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Huawei’s new P9 and P9 Plus phones take a swing at low-light photography

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Huawei, it seems, is really into making premium phones now. Fresh off giving the world the Google Nexus 6P and Huawei Mate 8, the leading smartphone brand in China and number 3 worldwide, having shipped more than 100 million phones in 2015, has unveiled yet another high-priced product in the 5.2-inch P9 and 5.5-inch P9 Plus.

Whereas the Nexus 6P and Mate 8 were all about providing a speedy user experience and pushing the limits of screen size in somewhat manageable form factors, the P9 series’ most marketable quality can be found around the back. To be clear, that’s not to say the P9 and P9 Plus lag behind the curve, or other phones in Huawei’s portfolio for that matter (but we’ll get to this shortly).

A pair of 12-megapixel, Leica-certified cameras sit flush on the back of the P9 and P9 Plus, and Huawei is confident that you’re going to want to use them as soon as you get your hands on its latest creations.

Huawei P9 rose gold

Huawei P9 in rose gold

One of the rear cameras feature a monochrome sensor, while the other packs a traditional smartphone-camera sensor. When they work brilliantly together, just like the Wonder Twins from Superfriends, or for the younger crowd, Batman and Superman in the last act of Batman v. Superman, they’re supposed to produce brighter, clearer shots in low light.

Huawei says they can let in three times more light information and increase contrast by as much as 50 percent. And to that we say: Let’s leave it for consumers and experts in the tech community to determine whether or not the dual-camera setup is worth the money.

We do applaud Huawei’s efforts to try and get smartphones to do a better job of taking photographs where light is scarce. But adding another rear-facer and making the back of a very personal device look at you with horror, like you just plugged a 110-volt hair dryer into a 220-volt socket, isn’t what we had in mind. It certainly doesn’t help that the P9’s fingerprint sensor resembles an open mouth, thus completing the look of a shocked rear panel.

Huawei P9 Plus gold

Huawei P9 Plus in gold

Huawei has also thrown in a laser autofocus module, two-tone flash, and optical image stabilization for less shaky photos and videos into the P9 range’s admittedly expansive set of photography-related features. For the selfie-obsessed youth, the 8-megapixel front camera should suffice.

The P9 and P9 Plus don’t skimp on computing power and memory options, either, with both phones sporting an in-house HiSilicon Kirin 955 chip — the fastest in a Huawei smartphone to date — with as much as 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage (for the higher-end P9 variant and P9 Plus).

The P9 has a 3,000mAh built-in battery, which is slightly less than the 3,400mAh cell packed into the back of the P9 Plus. But regardless of which P9 variant you go with, you’d be happy to know that there’s a USB Type-C connector with fast charging on the bottom of either handset.

The P9 and P9 Plus resemble last year’s P8, and to a lesser extent, the Nexus 6P, and the company says the phones make use of a metal unibody for a more cohesive and seamless construction.

They’re only 6.95mm thick and have bezels that measure 1.7mm, so Huawei continuing to build fairly compact handsets with big displays isn’t a trend that will likely fizzle out any time soon. A resolution bump to 1,440 x 2,560 pixels (from 1,080 x 1,920) would have been a welcome development, but unfortunately the P9 carries the same, full-resolution display as its predecessor.

The Huawei P9 is priced at £449 ($630 or Php29,000) in the U.K., while P9 Plus retails for £549 ($780 or Php36,000). Shipping starts mid-May.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPwpFojqFww

[irp posts=”2258″ name=”Huawei P9 and P9 Plus gear up for Southeast Asia release”]

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TECNO unveils the world’s first 0mm bezel-less phone

Is this the future of smartphones?

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It seems like the race towards an all-screen smartphone isn’t over just yet.

While most in the tech industry are currently obsessed over Samsung’s latest wide foldable, TECNO announces a more refreshing sight — at least for the regular “slab-type” phone form factor.

Black borders begone

Modern flagship smartphones already have incredibly slim bezels, but there’s still a thin black border separating the active display from the frame. That’s due to the internal circuitry and safety clearances required by current display technology

TECNO proves it’s possible to dissolve that with their Next-Gen Bezelless Concept Phone. And this is actually the industry’s first smartphone with a true 0mm display bezel.

With this fresh concept, the uprising brand says it has solved that “final millimeter” by redesigning the phone’s internal structure and display packaging. The result is a display with a visible border measuring 0 microns (0mm). This makes the screen appear to stretch all the way to the edges.

Removing the bezel completely isn’t just about aesthetics. The company says such uninterrupted display makes a more immersive experience — whether you’re watching videos, playing games, browsing photos, or simply reading.

Without these visible borders, content appears to flow naturally from edge-to-edge, making the display look as if it’s floating in your hand.

A glimpse at TECNO’s future

As with most concept devices, there’s no word yet on whether this exact design will make it into a commercial smartphone. Still, TECNO says the engineering behind the concept goes beyond the display itself.

The technologies developed for the project (such as improvements related to cameras, touch responsiveness, audio, and AI-driven user interactions) could eventually find their way into the brand’s future flagship devices.

Whether or not a true bezel-free phone becomes reality anytime soon, the concept offers a glimpse at where smartphone design could be heading next. After all, TECNO’s super slim concept last 2025 actually became an actual retail product with the existence of TECNO Slim.

The concept is set to make its public debut on the upcoming ShowStoppers at IFA 2026 this September 3.

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Apple introduces Apple Upgrade leasing program

Flexible leasing arrives

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Apple has introduced Apple Upgrade, a new leasing program that makes it easier to get an iPhone, Mac, iPad, or Apple Watch through monthly payments. The program also gives customers more flexibility to upgrade to newer devices over time.

Apple Upgrade replaces new enrollments for the iPhone Upgrade Program with a single offering that covers four product categories. Apple partnered with Klarna to power the service.

Customers can lease an iPhone or Apple Watch for one or two years. Mac and iPad leases are available for two or three years.

At the end of the lease, customers have three options. They can upgrade to a newer device, purchase the leased device by paying the remaining balance, or return it with no further obligation.

Monthly payments start at US$17.99 for iPhone and US$24.99 for Mac, depending on the selected model and configuration. Customers must also qualify through Klarna before enrolling.

More than iPhones

Apple Upgrade expands beyond the company’s previous iPhone-only financing program. It brings iPhone, Mac, iPad, and Apple Watch under one leasing service, making upgrades more consistent across Apple’s hardware lineup.

Customers can manage their lease through Apple, while Klarna handles financing and lease administration. They can also pay off their device early, although additional terms and fees may apply depending on the agreement.

Apple Upgrade is currently available only in the United States. Apple has not announced plans to expand the program to other regions.

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Is the Pixel 11 copying a feature from Nothing?

A new ad is hinting at something like the Glyph interface.

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August 12 cannot come soon enough. On that date, Google is set to launch the upcoming Pixel 11 series. There isn’t much to indicate that the brand is changing the formula this year. Now, a rampant rumor, now seemingly confirmed by Google’s own ad, is hinting that a popular feature from Nothing is making its way to the Pixel.

Besides the transparent rear, Nothing prides itself with numerous iterations of the Glyph interface, a lighting system that serves as customized notifications for your phone. It’s mostly a novelty, but the feature is a unique take in a smartphone market plagued with too much sameness. It looks like Google wants to take a page from that same notebook.

For a while now, it’s been rumored that Google is adopting a version of the feature for the Pixel 11 series. The so-called Pixel Glow will reportedly add a light-based notification feature. Now, Google itself has seemingly confirmed the rumors.

In a new ad, titled “The Obvious Next Move,” Google is teasing a new feature coming to the flagship series. Though the ad leaves the feature untitled and without a description, it’s clear that it’s a circular glowing thing similar to Nothing’s take. The glowing thing is right on the Pixel’s iconic camera bar, just like Nothing.

But again, Google didn’t name the feature. However, if it helps, the ad says that we already use the Pixel for Gmail, Maps, Search, Calendar, and Docs, so the next evolution is whatever is depicted in this ad. August 12 really cannot come soon enough.

SEE ALSO: Google will host its Pixel 11 event on August 12

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