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Huawei takes Apple’s crown as second largest smartphone brand

Posts 41 percent growth from last year

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For years, Samsung and Apple have seized the tech industry with an unbreakable vise. Unabated sales have crowned both companies as the rulers of the smartphone world. However, fringe brands have started making a case for their own turns on top of the food chain.

Particularly, Chinese brands like Huawei and Xiaomi have recently made gigantic pushes with their recent launches. On one side, Huawei launched the massive P20 series to widespread acclaim. On the other, Xiaomi pushed a flurry of different lineups like the Mi 8 and Redmi 6.

Now, both Huawei and Xiaomi’s efforts have paid off. Analysts from Counterpoint Research have punched in the numbers for global phone shipments from last quarter.

Surprisingly, Apple has fallen to third place from their long-standing grip on second, despite enjoying a one percent increase in shipments. Taking a comfortable lead for second, Huawei has posted an astonishing 41 percent growth from last year. From 38.5 million units, the company has shipped 54.2 million units this year.

Despite a declining Chinese market, Huawei grew by 21 percent. Meanwhile, the brand exploded internationally, posting a 71 percent growth overseas.

According to Counterpoint Research, Huawei’s massive growth comes from their renewed efforts in the premium segment. Additionally, the company’s sister brand Honor made huge waves in the midrange market.

Lagging shortly behind Apple, Xiaomi has also declared huge growth numbers — up 43 percent from last year’s numbers. From just 23.1 million units, Xiaomi has sold 33 million units this year.

In other news, HMD’s Nokia grew by an unbelievable margin — almost 800 percent due to the rerelease of Nokia’s beloved phone lines.

As the numbers can tell you, Chinese smartphones are slowly gaining on the unbridled supremacy of Samsung and Apple. Without market-defining innovations in the Galaxy S9 and iPhone 8, both Samsung and Apple may very well step back from the limelight if their next releases don’t step up.

SEE ALSO: OnePlus leads India’s premium smartphone market, edges out Apple and Samsung

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nubia to launch new Neo 5 series gaming phones on March 28

Head to SM Megamall for activities, guest appearances, surprises

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nubia Philippines will officially launch the nubia Neo 5 series gaming smartphone on March 28 at their “Enter The NEOVerse: Born To Win” event. It will be held at the SM Megamall Fashion Hall in Metro Manila.

The nubia Neo 5 series’ design and details will be unveiled during the event. It is inspired by the REDMAGIC Gaming Lab, which is behind the REDMAGIC’s high-performance gaming ecosystem.

The nubia Neo 5 series will introduce a bold gaming-centric aesthetic, paired with performance-driven specs.

Customers can expect a sleek, futuristic styling, as well as powerful hardware engineered to elevate everyday mobile gameplay.

Across the lineup, users can expect high refresh rate displays, powerful processors, advanced cooling systems, and the familiar gaming triggers from the previous series.

It does look like nubia is adding AI-powered gaming optimization to give players an extra edge for every competitive match.

All these, of course, minus the flagship price tag.

Enter the NEOverse

At nubia’s launch event, the activity area will be transformed into a gaming-inspired universe.

Guests can explore interactive zones, participate in challenges, and experience the nubia Neo 5 series firsthand. They can also unlock exclusive rewards and prizes.

Moreover, the event will feature appearances from nubia ambassadors Sanya Lopez and ONIC Philippines.

From there, there will be 1v1 gaming sessions with ONIC PH players, as well as a special “Play” segment featuring a yet-to-be-revealed cosplayer.

nubia will also offer event-exclusive deals for early shoppers during the launch. Customers can enjoy up to seven premium freebies per nubia Neo 5 model. This is available for the first 100 customers.

Furthermore, nubia will officially announce its TikTok Super Brand Week, as well as partnerships with Yanlala and Geely.

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REDMI Note 15 Series named Presenting Partner for Spartan Race Philippines 2026 season

Titan Toughness takes center stage!

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Being a Spartan athlete for five years has taught me that endurance isn’t just about physical strength; it’s about the mental grit to keep moving when your body begs you to stop.

In this world, “toughness” becomes more than just a marketing buzzword. Now, it’s a requirement for survival. That’s why the partnership between Spartan Race Philippines and the REDMI Note 15 Series feels like a shared philosophy.

Partner for a tough course

Starting March 21, 2026, at Parklinks, Pasig City, the REDMI Note 15 Series officially joins the Spartan circuit.

For someone who has navigated these obstacles for years, I know that technology usually doesn’t belong in the mud. But the “Titan Tough” promise of the REDMI Note 15 is built for this exact routine.

It’s designed to be there for the moments that matter. For capturing the raw, unpolished triumph of the finish line; for surviving the grit of the course so you can focus on the next hurdle; and for finding the device at the heart of the festival area and the winner’s circle, mirroring the resilience of the athletes themselves.

Join the journey

Whether you are a seasoned elite racer or stepping into your first Open heat, this season is about testing your limits.

To help you get to that starting line, you can use the discount code REDMINOTE15 to get 10% OFF on all Spartan Race OCR, Spartan Kids Race, and Hurricane Heat events.

See you at the starting line. AROO!

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Stylish, student-friendly HONOR X8d launches

Price, pre-order offers

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HONOR Philippines has launched its latest mass-market smartphone entry that caters to students and the youthful market in general: the HONOR X8d.

The budget smartphone is priced at PhP 15,999 and is available in Blue, Velvet Black, and Velvet Grey colors.

As part of launch offers, those who pre-order until March 27 can get a free accessory and can also avail of 0% installment plans via credit cards and Home Credit.

Customers can get the device through Lazada, Shopee, and HONOR stores.

REVIEW: The HONOR X8d is serviceable

The HONOR X8d is powered by a Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2 processor and comes with 8GB of RAM (plus 8GB expansion) and 256GB of storage.

It has a large 7,000mAh battery which supports 45W charging, making it a very long-lasting daily value companion.

The device features a 6.77-inch 120Hz display which has up to 3,000 nits of brightness, making it useful for practical situations.

The handset comes with usual display certifications and protections, including 3840Hz PWM dimming, E-Book mode, SGS drop resistance, and an IP65 rating.

For its cameras, the X8d has a 108MP main camera, plus a 16MP front camera. The main shooter can capture decent quality at 1x, 2x, and 3x zoom ranges.

There are also handy AI editing tools like AI Eraser, AI Cutout, and AI Upscale.

Out of the box, the HONOR X8d runs on MagicOS 10 based on Android 16. It also has staple productivity tools like AI Translate, AI Writing, AI Notes, and AI Recorder, alongside features such as Magic Portal and Circle to Search.

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