News

HUAWEI Pura X Max overtakes the iPhone Fold as 2026’s first wide foldable

Also goes ahead of Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Wide Fold

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Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Months ahead of the much-awaited foldable from Apple, HUAWEI has decided to get in the way of the Cupertino-based company by announcing the world’s first wide foldable.

The HUAWEI Pura X Max is the earliest and biggest clapback to Apple’s upcoming iPhone Fold and Samsung’s rumored “Galaxy Z Wide Fold.”

World’s first wide foldable

HUAWEI’s Pura X Max isn’t a direct successor to last year’s Pura X.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Last year’s offering only had a measly 3.5-inch cover screen. This time, it has a full 5.4-inch wide display outside. Unfolding it reveals a 7.7-inch foldable display instead of Pura X’s smartphone-like 6.3 incher.

Both are LTPO 2.0 OLED displays with an adaptive 1~120Hz refresh rate. They are not compromised with support for 1.07 Billion Colors as well as DCI-P3 Wide Color Gamut.

This new form factor solves the biggest issue seen among standard foldables — especially when consuming content or playing games.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Stylus support is also expected with HUAWEI’s M-Pen 3 Mini stylus — best for jotting down, scribbling, doodling, drawing, or even just for navigation.

Supporting this foldable screen is HUAWEI’s so-called “basalt water droplet hinge” with core components made of steel.

GIF by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

As for the cover glass, it uses second gen Kunlun glass. And while we’re already at it, the Pura X Max supports IP58 and IP59 ratings for durability.

Maxed out fold

What runs this wide foldable is HUAWEI’s very own Kirin 9030 Pro chipset. The super brand promises up to 30% performance improvements.

Gaming should not be compromised thanks to its extra large VC Graphene Heat Dissipation System. Battery capacity is rated at 5300mAh with 66W wired and 50W wireless SuperCharge speeds.

GIF by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

HUAWEI’s latest HarmonyOS 6.1 not only brings in that translucent trend, they have also adapted to the user’s needs through Immersion Layout.

When used, the app’s controls automatically adjusts if you are left- or right-handed — no matter how you hold them.

Much like most smartphones, HarmonyOS also relies on its AI tools to make things easier.

Last but definitely not the least, it’s camera system.

The HUAWEI Pura X Max boasts a 50MP main (wide) camera with a variable aperture of f/1.4 ~ f.4.0 — much like last year’s Pura 80 Ultra and the latest Pura 90 Pro Max.

It also has another 50MP f/2.2 3.5x periscope telephoto camera that can also take optical-quality 7x shots and as far as 100x digital zoom.

Lastly, the ultra-wide camera is capped at 12.5MP with an aperture of f/2.2. All these cameras are based from HUAWEI’s RYYB image sensor.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Additionally, there’s a spectral sensor called “Red Maple camera” in its second iteration.

Selfie cameras inside and out are 8MP f/2.4.

Pricing and Availability

HUAWEI’s Pura X Max will be available in five colorways: Olive Gold, Phantom Night Black, Starblue, Vibrant Orange, and Zero Degree White.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Pricing does not come cheap. The HUAWEI Pura X Max are divided into two editions with four configurations in total:

Regular Edition

  • 12+256GB = CNY 10,999 (US$ 1615 / EUR 1370 / GBP 1190 / SG$ 2050 / MYR 6370 / PhP 96,850 / INR 149,650)
  • 12+512GB = CNY 11,999 (US$ 1760 / EUR 1490 / GBP 1300 / SG$ 2240 / MYR 6950 / PhP 105,650 / INR 163,260)

Collector’s Edition

  • 16+512GB = CNY 12,999 (US$ 1905 / EUR 1615 / GBP 1410 / SG$ 2425 / MYR 7530 / PhP 114,460 / INR 176,860)
  • 16+1TB = CNY 13,999 (US$ 2050 / EUR 1740 / GBP 1520 / SG$ 2610 / MYR 8110 / PhP 123,260 / INR 190,465)

* These are only rough price conversion estimates

Collector’s Edition supports China’s Beidou Satellite Services that the Regular Edition models don’t have.

It’s currently open for pre-orders in their home turf while global availability remains bleak. ICYMI, Last year’s Pura X was not released outside China.

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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