News

realme ranks as no. 1 smartphone brand in the Philippines

An impressive showing for the brand

Published

December 7, 2020

Kenrick Buduan

It’s no secret that realme is really doing well in the Philippine market. But, just how well is the brand doing? Well, Canalys and Counterpoint Research just crowned realme as the no.1 smartphone brand in the country during Q3 2020.

There’s a broad amount of data to prove realme’s dominance. Global market intelligence firm IDC reported that the brand achieved a staggering 962.5% annual growth. and The brand also captured 25.4% of the local market share this third quarter according to the same report.

The brand’s performance is all the more commendable given that its closest competitor — vivo — only grabbed 14.3% of the total market share. It registered a 66.7% market growth, making it one of the only three brands to register positive annual growth along with realme and Huawei.

However, all the top five brands in the country — realme, vivo, OPPO, Huawei, and Samsung — all registered positive quarterly growth. IDC pinpoints this to the gradual reopening efforts of the country which saw these brands bounce back from a hard lockdown earlier this 2020.

A report from Canalys also paints the same picture. According to the firm, realme snagged a 25% market share. It also achieved a 531% year-on-year growth, which is the fastest quarterly growth a smartphone vendor has attained in the country this year. Counterpoint Research also came to the same conclusion, crowning realme as the top smartphone brand for Q3 2020.

These quarterly reports mean well for realme. The brand has technically gone from being nothing almost two years ago to a force to be reckoned with this year.

Aggressive marketing strategy, affordable smartphones

Two factors play a huge role in realme’s success in the country. Chief among them is the brand’s aggressive marketing strategy, targeting mostly the younger generation and today’s tech trends.

For example, realme partnered with Moonton, the publisher of the ever-famous Mobile Legends. The brand also boasts having the biggest smartphone online community.

On top of it all, the brand has firmly established itself in key market areas across the country. realme currently has 465 kiosks, 119 concept stores, and 5200+ partner stores in the country. It also commands a strong presence on e-commerce platforms Lazada and Shopee, consistently topping the platforms’ list of best-selling brands.

It also can’t be denied that realme offers bang-for-the-buck devices that offer more specs for less price. One good example of that is the recently-launched realme narzo 20. Then, there’s also the realme 7 series which continues to improve upon its predecessors in meaningful ways.

However, realme can’t rest its laurels yet on being the no.1 smartphone brand. Its competitors are also continuously innovating, ensuring a lively competition for the Philippine smartphone market. With the holiday season and a new year approaching, more and more smartphone brands are eager to bounce back from a slump year.

News

TCL expands mobile lineup with latest NXTPAPER series

3 new smartphone models featuring a paper-like viewing experience

Published

August 10, 2026

GadgetMatch

TCL has expanded its mobile lineup with the launch of the latest NXTPAPER smartphone series.

Part of the new NXTPAPER roster are the NXTPAPER 60 Ultra, NXTPAPER 70 Pro, and K70 Power 4G.

The new generation of smartphones is designed to deliver smarter, more comfortable, and more powerful mobile experiences for today’s connected lifestyle.

At the heart of the lineup is the company’s proprietary NXTPAPER technology, and award-winning display innovation.

It combines both hardware and software advancements to reduce eyestrain while preserving vivid colors and sharp picture quality. The result is a paper-like viewing experience.

Bannering the roster is the NXTPAPER 60 Ultra. It is powered by a Dimensity 7400 Elite processor and runs on Android 16.

It comes with up to 512GB of internal storage and 12GB of base RAM, plus 12GB more for expansion.

In front is an expansive 7.2-inch 120Hz FHD+ display featuring Nxtpaper 4.0 and a 32MP selfie camera, while at the back is a 50MP main camera, along with a 50MP 3X telephoto camera.

This variant houses a 5,200mAh battery with support for 33W charging.

Right under the 60 Ultra is the NXTPAPER 70 Pro. It is powered by a Dimensity 7300 processor, and comes with a 6.9-inch 120Hz FHD+ display and a 50MP main shooter.

This model has 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. It has a similar 5,200mAh battery with 33W charging.

Lastly, the K70 Power 4G is a budget choice, with a Helio G100 Ultra chipset, 6.75-inch 120Hz display, 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a 50MP main camera.

Price, availability

In the Philippines, the latest NXTPAPER smartphones are available for the following pricing:

NXTPAPER 60 Ultra: PhP 35,995
NXTPAPER 70 Pro: PhP 22,995
K70 Power 4G: PhP 9,495

All devices are available through Shopee.

Apps

Canva teams up with SB19 to turn A’TIN’s passion into creativity

Campaign lets fans access assets, editable templates, more

Published

August 8, 2026

GadgetMatch

Canva Philippines has joined forces with SB19 and Sony Music Entertainment to launch the “Kaya sa Canva” campaign.

This first-of-its-kind initiative is aimed at transforming the popular Filipino boy band’s fanbase into creators by giving them access to official design assets, exclusive templates, and powerful creative tools.

That’s of course as fans have a way of creating artwork, banners, and more outputs to honor their idols.

As such, the partnership enables the A’TIN (SB19’s fanbase) to access the Canva-exclusive SB19’s Creative Hub.

This dedicated space lets fans access assets, including SB19-inspired sticker packs, custom typography, and editable templates inspired by the group.

Fans around the world will initially have access to templates for photo-booth strips, wallpapers, posters, and videos.

The campaign will then expand with Canva-exclusive assets celebrating the group’s New Era, as well as their latest single, “Lawless”.

Meanwhile, the original song “KAYA” is accompanied with an upbeat music video, doubling as a love letter to A’TIN and a masterclass in Canva’s tools.

Every visual and animation is fan-inspired, a celebration of the creativity, passion, and dedication that’s defined in the community from day one.

News

The iPhone 18 might sell out for an unexpected reason

The ongoing shortage might play a part in the phone selling out earlier than expected.

Published

August 7, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

An iPhone selling out is not news. Because of how popular the phones are, it’s within the realm of probability that Apple runs out of stock at some point. According to a new report, this year won’t be any different… but it’s for an entirely different reason.

First reported by analyst Tim Culpan, Apple is reportedly struggling to meet its demand for semiconductors for the iPhone 18 and the foldable iPhone. The ongoing memory shortage is cutting off Apple’s ability to deliver the required supply of smartphones in a timely fashion. The report even claims that TSMC, which helps produce the iPhone, is sitting on a shipment of processors, worth US$ 1 billion, that don’t have memory chips.

Now, Apple is still confident that it can weather the launch. However, if the shortage persists, the iPhone 18 generation will likely sell out much more quickly than expected.

It’s an interesting time for Apple to experience such a shortage. It’s been heavily rumored that the company will launch its very first foldable phone next month, creating a new market for the brand. Apple definitely wants this attempt to succeed after the tepid response to its last new product, the Vision Pro.