News

Huawei P9 and P9 Plus gear up for Southeast Asia release

Published

May 6, 2016

Monch Lopez

Let’s face it: Smartphones won the war on casual photography.

And if you find yourself taking more photos and videos with your smartphone than with your compact camera, then Huawei might have something that’ll convince you to retire your point-and-shoot gear or dump them in the “to sell” bin altogether.

The number three mobile vendor globally, which shipped more than 100 million units in 2015 and raised its revenue to over $60 billion year-over-year, has unveiled the pricing and launch date for the premium Huawei P9 and P9 Plus smartphones for some parts of Asia.

Both promise to deliver a camera experience that’s second to none, thanks in no small part to a pair of cameras resting flush on their backs. The cameras have been co-engineered with prominent German camera maker Leica, which has lent its name — and to a limited extent, its camera cred — to the Chinese OEM.

Huawei says one of the cameras on the back of the P9 phones makes use of a traditional 12-megapixel color sensor; the other has a monochrome or black-and-white sensor that crams in as many megapixels.

The two work in tandem to produce the clearest and most detailed image possible. More impressively, this particular setup helps the phones capture better-quality photos in situations that even a modern camera phone would struggle with.

Huawei’s P9 and P9 Plus don’t skimp on processing power and memory options either, as both devices feature top-shelf silicon in the HiSilicon Kirin 955 chip that has up to 4GB of RAM and up to 64GB of expandable storage. Fast charging is also promised with either model.

What they lack, though, is a bleeding-edge display, with neither the P9 nor P9 Plus offering anything higher than 1080p resolution on their AMOLED screens.

The lackluster pixel density is more of a concern with the 5.5-inch P9 Plus than with the 5.2-inch regular model — but then again, unless you’re a stickler for on-screen details, you probably won’t mind too much, if at all.

The latest Huawei luxury phones are slated to launch in the Philippines next month. The exact pricing hasn’t been confirmed yet, but the P9 is expected to start at P25,000 ($530). The P9 Plus, meanwhile, could retail for around P30,000 ($635).

In Malaysia, the P9 series could debut by end-May, carrying a price tag between RM2,000 and RM2,600. Launch details haven’t been listed for other Southeast Asian markets, but the phones could see a wider rollout later this month or in early June. Price points will likely be comparable to those mentioned above.

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

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Related Topics:Huawei P9 and P9 Plus smartphones

Gaming

Call of Duty drops the PlayStation 4 starting with its next game

Is this the beginning of the end for the PlayStation 4?

Published

May 8, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

When can we declare that a console is officially dead? Is it as soon as the launch of the next generation? Is it when games no longer come out on the console? Recently, Call of Duty has confirmed that the next game will not be available anymore on the PlayStation 4, which presents an important question: Is the PlayStation 4 officially dead?

Call of Duty is one of the most persistent gaming franchises today. The last entry, Black Ops 7, is still available for the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Both consoles were launched over twelve years ago. (If that doesn’t make you old, the current generation was launched almost six years ago.)

As such, the franchise is one of the last stalwarts keeping the past generation alive. This week, Call of Duty, via a post on X, confirmed that the next game will not arrive on the PlayStation 4. Presumably, this also means the Xbox One.

Not sure where this one started, but it’s not true. The next Call of Duty is not being developed for PS4.

— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) May 4, 2026

Currently, we don’t have details about the upcoming game yet. But a new entry is confirmed to arrive later this year.

With the departure of the Call of Duty franchise, it’s fair to ask what will become of the old generation moving forward. Over the years, developers have started shying away from the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Since the franchise still maintains a steady fan base today, a lot of PlayStation 4 users might be forced to make an upgrade to play the latest entry.

News

TCL CSOT Unveils ‘APEX Pixel’ innovations at SID Display Week 2026

Breakthroughs in display technologies

Published

May 7, 2026

GadgetMatch

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Pushing the boundaries of display physics, TCL CSOT has officially launched its APEX Pixel framework at SID Display Week 2026.

This unified innovation path targets the microscopic architecture of pixels across FMM OLED, Inkjet-printed (IJP) OLED, and LCD panels to redefine clarity, power efficiency, and color volume.

The Super Pixel revolution

The highlight of the showcase is the Super Pixel technology for mobile FMM OLEDs.

By increasing sub-pixel density by roughly 1.8%, TCL CSOT has achieved sharpness comparable to WQHD standards while slashing power consumption by 25%.

Key mobile prototypes on display include:

6.9-inch Ultra-Clarity Display: Features a 2608×1200 resolution with a 0.5mm top bezel
165Hz High-Refresh Panel: Utilizes a Real RGB layout to boost motion smoothness by 40% over standard 120Hz screens
Ultra-Low Power 8T LTPO: A 420PPI powerhouse that reduces SoC power draw by a quarter.

IJP OLED and the Tri-Fold Future

TCL CSOT continues to lead the transition toward Inkjet-printed (IJP) OLED.

By utilizing the world’s first 8.6-generation IJP line, the company has debuted a 28-inch Foldable and Portable IJP OLED Monitor.

This “Real Stripe” RGB display features a tri-fold design that expands from a 16-inch footprint to a 28-inch workspace.

IJP OLED allows for larger light-emitting areas, occupying 50% to 60% of the pixel. This leads to a significantly enhanced luminous efficiency compared to traditional evaporation methods.

RGBC: The New Standard for LCD

For large-scale cinema experiences, TCL CSOT introduced RGBC Four-Color Technology.

By adding a Cyan sub-pixel to the traditional RGB matrix, the 85-inch WHVA Ultra LCD TV achieves a staggering 131% of the BT.2020 color gamut.

This hardware-level shift allows for more saturated hues and finer resolution rendering that traditional three-color pixels cannot replicate.

Through APEX Pixel, TCL CSOT is no longer just chasing size, but perfecting the very atoms of the digital image.

News

iPhone 17 is the best-selling phone of 2026 so far

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S26 series didn’t make the top ten list.

Published

May 7, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

With more than a quarter of the year done and dusted, it’s time to figure out which smartphone has taken the early lead in the charts. According to the numbers, it can’t get any clearer. The iPhone 17 is currently dominating the charts.

According to Counterpoint Research, the bestselling smartphone in the world as of the first quarter is the base iPhone 17. The model took 6 percent of the global share in unit sales. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Pro took the second and third spots, respectively. Only a bit surprisingly, Apple rounded out its quarter with the iPhone 16 taking the number 6 slot.

The stranger thing is Samsung’s presence on this list. The South Korean brand took five spots on the top 10 list. However, none of them are of the Galaxy S26 series. All of them are from the Galaxy A series: in order, Galaxy A07 4G, A17 5G, A56, A36, and A17 4G. (The Galaxy S26 series narrowly missed the top 10.)

That makes nine. The final spot was taken by the Xiaomi Redmi A5.

Going only by the last two paragraphs, you’ll likely assume that the midrange market is rightfully dominating the charts in the months following the Christmas season. However, the iPhone 17’s dominance confirms that Apple has not lost its stride.

Plus, with the iPhone 17e only just having launched, Apple might continue its run well into 2026.