Mobile
Here are two TECNO smartphones that pushes the boundaries at MWC 2026
One’s a phone with a Tesla coil-like back, the other’s a modern take on Project Ara.
Shenzhen-based Transsion and its brands Infinix, itel, and TECNO are no strangers to experimentation. Ultra fast charging, colored e-ink back that can change to any photo you want it to display, and many more.
For starters, CNET shared a video of the TECNO POVA Neon in action. The brand claims that it’s “the world’s first ionized inert gas light emitting technology inside a smartphone.” The video shows a hand touching the back, and little jolts of what it looks like bursts of plasma current following the person’s finger.
While it may never reach production, it’s nice to see what could’ve been if you own such a device: it will definitely be either a conversation starter, or a novelty party trick.
The cream of the crop, however, is here: remember Google’s Project Ara from 13 years ago? Now, TECNO has its own rendition of a modular device, but it’s vastly different from what we expected.
The smartphone is very thin at only 4.9mm. It features a screen, a set of cameras on the back, and a host of pogo pin connectors. As this is a concept phone, sacrifices are made and the Type-C port is nowhere to be found.

Here are the juicy parts: a big, DSLR-like telephoto lens transforms it to a photography machine with 20x zoom capabilities at almost thrice the weight. There’s also a much more reserved selection of attachments like an ultrawide camera, an action cam, a walkie-talkie with satellite communication capabilities that lets you reach someone even on areas without signal.
There’s also lanyards, a periscope telephoto attachment, grips, and a game controller as well. Of course, with the device’s slim profile, you’ll be needing some top-up. Thankfully, there’s a 3,000mAh powerbank and a big 10,000mAh one that can charge the phone through the pogo connectors.
Transsion is clearly pushing the boundaries here, and while we love to see it manufactured for mass production, the fact that these two concept phones exist is enough proof that phones will be fun yet again. Don’t let Zach from JerryRigEverything see the modular phone, though.
Mobile
Infinix XPAD 30E goes official with 7,200mAh battery, Helio G80, and PHP7,999 introductory price
With Infinix’s strong presence here in the country, this is a great option for students and workers alike.
Infinix continues its streak with affordable tablets with the XPAD 30E with some interesting features and resources aimed to assist anyone’s learning.

This tablet is clearly being positioned as a media consumption machine and learning companion with its choice of specs: a large 11-inch IPS LCD with 1080p resolution, 440 nits of brightness, a surprise TUV Blue Light certification, and a standard 60Hz refresh rate.
Performance-wise, it has the MediaTek Helio G80 processor inside, further cementing its status as a work and learning machine, rather than a device built for gaming.
According to their official website, it has 120,000+ free textbook courses and exercises (although we have yet to confirm what exactly these learning materials are). There’s also an AI Tutor to help with assignments and questions.

As with many learning-oriented devices, this also has a sim slot with 4G LTE network support, 5G Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, 3.5mm audio jack, and SD card slot for storage expansion up to 1 TB. The tablet is also IP52 certified so it can handle some splashes and dust.

In addition, the XPAD 30E sports an 8 MP rear camera and 5 MP selfie cam for meetings and online classes. It can record up to 1080p at 30 FPS. Powering this tablet is a 7,200mAh battery with 10 watts charging. Pick amongst three colors: Deep Blue, Dreamy Purple, and Forest Green. It runs on XOS 15 based on Android 15.
Pricing & Availability
Price starts at PHP7,999 for the 4+128GB variant, while the 8+256GB option is priced at PHP9,999, from an SRP of PHP10,999.

Infinix XPAD 30E will be available via Infinix’s official TikTok Shop, Lazada, and Shopee online stores starting March 26. There’s also PHP4,000 worth of freebies such as a kickstand, keyboard, Globe SIM card, Summer Coding Bootcamp, and a 1-year VIU subscription with every purchase.
Events
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: First Impressions
The Galaxy S26 series revisits the familiar camera design we first saw on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 series, with the main three cameras being housed inside a vertical pill.
Last Thursday, February 26, Tekku Philippines was invited over to the first Galaxy Unpacked of the year 2026 to witness the launch of the Galaxy S26 series. Notice something? The year, the date, the series — all three depicting the same number 26.

While the date feels intentional, it’s actually a coincidence for us here in the Philippines. The original date for this year’s Unpacked is February 25 at 10 AM Pacific Time (PT) in the United States, but since we’re 16 hours ahead, the new flagship era was unveiled as if it had picked February 26 as the launch date for Filipinos.
Anyway, the Galaxy S26 series revisits the familiar camera design we first saw on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 series, with the main three cameras being housed inside a vertical pill. Just like the past iterations of the lineup, the Ultra models have additional sensors on the side: the laser auto-focus and the telephoto.

The S26 Ultra has a 200MP primary camera. The main camera is joined by two telephoto sensors (10MP and 50MP) alongside an ultra-wide sensor (50MP). It’s pretty much the same as the S25 Ultra, but the S26 Ultra leans more on the technical side of upgrades, with slight advancements on the sensor size.
While the S26 Ultra may share specifications with the S25 Ultra in terms of screen size (6.9-inch, 1440 x 3120 resolution) and the battery (5,000mAh), the S26 Ultra is 3 grams lighter than its predecessor (214 grams vs. the S25 Ultra’s 218 grams). It also has the top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in a 3-nanometer process, and runs on an Android 16-based OneUI 8.5.

Aside from the minimal changes outlined above, what makes the S26 Ultra special is the addition of the Privacy Display — a first in the industry.
As the name suggests, the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s Privacy Display feature makes your screen go private. It protects your screen from uninvited eyes. The feature is utilized through the phone’s hardware and software, controlling how pixels disperse light in the process.
Below is a demonstration of the Privacy Display when not turned on (left) and turned on (right).


According to Samsung, Privacy Display preserves a full viewing quality from all directions when off, and limits visibility for others from side-viewing angles when activated. In layman’s terms, it prevents others from taking a peek at your screen when it’s on. Only you who’s in front of your phone can see what you are doing.
What makes it great is that it can be customized. It can be adjusted to work on certain aspects of the phone, such as the notifications or an app of your choice.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is available in four color options: Cobalt Violet, White, Black, and Sky Blue, and is available in three memory configurations: 256GB (PHP 86,990), 512GB (PHP 100,990), and 1TB (PHP 121,990). Pre-orders are now open at authorized Samsung stores, and will be up in stores on March 18.
-
Gaming2 weeks agoMSI Launches Limited-Edition Frieren GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16G OC Graphics Card
-
First Impressions3 days agoHONOR X8d First Impressions: Striking but underwhelming
-
Features6 days agoConverge Global Business Clinches B2B Client Initiative of the Year at the 2026 Asian Telecom Awards
-
Events6 days agoHONOR unveils battery-heavy HONOR X8d with clear display, slim design
-
Editorial2 weeks agoBlast from the past: notched screens making a comeback in new releases
-
Features6 days ago7,000+ vivo V70 units sold in its first three days of launch
-
News1 week agoPOCO X8 Pro arrives in the Philippines, limited edition Iron Man variant comes in tow
-
Gaming6 days agoDICT and CICC may implement restrictions on Roblox due to child safety issues
