Philippines

OPPO A98 5G: An early glance at OPPO’s latest mid-ranger

An all-rounder

Published

September 11, 2023

Tom Lorenz Alulod

The Philippine mid-range mobile phone competition is poised to get tighter. OPPO is back with a bang, ready to unveil its latest gem: the OPPO A98 5G.

As successor to the OPPO A96, this new addition to the A Series promises to take your mobile experience to greater heights. It promises to give an all-around performance to match your lifestyle. So, fasten your seatbelts because this smartphone is set to officially hit the market this September, and it’s packing some impressive features.

Here’s what we’re sure of so far:

Faster fueling that will last you days

First things first, let’s talk about the powerhouse that will keep this phone running like a well-oiled machine. The OPPO A98 5G boasts a massive 5,000mAh battery.

But it doesn’t stop there; it will also rock OPPO’s exclusive Battery Health Engine that ensures that your battery’s lifespan is extended. This allows it to work closer to maximum capacity for a longer period. You don’t have to worry about it draining fast.

Moreover, the A98 5G comes equipped with 67W SUPERVOOC charging technology, promising blazing fast charging speeds.

Silky smooth experience

It’s 2023 and OPPO is feeling generous! The A98 5G has you covered with its 120Hz adaptive screen refresh rate. It’s like upgrading from a regular roller coaster to a high-speed bullet train. Scrolling, swiping, and gaming will be as smooth as butter.

No joke, it gets close!

Now, let’s talk about something we all love — photography. The OPPO A98 5G will feature a High-Res Imaging System that includes a 64MP AI Camera, a 32MP Selfie Camera, a 2MP Depth Camera. There’s also a 40x Microlens, allowing you to get closer to subjects more than you’d think you’d want to. And this is just not your ordinary microlens, it shoots in “Microscope Mode” that lets you zoom 20X or 40x closer to any close subject. It’s feature that was showcased on the flagship OPPO Find X3 Pro.

Power and storage galore

With 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage right out of the box, the OPPO A98 5G is expected to offer a seamless multitasking experience and ample space for all your apps, photos, and videos. But here’s the kicker — you can expand the RAM to a whopping 16GB with OPPO’s RAM expansion setting. Plus, if 256GB of storage isn’t enough for your digital treasure trove, you can expand it further with a Micro SD Card, supporting up to 1TB of storage.

Head-turning glow

The OPPO A98 5G is available in two dazzling colors: dreamy blue and cool black. This gives you the choice to suit your style and make a statement wherever you go.

Other specifications and the pricing for the OPPO A98 5G will be announced soon.

Entertainment

YouTube remains top PH video platform; advertisers urged to continue investing

Advertisers urged to continue investing in TV programs

Published

April 20, 2026

GadgetMatch

As YouTube remains the top streaming platform in the Philippines, advertisers are urged to continue investing in TV programs and content available on the platform, as these generate effective returns.

According to a 2025 Kantar Study, YouTube is the No. 1 video streaming platform in the Philippines in terms of reach.

The same study mentions that 97% of Filipinos in rural Visayas and Mindanao, two major island groups in the country, have watched online TV programs on YouTube in the past month.

Another significant finding is that the streaming platform is providing a 60% incremental reach beyond traditional linear TV.

This proves that YouTube is an essential bridge to Filipino TV viewers, specially in this era. The platform has transformed from just being a video hosting site to an all-in-one entertainment hub that spans traditional TV programs and both longform vlogs and shortform trending clips.

Given this massive gravitational pull, YouTube has partnered with media giants ABS-CBN, GMA, and TV5. This is to ensure the best content, from news to live sports, is available to every YouTube subscriber.

Furthermore, during the “Unstoppable: YouTube in the Next Era of Growth” event, the networks also urged advertisers to keep supporting such TV programs and related content.

They mentioned conversion numbers that say ads through such content remain effective. This is a dynamic that sponsors can continue to explore for marketing, given that YouTube has also integrated Unskippable Ads onto their platform.

Philippines

Smart launches new Plans+ with Unli Apps for everyday digital use

Plans+ adds Unli Apps bundles

Published

April 20, 2026

GadgetMatch

Smart Communications is rolling out its All-New Postpaid Plans+ with Unli Apps. These are built around how people actually use their phones daily. The headline feature is Unlimited App Access, which gives subscribers unmetered use of selected apps grouped into lifestyle bundles.

Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, Smart is packaging access into three distinct bundles.

The Connect bundle covers social platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp.

The Create bundle leans into productivity and content. With unlimited access to YouTube and tools like Gemini (Google AI) alongside Google’s core apps.

Meanwhile, the Play bundle is aimed at mobile gamers. It covers titles such as Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Honor of Kings.

Plans+ comes in four tiers:

Plan+ 799 includes 15GB data, a 100GB 5G allocation for six months, and the Connect bundle.
Plan+ 999 bumps it to 20GB with Unli 5G for a year and one bundle of choice.
Plan+ 1499 and 1999 raise the data to 40GB and 60GB respectively, while keeping Unli 5G and bundle access for 12 months.

All tiers include unlimited calls and texts across networks, Smart-to-Smart video calls via ViLTE, and landline calls. Smart Communications says recent recognition from Ookla for mobile video experience and latency backs these plans. It translates to smoother streaming, faster gaming response, and more stable calls.

The new Smart Postpaid Plans+ are now open to subscribers, with more app bundles expected in the future.

Deals

Get the MacBook Neo for as low as PhP 44 a day via Home Credit

Flexible installment payment plans available

Published

April 16, 2026

GadgetMatch

Home Credit is making the MacBook Neo accessible to more Filipinos with an exclusive pre-order installment offer for the new Apple laptop.

The latest offering can be brought home through flexible installments starting at as low as just PhP 44 a day. That’s not even a dollar a day.

This exclusive offer is available during the pre-order period from April 11 to 23. If you’re looking for a high-performance laptop at a great value, then now is the ideal time to upgrade or purchase your first higher tier notebook.

Here’s a quick breakdown of available Home Credit MacBook Neo installment plans:

256GB at 24 months: PhP 44/day
256GB at 12 months: PhP 82/day
512GB at 24 months: PhP 51/day
512GB at 12 months: PhP 97/day

Apple MacBook Neo

The Apple MacBook Neo is the company’s latest laptop, which is also its most affordable. It retails at just about US$ 499 to US$ 599 in the United States and SG$ 729 to SG$ 849 in Singapore.

It runs on an A18 Pro chip for 50% faster everyday performance compared to Intel Core Ultra 5-level PCs. This chip also has a 16-core Neural Engine for Apple Intelligence and 5-core GPU for graphics workloads.

The portable and lightweight laptop has a 13-inch 2408 x 1506 display, two USB-C ports, a headphone jack, and Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6 connectivity.

The MacBook Neo ships with MacOS Tahoe, complete with apps like Safari, Photos, Messages, and FaceTime. Users are promised up to 16 hours of usage on a single charge.

In the Philippines, the device is available at Apple Authorized Resellers and Home Credit Philippines partner stores nationwide, including: