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

Apple reportedly gives up on the Vision Pro

But Apple will continue to sell the current model.

Published

April 30, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

When they unveiled the Vision Pro in 2023, Apple touted the wearable as the next big thing after the iPhone. Now, almost three years removed from the launch, the Vision Pro hasn’t really taken over the coveted spot occupied by the iPhone. Apple, according to a report, is allegedly canning the short-lived wearable.

According to MacRumors, Apple has reportedly given up on making the Vision Pro a thing. The team handling the wearable has supposedly been subsumed by other teams within Apple.

If true, the wearable’s end is unfortunate but not surprising. Despite being out for years, the Vision Pro has sold only a little more than half a million units with numerous returns from customers. Most recently, Apple updated the wearable with the M5 chip, but the move hasn’t revitalized the device’s status in Apple’s lineup.

Most of the complaints about the device stem from its exorbitant price or its cumbersome battery pack. Besides costing a whopping US$ 3,499, the Vision Pro is also difficult to move around with, especially because of its total weight and a battery pack that can get in the way.

To be clear, Apple has not officially discontinued the Vision Pro yet. The company continues to sell the version with the M5 chip. Apple can also restart development in the future.

However, the meantime retirement on future development does coincide with the recent restructuring inside the company. Tim Cook recently decided to step down as CEO with John Ternus as his replacement. Canning the Vision Pro might be Ternus’ first step in redefining Apple according to his plans.

Apps

YouTube makes picture-in-picture mode free for everyone globally

The update is rolling out globally now.

Published

April 30, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Picture-in-picture (or PiP) mode is a godsend for multitaskers. The feature lets users watch videos in a tiny floating window while doing other tasks. However, the feature isn’t readily available for all users. Or wasn’t, at least. YouTube is now rolling out PiP mode for free globally.

Previously, PiP mode was exclusive to YouTube users who pay for Premium or Premium Lite. It was also exclusive to the United States.

Now, YouTube is making the feature completely free for users all over the globe. It will be available for both iOS and Android versions of the app.

There’s still a catch, though. The free version is available only for “longform, non-music content.” The same goes for Premium Lite subscribers. Music is still an exclusive feature for those who pay for the regular version of Premium. Basically, there is no change for paying users or users in the United States.

Using PiP mode is simple. All you need to do is load up a video you want to watch in the background. Then, just exit the YouTube app and go about your other tasks. The video will be inside a floating, resizable window while you look at other things.

There’s no timeline on when the update will reach your device. However, YouTube has promised that it will roll out globally within the coming months.

Enterprise

OnePlus has reportedly merged with realme

Both brands were previously rumored for restructuring early this year.

Published

April 30, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

OnePlus has a problem. For a while now, rumors have swirled about the company’s dissolution. For their part, the company has continued to deny the reports, citing business as usual. Likely to their dismay, the reports just keep coming. Today, sources have hinted that OnePlus has merged with realme.

Back in January, it was rumored that OnePlus would be closing up shop this year. Since the company very quickly denied the rumors, the report hardly made waves. However, a suspected merger with realme is more difficult to debunk.

For one, realme is itself in a very interesting position. Also back in January, realme was reportedly moving back into being a sub-brand of OPPO. Coupled together with the OnePlus debacle, all this internal restructuring seems par for the course.

According to Digital Chat Station on Weibo, OnePlus and realme have already concluded the merger. The two brands have reportedly united their Chinese and international operations under one roof. Likewise, their marketing will be the same. Pete Lau will still be the main head for this new division.

As with anything of this nature, take this with a grain of salt. OPPO, OnePlus, and realme have not issued any official statements concerning a merger or a shutdown for any brand.