Smartphones

Snapdragon improves four chipsets for the midrange

Coming Q4 2021

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Last year, chipset makers focused on bringing 5G compatibility to their products. Now, with most chipsets already supporting the modern network right off the bat, the next objective is to improve performance with the new network compatibility in mind. Qualcomm is doing just that with a slew of new chipsets for the midrange market.

Snapdragon 695

Arguably the most important in the pack, the new Snapdragon 695 improves on the Snapdragon 690 released last year. At the time, the midrange processor brought 5G compatibility to the market.

This year’s Snapdragon 695 patches a missing puzzle piece in its predecessor’s features. Whereas the Snapdragon 690 only had compatibility for sub-6GHz networks, the Snapdragon 695 offers both sub-6GHz and mmWave frequencies.

Further, the upgraded chipset will also feature a 15 percent improvement in CPU speeds and up to 30 percent in GPU speeds.

Snapdragon 680

Though the entire industry is firmly in the 5G realm, the Snapdragon 680 offers an alternative to markets that are still hovering around 4G LTE speeds. The Snapdragon 680 does not offer 5G capabilities but has improved performance speeds.

Other improvements across the board

Next comes an upgraded version of the Snapdragon 778G. The new chipset doesn’t offer anything new when it comes to features. It does feature improved spends and faster AI capabilities with a 2.5GHz CPU, in lieu of the predecessor’s 2.4GHz CPU.

The Snapdragon 480 Plus upgrades the Snapdragon 480’s performance with an upgraded 2.2GHz CPU.

The new set of chipsets will debut in smartphones sometime this quarter. A few brands — HMD, Honor, Motorola, OPPO, vivo, and Xiaomi — are all set for smartphones with the new chips.

SEE ALSO: Qualcomm isn’t scared of Google’s in-house processor

News

vivo opens pre-orders for V70 in PH; discounts, more await

Pre-order early for discounts and freebies

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The vivo V70 is now available for pre-order in the Philippines, with discounts and more freebies awaiting customers until March 13.

The latest V series smartphone from the brand retails starting at PhP 31,999, available in Golden Hour and Alpine Gray colorways.

Customers who secure their unit early can enjoy a PhP 2,000 off discount, as well as limited-edition freebies.

Freebies include a vivo VIP Card with 6-month extended warranty and 6-month broken screen insurance. Customers will also take home a vivo Buds Air3.

Meanwhile, those availing through Home Credit can get an additional PhP 500 discount, available until April 30. Buyers can take home the V70 for as low as PhP 42 per day at 18 months 0% interest installment.

Bring the stage closer

The vivo V70 features helpful tools for travel, concerts, and other occasions, with its familiar 50MP ZEISS Super Telephoto Camera leading the way.

This telephoto camera has a pro-grade, 1/1.95-inch sensor and OIS for sharper shots in low-light and challenging conditions. Its advanced periscope design also allows for higher zoom levels without adding bulk.

The shooter is coupled with a 1/1.56-inch 50MP ZEISS main camera. There is also an 8MP ZEISS ultra-wide angle camera and a 50MP ZEISS Group Selfie Camera.

The vivo V70 also features AI Stage Mode, 4K 60fps video, and AI-powered editing tools for creative content and storytelling.

Particularly, the new AI Stage Mode is tuned for stage photography. Shots are enhanced by AI Image Portrait Enhancement Algorithm and AI Style Portrait Technology.

As with previous iterations of the V series, the latest handset is also equipped with ZEISS Multifocal Portrait, along with options like 85mm ZEISS Sonnar Style Bokeh or 100mm Close-Up Portrait in ZEISS Planar Style.

And for the first time in the V series, the phone introduces 4K 60fps video for cinematic and smooth captures.

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MWC 2026

HONOR unveils Robot Phone concept at MWC 2026

A new species of smartphone

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HONOR Robot Phone
HONOR Robot Phone | c/o Ayano Tominaga

At Mobile World Congress 2026, HONOR offered a first look at its boldest concept yet: the HONOR Robot Phone, a device the company describes as a “new species” of smartphone built around embodied AI.

Unlike traditional smartphones that rely purely on touch and voice, the Robot Phone integrates robot-grade motion control with multimodal AI perception. The idea is simple but ambitious — give AI not just a brain, but physical expressiveness through motion and spatial awareness.

Embodied AI interaction

At the heart of the Robot Phone is a self-developed micro motor paired with an ultra-compact 4DoF gimbal system. By significantly reducing motor size, HONOR managed to fit a mechanical architecture capable of controlled physical movement inside a smartphone form factor.

This enables what HONOR calls embodied AI interaction. The device supports all-angle AI video calling that physically follows the user through robot-grade motion control. It can respond with expressive gestures such as nodding or shaking its “head,” and even move rhythmically to music for a more lifelike presence.

Through multimodal perception, the Robot Phone can identify sounds, track motion, and maintain visual awareness in real time, creating a more natural and intuitive interaction model compared to static devices.

Cheekily, it also kind of looks like an HONOR Magic Phone fused with a DJI Osmo Pocket 3.

Cinematic capture with motion control

The Robot Phone is also built around a 200MP sensor integrated into a stabilized gimbal camera system. A three-axis stabilization setup supports smooth motion even in dynamic scenarios.

Super Steady Video mode enhances stability during high-movement shooting, while AI Object Tracking allows the device to intelligently follow subjects. AI SpinShot enables 90° and 180° rotational movements, creating fluid, cinematic transitions — even when shooting one-handed.

By combining stabilization, intelligent tracking, and controlled physical motion, HONOR aims to narrow the gap between smartphone video and professional-style storytelling.

A glimpse into HONOR’s AI future

The Robot Phone forms part of HONOR’s broader Augmented Human Intelligence vision and ALPHA PLAN strategy. While still positioned as a concept, the device demonstrates how embodied intelligence could shape the next generation of AI hardware — blending digital processing with physical responsiveness.

As HONOR expands beyond traditional smartphones into robotics and connected AI devices, the Robot Phone serves as an early preview of how future mobile technology might move, react, and interact more like a living companion rather than a static tool.

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MWC 2026

HONOR partners with ARRI to bring cinematic image science to smartphones

First debut on HONOR ROBOT PHONE

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HONOR Magic8 Pro
File Photo: HONOR Magic8 Pro

HONOR has announced a strategic technical collaboration with ARRI, a global leader in professional cinema camera technology.

The partnership aims to bring established cinematic imaging standards into the fast-growing world of mobile content creation. HONOR will combine its mobile imaging systems with ARRI’s century-long expertise in defining cinematic image quality.

HONOR CEO James Li said the company wants to inspire creativity through technology. He added that ARRI has shaped the visual language of cinema for generations. Through this collaboration, HONOR plans to integrate professional imaging standards and workflows into its smartphones.

ARRI also sees smartphones as serious creative tools. David Bermbach, Managing Director at ARRI, said consumer phones already appear in blockbuster productions around the world. He said the time has come to bring cinema and mobile imaging even closer together. For the first time, core elements of ARRI Image Science will be integrated directly into a consumer device.

A century of cinematic standards

ARRI has shaped filmmaking for more than 100 years. The company supported cinema from early film cameras to today’s advanced digital systems.

Its work earned 20 Scientific and Technical Awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. That legacy now serves as the foundation for this new mobile-focused effort.

At the center of the collaboration is ARRI’s Image Science. In cinema, image science forms the backbone of image creation. It governs how colors render, how highlights roll off, and how shadows retain detail. It also ensures consistency from capture to final screen.

HONOR will apply these principles to its mobile imaging architecture. The goal is not to replicate large cinema hardware inside a phone. Instead, the companies will translate core cinematic principles into compact, real-time mobile systems.

Dr. Benedikt von Lindeiner, ARRI Vice President overseeing the collaboration, said smartphones operate under different constraints. They use smaller sensors, integrated chipsets, and compact optical stacks. Despite these limits, ARRI aims to deliver natural color, gentle highlight transitions, and authentic depth on mobile devices.

He added that creators should move seamlessly from mobile capture into professional post-production workflows.

The first results of the collaboration will debut on the upcoming HONOR ROBOT PHONE later this year.

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