News

HONOR X7d now official

Tough new budget phone with AI smarts, massive battery

Published

October 15, 2025

GadgetMatch

HONOR Philippines has officially launched the new HONOR X7d. It’s a durable entry-level smartphone that brings premium AI features to the budget segment. Priced from PhP 7,299, the phone is available for pre-order until October 24, 2025, with a free HONOR Camping Light Speaker worth PhP 4,999 for early buyers at HONOR Experience and Partner Stores.

According to HONOR Philippines VP Stephen Cheng, the X7d “sets a new standard for affordable smartphones by offering enhanced durability, powerful performance, and smart AI features.”

Built to survive everyday mishaps

The HONOR X7d boasts 5-star Premium Drop Protection, earning an SGS certification for drop and crush resistance of up to 1.8 meters. Its reinforced “Bulletproof Vest” corners and Cushioning Architecture help it endure everyday knocks and drops.

The device is also IP65-rated for water resistance, meaning it can handle light rinsing and splashes. HONOR says the X7d can even survive being submerged in half a meter of water for up to a minute. With Wet-hand Touch Enhancement, the screen remains responsive even with damp or greasy fingers.

Big battery, smarter performance

Powering the X7d is a 6,500mAh dual-cell battery, claimed to be one of the largest in its class. HONOR says it offers five years of durable performance with multi-point temperature monitoring to ensure safety between -20°C and 55°C.

It supports 35W HONOR SuperCharge, which quickly refuels the battery for all-day use. The dual-cell design not only extends battery life but also improves stability and charging speed—ideal for users always on the go.

New AI button for quick smart actions

The Instant AI Button is a standout addition. A single press can open a custom app or clean background tasks, while a long press activates AI functions like AI Translation and AI Creation.

Running on MagicOS 9.0 based on Android 15, the phone also integrates Magic Capsule, Magic Portal, and Google Gemini Assistant. Other AI features include AI Outpainting, AI Upscale, and AI Cutout—tools designed to simplify creative and productivity tasks.

AI-powered photography made simple

The HONOR X7d features a 108MP Ultra-Clear Main Camera with 3x lossless zoom and three portrait modes: Environmental (1x), Atmospheric (2x), and Close-up (3x). AI-assisted tools like AI Eraser, AI Remove Reflection, and AI Style enhance photos on the fly, helping users get polished shots straight from the phone.

Ample storage and smooth multitasking

The phone offers up to 512GB of storage, enough for photos, apps, and videos. It also comes with HONOR RAM Turbo Technology, combining 8GB physical RAM with 8GB virtual memory for smoother multitasking.

Price and availability

The HONOR X7d (512GB) retails for PhP 9,999 and includes a free HONOR Camping Light Speaker worth PhP 4,999 during the pre-order period from October 14–24, 2025.

The 256GB variant is priced at PhP 7,299, available exclusively online via:

News

Apple reportedly gives up on the Vision Pro

But Apple will continue to sell the current model.

Published

April 30, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

When they unveiled the Vision Pro in 2023, Apple touted the wearable as the next big thing after the iPhone. Now, almost three years removed from the launch, the Vision Pro hasn’t really taken over the coveted spot occupied by the iPhone. Apple, according to a report, is allegedly canning the short-lived wearable.

According to MacRumors, Apple has reportedly given up on making the Vision Pro a thing. The team handling the wearable has supposedly been subsumed by other teams within Apple.

If true, the wearable’s end is unfortunate but not surprising. Despite being out for years, the Vision Pro has sold only a little more than half a million units with numerous returns from customers. Most recently, Apple updated the wearable with the M5 chip, but the move hasn’t revitalized the device’s status in Apple’s lineup.

Most of the complaints about the device stem from its exorbitant price or its cumbersome battery pack. Besides costing a whopping US$ 3,499, the Vision Pro is also difficult to move around with, especially because of its total weight and a battery pack that can get in the way.

To be clear, Apple has not officially discontinued the Vision Pro yet. The company continues to sell the version with the M5 chip. Apple can also restart development in the future.

However, the meantime retirement on future development does coincide with the recent restructuring inside the company. Tim Cook recently decided to step down as CEO with John Ternus as his replacement. Canning the Vision Pro might be Ternus’ first step in redefining Apple according to his plans.

Apps

YouTube makes picture-in-picture mode free for everyone globally

The update is rolling out globally now.

Published

April 30, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Picture-in-picture (or PiP) mode is a godsend for multitaskers. The feature lets users watch videos in a tiny floating window while doing other tasks. However, the feature isn’t readily available for all users. Or wasn’t, at least. YouTube is now rolling out PiP mode for free globally.

Previously, PiP mode was exclusive to YouTube users who pay for Premium or Premium Lite. It was also exclusive to the United States.

Now, YouTube is making the feature completely free for users all over the globe. It will be available for both iOS and Android versions of the app.

There’s still a catch, though. The free version is available only for “longform, non-music content.” The same goes for Premium Lite subscribers. Music is still an exclusive feature for those who pay for the regular version of Premium. Basically, there is no change for paying users or users in the United States.

Using PiP mode is simple. All you need to do is load up a video you want to watch in the background. Then, just exit the YouTube app and go about your other tasks. The video will be inside a floating, resizable window while you look at other things.

There’s no timeline on when the update will reach your device. However, YouTube has promised that it will roll out globally within the coming months.

Enterprise

OnePlus has reportedly merged with realme

Both brands were previously rumored for restructuring early this year.

Published

April 30, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

OnePlus has a problem. For a while now, rumors have swirled about the company’s dissolution. For their part, the company has continued to deny the reports, citing business as usual. Likely to their dismay, the reports just keep coming. Today, sources have hinted that OnePlus has merged with realme.

Back in January, it was rumored that OnePlus would be closing up shop this year. Since the company very quickly denied the rumors, the report hardly made waves. However, a suspected merger with realme is more difficult to debunk.

For one, realme is itself in a very interesting position. Also back in January, realme was reportedly moving back into being a sub-brand of OPPO. Coupled together with the OnePlus debacle, all this internal restructuring seems par for the course.

According to Digital Chat Station on Weibo, OnePlus and realme have already concluded the merger. The two brands have reportedly united their Chinese and international operations under one roof. Likewise, their marketing will be the same. Pete Lau will still be the main head for this new division.

As with anything of this nature, take this with a grain of salt. OPPO, OnePlus, and realme have not issued any official statements concerning a merger or a shutdown for any brand.