Tech Roundup: Samsung Galaxy S25, 'tough' HONOR X9c, and other January gadget releases
New year, new gear!
2025 is shaping up to be exciting for the world of technology. Companies and brands are set to show off their creative takes on AI, smartphones, and more as they release their newest gadgets.
Looking to upgrade your daily drivers for the new year? Here are some smartphone launches to keep an eye out for this January.
Samsung Galaxy S25 series
Samsung is set to release its latest flagship phones in a Galaxy Unpacked event on Jan. 22, 10 a.m. PT (Jan. 23, 2 a.m. Philippine time). Fans can tune in to Samsung's YouTube channel to catch the launch.
The devices, the Galaxy S25 series, will feature AI improvements that the Korean tech company says will be "more natural and intuitive."
"The next evolution of Galaxy AI is coming and it's going to change the way you interact with the world every day.," it said.
According to tech news site GSMArena, there will be four phones in the lineup: the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, Galaxy S25 Ultra, and a new Galaxy S25 Slim.
Honor X9c
This upcoming phone will take the drop test to another level. The HONOR X9c 5G is set to launch in the Philippines on Jan. 10.
The phone features "all-angle triple defense" giving it an SGS 5-star rating for drop resistance. SGS is a Switzerland-based independent party that tests products.
Its durability doesn't end there as HONOR boasts its IP65M water resistance, allowing it to be submerged in 25cm deep water for a maximum of five minutes. The phone is also touted to be heat-resistant and is said to be able to withstand a boiling test ranging up to 70 degrees Celsius.
As for its other specs, the Honor X9c is equipped with a 6.78-inch AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chip, up to 12GB RAM and up to 512GB internal storage, a 108MP main camera, and 6,600mAh battery with 66W wired charging.
Pricing for the phone has yet to be released.
Redmi Note 14 series
Xiaomi is bringing its Redmi Note 14 series to the Philippines. The Chinese tech brand teased about the new phones landing in the country on social media. It highlighted the device's "All Star Durability" and 200MP AI camera but didn't specify what variants will be launched.
The upcoming phone will be joined by smart accessories such as the Redmi Buds 6 Pro and Redmi Watch 5.
Stay tuned for the launch happening on Jan. 15 via Xiaomi Philippines' social media pages.
Poco X7 series
Another Android is set to be launched in the Philippines. On Jan. 9, 8 p.m., the POCO X7 series will be unveiled.
According to its website, the Poco X7 will come with a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, "flagship-level" imaging capability, and IP68 dust and water resistance.
Meanwhile, the more powerful Poco X7 Pro boasts a Dimensity 8400 Ultra chip, 6,000mAh battery, and 90W HyperCharge.
An Iron Man Edition of the device, which comes in red with the Marvel hero's motifs wrapping around the phone, will also be released.
OnePlus 13
On Jan. 7, the OnePlus 13 was unveiled, introducing the Chinese brand's latest flagship phone.
The device, which has earned good reviews from tech sites The Verge and TechRadar, is equipped with a 6.82-inch AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, a triple 50MP Hasselblad rear camera, and a 6,000mAh battery with 100W wired charging.
The phone will be available in the Philippines through Digital Walker.
