Features

Is the iPhone X the next Selfie King?

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Apple’s latest announcements have people excited over a US$ 1,000 bezel-less phone, animated emojis, and new Portrait Lighting capabilities. But, what exactly does this mean for selfies?

Yesterday, the world shook with collective anticipation for the newest iPhone releases. Apple fanatics the world over held their breaths as the tenth-anniversary iPhone was unveiled, aptly named the iPhone X. As all Apple keynotes go, a slew of devices and new features were announced.* Most notable to me (Animojis were only a close second) was the smartphone’s new Portrait Lighting mode. More specifically, the supposed tech behind this new iPhone feature.

Aside from firmly believing that good lighting, which Apple promises to fix here, is essential to great portraits, it’s the promise of the iPhone’s mathematical face mapping technology that got me excited.

Introducing Portrait Lighting

Let’s backtrack.

At the Apple event, Portrait Lighting mode was announced as a way to shoot smartphone portraits with lighting comparable to studio illumination. It was heavily stressed that this is not a filter. To explain: A filter will simply add another layer to a photograph to get desired results. Most beauty modes are achieved by adding a blur setting or a rosy hue on what the smartphone camera perceives to be the subject’s face.

The Portrait Lighting mode, as explained, is the result of dual-camera technology and a new phone chip. It’s real-time analysis of your face as the photograph is being taken, which is then transformed into a depth map that separates the subject from the background. Certain facial landmarks are then created and lighting is manipulated by machine learning.

Yeah, I hardly caught that at the Apple Event so I’m sure it’s harder to follow reading this, but simply put: It’s not an added layer to mask out photo imperfections. It’s actual adjustment on the portrait based on information the camera has taken in as it captured that photograph.

So what?

This mode sounds great in itself but aside from better-lit photographs and a slew of great studio lighting options, this technology should, in theory, improve on the smartphone’s selfie capabilities. Facial 3D-mapping technology used in the Portrait Lighting mode could vastly improve background blur — I’ve yet to find a smartphone which has perfected this function.

Different Portrait Lighting modes on the iPhone X

Different Portrait Lighting modes on the iPhone X

Taking it a step further, this tech should be able to significantly improve existing beauty modes and add skin smoothing and make-up more precisely, and more importantly, more naturally. That is, if Apple finally decides to integrate a beauty mode in its camera app — a selfie function sorely lacking in all their devices.

The iPhone X as Selfie King

With the rise of selfie smartphones and an obvious refocus on smartphone cameras in the tech world, it seems the Apple is also moving towards this direction, albeit in their own way.

Again, and as usual, Apple fills our heads with grandiose promises of tech innovation. Admittedly, tech that use 3D facial mapping is not new in the game. Whether Apple’s unique execution will revolutionize portrait and selfie taking forever is something we’ll have to discover. As with all great technological leaps, it starts with incremental improvements such as this.

Truth be told, the iPhone X is going to need more than great lighting to compete in the selfie arena.** This shouldn’t be hard, however, as Apple knows very well that tech is already there — it’s just a matter of proper application.

For now, at the very least, this face mapping technology is put to good use with Animojis.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s Portrait Lighting function allows for pro studio effects

[irp posts=”20241″ name=”Apple’s Animojis are the future of emojis”]

*Apple non-believers would argue that these features aren’t, in fact, new since countless other Android phones have had similar tech

**A built-in beauty mode would be a good start!

Tutorials

How to set up Apple Pay on your iPhone

It’s as easy as a single tap.

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Apple Pay is officially in the Philippines!

Pushing the country forward into a cashless and cardless future, Apple has now brought its contactless payment system to the Philippines. As with other countries, Apply Pay will work seamlessly and easily even for those who have problems with technology.

Now, despite how easy it is, sometimes we need to be pointed in the right direction. Here’s how you can set up Apple Pay on your iPhone:

Everything starts with the Wallet app. First, open your Wallet app. Tap the “+” button on the top and select “Debit or Credit Card.”

Normally, this is where you can input your card details (which you can still do, by the way), but the default method now is to just tap your card on the back of your iPhone. Your phone does the rest. You might need to confirm with your bank, but it’s as easy as a single tap.

Pick which cards to use. Once you have your cards online, you might need to change which one is the default card. Again, it’s easy. Just drag your preferred card to the front.

Afterwards, you can tap to pay in supported stores by priming the Wallet app for use. Tapping to pay is also available for Apple Watch. Meanwhile, online transactions can also work on MacBook.

Secure, all the time. If you’re worried about your security especially with online transactions, Apple keeps your information only between you and the seller. They don’t store your data.

Also, it’s not easy to make a transaction without your consent. You need Face ID, Touch ID, or your password. If you lose your phone, you can easily shut your phone down with the Find My app to prevent malicious parties from making transactions.

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Accessories

DJI Osmo Mobile 8P: From a videographer’s perspective

Better tracking, fewer buttons

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DJI’s smartphone gimbals have always chased one goal: delivering cinema-smooth footage without forcing you to carry a heavy rig.

The Osmo Mobile 8P (OM 8P) makes its priorities clear right out of the box. This is not a simple refresh. DJI rebuilt how you control the gimbal, and that decision shapes the entire shooting experience.

Freedom behind the lens

The biggest change is the FrameTap remote, and it’s the kind of upgrade that fixes a problem you didn’t realize was slowing you down until it’s gone.

On the standard OM 8, adjusting your framing meant reaching for your phone every time, which broke the flow of shooting and pulled you out of the moment.

FrameTap puts that control back in your hand. You can reframe shots and manage the gimbal without touching your phone at all, and for anyone shooting solo, that alone changes how usable the whole setup feels. Tracking has taken a real step forward too.

ActiveTrack 8.0, paired with Module 2, held onto its subject even after they stepped out of frame for a moment, then picked them back up without much fuss.

It also lets you sit off-center in the shot instead of forcing you into the middle every time, which gives you more room to compose something that doesn’t look like every other gimbal video.

None of that would matter much if the gimbal itself wasn’t solid, and it still is. The OM 8P holds onto the same foldable design, magnetic phone clamp, and built-in tripod that made the OM 8 easy to live with.

And it remains one of the better compact options for stabilization, tracking, and portability in one package.

The tripod legs are a touch wider this time, and that extra width does make a noticeable difference on uneven ground.

The trade-offs in touch

The trade-off for all that new remote functionality is a control scheme that takes more getting used to. More of the gimbal’s functions now live on the FrameTap touchscreen, the joystick is smaller, and switching between shooting modes takes a few extra taps compared to the OM 8. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s a learning curve you’ll need to budget time for.

DJI also removed the zoom and focus wheel, so if you leaned on that dial for quick adjustments, you’ll feel its absence here. Module 2 no longer lets you plug a DJI wireless mic in directly either.

You’ll need to connect it to your phone instead, which adds a step to a setup that used to be simpler. Phone compatibility is still a limiting factor as well. DJI lists support for phones up to around 300g and 11mm thick, so bigger phones or ones in chunky cases may not clamp in properly.

Finding your ideal workflow

The OM 8P makes the most sense for solo creators who want dependable tracking and the freedom of remote framing without stepping up to a dedicated camera like the DJI Osmo Pocket.

If you’re already shooting on a phone with a solid camera, this fills the gap nicely. It’s a tougher sell if you prefer physical buttons over touchscreen menus, or if your phone runs on the larger and heavier side, since fitting it onto the clamp might be a problem before you even get to shooting.

Price, availability

DJI is offering the OM 8P in three combos, so how much you pay depends on how much of the ecosystem you actually need.

  • Standard Combo (PhP 7,499): the gimbal itself, with 8th-gen stabilization and the detachable FrameTap remote included.
  • Advanced Tracking Combo (PhP 9,199): adds the Multifunctional Module 2 for the improved subject tracking we tested.
  • Creator Combo (PhP 11,099): the full kit, built for creators who want everything DJI bundles in from the start.

Is the DJI Osmo Mobile 8P your GadgetMatch?

The DJI Osmo Mobile 8P asks you to relearn a few habits in exchange for a gimbal that finally lets go of your phone. If hands-free framing and steadier tracking matter more to you than a dedicated zoom dial, this is worth the adjustment.

If you’d rather keep things exactly as they were on the OM 8, that learning curve might be the deciding factor.

Swipe right if you shoot alone often and have been waiting for a gimbal remote that actually works. The FrameTap remote alone justifies the upgrade if reaching for your phone mid-shot has been slowing you down.

Consider this if reliable tracking matters to you, especially if you’ve had a subject wander out of frame and stay lost on older gimbals.

And of course, get this if you already own a capable phone under the weight and thickness limits, and you’d rather invest in a smartphone rig than jump to a dedicated camera like the Osmo Pocket.

Swipe left if you lean on physical dials for zoom and focus, and moving those functions to a touchscreen sounds like a downgrade rather than an upgrade.

This is not for you if you use a DJI wireless mic and want it plugged directly into the module without routing through your phone first. Or, your phone runs heavier or bulkier than DJI’s limits allow, since no amount of enthusiasm fixes a clamp that won’t close.

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Features

GadgetSnaps: Westminster Abbey

A thousand years of history, unfolded with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra

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Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Westminster Abbey isn’t just another stop on the London tourist trail.

It’s the stage for coronations, royal weddings, and burials that span nearly a thousand years, all still playing out under the same vaulted ceilings that have been standing since before most countries had names.

Once you get past the crowds and the audio guides, a quieter version of the abbey starts to show itself: worn stone steps, poets resting a few feet from kings, light that shifts across the nave like it’s in on the performance too.

While losing track of time in Poets’ Corner (yes, me, playing amateur historian for an afternoon), I unfolded the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and decided the abbey deserved more than a quick tourist snap.


All photos captured using the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra.

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