Year in Review 2023: Yahoo Singapore readers' top searched tech brands

The year of 2023 will likely go down in history as one of the years (if not the year) that defines artificial intelligence technology. While not entirely new, the release of AI services to the public such as Chat GPT and Midjourney late last year has shaken up the scene, for better or for worse, as battles between AI advocates and their detractors, especially on the copyright front, heat up.

Besides AI, tech brands continued to innovate and bring new products to a wide range for consumers in 2023, while regulators found victories (such as forcing Apple to move iPhones to USB-C) and also tasted defeat (against Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard).

With that in mind, let's take a look at Yahoo Singapore readers' most-searched tech brands of 2023.

10. Oppo

In the ever-changing tech landscape of 2023, Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer Oppo secured the 10th position on the most-searched list by Yahoo Singapore readers, having unveiled some of the latest smartphone releases, including higher-end models like the Oppo Find X6 Pro as well as the retro-feeling Oppo Find N3 Flip.

9. ASUS

In 9th, ASUS continued to cater to gamers and tech enthusiasts with products such as the ROG Zephyrus G14 and ROG Strix Scar 16 gaming laptops. ASUS also released the handheld ROG Ally, which is a device that aimed to compete with Valve's Steam Deck, and runs the Windows 11 OS.

8. Sony

Sony, at 8th, made significant strides in 2023 with their various entertainment offerings for consumers. For gamers, the PlayStation VR2 entered the virtual reality space in February and the PlayStation 5 Slim made a great Christmas present, while the latest WF-1000XM5 earbuds dropped in July for audiophiles. Considering the brand also produces the BRAVIA line of TVs, it's no wonder they were among the most-searched of 2023.

7. Lenovo

In the 7th position, Lenovo dropped a whole slew of laptop and phone designs at CES in January. Similar to other brands in the same space, they had a mix of products targeting a range of consumers, including gaming laptops like the Legion Slim 5 Gen 8, to the more business productivity focused ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 and Gen 12 (yes, all within a year).

6. Xiaomi

Xiaomi secured the 6th spot with another year offering affordable yet feature-packed smartphones and tablets. In particular, the Xiaomi Pad 6 caught the eye for its relatively affordable price yet almost-premium functionality. Xiaomi's 13 Pro and later models also made some waves when they came with a Leica lens, helping the brand to gain ground in the smartphone photography space traditionally guarded by Samsung and Apple.

5. Microsoft

Microsoft, holding the 5th position, might have some people thinking about Windows 12, but one of the biggest news the software giant has been involved with in 2023 had to do less with the OS that made it famous, and more with the deal to buy one of gaming's biggest companies, Activision Blizzard. Announced in January of 2022, the acquisition was finally completed in October 2023 after seeing off challenges from regulators across the globe. Not to be outdone in the AI space, however, Microsoft also launched Copilot this year and dropped a huge investment into Chat GPT maker Open AI.

4. Samsung

Samsung, ranking 4th, brought affordable options to the forefront in 2023, with the release of products like the Galaxy A54 and the Galaxy S23 FE. They also dropped the popular Galaxy Z Flip 5 and not-as-popular Galaxy Z Fold 5. However, on the SSD front, Samsung didn't have a good start to the year, with owners of the 980 and 990 Pro drives being warned to update their firmware to prevent failures.

3. Apple

In the 3rd position, Apple launched the iPhone 15 series in 2023, with perhaps the most massive change yet - the USB-C charging port. Goodbye Lightning, it seemed, though the brand did not drop any new iPads for 2023. In addition, Apple's TV offerings have been making waves in a good way, with the Godzilla and Kurt Russell-fronted Monarch: Legacy of Monsters getting rave reviews and favourites like Foundation and For All Mankind returning for new seasons. However, it hasn't been all good for the tech giant, who will have some work to do if they want to continue selling Apple Watches in the US.

2. Amazon

Amazon was the second-most searched brand of Yahoo users. From a combination of e-commerce (including two Prime Days, Black Friday Cyber Monday and a variety of other sales), some of their hits finally being available on Amazon Singapore's Prime Video, as well as tie-ups on the gaming front with 2023 releases like Diablo 4 and Honkai: Star Rail, it's no wonder they continue to rank highly in the realm of search.

1. Google

To top it off, Google claimed the top spot, unsurprising given a year where AI has dominated. Google introduced its own Bard, as well as its Gemini AI model this year, as the AI space moves into what could be a pivotal 2024.

But beyond AI, Google still also released their usual Pixel products, as well as a new Chromebook Plus. Let's also not forget that Google's most famous product, Google Search, as well as its Google Mail service, remain popular among the masses.

Do you have a story tip? Email: sgnews.tips@yahooinc.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. Also check out our Southeast Asia, Food, and Gaming channels on YouTube.