News

vivo X50 series now official, employs Gimbal Camera System

Placing heavy emphasis on camera performance

Published

July 16, 2020

Rodneil Quiteles

vivo’s been pretty quiet since the launch of the vivo NEX 3. Today, the company breaks its silence with the launch of the vivo X50 series. It consists of three phones: the X50, X50 Pro, and X50 Pro+.

The series is putting a strong emphasis on camera performance. Specifically, vivo is touting its Gimbal Camera System and its zoom capabilities. We’ll get to that more later.

The X50 series also promises a futuristic and user-centric design along with flagship grade performance. The company says it’s the first X-series to be released globally, so there’s a lot riding on these devices.

Gimbal Camera System

Gimbals are primarily used for stabilization. By adding what they call the Gimbal Camera System, vivo says they’ve unlocked the capability to take clear photos and videos while in motion. This applies, they claim, even at night.

Here’s how it works: the gimbal module, which was modeled from a full-size professional gimbal, moves in the opposite direction of shaking motion to provide stability. It also widens the rotation angle and anti-shake area — wider than the usual smartphone stabilization methods — to produce super clear images.

There’s a gimbal radar that lets users know when the frame is stable. It appears as an on-screen animated ball that reflects the gimbal’s movement. This works in concert with vivo’s motion-deblur algorithm, customized sensors and continuous focus tracking to improve the clarity even more.

If that seemed like it’s a lot to take in, that’s because it is. For our part, we’re excited how it actually works both in demo and in the real world.

Zoom and other camera features

There’s more to the X50 series than the gimbal camera system. vivo says all three are equipped with the cameras you expect from flagship smartphones. Both the X50 Pro and the X50 Pro+ have a periscope lens that supports up to 60x Hyper Zoom.

The X50 Pro has a quad-camera setup with a single selfie camera. Meanwhile, the X50 Pro+ sports a main camera that has a 1/1.3 inch ISOCELL GN1 sensor. This should result in photos with “breathtaking detail.”

The series also has a super wide-angle lens and a super macro lens, giving you versatility in various shooting situations. There’s also Super Night Mode for low light scenarios, and an Astro Mode for stunning nightscape images whether in a city or open field setting.

Lastly, there’s Portrait Mode. vivo says it’s now more refined thanks to a four-layer masking algorithm that not only separates the subject from the background, it’ll also let you apply separate effects for even better results.

A truly flagship series

All the phones in the X50 series will support 5G connectivity — which seems to be something we should expect from all flagship phones from here on out. The series will also have a high screen refresh rate — a choice between 90Hz/120Hz depending on the model.

Those screens, vivo claims, are now even better. They’re more flexible, slimmer, lighter, but also more durable than anything they’ve ever made before.

The X50 Pro+ is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+X55 processor. The Gimbal Camera System on the rear of the X50 Pro is in the shape of an eye for a unique design element. And lastly, the X50 is the slimmest 5G phone so far measuring at only 7.49mm

Pricing and availability

It will be available over the next three months in the following markets: Asia (specifically India, Indonesia, and more), Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe.

In India, pricing are as follows:

vivo X50 (8GB+128GB): Rs 34,990
vivo X50 (8GB+256GB): INR 37,990
vivo X50 Pro (8GB+256GB): INR49,999

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on June 1, 2020. It has been updated to with our video review, new images and to reflect pricing and availability.

News

Lionel Messi’s face just unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra early

Technically, it’s a custom Caviar phone with Messi’s face on it.

Published

July 20, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Image source: Caviar

And just like that, the World Cup season is over. Spain prevailed over Argentina in a 1-0 caper. Despite the loss, however, Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi is (indirectly) leaving us a little surprise by spoiling the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra a few days early.

Technically, it’s not Messi himself doing the spoiling. Caviar, the infamous luxury smartphone company, has revealed an extravagant Lionel Messi-themed edition of the unannounced Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

As with the brand’s other creations, the special smartphone is covered in 24-karat gold plating. The design is styled to look like Messi and the colors of the Argentinian football team.

Image source: Caviar

Now, before you say that this design is worthless now after the loss to Spain, the edition is meant to celebrate the 2022 win, exemplified by the badge on Messi’s shirt saying “2022”. And even then, Messi is still one of the most globally recognized sports personalities in the world, making this quite the collector’s item.

However, if you’re looking for any hardware leaks, you’re out of luck. The listing has no mention of specs, except for the storage, which includes options for 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. Other than that, you’ll have to wait like the rest of us.

Additionally, if you’re interested in the Messi-themed edition, it will cost you a fortune. Caviar’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will start at a whopping US$ 13,130.

Besides its nature as a special edition, this phone is the most official thing we’ve seen of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. Samsung is still scheduled to launch the new foldable, along with other models, in a few days. The brand is also rumored to launch a wide version of this model.

Automotive

Mercedes-Benz celebrates 140th anniversary at the Presidential Car Museum

A generation’s worth of presidential Benz models under one roof

Published

July 17, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Last month, Mercedes-Benz Philippines kicked off its 140^th -anniversary “Welcome Home” campaign. Designed to celebrate the iconic Chedeng and introduce a new generation to the brand, the campaign attracts old and new customers alike. Now, the brand’s 140^th year is also hitting history buffs with a special showcase at the Presidential Car Museum in Quezon City.

Since President Cory Aquino’s term, the official presidential car has been a Benz, offering comfort and protection for the current head of state. It is here where Mercedes-Benz wants to celebrate the legacy of the brand, especially in the annals of Philippine history.

Amid the cars of Presidents Aquino, Ramos, Estrada, and Macapagal-Arroyo, Mercedes-Benz is displaying a replica of the Benz Patent-Motorwagen Replica, which is the world’s first automobile introduced by Karl Benz in 1886. The replica will be on display until December 2026.

Outside the Presidential Car Museum, Mercedes-Benz is running discounts through the end of July. There are also special aftersales services for those who already own a Benz. Finally, the brand will continue to run activations throughout the anniversary, so expect to hear a lot more about the Chedeng throughout the year.

News

Samsung releases teaser with Spider-Man: Brand New Day Easter eggs

Spot also teases upcoming Galaxy foldable devices

Published

July 16, 2026

GadgetMatch

Samsung has just premiered a new spot that showcases clips directly from Spider-Man: Brand New Day, just a few weeks before the movie hits cinemas later this month.

The clip showcases Spider-Man as he fights crime and puts his phone through the wear and tear of superhero life.

In the spot, the Fabricator creates a number of devices for Spider-Man built to stand up to the pace and unpredictability of life behind the mask. This includes what clearly looks like a Galaxy Z Flip phone.

This provides a behind the scenes look into how Peter Parker ultimately landed on a Samsung phone — as fans speculated from the first trailer.

Meanwhile, Ned can also be seen using the Spidey Tracker to try and catch Spider-Man throughout the city on his Samsung phone.

The campaign pretty much formalizes Jacob Batalon — who plays Ned Leeds — as Samsung’s Team Galaxy’s newest ambassador.

The clip ends with the text “A brand new shape for a Brand New Day”, which is also a callback to what the brand has been teasing regarding the future of its Galaxy foldable devices.

Samsung to release latest devices at Galaxy Unpacked

Next week, Samsung is set to launch its latest devices at Galaxy Unpacked 2026.

Ahead of the launch, customers who wish to reserve as early as now can get a US$ 30 credit during pre-order, for a total of up to US$ 1,230 in savings.

Customers can also enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win one of 10 US$ 500 Samsung.com gift cards towards their purchase.