The HONOR 200 Pro has just been unveiled in Paris, France, promising studio-level portrait photography experience since it was co-created with Studio Harcourt.

While I admire HONOR’s pursuit of excellence in that department, I never fawned over a smartphone’s portrait capability. Let’s face it: I don’t take portraits. I have no use for it since I capture sights, sceneries, and moments that evoke certain feelings, especially when traveling.

That said, we still know that the HONOR 200 Pro features a 50-megapixel Portrait Main Camera coupled with a Super Dynamic H9000 sensor. It also comes with a 50-megapixel Portrait Telephoto camera with a Sony sensor.

With that in mind, we used the HONOR 200 Pro to spectacularly capture our trip in Taiwan.

I get mystified by how this city screams your name

The HONOR 200 Pro takes vibrant shots. That was the first thing I said upon seeing the photos on my laptop. It looks even more colorful at its 1.5K quad-curved floating OLED display.

It was also able to give off dramatic shots, once you found a perspective that uses natural light. Whether on auto or ultra-wide angle, the HONOR 200 Pro knows how to set the mood even with a vivid profile.

The city looked and felt alive, even when enveloped by a gloomy sky. Colors continuously pop, giving justice to the Pride-themed pedestrian walkway in Ximending.

Alleys, streets, and even the platforms inside the train stations looked lively. Normally, you’d use a smartphone’s Pro Mode to capture a subject with moving background.

The HONOR 200 Pro captured the moving vehicles — both cars and train — while focused on a subject splendidly, even on an ultra wide angle mode.

I’m not one to complicate the process of taking photographs, especially when traveling. My number one rule is if it looks good in its default/auto setting, it’s a fantastic camera for the average consumers.

Let’s be frank here: People like to do point-and-shoot when traveling. Complicating the process means taking away the beauty of the present. A smartphone must have capable cameras to snap on the go, and make every sight worth capturing when passing by.

The HONOR 200 Pro, somehow, delivers. Especially in helping me relive my memories vividly in Da’an and Nangang District.

A food to remember

Taiwan is home to clean, good food. I swear, my gut has always been feeling great every time I visit the country. That said, one of the highlights of any trip will always be the food you order and eat. It’s a showcase of what the place offers.

Even with rich-colored photos, I had trouble with the sharpness for all the food shots we took. They come off soft, with less contrast, albeit still mouthwatering to look at. I have to believe it’s because the smartphone’s cameras were built for taking portraits.

This is why the cup of coffee from Logos looked like it was taken out of a mirrorless camera. The f/1.9 aperture gave a beautiful depth of field that was usually present in flagship smartphones.

Take note: We didn’t even use Portrait mode for it. The bokeh is just so good.

I picked the petals, he loves me not~

Interestingly, since the HONOR 200 Pro is equipped with the HONOR AI Portrait Engine, it’s excellent in isolating its background to provide a rich depth and blur, without compromising the picture quality.

Even on places with busy backgrounds such as trains and platforms, it produces a balanced photo that manages exposure in bright areas, while preserving details in the darker parts.

Houtong Cat Village

On a rainy day, I took the train going to Houtong Cat Village, a mountainside village located in Ruifang District in New Taipei City. The place is known for, well, cats.

Every cat cafe comes with their own cats that you can play around as you dine and caffeinate. That said, most cafes are dimly lit.

The HONOR 200 Pro managed to take somewhat sharp yet vividly bright photos. When the photos were posted on Instagram Stories, it still piqued curiosity for folks planning their visit in Taiwan.

The Old Street

When in Houtong, find your way to Jiufen Old Street which is roughly 20 minutes away from the Cat Village via Train and Bus.

We didn’t halt our visit even when it was raining hard. Instead, the atmosphere gave off dramatic vibes captured vividly using the HONOR 200 Pro.

Most alleys were empty, since people hate getting soaked in the rain and getting their shoes wet. We took the opportunity to capture the lively streets and establishments.

The popular spot known for the Spirited Away vibe still looked fantastic even when fog was enveloping the place. It was the only challenge when shooting during a foggy and rainy atmosphere since the exposure gets tricky. Nevertheless, the HONOR 200 Pro still managed to give a picturesque shot.

Eventually, we sought solace at SIIDCHA Teahouse, a modern-esque teahouse with rooftop view of Jiufen. Since there were no overlooking views to watch, we sat around and dried ourselves after being drenched in the rain.

We enjoyed a good cup of coffee and a slice of cupcake, since we’re coffee-holics.

Leaving Jiufen, we were able to catch a glimpse of the fog enveloping the street. We were hauntingly stunned by the scene unraveling before us.

The night is still young

Going back to Taipei, the city is most alive at night. The lights give life and love to the mesmerizing streets filled with stories of people frolicking and passing through.

So long, Taiwan. I’m glad that your beauty and the experience was captured fondly using the HONOR 200 Pro. Even for a Portrait-focused smartphone, the HONOR 200 Pro proved to be a worthy travel companion.

HONOR 200 Pro

That said, the HONOR 200 Pro was able to give us a spectacular performance while out on a trip. It’s powered by a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor, supported by a 12GB RAM with 512GB of storage.

Not once did it lag, and we got to capture our favorite moments through photos and videos. It also lasted a while, thanks to its 5200mAh Silicon-carbon battery.

The HONOR 200 Pro comes in Ocean Cyan, Moonlight White, and Black. It retails for £ 699.99 via HONOR.com/uk.

If Samsung has the Z Flip and vivo has their X Flip, HONOR joins the crowd with their newest Magic V Flip! That’s not to say TECNO did it first with the Phantom “V Flip”.

Flippin’ Thin

The HONOR Magic V Flip is currently the thinnest clamshell-style foldable below the 15mm mark — specifically at 14.89mm (or 7.15mm unfolded).

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

For utmost comparison, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip5 and motorola’s razr 40 Ultra (or razr+ in the US) are both thicker at 15.1mm. More so, HUAWEI’s Pocket 2 and Pocket S measure at 15.2mm.

Meanwhile the cheaper TECNO Phantom V Flip and ZTE nubia Flip both cap at 15mm. Lastly, the OPPO Find N3 Flip and the vivo X Flip are both the thickest of the bunch at 16.5mm and 16.6mm respectively.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

This is all thanks to HONOR’s Luban Hinge. It is the company’s self-developed shield steel that’s ultra strong and durable. Moreover, the screen is supported with steel foil which contributes to the less-visible crease.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

It’s also the only flip that maximizes the external display measuring at 4.0 inches. It only leaves the two camera cutout à la island. This is the best way to flex your wallpaper, theme, or even fully-utilize apps on the fly without having to open the phone at all.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Un-flipping it reveals its 6.8-inch OLED display with an adaptive 1~120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 3000 nits. If the 2160Hz PWM Dimming of the outside screen isn’t enough, the inner display has an even higher 3840Hz.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Other extra display features are support for 1.07 Billion Colors, Dolby Vision, DCI-P3 wide color gamut, plus an added BT.2020 color range standard with 92% coverage.

The Ultimate FlagFlip?

Even though TECNO and HONOR now both use the same “V Flip” naming scheme, HONOR has dared to bring a flagship-level V Flip on the table.

Inside, the HONOR Magic V Flip packs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset based on a 4nm process — much like its HONOR Magic Vs and Magic V2s cousins. While not the newest in its class, it still packs a punch. That’s paired with the usual Adreno 730 graphics unit.

HONOR has also placed an ultra-thin 0.25mm liquid-cooled VC (Vapor Chamber) plus an ultra-large heat dissipation area to make the phone cool enough.

Users can opt between 256, 512GB or 1TB storage options and either 12 or 16GB of onboard memory. However, the 16GB RAM is only limited to the 1TB variant.

Another highlight is none other than its massive 4800mAh battery. While not the biggest battery capacity in any smartphone, it’s yet the largest among all flip phones.

It has also managed to be this large yet thin thanks to Silicon-Carbon technology instead of the usual Li-Ion (Lithium-Ion) and Li-Po (Lithium-Polymer).

Its counterparts are only ranging between 3700mAh (Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5) to 4400mAh (vivo X Flip). It also supports the fastest charging speed at 66 watts (vivo X Flip’s 44W FlashCharge is the old record holder).

As expected, wireless charging is absent.

Last but definitely not the least, the filling of the cake.

On paper, it packs a dual rear camera system: 50MP f/1.9 main (wide) based on Sony’s IMX906 1/1.56-inch sensor with OIS and a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle with a 112-degree FoV (Field of View). It’s also a macro lens with 2.5cm ultra-short focusing distance and AF (Auto Focus).

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Unfortunately, it lacks a zoom shooter found on its closer HUAWEI and vivo counterparts (cameras with 3x and 2x optical zoom). Also, the rear flash unit is (weirdly) found on the back of the phone. That’s a big no-no for ✨Gen Z selfies✨ that are always taken with flash.

Flipping to its inside unveils another 50MP selfie shooter with an f/2.0 aperture. The front camera is based on Sony’s IMX816 sensor.

Fashion-Forward

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

For those who want the ultimate glitz, HONOR also brings the very special Haute Couture Edition to the table.

With fashion master Professor Jimmy Choo, they’ve created a fashion-forward flip-oldable that features something like his crystal shoes — with dazzling diamonds and itsy bitsy specks of gold and glitter.

Ultimately, much like their concept HONOR Magic V Purse, the Magic V Flip can also double as a luxury item paired with several accessories — whether that’s a leather sling, pearl strap, or even an exquisite arm or watch band.

We just need to wait if HONOR actually sells these items as special accessories for the phone.

Pricing and Availability

Aside from the special Jimmy Choo collab, the HONOR Magic V Flip is available in three more color choices: Iris Black, Champagne Powder, and Camellia White.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Here are the respective pricing of each configuration:

• 12+256GB = CNY 4999 (US$ 689 / EUR 640 / GBP 540 / SG$ 930 / PhP 40,378 / INR 57,597)
• 12+512GB= CNY 5499 (US$ 758 / EUR 703 / GBP 594 / SG$ 1024 / PhP 44,417 / INR 63,358)
• 12+1TB = CNY 5999 (US$ 827 / EUR 774 / GBP 652 / SG$ 1119 / PhP 48,498 / INR 69,072)
• 16+1TB = TBA

As of this moment, HONOR didn’t state any plans for global availability. But as we base it on the company’s order of announcements, international markets get a taste of it right after the Chinese release.

We just have to see if that actually happens.

Apple’s events are always a fun time… for Android fans. It’s practically a tradition now for fans of the other side to check out which of Android’s features that Apple decided to adapt this time. The recently concluded WWDC 2024 is no different. There were a lot of new features that Android fans clowned Apple for. Let’s take a look at what they’re talking about.

AI stands for Apple Intelligence

Okay, props to Apple for presenting their new AI with a more creative name than just “AI”. But Apple Intelligence is essentially just AI. Apple is finally joining the trend that’s been ongoing for the past year or so.

Much like other AIs, Apple Intelligence helps users with text inputs. It generates text based on a prompt. It can also proofread and edit your emails and essays for you.

However, the more interesting bit is how it handles images. Genmoji is certainly an odd addition to Apple’s repertoire of tools. Though it does take your contacts’ looks into consideration, it’s basically just generative AI, even down to how it looks.

On the bright side, it’s an on-device AI. Apple promises that it won’t harvest your data, so that’s a plus.

Celebrating the ability to move icons

Arguably, the strangest “new” feature that Apple added was the ability to rearrange icons on the Home Screen. Starting with iOS 18, users will no longer need another app just to move icons to wherever they want on the screen.

As much as we try to see things in a favorable light, it’s admittedly difficult to justify why it took Apple this long to add a feature that we don’t even think about anymore. Android — or practically every other smartphone — has had that feature since time immemorial.

Oh, and that goes for the ability to change your icon’s colors, too. Google, especially through the basic Pixel experience, already allows users to customize their colors throughout the system.

Photos gets Collections

As someone who tries to control their notifications, the most persistent alerts I get are from photos apps when they remind me of vacations I had years ago. No, Google Photos, I do not want to reminisce about that time I went to Ilocos with my ex.

With the new updates, Apple is entering the same territory. The Photos app now has the ability to automatically organize photos into catered collections — just like Google Photos. If you want to look back on cherished moments, your iPhone has you covered. If you want unexpected reminders of traumatic times in your life… well, let’s see if Photos is your best friend for that, too.

A feature to magically erase photobombers

Speaking of Photos, one of the subtler features that Apple didn’t really dwell on was the new Magic Eraser Clean Up tool. For the first time in an Apple device, users can erase unwanted elements from their photos.

Yes, it’s like Google’s Magic Eraser. Well, it’s not called that, but it’s the same thing.

While it’s true that it’s a copy of the Magic Eraser, it’s a welcome addition. Whenever I show off my Pixel’s Magic Eraser to Apple users, they always say how much they want the feature on their iPhones. It’s pretty good that the iPhone now has the feature for itself.

Snapping windows into tiles

Let’s leave the iPhone for now and look at the MacBook. The upcoming macOS Sequoia now has the ability to arrange windows into convenient tiles on your screen. If you want more than one app running in front of you, the system now supports grids.

The feature is called window tiling. Which is apropos, because Windows has had that feature for quite a while. Like the new Apple feature, Microsoft allows users to automatically snap app windows into equally spaced locations on the screen.

Welcome to a more organized screen, Apple. We hope that the feature will also help out all the indecently messy and unorganized desktops we’ve seen over the years. (We’re kidding. Please don’t judge our also indecently messy Windows desktops.)

RCS finally makes a debut

Finally, let’s give a hand to Apple for finally supporting RCS messaging. Instead of sticking to its guns, Apple can now send hi-res images with those who don’t have an iPhone.

While it’s not technically a revolutionary change to Apple’s ecosystem, it’s a welcome extension to those who don’t use Apple’s devices. It’s also a sign of Apple getting with the program. It shouldn’t matter if we’re all on different phones; security and accessibility are more important.

iPhone users often clap back against the Android-led criticism by saying that Apple popularized these features for everyone. While it’s true that iPhone users are a significant chunk of the smartphone-using world, Android is no slouch either. These features aren’t popular for Android, but only because they’re already ubiquitous. No one using an Android is celebrating the ability to arrange icons because they’ve already had it for years.

Besides, these aren’t unwelcome additions. In fact, it should be celebrated that Apple is finally getting features that others have had. Equality is good for competition. Ultimately, it’ll be good for everyone.