News
HONOR slaps the iPhone Air with the all-new Magic8 Pro Air
First ultra-slim phone with a dedicated periscope telephoto zoom lens
Aside from the already-released HONOR Magic8, Magic8 Pro, and Magic8 Lite, the all-new Magic8 Pro Air and PORSCHE DESIGN Magic8 RSR finally complete HONOR’s Magic8 series for 2026.
Magically Airy
Even though most major Chinese brands have backed out from announcing their iPhone Air rivals, HONOR simply doesn’t want to be left behind as they have unveiled the (very mouthful) Magic8 Pro Air. Coincidental or not, it’s announced the same day as Infinix’s NOTE Edge.
From the term itself, it is, by far, HONOR’s slimmest compact smartphone at just 6.1mm and weighs only 158 grams. While it doesn’t totally beat the 5.64mm iPhone Air and the 5.8mm Galaxy S25 Edge, anything below the 8mm mark is still considered “very slim” enough in today’s smartphone standards.
HONOR made this featherweight champion all thanks to its Cicada Wing phone structure paired with an Aerial Aluminum mid-frame. It’s not only light, it’s durable altogether.
The Magic8 Pro Air is also the polar opposite of HUAWEI’s Mate 70 Air. Compared to that ginormous 7-inch screen, the Magic8 Pro Air is a lot smaller with only a 6.31-inch OLED display. Meanwhile, iPhone Air is in the sweet spot at 6.5 inches while S25 Edge is at the conventional 6.7 incher.
That display isn’t lagging behind though with its 1.5K resolution, 6000 nits peak brightness, and HONOR’s revolutionary Eye-Care features with PWM Dimming for ultra-sensitive eyes.
Airy Yet Mighty
MediaTek’s Dimensity 9500 is at the core of the Magic8 Pro Air. Coupled with a 12GB LPDDR5x RAM and either 256/512GB of UFS 4.1 storage, it’s a true definition of a compact flagship.
Cameras are for another story. The HONOR Magic8 Pro Air brings not just one, not two, but three cameras at its back — very surprising for a device this size. There’s a 50MP f/2.2 112-degree UWA (Ultra-Wide Angle) lens as well as 50MP f/1.6 main camera based on a 1/1.3-inch image sensor. The selfie shooter is not spared as well with its capable 50MP f/2.0 camera.
But, the star of the show has got to be its 64MP f/2.6 periscope telephoto lens with 3.2x optical zoom. This makes the first super slim smartphone to boast a dedicated zoom lens. ICYMI, the Galaxy S25 Edge and the iPhone Air lack a dedicated telephoto shooter and only relies through in-sensor cropping via their main sensors.
Furthermore, it is equipped with a 5500mAh battery which is more than enough for its “petite” form factor. It can then be filled fast with HONOR’s 80W SuperCharge and 50W wireless SuperCharge.
Unlike the iPhone Air, the Magic8 Pro Air has a dedicated SIM slot. eSIM support is there as well which is a huge rarity among Chinese smartphones.
Last but definitely not the least, the color shades of the Magic8 Pro Air are a mix of iPhone Air and 17 Pro’s colorways — including the Light Orange alonsgide Fairy Purple, as well as the Feather White and Shadow Black classics.
Sleek Peek
It would not be a complete flagship series without THE very special PORSCHE DESIGN Magic8 RSR model in the roster. As usual, it’s always the maxed out variant of the already full-fledged Magic8 Pro flagship.
While it rocks the same display, cameras, and even the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC by Qualcomm, configuration goes beyond the limits with a 1TB UFS 4.1 storage and a whopping 24GB LPDDR5X memory — the biggest flex a slab-phone could get this 2026 with the ever-soaring RAM prices.
Battery and charging speeds were somewhat improved: 7200mAh and 120W HyperCharge (over 7100mAh + 100W of the regular Pro model).
Colors were then heavily-inspired from shades of Porsche’s supercars: Moonlight Stone and Slate Gray.
Additionally, the Magic8 RSR will also have a Professional Camera Kit — a first time for any HONOR smartphone.
Pricing and Availability
The HONOR Magic8 Pro Air and PORSCHE DESIGN Magic8 RSR are available in various pricing and configurations:
- 12+256GB = CNY 4999 (US$ 700 / EUR 610 / GBP 530 / SG$ 910 / MYR 2970 / PhP 40,900 / INR 62,260)
- 12+512GB = CNY 5299 (US$ 745 / EUR 645 / GBP 560 / SG$ 965 / MYR 3145 / PhP 43,360 / INR 65,995)
- 16+512GB = CNY 5599 (US$ 785 / EUR 670 / GBP 580 / SG$ 1010 / MYR 3300 / PhP 45,150 / INR 69,690)
- 16+1TB = CNY 5999 (US$ 845 / EUR 730 / GBP 635 / SG$ 1095 / MYR 3560 / PhP 49,085 / INR 74,715)
- 16+512GB = CNY 7999 (US$ 1115 / EUR 960 / GBP 820 / SG$ 1430 / PhP 63,685 / INR 95,930)
- 24+1TB = CNY 8999 (US$ 1260 / EUR 1070 / GBP 920 / SG$ 600 / PhP 70,905 / INR 107,700)
Global availability was not mentioned. Hopefully, HONOR will bring these (especially the Magic8 Pro Air) to international markets.
Gaming
Xbox saves Kojima’s PHYSINT after PlayStation drops support
PlayStation says the separation was mutual, but Kojima hints otherwise.
Things aren’t going well in the PlayStation camp. After two months of frankly questionable decisions, the company adds another to the pile by dropping support for Hideo Kojima’s PHYSINT.
For a while now, Kojima and PlayStation were in a very productive relationship with the Death Stranding duology, a critically acclaimed collection of titles for the platform. When things looked like they were going well, Kojima announced PHYSINT, an espionage-themed game which reminded fans way too much of Metal Gear Solid.
If you were investing in a PlayStation 5 to play Kojima’s latest thriller, you might want to move your chips elsewhere now. PlayStation has just dropped support for the espionage game, meaning PHYSINT will no longer be a first-party title for the platform.
Though PlayStation claims that the decision came after “careful consideration,” Kojima himself has said that the move was “unexpected,” going against PlayStation’s assurance of a mutual separation.
Very quickly, Xbox has announced that their platform will support PHYSINT instead. It’s a big get for the competing brand because Xbox Game Studios is already supporting OD, Kojima’s other upcoming horror project starring Sophia Lillis.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to say more. As is tradition, Kojima will not explain much more about his upcoming titles. In fact, OD’s trailer barely says anything. One thing’s for sure, though: we’re all in for quite a ride.
Entertainment
PH to celebrate 1st ever National Cinema Day; movies start at less than $2
Watch a movie on September 12 for a fraction of the cost
The Philippines will be celebrating its first ever National Cinema Day on September 12. On this day, movie tickets will go for as low as PhP 100 (US$ 1.60) at regular 2D cinemas.
The campaign aims to make moviegoing more accessible to audiences. This includes families, friends, students, and cinephiles in general.
Such initiative has been a staple in other countries, like the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and more. The same concept applies, with movie tickets going on sale for a lot less.
What’s great about the celebration is that all movies scheduled for exhibition on September 12, whether local or international, shall get the special admission price.
Advanced tickets sales have already begun. Customers can purchase through participating box offices, official websites, mobile apps, and authorized platforms.
Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis and remain subject to theater capacity. Prices vary for other viewing formats like Director’s Club or IMAX, for instance.
The campaign is organized by the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines (CEAP), along with industry and government partners.
The initiative is supported by the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP), Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), and the Metro Manila Film Festival through the MMDA.
Participating cinemas include Ayala Malls Cinemas, SM Cinemas, Robinsons Movieworld, CityMall Cinema, Megaworld Cinemas, and more.
Apple has officially entered the foldable smartphone market with the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone. It uses a passport-style design that opens into a larger display while retaining a more conventional smartphone experience when folded.
Price and availability
The iPhone Duo starts at PhP 159,990 in the Philippines for the 256GB model as listed on the Apple website.
Here’s the full local pricing:
- 256GB — PhP 159,990
- 512GB — PhP 175,990
- 1TB — PhP 207,990
- 2TB — PhP 254,990
The iPhone Duo comes in Star White and Night Sky.
Actual availability in the Philippines has yet to be officially announced.
A foldable design with two displays
The iPhone Duo has a 5.4-inch outer display when folded and expands to a 7.6-inch main display when opened. Both orientations use the same aspect ratio, allowing iOS to transition between them seamlessly.
The rear chassis uses Ceramic Shield, while the front display gets Ceramic Shield 2. The device is also IP68-rated for dust and water resistance.
Its hinge uses carbon fiber supports and magnets that produce an audible click when the phone is folded.
A20 Pro brings flagship performance
The iPhone Duo is powered by the A20 Pro, the same chip found in the iPhone 18 Pro series. Apple says the chip delivers 35 percent better sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro.
It also comes with the new C2 cellular modem, which provides up to 50 percent faster uploads. Like other foldables, the Duo can be used in different configurations, including tent mode and a partially folded book-like position.
48-megapixel camera system
The iPhone Duo gets a 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera alongside a 12-megapixel 2x telephoto camera.
For selfies and video calls, it has a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera. The inner display also uses an under-screen camera for a cleaner look.
Battery life goes beyond a day
The iPhone Duo offers up to 31 hours of video playback using the inner display and up to 44 hours using the outer display.
Charging is also quick. Apple says a 20-minute charge can replenish half the battery, while a five-minute charge can provide up to five hours of video playback.
For the complete specifications and first-look details, check out our main iPhone Duo launch coverage.
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