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• SLTMobitel Prepaid and Postpaid Plans Now Offer Unlimited Data
• Moto G20 With 5,000mAh Battery and UNISOC T700 SoC Launched
• Xiaomi Might Be Working On a 200MP Camera Sensor: Report
• Harmony OS 2.0 Based Huawei Mate 40 Pro Gets Certified
• Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Battery and Codename Surfaced on Web
• Google Pixel 5a’s Crucial Camera Information Leaked
• OPPO K9 5G Specifications Confirmed Ahead of Launch
• Nokia X50 Might Launch With Qualcomm Snapdragon 775 SoC
• LG’s Exit From Smartphone Business Puts Pressure on Underperforming Brands
• Samsung Launches World’s First 3GPP-Compliant PS-LTE Network
• Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition Will Don a Powerful Sound System
• WhatsApp Might Soon Add a New Disappearing Message Feature
• iQOO 7 and iQOO 7 Legend With Flagship Features Launched in India
• PLI Scheme Timeline For Smartphone Makers Should be Deferred
• Asianet Giga Fibernet and Airtel Xstream Fiber’s 200 Mbps Plan Is Very Similar
• OnePlus Should Dial Down a Bit and Go Back to its Roots
• Vodafone Idea Now Competing With JioFiber, Announces New Broadband Plans

SLTMobitel Prepaid and Postpaid Plans Now Offer Unlimited Data Posted: 26 Apr 2021 09:30 AM PDT The national telecommunications and network service provider of Sri Lanka, SLTMobitel, has garnered a colossal base in the region by offering an array of unlimited internet packs for both prepaid and postpaid connections. Whether users want an internet connection for gaming, data streaming or any other purposes, the internet packages are specially designed by the entity to cater to the different data needs. SLTMobitel customers who are currently using SLT 4G LTE, ADSL Home Broadband and Fibre packages will get multiple internet packages that will provide different bandwidth and data benefits. Also, users will be able to enjoy various promotions and offer on devices and packages during the offer period. Here are some of the prepaid and postpaid offerings by SLTMobitel that you must consider while deciding on your internet package. Prepaid Offerings by SLTMobitel SLTMobitel has developed an extensive portfolio of prepaid plans that cater to the different internet needs of customers. The lowest prepaid plan is priced at Rs. 1,431 that offers unlimited internet speed of 1Mbps and one-month validity. However, if users wish for a higher internet speed, they can opt for a 4Mbps plan that would cost around Rs 4,737. All the prepaid users must note that all the offerings are available for daily consumption, 3 days, 7 days and 30 days validity options. Postpaid Offerings by SLTMobitel Coming to the postpaid offerings of SLTMobitel, the highest plan is priced at Rs 4299 for unlimited internet speed up to 4Mbps. The lowest monthly postpaid plan is priced at Rs 1,299 that offers speed up to 1Mbps. Postpaid customers must note that if they purchase the monthly pack, it will be auto-renewed at the end of the month. All the postpaid plans are available with 24 hours, 3 days, 7 days and 30 days validity options. (Note: The prices of plans mentioned in the article are in Sri Lankan Rupee) Things You Must Know About SLTMobitel Offerings Both SLTMobitel prepaid and postpaid users must know that torrent usage will be blocked in the plans. The network speed mentioned in the plans might fluctuate based on the site congestion. If you wish to know more about individual plan pricing, visit the official website of the network service providers.

Moto G20 With 5,000mAh Battery and UNISOC T700 SoC Launched Posted: 26 Apr 2021 08:50 AM PDT Lenovo owned Motorola has expanded its portfolio in the European market with the launch of the Moto G20 smartphone. Recently the company launched the G10 and G30 phones in the same market. The newly launched smartphone comes with highlighted features like a 90Hz refresh rate display, UNISOC T700  chipset, quad-camera setup, waterdrop notch design, and a lot more among others. Let's have a closer look at the price, specifications, and features of the newly launched Moto G20 smartphone. Moto G20 Specifications The Moto G20 flaunts a 6.5-inch HD+ MaxVision display with a resolution of 1600 x 720 Pixels. The handset offers a 20:9 aspect ratio display with a 90Hz refresh rate. Besides, there is a waterdrop notch design that makes room for the selfie camera snapper. Under the hood, the G20 is powered by an octa-core UNISOC T700 chipset, clubbed with 850 MHz Mali G52 GPU. The smartphone is backed by 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. If that's not enough then you can expand the memory up to 512GB with a microSD card. On the software front, it runs on Android 11. As far as cameras are concerned, the Moto G20 offers a rectangular-shaped quad-rear camera setup placed at the top left corner of the back panel and the rear panel design looks similar to the OnePlus 9 series smartphone. The camera module consists of a 48MP rear camera with f/1.7 aperture, accompanied by an 8MP 118-degrees ultra-wide-angle camera with f/2.2 aperture, a 2MP depth sensor and 2MP macro cameras with f/2.4 aperture along with an LED flash. Upfront, it houses a 13MP camera sensor for selfies and video calls. The Moto G20 is fuelled by a massive 5,000 mAh battery with 10W charging support. On the connectivity part, the handset offers Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz|5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS + GLONASS, NFC, USB Type-C, and it also comes with an IP52 rating which makes it water and dustproof. Moto G20 Price in Europe The Moto G20 is launched with a price tag of EUR 149 (approx Rs 13,475) in the European market. The handset will be available for sale in Breeze Blue and Flamingo Pink colour options and the smartphone will be up for grabs starting this week.

Xiaomi Might Be Working On a 200MP Camera Sensor: Report Posted: 26 Apr 2021 08:36 AM PDT Xiaomi is not one to shy away from advancements, as is evident by the company's efforts to push the limits of both smartphone design and the features present within them. This is evident from the likes of the Mi Mix series, one which is famous for breaking the barriers of conventional smartphone designs, having showcased a fully top-bezel less design fairly early. This was further enhanced by the number of series devices from the company, which push the specifications side of things, offering features that are quite rare in both their segment and in the market as a whole. One of the prime examples of this is the recently launched Mi 11 Ultra which offers a secondary rear display that is also the display used by the company's Mi Band, a popular series providing fitness equipment on a budget. A 200MP Sensor, Is This True? Yes, it seems that this will indeed be a reality for smartphones soon. A recent report suggests that Xiaomi is working on a smartphone that will sport a 200MP sensor. This news comes a few days post the launch of the Mi 11X Pro, which offers a 108MP Samsung HM2 primary sensor in India. The reports of the company working on a 200MP sensor have surfaced prior to today, but it seems this instance might be more accurate than most. This report comes after a time when certain tipsters have said that Samsung is also working on a 200MP ISOCELL sensor for smartphone cameras. As for the report itself, tipster Digital Chat Station has confirmed that a 200MP sensor does indeed exist via a tweet as well as a post on Weibo (via ITHome). The post itself does not mention that Xiaomi is working on a smartphone touting a 200MP camera, but the report suggests so. Additionally, the report also cites an older post from famed tipster Ice Universe claiming that this ISOCELL sensor is being developed by Samsung and features a 0.64-micron pixel. Do note that this is not the first instance of Samsung's name coming up as the maker of a 200MP sensor as tipster WHYLAB had also claimed that the company was working on the same sensor, measuring 1/1.37-inch and sporting 1.28-micron pixels. The claim further states that there is support for 4-in-1 and 16-in-1 pixel binning tech so as to reduce the noise within images. The ability to record 16k videos was also tipped. Do take this news with a grain of salt as WHYLAB had previously said that the 200MP sensor would debut with the ZTE Axon 30 Pro 5G, which ended up using a 64MP sensor from Samsung. Following this, LetsGoDigital also claimed that the Samsung S22 would sport the 200MP sensor, with a 3D render suggesting the same via a collaboration with Technizo concept, highlighting the use of an Olympus camera.

Harmony OS 2.0 Based Huawei Mate 40 Pro Gets Certified Posted: 26 Apr 2021 08:03 AM PDT Huawei is still stuck with the issues which originated from its US ban that also saw the company lose access to GMS based services. However, it has not deterred the Chinese company in its vision to become the most popular smartphone company, as it is still in high hopes regarding its own software, dubbed as ‘Harmony OS.’ What Do We Know About Harmony OS 2.0's Release? As of now, there is no such official confirmation in regards to this, but, according to tipster Digital Chat Station on the social platform Weibo (via GizChina), it has surfaced that the Huawei Mate 40 Pro 4G has received a certification, with the specifications being identical to the model launched last year. The key differentiator this time is that instead of EMUI, which is based on Android, the new device is listed to come with the Harmony OS 2.0. If this leak is indeed true, the device will be the first from the company to sport Harmony OS 2.0 out of the box. For the unaware, Huawei introduced Harmony OS 2.0 back in September of 2020 as part of the company's Huawei Developer Conference, better known as HDC in China. During that period, reports cited the CEO of Consumer business Richard Yu said that Huawei was ready with Harmony OS but was unable to launch a product sporting the UI due to an agreement that was signed between Huawei and Google. According to the firm, the UI is meant to integrate several devices with key aspects such as resource sharing, capability collaboration and faster connection. In terms of the previously mentioned Huawei Mate 40 Pro (4G), the handset retains the specifications seen on the 2020 model. These include a 6.76-inch FHD+ OLED panel with a refresh rate of 90Hz and a touch sampling rate of 240Hz. Towards the rear, the device sported a circular rear camera setup that sported five different sensors in a module that set the device apart from its competition. The sensors that were part of this setup include a primary 50MP sensor alongside a 20MP ultra-wide sensor, a 5x periscope lens that has a resolution of 12MP with 10x hybrid zoom. Performance is also a matter that is of no worry, with the device running on the Kirin 9000 chip, paired with 12 GB of RAM and a 4,400 mAh battery.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Battery and Codename Surfaced on Web Posted: 26 Apr 2021 07:38 AM PDT The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is making headlines for the past couple of weeks, and it was reported that the company is gearing up to launch a new 4G variant of the phone with a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. But here we are talking about the successor of the smartphone –the Galaxy S21 FE, which is expected to go official later this year. After the launch of the Galaxy S21 flagship series, all eyes are up for the Galaxy S21 FE smartphone. In the latest development, it has been reported that the battery specifications of the handset have popped up on the internet.  Samsung Galaxy S21 FE According to a report from GalaxyClub, the codename and battery capacity of the upcoming Galaxy S21 FE has been revealed. The report suggests that the handset is codenamed R9, and it will pack a 4,500mAh battery to power up the alleged Galaxy S21 FE. Further, the report claimed that the battery under the hood of the Galaxy S21 FE comes with a model number EB-BG990ABY and tipped to have a rated capacity of 4,370mAh.  This battery is associated with Galaxy S21 FE because the handset model number is SM-G990B. Apart from this, the report didn't reveal much about the specifications of the handset. Going with the previous leak, the Galaxy S21 FE is expected to sport a similar design to the bigger sibling (Galaxy S21). The alleged Galaxy S21 FE is tipped to launch with a 6.4-inch display with a punch-hole cutout design placed at the top centre of the display.  The smartphone is said to measure 155.7 x 71.45 x 7.9mm in dimensions, which means it’s taller than the predecessor. Rumours also suggest that the Galaxy S21 FE is expected to feature a 32MP camera sensor at the front for selfies and video calls. The upcoming smartphone is said to be launched in grey/silver, green, pink, purple, and white colour options. As per the leaks and rumours, the handset is tipped to be launched at the Galaxy Unpacked event on August 19, 2021. However, do note that Samsung is yet to reveal anything, and we recommend you to take this information with a pinch of salt and wait for the official announcement.

Google Pixel 5a’s Crucial Camera Information Leaked Posted: 26 Apr 2021 06:30 AM PDT Google’s recently initiated a blog that centres around the capabilities of the camera of Pixel phones. The recent blog described in detail how HDR+ with bracketing works on its devices. Google, however, slipped some crucial information on the upcoming Google Pixel 5a. The move, however, was accidental or a smartly planned tease; we will never know! But on the bright side, we know how the camera of Pixel 5a will look like. Revealed Information on Google Pixel 5a’s Camera The blog briefed about how image quality can be improved when HDR+ with Bracketing merges images taken with different exposure times. The feature was first launched with Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G in October last year, and guarantees more natural colours with improved details and texture and sizeably reduced noise on the images. The blog also linked a few images taken through Pixel phones; out of these, two images unusually stood out due to their distinctiveness. According to GSMArena, these images were taken from Pixel 5a that is yet-to-be-launched later this year. One of the two peculiar pictures was taken down shortly after the upload. GSMArena, however, said in the report they were able to track EXIF data that in fact indicated the device to be Google Pixel 5a. Further, the report mentioned that this time no 4G variant would be launched like last time, and the sole variant will be powered by Snapdragon 765G chipset and 5G connectivity. The presence of an ultrawide camera with an f/2.2 aperture lens was also mentioned in the report. The second sample photo is allegedly recently taken, and the lack of EXIF data in it creates suspicion for it to be taken from the Google Pixel 5a. The camera samples displayed via the blog, however, are hopeful, especially coming from a brand like Google Pixel, but it doesn’t necessarily acquaint us with the forthcoming camera upgrade from Google Pixel 5a. It is only a matter of time till we figure out if the camera upgrade of the upcoming budget phone by Google will be a hit or a miss, but it will be intriguing to see if it will live up to the expectations of the highly praised Pixel lineup.

OPPO K9 5G Specifications Confirmed Ahead of Launch Posted: 26 Apr 2021 05:30 AM PDT Oppo K9 5G is all set to go official on May 6 in the home country China. Ahead of the official launch event, the company has listed the smartphone on OPPO China's website to reveal some of the vital information. The listing does unveil some of the specifications and features of the upcoming K9 5G smartphone. Let's have a closer look at the confirmed specifications of the handset. Oppo K9 5G Confirmed Specifications According to the official Oppo website listing, the company has confirmed that the upcoming Oppo K9 5G is going to feature a 6.43-inch S-AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution, 90Hz refresh rate, and a 180Hz touch sampling rate. Besides, the website also confirmed that the handset will be equipped with the 6th-generation in-screen fingerprint scanner. At the front, the handset features a 32MP camera sensor that sits underneath the punch-hole cutout design. The screen is also said to offer a global eye protection mode. Further, the listing also confirmed that the Oppo K9 5G will be powered by the 2.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 768 SoC. The smartphone has managed to score 450,000+ on the AnTuTu benchmark listing and also supports SA and NSA dual-mode 5G. Under the hood, the chipset is clubbed with a 3D liquid cooling system, which consists of an enhanced VC liquid-cooled heat sink copper plate along with a multi-layer thermal conductive graphite sheet. The Oppo K9 5G is confirmed to be fuelled by a massive 4,300mAh battery with 65W super flash charge support. The company promises that the smartphone battery can be charged from nil to 100 percent in 35 minutes and it also supports flash charging while playing the game on it. The Oppo China website revealed that the handset will feature a triple rear camera setup with the combination of a 64MP AI primary camera sensor accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a 2MP depth sensor along with an LED flash. The company claims that this is one of the thinnest smartphones from the brand with a thickness of 7.9mm. Oppo also revealed that the smartphone will be up for sale in Spades K (black) and Wings of Symphony (blue gradient) colour options.

Nokia X50 Might Launch With Qualcomm Snapdragon 775 SoC Posted: 26 Apr 2021 04:45 AM PDT Nokia is in the process of developing a new 5G smartphone that will sport a 108MP penta rear camera setup. It is being suspected that the yet-to-be-launched Nokia’s smartphone could go by the name Nokia X50 that will launch by the third quarter of 2021. The phone is presumed to launch with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 775 SoC, and it might also pack a battery of 6,000 mAh. For more information on the upcoming handset, keep on reading. Expected Features of Nokia X50 NokiaPowerUser claimed in one of its reports that the Nokia X50 could be the successor of Nokia 8.3 5G. The report also suggested that it is highly likely that the upcoming Nokia X50 will be powered by the yet-to-be-launched Qualcomm Snapdragon 775 SoC. The penta rear camera with a 108MP primary sensor is certainly the most catchy spec being talked about, the Nokia X50. The claims further state that the primary sensor of the smartphone might be complemented by ultra-wide, depth, macro, and a telephoto camera. Besides this, the Nokia X50 is expected to sport Zeiss optics and OZO Audio tech like its predecessor Nokia 8.3 5G. The Nokia X50 is assumed to feature a 6.5-inch QHD+ display with PureDisplay V4 on top that might come along with the support of 120Hz refresh rate. Another report cited that the smartphone has earned TUV certification and packs a 6,000mAh battery that supports 22W fast charging. A recent report added that the Nokia X50 would not come along with a wall charger because the company aims to reduce the ecological impact of the smartphone. Furthermore, the report also said that the smartphone’s back case would be “100 per cent compostable”. This goes on to show that the company is not only trying to upgrade the technology but is also consciously trying to take eco-friendly measures. The abovementioned information, however, cannot be taken without a pinch of salt since it is not coming straight from Nokia. Sadly, we will have to wait for the launch to know more about the price, availability of the Nokia X50.

LG’s Exit From Smartphone Business Puts Pressure on Underperforming Brands Posted: 26 Apr 2021 03:57 AM PDT If you have been following the tech scene for even the last few years, you would have undoubtedly heard of a company known as LG. One of the most well-known appliance manufacturers struck out when it came to smartphones, as is evident by its demise, which, according to some, came a bit too late. Having been responsible for solid devices under its G-series,  which was quite popular back in the early 2010s, the company dipped from its once well-known position within the market to a point where even technically sound people would ask about whether or not LG still existed in the market. Despite this, the company kept pushing, offering products that provided dual-screen displays via a unique form factor, dependent on a flip-case that consisted of a secondary screen, followed by a T-shaped dual-screen device dubbed the LG Wing. Some of the company's latest devices include the LG G Flex capable of providing a self-healing back, the LG G8x ThinQ sporting a detachable screen via the previously mentioned flip case and the V-series which promised to offer users great cameras with features focused on videography. Why Did LG Decide To Pull The Plug On Its Smartphone Division? While there is no specific sureshot answer, one would point towards overall sales in the market. LG had a market share of 2% as of 2020; with the company shipping mere 23 Million devices in 2020 in comparison to Samsung's 250 Million. This, to most, seemed like a huge fall from grace, considering that back in 2013, LG was the third-largest smartphone company. Add to this the lacklustre response towards its flagship devices, the company effectively became a mid-range competitor, battling it out with the likes of TCL, Samsung, Motorola rather than at the front with OnePlus, Apple etc. For me, however, this instance of a well-regarded company, responsible for bringing the wide-angle camera to devices all around the world, or at least popularising it suddenly exiting the market puts more pressure on the backmarkers who have resorted to providing poor products for high prices. Why This Move Is Worrying For Backmarkers? LG pulling the plug had massive implications for the market as a whole, but it also puts pressure on backmarkers such as Motorola, Nokia etc. These companies are just flashes of what they used to be in the past, offering poor specifications for higher than usual prices. Nokia, to date, has been unable to get out of the slump that it entered in recent years, with the company resorting to odd choices such as the Pureview lineup that emphasised on-camera performance with a device that was terrible when it came to taking pictures. As of now, the only thing that is technically leading to sales for Nokia remains its bone-stock Android skin which also receives key updates much faster in comparison to competitors, especially in the budget to mid-range segment. On the other hand of the spectrum is Motorola, who till very recently lacked both a good product and proper software support, resulting in the company falling back quite a bit, even in markets like India, where it once held a respectable position. It seems, however, that the exit of LG from the market has put some added pressure on the back of Motorola, with the company providing much better specifications and a better value for money offering in the form of its recent Fusion series of devices. It would be a real shame to see household names such as Motorola and Nokia quit the smartphone industry, but unless they sort out their shortcomings, sustaining themselves in the hypercompetitive tech space will only get tougher.

Samsung Launches World’s First 3GPP-Compliant PS-LTE Network Posted: 26 Apr 2021 03:19 AM PDT Today, the South Korean tech giant Samsung launched the world's first 3GPP-compliant nationwide public safety LTE (PS-LTE) network in South Korea. Samsung joined hands with the top telecom operators of the country to make this possible. The PS-LTE network in concern will be operating in the 700 MHz spectrum to ensure better coverage and connectivity. The speciality of this network is that the first responders will use it in case of an emergency, such as firefighters, police, special agencies, the military and more. This network will ensure that the communication between the first responders and the concerned parties isn't interrupted due to the general public. For those of you who don't understand, when everyone is connected to a network with frequencies in the same spectrum band, it can create issues such as network congestion. Network congestion leads to issues such as call drops and slow data speeds. But this dedicated PS-LTE network of Samsung will ensure that the country’s first responders don't have to face any issues while communicating. Samsung's PS-LTE Network to Help Emergency Teams Respond Faster The PS-LTE network deployment by Samsung includes the company's Mission-Critical Push-to-Talk (MCPTT) with multimedia broadcast capabilities. It enables transmission for up to 2,500 user devices in a single cell that is almost twice the capacity of devices that the previous generation technology could support. Samsung's PS-LTE network solutions, including the MCPTT, will have a long-lasting effect on the public safety networks in international markets as well. During the time of buildout, the PS-LTE network was also connected with the existing LTE-Railway (LTE-R) and LTE-Maritime (LTE-M) networks operating in the 700 MHz frequency. The nationwide coverage that this network will provide will allow public safety institutions to take actions faster. It could potentially save several lives as it enables real-time enhanced communication between the people stuck in emergencies and the safety institutions. Samsung has been working on the PS-LTE network deployment since 2018 and has deployed it successfully today. The network can cover the whole nation meaning the first responders will be able to work even faster regardless of wherever they are.

Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition Will Don a Powerful Sound System Posted: 26 Apr 2021 02:06 AM PDT The Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition is slated to go official in China on April 27, 2021. Xiaomi has been revealing features of the device through teasers. Now the company has hinted about the sound system that the device will feature. Since it is a smartphone made for gamers, it has to feature powerful cameras. Through the teaser, Xiaomi said that the Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition would come with a speaker system that will "make top game sound quality". A Gizmochina report suggests that the device will come with support for a headset, external amplifier, and sound effects to enhance the gaming experience for the user. Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition Specifications (Expected) The Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition is expected to feature a flexible OLED display with support for 120Hz refresh rate. Further, the device’s display might support content in HDR10+ format and a touch-sampling rate of 480Hz. The bezels on the three sides of the device are expected to be just 1.8mm thick, which is about the same thickness that a coin has. Further, for delivering a powerful experience, the Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition is expected to feature the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC. The device is expected to come running on MIUI skin based on Android 11 out of the box. It is confirmed to pack a 5.065mAh battery with support for 67W fast-charging. It will be the fastest-charging that any Redmi device has ever offered, with the previous devices offering a maximum charging speed of up to 33W. Redmi's Gaming Phone Might be a Hit The Redmi K40 Game Enhanced edition is going to launch tomorrow in China. The device might be a hit owing to several reasons. First of all, Redmi offers its devices in a very affordable price range to the customers. The big battery and the fast charging will be a big attraction for the gamers since they would be able to utilise the device for long gaming sessions and then also charge it very fast to resume gaming. However, it is a 'gaming enhanced' edition device. We don't expect it to be as powerful as the Asus ROG Phone 5 or Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2, but well, Xiaomi can prove us wrong.

WhatsApp Might Soon Add a New Disappearing Message Feature Posted: 26 Apr 2021 01:05 AM PDT The social media giant WhatsApp is currently testing a new 'message disappearing' feature. This new feature is said to remove the message after 24 hours. For the unaware, WhatsApp has already provided users with an option to make the messages disappear after 7 days. But with this new feature, users will be able to set the disappearing time of the messages to as little as 24 hours. This will make it convenient for the users who want the messages to disappear much faster. According to a report from WABetainfo, this new feature will allow users to choose between the two-time frames – 7 days or 24 hours. It means that the instant messaging platform isn't replacing the 7 days time frame; instead, it is adding another option of 24 hours. WhatsApp Bringing in More Changes Soon Image Credit – WABetainfo WhatsApp is expected to launch more new features revolving around the disappearance of messages, including pictures and videos. WhatsApp users might soon be able to send pictures and videos in the same manner that they do on Instagram DMs when they want the recipient to only be able to see the pictures once. This feature is currently under development and should be out soon. The new 24 hours disappearing feature will be rolled out for both Android and iOS users very soon. Since it is under development at the moment, there is no sure date for when it will be rolled out to the users. However, one thing is for sure. Whenever WhatsApp decides to roll out the new disappearing feature, it will be done in a phased manner to check if it is performing without any bugs. Recently, the instant messaging platform released a new update for iOS that will allow users in a group to be able to change the 'Disappearing Messages' setting by default. Further, users might soon get the speed feature for voice messages. WhatsApp is said to be working on a voice message playback feature that will enable users to increase the speed of the message being played. The users will be able to play back messages at increased speeds of 1.5x and 2x. Whatsapp hasn't announced or hinted anything about users being able to slow down the audio messages.

iQOO 7 and iQOO 7 Legend With Flagship Features Launched in India Posted: 26 Apr 2021 12:23 AM PDT iQOO 7 and iQOO 7 Legend have just launched in India and they are here to give tough competition to other Chinese brands selling their devices in the mid-range segment. Both the devices had already gone official in China in January 2021. As expected, the vanilla iQOO 7 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 SoC and the iQOO 7 Legend is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC. Both the devices come with powerful specifications and at a price that will surely create some noise in the market. Let's take a look at the specifications and price of the devices in detail. iQOO 7 Specifications The iQOO 7 has launched in India with a 6.62-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with support for 120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 SoC meaning it is a 5G enabled device. The device comes with up to 12GB of RAM with 3GB extended RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 internal storage. It features a triple camera setup at the rear where the primary sensor is a 48MP Sony IMX 589 lens. The primary sensor of the camera system comes equipped with optical image stabilisation (OIS) support. The device comes with a 4,400mAh battery that supports 66W FlashCharge technology for enabling fast charging. iQOO 7 Legend Specifications iQOO 7 Legend comes with the same 6.62-inch FHD+ AMOLED display that supports a 120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC coupled with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. The rear body of the device features a triple-camera setup with a 48MP primary sensor, 13MP ultra-wide-angle sensor, and a 13MP portrait sensor. At the front of the device is a 16MP sensor for video calling and selfies. It is a 5G supportive device that packs a 4,000mAh battery with support for 66W FlashCharge fast charging. iQOO 7 and iQOO 7 Legend Price in India The iQOO 7 will be available in two colours – Storm Black and Solid Ice Blue. It has launched in three variants in India – 8GB+128GB for Rs 31,990, 8GB+256GB for Rs 33,990, and 12GB+256GB for Rs 35,990. It can be availed at a flat Rs 2,000 discount when purchased with the ICICI Bank credit cards. The device will go on sale from May 1 via the official website of iQOO and Amazon India. The iQOO 7 Legend has launched in two variants in India – 8GB+128GB for Rs 39,990 and 12GB+256GB for Rs 43,990. Its first sale will start on May 1 as well via the official website of iQOO and Amazon India.

PLI Scheme Timeline For Smartphone Makers Should be Deferred Posted: 25 Apr 2021 10:58 PM PDT The Indian government had introduced the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for smartphone manufacturers to make India a global mobile manufacturing hub. Many tech giants, including Apple and Samsung, had participated in the government's scheme to earn cashbacks and incentives. But the companies were only eligible to receive cashbacks when they met their yearly targets. Under the scheme, any foreign company setting up its manufacturing unit in India had to invest at least Rs 250 crore and produce an output of Rs 4,000 crore in the first year for receiving the 6% cashback from the government. Simultaneously, the minimum investment required for Indian companies was Rs 50 crore, and the target set was Rs 500 crore for the first year. Only Samsung could meet the target set by the government in the first year and thus is the only company that will receive the incentives. But the industry bodies have a problem with this. Push the PLI Timeline a Year Ahead According to an ET Telecom report, the top industry associations have asked the government to defer the timeline of the PLI scheme by one year. This is because nine out of the ten companies involved in the scheme couldn't meet their yearly targets. The nine concerned companies couldn't meet their targets because of the disruption in the supply chain due to the pandemic. The multiple lockdowns in 2020 further escalated the time taken by the companies to set up production facilities. The industry associations have argued that only Samsung had a big running production facility in India, and all of the other companies had to open new facilities and bring in technicians from overseas, which took a lot of time. At the same time, the government says that since Samsung has achieved the desired target, how can the PLI timeline be deferred. Had it been the case of no company included in the scheme meet the target, then the government could have considered pushing the timeline of the scheme one year ahead, but that can't be the case now since Samsung has reached the target. The industry associations have argued that Samsung didn't need to shift its production from China to India and didn't need to bring technicians from overseas. Because of the slowdown and ban on international flights during 2020, it became hard for the companies to bring people to India. All of this resulted in the delayed installation of equipment and delayed production of mobile devices in India. Samsung will be a little disappointed if the government defers the timeline for the companies since the South Korean tech giant reached the target in a fair and square manner.

Asianet Giga Fibernet and Airtel Xstream Fiber’s 200 Mbps Plan Is Very Similar Posted: 25 Apr 2021 09:30 PM PDT Asianet Giga Fibernet is a private internet service provider (ISP) that has its trenches deep in the Southern region of India. The company has highlighted on its website about the unparalleled reach that it has in Kerala. Apart from Kerala, it also provides services in Andhra Pradesh (AP), Karnataka, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu. The highest speed broadband plan that it offers comes with 200 Mbps speed. When we analysed, its monthly price was essentially the same as that of Airtel Xstream Fiber's 200 Mbps plan. Both the companies offer a very similar 200 Mbps plan; let's take a look at what users get when they buy either of the plans. Asianet Giga Fibernet 200 Mbps Plan Asianet Giga Fibernet offers its 200 Mbps plan for Rs 3,999 for four months. This means that the monthly cost of the plans is Rs 1,000. The company has said that users will get free installation with the plan. The fair-usage-policy (FUP) limit of the plan is between 3,000GB to 5,500GB per month. The company hasn't explicitly mentioned the FUP data that users get with this plan, but it will be at least 3,000GB of data. Further, users will be eligible to get a free cable TV connection from the company with this plan. The offer is only limited to users buying a new fiber internet connection. All the customers will be provided with a Rs 150 credit every month for up to six months for subscription charges. The company has mentioned on its website that it will offer dual-band modems to users. Also, there is a one-time activation charge that will be non-refundable. The modems that users get will be the property of the company and will be returned when the connection is discontinued. Also, note that none of the prices mentioned above is inclusive of taxes. There will be 18% GST applied on Rs 3,999 at the time of payment. Airtel Xstream Fiber 200 Mbps Plan Airtel Xstream Fiber offers its 200 Mbps plan for Rs 999 per month as well. Even the three months plan from the company comes for the same price. The FUP data that users get with this plan is 3,300GB. But Airtel Xstream Fiber offers over-the-top (OTT) benefits with its plans that Asianet Giga Fibernet doesn't. The company doesn't take any installation charges from the users if they are going for the three months plans. Further, users can opt for the Xstream Box from Airtel Digital TV for a one-time fully refundable cost of Rs 1,500 at the time of purchase of the fiber connection. Also, there is a free fixed voice-calling connection included with the plan. Which Company Offers a Better 200 Mbps Broadband Plan There are a few things that need to be considered before we outright choose a winner. First of all, we expect Asianet Giga Fibernet to provide users with 5,500GB of FUP data for the month because it is the most expensive plan that the company offers. Second, in the case of OTT benefits, Airtel Xstream Fiber is much ahead since Asianet doesn't offer a single OTT benefit to the users. For installation costs, Airtel doesn't take anything from the customers when they are going for at least the 3 months plan. On the other hand, Asianet charges Rs 1,000 for the same. Both the companies offer DTH connections with their fiber broadband plans to the new users. However, with Airtel Xstream Fibre, it is completely refundable, and the users get the Xstream Box which is powered by Android and will allow users to stream OTT content on the go. That said, at the end of the day, there are some upsides to Asianet's fiber plan and some upsides to Airtel's fiber plan. It will totally depend on the user if he/she would go for OTT benefits with Airtel or more data with Asianet.

OnePlus Should Dial Down a Bit and Go Back to its Roots Posted: 25 Apr 2021 08:00 PM PDT OnePlus came into the Indian market in 2014. The company announced that it would launch devices that will be 'flagship killers'. While it followed up with its statement with the OnePlus 3, 3T, 5, 5T, 6, 6T, 7, and 7T, it felt like the company was trying to sway in the ultra-premium segment market with the OnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus 8 Pro devices by pricing them up to Rs 60,000. The OnePlus 9 series launched last month confirms the company's plans to foray into the ultra-premium segment and compete directly with the likes of the iPhone 12 and the Samsung Galaxy S21. This means that its devices aren't flagship killers anymore. In fact, they now come in the same range as that of the flagships it was trying to compete with. OnePlus 9 Pro's 12GB+256GB variant is priced at Rs 69,999. This is ambitious from OnePlus given that now the users will directly have to choose between the OnePlus 9 Pro or the iPhone 12 base variant with 64GB memory. OnePlus Fans Disappointed By Average Devices In the initial years, OnePlus was phenomenal with every product that it came out with. A few of its smartphones that were game-changers were the OnePlus 5T and the OnePlus 7 Pro. Both the devices brought something fresh and super cool with them. Even the OnePlus 6 series was a serious upgrade over the OnePlus 5 series. However, with the OnePlus 8 series, OnePlus didn't really push the boundaries like people expected it to. Or maybe, it did, but that got overshadowed by the expensive price tag that the devices came with. All the new devices that OnePlus has launched since the OnePlus 8 series have had bugs, display issues, and over-heating issues. Most of the users feel like OnePlus has been launching average devices for quite some time now. Not that they are not 'good', but they are 'average good'. The 'average good' devices that we are talking about do have strong specifications, good cameras, power, the clean OxygenOS UI, but they have their fair share of issues. Compared to this, the iPhone 12 didn't have any major issue that we know of, and neither did the Samsung Galaxy S21. It is not a good sign when a company's flagship device priced in the ultra-premium segment has issues on its launch. Further, it is even a worse sign when that happens with more than one device (OnePlus 8 Pro, OnePlus 8T, and OnePlus 9 Pro). What's Disappointing For OnePlus Fans? Most of the OnePlus fans aren't disappointed by the pricing. Surprisingly, people are ready to pay whatever price OnePlus is asking them to; but they are disappointed in what the device has to offer. A few years back, OnePlus launched stellar devices under Rs 40,000, which were as good as flagships in the ultra-premium segment. This made people think if OnePlus is offering so much for under Rs 40,000, just how much will it offer with the devices priced above Rs 50,000! With the excitement of getting more by paying more, OnePlus fans purchased the latest offerings from the company only to find out; the devices had bugs, other issues, and most of all, they lacked the 'magic' OnePlus used to create with its low-range devices. Again, they were not bad smartphones; they just didn't meet the expectations of the OnePlus fans. The company started with an aim to compete with other companies offering over-priced ultra-premium flagships. But now, with the OnePlus 9 series, OnePlus has become one such company. Xiaomi can overthrow OnePlus in the Indian market with its competitive offerings such as the Mi 11X, the Mi 11X Pro and the Mi 11 Ultra that's directly competing with the OnePlus 9 Pro. Where is the OnePlus We Know? OnePlus seriously needs to dial things down and go back to its roots, talk about its plans in India and come up with amazing devices like it used to. Indians don't only want cheap devices. For what it's worth, OnePlus can price a device at Rs 1,00,000, and people would still pay for it. But, in order to be really successful in India once again, OnePlus will need to bring that magic to its devices. The recent OnePlus partnership with Hasselblad was good, but it didn't create a huge difference, and the Mi 11 Ultra priced at the same range has a better camera than the OnePlus 9 Pro. The OnePlus 9 Pro doesn't even come near the S21 Ultra when the camera performance is concerned. OnePlus has been all over the place with its offerings in India. It is no longer the brand that only manufactured and sold amazing smartphones; now, it has become a brand trying to do what others in the market are doing. OnePlus has launched a plethora of products in the last few years, including audio products, power-banks, and more. What the company needs to do is focus on its smartphones again and not distribute its resources in other products. While many would appreciate the OnePlus ecosystem of products, the company wouldn't be able to create that ecosystem without stellar devices in the first place. It is not too late for the company; it still has a lot more to give to India. Hopefully, OnePlus finds its way back with the OnePlus 9T series and offers something the market couldn't have imagined it would.

Vodafone Idea Now Competing With JioFiber, Announces New Broadband Plans Posted: 25 Apr 2021 06:30 PM PDT Vodafone Idea (Vi) has announced new broadband plans, which will give direct competition to JioFiber. In fact, not only JioFiber, but the company will even challenge Airtel Xstream Fiber, Excitel Broadband, and few other private internet service providers (ISPs) of India with its new plans. Vi offers its fiber broadband services through its subsidiary company called You Broadband. In an exclusive, a source told TelecomTalk that Vodafone Idea would be announcing new fiber broadband plans for the Ahmedabad circle. These plans will range from 30 Mbps to 200 Mbps. The company already offers broadband plans up to 200 Mbps in Ahmedabad. But these new plans will come with updated benefits and at a new price. Let's take a look at what's new. You Broadband New Plans For Ahmedabad The company will be launching a total of 5 new plans in the Ahmedabad circle. These five plans will come with 30, 50, 75, 100, and 200 Mbps speeds. All the plans will be available for 30 days (1 month), 90 days (3 months), 180 days (6 months), and 360 days (12 months or 1 year). You Broadband users going for the long-term plans will get free services for select days. Users going for the 90 days plan will get 5 days for free. At the same time, with the 180 days plan, the company is offering 10 days of free service, and with the 360 days plan, users will get 30 days of free service. It is worth noting that JioFiber also offers its users 30 days of free service when they go for yearly plans. Not only JioFiber, but also Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) offers users a free month of service when they go for its 300 Mbps yearly Bharat Fibre broadband plan. Let's take a look at the pricing of these new plans. You Broadband New Plans Pricing and Other Details Plans – Validity (Days) 30 Days 90 Days (+5 bonus days) 180 Days (+10 bonus days)  360 Days (+30 bonus days) 30 Mbps Rs 472 Rs 1,416 Rs 2,832 Rs 5,664 50 Mbps  Rs 679 Rs 2,036 Rs 4,071 Rs 8,142 75 Mbps  Rs 738  Rs 2,213  Rs 4,425  Rs 8,850 100 Mbps  Rs 826 Rs 2,478 Rs 4,956 Rs 9,912 200 Mbps Rs 1,062 Rs 3,186 Rs 6,372 Rs 12,744 All the plans mentioned above will ship with 3.5TB or 3,500GB fair-usage-policy (FUP) data which is more than what JioFiber, Airtel Xstream Fiber, and BSNL Bharat Fibre users get. Note that all the prices mentioned above are inclusive of GST. Excluding GST, You Broadband users can get the 100 Mbps plan for a monthly cost of Rs 700, which is cheaper than Airtel Xstream Fiber's 100 Mbps plan and matches the price of JioFiber's 100 Mbps plan. Up until now, in the same circle, You Broadband used to offer the same 100 Mbps plan for Rs 879 (including taxes) and only offered 900GB of data. So essentially, with the new plans, You Broadband has not only reduced the pricing of its offerings but has also increased the benefits they used to come with. Since the above-mentioned plans are inclusive of GST, they are as good as broadband plans offered by the other top private ISPs of India. The only thing that these plans lack at the moment is over-the-top (OTT) benefits. Regardless, this is a good step up from Vodafone Idea since the company was offering outdated plans until now. We expect the company to start offering these new plans in other circles soon as well.

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