News

Huawei and Vivo are fastest-growing smartphone brands in the Philippines

While Samsung and Apple take a hit

Published

September 8, 2018

Marvin Velasco

Certain smartphone brands are doing incredibly well in the Philippines this year — at the expense of competing manufacturers, of course.

Counterpoint Research released its latest market share data for the Philippines, specifically for the second quarter of 2018. Smartphone shipments saw a growth of nine percent compared to the same period last year, and it’s thanks mostly to the surge of Chinese brands.

Tarun Pathak, Associate Director of Counterpoint, said, “The Philippines smartphone market increased primarily due to the aggressive approach by Chinese OEMs as well as seasonality factors.”

The numbers definitely speak for themselves:

Samsung still has the top spot with one-fifth of the smartphone market thanks to strong sales from its Galaxy J series, which contribute to over 68 percent of Samsung’s total shipments. Cherry Mobile, which is the only Philippine-based brand in the top five, is maintaining its second place quite well with a market share of 17 percent.

However, Vivo, OPPO, and Huawei are quickly gaining ground with a combined 42 percent. While OPPO experienced a one percent increase in market share, it’s Huawei and Vivo that truly shined during this quarter. They increased their market share by nine and eight percent, respectively, solidifying their spots in the top five.

This is the first time Huawei has appeared on this list rather than with the “others,” which consists of a mix of international and local brands. Apple, in particular, took a big dive with a two percent market share after its five percent showing from the same period last year. MyPhone and Cloudfone also experienced sinking sales.

Research Analyst Hanish Bhatia mentions that “The sub-US$ 200 price band captured nearly 75 percent of the smartphone market during Q2 2018. This is the sweet spot for the market and key focus of leading brands. Local players such as Cherry Mobile and MyPhone are now solely targeting the sub-US$ 99 price segment, primarily due to the aggressive approach of Chinese OEMs in the mid-tier price segments.”

Another statistic worth noting is the number of feature phones still being shipped in the Philippines. They account for 24 percent of all handset sales, meaning one out of every four phones isn’t an Android or iOS device.

News

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

Head to SM Megamall for activities, guest appearances, surprises

Published

March 21, 2026

GadgetMatch

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.

News

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

Titan Toughness takes center stage!

Published

March 20, 2026

MJ Jucutan

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!

News

Stylish, student-friendly HONOR X8d launches

Price, pre-order offers

Published

March 19, 2026

Manila Connoisseur

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.