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OPPO still tops market share in China, rivals quickly catching up

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There’s a fierce competition going on right now in China for smartphone market share dominance. OPPO is currently leading the pack, but Chinese rivals are breathing down their necks.

Counterpoint’s latest monitoring report reveals an 18.9 percent shipment market share for OPPO in the third quarter of 2017. That’s a significant increase from the 16.5 percent during the same period last year, but other brands are doing just as well.

Huawei and Vivo are in a virtual tie for second, and any slight shift could mean either of them could overtaking OPPO for the top spot. The two Chinese tech giants have covered lots of ground since their showing last year; Huawei, in particular, gained a 3.7 percent year-on-year growth.

Xiaomi also had a strong third year thus far, posting a 13.8 percent shipment share, which is way above last year’s 10.3 percent and enough to keep Apple away from the top four.

Counterpoint claims that the R11 was the best-selling phone of the quarter, helping OPPO propel itself past the competition. Although Huawei doesn’t have a clear money maker, their balanced offering across all price points has been beneficial for them.

Xiaomi’s strong performance, on the other hand, was boosted by high demand for both their lower-end Redmi 4 series and higher-end Mi 6 flagship. Their renewed presence in offline channels also created a solid impact.

The graph for shipment growth above proves how important the US$ 300 to US$ 399 segment is becoming. This is where OPPO, Vivo, and Huawei flourish the most, and is also the reason why Apple is having a difficult time raising its market share in China.

This could all change once the more premium handsets, such as the Huawei Mate 10 Pro and Apple iPhone X, begin rolling out across Asia. Consumer spending would also rise in the final quarter of 2017 once the holidays trickle in.

SEE ALSO: Samsung, Xiaomi remain on top of smartphone race in India

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ASUS ProArt P14, P16 laptops with NVIDIA RTX Spark now available

Powerful AI, wherever you create

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ASUS ProArt P16, P14 with NVIDIA RTX Spark

ASUS has introduced the ProArt P14 and P16, two creator laptops powered by NVIDIA RTX Spark. They combine high-capacity unified memory, RTX graphics, and AI tools to help creators and developers run demanding workloads locally.

The new laptops pair NVIDIA’s Blackwell RTX GPU and Grace CPU architecture with up to 128GB of unified memory. ASUS says the platform delivers up to one petaflop of AI performance, enabling users to run large AI models and generative workflows without relying entirely on cloud services.

Portable workstations for creators

The ProArt P16 measures 12.9mm thick and weighs 1.77kg, making it the thinnest 16-inch ProArt laptop to date. The ProArt P14 measures 13.9mm thick and weighs 1.48kg, making it the lightest ProArt laptop currently available.

Both models feature ASUS Lumina Pro OLED displays with a 120Hz variable refresh rate, Delta E<1 color accuracy, and peak brightness of up to 1,600 nits. The P16 supports up to 4K resolution with NVIDIA G-SYNC, while the P14 offers up to 3K resolution.

The P16 packs a 99Wh battery, while the P14 has a 90Wh battery. Both laptops also feature high-speed connectivity and haptic touchpads designed for photo editing, video production, and 3D modeling.

Run AI workflows locally

The ProArt P14 and P16 support local AI workloads through NVIDIA’s CUDA ecosystem and RTX acceleration. Their unified memory configurations allow users to run larger AI models and more complex generative workflows directly on their laptops.

ASUS also offers several creative and productivity tools. MuseTree supports local image generation using FLUX and WAN models, while StoryCube uses AI to organize media and manage creative assets. Zenni Claw provides an AI assistant for everyday productivity, content management, and ASUS device controls.

Users can also work with third-party tools such as ComfyUI and Hermes Agent. The laptops support hybrid workflows, allowing creators to switch between local processing and cloud-based services based on their performance, privacy, and project requirements.

Pricing and availability

The ASUS ProArt P14 and P16 are now available at select ASUS Exclusive Stores, including locations in Glorietta, SM Makati, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, and SM North EDSA.

Here are the available configurations and their suggested retail prices:

  • ASUS ProArt P14 (32GB RAM, 1TB SSD): PhP 224,995
  • ASUS ProArt P16 (48GB RAM, 1TB SSD): PhP 269,995
  • ASUS ProArt P16 (128GB RAM, 1TB SSD): PhP 429,995

The 128GB ProArt P16 configuration is available by special order.

Both laptops include three months of Adobe Creative Cloud and Google AI Pro with 5TB of cloud storage. Buyers also receive a lifetime license for Office 2024 Home, one year of Microsoft 365 Basic with 100GB of cloud storage, and up to 700GB of ASUS cloud storage.

ASUS includes a three-year local and international warranty with local on-site support, a 14-day extended replacement policy, up to six free device-cleaning claims, and one year of accidental damage protection.

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Samsung will reportedly launch a Galaxy Z Slide next year

What will the Slide look like?

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After Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo, it’s safe to say that the foldable wars are finally on. Apple and Android fans are now drawing the battle lines between their respective devices. Now, for the smartphone makers themselves, it’s time for Samsung to prepare its next salvo. Right on cue, a new leak has hinted that the South Korean brand is preparing for its most extensive foldable lineup next year, including a mysterious device called the Galaxy Z Slide.

Based on a new leak on X, Samsung is reportedly launching a total of six foldable devices next year. Naturally, three of those are the next iterations of Samsung’s main foldable lineup: Galaxy Z Fold9, Fold9 Ultra, and Flip9.

A fourth device, however, teases a sequel to the Galaxy Z TriFold. Earlier this year, Samsung launched its first tri-fold device. Although, despite the hype, the TriFold never really made it as a consumer-ready device, opting instead for a limited release for early adopters. A second release might mean that Samsung is ready to unleash a friendlier device next year, which the leak claims will be the first one out the gate.

Now, the other two releases are more of a mystery. For one, Samsung is allegedly launching a Galaxy Z Fold9 Pro, presumably a middle ground between the passport-style and the book-style foldable.

Finally, the sixth device (and arguably the most mysterious) is something called the Galaxy Z Slide. If true, the Slide will likely introduce an all-new form factor for the lineup. If anything, though, we know that Samsung has been experimenting with sliding screens. Is this what the Slide will look like?

SEE ALSO: Samsung: Galaxy Z Fold8 demand rose because of iPhone Duo

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Apple is hosting another “Pro” event this October

The event is called “Pro and Tell”.

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Apple CEO John Ternus was not kidding when he said his company is getting more regular releases during his tenure. Now, so soon after their last event, Ternus is once again gearing up for yet another event. On October 28, Apple is holding an event called “Pro and Tell.”

As with Apple’s other events, the event’s name is supposed to give a hint as to what’s coming on October 28. However, “Pro and Tell” is quite a puzzle, especially since the brand already launched the iPhone 18 Pro duo just las month. What other Pro devices is Apple hatching?

So far, the brand still has a few segments untouched this year. Given the naming, this event might see the debuts of a new MacBook and a new iPad. Both of which, after all, have Pro devices.

For context, Apple has just finished its “Welcome Home” event a few weeks ago, unveiling their new home collection. Before that, the brand launched the iPhone 18 Pro series and the iPhone Duo. Since starting his term, Ternus has turned the formerly quiet Apple into one of the most active brands in the tech space, hosting three events in quick succession.

Besides those events, Apple is still set to release the iPhone Duo later this month. The brand isn’t done yet.

SEE ALSO: Apple reveals iPhone Duo’s 4883mAh battery

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