When a new flagship series comes out, the company involved usually has high expectations for it. However, there are some launches when a new smartphone ends up failing expectations. For example, because of poor sales, Apple is reportedly ending the iPhone mini model. On the flip side of things, Samsung is similarly experiencing poorer sales for the Galaxy S21.

According to a South Korean analyst firm Kiwoom Securities, this year’s Galaxy S21 series isn’t doing as well as last year’s Galaxy S20 series. Six months after it launched, the former sold only 13.5 million units. The figure is 20 percent less than the Galaxy S20 and 47 percent less than the Galaxy S10 series.

Alleviating this a bit, the Galaxy S21 did do well in its home turf. In the series’ first month, the flagship series sold around 590,000 units in South Korea. It’s only second to the Galaxy S8 which sold 620,000 units in its first month.

Currently — at least according to a recent ranking — Samsung is still the top smartphone seller in the world with Xiaomi trailing a bit behind in second place. The South Korean company might not be intimidated, though. Samsung is hosting its annual Galaxy Unpacked later this month, potentially boosting the company’s performance afterwards.

SEE ALSO: Galaxy S22 might have the same camera as the Galaxy S21

Have you spotted cute pet babies hitting it on the street billboards lately? Well, Apple launched an ad campaign where everyone’s pets take over billboards around Singapore.

Hoping to turn heads and make pet portraits into high art, it’s arguably the most adorable addition to their Shot On iPhone campaign. If you’ve tried to take get your pet to pose to no avail, they’ve got photographer Jason Nocito to help.

The campaign hopes to aptly demonstrate how photographic features often reserved for professionals are now accessible to Apple users. The charming and adorable billboard pet portraits were all shot with an iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max–utilizing High-Key Light Mono Portrait.

Tips from Jason for pet portraits!

1. To help get your pet’s attention and eye contact, hold a squeaker or keys above the lens.
2. If you are shooting outdoors, place your subject under indirect light in front of a simple wall or background.
3. Place your pet in the center of the frame.
4. If you’re having a hard time getting your pet-posed High-Key Light Mono mode try shooting ina few regular shots in Portrait mode. From there you can apply the High-Key Light Mono mode in the edit function after the shoot.
5. Lastly, shoot a lot of different frames!

Up your pet photo game

The campaign will run globally–including an @apple Instagram takeover and WeChat component! There, you’ll get to play around the iPhone’s camera features while learning how to take billboard-worthy shots wherever you are. You can even check out the behind-the-scenes of the shoot with Jason and his furry friends!

The OOH billboards at Knightsbridge, Keppel, and Bugis in Singapore have gone live. But, be on the lookout for the coming weeks; a cute fur baby might be featured on a billboard near you!

Number portability or the ability to move your mobile number under any carrier you want seemed like a pipe dream. Not anymore thanks to the combined efforts of the Avengers. No, just kidding. They’re called the Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. made up of DITO Telecommunity, Globe Inc., and Smart Communications. So, kind of like the Avengers, but of Telecom companies in the Philippines.

This was made possible thanks to teh passing of the Mobile Number Portability Act. Republic Act No. 11202, also known as the Mobile Number Portability Act, ensures that mobile phone users can keep their numbers even when they transfer to another service provider, or when they switch their subscription from postpaid to prepaid, or vice-versa.

How to avail Number Portability

• How to port within networks, you need to meet the following requirements:
• An active SIM and the requestor is the assignee of the mobile number to be ported
• Zero remaining balance from your previous bill (for postpaid)
• Non-existent court prohibitions
• No pending transfer of ownership

Number porting makes it possible to also keep your number when switching from prepaid to postpaid plans. Syniverse will be the provider of number portability services in the Philippines.

“Mobile Number Portability is a complex process not only do we need to adopt it into our system but we need to integrate it with the networks of our competitors,” said Atty. Froilan Castelo who sits as the Chairman of the Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. General Counsel, Globe Group of Companies.

“It took us 22 months to build MNP, upgrade the system, integrate with the MNP service provider, and do testing with the other telcos,” he added.

Price and availability

As discussed earlier, number porting is free of charge. You can try out number porting on September 30, 2021.