Features

Google’s Pixel strategy is doing exceedingly well, at a cost

Published

October 19, 2016

Marvin Velasco

When friends ask me for tips on buying techie products, one piece of advice constantly comes up: Don’t be an early adopter of first-generation gadgets. Why? Because bugs need to be ironed out first, and brands never show all their cards on the first attempt. This way of thinking is about to change, however, and it begins with Google and ends with Pixel.

Google’s pair of Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones haven’t reached the consumer market yet, but they’re already being showered with glowing reviews.

Well-respected tech journalist Walt Mossberg calls it the “best Android phone” he’s ever tested; Wired is “totally in love with the Pixel”; and Gizmodo says the Pixel makes a strong case if you must buy an Android, even though they’re calling it “dumb and ugly.”

Reviews have been so good, in fact, that Alphabet (Google’s parent company) has experienced its highest stock prices since 2004, according to a report by Bloomberg. The cherry on top: Both phones are currently out of stock because of the overwhelming demand.

[irp posts=”5053″ name=”Google Pixel got the ‘little brother, big brother’ tandem right”]

Sentiments from other outlets have been largely the same, with the only complaints being the sky-high prices, lack of waterproofing, and bland physical design. Do the cons sound a little familiar? Those have been shots taken against Apple’s iPhones for the longest time (only the second con changed recently), making the Pixel a perfect rival in both strengths and weaknesses.

Still, as happy as we are for Google and consumers wanting more choices, the Pixel strategy is alienating Android’s most important supporters: third-party manufacturers.

By releasing a high-end pair of smartphones that’s truly its own, Google is now a direct competitor to the companies it has been working so closely with since Android’s conception, sending a harsh signal to hardware partners that there’s an even better way to handle its operating system, way beyond what Nexus has ever done.

The Pixel strategy is alienating Android’s most important supporters: third-party manufacturers.

Despite having the Pixels manufactured by HTC, the search giant has the software and hardware process under its control from start to finish. This is distinctly different from the way the Nexus series was handled, wherein the likes of Huawei and LG had their own say for the design, and were only required to lay out a fresh layer of Android inside.

Samsung is clearly the most affected brand. Now that the Galaxy Note 7 is out of commission, you’d have to look all the way back to February to find Samsung’s current, yet somewhat stale, Galaxy S7 flagship line. The development surely doesn’t bode well for the Korean company, who has been largely responsible for boosting Google’s mobile operating system to an 87 percent market share last quarter, thanks to a 22 percent smartphone market share of its own.

“Sorry about that” – Google to LG

LG has also been caught in the crossfire. Its phablet flagship, the yet-to-be-shipped V20, has been heavily marketed as being the first smartphone to have Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box, only for it to be outshone by the 7.1 version the Pixel smartphones will come with at around the same time. We wonder if Google knew about this in advance, or if they sent a really nice fruit basket to LG’s headquarters.

The only major player to benefit from Google’s new-found success is HTC. Even though its own self-branded smartphones continue to slump sales-wise, the Taiwan-based company actually saw a 41 percent revenue jump last month. Once the Pixels begin shipping, HTC’s fortunes will surely turn around, in spite of the lack of branding.

The only major player to benefit from Google’s new-found success is HTC.

As for how Chinese brands Huawei, OPPO, Vivo, Xiaomi, and the like feel about this, well, they’re too busy raking in mountains of cash from dominating the entry-level and midrange markets — two segments Apple and Google don’t really care about at the moment.

The situation is similar to the topic we touched on when we talked about Project Ara’s demise a month ago. Android partners already feared Google had shot them in the foot by buying Motorola to produce its own phones. When the Mountain View company changed its mind and sold the well-known handset manufacturer to Lenovo and began work on its modular phones, brands such as LG and Samsung looked into alternatives to the Android OS.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it), Project Ara didn’t push through, so third-party brands had less competition to worry about — but then Pixel came in, and here we are. Oh, Google!

[irp posts=”4335″ name=”Project Ara’s story is all about wasted potential”]

Features

Why the OPPO Reno15 5G series is a creator’s essential

4K Ultra-Steady, 50MP groufies, and AI edits in one device.

Published

March 19, 2026

MJ Jucutan

There are two kinds of travel essentials: the ones you pack because you have to, and the ones you pack because they make the story better.

Often, we feel forced to choose between traveling light and bringing the bulky gear necessary to document the trip properly.

On your next trip, the OPPO Reno15 5G Series eliminates that compromise. With a thoughtful mix of hardware and software, it becomes your pocket-sized production crew, ready to capture life as it unfolds.

The crew in your pocket

The first rule of travel is to keep things light, but for a creator, “light” cannot mean lower quality.

Whether you are navigating crowded night markets or chasing the golden hour on a steep, adventurous rooftop, the 4K Ultra Steady feature ensures your footage looks composed even when the environment is chaotic.

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This stabilization changes the energy of a travel vlog, turning handheld montages into polished, cinematic clips that are ready for a Reel the moment you hit save.

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Capturing everything and everyone

Travel stories are built on shared memories, but too often, the person behind the lens is left out.

Group shots often become a messy scramble to squeeze everyone into a tight frame. The 50MP Selfie Camera changes that outcome with its 0.6x ultra-wide-angle mode

It captures the entire group with sharp detail across the frame, ensuring no one is relegated to the blurry edges.

Even if you need to crop the image later for a specific social media layout, faces remain clear and the background stays defined.

The result is a “groufie” that feels complete and professional

Scroll-stopping memories

We often summarize our trips through collages: layered photos that tell a single story.

The AI Motion Photo Popout tool brings a new dimension to these memories. With a few taps in the Gallery, the subject separates from the background to create a sophisticated, layered effect.

These edits serve as the perfect foundation for Instagram Story covers, Reel thumbnails, or high-quality personal wallpapers.

It’s a subtle digital adjustment that makes a visible difference in how your audience experiences your journey.

Reliability for the modern creator.

A smartphone is no longer just a gadget; it is a creative partner. The OPPO Reno15 Series 5G features a sleek design that looks at home beside a passport or a boarding pass.

It’s light enough for long days of exploration but polished enough for high-end city trips. The reliable battery life supports early flights, full-day itineraries, and even late-night uploads.

You’ll spend less time searching for an outlet and more time capturing the moments that matter.

Which OPPO Reno15 Series 5G is your GadgetMatch?

The series offers variants designed to fit your specific creative style.

Pick the OPPO Reno15 5G if you want a balanced everyday companion, and if you want flexibility and reliability without overcomplicating the process.

There’s the OPPO Reno15 Pro; the choice for creators where photography and videography are the main event, offering enhanced tools in a compact form.

But if you’re a value-conscious traveler who wants a practical entry point that provides core camera and AI features, then the OPPO Reno15 F 5G is your GadgetMatch.

Whichever you choose, the series proves that a travel accessory can do more than complement an outfit. It preserves your stories because it doubles as a content creator’s must-have tool.

The OPPO Reno15 Series 5G is now available in OPPO stores nationwide and the OPPO Online Store.

SEE MORE: The art of being in and behind the frame | OPPO Reno15 Pro: Camera Review

Features

Galaxy AI on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

So you can focus more on what matters

Published

March 13, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles and JP

@gadgetmatch A phone that does more… so you can focus more on the moments that matter. The Galaxy S26 Ultra lets Galaxy AI handle the small stuff so you can stay present for the moments that matter. Also great for the occasional KPop concert video. Pre-order until March 17 and get double storage worth up to PhP 14,000. https://www.samsung.com/ph/smartphones/galaxy-s26-ultra/buy/ #GalaxyS26Ultra #EverydaywithGalaxyAI @samsungph ♬ original sound – GadgetMatch

Here’s the dream: a phone that helps you stay on top of things, so you can focus more on what matters.

That’s basically the idea behind Galaxy AI on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Instead of adding more things to do, the phone helps take care of the small stuff for you. Things like reminding you what’s next, or surfacing the information you need right when you need it.

So you spend less time digging through apps and more time actually doing the things you planned to do.

Editing photos is easier too. With Photo Assist, you can just describe the change you want… and Galaxy AI fills in the rest.

And if you’re cleaning up a video, Audio Eraser can reduce background noise — even from clips on third-party apps like Instagram or YouTube.

The point isn’t to make your phone the center of attention. It’s to make it helpful enough that you can forget about it for a while. Until something worth capturing happens.

And when things get a little chaotic — like concerts, street performances, or just life moving fast — Super Steady Video helps keep your shots level.

That’s definitely coming with me to the next K-pop concert.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra. Smarter phone. Slightly less stressed me.
Pre-orders are open now — with double storage for early buyers, plus additional discounts and installment offers from participating banks.

Which is great… because apparently I shoot way too many videos.

Features

Samsung is done chasing specs, says TM Roh

Samsung shifts beyond spec wars

Published

March 9, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

For more than a decade, the smartphone industry has been defined by a familiar race. More megapixels. Faster processors. Bigger batteries. Thinner designs. Being first. Being the most. And being the fastest.

The industry rewarded brands that appeared to be chasing specs. Bigger numbers meant progress. At least on paper.

But if you ask Samsung, the days of chasing specs may no longer define the future of Galaxy smartphones.

During a regional roundtable following the launch of the latest Galaxy devices, I asked TM Roh how the company decides when it’s time for a major hardware upgrade if it isn’t simply chasing specs.

His answer revealed how Samsung now approaches the future of its flagship smartphones.

According to Roh, hardware upgrades are increasingly tied to how well they support Galaxy AI.

“To make Galaxy AI run smoothly, it must be backed by strong hardware,” Roh said during the session, speaking through a translator. He added that Samsung develops its hardware, software, and AI capabilities together — and that major upgrades tend to arrive only when the company reaches what he described as the “desired level of excellence.”
(Quotes are approximate translations.)

“To make Galaxy AI run smoothly, it must be backed by strong hardware.”
(Approximate translation from TM Roh during the roundtable)

In short, Samsung says it’s no longer chasing specs for the sake of winning spec-sheet battles. Not anymore.

Samsung CEO TM Roh answering questions at a media roundtable in San Francisco

When hardware stops chasing numbers

Hardware innovation still matters. But Samsung increasingly frames those improvements as tools that enable smarter software experiences.

During the roundtable, Roh pointed to Samsung’s custom application processors, which now include stronger neural processing capabilities designed to handle AI workloads more efficiently. Dedicated hardware is also being introduced to strengthen privacy and security — including technologies embedded directly into the display. (See: Privacy Display)

Even cameras, historically one of the biggest battlegrounds for smartphone innovation, are evolving in the same direction.

Roh noted that while sensors and lenses remain important, modern smartphone photography now relies heavily on AI-powered image processing working alongside the hardware. This could also explain why, as of writing, Samsung has resisted the extra telephoto lens accessories that is prevalent with other brands.

The shift is subtle but important. Instead of emphasizing bigger numbers on spec sheets, Samsung positions hardware upgrades as part of a broader system designed to support intelligent software.

Why Samsung gets dunked on online

That philosophy, however, exists in tension with how smartphones are often discussed online.

In a landscape driven by benchmark charts and viral comparisons, incremental refinement rarely generates the same excitement as dramatic hardware leaps. Over the past few years, the Galaxy S series has occasionally become an easy target for criticism — especially as rival Android manufacturers compete to deliver the biggest numbers, the fastest charging speeds, or the thinnest designs.

The temptation in tech media, particularly on platforms like YouTube, is often to dunk on Samsung rather than examine the nuance behind its approach. Spectacular upgrades and dramatic spec sheets make better thumbnails.

Yet listening to Samsung executives across multiple briefings reveals something interesting: the messaging is remarkably consistent. Whether discussing cameras, processors, or ecosystem features, the company repeatedly returns to the same principle. Hardware innovation matters most when it unlocks a better overall experience.

A company that knows its role

That consistency suggests Samsung knows exactly who it is in the smartphone industry.

As the largest Android smartphone manufacturer globally, Samsung occupies a position where competitors often measure themselves against it. Many brands differentiate by pushing aggressive specifications or experimenting with bold hardware changes.

In many ways, everyone else is punching up.

Scale changes priorities. When you’re building devices for hundreds of millions of users, the focus shifts toward reliability, ecosystem integration, and increasingly, AI-powered experiences that work consistently across products.

Why Southeast Asia matters in Samsung’s AI strategy

During the roundtable, Roh also emphasized the importance of Southeast Asia and Oceania to Samsung’s AI strategy.

According to the company’s internal research, the region ranks among the most receptive markets for AI-powered mobile features. Younger demographics and heavy social media usage are driving adoption.

In markets where smartphones are central to communication, content creation, and digital services, AI-powered tools — from translation features to image editing — have found strong traction.

That context helps explain why Samsung continues to position AI as the defining layer of its next-generation devices.

Is the smartphone spec race ending?

For years, smartphone makers built their identities around chasing specs.

Bigger numbers meant better phones. Faster chips meant progress.

Samsung, it seems, is chasing something else.

Whether that bet ultimately reshapes the smartphone experience remains to be seen. But if Roh’s comments are any indication, the next major leap in Galaxy hardware won’t happen simply because the numbers can go higher.

It will happen when Samsung believes the experience — not the spec sheet — is ready to move forward.