategy of offering a high-end product at the most affordable price possible.

The same fast-charging technology and fingerprint scanner are still here

Still, critics will appreciate the bump up in specs, specifically the battery’s capacity. As you may or may not know, the only knock most reviews have against the OnePlus 3 was its less-than-stellar battery life. Any sort of upgrade without finding a way to ruin it, like adding a higher-resolution display or making it much thicker, is sweet music to our ears.

Before we forget, there’s also a new color: Gunmetal. That should help distinguish the newer model from the older one — okay, not really. You can get a hold of it beginning November 22 in the US or November 28 in Europe.

[irp posts=”2997″ name=”OnePlus 3 has almost everything you want in a smartphone, including a very attractive price”]

Source: OnePlus

News

Budget smartphone realme C100 Series launches

Long battery life, ruggedness, more

Published

June 18, 2026

GadgetMatch

The realme C100 Series, the brand’s latest rugged essential smartphone in the budget segment, has officially launched in the Philippines.

The series introduces up to an 8,000mAh Titan Battery on the realme C100 model, as well as IP69 Pro certification.

This means the handset has IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K dust and water resistance ratings to handle high-pressure water exposure and submersion for up to six meters and 30 minutes.

The C100 also supports 45W SUPERVOOC charging for quick battery top-ups. It even has a 10W reverse charging support to power other small devices.

On the other hand, the realme C100i comes with a 7,000mAh Titan Battery to likewise power all-day use. This model supports a steady 15W charging and 6W reverse charging. It is also rated IP64 for dust and water resistance.

In addition, both models support Rain Touch Mode, making the 6.8-inch 120Hz display optimized for touches even when it is wet. This panel also comes with ArmorShell Glass protection.

Powering the C100 is the MediaTek Helio G92 Max processor while the C100i has as Unisoc T7250 processor. The devices run on realme UI 7.0 (Android 16).

Price, availability

In the Philippines, the realme C100 Series comes in various storage configurations:

C100i (4GB+64GB): PhP 6,313 (SRP: PhP 8,999)
C100i (4GB+128GB): PhP 7,379 (SRP: PhP 11,999)
C100i (4GB+256GB): PhP 8,199 (SRP: PhP 13,999)
C100 (4GB+256GB): PhP 11,195 (SRP: PhP 16,999)
C100 (8GB+256GB): PhP 14,000 (SRP: PhP 19,999)

Limited-time launch offers are available through Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok from June 18 to June 30.

The phones are also available at realme concept stores, kiosks, and partner retailers nationwide. Potential freebies include a TechLife Smart band, extended warranty and screen damage protection, privilege card, or additional cash discount.

News

Did Tim Cook just confirm that iPhone prices are going up?

Once again, it might be because of the RAM crisis.

Published

June 18, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

If there’s one thing you can count on in the smartphone world, it’s the high price of an iPhone. Unfortunately, with the ongoing RAM shortages, things might get worse. Apple’s Tim Cook has essentially confirmed that the brand is about to raise its prices.

Via an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Cook said, “Unfortunately, price increases are unavoidable.” As with other companies, the outgoing CEO is talking about the RAM crisis. With a lot of chips going to AI, consumer-ready silicon is getting scarcer and scarcer. Thankfully, some brands are shielding its users from the increases, but it’s reaching levels that aren’t sustainable for business.

“We’re doing our best to mitigate the huge increases that are being passed to us, and we’ve been trying to shield our customers from the increases, but the situation has become unsustainable,” he said.

Cook did not explain how much prices will go up or when. However, with the iPhone 18 series (and a potential iPhone Fold) just on the horizon, it seems nigh.

Apple isn’t the first brand to react to the shortages (nor will it be the last). Now, regardless of whether or not Apple has the capabilities to tank the crisis, the biggest culprit is still AI. Companies today are more than willing to use AI as a scapegoat, real or otherwise, for shady cost-cutting or profit-enhancing practices.

News

Apple might launch an iPhone Air 2 next year

This is despite the iPhone Air’s reportedly low demand.

Published

June 18, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Is this the most varied that an iPhone lineup has ever been? With an iPhone Fold supposedly coming out later this year, the current lineup includes a base model, two Pro models, an ultra-thin Air model, and the affordable 17e. There’s now an iPhone for everyone. According to a new report, next year won’t be any different. Apple is reportedly launching the iPhone Air 2 early next year.

Among all the current models in the lineup, the iPhone Air does seem like the oddest of the bunch. Whereas the other models already have established niches, the Air is positioned simply as a thinner iPhone, riding on the short-lived ultra-thin phone trend. In fact, recent reports suggest that the Air isn’t as popular as its contemporaries.

Apparently, Apple doesn’t see it that way. According to Bloomberg, the brand is still surging forward with an iPhone Air 2. The upcoming version might even add a second camera and an improved processor.

Despite reports that it isn’t that popular, Apple might still believe in the model’s future. At this point, they should; Apple has always had a problem with the base model’s partner. Years of flip-flopping around what it should be, Apple wants to stay a little bit longer on the Air.