Nokia 8 Official Price is €599 Euros or $700 USD : Continuing The Great Nokia Cameraphone Legacy

Tech enthusiasts who are familiar with Nokia's long history as a handset maker would know that the Finnish Giant was particularly popular and respected for doing two things:

1. Crafting very durable phones
2. Making the best cameraphones

The old Nokia 3310 is a testament to the first phrase while smartphones like the Nokia N8, Nokia 808 PureView, and Nokia Lumia 1020 - to this day - speak about the company's capabilities when it comes to creating mobile devices that can work as an alternative to your traditional digital camera.

Although the all-new Nokia 8 Android smartphone by HMD Global merely bears the name of the Finnish Giant and is not really crafted by "the Nokia of old", I'm still hoping that it can somehow be a decent follow-up to those models. I mean, it's been so long since a good cameraphone with the name Nokia printed on it was released in the market. It would be a shame if it won't be as good as advertised. Heck, I want this model to be commercially successful.

Anyway, what's great is that Nokia 8 has several things going for it.

For one, 8 - historically - is a magic number for Nokia. During its heydays, Nokia would always affix the number 8 to it handset models sporting the best imaging features. So I'm sure fans of the brand would immediately associate "great camera" with this release without HMD Global having to explain too much.

Second and more importantly, Nokia 8 is the first handset by HMD Global to have Carl Zeiss optics. You see, what made all those Nokia cameraphones that I mentioned above the absolute best during their time was in large part because of the Finnish company's partnership with German optics maker, Carl Zeiss. For those who are not familiar with it, Carl Zeiss is one of the oldest and most respected optics manufacturers in the world.

And finally, of course, compared to its predecessors, the Nokia 8 already incorporates today's leading innovations in terms of internal hardware, display quality, audio technology, and even design and build -- all to better deliver a vastly enhanced mobile imaging experience.

I've just seen several videos on Youtube about the Nokia 8 and off hand, here are eight features highlighted in the clips that got me really excited to see this cameraphone in the flesh and to play it:

1. Dual Camera Module incorporating a 13 MegaPixel RGB camera with Carl Zeiss lens plus another 13 MegaPixel monochrome shooter - This set-up is largely the same as that of Huawei P9, P9 Plus, P10, and P10 Plus and should result in shots with better contrast and clarity in various lighting conditions.

2. Nokia OZO Audio with spatial 3D recording, which even better than stereo and should deliver a more immersive and enjoyable AV experience.

3. Full-length graphite-shielded copper cooling pipe for the 10nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor ensures better heat management and lag-free performance when you're playing the most specs-intensive games that you can download from Google Play Store.

The powerful and energy efficient processor is complemented by two sets of internal hardware that consumers can choose from: 4GB RAM / 64GB ROM combo for the Tempered Blue, Steel, and Polished Copper variants and 6GB RAM / 128GB ROM combo for the Polished Blue version

4. 13 MegaPixel front-facing selfie camera with 4K 30fps video recording capability, which is great for those who want to start recording and uploading vlogs on Youtube and Facebook.

5. 'Bothie' shooting mode where you do split screen video recording using both the front and rear cameras simultaneously and go live on Facebook or Youtube!

6. IP54 splash-proof build and availability in four elegant colors, namely, Polished Copper, Steel, Tempered Blue, and Polished Blue. Nokia 8 can be a great companion be it outdoors while you're on adventure or when you're inside the boardroom for your corporate role.

7. Nokia 8 is the first Nokia-branded smartphone to have a pixel-dense Quad HD display! This model has a 5.3-inch 1440 x 2560 pixels IPS display that guarantees an enjoyable experience whether you're browsing photos or watching videos.

8. Not only is the non-removable 3,090 mAh Li-Ion battery rather big given Nokia 8's display size but it also supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 that greatly shortens the time it takes to fully charge the pack.

That's a lot to look forward to, right? Again, I can't wait to take Nokia 8 for a spin -- just to see for myself if it's a worthy addition to the long line of great Nokia cameraphones.

The official suggested retail price of Nokia 8 with Dual Carl Zeiss Optics is 599 Euros or Php 36,200 with current conversion. On the other hand, its release date in several key markets around the world will be on September 23, 2017.

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST)Name : Nokia 8
Type : Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category : High-End (Flagship Level)
Dimensions : 151.5 x 73.7 x 7.9 mm
Weight : 160 grams
Available Colors : Tempered Blue, Polished Blue, Steel, Polished Copper
Operating System : Android 7.1.1 Nougat
Display : 5.3 inches (~69.4% screen-to-body ratio), 1440 x 2560 pixels (~554 ppi pixel density), IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Processor : 10nm 64-Bit Octa-core (4 x 2.45 GHz Kryo) + (4 x 1.9 GHz Kryo), Adreno 540 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 chipset
RAM / Internal Storage Options: 4GB RAM / 64GB ROM - Tempered Blue, Steel, Polished Copper
6GB RAM / 128GB ROM - Polished Blue
MicroSD Card Slot : Yes, via Hybrid Secondary NanoSIM Slot, not Dedicated
Camera : Back: Dual 13 MegaPixel, Carl Zeiss Optics, f/2.0 aperture, Laser and Phase Detection AutoFocus (PDAF), Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), Dual Tone LED Flash
Front: 13 MegaPixels
Video Capture : Front and Back: 4K 2160p 30 frames per second, Full HD 1080p 30 frames per second
Audio and Video Playback : MP3, WAV, eAAC+, FLAC, MP4, H.264
Ports : USB Type-C 1.0, 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity : Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE, EDR, 3G HSPA+; 4G LTE-A
GPS : A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS
FM Radio : Yes
Sensors : Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity, Gyroscope, Fingerprint Scanner, Heart Rate
Network : 2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 and SIM 2,
3G HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
4G LTE band 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 20(800), 28(700), 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300), 41(2500)
SIM Card Type : Dual nanoSIM
Battery : Non-removable 3,090 mAh Li-Ion battery with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 (18W, 5V/2.5A, 9V/2A, 12V/1.5A)
Uptime : TBD
Value-Added Features : Dual Camera Module (RGB and Monochrome), Nokia OZO Audio, Bothie Mode, IP54 Splashproof Build, Aluminum Shell, High-Gloss Finish for some variants, Copper Cooling Pipe, Quad HD Display, 4K Front Video Recorder
Announcement : Global - August 17, 2017
Availability : Global - September 2017
Price : Official SRP - 599 Euros

The Best Selling Smartphone in the Philippines in Q4 2016 was The OPPO F1s

Chinese handset maker OPPO continues to dominate the local smartphone scene in the Philippines -- proving that they have figured out how to capture the interest and fancy of Pinoy mobile consumers.

In fact, based on data gathered by respected research company GfK in Q4 2016, the OPPO F1s accounted for 7.1 and 6.4 percent of total smartphone units sold in November and December 2016, respectively, across all price segments.

Other OPPO releases also made it to the top ten list including the OPPO Neo 7 at the fourth spot and the OPPO A37 at the tenth spot.

The OPPO F1s was so successful that the company even launched an improved version of this model with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage.

More: Upgraded OPPO F1s

According to Mr. Stephen Cheng - Brand Marketing Manager of OPPO Philippines, "We have always pushed the brand further to create [products] that consumers can trust. With the success of the OPPO F1s, we are confident that we have come up with a cameraphone that addresses the need for better-looking selfies as well as overall smartphone performance."

In July 2016, OPPO became the 2nd best-selling smartphone brand in the Philippines largely due to the massive market success of the OPPO F1s. This model practically catapulted the brand to being a top choice among phone buyers in various age brackets.

Positioned right in between the more affordable OPPO F1 and the high-end OPPO F1 Plus, OPPO F1s is a visually-pleasing midrange Android handset with stellar selfie-centric features along with more than decent internal hardware and technical specifications.

Flaunting a real metal back plate and 2.5D Curved Glass face, OPPO F1s sports a 5.5-inch HD display, which looks good regardless of viewing angle and gets fairly bright, making it readable even outdoors.

True to the brand's 'Selfie Expert' moniker, the OPPO F1s sports a high-resolution 16 MegaPixel f/2.2 front cam with 7-level Beautification mode that evens out the user's skintone automatically, delivering selfies that are instantly ready for sharing on Facebook and Instagram. Given that the Philippines is considered as the Selfie Capital of the World, I believe that this feature is one of the biggest things that attracted many Pinoys consumers to this model.

The handset is also equipped with a 13 MegaPixel f/2.2 rear camera also delivers clear and crisp photos -- especially when used in settings where there's enough ambient light.

Powered by a 3,075 mAh non-removable battery pack, Dua SIM 4G-enabled OPPO F1s runs its ColorOS-flavored Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system with a 64-Bit Octa-Core MediaTek MT6750 processor that incorporates eight ARM Cortex A53 cores clocked at 1.5GHz and a Mali T860MP2 GPU, has 3GB or 4GB RAM options, and comes with either 32GB or 64GB of internal storage that the user can easily beef up using the dedicated microSD card expansion slot.

Known as the world's first ever smartphone to have a 16 MegaPixel front-facing camera, the OPPO F1s is just one of many products by this trusted Chinese company that features fresh innovations and industry firsts. Some of the mobile industry breakthroughs developed by OPPO include the Ultra HD imaging feature, the first motorized rotating smartphone camera, and the world's first 5 times optical zoom on a smartphone, which is made possible by the landmark periscopic camera lens that the company showcased at the 2017 Mobile World Congress last February 28, 2017.

More: OPPO 5X Dual Camera Zoom Technology

Sony Xperia XZ Premium Philippines Price and Release Date Guesstimate, Full Specs and Exact Launch Date

It's been a while since I felt this excited about the imminent release of an Xperia handset here in the Philippines.

To be honest, over the past two or three years, it seemed like that Sony has taken the back seat and merely watched its main competitors - Apple and Samsung - as well new handset companies from China dominate the smartphone market here in the Philippines.

That kind of broke my heart because I've been a big fan of this Japanese tech giant ever since I was elementary school and I've already developed a sense of affinity with the company after I worked with them in the past in promoting Sony Xperia Z1 and Z2 locally.

That said, I certainly hope that the new Sony Xperia XZ Premium could help the brand redeem itself starting this year; I think this top-of-the-line model has what it takes to do just that.

For one, it looks incredible.

As someone who has older high-end Xperia phones in my gadget collection, I'd say that Sony has finally perfected this familiar design language on this release.

Xperia XZ Premium's scratch-resistant back plate has an elegant high-gloss mirror-finish.

Sony started using this glass-metal-glass sandwich design language on the Xperia Z1, which was released in 2014 -- and even back then, it was stunning. Heck, it was so good that other companies - including Samsung and Xiaomi - eventually adapted it in crafting their own high-end phones.

Compared to its predecessors, though, the IP68-Certified Water-Resistant Sony Xperia XZ Premium looks far more polished and feels more durable as well as more balanced in the hand -- thanks to its Gorilla Glass 5 front and back panels, thick CNC-crafted stainless steel top and bottom plates, and rounded tubular build.

For me, Sony Xperia Xperia XZ Premium is the most gorgeous handset that Sony has released so far -- but its aesthetics aren't the only thing that's impressive about this model.

Sony Xperia XZ Premium's 5.46-inch Triluminos Display is also the first ever 4K HDR smartphone screen, which means that it is built to deliver exceptional color, contrast, and details, ensuring a more enjoyable content viewing and 3D gaming experience.

As expected from a flagship smartphone by one of the world's most legendary companies that create products for entertainment, the XZ Premium has top-notch imaging capabilities.

Greatly benefiting from Sony's unique camera innovations including the new memory-stacked Exmor RS sensor, the award-winning G-Lens, and Bionz for Mobile intelligent image-processor, this handset's 19 MegaPixel f/2.0 aperture Motion Eye camera starts buffering images one second before you click on the camera button, which makes Predictive Capture possible. With this feature, you can choose the best shot out of four images taken of a fast-moving subject.

This rear camera can also shoot 4K 30fps videos as well as HD videos at a whopping 960 frames per second for recording those unbelievable Super Slow Motion clips -- something that you can't do on other similarly-priced high-end smartphones.

For those who love snapping selfies, Sony Xperia XZ Premium has a 13 MegaPixel front cam with 1/3.06” low light sensor and a 22mm wide angle lens, which delivers clear and brilliant self-portraits and groufies that are instantly ready for sharing on Instagram or Facebook.

For audiophiles, Xperia XZ Premium features High-Resolution Audio output, Digital Noise Cancelling, S-Force Front Surround Dual Loud Speakers, Clear Audio+, Clear Bass, and Automatic Headphone Optimization that all work together to deliver enjoyable music-listening experience whether via loud speakers or though your favorite earphones or headphones.

Inside its sleek shell, the XZ Premium runs its Xperia-UI-flavored Android 7.1 Nougat operating system with an updated 64-Bit Octa Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor that incorporates an Adreno 540 graphics chip, has 4GB of RAM for multitasking, and comes with 64GB of expandable storage. Although it would have been nice if the phone had 6GB of RAM, this set of internal hardware is more or less the standard in top-of-the-line Android smartphone models for the first half of 2017; I'd say it's right up there in the innards of Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ in the Philippines.

Flagship-level Sony Xperia handsets are also known for their more than decent uptime and it looks like the XZ Premium will be no exception. Protected from possible damages caused by overcharging, the phone's embedded 3,230 mAh Li-Ion fast-charging battery is capable of delivering "all-day" uptime with regular use.

So after reading all that, are you now interested in getting this amazing 2017 smartphone? Well, Sony will hold an exclusive media event on May 23, 2017 to launch the Sony Xperia XZ Premium -- and on that day, the Japanese company will officially announce the exact pricing information and release date of this high-end model. Right now, I can only give you my guesstimate for the price of the Dual SIM version, which will be launched in our market. I believe it will don an SRP in the range of Php 42,000 to Php 45,000 when it hits store shelves across the country later this month. Stay tuned for updates!

Update as of May 23, 2017: Sony Xperia XZ Premium has just been formally announced in the Philippines via an exclusive media event at BlackBird Restaurant in Makati City. The handset's official suggested retail price is Php 45,490.

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST)Name : Sony Xperia XZ Premium
Type : Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category : High-End (Flagship Level)
Dimensions : 156 x 77 x 7.9 mm
Weight : 195 grams
Available Colors : Luminous Chrome, Bronze Pink, Deepsea Black
Operating System : Android 7.1 Nougat with Xperia UI
Display : 5.46 inches (~68.4% screen-to-body ratio), 3840 x 2160 pixels (~807 ppi pixel density), IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, Curved Corning Gorilla Glass 5, HDR10 Compliant, Triluminos Display
Processor : 64-Bit Quad Core (2.45 GHz Kryo X 2 + 1.9 GHz Kryo X 2), Adreno 540 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 chipset
RAM : 4GB RAM
Internal Storage : 64GB ROM, expandable via hybrid secondary nanoSIM slot doubling as microSD card slot supporting up to 256GB
Camera : Back: 19 MegaPixels, f/2.0 aperture, 25mm focal length, EIS (gyro), predictive phase detection and laser autofocus, 1/2.3" sensor size, LED flash
Front: 13 MegaPixels, f/2.0 aperture, 22mm, 1/3" sensor size, 1.12 µm pixel size
Video Capture : Back - 4K 30 frames per second, HD 960 frames per second
Front - 1080p
Audio and Video Playback : MP3, WAV, eAAC+, FLAC, MP4, H.264
Ports : USB Type C, 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity : Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v4.2 with A2DP, EDR, 3G HSPA+; 4G LTE-A Cat16
GPS : A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS
FM Radio : No
Sensors : Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity, Gyroscope, Fingerprint Scanner, Color Spectrum
Network : 2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 and SIM 2,
3G HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G LTE band 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 12(700), 13(700), 17(700), 19(800), 20(800), 26(850), 28(700), 29(700), 32(1500), 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300), 41(2500) - G8141, G8142
SIM Card Type : Dual nanoSIM
Battery : Non-removable 3,230 mAh Li-Ion battery
Uptime : All-Day Uptime with Regular Use
Value-Added Features : Premium Build, Dual Front Facing Speakers, IP68 Certified Water and Dust Resistant, Motion Eye, Gorilla Glass 5 Front and Back Panels, Powerful Internal Hardware, Super Slow Motion Video Capture
Announcement : Philippines - May 23, 2017
Availability : Philippines - May 2017
Price : TechPinas Price Guesstimate - Php 42,000 to Php 45,000
Official SRP in the Philippines (Update) - Php 45,490

Sony Xperia XZs Philippines Price, Specs, Official Release Date, Key Features

Based on the traffic that my previous articles about Sony Xperia Android smartphones had gotten through the years, I can say with confidence that many of my readers are big fans of this handset brand.

If you're one of them, here's something that I'm sure will put a smile on your face:

Sony Xperia XZs - the flagship smartphone of the legendary Japanese tech company for the first half of 2017 - has just been officially released here in the Philippines.

This top-of-the-line smartphone hit store shelves across the country last Friday - May 5, 2017 - donning an official suggested retail price of Php 39,990.

Sony Xperia XZs shares largely the same design language and construction as its direct predecessor, the Sony Xperia XZ, which is not bad at all given that the 2016 flagship was and remains to be a headturner.

You get the same tubular real metal shell that seamlessly encases the curved scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass face on top the brilliant 5.2-inch Full HD Triluminos display panel.

On top of that, the handset's svelte body remains to be IP68 Certified Water and Dust Resistant, which means that it is more than capable of surviving accidental splashes or drops in shallow water.

Likewise, Xperia XZs' top-notch audio features including its Dual S-Force Front Surround speakers and Hi-Res Quality music playback via earphone jack merely echo what on the previous release.

Having two loud speakers in front, Xperia XZs delivers surround sound quality -- a rare feature in flagship Android smartphones.

What makes Sony Xperia XZs truly special is its main 19 MegaPixel f/2.0 camera, which features the world's first ever memory stacked imaging sensor in a smartphone, which provides 5-Times faster image scanning and data transfer.

This powerful component allows Xperia XZs 'Motion Eye' video recorder to shoot HD clips at a whopping 960 frames per second, making Super Slow Motion rendering possible!

If you love shooting videos of fast moving subjects like animals in the wild or players in a ball game or practically any sport, you will definitely find this imaging feature very useful.

Under the hood, Xperia XZs runs its Sony-flavored Android 7.1 Nougat operating system with a powerhouse 64-Bit Quad Core Kryo and Adreno 530 GPU based Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, has 4GB of RAM, and comes with 32GB of internal storage that you can easily beef up using the hybrid secondary nanoSIM slot that also works as microSD card memory expansion slot.

Powered by a non-removable 2,900 mAh Li-Ion battery pack that supports Qnovo Adaptive Charging and delivers at least a whole day of uptime with regular use, Dual SIM Dual Standby (Dual nanoSIM) Sony Xperia XZs is available in three elegant colors, namely, Ice Blue, Black, and Warm Silver.

It's been a while since I reviewed a Sony Xperia flagship so I'm certainly hoping to play with this new model soon and to give it a good test run. Frankly, Xperia XZs' innards aren't particularly 2017 standard for top-of-the-line handsets. However, let's keep in mind that a smartphone's actual performance in real world use is determined by several other factors apart from internal hardware.

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST)Name : Sony Xperia XZs
Type : Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category : High-End (Flagship Level)
Dimensions : 146 x 72 x 8.1 mm
Weight : 161 grams
Available Colors : Warm Silver, Black, Ice Blue
Operating System : Android 7.1 Nougat with Xperia UI
Display : 5.2 inches (~70.9% screen-to-body ratio), 1080 x 1920 pixels (~424 ppi pixel density), IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, Curved Corning Gorilla Glass (TBD)
Processor : 64-Bit Quad Core (2.15 GHz Kryo X 2 + 1.6 GHz Kryo X 2), Adreno 530 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 chipset
RAM : 4GB RAM
Internal Storage : 32GB/64GB ROM options, expandable via hybrid secondary nanoSIM slot doubling as microSD card slot supporting up to 256GB
Camera : Back: 19 MegaPixels, f/2.0 aperture, 25mm focal length, EIS (gyro), predictive phase detection and laser autofocus, 1/2.3" sensor size, LED flash
Front: 13 MegaPixels, f/2.0 aperture, 22mm, 1/3" sensor size, 1.12 µm pixel size
Video Capture : Back - 4K 30 frames per second, HD 960 frames per second
Front - 1080p
Audio and Video Playback : MP3, WAV, eAAC+, FLAC, MP4, H.264
Ports : USB Type C, 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity : Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v4.2 with A2DP, EDR, 3G HSPA+; 4G LTE-A Cat9
GPS : A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS
FM Radio : No
Sensors : Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity, Gyroscope, Fingerprint Scanner, Color Spectrum
Network : 2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 and SIM 2,
3G HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G LTE band 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 12(700), 13(700), 17(700), 19(800), 20(800), 26(850), 28(700), 29(700), 32(1500), 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300), 41(2500)
SIM Card Type : Dual nanoSIM
Battery : Non-removable 2,900 mAh Li-Ion battery
Uptime : TBD
Value-Added Features : Premium Build, Dual Front Facing Speakers, IP68 Certified Water and Dust Resistant, Motion Eye, Super Slow Motion Video Capture
Announcement : Philippines - May 5, 2017
Availability : Philippines - May 5, 2017
Price : Official SRP in the Philippines - Php 39,990

List of Affordable Android Phones with Dual Camera At The Back

Dual camera phones have been making big waves in the market since the release of the Apple iPhone 7 Plus and Huawei P9 in 2016. Thanks to their unique imaging module, these handsets can capture great images with interesting bokeh and contrast effects or in some cases, lossless zoom in or zoom out capability.

Here in TechPinas, we believe that having a great dual camera smartphone should not break the bank. Here are our top 5 suggestions for the best affordable dual camera phones that are now available in here in the Philippines:

Cherry Mobile Flare P1 (Php 3,990) - The most affordable dual camera smartphone in the market as of today, the Cherry Mobile Flare P1 sports a 5-inch HD IPS display and 13MP+2MP rear camera combo. Inside, it runs Android 7.0 Nougat operating system with a 1.3 GHz Quad Core MediaTek MT6580 chipset, has 1GB of RAM, and comes with 16GB ROM. This Dual SIM, 3G HSPA+ enabled handset is perfect for budget-conscious mobile consumers who want to experience the benefits of a Dual Camera phone.

Dual Camera Function: Adjustable Depth of Field or Bokeh Effect

Cherry Mobile Flare P1 Plus (Php 5,999) - Cherry Mobile is currently trying to position itself as the best local brand in releasing Dual Camera smartphones that doesn't hurt the budget. The Cherry Mobile Flare P1 Plus, which has more powerful features and better build than the Cherry Mobile Flare P1, sports a sleek metal shell, a 5.5-inch FHD IPS display, 13MP+5MP rear camera combo, 700 MHz LTE support, fingerprint scanner for added security, 1.5 GHz Quad Core MediaTek MT6737T processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, and Android 7.0 Nougat operating system.

Dual Camera Function: Adjustable Depth of Field or Bokeh Effect

Starmobile Knight Spectra (Php 9,680) - Pinoy Pride, this model is the Philippines' first dual camera smartphone, released in 2015, even before the iPhone 7 Plus. Recently getting a major price drop, this flagship level handset features a 5.5-inch FHD AMOLED Display, 64-Bit Octa Core Snapdragon 615 chipset, has 3GB of RAM for efficient multitasking, and comes with 32GB ROM that you can expand using the secondary hybrid nanoSIM slot that doubles as a microSD card memory expansion slot, Dual 4G LTE support, DTV functionality, 8 MegaPixel front-facing selfie cam, and a 13MP + 2MP AF with Flash camera module at the back.

Dual Camera Function: Adjustable Depth of Field or Bokeh Effect, Color Isolation Effect

LG X Cam (Php 10,990) - Korean Giant LG's take on the midrange Android smartphone with Dual Cameras at the reat is the LG X Cam. This one touts a 13MP+5MP wide angle camera setup. The handset is also equipped with a 5.2-inch Full HD display, 8 MegaPixel selfie cam in front, 64-Bit Octa Core Mediatek MT6753 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of ROM, NFC support, Non-removable Li-Ion 2520 mAh battery, and Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS.

Dual Camera Function: One Tap Wide-Angle View

Huawei GR5 2017 (Php 13,990) - Also known as Honor 6X in other territories, this metal-clad midrange model sports a dual 12MP and 2MP camera setup. Unlike the Chinese handset maker's flagship devices, the HuaweiP10 and the P10 Plus, GR5 2017's dual camera module is not co-engineered by Leica but it performs rather well considering the handset's price tag. This smartphone also features a 5.5-inch FHD IPS display, Octa Core Kirin 655 chipset, Figerprint Scanner, and EMUI 4.1 interface on top of Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS, Dual SIM Capability, 4G LTE Cat4 support, and a non-removable 3,340 mAh battery pack.

Dual Camera Function: Adjustable Bokeh Effects, Enhanced Color Contrast

Which of these cool Dual Camera Android smartphones are you eyeing, TP Friends? Did we miss other similar handsets that are worth including in the list? Let us know in the comment section below!

~ This TechPinas article was written by TechPinas Junior Correspondent, Christian Mark Godoy, and edited by TP Founder, Mark Milan Macanas.

TechPinas Writer Profile

Christian Mark Godoy is an IT professional who's passionate about the latest trends in mobile technology. He graduated Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from the University of Santo Tomas in 2014 and is now starting his blogging stint by being a junior contributor in TechPinas.

Huawei P10 Philippines Official Price, Technical Specifications, Actual Photos

When my readers and friends ask me to describe Huawei P10 in the most concise way that I can, I always tell them that the 2017 flagship is 'simply a more gorgeous and slightly more powerful refresh of its direct predecessor.'

Unlike Huawei P9, which represented a tremendous leap coming the P8 by donning the company's first Dual Camera module in the high-end echelon, this year's P10 is more or less just a more svelte or attractive repackaging of what was already there; And that's no shade, considering that the P9 still stands as one of the best smartphones the Chinese electronics company has ever released.

Despite having that thought, however, I still got smitten with the Huawei P10 when I first saw it in the flesh last week. I mean, just look at it.

Available in rather posh matte black and flaunting a more rounded footprint, Huawei's new top-of-the-line model is a true joy to hold and behold.

Although it obviously looks a tad too much as the Apple iPhone 7 with its unibody metal shell and less prominent antenna bands, I would say that the P10's Dual Camera set-up at the back and the Leica branding beside it are enough to give the smartphone its own iconic look.

In terms of build and construction, I would say that this model is top-notch. Holding it, you will instantly feel a reassuring heft and 'integrity of parts' that can only come from being carefully crafted. To be specific, the anodized aluminum body seamlessly embraces the scratch-resistant 2.5D curved Corning Gorilla Glass 5 face, which protects the 5.1-inch Full HD IPS-NEO display.

However, I wish that the device's shell was actually water and dust resistant -- just like that of its main competitors in the flagship category this year.

Huawei P10 is out in a number of elegant colors including Mystic Silver, Rose Gold, Dazzling Blue, Dazzling Gold, Greenery, and - what I have here - Graphite Black.

Just like the iPhone, Huawei P10 has a 'neat' top panel as all holes or grooves on the shell are found at the rear.  Here, we have the loud speaker, the USB Type C port, and the 3.5mm combo jack.

Now, let's talk about Huawei P10's key feature: The Dual Camera module.

Compared to what you'll find on Huawei P9, this year's flagship has a higher resolution main optic at 20 MegaPixels, which is complemented by the same 12 MegaPixel black-and-white shooter beside it.

The combination of these two lenses, allows the P10 to shoot colored images with better contrast even in low light conditions and to deliver shots with well-defined depth of field effects.

Despite having the same Leica Summarit H 1:2.2/27 ASPH main sensor just like what the P9 has, the Huawei P10 benefits from improved imaging algorithms that should help boost its performance in various lighting conditions.

The same enhanced algorithms, which were co-developed by Leica, are now also implemented on the 8 MegaPixel resulting in better-looking selfies that are instantly ready for sharing on social media.

Users can now also enjoy the new Portrait Mode for selfies that automatically blurs the background, akin to bokeh, further highlighting the face.

As for the phone's technical specifications, it's a mixed bag of upgrades and 'hold offs' coming from the Huawei P9. The new model runs its Emotion-UI-skinned Android 7.0 Nougat operating system with a 64-Bit Octa Core ARM Cortex A73, A53, and Mali-G71 based HiSilicon Kirin 960 processor - a clear level-up from last year's HiSilicon Kirin 955 processor, has the same 4GB of RAM, and comes with similar 32GB and 64GB expandable storage options.

I personally should have loved to see 6GB RAM and 128GB ROM on the P10 specs-sheet but I guess Huawei thought that - currently - 4GB and 64GB are enough to deliver a smooth and compelling multitasking and multimedia experience on a smartphone.

For those who are interested, Huawei P10 will be officially up for purchase in the Philippines before the end of April 2017 with an official suggested retail price of Php 28,990. Yes, it's more expensive than the P9 by Php 5,000 upon launch; Are the new features enough to explain the notable price increase? You tell me. Personally, I believe many hardcore Huawei fans surely won't mind and will still go for this release.

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST)Name : Huawei P10
Type : Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category : High-End
Dimensions : 145.3 x 69.3 x 7 mm
Weight : 145 grams
Available Colors : Graphite Black, Mystic Silver, Rose Gold, Dazzling Gold, Dazzling Blue, Greenery
Operating System : Android 7.0 Nougat with Emotion UI 5.1
Display : 5.1 inches (~71.2% screen-to-body ratio), 1080 x 1920 pixels (~432 ppi pixel density), IPS NEO, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, 2.5D Curved Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Processor : 64-Bit Octa Core (2.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A73 x 4, 1.8 GHz ARM Cortex-A53 x 4), Mali-G71 MP8 GPU, HiSilicon Kirin 960 chipset
RAM : 4GB RAM
Internal Storage : 32GB and 64GB ROM options, expandable via hybrid secondary nanoSIM slot supporting up to 256GB
Camera : Back: Dual 20 MegaPixels + 12 MegaPixels, f/2.2 aperture, Leica optics, Optical Image Stabilization, phase detection and laser autofocus, Dual Tone flash
Front: 8 MegaPixels, f/1.9 aperture, Leica software algorithm
Video Capture : 4K 30 frames per second, Full HD 1080p 60 frames per second
Audio and Video Playback : MP3, WAV, eAAC+, FLAC, MP4, H.264
Ports : USB Type C, 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity : Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v4.2 with A2DP, EDR, 3G HSPA+; 4G LTE
GPS : A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
FM Radio : No
Sensors : Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity, Gyroscope, Fingerprint Scanner
Network : 2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 and SIM 2,
3G HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands LTE band 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 9(1800), 12(700), 17(700), 18(800), 19(800), 20(800), 26(850), 28(700), 29(700), 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300) - VTR-L09
SIM Card Type : Dual nanoSIM
Battery : Non-removable 3,200 mAh Li-Ion battery
Uptime : TBD
Value-Added Features : Dual Camera Set-up, Emotion UI features, Premium Build, Better Front-Facing Camera for Selfies
Announcement : Philippines - April 24, 2016
Availability : Philippines - April 2016
Price : Official SRP in the Philippines - Php 28,990