News
Global smartphone shipments declined in 2020 by 8.8%
Down 1.24 billion units shipped for the year
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the global smartphone shipments according to the latest report by DigiTimes. Their latest report estimates an annual decline of 8.8 in total shipment last 2020 as the pandemic crippled sales and demand for smartphones.
The annual decline of 8.8% for 2020 translates to a total of 1.24 billion units. This is still a lot of smartphones shipped by manufacturers though it was significantly lesser than the previous years. Last 2019, DigiTimes estimated the global smartphone shipments at 1.5 billion units.
Further reports also corroborate the decline in shipments for the unusual year. TrendForce, for example, puts the total shipments at 1.25 billion units for an 11% year-on-year decline.
As for quarterly figures, DigiTimes noted that total shipments dove to 20% in Q1 2020. It fell further with a double-digit decline in Q2 2020, then with a single-digit decline in Q3 2020. Things improved by Q4 2021 when shipments registered a single-digit rebound.
On a positive note, the market for 5G-capable smartphones fared well last 2020. The total shipments for 5G-enabled smartphones reached 280-300 million units, which is huge compared to 20 million units shipped last 2019.
Apple and Xiaomi beat 2020’s current trend
The top six smartphone vendors for 2020 are Samsung, Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo. Almost all of these vendors suffered a decline in shipments but two vendors, in particular, managed to beat this trend: Apple and Xiaomi. Both posted an impressive growth of 10% in shipments compared to last year.
For Apple, the improvement is no surprise considering that it had a good 2020. The first half of the year saw the Cupertino-based company release a follow-up to its popular iPhone SE. Then, it continued the second half with the release of the iPhone 12 which also brings a new model to the table.
Meanwhile, other smartphone vendors such as Samsung and Huawei took a big dip with a double-digit decline for 2020. This is not surprising for Huawei, which fully felt the impact of the ban last year. The loss of Google Play Services could have deterred potential buyers from looking into Huawei’s portfolio, resulting in lesser sales at least for non-China markets.
News
HUAWEI Pura X View is 2026’s first WIDE slab-type smartphone
2026’s first non-foldable WIDE smartphone makes its surprising debut
It seems like the WIDE smartphone craze is getting out of hand.
Surprise, surprise! Out of nowhere, HUAWEI reveals the Pura X View — 2026’s first WIDE smartphone that does not fold at all.
Tied to WIDE
With the massive success of HUAWEI’s Pura X Max as well as the newly-released Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8, it’s hard to ignore the sudden trend behind WIDE smartphones. Let alone, Apple’s much-awaited iPhone foldable (dubbed the “iPhone Ultra”) will be announced in less than a month.
Opposed to the usual tall and narrow form factor, the Pura X View comes in a wider body with a 16:9.5 aspect ratio. Display bezels are extremely narrow too at just 1.09mm and StB (Screen-to-Body) ratio reaches a whopping 96.1%.
This wider than usual body means better ergonomics with better content consumption — from images, books, documents, all the way to movies and shows, as well as games.
While it has a smaller 6.39-inch display, the Chinese electronics giant says it has greater content area compared to 6.9-inch flagship smartphones.
Other display feats include a 2160Hz PWM Dimming, resolution of 2232 × 1320, and max brightness of up to 6500 nits.
Despite all these, HUAWEI still managed to put a monstrous 7000mAh battery capacity inside its super slender 6.68mm chassis — which also happens to be lightweight at only 201 grams.
Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, HUAWEI did not reveal every bit of spec on their website.
Pricing and Availability
The HUAWEI Pura X View comes in four colorways: Illusion Dark Night, Zero-degree White, Leap Shadow Red, and Linen Ash.
It’s currently open for pre-orders in China alongside three configurations:
- 12+256GB
- 12+512GB
- 12+1TB
Just like its unrevealed specifications, HUAWEI did not reveal the exact pricing of the Pura X View.
Make GadgetMatch.com your daily habit so you don’t miss out on these updates!
News
Samsung might launch the Galaxy S26 FE next week
A new event is hinting at the smartphone’s debut.
It wasn’t too long ago when Samsung launched the new Galaxy Fold and Flip series. Historically, the brand is done for the year after two major Galaxy Unpacked events. However, if you’re still hankering for a few more morsels of Galaxy devices, Samsung is hosting another event next week, which might mean the debut of the Galaxy S26 FE.
This week, Samsung has just released an official invite for a Galaxy Event on August 27. The invite itself looks like a tray with two glasses of matcha and a coaster in between them. It’s visually similar to a modest camera setup, hinting at a new smartphone coming during the event.
Because Samsung has already filled its usual quota of flagships and foldables, it’s highly likely that the event is meant for the Galaxy S26 FE. The Galaxy FE series is Samsung’s way of extending the life cycle of the current generation of Galaxy phones, while also catering to another segment of the market.
As for what the Galaxy S26 FE might hold, it looks like AI might be a prime focus. Samsung confirms that the invite graphic has AI-generated images. The text accompanying the graphic also indicates that AI will be a part of the event.
It’s only a week left before the August 27 event, so we’ll get to know more about everything soon.
SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Review
Gaming
Leaked Grand Theft Auto VI footage surfaces online
The leakers says they are protesting the game’s lack of a physical release.
We’re nearing the dreaded date that all game publishers are rightfully fearing: the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI. Since we’re so near, it’s only right that Rockstar Games starts teasing their upcoming game, which is officially happening later this month via a special presentation on Netflix. However, ahead of that highly anticipated date, a leaker has apparently leaked the footage in protest of the game’s lack of a physical release.
Let’s parse that out piecemeal. First up, Rockstar Games is scheduled to release an extended first look at Grand Theft Auto VI through Netflix on August 27. If you don’t have the platform, the publisher will release the same footage on more public outlets six hours later. The footage will represent our biggest peek at the game after months of relative silence.
Secondly, a leaker has released the said footage ahead of time. Now, this isn’t the first time that a major leak spoiled details about the game. Previously, a leak was the first to reveal that the sixth entry in the series is getting two playable protagonists.
Third, the why: The leaker says that they will continue to reveal more information about the game to protest the game’s lack of a physical release. Like new PlayStation games next year, Rockstar Games does not plan to release a disc version of the game.
The footage itself
And, finally, the leak itself. Rockstar Games is currently issuing DMCA notices against anyone posting the leaked footage. It lends credence to the authenticity of the footage but also ensures that we can’t post the leaks themselves.
If anything, there are two reportedly legitimate clips, while others were seemingly generated with AI. The first clip has Jason, one of the two protagonists, playing basketball in his hideout, which gives him a stat boost. The clip confirms the return of minigames you can play in between missions.
The second clip sees Jason fight with a truck driver after a traffic incident. He kills the driver with a wrench, which earns him a two-star wanted level and summons a police chase as the series often does.
There’s not much to glean from these two short clips. In fact, it’s hard to say whether this footage represents the final release or something left over from previous leaks. Thankfully, Rockstar Games is releasing the official extended look soon on August 27.
After that, Grand Theft Auto VI launches on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 19.
-
Laptops2 weeks agoROG STRIX G16 Review: Building for the moment
-
Singapore5 days agoREDMI Note 17 Series focuses on long-term reliability
-
Laptops2 weeks ago30 days later with the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra: Like seeing an ex
-
News4 days agorealme 16T to come with 8,000mAh battery, 7-year battery health guarantee
-
Philippines2 weeks agoSmart opens HUAWEI Pura 90s Series pre-orders with exclusive freebies
-
News2 weeks agoTCL expands mobile lineup with latest NXTPAPER series
-
Gaming1 week agoMarvel Wolverine Limited Edition PS5 bundle SEA pricing
-
Deals2 weeks agoApple Watch, AirPods get exclusive offers via Beyond the Box



