News
Smartphone sales have dipped globally and Samsung should be worried
About time Samsung wakes up?
The iPhone was released eleven years ago in 2007, back then Nokia and BlackBerry were the market leaders and shipped tens of millions of phones every year. Since then, Android OS has picked up a majority of the market and now we have dozens of smartphone makers trying to grab a piece of the pie.
Smartphone sales had been on a consistent rise in the last decade, but the trend has diminished and according to IDC, the industry has witnessed a six percent year-over-year drop in Q3 2018. The report estimates vendors shipped 355.2 million units from July to September.
What’s even more surprising is Samsung and Apple’s decline. The South Korean giant had a 13.4 percent drop in the total number of units shipped while Apple saw a rise of a meager 0.5 percent. Although, Samsung continues to be at the top with a market share of 20 percent, followed by Huawei at 14.6 percent.
While Samsung and Apple seem to have reached a saturation point, Huawei and Xiaomi have recorded a staggering growth of 32.9 percent and 21.2 percent, respectively. The two Chinese brands have been very aggressive this year with multiple product launches in developing markets of Asia.
IDC says Apple could edge out Samsung and Huawei for first place, thanks to its new iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR. Samsung’s flagships seem to have under-performed and the company is struggling in the budget as well as midrange segments.
While Apple’s offerings are strictly in the premium range, Samsung has a wide portfolio and relies on all price segments to churn out a profit. These are just initial signs of trouble for the giant, and it needs to act fast. The brand has already lost considerable ground in important markets like India and has failed to get a foothold in China.
The realme 12 5G is now official in the Philippines. Months after launching the the 12+ and 12 Pro+ models under its latest number series line, realme is back with the release of the series’ base model. The realme 12 5G is priced at PhP 14,999 and is available through realme’s ecommerce platforms and offline stores.
As part of its launch, realme is offering customers exclusive deals starting April 25th:
Lazada Flagship (May 5 to 10)
- Free realme Buds T100
- Free TechLife Hair Dryer
Shopee Official Store (May 5 to 10)
- Free TechLife Power Bank 2 20,000mAh
- Free TechLife 4.5L See-Through Air Fryer
TikTok Shop (April 25, 7:30 PM to 30)
- Free realme Pocket Bluetooth Speaker
- Free TechLife Cooling Fan
James Afante TikTok Shop (April 25, 7:30 PM)
- Freebie package 1: TechLife Cooling Fan and Free TechLife 4.5L See-Through Air Fryer
- Freebie package 2: realme Buds T100 and Free TechLife 4.5L See-Through Air Fryer
- Freebie package 3: TechLife Portable Steam Iron, TechLife Electric Kettle, and TechLife Portable Electric Pot
ALSO READ: realme 12+ 5G review: One month later
For offline purchases, customers also stand a chance to win freebies worth up to PhP 24,999 with the Mystery Box promo. Furthermore, they may join the Lucky 12 Challenge for additional freebies when they purchase the realme 12 5G from any of the 100 selected concept stores, kiosks, and exclusive stores.
realme 12 5G
The realme 12 5G is just as capable as its 12+ and Pro+ counterparts. The model boasts of a 108MP 3X zoom portrait camera, taking off from the series’ Portrait Master positioning.
The phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ 5G chipset, has 8GB of base RAM with 8GB RAM expansion, and a 5,000mAh battery with 45W SUPERVOOC Charge. In front is a 6.72-inch FHD+ 120Hz Sunlight Display that has a maximum brightness of 950nits. There is also an 8MP AI selfie camera.
Lastly, the handset also has a similar watch face design at the back. It is available in Twilight Purple and Woodland Green.
ALSO READ: realme 12 Pro+ 5G review: A midrange marvel
News
ZTE nubia Neo 2 5G now in the Philippines: Pricing, details
ZTE’s budget gaming phone gets an upgrade
ZTE has announced the availability of the nubia Neo 2 5G in the Philippines. The successor to the nubia Neo budget gaming smartphone, the second iteration is armed with an upgraded gaming control experience for Filipino gamers to enjoy.
The nubia Neo 2 5G retains the distinct Bionic Mecha with “Hero Eye” design from its predecessor. It is available in Storm Gray, Sunfire Yellow, and Frost Silver for PhP 9,999.
The phone is powered by a Unisoc T820 processor (6nm). It supports even more Dynamic RAM at 12GB to complement its 8GB base RAM, and also offers 5G dual-card intelligent switching. Additionally, the nubia Neo 2 5G carries an even larger 6,000mAh battery, which supports 33W fast charging.
ALSO READ: ZTE nubia Neo 5G: Decent for gaming
In front, the device sports a 6.72-inch FHD+ display with a 2,400 x 1,800 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate for seamless viewing and scrolling. At the back is a 50MP main camera.
Upgraded Game Space
The nubia Neo 2 5G features Game Space 2.0, an assistance tool that is reminiscent of a professional gaming layout. Here, users may tinker with game optimization functions, including Game Performance Enhancement. This adjusts the device’s CPU and GPU resources to help it manage power and battery usage.
The phone also supports ByPass Charging for uninterrupted gaming. Users may activate this charging feature while the charging cable is connected to the device. When under ByPass Charging, the phone gets powered up but without the battery charging so it can reduce heat.
Upgraded experience
Furthermore, one of the highlights of the nubia Neo 2 5G is its gaming shoulder triggers. This gives users more freedom and control while navigating and playing. Users may also customize the shoulder buttons based on their personal preferences.
Meanwhile, the phone’s Dual Stereo Speakers with DTS:X Ultra provide impressive sound quality. This is further enhanced with four built-in sound effects.
The next Apple event is coming! Two weeks ahead of the big launch, the iPad maker has announced an upcoming event dedicated to the tablet.
As always, Apple has added a tagline to tease what’s coming for the brand. This time, it’s “Let loose.”
Now, you won’t get a lot of clues from something so vague. Thankfully, the graphic is much more telling. It features a hand clearly grasping an Apple Pencil. For sure, the event will focus on new iPads.
The special event will start on May 7, 10AM ET. Interested viewers can watch the event live.
There’s no confirmation what models are getting new faces for the event. However, rumors are swirling that we’re getting a new iPad Pro. We can likely expect a new Apple Pencil too, especially since the stylus is a main focus for the invite.
New iPhones are likely out, though. Apple usually holds the event for those later in the year. That leaves the Macs and the Vision Pro in the less-likely-but-still-possible realm.
That said, if you’re looking for new tablets, it’s time to wait a bit.
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