News

Samsung, LG promise to launch better midrange phones this year

Relying on flagships just doesn’t work anymore

Published

July 19, 2018

Luigi Leonardo

Have you noticed the sheer abundance of smartphone models out in the market lately? Of course, the market has always featured a wide variety. However, brands have now diversified greatly to accommodate more markets.

Headlined by Samsung and Apple, the phone market has traditionally offered a catch-all flagship and droves of forgettable others for the budget spenders. Throughout the years, over-saturation has caused this strategy to falter.

According to Strategy Analytics, the balance of power is shifting. As of this year’s first quarter, Samsung’s grip on the world’s top spot has weakened by 2.5 percent. From 80.2 million units sold in 2017’s first quarter, Samsung shipped only 78.2 million units this year.

On the other hand, Apple has increased their numbers to 52.2 million units sold from just 50.8 million units last year. Likewise, Chinese companies Huawei and Xiaomi enjoyed huge gains, growing by 114 percent and 225 percent, respectively.

With the threat of loss in mind, Korean companies Samsung and LG have since adopted a “shotgun approach” with their releases this year. Instead of putting their eggs in one basket, they are releasing as much diversity as they can.

Since its ascension to the top, Samsung has always launched various lines catering to the midrange and budget markets. However, until recently, these models never offered much advantage in these segments. Additionally, they were shipped almost exclusively to developing markets, such as key countries in the Southeast Asian region. Meanwhile, LG has a decidedly weaker midrange lineup.

In fact, both companies rely heavily on their flagship and premium models to draw in sales.

To fight this, Samsung and LG are trying a strategy that works for Huawei and Xiaomi (which, incidentally, grew this year). The strategy involves outing midrange and budget phones that can competitively go one-on-one with flagship features.

Both Huawei and Xiaomi have a wider variety of options for users. In fact, Huawei even has its own sister brand dedicated to the market — Honor. With Xiaomi potentially launching their own sister brand, the brands’ successes speak more for themselves.

Whether this translates into a more competitive Galaxy J or LG Q series, only time will tell. Currently, both companies have already launched eight to nine models this year, compared to their eleven models in total apiece last year.

Related Topics:Apple Huawei LG Samsung Xiaomi

News

FIFA World Cup: Lenovo’s Referee View received positively by fans

Unique first-person perspective brings action closer to viewers

Published

July 13, 2026

GadgetMatch

Lenovo has revealed that technological advancements at the FIFA World Cup 2026 has made viewers “feel closer” to the action than ever before.

Surveying fans across Australia, Canada, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States, Lenovo bared that 87% say technology is improving the viewing experience.

Close-to-action camera perspectives have also help 84% of surveyed viewers, making them feel they’re right on the pitch.

Of course, Lenovo AI has introduced Referee View throughout the World Cup. This AI-powered technology gives viewers a first-person POV of the match from a referee’s perspective.

Lenovo Referee View has been featured on an average of three times per match across the tournament in over 220 countries and territories worldwide, according to preliminary FIFA data.

Through a lightweight camera mounted on the match official, the technology gives a first-person POV of the match.

And while raw footage is fast-moving and sometimes unstable, Lenovo’s AI-powered video analytics platform automatically transforms the clips into smooth, broadcast-quality video in real-time.

Other findings from Lenovo’s research include:

76% of viewers have seen or heard about Referee View
91% say the close-to-action Referee View POV is appealing
88% say smooth and stable footage is an important part of viewing sports footage
98% say clear picture quality has been important when watching the FIFA World Cup 2026
91% are interested in seeing more technology that creates immersive or close-to-action sports experiences

Apps

Netflix suddenly resurrects 30-day free trials

It’s available only in some countries.

Published

July 13, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Over the weekend, a report emerged about Disney+ allegedly considering a new tier offered to users for absolutely free. Apparently, Disney isn’t the only one. Netflix is now resurrecting its free trial program in select countries.

Back in the day, it was easy to get into Netflix. With a 30-day free trial, you can watch the shows you’ve always wanted to catch. If you liked what you saw, you can pay the monthly fee to access the entire library without constraints. Eventually, the platform got rid of this system to favor a cheaper ad-supported tier.

Perhaps not seeing the benefits of ad-supported tiers, Netflix has suddenly resurrected its free trial program. Spotted online (via Android Authority), some countries, including Brazil and India, are experimenting with the program again. New users can get 30 days of free Netflix access.

Because only regular users are spotting this (rather than an official announcement), we don’t have a list of where the free trials are available.

Still, it’s an interesting move. Cable isn’t a thing anymore so “cutting the cable” isn’t a popular phrase anymore, but people are definitely cancelling subscriptions over rising prices. Some even rely on short clips from YouTube to catch up with their shows. Having a free trial opens up more possibilities for users, but it remains to be seen whether it’s enough for users to return to Netflix.

Apps

Disney+ might get a free tier

What would you like to see in a free Disney+ tier?

Published

July 13, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

In a world disappointingly obsessed with increasing prices beyond our means, Disney+ has miraculously remembered the phrase, “free sample.” According to a report, the streaming platform is considering making a free subscription tier.

As of late, it’s been difficult to maintain a healthy collection of streaming services. When you have to pay the equivalent of a full-course meal every month for just a single platform, you start to evaluate which ones really matter.

Perhaps feeling the sting of users leaving the platform over pricing, Disney+ is reportedly experimenting with a tier that comes at no cost to users (via Business Insider). According to two sources, adding such a tier might help the platform reach customers more.

Now, it’s still a mystery how this tier might work. Disney+ already offers an ad-supported tier, so it’s unlikely to be another one like that.

One possibility is a heavily curated feed of content either designed specifically for free users or limited exactly to give users a free sample. For the latter, think of the limited content you get on a plane. Sure, you might get the first three episodes of The Mandalorian, but you’ll have to fork over cash if you want to see the rest of the story.

And for the former, you can imagine short-form content available for free. Going back to Star Wars, you might see a short anthology series like Star Wars: Visions.

Either way, it’s an interesting concept. If the tier does offer full content, it’s a great way to get into franchises you were thinking of trying without the need to spend for a taste.