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ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom gets official price

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ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom

We got our hands on the highly anticipated ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom last week, and although we learned all of its tricks, one important piece of information was missing: Pricing.

Until now, that is. During the just-concluded launch of the ZenFone Pegasus 3S in Taiwan (more on that later), ASUS execs revealed the price of the 128GB storage variant of the ZenFone 3 Zoom: CNY 3,699 or roughly $535.

That’s a tough price to swallow for a smartphone equipped with a midrange Snapdragon 625 chipset, which can be found in phones priced much, much lower. Still, a high-priced ZenFone 3 Zoom would have an iPhone 7 Plus-like dual-camera setup and large 5000mAh battery to its credit.

On the bright side, the expected starting price of $380 may still push through with the official rollout of the ZenFone 3 Zoom’s 32GB storage version next month. And since the phone comes with a microSD slot, you can push the total space to 2TB if you’re desperate enough.

Going back to the recent launch in Taiwan: What we earlier thought was going to be a next-generation ZenFone, turned out to be the ZenFone Pegasus 3S, a lower-end Android Nougat smartphone with a price of CNY 1,999 (about $290).

Similar to the ZenFone 3 Zoom, the Pegasus 3S has a generous non-removable 5000mAh battery, but settles for a much weaker MediaTek processor to manage the 5.2-inch HD 720p display, 3GB of memory, and pair of 13- and 8-megapixel rear and front cameras.

Nothing out of the ordinary, but what really makes it stand out is the fingerprint scanner on the clickable home button. That and the all-metal body make the Pegasus 3S stand out from the multitude of similar-looking ZenFones out there.

Like other handsets in the Pegasus line, the new model will see a limited release, with China getting first dibs on the device.

[irp posts=”9208″ name=”ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom: Hands-on and sample photos”]

Source: Weboo, via GSMArena

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Budget smartphone realme C100 Series launches

Long battery life, ruggedness, more

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The realme C100 Series, the brand’s latest rugged essential smartphone in the budget segment, has officially launched in the Philippines.

The series introduces up to an 8,000mAh Titan Battery on the realme C100 model, as well as IP69 Pro certification.

This means the handset has IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K dust and water resistance ratings to handle high-pressure water exposure and submersion for up to six meters and 30 minutes.

The C100 also supports 45W SUPERVOOC charging for quick battery top-ups. It even has a 10W reverse charging support to power other small devices.

On the other hand, the realme C100i comes with a 7,000mAh Titan Battery to likewise power all-day use. This model supports a steady 15W charging and 6W reverse charging. It is also rated IP64 for dust and water resistance.

In addition, both models support Rain Touch Mode, making the 6.8-inch 120Hz display optimized for touches even when it is wet. This panel also comes with ArmorShell Glass protection.

Powering the C100 is the MediaTek Helio G92 Max processor while the C100i has as Unisoc T7250 processor. The devices run on realme UI 7.0 (Android 16).

Price, availability

In the Philippines, the realme C100 Series comes in various storage configurations:

  • C100i (4GB+64GB): PhP 6,313 (SRP: PhP 8,999)
  • C100i (4GB+128GB): PhP 7,379 (SRP: PhP 11,999)
  • C100i (4GB+256GB): PhP 8,199 (SRP: PhP 13,999)
  • C100 (4GB+256GB): PhP 11,195 (SRP: PhP 16,999)
  • C100 (8GB+256GB): PhP 14,000 (SRP: PhP 19,999)

Limited-time launch offers are available through Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok from June 18 to June 30.

The phones are also available at realme concept stores, kiosks, and partner retailers nationwide. Potential freebies include a TechLife Smart band, extended warranty and screen damage protection, privilege card, or additional cash discount.

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Did Tim Cook just confirm that iPhone prices are going up?

Once again, it might be because of the RAM crisis.

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If there’s one thing you can count on in the smartphone world, it’s the high price of an iPhone. Unfortunately, with the ongoing RAM shortages, things might get worse. Apple’s Tim Cook has essentially confirmed that the brand is about to raise its prices.

Via an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Cook said, “Unfortunately, price increases are unavoidable.” As with other companies, the outgoing CEO is talking about the RAM crisis. With a lot of chips going to AI, consumer-ready silicon is getting scarcer and scarcer. Thankfully, some brands are shielding its users from the increases, but it’s reaching levels that aren’t sustainable for business.

“We’re doing our best to mitigate the huge increases that are being passed to us, and we’ve been trying to shield our customers from the increases, but the situation has become unsustainable,” he said.

Cook did not explain how much prices will go up or when. However, with the iPhone 18 series (and a potential iPhone Fold) just on the horizon, it seems nigh.

Apple isn’t the first brand to react to the shortages (nor will it be the last). Now, regardless of whether or not Apple has the capabilities to tank the crisis, the biggest culprit is still AI. Companies today are more than willing to use AI as a scapegoat, real or otherwise, for shady cost-cutting or profit-enhancing practices.

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

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Apple might launch an iPhone Air 2 next year

This is despite the iPhone Air’s reportedly low demand.

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Is this the most varied that an iPhone lineup has ever been? With an iPhone Fold supposedly coming out later this year, the current lineup includes a base model, two Pro models, an ultra-thin Air model, and the affordable 17e. There’s now an iPhone for everyone. According to a new report, next year won’t be any different. Apple is reportedly launching the iPhone Air 2 early next year.

Among all the current models in the lineup, the iPhone Air does seem like the oddest of the bunch. Whereas the other models already have established niches, the Air is positioned simply as a thinner iPhone, riding on the short-lived ultra-thin phone trend. In fact, recent reports suggest that the Air isn’t as popular as its contemporaries.

Apparently, Apple doesn’t see it that way. According to Bloomberg, the brand is still surging forward with an iPhone Air 2. The upcoming version might even add a second camera and an improved processor.

Despite reports that it isn’t that popular, Apple might still believe in the model’s future. At this point, they should; Apple has always had a problem with the base model’s partner. Years of flip-flopping around what it should be, Apple wants to stay a little bit longer on the Air.

SEE ALSO: Apple has essentially confirmed the launch of the iPhone Fold

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