News

Smart goes all out with iPhone 17 Series pre-order offers

Now available via Smart Postpaid, Infinity, and Prepaid

Published

on

Smart Communications is going big for the iPhone 17 Series. They’re open for pre-orders across Smart Postpaid, Smart Infinity, and Smart Prepaid.

Subscribers can get the iPhone 17 (256GB) or iPhone Air under Smart Postpaid Plans+ 1499. The plan includes UNLI 5G for 12 months, 40GB open data, Netflix Mobile, and unlimited texts and calls to all networks and landlines.

New subscribers can get the iPhone 17 (256GB) for a PhP 18,400 down payment and PhP 1,500 per month for 24 months. Recontracting users can get it for PhP 2,204 per month. Meanwhile, the iPhone Air (256GB) goes for PhP 2,758 per month. All plans come with a free eSIM upgrade.

Smart Postpaid and Pre-order Perks

Customers eyeing the iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max can choose Plans+ 1999. This comes with UNLI 5G, 60GB open data, Netflix Mobile, and premium lifestyle perks through Smart Postpaid Perks.

They can also opt for a 0% installment plan—PhP 69,800 for the iPhone 17 Pro (256GB) and PhP 79,500 for the Pro Max (256GB).

Pre-order from October 9 to 31, 2025, and enjoy FREE 17GB of 5G data weekly for 17 weeks, Unli Data for 17 days, and a PhP 1,700 bill rebate when ordering via the Smart Online Store.

Premium with Smart Infinity

Smart Infinity members can get any iPhone 17 model with unlimited data, calls, and texts, plus up to PhP 4,500 in monthly consumables for services like iCloud, Apple Music, and Apple TV+.

Plans include 24/7 Concierge access, while Plan 5000 and Plan 8000 members enjoy a dedicated Relationship Manager for one-on-one assistance.

Easier Options with Smart Prepaid

Smart Prepaid customers can get the iPhone 17 for as low as PhP 2,425 per month for 24 months at 0% interest. Those who pre-order will get a free Smart Prepaid eSIM and 1.7GB data weekly for 17 weeks.

Smart also offers flexible payment options through banks and partner financing firms.

The Most Advanced iPhones Yet

Powered by Apple’s A19 chip, the iPhone 17 Series delivers faster performance and better efficiency. It features a 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with ProMotion for smoother visuals.

It comes in Black, White, Mist Blue, Sage, and Lavender, blending performance with sleek design.

Pre-orders are now open via smart.com.ph/Pages/iPhone17 or any Smart Store nationwide.

Gaming

Nintendo officially announces Ocarina of Time remake

Coming in 2026.

Published

on

There are a few titles that an overwheling majority of gamers consider as an absolute must-play for other gamers. One of those titles is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Originally launched for the Nintendo 64, it’s not easy to play the iconic game today. But, later this year, the game is about to get much more accessible. Nintendo has officially announced a remake of Ocarina of Time.

Modern gamers might not realize the effect of the original Ocarina of Time on the RPG genre. Besides adding a third dimension to the then-fledgling Legend of Zelda series, the 1998 game also revolutionized the gaming world by popularizing targeting systems. That, and the refining of the formula in Majora’s Mask, makes Ocarina an essential in gaming history.

During today’s Nintendo Direct, the company capped off the hour-long presentations by announcing a remake of the game. Though the short, short trailer didn’t reveal any gameplay, it did confirm that the remake will retain the original’s more whimsical art style, as opposed to the realism put forth by the Breath of the Wild duology.

It’s not the first re-release for the game, though. In the past, Nintendo released remastered versions of the game for the GameCube and the 3DS. This is, however, the first official remake of the title for a much more modern system.

We didn’t know when the remake will officially launch, but it’s coming out within this year.

Continue Reading

News

Apple has essentially confirmed the launch of the iPhone Fold

Some hidden references were not hidden enough.

Published

on

No, Apple did not officially launch the iPhone Fold yet.

However, WWDC 2026 had a few surprises for those attentive enough to go deeper into the event’s announcements. And it all revolves around iOS 27.

Of course, the main event of WWDC 2026 is the first peek into the upcoming mobile operating system. Though we already covered everything that Apple visibly announced, something hidden has essentially confirmed the band’s first foldable phone.

On X, Sam Henri Gold, an engineer, spotted a few crucial references to a foldable form factor. Hidden underneath the recently released iOS 27 beta are mentions of “foldState” and “angleDegrees.” The code also includes references to the number of displays a single device has.

Notably, iOS 26 did not include such mentions. It can’t be purely coincidental. Unless Apple is suddenly shipping iOS 27 out to foldables from other brands (highly unlikely), this is the prelude to an iPhone Fold coming later this year.

Now, rumors of an iPhone Fold have been making the rounds for a while now. But they haven’t been as strong as this year. There’s heavy speculation that the brand’s first foldable phone is coming later this fall.

There’s still a nonzero chance that it makes an appearance during WWDC 2026, but don’t put all your eggs in this basket. Apple traditionally reserves the conference for software developments. Fall is the usual playing ground for Apple’s hardware.

Continue Reading

News

Apple Intelligence gets smarter across apps

Beyond Siri AI

Published

on

Apple Intelligence

Alongside the debut of Siri AI at WWDC26, Apple also unveiled the next generation of Apple Intelligence, bringing new AI-powered features to Photos, Safari, Messages, Shortcuts, Home, and other apps across its ecosystem.

Powered by a new privacy-focused architecture, Apple Intelligence now integrates more deeply across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, and Apple Vision Pro. The company says the update makes everyday tasks easier with smarter editing tools, improved web browsing, more capable communication features, and expanded automation options.

New AI editing tools come to Photos

Apple is introducing several new editing features to Photos.

Spatial Reframing lets users adjust the composition of a photo after it has been taken. The feature uses AI to generate only the parts of an image needed to accommodate the new perspective while keeping the original scene intact.

The Photos app is also gaining an upgraded Extend tool, which can expand images, straighten horizons, and adjust aspect ratios without cropping out important elements. Meanwhile, the Clean Up tool now delivers more realistic results when removing unwanted objects from photos. Apple says AI-edited images will automatically include a hidden SynthID watermark.

Safari gets smarter browsing features

Apple Intelligence is also changing how Safari works.

A new feature automatically organizes tabs into topics, making it easier to manage research, trip planning, and other projects spread across multiple pages. Safari can continue grouping new tabs into existing topics as users browse.

Another feature called Notify Me can monitor webpages for changes, such as product restocks or price drops, and send notifications when updates occur. Safari can also generate custom browser extensions through a new Describe an Extension tool that builds extensions based on a user’s written instructions.

Apple is also expanding the capabilities of the Passwords app. Eligible accounts can now be automatically upgraded to stronger passwords, with Apple Intelligence handling the process on a user’s behalf.

Messages, Calendar, and Shortcuts gain AI assistance

Messages and Mail are becoming more proactive with contextual suggestions.

Users can receive one-tap recommendations to create reminders or notes based on conversations. Messages can also help locate specific photos by recognizing people, locations, and keywords mentioned in chats. Smart Reply can now adapt responses based on a user’s writing style.

Apple is also bringing AI assistance to Calendar and Shortcuts. Users can create calendar events simply by describing them, while a new Describe a Shortcut feature can automatically build automations based on natural language instructions.

The Phone app is gaining Call Context, which can surface information such as reservation numbers and confirmation codes when users contact a business. Apple says the feature runs entirely on-device and does not share information with the company.

New features for Home and accessibility

The Home app is becoming smarter with AI-generated video descriptions and improved search tools for HomeKit Secure Video cameras.

Users can search security camera footage using natural language and review automatically highlighted noteworthy events. Apple Intelligence can also group related notifications into a single activity to reduce clutter.

Accessibility features are also receiving upgrades. VoiceOver can provide richer image descriptions, while Voice Control allows users to describe onscreen controls instead of memorizing exact button names. Accessibility Reader now supports more complex documents and can provide summaries and translations on demand.

Availability

The new Apple Intelligence features are available for developer testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program. A public beta will launch next month through the Apple Beta Software Program.

Apple plans to release the features this fall as part of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 for supported Apple Intelligence-compatible devices.

Continue Reading

Trending