News

Huawei resurrects ‘Mate’ with the Mate 50 series in China

Four Mates to choose from

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Image by GadgetMatch

If you can still recall, Huawei launched the last “Mate” in October 2020 — potentially the last of its kind.

But just like the latest rumor of the Mate line being re-launched this September 2022, they have officially announced the comeback of the series with not just one, but four Mate 50 models in China.

Mate 50 + Mate 50E

Let’s start with the two similarly-looking models of the series: The Mate 50 and the Mate 50E.

Image by GadgetMatch

Both phones sport a 6.7-inch Full HD+ OLED flat display with 90Hz refresh rate and 300Hz touch sampling rate. These displays also support 1.07 Billion Colors and DCI-P3 wide color gamut. However, the Mate 50 has Huawei’s in-house Kunlun glass protection and an IP68 water and dust resistance rating that the Mate 50E does not possess.

Image by GadgetMatch

Each phone also has what they call a 50MP “Super Optical Camera” with a variable aperture between f/1.4 to f/4.0 plus a 13MP f/2.2 ultra-wide lens. Their 13MP f/2.4 selfie cameras are also similar. The differentiating factor has got to be the Mate 50’s 12MP periscope telephoto lens that supports 5x optical zoom and up to 50x digital zoom.

Image by GadgetMatch

Other notable differences are the chipsets used. The Mate 50 is equipped with the latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. Meanwhile, the Mate 50E has a toned-down Snapdragon 778G chipset just like the Honor 70, Xiaomi 12 Lite, Nothing Phone (1), and the Samsung Galaxy A73 5G. Unfortunately, despite the mentioned chipsets being 5G-capable, both are only limited to 4G connectivity.

There are other similarities too like the 4460mAh battery, 66W SuperCharge + reverse charging capabilities, and choices between 8GB RAM + 128 or 256GB UFS 3.1 configurations with NM card expansion of up to 256GB. However, the Mate 50 supports 50W Wireless SuperCharge and is available in a bigger 512GB option.

Mate 50 Pro

This 2022, Huawei decided to scrap the “Pro+” model in favor of the lone Mate 50 Pro flagship.

Unlike the two models aforementioned, the Mate 50 Pro features a 6.74-inch OLED curved display with a 120Hz refresh rate that’s totally reminiscent of the Mate 30 Pro from three years ago. Aside from the same 13MP f/2.4 selfie camera, there’s also a 3D depth sensor for more secure biometrics.

Other display specs are similar from the other Mate 50 phones: 300Hz touch sampling rate plus DCI-P3 wide color gamut and 1.07 Billion Color support.

Image by GadgetMatch

Other than that, the cameras are quite similar from the first two Mates: a 50MP Super Optical main camera with an adjustable f/1.4 to f/4.0 aperture plus OIS, paired with a 13MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle camera. What makes it “Pro” is its 64MP 3.5x periscope telephoto lens with OIS — similar to that of the Huawei P50 Pro that can zoom up to 100x minus the LEICA optics.

Lastly, it’s also powered by the latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 4G chipset and 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM with either 256GB or 512GB storage options + NM card storage expansion. Battery is quite bigger at 4700mAh with 66W SuperCharge, 50W Wireless SuperCharge, and 5W reverse charging. It’s also IP68-rated and has the Huawei Kunlun glass protection.

Porsche Design Mate 50 RS

Lastly, there’s still a variant highlighting the solid partnership between Huawei and Porsche Design — a collaboration that started four years ago. While it has the most aggressive design in the Mate 50 series, the design is very much like the Porsche Design Mate 40 RS as well as the Honor Magic4 Ultimate. Its back is also made out of ceramic glass.

Its hardware specifications are very similar to the Mate 50 Pro: display, cameras, IP rating, battery capacity, charging speeds, and even the non-5G Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset used. But, the Mate 50 RS has a plentiful 12GB of LPDDR5 memory, plus a different periscope telephoto lens with a smaller megapixel count but a wider aperture — 48MP f/3.0 vs Mate 50 Pro’s 64MP f/3.5. Albeit, it still has the same 3.5x to 100x zoom capabilities.

Image by GadgetMatch

The Mate 50 RS is also limited to a 512GB storage option, still with NM card support. As obvious as it looks, the Huawei Porsche Design Mate 50 RS also has a different set of leather cases and accessories that complement well the aesthetic of the sports car’s fashion-focused subsidiary.

Pricing and Availability

The Huawei Mate 50 series is currently available for pre-orders in China. There’s no word on global availability just yet.

Image by GadgetMatch

There are several color options and pricing configurations* (in Chinese Yuan or Renminbi SRP) for the Mate 50 series:

Mate 50E (Obsidian Black, Frost Silver, Streamer Purple)

  • 128GB = CNY 3999 (US$ 559 / EUR 579 / GBP 518 / SG$ 801 / PhP 32,946)
  • 256GB = CNY 4499 (US$ 628 / EUR 651 / GBP 582 / SG$ 902 / PhP 37,065)

Mate50 (Obsidian Black, Frost Silver, Streamer Purple, Daybreak Kunlun, Kunlun Xiaguang)

  • 128GB = CNY 4999 (US$ 721 / EUR 727  / GBP 628 / SG$ 1013 / PhP 41,055)
  • 256GB = CNY 5499 (US$ 793 / EUR 800 / GBP 691 / SG$ 1114 / PhP 45,162)
  • 512GB = CNY 6499 (US$ 938 / EUR 1317 / GBP 816 / SG$ 1317 / PhP 53,374)

Mate 50 Pro (Obsidian Black, Frost Silver, Streamer Purple, Daybreak Kunlun, Kunlun Xiaguang)

  • 256GB = CNY 6799 (US$ 981 / EUR 989 / GBP 854 / SG$ 1377 / PhP 55,838)
  • 512GB = CNY 7799 (US$ 1125 / EUR 1134 / GBP 979 / SG$ 1580 / PhP 64,051)

Porsche Design Mate 50 RS (Dark Blue Porcelain, Carmine Porcelain)

  • 512GB = CNY 12999 (US$ 1875 / EUR 1890 / GBP 1632 / SG$ 2634 / PhP 106,757)

Gaming

Xbox saves Kojima’s PHYSINT after PlayStation drops support

PlayStation says the separation was mutual, but Kojima hints otherwise.

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Things aren’t going well in the PlayStation camp. After two months of frankly questionable decisions, the company adds another to the pile by dropping support for Hideo Kojima’s PHYSINT.

For a while now, Kojima and PlayStation were in a very productive relationship with the Death Stranding duology, a critically acclaimed collection of titles for the platform. When things looked like they were going well, Kojima announced PHYSINT, an espionage-themed game which reminded fans way too much of Metal Gear Solid.

If you were investing in a PlayStation 5 to play Kojima’s latest thriller, you might want to move your chips elsewhere now. PlayStation has just dropped support for the espionage game, meaning PHYSINT will no longer be a first-party title for the platform.

Though PlayStation claims that the decision came after “careful consideration,” Kojima himself has said that the move was “unexpected,” going against PlayStation’s assurance of a mutual separation.

Very quickly, Xbox has announced that their platform will support PHYSINT instead. It’s a big get for the competing brand because Xbox Game Studios is already supporting OD, Kojima’s other upcoming horror project starring Sophia Lillis.

Unfortunately, it’s difficult to say more. As is tradition, Kojima will not explain much more about his upcoming titles. In fact, OD’s trailer barely says anything. One thing’s for sure, though: we’re all in for quite a ride.

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Entertainment

PH to celebrate 1st ever National Cinema Day; movies start at less than $2

Watch a movie on September 12 for a fraction of the cost

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The Philippines will be celebrating its first ever National Cinema Day on September 12. On this day, movie tickets will go for as low as PhP 100 (US$ 1.60) at regular 2D cinemas.

The campaign aims to make moviegoing more accessible to audiences. This includes families, friends, students, and cinephiles in general.

Such initiative has been a staple in other countries, like the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and more. The same concept applies, with movie tickets going on sale for a lot less.

What’s great about the celebration is that all movies scheduled for exhibition on September 12, whether local or international, shall get the special admission price.

Advanced tickets sales have already begun. Customers can purchase through participating box offices, official websites, mobile apps, and authorized platforms.

Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis and remain subject to theater capacity. Prices vary for other viewing formats like Director’s Club or IMAX, for instance.

The campaign is organized by the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines (CEAP), along with industry and government partners.

The initiative is supported by the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP), Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), and the Metro Manila Film Festival through the MMDA.

Participating cinemas include Ayala Malls Cinemas, SM Cinemas, Robinsons Movieworld, CityMall Cinema, Megaworld Cinemas, and more.

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News

iPhone Duo: Price, availability in the Philippines

As listed on the Apple website

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Apple has officially entered the foldable smartphone market with the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone. It uses a passport-style design that opens into a larger display while retaining a more conventional smartphone experience when folded.

Price and availability

The iPhone Duo starts at PhP 159,990 in the Philippines for the 256GB model as listed on the Apple website.

Here’s the full local pricing:

  • 256GB — PhP 159,990
  • 512GB — PhP 175,990
  • 1TB — PhP 207,990
  • 2TB — PhP 254,990

The iPhone Duo comes in Star White and Night Sky.

Actual availability in the Philippines has yet to be officially announced.

A foldable design with two displays

The iPhone Duo has a 5.4-inch outer display when folded and expands to a 7.6-inch main display when opened. Both orientations use the same aspect ratio, allowing iOS to transition between them seamlessly.

The rear chassis uses Ceramic Shield, while the front display gets Ceramic Shield 2. The device is also IP68-rated for dust and water resistance.

Its hinge uses carbon fiber supports and magnets that produce an audible click when the phone is folded.

A20 Pro brings flagship performance

The iPhone Duo is powered by the A20 Pro, the same chip found in the iPhone 18 Pro series. Apple says the chip delivers 35 percent better sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro.

It also comes with the new C2 cellular modem, which provides up to 50 percent faster uploads. Like other foldables, the Duo can be used in different configurations, including tent mode and a partially folded book-like position.

48-megapixel camera system

The iPhone Duo gets a 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera alongside a 12-megapixel 2x telephoto camera.

For selfies and video calls, it has a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera. The inner display also uses an under-screen camera for a cleaner look.

Battery life goes beyond a day

The iPhone Duo offers up to 31 hours of video playback using the inner display and up to 44 hours using the outer display.

Charging is also quick. Apple says a 20-minute charge can replenish half the battery, while a five-minute charge can provide up to five hours of video playback.

For the complete specifications and first-look details, check out our main iPhone Duo launch coverage.

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