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Honor 20 Pro goes official with four rear cameras and 30x digital zoom

Taking some cues from Huawei’s P30 Pro

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Honor 20 Pro in Phantom Black | GadgetMatch

Honor has just announced its new flagship phone: the Honor 20 Pro. Like with its predecessor, Honor brings all the latest features into a more affordable package. The Honor 20 Pro is part of the company’s new Honor 20 series and since it has the “Pro” name, this is certainly their best offering yet.

For starters, the Honor 20 Pro sports a 6.26-inch All-View display with a Full HD+ resolution. Unlike other manufacturers, Honor favors the hole-punch over a notch. This makes the Honor 20 Pro’s display similar to the Honor View 20 from a few months ago.

While the Honor 20 Pro’s screen is virtually borderless, it’s still an LCD panel and not OLED. This means an in-display sensor is not possible, so Honor placed a capacitive fingerprint scanner on the side similar to the Galaxy S10e and older Xperia models.

Inside the phone is a Kirin 980 chipset, the same one that powers Huawei’s latest P30 series. Moreover, it has 8GB of memory and 256GB of internal storage, which makes it a true flagship-specced phone. It also has Graphene Cooling Sheet technology to keep the phone’s temperature in check.

What makes the Honor 20 Pro shine above other premium phones in the market today is its new quad camera setup on the back. It has a main 48-megapixel sensor with an f/1.4 lens aperture (the biggest opening we know on mobile phones), optical image stabilization, PDAF, and laser autofocus. It also has AI tricks like Ultra Clarity and Super Night modes.

The phone’s main camera is accompanied by a 16-megapixel ultra wide-angle shooter and an 8-megapixel telephoto camera with OIS. The zoom lens can do 3x lossless optical zoom, 5x hybrid zoom, and up to 30x digital zoom. Lastly, there’s a special 2-megapixel sensor for macro photography. It can sharply focus on things as close as 4cm.

For selfies, it’s got a 32-megapixel front-facing camera in the hole of the display. The front shooter supports AI beauty modes and 3D Portrait Lighting.

Aside from powerful specs, Honor also made sure their new high-end phone looks beautiful. The Honor 20 Pro has what the company calls Dynamic Holographic Design: a two-stage process using Honor’s Triple 3D Mesh technology. Aside from the gradient color effect, the miniature prisms show depth-inducing optical effect.

A 4000mAh battery will be able to keep the lights on for a whole day, while the 22.5W SuperCharge fast charger (included the phone’s retail box) could quickly recharge the battery from zero to 50 percent in just 30 minutes.

The phone runs Magic UI 2.1 which is based on Android 9 Pie. It’s very similar to Huawei’s EMUI and has GPU Turbo 3.0 out of the box for improved gaming performance on select titles like Fortnite, PUBG Mobile, Vainglory, Arena of Valor, and NBA 2K18.

If there’s a Pro model, there’s got to be a normal one. The regular Honor 20 is practically identical to the Honor 20 Pro with the same display, processor, fingerprint reader, and software. Of course, it has a few downgrades like the lesser memory and storage option at 6GB+128GB and smaller battery at 3750mAh.

However, the big difference between the Pro and non-Pro is found in the camera department. The main 48-megapixel camera remains, but it now only has an f/1.8 aperture. The 16-megapixel ultra wide-angle shooter and 2-megapixel macro camera are untouched, but the telephoto lens is swapped for a depth sensor.

The Honor 20 Pro will be initially available in the UK for GBP 550 or EUR 599 (~US$ 670) in other European countries and it’ll come in Phantom Blue and Phantom Black colors.

The regular Honor 20, on the other hand, is cheaper at EUR 499 or roughly US$ 555 when converted. It has three color options: Sapphire Blue, Midnight Black, and Icelandic White.

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OPPO Find X9 now available through Smart Postpaid, Infinity

OPPO’s latest flagship has triple Hasselblad cameras, more advanced features

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The flagship OPPO Find X9 is now available through Smart Postpaid and Smart Infinity plans for customers in the Philippines.

Subscribers can get the device through Smart Postpaid Plans+ 1999 and Smart Infinity Device Plans 5000/8000.

Here are the inclusions:

Smart Postpaid Plans+ 1999 (PhP 32,500 one-time cashout)

  • 15GB data
  • Unli 5G data for 12 months
  • Unli AllNet Calls & Texts
  • Unli Landline Calls
  • Access to Smart Postpaid Perks
  • Extra 30GB free data for 6 months
  • Free Landers Premium Membership (for eligible subscribers)
  • PhP 1,000 worth of shopping GCs (Dec. 6 to 12 only for new line)

Infinity Device Plan 5000 (PhP 7,200 one-time cashout)

  • Unlimited data
  • Unli calls and texts
  • PhP 1,500 monthly consumables for in-app purchases, content subscriptions, more
  • 1GB roaming for 5 days/month
  • Personalized assistance
  • 24/7 dedicated personal account manager
  • More exclusive lifestyle perks and privileges

Infinity Device Plan 8000 (device is complimentary)

  • Unli data, calls, and texts
  • PhP 3,000 monthly consumables
  • 2GB roaming for 7 days/month
  • Personalized assistance
  • 24/7 dedicated personal account manager
  • More exclusive lifestyle perks and privileges

As an exclusive launch offer, in-store subscribers will also receive a complimentary DJI Osmo Mobile SE stabilizer.

The Smart website also shows that the Find X9 is bundled with a free Enco Buds3 Pro.

Flagship find

The OPPO Find X9 features a triple Hasselblad camera system powered by OPPO’s all-new LUMO Image Engine.

It has three 50MP cameras at the back — one rear, one telephoto, and one ultra-wide — as well as a 32MP front camera.

OPPO’s latest flagship handset is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 9500 processor. It has a 16GB+512GB configuration and a massive 7,025mAh battery with 80W SUPERVOOC and 50W AIRVOOC charging.

In front is a 6.59-inch 120Hz AMOLED display with a remarkable 95.4% screen-to-body ratio, 1,800 nits HBM brightness, 100% DCI-P3, and 460ppi pixel density.

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News

Google Year in Search 2025: NBA Finals, Halalan, Dionela, Alex Eala, more

Elections, AI, rising icons, sports, Korean series, more

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Google has released its Year in Search 2025, revealing the trends and moments that shaped the online habits of internet users this year.

Specifically for Filipinos, Gemini AI topped the overall trending list. Just under that is “Halalan 2025 results”, as it is a mid-term general election in the country. It shows that Filipinos are still very invested in what’s going on as far as politics are concerned.

During the 2025 elections, citizens voted for 12 senators to elect into office, representatives from their legislative districts, as well as local positions in provinces, cities, and municipalities.

Netflix series Squid Game also made the Top 10 list at No. 6. Reflecting the Philippines’ unwavering love for basketball, “OKC vs Indiana” also made it to No. 9. The Oklahoma City Thunder, of course, beat the Indiana Pacers in seven games to hoist this year’s NBA title.

Curiously, Khan Academy also made it to the magic 10, pretty much implying that several Filipino professionals constantly have upskilling in their minds.

Alex Eala, Dionela rise

Moving on to more specific lists, Filipino tennis rising star Alex Eala was definitely a talk of the town this calendar year. She is the most searched female personality overall, topping the likes of Bea Borres, AJ Raval, Jessica Sanchez, and Mika Salamanca, to name a few.

She is also ranked fourth in the list of most searched sports terms, behind “OKC vs Indiana”, “Pacquiao vs Barrios”, and “NBA standings 2025”.

Interestingly, the Golden State Warriors are No. 8 on that list but the Los Angeles Lakers have not made an appearance in this year’s Top 10.

Meanwhile, for male personalities, Dionela is at No. 4 on a more diverse list which includes Andy Byron (No. 1), Ed Gein (No. 2), and even Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon (No. 7) and Bronny James (No. 8).

Taylor Swift’s fiance, NFL star Travis Kelce (No. 9) and Kendrick Lamar (No. 10) wrap up the male personalities list.

OPM power

Dionela did make his presence felt on another list — Songs — where his famous track Marilag” is at No. 2 behind Earl Agustin’s “Tibok”.

In fact, it’s a rather OPM-laden list, showing how invested Filipinos still are in their own music. There’s Cup of Joe’s “Multo” (No. 4) and even Ogie Alcasid’s “Nandito Ako” (No. 5) which has enjoyed quite a resurgence, thanks to social media and former American Idol runner-up David Archuleta even singing it during a recent music festival.

Trending social media hits “Gnarly” and “Opalite” by KATESYE and Taylor Swift, respectively, round out the most searched songs list.

Entertainment

And speaking of Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, Netflix’s Physical Asia is curiously missing from the most searched shows and series this year. Although, they are No. 9 in the more specific Top Korean Series list.

Just behind Squid Game are When Life Gives You Tangerines, S Line,and Bon Appetit, Your Majesty on both lists.

For movies, the term “Final Destination” is the most searched, thanks to the franchise’s sixth installment, Final Destination Bloodlines.

Horror/mystery movies have been quite impressive this year, with “Conjuring” referencing Conjuring: Last Rites and Weapons at No. 8 and No. 10, respectively.

Of course, Kpop Demon Hunters has likewise made noise, coming in at second. Superman took the third spot, while another superhero movie, Thunderboltsis at fourth.

Farewells

For farewells, the passing of Meteor Garden female protagonist Barbie Hsu shocked a lot of Filipino fans — especially those who grew up watching the hit Taiwanese drama series from the 2000s.

The death of Emman Atienza, the daughter of TV personality Kuya Kim Atienza, also resonated deeply among younger audiences as she spoke candidly about mental health issues prior to her passing.

Among other top searches under the category are for Pope Francis (No. 3), celebrities Nora Aunor (No. 5), Gloria Romero (No. 6), Pilita Corrales (No. 10), and former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile (No. 7).

AI-related

Lastly, when it comes to AI-related search terms, Filipinos continue to learn more about how AI can help their everyday lives.

Gemini AI comes in at first, DeepSeek is at second, while Claude rounds out the top three. There’s also ChatGPT (No. 8), Nano Banana (No. 10), and Verse (No. 6).

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Enterprise

Netflix officially announces bid to acquire HBO, Warner Bros.

The deal might get inked by late next year, at the earliest.

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As of late, Warner Bros. became the hottest property in the world of entertainment. Despite efforts to revitalize the brand among audiences, Warner Bros. Discover, as the bigger company is known, has decided to put itself up for sale. Of course, there were a lot of potential contenders. Last month, rumors swirled that Netflix might end up becoming the library’s main suitor. Now, it’s official: Netflix is set to acquire Warner Bros for around US$ 82.7 billion.

The history of Warner Bros. in the modern era represents one of the biggest mergers in history. In previous years, the company merged with several notable properties including HBO, DC, Discovery, TNT, and Cartoon Network. It was, and is, a conglomeration of gigantic proportions. However, recent failures have prompted the company to pull the plug.

As noted above, Netflix toyed around with the idea of buying the property for itself. Now, the deal is nice and printed, ready for approval.

Notably, it hasn’t been approved just yet. The likeliest window for the deal to get approved, if it gets approved, is after the third quarter of 2026, which is when Warner Bros. Discover will break off into two separate entities. In the meantime, other suitors and the government itself might put up some opposition to the huge merger.

Should it push through, most of the library will enter Netflix. The few who don’t follow will likely go with Discovery, which isn’t part of the deal. Additionally, HBO Max might end up getting shelved and folded into Netflix.

SEE ALSO: Netflix might acquire HBO Max

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