Globe is undisputed leader in postpaid w/revenue market share of 57.8%

In Press Releases by REVU TeamLeave a Comment

Globe Telecom is the #1 postpaid brand in the country based on revenue market share, the global metric used in determining market leadership across telcos worldwide.

Globe posted postpaid revenues of P7.8 billion in the first quarter of 2015 versus Smart’s P3.3 billion and Sun’s P2.4 billion. Globe postpaid revenues have grown by 11% versus Sun’s 10% growth from previous year’s levels.

The revenue figures show Globe has cornered the mobile postpaid segment with revenue market share of 57.8%, leaving Smart with a 24.6% revenue share and Sun with a 17.6% revenue share.

Globe Senior Advisor for Consumer Business Dan Horan pointed out that Globe has been consistently growing its postpaid business both in number of customers and ARPU (average revenue per user), an important indicator of customer preference and stickiness to the network. “Clearly, mobile postpaid is a segment that Globe has long dominated over many years. Since 2012, Globe led the mobile postpaid business with a consistent revenue market share of 58% on a 2-player market. Our leadership in the postpaid business is clearly unprecedented, underpinned by sustained growth in this segment and our breakthrough offers and innovations attracting new customers.”

Providing access to the Filipino digital lifestyle, Globe launched the new postpaid myLifestyle Plan, allowing customers to fully embrace the digital experience with data and exciting content using mobile phones.

“The myLifestyle Plan was a significant growth driver of postpaid revenues and customer base in the first quarter of 2015 as it perfectly caters to our customers’ digital lifestyles. With the myLifestyle Plan, they get a postpaid plan made for the way they live today, giving them a full smartphone experience with focus on data usage. The myLifestyle Plan is set to become an invaluable life tool to allow our customers to enjoy a world of digital content that is built the way they live now,” says Erli Valdez, Vice President for Postpaid Business at Globe.

The new myLifestyle Plan gives customers access to an easier and simplified plan offer starting at P499 a month which comes with built-in unlimited calls and texts to Globe & TM plus freebies such as free 1-month choice of Navigation, Explore or Fitness Pack, free 1-month Gadget Care, and free 1GB Globe Cloud storage for 24 months.

On top of the base P499/month plan, Globe postpaid customers can avail of add-on services like Surf Packs for their mobile internet needs which are bundled with exclusive access to Spotify and/ or NBA League Pass. Customers can choose from GoSURF99 for 100MB of mobile internet monthly to as much as 15GB monthly with GoSURF2499.

For a richer data experience, myLifestyle plan customers can also choose from any of the Lifestyle Packs which includes Chat, Fitness, Navigation, Explore, Photo, Shopping, Work, as well as access to Facebook, HOOQ, NBA, Spotify, and Twitter. Moreover, they can also get extra calls and texts to other networks, as well as landline and international services with the Classic Packs.

All promo packs chosen will then be added to the P499 base plan, which will be equivalent to the customer’s monthly service fee (MSF). Customers then get to choose from a wide range of free devices and gadgets, depending on their MSF. The more services they add on top of the base plan, the better the handset they can get.

By adding P99 on top of the base plan, customers can get free smartphones with their postpaid plan ranging from CloudFone, Huawei, Lenovo, Samsung, or Microsoft Lumia devices.

Report: Apple’s next iPhones to have Force Touch

In Phones by Ramon LopezLeave a Comment

We’re just months away from seeing the next iPhone models — if history is any indication, Apple is expected to launch a new iPhone duo in September — which means the rumor mill is spinning wildly once again with iPhone-related news.

With Force Touch, iPhone owners would be able to perform different functions just by applying more force to their screen touches.

Case in point: A recent report from Bloomberg says that this year’s iPhone sequels will make use of pressure-sensitive displays that will incorporate Force Touch input, similar to the Apple Watch and the new line of MacBooks.

If that is indeed the case, then next-gen iPhone owners would be able to perform different functions just by applying more force to their screen touches. Imagine using Force Touch to see the dictionary definition of a word, scrub through videos, or preview a photo. That sounds like the kind of feature that smartphone novices and power users alike can appreciate.

Bloomberg’s tipsters also claim that the upcoming iPhones — in typical S model fashion — will retain the same design as currently available variants and will have 4.7- and 5.5-inch displays.

OnePlus 2 slated to launch on July 27 in VR

In Phones by Ramon LopezLeave a Comment

Smartphone startup OnePlus has announced the launch date of the OnePlus 2, with the unveiling set for July 27, a month from today. Even better, the company will stream a 360-degree video feed of the launch event so that anyone with an Internet connection and a VR headset (Google Cardboard, anyone?) can watch the debut of its second-gen flaghship in full next-gen splendor.

As previously reported, the phone will sport an improved version of the Snapdragon 810 chipset — Qualcomm’s latest and fastest yet — and will make use of a USB Type-C port. Yes, it’s the same reversible connector found in the latest 12-inch MacBook. That said, don’t expect the OnePlus 2 to be as affordable as its predecessor.

However, you’ll still need an invite to purchase OnePlus’ next phone, which is unfortunate.

Oh, and another thing: You’ll need an invite to purchase OnePlus’ next phone, which is unfortunate. For the uninitiated, getting an invite often requires months of waiting and jumping through hoops in the OnePlus forum.

[youtube link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JPM8mSl9kc” width=”560″ height=”315″]

YouTube video of OnePlus’ USB Type-C cable charging a 12-inch MacBook

Meizu M2 Note coming to PH in July

In Phones by Ramon Lopez3 Comments

Speaking to tech blog Unbox, local distributor of Meizu smartphones Novo7 Tech has confirmed the Philippine release of the Meizu M2 Note sometime in July. The 5.5-incher, which debuted in China earlier this month, will be heading to local shores as a timed exclusive that can be purchased on Lazada Philippines’ website at a discounted price of P6,990. After the initial sale period, the phone will be available at a slightly higher price of P7,490 in Novo7 Tech stores.

The M2 Note is heading to local shores as a timed exclusive that can be purchased on Lazada’s website at a discounted price of P6,990.

The Meizu M2 Note is backed by an LTE-capable, octa-core processor with 2GB of RAM and 16GB or 32GB of built-in storage that can be expanded via a microSD card. Other highlights include Android Lollipop 5.1 based on Meizu’s Flyme 4.5 operating system, a fingerprint sensor that doubles as the phone’s physical navigation button, 13- and 5-megapixel main and secondary cameras, and a 3,100mAh battery.

There’s a ton of locally available options for those looking for an affordable smartphone, and the Meizu M2 Note may be as good a choice as anything on the market right now.

Meizu M2 Note specs (Price in the Philippines: P6,990):
* Dual SIM with LTE support
* 1.3GHz 64-bit, octa-core MediaTek MT6753 CPU
* Mali-T720 MP3 GPU
* 2GB RAM
* 16GB/32GB internal storage
* microSD card slot (up to 128GB)
* 5.5-inch IGZO display (1,080 x 1,920 resolution)
* 13-megapixel rear camera with dual-LED flash
* 5-megapixel front camera
* 3,100mAh battery
* Android Lollipop 5.1

[youtube link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbmfLSqPmaA” width=”560″ height=”315″]

Meizu M2 Note unboxing video

Yelp Philippines goes live w/thousands of reviews

In Business, Games, Apps, and OS by Ramon LopezLeave a Comment

That’s right! Yelp, the de facto online business directory for many — the yellow pages of the Internet, if you will — is now live in the Philippines, which means you can now mosey over to Yelp Philippines and read thousands of crowd-sourced reviews to find your next favorite restaurant or watering hole. Business owners, on the other hand, can look forward to a new way of promoting their establishments by tapping into a local community of Yelpers (read: Yelp users). Yelp can also provide them a means of gauging consumer interest online.

Yelp, the yellow pages of the Internet, if you will, is now live in the Philippines.

Since being founded in 2004, Yelp has grown exponentially, expanding its reach across Europe and Asia. Currently, there are Yelp communities in 32 international markets, including Singapore, Japan, and Hong Kong, among many others. Throughout the first quarter of 2015, the company’s site traffic from mobile devices fetched an average of 79 million unique visitors per month.

Yelp in the Philippines is available via desktop, mobile, and app (Android and iOS) in both English and Filipino.

Hands-on: OPPO Joy 3

In Phones by Ramon Lopez9 Comments

Amid the recent renaissance of value-for-money smartphones in the Philippines, OPPO has refreshed its entry-level Joy series to compete with local and foreign players in the industry. Say hello to the OPPO Joy 3, which is more like a spiritual successor to the Joy Plus, seeing how close the release dates of both phones are.

In case you don’t feel like doing a Google search, the Joy Plus debuted in the Philippines just last April, which leads me to believe that it will continue to occupy the bottom rung of OPPO’s smartphone hierarchy until the end of the year.

OPPO’s new Joy 3 sits somewhere above the Joy Plus, retailing for P6,490 locally. But beyond that, where does it stand in the ranks of affordable devices that have recently hit the market? More importantly, is it any good? Those questions, and more, are hopefully answered in this hands-on article.

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OPPO Joy 3 specs (Price in the Philippines: P6,490): 
* Dual SIM (dual micro SIM, dual standby)
* 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6582 chipset
* 1GB RAM
* 4GB internal storage
* microSD card slot
* 4.5-inch IPS display (480 x 854 resolution)
* 5-megapixel rear camera with flash
* 2-megapixel front camera
* 2,000mAh battery
* Android KitKat 4.4.2

The OPPO Joy 3 is wrapped in glossy plastic that feels as sturdy and well-built as any budget offering out there.

The white variant of the OPPO Joy 3 is wrapped in glossy plastic (I’m told the gray model has a matte finish) that feels as sturdy and well-built as any budget offering I’ve come across, and its rounded corners keep the exterior looking up-to-date. The thick, brushed-metal band that runs along the edge of the phone adds to its charm in no small measure.

The button placement and gently curved back cover allow for easier operation with either hand. Speaking of which, I found the Joy 3’s size and weight to be perfect for one-handed use and gesture typing. The phone does come with the intuitive Swype keyboard, after all, which lets you glide your finger across the screen from one letter to the next to form a word.

Oppo Joy 3

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The OPPO Joy 3 comes with a 4.5-inch IPS display capable of producing accurate colors and wide viewing angles. It falls short of HD-quality visuals, though, and instead supports a resolution of 480 x 854, which works out to a pixel density of 218 dots per inch. As a result, individual pixels are easy to spot and text may look a bit fuzzy. Clarity-wise, it’s way behind the likes of the Cherry Mobile Flare X and Lenovo A7000, but the overall picture quality is still great for a sub-P7,000 device.

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The Joy 3 also supports screen-off and screen-on gestures, and based on my experience, the gesture shortcuts built into the device work as advertised.

The Joy 3 also supports screen-off and screen-on gestures, which allow you to wake the phone by double-tapping the screen or go directly to the camera app by drawing a circle, among other things. It’s a neat, if familiar, trick that gives you a more convenient way of launching your favorite apps. It reads well on paper, and based on my experience with the Joy 3, the gesture shortcuts built into the device work as advertised.

If there’s one thing I’d change as far as the hardware is concerned, it’s the Joy 3’s now-outdated application of the navigation bar, which sees a capacitive menu button on the left side of its chin. I’d much rather have a bottom row of navigation keys that has a multi-task shortcut, especially since many of today’s popular apps already have a menu button baked into their user interface.

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The Joy 3’s 5- and 2-megapixel rear and front cameras are among its highlights, despite both shooters relying on fixed-focus lens and missing a proper flash module. Notice that the operative word here is “proper”; the phone’s rear-mounted flash is limited to one setting (Fill Light) and isn’t all that helpful in low-light situations.

In good lighting, the 5-megapixel camera produces good levels of detail and lifelike colors. There’s also virtually no shutter lag between shots.

In good lighting, the 5-megapixel sensor produces good levels of detail and lifelike colors that pop when the occasion calls for it. There’s also virtually no shutter lag between shots, allowing you to snap photo after photo without delay. The 2-megapixel camera on the front takes decent selfies and is good for the occasional video call.

Running the ColorOS operating system, the Joy 3 is privy to OPPO’s own camera app, which includes a variety of filter effects and cool shooting modes. OPPO might have been content with a below-average shooter, but the Joy 3 is a strong contender in the budget space.

Below are sample photos taken with the OPPO Joy 3’s 5-megapixel camera.

Oppo Joy 3 sample photo

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