News

POCO F8 Series now official

POCO enters the premium flagship smartphone territory

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The POCO F8 Series is now official, with the brand unveiling the dual flagship devices via a global launch event in Bali, Indonesia.

Available in the POCO F8 Ultra and POCO F8 Pro variants, the series has the following prices:

POCO F8 Ultra — Denim Blue, Black

  • 12GB+256GB: US$ 729 / £ 749 (early bird: US$ 679 / £ 599)
  • 16GB+512GB: US$ 799 / £ 799 (early bird: US$ 729/ £ 649)

POCO F8 Pro — Titanium Silver, Blue, Black

  • 12GB+256GB: US$ 579 / £ 549 (early bird: US$ 529 / £ 449)
  • 16GB+512GB: US$ 629 / £ 599 (early bird: US$ 579 / £ 499)

The launch marks POCO’s entry into the premium flagship segment — the brand’s boldest step yet while maintaining its mantra of value through high-performance technology.

During the event, POCO also formally announced its partnership with audio company Bose, bringing Sound by Bose technology to both F8 smartphones.

Ultimate flagship statement

The series headliner, the POCO F8 Ultra defines what a next-generation flagship should be. It is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor and an upgraded VisionBoost D8 chipset.

This dual-chipset architecture unlocks the device’s full performance potential. Users can expect Smart Frame Rate up to 120fps, Super Resolution up to 1.5K, and Game HDR.

Meanwhile, the POCO F8 Pro runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile platform.

Both phones introduce AI Super Resolution through a new GEX module, specifically optimized for five titles, including Call of Duty: Mobile and Honkai: Star Rail.

Speaking of gaming, WildBoost Optimization also fine-tunes CPU and GPU load distribution for lower power consumption and less heat.

All of these are complemented by LiquidCool Technology which features a 3D dual-channel, dual-layer IceLoop system.

Both F8 series devices run on Xiaomi HyperOS 3 for intelligence and connectivity. Features include Xiaomi HyperIsland, Xiaomi HyperConnect for cross-device interconnectivity, and Xiaomi HyperAI for advanced tools for productivity.

Mobile audio experience redefined

Meanwhile, Bose helped develop a premium triple-speaker acoustic system for the F8 Ultra to enable rich bass, detailed sound, clear vocals, and an immersive soundstage.

On the visuals side, the F8 Ultra debuts the POCO HyperRGB display. Unlike traditional 2K OLED displays, the 6.9-inch panel adopts a full RGB subpixel structure where red-green-blue subpixels are fully used.

This system allows for 19.5% lower power consumption compared to the POCO F7 Ultra. On the other hand, the F8 Pro has a 6.59-inch display with the same features for up to 22.3% lower power consumption.

Ultra-grade photography

Bringing pro-level photography to the segment as well, the POCO F8 Ultra features a 50MP Light Fusion 950 sensor with OIS.

With a large 1/1.31-inch sensor, the main camera has 43% better light sensitivity. The system also reduces lens flare and glare, with its 1G+6P lens setup and precise multi-coating process.

Software enhancements include 1440p ultra-clear dynamic shots with EIS and HDR enhancement.

The F8 Ultra likewise comes with a 50MP 5x periscope telephoto lens for up to 5x optical zoom, 10x in-sensor zoom, and up to 20x Ultra Zoom.

Rounding out the triple 50MP camera setup is a 50MP ultra-wide shooter. In front, meanwhile, is a 32MP selfie camera.

Not to be left behind, the POCO F8 Pro has a 50MP 2.5x telephoto camera and a 50MP Light Fusion 800 main camera with OIS.

New POCO Pads also released

In addition to the new POCO F8 Series, POCO has also launched two new tablets: the POCO Pad X1 and POCO Pad M1.

The Pad X1 is powered by a Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 and delivers stable 120fps in the most demanding scenarios.

It has an 11.2-inch 3.2K display with up to 144Hz refresh rate and a 8850mAh battery with 45W turbo charging. The quad speakers are fine-tuned with Dolby Atmos and supports 200% volume boost.

For a larger screen, the POCO Pad M1 has a 12.1-inch 2.5K display with up to 120Hz refresh rate. It likewise has a quad-speaker system with Dolby Atmos, and a massive 12000mAh battery.

This slate is powered by a Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 and runs on Xiaomi HyperOS as well.

The tablets and their accompanying accessories are priced as follows:

POCO Pad X1 — Grey, Blue

  • Tablet (8GB+512GB): US$ 399 (early bird: US$ 349)
  • Floating Keyboard: US$ 199
  • Keyboard: US$ 129
  • Cover: US$ 49
  • Focus Pen: US$ 99

POCO Pad M1— Grey, Blue

  • Tablet (8GB+256GB): US$ 329 (early bird: US$ 279)
  • Keyboard: US$ 99
  • Cover: US$ 29
  • Focus Pen: US$ 69

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GoTyme Bank, Visa partner for FIFA World Cup 2026 raffle giveaway

Win an all-expense-paid trip to the World Cup with your GoTyme Visa Debit Card

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GoTyme Bank and Visa have officially teamed up for a FIFA World Cup 2026 raffle giveaway.

This gives Filipino football fans the chance to win an all-expense-paid trip to attend either the World Cup Group Stage or Final in the United States.

The partnership marks GoTyme Bank’s growing presence not only in the market but also in the global stage. Recently, the digital bank has grown to over 9 million customers in the Philippines, and 20 million worldwide.

Under the partnership, GoTyme Bank and Visa have released new limited-edition FIFA World Cup 2026-themed Visa Debit Cards.

These are available in two designs: Pitch Black and Trophy Gold. Both are designed by Filipino artist Ross Du, who incorporated the iconic tournament’s iconic trophy.

The latter, in particular, has some rarity as there will only be 20,000 copies printed in GoTyme Bank kiosks nationwide. Customers can have them printed starting March 23.

Print, Spend, Score

To join the raffle, cardholders simply have to spend at least PhP 1,000 for a raffle entry. That’s using the Classic or Pitch Black card.

Overseas spending also comes with a 3x multiplier, meaning three entries for every PhP 1,000 spent abroad.

Two winners — one Classic and one Pitch Black cardholder — will each win an all-expense-paid trip for two to attend the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage in Los Angeles.

But even better, those who get the exceptionally rare Trophy Gold card will automatically get a raffle entry for the grand prize raffle draw — with no minimum spend required.

One Trophy Gold cardholder will win an all-expense-paid trip for two to attend the World Cup Final in New York City. This includes roundtrip business class seats as well.

In addition to the major prizes, 10 customers will receive exclusive FIFA World Cup 2026 Visa Premium merchandise.

The fly-off promo runs until May 7 for the Classic and Pitch Black cardholders and until June 10 for the Trophy Gold cardholders.

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Gaming

Switch 2 now lets you play old games in 1080p

It tricks old games into thinking that the console is docked.

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The Switch 2’s popularity is astonishing, to say the least. Just recently, a single game, Pokémon Pokopia, was responsible for taking the free times of over two million players on the Switch 2. Now, Nintendo has released a new feature which should make the console much more playable, especially for those who already had the original Switch.

Today, the Switch 2 received the 22.0.0 system update. Though the update is mostly a variety of smaller updates, one feature, called the Handheld Mode Boost, stands out among the rest. As per the patch notes, “Handheld Mode Boost will cause compatible Nintendo Switch software to run as if the console is being played in TV mode.” Put simply, the feature will unlock 1080p resolution for older games.

For gamers who had the original Switch, game resolution was a huge problem. The first console lived on a 720p screen, so the early games supported only lower resolutions. The only exception is when the console was docked, which allows 1080p resolution.

Now, the Switch 2 supports backwards compatibility. Players can access their older Switch games on the new console. The catch, however, is that these games are still stuck in 720p. Some titles, at least, have released an update to increase resolution on the new console.

Handheld Mode Boost tricks the console into thinking that it’s hooked up to the dock. In effect, the game will play in 1080p. The catch, however, is that it also thinks that the Joy-Cons are a single Pro controller, so players might lose some game features. It’s still a decent price to pay, though.

In other news, the update has also updated the naming of the “Hong Kong/Taiwan/South Korea” to “Hong Kong/Taiwan/South Korea/Southeast Asia,” potentially hinting that Southeast Asia might finally get an online store.

SEE ALSO: Now Playing: Yakuza 0 on Switch 2

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News

OPPO Find N6 launches globally with near crease-free foldable display

‘Zero-Feel Crease’

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OPPO has officially unveiled the Find N6, its latest foldable flagship designed to push the category further with a near crease-free display, powerful hardware, and productivity features tailored for large screens.

The device introduces what OPPO calls a “Zero-Feel Crease,” a new hinge and display structure designed to minimize the visible fold line and deliver a flatter inner screen experience over time.

The foldable was introduced at OPPO’s Binhai Bay Campus in China and will become globally available starting March 20, 2026.

Design and durability upgrades

Left: OPPO Find N6. Right: Galaxy Z Fold7

The Find N6 continues OPPO’s push for thinner and more ergonomic foldables. Despite its book-style design, the company says the device maintains a comfortable grip comparable to conventional bar-style smartphones.

It comes in two colourways: Stellar Titanium and Blossom Orange. The latter stands out with genuine gold accents integrated into the hinge casing made of titanium alloy.

Underneath its premium exterior, the Find N6 also adds stronger durability credentials. It carries IP56, IP58, and IP59 ratings for dust and water resistance, allowing it to withstand everyday splashes as well as high-temperature and high-pressure water jets.

Multitasking powered by ColorOS 16

On the software side, the Find N6 runs ColorOS 16 optimized for foldables, designed to take advantage of its larger inner display.

One of the key features is Free-Flow Window, a multitasking tool that allows up to four apps to run simultaneously. Users can freely adjust window sizes and aspect ratios, enabling flexible workflows for productivity or content creation.

The feature integrates with OPPO’s Boundless View interface, allowing users to transition smoothly between intensive multitasking layouts and a focused single-app experience.

ColorOS 16 also brings a set of AI-driven tools, including AI Mind Space, AI Recording, and AI Motion Photo Popout.

For cross-device functionality, O+ Connect enables file transfers between the Find N6 and Mac or Windows computers. The system also supports screen mirroring and remote control functions.

AI Pen turns foldable into a workstation

Complementing the large display is the OPPO AI Pen, a stylus designed to enhance productivity on the foldable device.

The stylus supports 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity and works on both the inner and outer displays.

OPPO positions it as more than a standard stylus. The AI Pen enables features like Quick Note and Global Annotation, while also functioning as a laser pointer for presentations.

It also supports AI-powered tools such as Circle to Capture, AI Chart, and AI Image. These tools can capture on-screen content, convert rough notes into structured tables, or transform hand-drawn sketches into polished artwork.

Flagship performance and imaging

Powering the Find N6 is the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform paired with a 6,000mAh silicon-carbon battery.

The device supports 80W SUPERVOOC wired charging and 50W AIRVOOC wireless charging, designed to provide all-day endurance even with extended use of the foldable display.

For imaging, OPPO introduces its new Hasselblad Master Camera System on the Find N6.

The system is led by a 200MP Hasselblad Ultra-Clear main camera. It is joined by a 50MP ultra-wide camera capable of capturing 50 percent more light than the previous generation, and a 50MP 3x periscope telephoto lens with tele-macro capabilities.

The phone also includes a dedicated True Color Camera sensor, first introduced with the Find X9 series, designed to improve white balance accuracy and produce more natural color reproduction.

Camera features developed with Hasselblad include Hasselblad Portrait Mode for DSLR-style bokeh, Hasselblad Master Mode with manual controls tuned to match the Hasselblad X2D camera, and XPAN mode that captures cinematic photos in a wide 65:24 aspect ratio.

The Find N6 also supports professional-grade video features. All three rear cameras can record 4K video at 60fps in Dolby Vision, while the main camera can capture 4K 120fps Dolby Vision footage. Log video support is also included for advanced color grading workflows.

Price and availability

OPPO Find N6 will be globally available starting March 20, 2026 through official OPPO stores, authorized retailers, and partner carriers worldwide.

The foldable will be available in two colourways: Stellar Titanium and Blossom Orange.

Pricing in China is as follows:

  • 12GB + 256GB: ¥9,999
  • 16GB + 512GB: ¥10,999
  • 16GB + 1TB: ¥11,999

The OPPO AI Pen Kit will retail for ¥499.

For regional pricing and availability, OPPO advises consumers to check with their respective regional teams or official OPPO channels.

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