Now we understand why January 2024 felt like a decade—pun intended. Did you know that smartphone brands in the Philippines launched over twenty models? Seriously, that’s an impressive start to the year. Imagine us at YugaTech, tasked with reviewing more than half of these models, both local and international.
Table of Contents
In tech, we usually experience this surge of new devices only during Techtober (October to December). But if you’re curious about which devices were launched, continue reading below.
First on the list is the ZTE Blade V50 Vita, which was launched globally in late October 2023. Although ZTE made a comeback in the Philippines in February 2023, this phone was not included in the announcement. However, in January, it was listed online via Shopee.
ZTE Blade V50 Vita specs:
6.75-inch HD+ Display
90Hz Refresh Rate
UNISOC Tiger T618 Octa Core Processor
4GB RAM (upto 14GB Extended RAM)
256GB Storage
50MP Triple Camera
50MP ultra-wide lens
8MP Selfie Camera
4G/LTE
WiFi 802.11ac
Bluetooth 5.2
NFC
GPS
USB Type-C
Android 13
6,000mAh Battery 22.5w Fast Charging
Icy Blue, Misty Black, Sandy Gold
Next in line is the POCO series, starting off with the M6 Pro 4G. As you may know, the POCO M Series is typically their affordable, budget-friendly devices. However, with the “Pro” added to it, it seems that they are aiming for a different price point category for the POCO M6 Pro 4G.
POCO M6 Pro 4G specs:
6.67-inch FHD+ Flow AMOLED DotDisplay (resolution 2400 x 1080 pixels)
120Hz refresh rate, 2160Hz sampling rate
MediaTek Helio G99-Ultra, 6nm chipset (capable of up to 2.2GHz)
ARM Mali-G57 MC2 GPU
8GB/12GB RAM (LPDDR4X )
256GB/512GB internal storage (UFS 2.2)
Expandable via microSD up to 1TB (hybrid slot)
64MP f/1.7, OIS main camera
8MP f/2.4 ultra-wide camera
2MP f/2.4 macro camera
16MP front camera
MiUI 14 based off Android 13 (upgradable to Xiaomi HyperOS)
5,000 mAh battery
67W wired turbo charging
Dual nano SIM card
4G/3G/2G
Dual-band Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 5.2
Optical in-display fingerprint sensor
Dual speakers
AI Face Unlock
IR blaster
NFC
3.5mm headphone jack
IP54 splash-proof protection
179 grams (weight)
161.1mm x 74.95mm x 7.98mm (dimensions)
Colors: Black, Blue, Purple
Alongside the M6 Pro device, they also launched one of two X series flagship phones, the POCO X6, a successor to the POCO X5 that has been slightly improved in terms of specs. It features a larger battery, an improved camera, a new processor, and a higher RAM configuration.
POCO X6 specs:
6.67-inch CrystalRes 1.5K Flow AMOLED DotDisplay panel, 100% DCI-P3 wide color gamut @ 1080 x 2400 pixels
120Hz refresh rate, 1800 nits (peak), Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, 2160Hz instant touch sampling rate
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
Octa-core (up to 2.4GHz)
Adreno 710
8GB, 12GB LPDDR5X RAM (up to +8GB RAM Memory extension 3.0)
256GB, 512GB UFS 4.0 internal storage
No card slot
64MP main camera
8MP ultra-wide
2MP macro
16MP front camera
Dual nano-SIM
5G
WiFi 6E
Bluetooth 5.4
GPS
NFC
IR Blaster
Dual speakers
No 3.5mm audio
USB Type-C
Xiaomi HyperOS based on Android 14
In-display Fingerprint sensor
5,100mAh battery, 67W Turbo Charging
X-axis linear vibration motor
IP54 splash-proof protection
LiquidCool Technology 2.0
Weight: 181 grams
Dimensions: 161.15mm x 74.24 x 7.98mm (plastic) / 8.35mm (vegan leather)
Color variants: Black, White, Blue
Now, for the second POCO X series device launched, it’s the POCO X6 Pro. This year, POCO opted to change the design of the camera modules but still maintained that signature rectangular look. In terms of overall changes, they switched to a MediaTek SoC. Although the X5 Pro has a higher 108MP main camera, the X6 Pro still achieved better results, even with just a 64MP main shooter.
POCO X6 Pro specs:
6.67-inch CrystalRes 1.5K Flow AMOLED DotDisplay panel, 100% DCI-P3 wide color gamut @ 1080 x 2400 pixels
120Hz refresh rate, 1800 nits (peak), Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, 2160Hz instant touch sampling rate
Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Mediatek Dimensity 8300-Ultra
Octa-core (up to 3.35GHz)
ARM Mali G615
8GB, 12GB LPDDR5X RAM (up to +8GB RAM Memory extension 3.0)
256GB, 512GB UFS 4.0 internal storage
No card slot
64MP main camera
8MP ultra-wide
2MP macro
16MP front camera
Dual SIM card
5G
WiFi 6E
Bluetooth 5.4
GPS
NFC
IR Blaster
Dual speakers
No 3.5mm audio
USB Type-C
Xiaomi HyperOS based on Android 14
In-display Fingerprint sensor
5,000mAh battery, 67W Turbo Charging
X-axis linear vibration motor
IP54 splash-proof protection
LiquidCool Technology 2.0
Weight: 186 grams (plastic) / 190 grams (vegan leather) (weight)
Dimensions: 160.45mm x 74.34 x 8.25mm (plastic) / 8.35mm (vegan leather)
Color variants: Black, Yellow, Grey
Dubbed as the most viral smartphone in the Philippines the HONOR X9b, HONOR Philippines took it further this year with the launch of the successor to the HONOR X9a. They managed to maintain that durable display at the same price point without sacrificing the phone’s performance.
HONOR X9b 5G specs:
6.78-inch Curved AMOLED Display (resolution 2652 x 1220 pixels), 120Hz refresh rate
Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 2.2GHz, 4nm chipset
4x Cortex A78 @ 2.2GHz + 4x Cortex A55 @ 1.8GHz
Adreno 710 GPU
12GB RAM
256GB internal storage (No card slot)
108MP f/1.75, PDAF main camera
5MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera
2MP f/2.4 macro camera
16MP f/2.45 front camera
Dual nano SIM card
5G/4G/3G/2G
Dual-band Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 5.1
Optical in-display fingerprint sensor
Single speaker
Optical Face Unlock
NFC
5,800mAh Li-Po battery, 35W Super Charge
MagicOS 7.2 (based on Android 13)
185 grams (weight)
163.6mm x 75.5mm x 7.98mm (dimensions)
Colors: Sunrise Orange, Midnight Black, Emerald Green
When we talk about Xiaomi, Redmi is always associated with them, now with its Note 13 version. This device has managed to maintain its crown as an affordable budget smartphone for many users, thanks to its quality build and a well-balanced price-to-performance ratio. There’s no doubt the Redmi Note series becomes the talk of the town whenever a new series is launched.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 (4G) specs:
6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED @ 2400 x 1080 pixels, 120Hz refresh
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 685
6nm, 8-cores, up to 2.8GHz
6GB, 8GB LPDDR4x RAM
128GB, 256GB UFS 2.2 storage
Supports microSD up to 1TB (hybrid slot)
Triple rear cameras:
– 108MP f/1.75 main
– 8MP f/2.2 ultrawide
– 2MP f/2.4 macro
16MP front-facing selfie shooter (hole-punch notch)
Dual nano-SIM
4G LTE
WiFi 5
Bluetooth 5.1
GPS
USB Type-C
3.5mm audio jack
NFC
In-screen fingerprint sensor, face unlock, IR blaster
IP54 splash and dust resistance
MIUI 14 (Android 13)
5,000mAh Li-Po battery 33W charging
162.24mm x 75.55mm x 7.97mm (dimensions)
188.5 rams (weight)
Midnight Black, Mint Green, Ice Blue, Ocean Sunset (colors)
As mentioned earlier, the Xiaomi Redmi Note series has always been known for its budget-friendly offerings. However, with the launch of their Note Pro series, they began to incorporate a more extensive set of features and capabilities, typically found in flagship devices, but without breaking the bank. The Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G is a testament to this approach.
Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G specs:
6.67-inch AMOLED
2400 x 1080 pixels
Corning Gorilla Glass 5
120Hz, 1300 nits
Mediatek Helio G99-Ultra
8GB, 12GB LPDDR4X RAM
256GB, 512GB UFS 2.2
200MP f/1.65, OIS main camera
8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera
2MP f/2.4 macro camera
16MP front camera
SIM 1 + Hybrid (SIM or microSD)
4G
WiFi 5
Bluetooth 5.2
GPS
NFC
IR Blaster
5,000mAh 67W
In-screen fingerprint sensor
3.5mm headphone jack
In-screen fingerprint sensor
IP54
188 grams
161.1mm x 74.95mm x 7.98mm
Midnight Black, Lavender Purple, Forest Green
Well, this is now the third device in the series. The Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus variant uses the Snapdragon processor and offers 5G capability for a slightly higher price point.
Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G specs:
6.67-inch CrystalRes AMOLED
2712 x 1220 pixels
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
120Hz, 1800 nits
Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
8GB, 12GB LPDDR4X RAM
256GB, 512GB UFS 2.2
200MP f/1.65, OIS main camera
8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera
2MP f/2.4 macro camera
16MP front camera
Dual SIM (nano SIM + nano SIM or nano SIM + eSIM)
5G
WiFi 5
Bluetooth 5.2
GPS
NFC
IR Blaster
5,100mAh 67W
In-screen fingerprint sensor
3.5mm headphone jack
Dual speakers
Dolby Atmos
In-screen fingerprint sensor
IP54
187 grams
161.15mm x 74.24mm x 7.98mm
Midnight Black, Ocean Teal, Aurora Purple
And the last Redmi Note device launched last January is the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G. It features an ultra-clear camera with a flagship-level 200-megapixel main shooter equipped with both OIS and EIS, along with a 1.5k 120Hz AMOLED display. Surely, the Note 13 Pro+ 5G stands as a strong contender in its price point category.
Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G specs:
6.67-inch CrystalRes AMOLED
2712 x 1220 pixels
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
120Hz, 1800 nits
MediaTek Dimensity 7200-Ultra
8GB, 12GB LPDDR5 RAM
256GB, 512GB UFS 3.1
200MP f/1.65, OIS main camera
8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera
2MP f/2.4 macro camera
16MP front camera
Dual SIM (nano SIM + nano SIM or nano SIM + eSIM)
5G
WiFi 6
Bluetooth 5.3
GPS
NFC
IR Blaster
5,000mAh 120W
In-screen fingerprint sensor
Dual speakers
Dolby Atmos
In-screen fingerprint sensor
IP68
204.5 grams
161.4mm x 74.2mm x 8.9mm
Midnight Black, Moonlight White, Aurora Purple
While the conversation still revolves around the NOTE series, Realme has now entered the arena with their own note lineup, kicking things off with the Realme Note 50 aimed at the entry-level segment. It’s an impressive beginning, and we’ll surely be watching to see how Realme’s note series develops in the years ahead.
realme Note 50 specs:
6.74-inch HD+ LCD
1600 x 720 pixels, 90Hz refresh
560 nits (peak) brightness
UNISOC T612 (12nm)
8-cores, up to 1.8GHz clock speed
4GB RAM (+4GB Dynamic RAM)
64GB storage
Supports microSD up to 2TB
Dual rear cameras:
– 13MP main
– B&W lens
5MP front-facing selfie shooter
Dual nano-SIM
4G LTE
Dual frequency Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 5.0
GPS
USB Type-C
Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
IP54 splash and dust resistance
realme UI T Edition (Android 13)
5000mAh battery
10W charging
167.7 x 76.67 x 7.99mm
~186g
Sky Blue, Midnight Black
Announced and released internationally in November 2023, the Vivo Y27s is a mid-tier device featuring a dual camera and extended battery life. This device was silently launched in the Philippines as a minor refresh and upgrade from the Vivo Y27 model.
vivo Y27s specs:
6.64-inch FHD+ LCD
2388×1080 pixels, 90Hz refresh
394 ppi, 650 nits peak brightness
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 (6nm)
8-cores, up to 2.4GHz clockspeed
8GB LPDDR4x RAM (+8GB extended memory)
128GB, 256GB UFS 2.2 storage
Supports microSD up to 1TB (dedicated slot)
Dual rear cameras:
– 50MP f/1,8 main
– 2MP f/2.4 secondary lens
8MP f/2.0 selfie shooter
Dual nano-SIM
4G LTEx0
Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz
Bluetooth 5.0
GPS, BeiDou, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS
USB Type-C (USB 2.0)
NFC (Indonesia, Russia, and South Africa only)
Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
IP54 water and dust resistance
Funtouch OS 13 (Android 13)
5000mAh Li-ion battery
44W charging rate
164.06 × 76.17 × 8.17 mm (non-Latin America)
164.06 × 76.17 × 8.07 mm (Latin America)
192g
Burgundy Black, Garden Green
In this lineup, Samsung also made sure to stay in the spotlight with the launch of their A series. This year’s models adopt the design language from their Galaxy S series, which, in my opinion, was a smart move. It makes the designs easily recognizable, as opposed to previous years when the A and S series were quite distinct in their design decisions.
Along with this, they introduced three new models: the A15, A15 5G, and A25 5G. These series aim at the Gen Z market with their vibrant colors and software features designed to appeal to a younger audience.
Samsung Galaxy A15 Specs:
6.5-inch Super AMOLED, 1080 x 2340 FHD+, 90Hz,
MediaTek Helio G99 4G processor, 6nm
Octa-Core (2.2 GHz & 2 GHz)
Mali-G57 MP2 GPU
4GB/8GB RAM
128Gb/256GB Storage, MicroSD up to 1TB
50MP Main Camera
5MP Ultra Wide Camera
2MP Rear Macro Camera
13MP Front Camera
Dual-SIM, Nano-SIM, Hybrid Slot
2G GSM, 3G WCDMA, 4G LTE FDD/TDD
Bluetooth v5.3
NFC
Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
USB Type-C
Android OS
5000mAh Battery Super Fast Charging
160.1 x 76.8 x 8.4mm
200g
Samsung Galaxy A15 5G Specs:
6.5-inch Super AMOLED, 1080 x 2340 FHD+, 90Hz,
Octa-Core (2.2 GHz & 2 GHz),6nm
4GB/8GB RAM
128GB/256GB storage, MicroSD up to 1TB
50MP Main Camera
5MP Ultra Wide Camera
2MP Macro Camera
13MP Front Camera
Dual-SIM, Nano-SIM, Hybrid SIM slot
5G, 4G LTE, 3G, 2G support
Bluetooth v5.3
NFC
Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
GPS, Glonass, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS
USB Type-C
Android OS
5000mAh battery, 18W charging, Super Fast Charging
160.1 x 76.8 x 8.4mm
200g.
Samsung Galaxy A25 5G Specs:
6.5-inch Super AMOLED, 1080 x 2340 FHD+, 120Hz
Samsung Exynos 1280 5G processor, 5nm
Mali-G68 GPU
Octa-Core (2.4 GHz & 2 GHz)
6GB/8GB RAM
128GB/256GB Storage, MicroSD up to 1TB
50MP OIS Main
8MP Ultra Wide Camera
2MP Macro Camera
13MP Front Camera
Dual-SIM, Nano-SIM, Hybrid Slot,
2G GSM, 3G WCDMA, 4G LTE FDD/TDD, 5G Sub6,
Bluetooth v5.3
NFC
Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
USB Type-C
5000mAh Battery
Android OS
161.0 x 76.5 x 8.3mm
197g
And, of course, topping the list both in terms of price and anticipation is Samsung’s Galaxy S24 series, launched surprisingly early this year. The spotlight for this year’s Galaxy S24 series has been on its AI features, which have garnered significant attention. At launch, the expected three variants were unveiled: the Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra.
While retaining their recognizable design language, these models boast enhanced performance and expanded feature sets.
Samsung Galaxy S24 specs:
6.2-inch FHD+ AMOLED 2X Display
1 to 120Hz refresh rate, Vision Booster
Samsung Exynos 2400 for Galaxy
8GB LPDDR5x RAM
256GB, 512GB USF 4.0 internal storage
50MP f/1.8, OIS main camera
12MP f/2.2 ultrawide camera
10MP f/2.4 telephoto camera, 3x optical zoom
12MP f/2.2 front camera
5G, LTE
WiFi 6E
Bluetooth 5.3
NFC
GPS
IP68 Rating
One UI 6.1 based on Android 14
4,000mAh Li-Po battery 25W wired charging, wireless charging, Wireless PowerShare
167 grams (Sub6), 168 grams (mmWave)
70.6 x 147 x 7.6mm (dimensions)
Onyx Black, Marble Gray, Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow
Samsung Galaxy S24+ specs:
6.7-inch QHD+ AMOLED 2X Display
1 to 120Hz refresh rate, Vision Booster
Samsung Exynos 2400 for Galaxy
12GB LPDDR5x RAM
256GB, 512GB USF 4.0 internal storage
50MP f/1.8, OIS main camera
12MP f/2.2 ultrawide camera
10MP f/2.4 telephoto camera, 3x optical zoom
12MP f/2.2 front camera
5G, LTE
WiFi 6E
Bluetooth 5.3
NFC
GPS
IP68 Rating
One UI 6.1 based on Android 14
4,900mAh Li-Po battery 45W wired charging, wireless charging, Wireless PowerShare
196 grams (Sub6), 197grams (mmWave)
75.9 x 158.5 x 7.7mm (dimensions)
Onyx Black, Marble Gray, Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra specs:
6.8-inch QHD+ AMOLED 2X Display
1 to 120Hz refresh rate, Vision Booster, 2400 nits peak brightness
Corning Gorilla Glass Armor (front)
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
12GB LPDDR5x RAM
256GB, 512GB, 1TB UFS 4.0 internal storage
200MP f/1.7, OIS main camera
12MP f/2.2 ultrawide camera
50MP f/3.4 OIS telephoto camera, 5x optical zoom
10MP f/2.4 OIS telephoto camera, 3x optical zoom
12MP f/2.2 front camera
5G, LTE
WiFi 7
Bluetooth 5.3
NFC
GPS
IP68 Water and Dust resistance rating
One UI 6.1 based on Android 14
5,000mAh Li-Po battery 45W wired charging, wireless charging, Wireless PowerShare
232 grams (weight)
79 x 162.3 x 8.6mm (dimensions)
Titanium Gray, Titanium Black, Titanium Violet, Titanium Yellow
The only tablet on the list is from DOOGEE, which also made a comeback in the Philippines with a new distributor, initially focusing on tablets. DOOGEE is known for creating highly rugged and durable smartphones but is also one of the few brands that still develop budget tablets.
The DOOGEE T20 Ultra is at a higher price point since it’s a large tablet, but in fact, it remains one of the more affordable options when you consider the specific niche they are targeting with this device.
DOOGEE T20 Ultra (LTE) specs:
12-inch 2K IPS LCD
1200 x 2000 pixels, 195 ppi
MediaTek Helio G99 (6nm)
8-cores, up to 2.2GHz
12GB DDR4x RAM (up to +20GB extended memory)
256GB storage
Expandable up to 2TB via microSD
16MP rear camera
8MP front-facing selfie shooter
Dual nano-SIM
4G LTE
Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 5.2
GPS, Beidou, GLONASS, Galileo, AGPS
USB Type-C
3.5mm audio jack
Hi-Res quad speakers
Android 13
10,800mAh battery
18W charging
278.8 x 174.3 x 7.6mm
568g
Gray, Blue
But, if you are looking for a budget-friendly tablet that still has a large display of over 10 inches, then the DOOGEE U10 Pro might be a good option to consider. For just under 6k, this tablet is surely a steal.
DOOGEE U10 Pro (Wi-Fi) specs:
10.1-inch HD IPS LCD
800 x 1280 pixels, 149 ppi
Rockchip RK3562
4-core Arm Cortex-A53, up to 2.0GHz
8GB LPDDR4x RAM (up to +12GB extended memory)
128GB eMMC5.1 storage
Expandable up to 1TB via microSD
5MP rear camera
8MP front-facing selfie shooter
Wi-Fi 6, IEEE 802.11ax/ac/b/g/n
Bluetooth 5.0
USB Type-C
3.5mm audio jack
Android 13
5060mAh battery
10W charging
245.3 x 163.3 x 9.9mm
478g
Gray, Pink
Last but not least, and the most affordable in the bunch, is the itel P55 4G. Yes, for only PHP 2,999, you get a phone that will last you a day and still delivers solid performance.
itel P55 (4G) specs:
6.6-inch HD+ IPS LCD
1612 x 720 pixels, 90Hz refresh
UNISOC T606 (12nm)
8-cores, up to 1.6GHz
8GB RAM (up to +16GB extended memory)
128GB, 256GB storage
Expandable via microSD
Dual rear cameras:
– 50MP main
– (Unspecified) auxiliary lens
8MP selfie shooter (hole punch notch)
Dual nano-SIM
4G LTE
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
GPS
USB Type-C
3.5mm audio jack
NFC (256GB variant only)
Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, face unlock
Android 13
5000mAh battery
18W charging
Moonlit Black, Aurora Blue, Brilliant Gold
Phew! There you have it. That’s all the new devices that were launched and are now available in the Philippines. Stay tuned for our February list because there’s a comeback from a brand. What do you think of the January list? Which device are you eyeing? Let us know in the comments below.
Previous Months Coverage
January 2024 Coverage
February 2024 Coverage
March 2024 Coverage
April 2024 Coverage
May 2024 Coverage
June 2024 Coverage
July 2024 Coverage
August 2024 Coverage
September 2024 Coverage
October 2024 Coverage
haryu says:
right!! the phone market sure feels lively I’m surprised too 😆😆. thanks for the list I needed this