News

Apple will not change its design next year, report says

Will keep the notch until 2019

Published

December 10, 2018

Luigi Leonardo

For the longest time, the smartphone market has been defined by technology’s ten-year old rule. Typified by Apple and Samsung, companies initially launch revolutionary phone designs, followed by incremental upgrades for the next year. For example, the Galaxy S8 and S9 have similar designs; the iPhone X, XR, XS, and XS Max have near-identical looks. Both Samsung and Apple have two-year cycles. It’s a time-honored tradition.

Now, the rule is finally winding down. According to Nomura Securities Analyst Anne Lee, Apple will not follow that trend next year. Instead, the 2019 iPhones will “likely have the same form factors… as the 2H18 iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max, with some added AR-related features.”

Last year, Apple introduced the polarizing iPhone X form factor. Among others, the design standard popularized the camera notch. Since then, Android-reliant companies have also adopted the design, resulting in a lot of wacky iterations. If Lee’s report is true, the notch still has one year left in its tank. “We think 2019 could be the last year the iPhone uses the iPhone X design architecture,” she said.

Potentially, the move coincides with the company’s strides to adopt 5G technology, which will make its Apple debut in 2020. With that, Apple will likely debut a new design after a working 5G prototype.

Of course, Apple’s defensive approach also hints at the company’s struggles this past year. Notably, the company has been consistently disappointed by its sales columns this year. Apple has even decided to withhold its sales figures for upcoming quarters. On global distribution charts, Huawei has already overtaken Apple for the number two spot.

With the new report, Apple is noticeably doubling down on riskier strategies for the upcoming year. The company already expects to sell fewer units in 2019. On paper, Apple looks like it’s on a downward spiral.

News

TCL expands mobile lineup with latest NXTPAPER series

3 new smartphone models featuring a paper-like viewing experience

Published

August 10, 2026

GadgetMatch

TCL has expanded its mobile lineup with the launch of the latest NXTPAPER smartphone series.

Part of the new NXTPAPER roster are the NXTPAPER 60 Ultra, NXTPAPER 70 Pro, and K70 Power 4G.

The new generation of smartphones is designed to deliver smarter, more comfortable, and more powerful mobile experiences for today’s connected lifestyle.

At the heart of the lineup is the company’s proprietary NXTPAPER technology, and award-winning display innovation.

It combines both hardware and software advancements to reduce eyestrain while preserving vivid colors and sharp picture quality. The result is a paper-like viewing experience.

Bannering the roster is the NXTPAPER 60 Ultra. It is powered by a Dimensity 7400 Elite processor and runs on Android 16.

It comes with up to 512GB of internal storage and 12GB of base RAM, plus 12GB more for expansion.

In front is an expansive 7.2-inch 120Hz FHD+ display featuring Nxtpaper 4.0 and a 32MP selfie camera, while at the back is a 50MP main camera, along with a 50MP 3X telephoto camera.

This variant houses a 5,200mAh battery with support for 33W charging.

Right under the 60 Ultra is the NXTPAPER 70 Pro. It is powered by a Dimensity 7300 processor, and comes with a 6.9-inch 120Hz FHD+ display and a 50MP main shooter.

This model has 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. It has a similar 5,200mAh battery with 33W charging.

Lastly, the K70 Power 4G is a budget choice, with a Helio G100 Ultra chipset, 6.75-inch 120Hz display, 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a 50MP main camera.

Price, availability

In the Philippines, the latest NXTPAPER smartphones are available for the following pricing:

NXTPAPER 60 Ultra: PhP 35,995
NXTPAPER 70 Pro: PhP 22,995
K70 Power 4G: PhP 9,495

All devices are available through Shopee.

Apps

Canva teams up with SB19 to turn A’TIN’s passion into creativity

Campaign lets fans access assets, editable templates, more

Published

August 8, 2026

GadgetMatch

Canva Philippines has joined forces with SB19 and Sony Music Entertainment to launch the “Kaya sa Canva” campaign.

This first-of-its-kind initiative is aimed at transforming the popular Filipino boy band’s fanbase into creators by giving them access to official design assets, exclusive templates, and powerful creative tools.

That’s of course as fans have a way of creating artwork, banners, and more outputs to honor their idols.

As such, the partnership enables the A’TIN (SB19’s fanbase) to access the Canva-exclusive SB19’s Creative Hub.

This dedicated space lets fans access assets, including SB19-inspired sticker packs, custom typography, and editable templates inspired by the group.

Fans around the world will initially have access to templates for photo-booth strips, wallpapers, posters, and videos.

The campaign will then expand with Canva-exclusive assets celebrating the group’s New Era, as well as their latest single, “Lawless”.

Meanwhile, the original song “KAYA” is accompanied with an upbeat music video, doubling as a love letter to A’TIN and a masterclass in Canva’s tools.

Every visual and animation is fan-inspired, a celebration of the creativity, passion, and dedication that’s defined in the community from day one.

News

The iPhone 18 might sell out for an unexpected reason

The ongoing shortage might play a part in the phone selling out earlier than expected.

Published

August 7, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

An iPhone selling out is not news. Because of how popular the phones are, it’s within the realm of probability that Apple runs out of stock at some point. According to a new report, this year won’t be any different… but it’s for an entirely different reason.

First reported by analyst Tim Culpan, Apple is reportedly struggling to meet its demand for semiconductors for the iPhone 18 and the foldable iPhone. The ongoing memory shortage is cutting off Apple’s ability to deliver the required supply of smartphones in a timely fashion. The report even claims that TSMC, which helps produce the iPhone, is sitting on a shipment of processors, worth US$ 1 billion, that don’t have memory chips.

Now, Apple is still confident that it can weather the launch. However, if the shortage persists, the iPhone 18 generation will likely sell out much more quickly than expected.

It’s an interesting time for Apple to experience such a shortage. It’s been heavily rumored that the company will launch its very first foldable phone next month, creating a new market for the brand. Apple definitely wants this attempt to succeed after the tepid response to its last new product, the Vision Pro.