Having previously used the Reno14 as one of my primary phones, I was particularly interested in whether the Reno16 felt like a meaningful progression or simply another annual refresh.

After spending time with the device, there is plenty here that feels better refined, although its AED 2,499 UAE price also raises some questions about performance and overall value.

BY SRIJITH KN, SENIOR EDITOR, VAR

A more polished Reno!
My review unit arrived in Twilight Violet, and the Reno16 makes a strong first impression. The aluminium frame, slim symmetrical bezels and overall finish give the device a noticeably premium character.

The 6.32-inch display is also excellent for everyday use. Content looks sharp, the interface feels fluid and the screen is more than capable for browsing, video, social media and photography. The buttons feel solid too, while the haptic feedback deserves particular mention. It is one of those smaller details that contributes considerably to how polished a phone feels in everyday use.

Overall, OPPO has done a good job of making the Reno16 look and feel like a device worthy of its position in the Reno portfolio.

The camera remains a Reno strength

Camera performance was one area where I expected the Reno16 to prove itself, and it largely did.

Images generally came out with natural-looking colours and balanced exposure, without leaving me waiting for noticeable processing after pressing the shutter. There can still be a slightly punchy character to some photographs, but nothing that particularly bothered me.

During testing, I photographed a building opposite me where part of the upper floor had previously suffered fire damage. Zooming into the scene, I was impressed by how closely the camera reproduced the smoke-stained and burnt areas compared with what I could see with my own eyes.

The front camera also performed well. Selfies retained good detail and produced results that I was quite happy to share without much additional editing.

That perhaps sums up the Reno16 camera experience best. It is designed for someone who wants to take the phone out, capture the moment and quickly have an attractive, shareable image.

Performance is good, but the price changes expectations

The Reno16 5G is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, and for everyday smartphone use, I have few complaints.

Messaging, email, browsing, photography, social media, content consumption and moving between applications all feel responsive. I didn’t encounter anything during normal use that made the Reno16 feel particularly slow.

But this is also where the AED 2,499 price becomes important.

The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 is a capable processor, but buyers spending this amount can reasonably expect considerable performance headroom. Users interested primarily in everyday smartphone tasks are unlikely to have an issue, but demanding gamers and those running heavier workloads may find more powerful alternatives at this price.

The Reno16 therefore gets everyday performance right. I simply would have liked OPPO to push the performance envelope further.

Battery and charging strengthen the package

One specification that certainly stands out is the 6,700mAh battery, particularly when combined with 80W SUPERVOOC charging.

Battery capacity has become an increasingly important battleground among smartphone manufacturers, and OPPO has managed to package a substantial battery without making the Reno16 feel unnecessarily cumbersome.

Fast charging also remains one of those features whose usefulness becomes obvious very quickly. Rather than leaving a phone connected for extended periods, being able to add significant charge during a relatively short stop is genuinely practical.

AI is here, but practicality matters more!

Unsurprisingly for a smartphone arriving in 2026, AI plays a significant role in OPPO’s software proposition.

The Reno16 includes the AI Snap Key, which can provide quick access to features such as AI Mind Space. But what I appreciate more is that OPPO allows the physical key to be customised for other functions.

I configured mine to switch between Ring, Vibrate and Silent, and found myself appreciating that simple functionality more than another dedicated AI shortcut.

That flexibility is important. AI capabilities will continue evolving rapidly, but consumers still interact with their smartphones through dozens of simple actions every day. Sometimes improving those actions creates more immediate value than adding another headline AI feature.

ColorOS is fast, although I still want more customisation

ColorOS runs smoothly on the Reno16, and there is no noticeable lag during ordinary use. As mentioned earlier, the haptics are particularly good.

I am less convinced by some of the interface aesthetics. The pre-installed applications and certain default visual elements aren’t necessarily to my taste, and I would like greater freedom around icon customisation and the Quick Settings interface.

These are largely subjective complaints, however. For someone primarily using the Reno16 for messaging, email, photography, browsing, social media and entertainment, ColorOS gets the fundamentals right.

The AED 2,499 question?

The Reno16 5G is ultimately a polished smartphone with very few obvious weaknesses. The camera is dependable, the construction feels premium, the battery capacity is impressive, 80W charging is genuinely useful and everyday performance is smooth.

What prevents it from becoming an automatic recommendation is not something the Reno16 does particularly badly. It is simply how competitive the market becomes once a smartphone reaches AED 2,499.

The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 is perfectly capable, but at this price I would have liked more performance headroom.

For Reno14 users, however, the improvements across design, camera, battery and the overall experience make the Reno16 feel like a meaningful progression. If you already own a Reno15, the argument for upgrading immediately is considerably harder to make.

With an 8,100mAh battery, extensive durability credentials and a starting price of AED 899, HONOR’s latest affordable smartphone focuses its attention on the essentials that matter in everyday use.

By Srijith KN, VAR

The affordable smartphone market is becoming increasingly competitive, with manufacturers having to make careful decisions about where specifications matter and where compromises can be made. The HONOR X7e Plus 5G takes a fairly straightforward approach to that challenge.

Rather than positioning itself around flagship-level performance or photography, the device concentrates on three areas: battery life, durability and everyday usability. After spending time with the phone, those priorities become immediately apparent.

A Surprisingly Solid Design

The Desert Gold review unit makes a strong first impression. Despite using a plastic rear panel, the X7e Plus 5G does not immediately look or feel like an inexpensive smartphone. Its rounded edges, restrained HONOR branding and gold finish give it a clean appearance, while the overall construction feels reassuringly solid.

It is, however, a substantial device. Users who prefer smaller or lighter smartphones will notice both its dimensions and weight. That trade-off becomes easier to understand once you consider the unusually large battery inside.

Durability is also central to the proposition. HONOR claims certified drop resistance of up to 2.5 metres, complemented by IP68, IP69 and IP69K ratings for protection against dust and water.

Those certifications should not be mistaken for indestructibility, but they provide additional reassurance for users working outdoors or regularly using their phones in more demanding environments.

Battery

If there is one feature that defines the X7e Plus 5G, it is the 8,100mAh battery.

In everyday use, the additional capacity changes the relationship users have with charging. With moderate to relatively heavy usage, getting around two days from the device is realistic, although actual endurance will naturally depend on individual usage.

That makes the phone particularly interesting for field professionals, frequent travellers and users who simply do not want to think about finding a charger every evening.

HONOR complements the battery with 45W HONOR SuperCharge, while reverse charging enables the smartphone to provide power to other compatible devices. The charger and cable are also included in the box — increasingly worth mentioning at a time when complete smartphone packages have become less common.

Display and Everyday Performance

The front is dominated by a large 6.87-inch LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Its size makes the X7e Plus 5G particularly comfortable for video consumption, reading and navigation, while 120Hz helps scrolling and general interface animations feel fluid.

This is not, however, a performance-focused smartphone.

The Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 handles browsing, messaging, streaming and routine applications adequately, but users accustomed to higher-end hardware will notice the difference in responsiveness. That distinction matters: the X7e Plus 5G makes considerably more sense as a dependable everyday device than as a smartphone for demanding gaming or performance-heavy workloads.

Camera: Functional Rather Than Exceptional

The camera system follows a similar philosophy.

The 50MP main camera can produce respectable photographs when lighting conditions are favourable, while video recording reaches 1080p. For casual photography, sharing on social media and documenting everyday moments, the results are perfectly usable.

Low-light photography exposes more of the hardware’s limitations, while the 5MP front-facing camera could deliver better light capture and detail. There is also no optical image stabilisation.

Photography enthusiasts should therefore look elsewhere. The cameras fulfil their purpose, but they are not the reason to buy this phone.

AI Gets a Dedicated Button

HONOR has also incorporated several AI-oriented features, including AI Image-to-Video 2.0, which can transform still photographs into short video content using prompts and templates.

More interesting from an everyday usability perspective is the dedicated AI Button. Separate from the power key, it can provide quick access to selected functions, while a double press can launch the camera from the lock screen. Gestures can also be customised to launch different applications and tools.

Dedicated AI and programmable hardware buttons are becoming increasingly common across smartphones, and HONOR’s implementation adds another useful shortcut rather than fundamentally changing the experience.

Audio performance is similarly straightforward. The speakers provide sufficient clarity for dialogue, calls, YouTube and casual music listening, although users seeking a richer entertainment experience will still benefit from headphones or an external speaker.

VAR Verdict

At AED 899, the HONOR X7e Plus 5G is a smartphone built around clearly defined priorities.

Performance is adequate rather than exciting, the cameras are not a standout feature, and its considerable size and weight will not suit everyone. But HONOR has compensated in areas that may matter considerably more to its intended audience.

The combination of an 8,100mAh battery, 45W charging, 120Hz display and extensive durability credentials creates an appealing proposition for users who prioritise endurance and resilience over outright performance.

For field professionals, outdoor workers, frequent travellers or simply anyone looking for a large smartphone that can comfortably handle everyday essentials without constantly reaching for a charger, the X7e Plus 5G makes considerable sense.

It isn’t trying to be the fastest or most sophisticated smartphone at AED 899. It is designed to keep working, and that clarity of purpose is arguably its greatest strength.

Price & Availability

The HONOR X7e Plus 5G is priced from AED 899 in the UAE and is available in Desert Gold, Meteor Silver and Velvet Black through HONOR’s online store and authorised retail partners.

OPPO has expanded its Reno smartphone portfolio in the UAE with the launch of the Reno16 Series, bringing upgraded imaging capabilities, AI-powered creative tools and larger batteries across the new lineup.

Following the regional launch, OPPO showcased the devices at a hands-on event in Dubai, where media and content creators explored the new smartphones alongside the brand’s latest ecosystem products.

The Reno16 Series introduces OPPO’s new 3D Pop Planet Design, with the Pop White variant using HoloVerse 3D Technology to create a floating planet-like visual effect that changes with surrounding light.

Photography remains a major focus of the lineup. The series offers 50MP ultra-wide selfie cameras, up to 200MP main cameras and 4K video recording, alongside AI-powered features designed for mobile content creation. These include Pop Cam, AI Remix Collage and additional creative capabilities delivered through ColorOS 16.

Battery capacity reaches up to 7,000mAh, complemented by 80W SUPERVOOC fast charging, while selected devices carry IP68/IP69 ratings for resistance against water and dust.

OPPO is also expanding the ecosystem surrounding its smartphones. The new OPPO Bubble, priced at AED 499, is a 35-gram magnetic companion with an AMOLED display that can function as a live rear-camera viewfinder, remote shutter and custom visual display.

The OPPO Enco Clip2, meanwhile, is priced at AED 649 and will be available in Luminous Gold and Slate Grey.

UAE Pricing and Availability

The Reno16 Series is available in the UAE in Pop White, Starlight Black, Twilight Violet and Dream Purple, depending on the model.

The flagship Reno16 Pro 5G is priced at AED 3,299, while the Reno16 5G costs AED 2,499. The Reno16F 5G starts at AED 1,799 for the 8GB + 256GB configuration, rising to AED 2,099 for the 12GB + 256GB variant.

OPPO is also offering post-launch bundles for purchases made from August 7. Reno16 Pro 5G buyers receive an OPPO Magnetic Case, OPPO Enco Air4 and a 12-month extended warranty. Reno16 5G and Reno16F 5G purchases include an OPPO Magnetic Case, OPPO Enco Buds3 Pro and extended warranty coverage.

A trade-in campaign running until August 16, 2026 offers an additional bonus of up to AED 200 on eligible devices. OPPO is also bundling three months of Google AI Pro membership, including 5TB of cloud storage and Gemini Pro access.

Data from Counterpoint Research reveals that global smartphone shipments declined by 6% year-over-year in Q1 2026. Despite this downturn, HONOR stood out by achieving the highest growth among leading brands, exceeding 25% year-over-year.

Further reinforcing this performance, IDC reported that HONOR also ranked as the fastest-growing brand among the top 10 smartphone manufacturers globally.

Counterpoint attributes HONOR’s strong performance to its strategic overseas expansion and regionally tailored product portfolio. This growth was further supported by aggressive promotional efforts and effective strategic execution, enabling the company to outperform the broader market even amid rising component cost pressures.

HONOR’s strong global momentum reflects its ability to consistently deliver high-quality, competitive products tailored to diverse consumer needs across markets, supported by a growing ecosystem of connected devices and IoT products that enhance user experience and drive brand loyalty.

Building on this success, HONOR is set to expand its presence in the Middle East and Africa region with the upcoming launch of its HONOR 600 Series including HONOR 600 and HONOR 600 Pro. The new lineup will feature a flagship-level 200MP AI camera system, powerful AI imaging capabilities including AI Image to Video 2.0, and an industry-leading 7,000mAh battery. Combined with premium design and flagship-class performance, the series is positioned to redefine user experience in its segment.

As competition intensifies across the global smartphone landscape, HONOR’s strong performance underscores its growing influence among leading brands. With continued investment in innovation, ecosystem development, and regional expansion, the company is well positioned to capture new opportunities and sustain its growth momentum in the quarters ahead.

The smartphone intelligently recognises different scenes and objects, switching from various modes with AI integration, and once it is identified, Huawei P20 Pro does the trick for you. Whether you are shooting a blue sky, a beach, a dog or a person, the smartphone adjusts for the best lighting effects. The no hassle approach denotes to quality photographs without stress of adjusting different ratios on manual mode, enabling users to click away impeccable photographs instantaneously. Using three different cameras, the HUAWEI P20 Pro produces sharp shots which are also true to real life, natural colours. The incredible photography that the smartphone produces allows it to be in a league of its own. It has also solved age old troubles of low light and night time photography. We could see microscopic details through the lens of the camera, shadows, details from buildings and even the night sky seemed more vibrant and natural, almost mimicking professional photography. Another striking feature of the HUAWEI P20 Pro is how it uses Huawei AIS (AI Image Stabilization) technology that allows you to capture steady, clear and detailed video footage of scenes like a moving vehicle, ensuring you never miss capturing a moment or taking incredible long exposure images without a tripod. The 40MP sensor on the HUAWEI P20 Pro brought details to life in the photographs to give some of the most vibrant, clear and detailed shots taken in settings with low light at night. It is the AI master functionality that helps the HUAWEI P20 Pro automatically draw a grid giving you the best angle and proportions to capture that right moment at the best shot. It will be able to gain an overall understanding of the frame to produce the right image making it a pro when it comes to night time photography, making you want to go out and explore more of the winding streets of Dubai.

The LG Q7 features a 5MP front camera  with a 100-degree Super Wide Angle Lens that captures more of the background or more friends. The Portrait mode is a new feature  that allows users to take selfies with blurred backgrounds that allows a bokeh effect. Shutterbugs won’t miss any shots with Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF) on the rear camera, 23 percent faster than traditional auto focus.

LG made available their QLens in the Q7, a useful camera AI feature until now only available on LG’s premium smartphones. Using this technology QLens lets users use the camera to improve the image searching and online shopping experience. Capture any item with it and get information on where to buy the product online as well as recommendations of similar items. QLens can also perform an image search to see matching or similar images of food, clothing, celebrities or landmarks such as buildings and statues.

The LG Q7 is also the first in its price range to offer DTS:X to deliver virtual 3D surround sound, up to 7.1 channel audio through headphones and allows users to enjoy entertainment on the move. Another first in the LG Q7⁺ comes equipped with Hi-Fi Quad DAC for richer sounds without distortion when paired with high quality earphones. It also features a 2.5D Arc Glass design with rounded-edges that makes the device easy to operate and hold. The metallic body and rear metal frame of the Q7 is able to withstand active use thanks to its IP68-certified water and dust resistance rating. It has passed 14 of the MIL-STD 810G tests designed by the United States military to evaluate the performance of equipment in harsh environments. And Qualcomm’s Fast Charge technology can charge the Q7’s battery to 50 percent in about 30 minutes providing better user convenience.

With the addition of the Smart Rear Key fingerprint sensor it completes the premium experience of the LG Q7. The rear fingerprint sensor located below the camera lens not only allows users to unlock the phone easily, but also doubles as the camera shutter button, take screenshots and control the notification bar.

“Consumers in the market for a balanced smartphone with the latest premium features will find the LG Q7 very hard to resist,” said Ha Jeung-uk, senior vice president and business unit leader for LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “With selected features just only recently introduced in our 2018 LG G7^ThinQ, the Q7 is a great combination of features, design, performance and price.” .

The shift in buyer preference is positively affecting Chinese manufacturers such as Huawei, Oppo and Vivo in their strategy to build desirable features at affordable prices. Their combined market share in the first quarter of 2017 accounted for 24 percent, up 7 percentage points year on year.

“The top three Chinese smartphone manufacturers are driving sales with their competitively priced, high quality smartphones equipped with innovative features,” said Anshul Gupta, research director at Gartner. “Furthermore, aggressive marketing and sales promotion have further helped these brands to take share from other brands in markets such as India, Indonesia and Thailand.”

Samsung’s smartphone sales declined 3.1 percent in the first quarter of 2017. “Although Samsung announced that preorders for the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are up 30 percent year over year, the absence of an alternative to Note 7 and the fierce competition in the basic smartphone segment are leading Samsung to continuously lose market share,” said Mr. Gupta. “Sales of iPhones were flat, which led to a drop in market share year over year. Similar to Samsung, Apple is increasingly facing fierce competition from Chinese brands Oppo and Vivo, among others, and its performance in China is under attack.”

Huawei edged closer to Apple with smartphone sales amounting to 34 million units in the first quarter of 2017. Despite its P9 and P9 Plus being available for more than a year now, both smartphones continued to sell well, positioning Huawei as a dominant brand in the consumer market. “Huawei has now steadily held the third spot in the worldwide ranking of smartphone vendors,” said Gupta. “However, pressure is mounting as its counterparts in China are catching up.”

Oppo is continuing to catch up with Huawei. With a 94.6 percent increase in worldwide smartphone sales in the first quarter of 2017, Oppo achieved the best performance of the quarter and retained the No. 1 position in China. “Oppo continued to rally sales through a large network of brick-and-mortar retailers, beating market incumbents such as Samsung and Huawei,” said Gupta. Oppo’s strategy — centered on the camera, fast charging and offline retail — has helped it grow smartphone sales in the international market.

Meanwhile, Vivo sold almost 26 million smartphones and achieved a market share of 6.8 percent, which helped it achieve growth of 84.6 percent in the first quarter of 2017. “Vivo saw growing demand of its smartphones from the emerging markets in Asia/Pacific, including India, where sales grew over 220 percent thanks to its increased brand appeal and high-quality smartphones,” said Mr. Gupta.

In the smartphone operating system (OS) market, the battle is now clearly between Android and iOS. With other OSs struggling for momentum, Android grew its share by 2 percent. Growing acceptance of Chinese brands in the global markets, led by high-quality smartphones, is driving Android OS dominance. Moreover, with Google’s announcement of Android Go — targeted at the entry-level smartphone market — the OS is heading for continued growth.

At an event held in Dubai, it was announced that Mi MIX, Redmi Note 4 and Redmi 4A will be made available in March across the UAE through select retail partners. Mi MIX will be priced at AED 2,999, followed by Redmi Note 4 starting at AED 659 and Redmi 4A at AED 389.

Wang Xiang, Senior Vice President of Xiaomi, said, “We are very excited to bring Xiaomi’s top-quality smartphones to the Middle East and North Africa, as we believe that they will be a very attractive option for consumers here. Xiaomi has spent the past few years developing countless features and optimizations that enhance the way people use their phones, combining cutting-edge technological innovations and great design while defying price expectations. We are delighted to launch our latest range of devices in the Middle East through our partner TASK FZCO.”

Mi MIX establishes a new bar for smartphone innovation, incorporating cutting-edge display technologies and new innovations that do away with the physical earpiece speaker and proximity sensor.

Redmi Note 4 provides flagship-class performance at an incredible price, featuring a full-HD display and a battery that will last over an entire day. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, Redmi Note 4 delivers fast and seamless performance. Snapdragon 625 is the first chipset in its class to use 14nm FinFET technology, which is substantially more power-efficient than processors based on 28nm technology.

Redmi 4A is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor, and comes with two SIM slots and 4G support. Even though Redmi 4A weighs just 131.5g, it comes with a large 3120mAh battery with 7-days standby time.

The three smartphones ship with the latest version of Xiaomi’s unique Android-based user interface called MIUI 8, which has been designed to be extremely intuitive and user-friendly. At the same time, it is incredibly customizable so users can make their smartphones more personal. MIUI 8 also builds in several technology breakthroughs such as Dual Apps, which lets users clone apps and manage multiple accounts on the same phone. This means that users can have two instances of a messaging app on the same phone that correspond to different accounts.

TASK representatives stated that Xiaomi has evolved from a start up to a global player in the smartphone market in less than five years. The TASK team believes that the brand’s premium products at competitive prices have been a key strength, contributing towards their remarkable growth globally. TASK is pleased to support Xiaomi’s expansion in the region as an integrated business partner, and build a strong position for the Mi brand in the MENA region.

Smartphones are packed with connected features, with high-definition cameras and GPS location almost universally standard. They can also be used to turn a mobile phone into a spy device, able to take and record photographs, location data, and even map inside a home or workplace, without the user’s knowledge or permission. This risk is something that Four’s latest offering, the K500 smartphone, is specifically designed to guard against by completely removing the camera and GPS.

“There is a very real concern that your mobile phone could be hijacked by malware, photographing you, friends and family, spying inside the home or workplace,” said Four’s founder and CEO, Faisal Al Bannai. “This can happen by downloading a seemingly innocent app onto the phone, but within the app are a series of permissions, allowing access to cameras, GPS location and so on, that transform the camera into a spy device. The app is the so-called Trojan horse that installs surveillance software onto the device, and brings intruders into your private environment.”

A significant concern would be ‘peeping Tom’ malware, allowing hackers to collect personal images, via the device’s camera. Combined with GPS, images can become a become a real threat to personal safety and privacy.

Easy-to-create malware can be dangerously effective in collecting information. In 2012, the US Naval Surface Warfare Centre ran an experiment to find out how much information it could harvest via a relatively simple custom-made smartphone app. Called PlaceRaider, the app took random, high-resolution images at regular intervals, using GPS and motion sensors to record the time, location and orientation of each image, and uploaded the pictures onto a central server. By analyzing the images and accompanying data, the research team was able to produce 3D renderings of building interiors, identifying precisely where valuable items could be found. The researchers noted that an app such as this could allow thieves to identify targets, and break into homes already knowing exactly where to find your valuables.

With such intrusive malware so simple to create and distribute, the most effective means of protection is to ensure the devices the malware exploits do not enter secure environments. The Four K500 helps achieve this by omitting features that malware depends upon – camera and GPS – while otherwise being a full-featured smartphone.

“The K500 is tailored towards organizations that wish to absolutely eliminate the risk of being spied upon,” said Al Bannai. “There is no camera, and there is no GPS, which are the two key features that allow spyware to record a physical environment. Some workplaces are requiring such devices for reasons of site security, but we believe they can also play an important role in personal safety, and can be of great value to parents concerned about the safety of their children.”

As a brand focused on value, Four tailors its products to offer a carefully planned selection of popular features at a reasonable price, and the K500 is no different. With the exception of camera and GPS, it is a fully connected smartphone, with features including a quad-core processor, 3G connectivity, the latest Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system, 1GB RAM, 8GB memory, and 1900 mAh battery. It comes with two screen protectors and a free flip cover inside the box, along with a one-year warranty from axiom Telecom.

And it is priced at just AED 299.

“The Four K500 is designed to fill a very specific need in the market, but it still includes essential features that customers value,” Al Bannai. “And it has a very important additional feature – the confidence that your privacy is protected.”