News

Moto is back in the Philippines with full lineup

Published

October 20, 2016

Marvin Velasco

We’ve waited patiently, and now we got it: Moto is back in the Philippines, bringing along its modular Moto Z (with Moto Mods) flagships, midrange Moto G series, and entry-level Moto E Power.

Making the announcement all the more special is the introduction of power couple James Reid and Nadine Lustre as the brand’s new local ambassadors. Commonly referred to as JaDine, the tandem is expected to inject some youthful charm into the Lenovo-owned company.

It was just two weeks ago when we first got word of Moto’s intent of coming back. The teaser, which was posted on the company’s Facebook page, subtly hinted at the pending launch of the Moto Z and G4 series. Now, we have all the important details.

Moto Z and friends

First, the top-end Moto Z. It’s going to cost PhP 33,999 and will come bundled with a Moto Style Shell, so users can experience the modularity right away. The price may seem a little steep, but you must consider the specs it comes with, which include a 5.5-inch Quad HD AMOLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, and 4GB of memory with 64GB of built-in storage in a frame that’s — get this — only 5.2mm thick.

Moto Z

The slightly thicker yet more affordable Moto Z Play tagged along in the cross-country journey. Its pocket-friendly PhP 22,999 is a lot easier to swallow, but you’ll have to play with a more midrange-like chipset, specifically a 5.5-inch Full HD AMOLED display, Snapdragon 625 processor, and 3GB of RAM with 32GB of expandable storage.

To get a better idea of how the Moto Mods work, it’s best to watch our first-look video below:

These are the retail prices of the Moto Mods: PhP 699 for the Moto Style Shell (Herringbone Nylon or Crimson Nylon), PhP 999 for the Moto Style Shell (Black Leather), PhP 4,999 for the Incipio offGRID Power Pack, PhP 5,499 for the JBL SoundBoost Speaker Mod, PhP 14,099 for the Hasselblad True Zoom, and PhP 14,999 for the Moto Insta-Share Projector.

Everything related to the Moto Z is already available at selected MemoXpress and Silicon Valley shops in SM North EDSA, Megamall, and Mall of Asia. An online shop will also be set up on Lazada Philippines.

Moto Z Play

Midrange Moto G

You don’t have to look too far down if you want something a little more ordinary. The three Moto G handsets represent Lenovo’s middle-class segment, and have no access to the fancy Moto Mods. What’s interesting is that the most powerful of the trio, the Moto G4 Plus, is the only one you can buy without network carrier restrictions; the G4 Play and G Turbo Edition are exclusive to Smart Communications and Globe Telecom, respectively.

Dish out a total of PhP 13,999, and the Moto G4 Plus is yours. It’s not going to wow you with extraordinary internals, but that’s what you’d expect at this price range; it has a middling Snapdragon 617 chip and standard 5.5-inch Full HD LCD screen.

Moto G4 Plus

The other two don’t offer anything better in terms of performance. You can acquire the 5-inch, Snapdragon 410-powered Moto G4 Play for free through Smart’s SurfPlus Plan 999, while the 5-inch Moto G Turbo Edition has a faster Snapdragon 615 on board and can be gotten without any additional cost on Globe’s MyLifeStyle Plan 799.

Truly entry-level Moto E Power

Moto labels the E Power as “more than meets the eye,” but the only thing worth writing about is the 3500mAh battery capacity. Coupled with the 5-inch HD display and battery-efficient MediaTek processor, it’s possible to push the phone beyond a day of usage on a single charge. In addition, the battery can be swapped for a spare one if you’re desperate.

Moto E Power

But that’s not all

Lenovo and Moto really went all out with their launch earlier this evening. On top of showing off their sassy endorsers, the unified company is offering a special deal from October 21 to 23. Anyone who buys a Moto Z or Z Play in the aforementioned MemoXpress, Silicon Valley, and Lazada stores will also get a free JBL SoundBoost Speaker Mod. We assume the bundled Moto Style Shell is still included, because it would be too cruel to leave it out.

Globe extends the early holiday spirit with a few special deals of its own. Under its PhP 2,399 plan, you get the Moto Z with the Hasselblad Mod, while the PhP 2,299 plan nets you the Moto Z with the JBL and Incipio Mods, and the PhP 1,499 plan gives you just the JBL Speaker Mod with the Moto Z.

Let’s hope that this time, Moto will stick around long enough for Filipinos to invest in its modular smartphones.

[irp posts=”2529″ name=”Moto G4, Moto G4 Plus are now official in India”]

Related Topics:Lenovo Moto Moto E Power Moto G Turbo Edition Moto G4 Play Moto G4 Plus Moto Mods Moto Z Moto Z Play

Gaming

Call of Duty drops the PlayStation 4 starting with its next game

Is this the beginning of the end for the PlayStation 4?

Published

May 8, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

When can we declare that a console is officially dead? Is it as soon as the launch of the next generation? Is it when games no longer come out on the console? Recently, Call of Duty has confirmed that the next game will not be available anymore on the PlayStation 4, which presents an important question: Is the PlayStation 4 officially dead?

Call of Duty is one of the most persistent gaming franchises today. The last entry, Black Ops 7, is still available for the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Both consoles were launched over twelve years ago. (If that doesn’t make you old, the current generation was launched almost six years ago.)

As such, the franchise is one of the last stalwarts keeping the past generation alive. This week, Call of Duty, via a post on X, confirmed that the next game will not arrive on the PlayStation 4. Presumably, this also means the Xbox One.

Not sure where this one started, but it’s not true. The next Call of Duty is not being developed for PS4.

— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) May 4, 2026

Currently, we don’t have details about the upcoming game yet. But a new entry is confirmed to arrive later this year.

With the departure of the Call of Duty franchise, it’s fair to ask what will become of the old generation moving forward. Over the years, developers have started shying away from the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Since the franchise still maintains a steady fan base today, a lot of PlayStation 4 users might be forced to make an upgrade to play the latest entry.

News

TCL CSOT Unveils ‘APEX Pixel’ innovations at SID Display Week 2026

Breakthroughs in display technologies

Published

May 7, 2026

GadgetMatch

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Pushing the boundaries of display physics, TCL CSOT has officially launched its APEX Pixel framework at SID Display Week 2026.

This unified innovation path targets the microscopic architecture of pixels across FMM OLED, Inkjet-printed (IJP) OLED, and LCD panels to redefine clarity, power efficiency, and color volume.

The Super Pixel revolution

The highlight of the showcase is the Super Pixel technology for mobile FMM OLEDs.

By increasing sub-pixel density by roughly 1.8%, TCL CSOT has achieved sharpness comparable to WQHD standards while slashing power consumption by 25%.

Key mobile prototypes on display include:

6.9-inch Ultra-Clarity Display: Features a 2608×1200 resolution with a 0.5mm top bezel
165Hz High-Refresh Panel: Utilizes a Real RGB layout to boost motion smoothness by 40% over standard 120Hz screens
Ultra-Low Power 8T LTPO: A 420PPI powerhouse that reduces SoC power draw by a quarter.

IJP OLED and the Tri-Fold Future

TCL CSOT continues to lead the transition toward Inkjet-printed (IJP) OLED.

By utilizing the world’s first 8.6-generation IJP line, the company has debuted a 28-inch Foldable and Portable IJP OLED Monitor.

This “Real Stripe” RGB display features a tri-fold design that expands from a 16-inch footprint to a 28-inch workspace.

IJP OLED allows for larger light-emitting areas, occupying 50% to 60% of the pixel. This leads to a significantly enhanced luminous efficiency compared to traditional evaporation methods.

RGBC: The New Standard for LCD

For large-scale cinema experiences, TCL CSOT introduced RGBC Four-Color Technology.

By adding a Cyan sub-pixel to the traditional RGB matrix, the 85-inch WHVA Ultra LCD TV achieves a staggering 131% of the BT.2020 color gamut.

This hardware-level shift allows for more saturated hues and finer resolution rendering that traditional three-color pixels cannot replicate.

Through APEX Pixel, TCL CSOT is no longer just chasing size, but perfecting the very atoms of the digital image.

News

iPhone 17 is the best-selling phone of 2026 so far

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S26 series didn’t make the top ten list.

Published

May 7, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

With more than a quarter of the year done and dusted, it’s time to figure out which smartphone has taken the early lead in the charts. According to the numbers, it can’t get any clearer. The iPhone 17 is currently dominating the charts.

According to Counterpoint Research, the bestselling smartphone in the world as of the first quarter is the base iPhone 17. The model took 6 percent of the global share in unit sales. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Pro took the second and third spots, respectively. Only a bit surprisingly, Apple rounded out its quarter with the iPhone 16 taking the number 6 slot.

The stranger thing is Samsung’s presence on this list. The South Korean brand took five spots on the top 10 list. However, none of them are of the Galaxy S26 series. All of them are from the Galaxy A series: in order, Galaxy A07 4G, A17 5G, A56, A36, and A17 4G. (The Galaxy S26 series narrowly missed the top 10.)

That makes nine. The final spot was taken by the Xiaomi Redmi A5.

Going only by the last two paragraphs, you’ll likely assume that the midrange market is rightfully dominating the charts in the months following the Christmas season. However, the iPhone 17’s dominance confirms that Apple has not lost its stride.

Plus, with the iPhone 17e only just having launched, Apple might continue its run well into 2026.