Two days to go and we’ll soon be entering 2013 so before this year ends, we’ll honor the smartphones that made a ‘bang’ in the Philippines. We will not be ranking them in terms of their overall functionality instead we’ll place them depending on their impact, number of sales, and specs to price ratio.
We’ve decided to make this list as compact as possible that’s why we only listed the best smartphones that really stood out. If ever we missed a Pinoy android phone that you think should be on the list, please don’t hesitate to suggest it in the comments section below. So without further ado, let’s get it on and check out our top 5 Pinoy android phones this 2012!
5.) Starmobile Astra – Php6,990
Starmobile is a new player in the Philippine mobile market but that didn’t got in their way from penetrating into the emerging android scene. Starmobile Astra is powered by a dual-core processor, comes with mobile TV on board, and runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. While there are other good options, this feature will benefit those people who wants to keep in touch with their favorite shows even on the road while maintaining their style with an android phone.
4.) MyPhone A898 Duo – Php6,590
MyPhone A898 Duo started the fire on MyPhone’s campaign this year and while everybody was focused on their cheaper offerings, they just unleashed an all in android device. It is powered by the 1GHz dual-core Mediatek processor (which is the trend on local brands) and coupled with 512MB of RAM. Unlike the A878, this one is equipped with 3G connectivity which the other handset lacked.
3.) Cherry Mobile Titan W500 – Php6,499
So after the waves brought by the A898 Duo, Cherry Mobile dropped a huge bomb. Cherry Mobile Titan was the very first 5.0-inch android phone that was released by a local brand. That being said, it’s no surprise that android fanatics here in the Philippines has gone wild upon hearing its announcement. In fact, we were also astonished by its amazingly low price tag despite bearing all the bells and whistles of a mid to high-end type of smartphone. If you want to know more about the Cherry Mobile Titan, here’s our full review.
2.) MyPhone A919 Duo – Php7,999
Although the MyPhone A919 Duo arrived a bit late, it didn’t disappoint loyal Myphone fans as it sports all the features that you would expect from a 5.0-inch android phone. While everyone was aiming at the A898 Duo, MyPhone was busy preparing its android device with a larger estate to surprise everybody this holiday season. With the A919 Duo, people with big hands and as well as those who prefers a huge workspace realized that instead of a smaller 4.3-inch display, they decided that MyPhone A919 Duo is just right for them. Together with its stellar 8-megapixel camera, it’s just as joy to shoot photos here and there as it gives you beautiful images to help you keep the memories through your smartphone.
1.) Cherry Mobile Flare – Php3,999
*Drum rolls* And our top 1 Pinoy android phone of 2012 is – Cherry Mobile Flare! Oh, this phone is hot. Dubbed as the ‘Dual-core ng bayan’, this android phone was made to let everyone experience a powerful android device without needing to break their piggy banks. In fact, the Flare (together with other android devices from MyPhone) blurred the line between the ‘expensive’ pricing of other international brands. These days, if people will see a 1GHz single core smartphone priced for more than Php7k, they now consider those kind of phones overpriced. In some cases, it might be unfair for the top brands but it can’t be helped.
Ever since the ‘Flare Day’, lots of people has been looking for this smartphone all over the Philippines. It’s selling like hotcakes that’s why Cherry Mobile had a hard time coping up with the demand for the Cherry Mobile Flare. Hence, a true bestseller.
There are known issues on the Cherry Mobile Flare but CM already provided a software update that’s currently available on all Cherry Mobile service centers nationwide (OTA coming early next year) to address the problems. You can check our in-depth review of the Cherry Mobile Flare here.
Runner Up – CloudFone Thrill 430x – Php7,777
We haven’t personal met the CloudFone Thrill 430x yet but due to its 4160mAh (a first!) battery prowess, I believe we should at least mention it here. It is powered by a dual-core Snapdragon S4 clocked at 1.2GHz together with a bigger than usual (512MB) 768MB of RAM. It’s also dual-sim and runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
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2012 – A great year for Android
2012 has been a great year for the local android scene as Pinoy brands popped out with awesome android devices at an affordable price. We could only expect that this android expansion in the Philippines will continue to grow in 2013 as Pinoy android phones will be more powerful by then. Hopefully, they can maintain their cheap prices so that even average ‘Juans’ can enjoy the goodness of a mighty smartphone.
Last year, android wasn’t accessible to most Filipinos because they carry a heft price tag but thanks to our companies here, they’ve made it possible to make it easier to reach. Now, more and more people are discovering the true power of android. And hey, they now have a device with a dual-core processor that’s running on ICS!
What do you guys think? Any other local android phone that you might want to add? Suggest it in the comments section below.
UPDATE: For some reason, the Disqus comment section for this post stopped working. We’ll try to fix it. Sorry for the inconvenience.