News
Blurry leak hints at Samsung’s next foldable phone
Additionally, next flagship will be called the Galaxy S20
In just a few weeks, Samsung will celebrate the Galaxy Fold’s first birthday. Despite everything that happened, the Galaxy Fold still created far-reaching waves across the industry, sparking a foldable surge throughout the last year. With a year in the bag, Samsung is also looking towards the future, particularly the Galaxy Fold’s sequel.
As with last year, CES 2020 is the best place to spark discussions anew regarding the year’s upcoming smartphones. Despite the cornucopia of technology on the show floor, some of the juicier meetings happen behind closed doors. According to Korean news site Ajunews, Samsung boss DJ Koh unveiled the Galaxy Fold 2 in such a closed-door meeting.
In the meeting, Koh allegedly called the device the Galaxy Bloom, instead of the Galaxy Fold 2. Additionally, the device sports a vertical fold, rather than the original’s notebook-like fold. The design supposedly mimics the look of a Lancôme makeup compact and appeals to female users.
Backing this up, the source leaked a blurry promotional image presented at the meeting. The smartphone render confirms the long-held idea of what the sequel will look like. Besides the vertically folding hinge, Koh also confirms the device’s folding material: flexible glass, instead of the controversial plastic from last year. Finally, it will shoot 8K video.
Besides the second Galaxy Fold, Samsung has also revealed some details regarding this year’s Galaxy S flagship series. Instead of a Galaxy S11, the smartphone maker will fast forward to the Galaxy S20 this year, a refresh to coincide with the new decade. On February 11, the series will launch a Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra. Allegedly, the Ultra variant will carry a 108-megapixel camera. All three, however, will shoot at 8K resolution.
SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Fold worldwide sales close to 500k units
News
Sony teams up with Hello Kitty for exclusive limited-edition collection
Sony and Hello Kitty join forces.
Sony has teamed up with Hello Kitty for a limited-edition collaboration that combines selected Sony products with exclusive merchandise featuring Sanrio’s beloved character.
Available exclusively through Sony Store channels, the collection marks Sony’s first collaboration with Hello Kitty. It covers the Xperia 10 VIII smartphone and three wireless headphone models: the WH-1000XM6, WH-CH730N, and WH-CH530.
Each collaboration model comes with exclusive Hello Kitty merchandise designed specifically for Sony Store customers.
Sony x Hello Kitty collection
The Xperia 10 VIII collaboration model is priced at SGD 919. It comes with an exclusive Hello Kitty sacoche-style shoulder bag designed to carry the smartphone and other small essentials, along with a Hello Kitty tote bag.
Meanwhile, the WH-1000XM6 collaboration model costs SGD 609. The WH-CH730N is priced at SGD 249, while the WH-CH530 costs SGD 149.
Each headphone collaboration package includes a Sony Store-exclusive Hello Kitty pouch for carrying the headphones and personal belongings, as well as a Hello Kitty tote bag.
The products retain Sony’s existing designs while adding Hello Kitty-themed accessories. The collection aims to bring the character’s signature charm into everyday use without changing the core design of the Sony devices.
Available now in Singapore
Pre-orders for the Sony x Hello Kitty collaboration models are now available through Sony Store channels in Singapore.
Sony is also showcasing the collection at the Sony Store at 313@somerset. Visitors can try the products firsthand and take photos at a dedicated Hello Kitty photo wall.
The collaboration models are available in limited quantities.
For more information, visit the official Sony Store Singapore website.
UPDATE: Sony x Hello Kitty arrives in the Philippines
The Sony x Hello Kitty collaboration will also be available in the Philippines starting October 16, 2026, at select Sony Centres.
Customers who purchase the WH-1000XM6 can add the exclusive Hello Kitty Collaboration package for PHP 4,999. The WH-1000XM6 is available in Black, Silver, Midnight Blue, Sand Pink, and Sandstone.
The collaboration will be available at the following Sony Centres:
- SM Mall of Asia
- SM Megamall
- Glorietta by Ayala Malls
- The Sony Centre-exclusive collaboration goods are designed to complement Sony products with Hello Kitty’s signature charm, adding a playful touch to everyday music experiences.
News
iPhone 18 series breaks records in Vietnam as pre-orders triple
Despite hefty price tag, market saw immense demand for latest Apple devices
The iPhone 18 series saw immense demand upon its availability in Vietnam, with reports indicating that pre-orders at some local retailers for the latest Apple devices more than tripled compared to the previous generation during the same window.
Pre-orders in the market officially opened last month and saw hundreds of thousands of deposits in just days. Devices officially began hitting shelves and delivering to consumers last September 18.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max has been the sought-after model, as XO Tours noted, accounting for about 80% to 90% of the total number of pre-orders. Meanwhile, Burgundy has been the hit color option.
Retailers did have a few safeguards in place, like limiting each customer to a maximum of two Pro or Pro Max units combined.
And in spite of the hefty price tags, the availability of 0% interest installment plans, as well as Buy Now, Pay Later options kept the flagship models as an accessible luxury for consumers, with trade-ins also providing additional discounts.
As with many developing markets, Vietnam also relies heavily on smartphones as everyday devices over laptops, tablets, or PCs.
News
vivo V80 Lite launches in the PH: Price, availability, pre-order details
Pre-order until October 16 for perks
vivo has launched the Guinness World Records holder vivo V80 Lite in the Philippines for a starting price of PhP 24,999.
The midrange offering is available for pre-order until October 16. Customers can enjoy the following benefits when they place pre-orders during the period:
- vivo Buds Air3, worth PhP 1,799
- PhP 1,000 pre-order discount
- vivo Silver Membership exclusive privileges via the vivo Store app
- four-year battery warranty, worth PhP 1,510
- 100GB Google One cloud storage for six months (can be claimed until October 2, 2027)
Customers can also get an additional PhP 500 discount when purchasing through Home Credit at 0% interest until October 31, 2026. Use the voucher code HCV80LITE.
The vivo V80 Lite comes in two configurations:
- 6GB+128GB: PhP 24,999
- 6GB+256GB: PhP 27,999
The smartphone is designed for everyday use, as well as extended hours, with a 10,000mAh BlueVolt battery.
It becomes the latest handset to offer such a battery capacity, addressing a common pain point in smartphone usage.
The phone is also reinforced with IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance for overall ruggedness.
In front is a 1.5K OLED display with high brightness for visible content even when outdoors.
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