News

Samsung Galaxy S20 series now official, focuses on new experiences

Ready for the future

Published

February 12, 2020

Rodneil Quiteles

The leaks and rumors mostly got things right but there’s plenty about the Samsung Galaxy S20 series that wasn’t revealed yet, including but not limited to, where the S series is headed moving forward.

Let’s get the basic stuff out of the way. Yes, the S series has three phones — Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and Galaxy S20 Ultra. We’ll get to the finer details of what makes each one different from the other. For now, let’s go through some highlight features.

First of, all three phones will have support for 5G. That includes different 5G bands like MmWave, TTD, and FDDc. That means no matter what 5G infrastructure your area supports, the Galaxy S20 series should have you covered.

While 5G is still in its early stages, Samsung is making sure you have a device that’s ready for the tech once it matures.

Experience over numbers

Samsung is taking a slightly different approach with how they’re communicating the Galaxy S20 series. Make no mistake, the numbers on the phones’ cameras are still pretty outstanding, but the company says these only support the kind of experience they want to impart.

The main cameras on the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20+ are 64MP while the Galaxy S20 Ultra packs a whopping 108MP main shooter. That particular camera fuses every 9 pixels into one creating an image with plenty of detail. Samsung calls this process “Nona-Binning.” The company says the camera sensors are not only larger, they’re also smarter.

Those are some of the numbers but it’s the features that Samsung hopes will give you a better shooting experience. For instance, the zoom on the Galaxy S20 series should be the best among everything that Samsung has had on offer so far.

The Galaxy S20 and S20+ will have 3X lossless zoom and up to 30X hybrid zoom. Impressive. However, the Galaxy S20 Ultra takes things even further.

In a feature they call Space Zoom, the Galaxy S20 Ultra will give you 10X lossless zoom and up to 100X hybrid zoom.

Capture more at once

The feature Samsung is highlighting the most is called Single Take. What it does is it lets you take a 10-second clip with the phone also taking images of the “best moments” from that clip.

It takes away the anxiety of having to decide if you’d rather take a video or a photo. The company hopes it’s a feature that will help put you more in the moment instead of pouring too much energy into capturing it.

Speaking of video, the Galaxy S20 series is capable of capturing 8K video. If you happen to own a Samsung 8K TV, you can immediately stream your footage on that TV seamlessly.

Overall video taking also levels up with an improved Super Steady feature that uses anti-rolling stabilization and AI-motion analysis to eliminate shakes in your video. Mentioned in passing is the pro-grade level video that allows you to adjust aperture and other settings like you would on a DSLR.

Key partnerships

In keeping with the “creating better experiences” theme, Samsung partnered with Spotify to take full advantage of the Samsung Galaxy Buds+.

On the Galaxy Buds+, there’s a dedicated gesture to quickly launch Spotify. It even syncs with Bixby Music so it knows the right playlist to fire up depending on the time of the day and your activity.

The Galaxy Buds+ is a step up from last year’s Galaxy Buds. It offers a longer 11-hours of battery life and has 2-way dynamic speakers all in the service of delivering a better audio experience.

Google Duo — Google’s video calling app — is also built into the phone. This lets you make Duo calls straight from the contacts app — very similar to how FaceTime works on the iPhone. Additionally, if the calls are between two Galaxy S20 phones, you can have it in full HD. Neat.

The specs

As promised, to help differentiate the the Galaxy S20 series, here’s a quick table detailing the specs.

	Galaxy S20	Galaxy S20+	Galaxy S20 Ultra
Display	6.2″ Super AMOLED, 120Hz	6.7″ Super AMOLED, 120Hz	6.9″ Super AMOLED, 120Hz
Processor	Exynos 990	Exynos 990	Exynos 990
Storage and Memory	128GB + 12GB Expandable via MicroSD up to 1TB	128GB + 12GB 512GB +12GB Expandable via MicroSD up to 1TB	128GB + 12GB 512GB +16GB Expandable via MicroSD up to 1TB
Battery	4000mAh 25W charging	4500mAh 25W charging	5000mAh 45W charging (45W charger sold separately)
Cameras (Rear)	12MP, F2.2 Ultra Wide 12MP, F1.8 Wide-Angle 64MP, F2.0 Telephoto	12MP, F2.2 Ultra Wide 12MP, F1.8 Wide-Angle 64MP, F2.0 Telephoto Depth Vision	12MP, F2.2 Ultra Wide 108MP, F1.8 Wide-Angle 48MP, F3.5 Telephoto Depth Vision
Camera (Selfie)	10MP, F2.2	10MP, F2.2	40MP, F2.2

All three phones will have the usual sensors and security features like the Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensor and Face Recognition. The phones also have an IP68 rating making them dust and water resistant.

Wireless charging is also available on all three devices. Another thing all three have in common is they no longer have a headphone jack. Last year, the Galaxy S10 still had that port.

Pricing and availability

The Samsung Galaxy S20 series will be available starting March 6, 2020 and pre-order period will start on February 21. It will come in different colors. Color availability will depend on where you live.

Galaxy S20: Cosmic Grey, Cloud Blue, Cloud Pink — US$ 999.99
Galaxy S20+: Cosmic Grey, Cloud Blue, Cosmic Black — US$ 1,199.99
Galaxy S20 Ultra: Cosmic Grey, Cosmic Black — US$ 1,399.99

Deals

GoTyme Bank, Visa partner for FIFA World Cup 2026 raffle giveaway

Win an all-expense-paid trip to the World Cup with your GoTyme Visa Debit Card

Published

March 19, 2026

Manila Connoisseur

GoTyme Bank and Visa have officially teamed up for a FIFA World Cup 2026 raffle giveaway.

This gives Filipino football fans the chance to win an all-expense-paid trip to attend either the World Cup Group Stage or Final in the United States.

The partnership marks GoTyme Bank’s growing presence not only in the market but also in the global stage. Recently, the digital bank has grown to over 9 million customers in the Philippines, and 20 million worldwide.

Under the partnership, GoTyme Bank and Visa have released new limited-edition FIFA World Cup 2026-themed Visa Debit Cards.

These are available in two designs: Pitch Black and Trophy Gold. Both are designed by Filipino artist Ross Du, who incorporated the iconic tournament’s iconic trophy.

The latter, in particular, has some rarity as there will only be 20,000 copies printed in GoTyme Bank kiosks nationwide. Customers can have them printed starting March 23.

Print, Spend, Score

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To join the raffle, cardholders simply have to spend at least PhP 1,000 for a raffle entry. That’s using the Classic or Pitch Black card.

Overseas spending also comes with a 3x multiplier, meaning three entries for every PhP 1,000 spent abroad.

Two winners — one Classic and one Pitch Black cardholder — will each win an all-expense-paid trip for two to attend the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage in Los Angeles.

But even better, those who get the exceptionally rare Trophy Gold card will automatically get a raffle entry for the grand prize raffle draw — with no minimum spend required.

One Trophy Gold cardholder will win an all-expense-paid trip for two to attend the World Cup Final in New York City. This includes roundtrip business class seats as well.

In addition to the major prizes, 10 customers will receive exclusive FIFA World Cup 2026 Visa Premium merchandise.

The fly-off promo runs until May 7 for the Classic and Pitch Black cardholders and until June 10 for the Trophy Gold cardholders.

Gaming

Switch 2 now lets you play old games in 1080p

It tricks old games into thinking that the console is docked.

Published

March 18, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

The Switch 2’s popularity is astonishing, to say the least. Just recently, a single game, Pokémon Pokopia, was responsible for taking the free times of over two million players on the Switch 2. Now, Nintendo has released a new feature which should make the console much more playable, especially for those who already had the original Switch.

Today, the Switch 2 received the 22.0.0 system update. Though the update is mostly a variety of smaller updates, one feature, called the Handheld Mode Boost, stands out among the rest. As per the patch notes, “Handheld Mode Boost will cause compatible Nintendo Switch software to run as if the console is being played in TV mode.” Put simply, the feature will unlock 1080p resolution for older games.

For gamers who had the original Switch, game resolution was a huge problem. The first console lived on a 720p screen, so the early games supported only lower resolutions. The only exception is when the console was docked, which allows 1080p resolution.

Now, the Switch 2 supports backwards compatibility. Players can access their older Switch games on the new console. The catch, however, is that these games are still stuck in 720p. Some titles, at least, have released an update to increase resolution on the new console.

Handheld Mode Boost tricks the console into thinking that it’s hooked up to the dock. In effect, the game will play in 1080p. The catch, however, is that it also thinks that the Joy-Cons are a single Pro controller, so players might lose some game features. It’s still a decent price to pay, though.

In other news, the update has also updated the naming of the “Hong Kong/Taiwan/South Korea” to “Hong Kong/Taiwan/South Korea/Southeast Asia,” potentially hinting that Southeast Asia might finally get an online store.

News

OPPO Find N6 launches globally with near crease-free foldable display

‘Zero-Feel Crease’

Published

March 17, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

OPPO has officially unveiled the Find N6, its latest foldable flagship designed to push the category further with a near crease-free display, powerful hardware, and productivity features tailored for large screens.

The device introduces what OPPO calls a “Zero-Feel Crease,” a new hinge and display structure designed to minimize the visible fold line and deliver a flatter inner screen experience over time.

The foldable was introduced at OPPO’s Binhai Bay Campus in China and will become globally available starting March 20, 2026.

Design and durability upgrades

Left: OPPO Find N6. Right: Galaxy Z Fold7

The Find N6 continues OPPO’s push for thinner and more ergonomic foldables. Despite its book-style design, the company says the device maintains a comfortable grip comparable to conventional bar-style smartphones.

It comes in two colourways: Stellar Titanium and Blossom Orange. The latter stands out with genuine gold accents integrated into the hinge casing made of titanium alloy.

Underneath its premium exterior, the Find N6 also adds stronger durability credentials. It carries IP56, IP58, and IP59 ratings for dust and water resistance, allowing it to withstand everyday splashes as well as high-temperature and high-pressure water jets.

Multitasking powered by ColorOS 16

On the software side, the Find N6 runs ColorOS 16 optimized for foldables, designed to take advantage of its larger inner display.

One of the key features is Free-Flow Window, a multitasking tool that allows up to four apps to run simultaneously. Users can freely adjust window sizes and aspect ratios, enabling flexible workflows for productivity or content creation.

The feature integrates with OPPO’s Boundless View interface, allowing users to transition smoothly between intensive multitasking layouts and a focused single-app experience.

ColorOS 16 also brings a set of AI-driven tools, including AI Mind Space, AI Recording, and AI Motion Photo Popout.

For cross-device functionality, O+ Connect enables file transfers between the Find N6 and Mac or Windows computers. The system also supports screen mirroring and remote control functions.

AI Pen turns foldable into a workstation

Complementing the large display is the OPPO AI Pen, a stylus designed to enhance productivity on the foldable device.

The stylus supports 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity and works on both the inner and outer displays.

OPPO positions it as more than a standard stylus. The AI Pen enables features like Quick Note and Global Annotation, while also functioning as a laser pointer for presentations.

It also supports AI-powered tools such as Circle to Capture, AI Chart, and AI Image. These tools can capture on-screen content, convert rough notes into structured tables, or transform hand-drawn sketches into polished artwork.

Flagship performance and imaging

Powering the Find N6 is the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform paired with a 6,000mAh silicon-carbon battery.

The device supports 80W SUPERVOOC wired charging and 50W AIRVOOC wireless charging, designed to provide all-day endurance even with extended use of the foldable display.

For imaging, OPPO introduces its new Hasselblad Master Camera System on the Find N6.

The system is led by a 200MP Hasselblad Ultra-Clear main camera. It is joined by a 50MP ultra-wide camera capable of capturing 50 percent more light than the previous generation, and a 50MP 3x periscope telephoto lens with tele-macro capabilities.

The phone also includes a dedicated True Color Camera sensor, first introduced with the Find X9 series, designed to improve white balance accuracy and produce more natural color reproduction.

Camera features developed with Hasselblad include Hasselblad Portrait Mode for DSLR-style bokeh, Hasselblad Master Mode with manual controls tuned to match the Hasselblad X2D camera, and XPAN mode that captures cinematic photos in a wide 65:24 aspect ratio.

The Find N6 also supports professional-grade video features. All three rear cameras can record 4K video at 60fps in Dolby Vision, while the main camera can capture 4K 120fps Dolby Vision footage. Log video support is also included for advanced color grading workflows.