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• Google’s June Feature Drop Brings New Features and App Updates to Pixel Users
• Samsung to Start Production of Displays for Upcoming Xiaomi, Oppo Foldables in October
• Brazil 5G Auction Expected to Begin Next Month
• Russian Operators form New Digital Solutions Joint Venture to Develop 5G
• Apple iOS 15 Announced With Enhanced Privacy Features
• Tata Sky to Offer Security Camera for Rs 99 Per Month
• iQOO Z3 5G, the Ultimate Value Smartphone Is Here
• Poco M3 Pro 5G Has Become One of the Most Affordable 5G Smartphones in India
• What Should Smartphone Brands in India Focus on?
• Twitter Is Now Playing With the Indian Government
• Key Elements of Broadband Connection to Consider for Gaming
• Data Protection Law Still in Works: IT Minister
• Apple Is Bringing Cross-Compatibility, Spatial Audio to FaceTime
• macOS Monterey Is Bringing Shortcuts, SharePlay, Live Text and Much More
• JioFiber Offers Slightly Better Broadband Plans Than Its Competitor

Google’s June Feature Drop Brings New Features and App Updates to Pixel Users Posted: 08 Jun 2021 09:18 AM PDT Just after Apple announced tons of updates to its software operating systems and applications during the WWDC event, Google has decided that it is time to roll out the June feature drop for the Pixel range of smartphones. In case you did not know, the organisation famous for multiple reasons is famous for introducing new features to its phones every three months via its Pixel Feature Drop. The latest update for June brings certain interesting additions. The devices that will receive this update are the Pixel 5, Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 4a, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 3a, Pixel 3 XL and Pixel 3. Do note that all devices except those that are no longer supported will be receiving the update, but, certain features will be limited to a couple of devices. What are The New Features Coming to Google’s Pixel 1. The first of these features is astrophotography videos. As per the name, users who own the Pixel 4 or later devices will now be able to record videos whilst clicking pictures under astrophotography mode. Users can try to hold off for longer exposure to click a shot to get more stars within the video. 2. The next feature is called Heads-up, which is a part of the Digital Wellbeing app. The feature basically allows for periodic alert users to look up from the handset's screen whilst walking. 3. Locked Folder is another new feature that got announced during  Google I/O 2021. The feature will allow users to save their photos and videos in Google Photos under a different called 'Locked Folder'. These media files will be hidden locally on the phone and will be protected by biometrics. 4. A great safety feature that will be rolled out as part of this update is Car Crash Detection. It is present in the Personal Safety app and will not be accessible to users that own the Pixel 3a or 3a XL. The feature will automatically alert emergency services when a car crash is detected. 5. Call Screen will allow users to avoid spam calls. This feature is currently being rolled out in Japan. It was limited to the US and Canada till today. 6. Google’s Recorder is getting a new update that brings support for transcription in multiple English dialects, such as Australian Singaporean, Irish and British English. 7. To celebrate Pride month, Google is also adding Pride-themed wallpapers and sound. To add to this, another new feature is Gboard Smart Replies which automatically suggests phone numbers, URLs and email addresses. Finally, one of the best updates is call actions using the Assistant, with Pixel 4 users being provided with the option to accept and reject calls via the assistant.

Samsung to Start Production of Displays for Upcoming Xiaomi, Oppo Foldables in October Posted: 08 Jun 2021 07:15 AM PDT There have been multiple rumours in recent times in regards to some upcoming foldables in Q4 of 2021, with big brands such as Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi and the king of foldables, Samsung in the mix. Now, it seems that the preparations for this influx of foldable devices is underway, at least according to details that surfaced today. We have been hearing about reports for months, dating back to April in regards to Samsung and an upcoming foldable flurry that will make use of Samsung’s displays, with all of these devices expected to hit the market in late 2021. Now, details via a Korean news outlet seem to cement these claims. The Elec which is based out of Korea has reported that Samsung will soon start the production of foldable OLED panels for the likes of Google, Vivo, and Xiaomi in the month of October. The report adds that all of these three companies are planning to launch their foldable phones in Q4 of 2021. This report further reiterated earlier reports that hinted the Google foldable to include a 7.6-inch in-folding display, with no word on an external display as of now. In contrast, the Vivo foldable is tipped to arrive with an 8-inch "3.4:3" main screen coupled with a 6.5-inch outer panel. What Does the Report Hint At? There seems to be a lack of information and details in relation to Xiaomi's next foldable, with The Elec only stating that Samsung is making the main screen and CSOT is working on the "accessory" screen. This accessory display hints at the possibility of a clamshell foldable instead of a tablet-sized foldable with a smartphone-like external screen. This does make more sense as Xiaomi currently offers a tablet-style device in the recently released Mi Mix Fold. The outlet also reported previously that the popular Chinese giant Oppo was working on a clamshell-style foldable, featuring a 7.7-inch main screen and a 1.5-inch to a 2-inch external display. But latest reports suggest that the device has been delayed to 2022. Regardless of whether or not Oppo intends to launch the foldable in 2021, the market will get heated up in the coming months, a much-needed change after quite some time of Samsung domination, especially due to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Z Flip, both of which, at the time of writing this article lead the field in their respective styles of foldables. With Xiaomi, one can expect the same competitive pricing that it has been known for, which might have both Samsung and Motorola’s attention, since they have had little to no competition in recent months.

Brazil 5G Auction Expected to Begin Next Month Posted: 08 Jun 2021 06:30 AM PDT Many countries across the globe have either begun or completed 5G auctions for their telecom operators. This raises a sense of competitiveness amongst other countries as everyone wants to lead their population to the adoption of 5G. A recent report by Reuters revealed that Fabio Faria, who is Brazil's Communication Minister, has conveyed the Brazilian government's expectations on spectrum auction for 5G frequencies to begin next month. All-State Capitals in Brazil Expected to Have Operational 5G SA Networks by July 2022 Brazil's Audit Court, TCU, is revising the country's 5G auction plan. The analysis and details of the auction rules by TCU will not delay the process of the 5G auction, said Faria. He further stated that he does not expect any delays as the Brazilian government has already responded to all the questions put forth by the court, Fabio Faria also expects that all the state capitals in Brazil will have operational 5G standalone networks by July 2022. In this regard, a team of Brazilian government delegation will also be visiting the U.S. to discuss private 5G networks with the U.S. government this week. Apart from meetings with the U.S. government, the Brazilian delegation will meet with investment banks and technology companies, including Motorola Solutions, IBM and AT&T. Brazil's 5G Auction Business Plan Was Finished on March 19 A special agency created by the general telecommunications act in 1997 named Anatel had already finished Brazil's 5G auction business plan on March 19. The regulatory agency had established that Brazilian mobile operators should not be dependent on dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) technology. DSS Technology allows 4G and 5G networks to operate using the same spectrum band. Thus, Anatel had strictly advised against relying on DSS for the provision of 5G services in Brazil. Brazil's 5G auction process was approved in February 2020 by the country's Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovations and Communications. The auction process would include airwaves in the 700 MHz, 2.3 GHz, and 3.5 GHz bands set for sale alongside the 26 GHz mmWave spectrum. The economic impact of the future deployment of 5G technology in Brazil could be around $1.216 trillion. According to a study conducted by Finnish entity Nokia and Omdia, an increase in productivity of $3.08 trillion will also be achieved by deploying 5G.

Russian Operators form New Digital Solutions Joint Venture to Develop 5G Posted: 08 Jun 2021 05:05 AM PDT A joint venture named New Digital Solutions has been formed by Russian operators VimpelCom (Beeline), Rostelecom and Megafon with the goal of building 5G networks together. The Russian operators have agreed to own equal stakes in the joint venture, which is aimed to collaboratively develop radio frequencies for establishing and operating 5G mobile networks. The New Digital Solutions will track testing for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and research possibilities of using certain spectrum bands to construct 5G networks. New Digital Solutions Will Focus on the Release of Spectrum for 5G Services The joint venture between VimpelCom (Beeline), Rostelecom and Megafon will implement necessary organisational and technical measures to release the spectrum from existing usages. The spectrum that will be released for 5G services will include 694-790 MHz, 3.4-3.8 GHz, 4.4-4.99 GHz, and 24.25-29.5 GHz bands. An agreement was also signed under the framework of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum. The agreement was given preliminary consent by Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Services (FAS) on May 12th. Another major market player in the Russian Mobile Networking space called MTS is not participating in the New Digital Solutions joint project. MTS has spread its wings around St Petersburg by launching its pilot 5G network in the past. With this 5G network, 16 crowded locations in the city and the town of Kronshtadt in the St Petersburg region are equipped with a broadband connection of up to 15 Gbps speed. 5G in Russia Has Begun to Lag Behind the Global Trend: VimpelCom Rashid Ismailov, President of VimpelCom, has commented on the state of 5G in Russia by comparing it with the global trends. He said that the introduction of 5G in Russia has begun to lag behind the global trend. He added that they face some serious roadblocks like shortage of frequencies, regulatory, organisational and technical issues relating to the introduction of the next-generation network technology, that is, 5G. He also said that it is necessary that these problems are addressed and resolved quickly. Rashid expressed concerns that the major players and large operators in the countries alone are not capable enough to resolve these issues.

Apple iOS 15 Announced With Enhanced Privacy Features Posted: 08 Jun 2021 03:51 AM PDT Apple's yearly Worldwide Developers Conference has begun on 7th June this year. The American multinational technology company unveiled the new version of their in-house operating system – iOS 15. There had been many leaks revolving around the new features of the iOS 15 that seemed to be too far-fetched even for a company like Apple. However, iOS 15 comes with all those rumoured improvements, specifically to FaceTime and iMessage. iOS 15 also shows an overall emphasis on improving sharing and communication as well as privacy-related features this year. FaceTime to Leverage Spatial Audio Now FaceTime will now leverage Spatial audio, which will make it seem like the person you are on FaceTime with is in the same room as you and speaking face to face. In case of a group call, users will be able to see every face in a grid view, and voices will be spread out to sound as though they're coming from the speaker's position on the screen. A feature called voice isolation will use machine learning to block out ambient noises and prioritise voices. FaceTime users will now be able to invite people to the call by generating and sharing links to the call. These links can also be used by Android and PC users in a browser. FaceTime calls can now also be scheduled, and the links can be shared via messages or emails. SharePlay is a new experience sharing feature that will let you synchronise videos you watch and music you listen to with everyone in a FaceTime call. Although this feature is only available on Apple Music and Apple TV, participants will be able to control media playback. Shared Media on iMessage Now Easier to Access New updates to iMessage in iOS 15 will let users find media shared in chats quickly. Users will now be able to react to photos, view them in full screen and swipe through them with the new collage and stack designs. Shared links and media will surface in the Shared With You Section in Apple News, Apple Music. Photos, Safari, Podcasts and other apps. Apple Music will now let you have Shared Playlist, and Photos will show shared media in the featured photos section. iOS 15 Will Roll Out on iPhone 6S and Subsequent Devices This Year The Developer Preview for iOS 15 had begun immediately after it was unveiled. The public beta will be arriving next month for a wider audience. It will officially start rolling out for iPhone 6S and later devices in September this year, with the beginning of the fall season.

Tata Sky to Offer Security Camera for Rs 99 Per Month Posted: 08 Jun 2021 02:43 AM PDT Tata Sky, the number one Direct-to-Home (DTH) operator of the country, will soon offer users a security camera for Rs 99 per month. The company listed the new product (security camera) on its website but has taken the page down for now. However, in the brief period that the product was listed, we got a peek into how much the service will cost when the users buy it and what kind of service they will get from the company. As per the page we saw, the service/product would only be available to the existing users of Tata Sky. Interested users can get the service for only Rs 99 per month. Tata Sky Security Camera Features Tata Sky will offer a 1080p FHD resolution security camera to the users with the capability of 8x digital zoom. The camera will come with a 111-degree wide-angle lens. For enhanced recording at night, the camera will come with Night Vision support. It is equipped with four infrared LEDs; an IR Cut filter, an F2.0 aperture. Users get can visibility up to 30 feet when it is dark. It is a smart camera and comes with intelligent features, including Smart Detection. Users can also change the sensitivity and customise the zone detection as per their needs and convenience. This will render all the control in the hands of the customer about which event he/she wants to be notified about. Whenever a sound or motion is detected by the camera in the pre-selected zone, a 12-second video will be recorded automatically and stored in the cloud for 7 days so that you can access it anytime you want within the given time frame. Users will be able to access the cloud storage through the Tata Sky Secure app. It comes with the support of up to 32GB storage SD card, but it isn't included in the purchase for the customer. Any user who wants the Tata Sky Security Camera will have to pay a one-time non-refundable installation fee of Rs 999. Further, the user will have to keep paying Rs 99 per month for accessing all the features of the camera. Since it doesn't run on a battery, it will need to be connected to a power source at all times to function.

iQOO Z3 5G, the Ultimate Value Smartphone Is Here Posted: 08 Jun 2021 01:38 AM PDT iQOO Z3 5G is one of the most value offering smartphones in the country today. iQOO has launched the device with a Qualcomm chipset and a very impressive display. The smartphone comes with a triple-camera setup at the rear and has a decent-sized battery as well. But the best part of the device is that it has been priced very good. For the unaware, the device had already launched in the China market but now has made its way to India. Let's take a look at what makes iQOO Z3 5G the ultimate value smartphone. iQOO Z3 5G Is Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 768G iQOO launched the iQOO Z3 5G powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 768G in India. The smartphone comes with up to 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 256GB of UFS 2.2 internal storage. Users can expand the storage by up to 1TB with the help of a microSD card. The iQOO Z3 5G comes with a 6.58-inch FHD+ display with support for 120Hz refresh rate, 180Hz touch sampling rate and offers a 90.61% screen-to-body ratio. The device will run on FunTouch OS 11.1 based on Android 11 out of the box. The smartphone has a triple camera setup at the rear, where the primary sensor is a 64MP lens paired with an 8MP ultra-wide-angle sensor and an additional 2MP sensor. At the front, users get a 16MP sensor for video calling and selfies. The primary sensor at the rear comes with support for features such as Portrait Mode, Night Mode, Live Photo, Panorama, Slo-Motion, and Time-Lapse. There is a 4400mAh battery inside the device with a 55W fast charging. The company claims that the device can charge from 0% to 50% in just under 19 minutes. There is a fingerprint sensor at the side of the device. iQOO Z3 5G Starts at Rs 19,990 in India The base variant of the iQOO Z3 5G comes with 6GB+128GB and is priced at Rs 19,990, and the superior variant with 8GB+126GB variant is priced at Rs 22,990. The device will be available for sale in Ace Black and Cyber Blue colour options. The iQOO Z3 5G will start selling on Amazon and the official website of iQOO from 1 PM today.

Poco M3 Pro 5G Has Become One of the Most Affordable 5G Smartphones in India Posted: 08 Jun 2021 12:38 AM PDT Poco is known for launching some of the most power-packed smartphones for a very affordable price. The company has today launched the Poco M3 Pro 5G for the Indian market through a virtual event. The highlight of the device is its price. Poco has made the device very affordable so that a majority of the Indian population can enjoy the benefits of 5G as the next-generation connectivity technology arrives in the country. The Poco M3 Pro 5G has launched with the recently announced affordable 5G chipset from MediaTek. Find out all about the device below. Poco M3 Pro 5G Comes With MediaTek Dimensity 700 SoC Poco M3 Pro 5G is powered by the octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 700 SoC coupled with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It comes with a triple-camera setup at the rear with a 48MP primary sensor, a 2MP macro sensor, and a 2MP depth sensor. The device also has an 8MP sensor at the front for video calling and selfies. The Poco M3 Pro 5G has a 6.5-inch FHD+ display with support for 90Hz refresh rate. The display of the device further comes with the DynamicSwitch feature and offers a 91% screen-to-body ratio. There is Corning Gorilla Glass at the top of the screen for protection. It is a 5G supportive device which also supports dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The smartphone also comes with an audio jack for earphone lovers. The fingerprint sensor of the device is mounted at the side, and the device also supports AI face unlock. The Poco M3 Pro 5G packs a 5,000mAh battery with support for 18W fast-charging. The smartphone will run on MIUI 12 based on Android 11 out of the box. Poco M3 Pro Can be Purchased Starting at Rs 13,999 The Poco M3 Pro has launched in two variants in India. The base variant with 4GB+64GB has launched for Rs 13,999, and the superior variant with 6GB+128GB has launched for Rs 15,999. It will be available in three colours – Power Black, Cool Blue, and Poco Yellow. Users can get both variants at a discount of Rs 500 on the early bird sale only for June 14, 2021

What Should Smartphone Brands in India Focus on? Posted: 08 Jun 2021 12:02 AM PDT Apart from Apple, there's no other smartphone brand that plays in the 'luxury' market in India. Believe it or not, using an iPhone is more about the status that it offers than the features. Frankly, iPhones don't have any unusual over the top feature for which someone needs to pay up to Rs 1.5 lakhs. But it is the brand value that supersedes everything, and users still pay for the severely overpriced products. But how about other smartphone brands which are not in the luxury category? What do they do, and how should they behave in the coming years to garner the attention of the users? Chinese Smartphone Brands in India Focus on Delivering the Most Value for Money If you are someone who wants a smartphone that's full of value for the money you paid, there's a pretty high chance that you are thinking of a Chinese smartphone brand. Companies such as OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo, Poco, Xiaomi, Redmi and Realme have made it their mission to offer the most to their customers for as little as possible. Then there's the South Korean tech giant Samsung. Samsung has been in the smartphone market for way longer than the above mentioned Chinese brands. The South Korean smartphone maker has launched a number of successful smartphone series such as the 'S' series and the 'Note' series. While some of the Chinese smartphone brands are not in the premium flagship segment, there are brands such as Xiaomi (Mi 11 Ultra) and OnePlus (OnePlus 9 Pro), and Vivo (Vivo X60 Pro+), and Oppo (Oppo Find X series), which are offering direct competition to each other and other companies including Apple and Samsung. But here's the thing, will these smartphone brands make a lot of buck selling premium flagships in the market? They might, but will it help in the long run? Probably not, and here's why. Mid-Range and Semi-Premium Smartphones Will Make or Break a Company Just to clarify, from mid-range, we refer to the smartphones priced between Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 and from semi-premium, we mean devices priced between Rs 30,000-Rs 40,000. The future of smartphone brands lies in this category. Ultra-premium flagship or premium flagship devices are good for the companies to earn large margins and make money, but it doesn't help with capturing market share. To build goodwill and earn a larger market share, smartphone brands in India will have to look at their mid-range and semi-premium offerings in the country. OnePlus Nord is an excellent example of how many people are ready to spend on a device that's in the mid-range segment and offers decent features. Companies need to ensure that they are offering very good devices in the mid-range segment. Samsung has been quite disappointing when it comes to the mid-range offerings. India is a price-sensitive market. While many users don't want to purchase a cheap phone, many also don't want to purchase an over-expensive smartphone. Thus, they look for the offerings in the mid-range segment and the semi-premium segment. OnePlus became a big hit in India because earlier, its flagships fell under the mid-range segment. As the company shifted to more expensive smartphones, it also launched the OnePlus Nord to ensure that it doesn't lose its market share in the mid-range segment. Because with a good device in the mid-range segment, these smartphone brands can not only increase their market share but, because of the scale of selling, even with low margins, make a lot of money. So smartphone brands in a price-sensitive market like India should focus on their mid-range offerings a lot.

Twitter Is Now Playing With the Indian Government Posted: 07 Jun 2021 09:49 PM PDT Twitter has not yet complied with the new IT rules made for social media applications/platforms that have more than 50,00,000 (50 lakh) users in India. The new IT rules are made in order to keep the platforms accountable and solve the grievances of users/customers appropriately. Companies such as Facebook, Instagram, and more have already complied with the new IT rules, but Twitter has not done so yet. According to a PTI report, the latest statement from Twitter says that the company needs more time for complying with the rules because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It would be hard for the government to accept the reply because other companies also complied with the rules in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Twitter Says Working on Implementing the Policy Twitter said that it had assured the Government of India about complying with the new IT rules. The social media platform said that it has already shared the progress it has made with complying with the rules with the government. Further, Twitter said that it would keep the communication channel with the government open so that things remain smooth and transparent. Twitter said that it already had a grievance officer, but the officer was a U.S. citizen. Thus the court had asked the platform to comply with the rules by appointing Indian officers. For the unaware, a few days back, Twitter was asked by the Delhi High Court to comply with the new IT rules in the next three weeks. The reply from Twitter saying that it hasn't complied with the new IT rules because of the COVID-19 pandemic seems like a very big excuse. The platform has already said that it doesn't believe in the new IT rules of the government. Twitter had said that the new IT rules would reduce people's confidence in sharing what they feel like saying to the world and would further result in the invasion of privacy. There's no doubt that Twitter is now playing with the government, and despite the order from the Delhi High Court, the micro-blogging platform is excusing itself from complying with the new IT rules. Twitter needs to comply with the rules; it will be a matter of just 'when' it will.

Key Elements of Broadband Connection to Consider for Gaming Posted: 07 Jun 2021 09:30 PM PDT Gaming has become of the most budding career streams for the past few years. This has been fueled by the Covid-19 pandemic as people have been accessing the internet more than ever to create and consume content. Games in recent times are also becoming more sophisticated than they have ever been. These include real-time multiplayer games that connect gamers across the globe. These sophisticated and online multiplayer games are data-intensive and require a fast and stable internet connection at all times. In order to enjoy a smooth gaming experience today, a fast broadband internet connection is just not enough. There are various individual elements that altogether constitute a broadband connection suitable for gaming. Latency Should Be as Low as Possible Latency is the time difference between data leaving the source and reaching its destination. In simple terms of gaming, latency is the difference between when you give a command and when it is reflected on the screen. The lower the latency, the smoother gaming experience you will have. A low latency indicates that your broadband internet connection is stable and running at high speed. Higher latency means a lag in the link of data being transferred from the source to the destination. Ping rate or latency is measured in milliseconds. An ideal high-speed broadband connection should have a ping rate of fewer than 50 milliseconds. There are many portals available online to check your ping rate. Faster The Speed, Lower the Risk of Lags Lags and latency as basic indicators of the speed and stability performance of your internet connection. The higher the speed of your broadband internet connection, the lower will be the risk of any lags or latency in your gaming experience. Apart from being beneficial for avoiding latency, a high-speed broadband connection also means faster download and upload. Faster download and upload speeds combined to increase the bandwidth required for gaming. Wired Broadband Connection Vs Wireless Broadband Connection A broadband connection can enable internet access both through a wired medium or a wireless medium. Both of these mediums have their own distinct advantages. On a wired connection, you get a more stable, uninterrupted, high-speed broadband connection transferred to your computer or laptop using Ethernet cables. A wireless broadband connection is useful to connect multiple devices to a single broadband connection. When it comes to gaming, fixed-line broadband works better than a wireless connection as a wireless connection is prone to disruptions in gameplay.

Data Protection Law Still in Works: IT Minister Posted: 07 Jun 2021 09:08 PM PDT IT Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad tweeted recently that the Select Committee of the Parliament is still working on the Data Protection Law. The law will seek to safeguard the personal information of the users and will also guide and oblige the data collectors/processors to meet with a penalty if they violate any of the policies. The use of personal data of the users is how many social media applications make their fortunes from. Until now, there were no rules or policies regarding safeguarding the data of the customers. But once the committee of parliament finalises its report on the data protection law, the government will ensure that all of the personal data of the Indian users is safe and stored within specific guidelines. Areas Covered by the Data Protection Law As per a PTI report, the data protection law will cover the following areas — consent of the user in offering the data to the company/organisation, what data can the app/website take from the user, policies for processing the data, individual rights, exemptions that can be granted, and more. The government had to come up with a new data protection law after WhatsApp introduced a new privacy policy in January this year. The new privacy policy of the social media application aimed at collecting the personal data of the users and then sharing it with Facebook. Since there was no data protection law, both the government and the courts didn't have any direction with the matter. WhatsApp couldn't enforce the privacy policy on its users living in Europe because of an existing policy safeguarding the data of the users. Since India didn't have a policy regarding the same, WhatsApp could enforce the privacy policy looking to collect data of the Indians. The new data protection law is the need of the hour since many companies, not just WhatsApp will look to collect data of the users. Generally, free platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and more rely on the personal data they have and a few other things to be able to generate revenues by selling that data to the advertisers. Once the data protection law comes into effect, WhatsApp might be forced to withdraw its mandatory privacy policy. There's no clear timeline on when the government will come out with the data protection law.

Apple Is Bringing Cross-Compatibility, Spatial Audio to FaceTime Posted: 07 Jun 2021 08:30 PM PDT Apple, the Cupertino based tech giant on Monday night held its annual developer conference WWDCC 2021, which introduced the latest iterations of the company’s iOS, iPad OS, macOS and watchOS. The latest version of iOS 15 promises to offer a wide range of features and updates, such as covering messages and the interface as a whole. As part of the new version, Apple is bringing major changes to the FaceTime application, complete with a facelift and a bunch of new features. The key differentiator is the cross-platform availability of FaceTime, something users have been asking for over a long period of time. In case you are wondering as to how this works, FaceTime users that are on non-iOS products can now join the chat via the web on Android or Windows to gain access to the particular meeting. Apart from this, Apple also stated that a new grid view facility is coming for video calls. The app also supports spatial audio which can offer more audible and natural audio during the particular call as well as a new voice isolation feature that will isolate the speaker’s voice. The portrait mode has also to arrived in FaceTime. As is implied, users will now be able to blur out the background, just like you can do on Zoom and other video conferencing platforms via a particular skin or filter. Are There Any Other New Features with FaceTime Another interesting update for FaceTime is called SharePlay. The feature will allow users to stream content with their group of friends or family in a simultaneous manner. Participants will also be able to control a few playback related features for OTT platforms. Apple has announced the availability of SharePlay API for third-party apps that are in use. It has partnered with major OTT platforms such as Disney+ and HBO Max. The company has also decided to provide support for Apple Music and Apple TV Plus. One final issue that used to plague FaceTime users was in relation to scheduling such meets when alternatives on Android such as Google Meet and Zoom offered an option to schedule a meeting for a future date and time. With the new update, the company is announcing a new feature called FaceTime Links. With the feature, users will now be able to provide other participants with links to join the meeting on a future date, meaning that the woes of preparing for a meeting beforehand have now become a thing of the past.

macOS Monterey Is Bringing Shortcuts, SharePlay, Live Text and Much More Posted: 07 Jun 2021 08:17 PM PDT Apple on Monday announced the next version of its desktop operating system, macOS 12 Monterey which offers several new features, some of which are exclusive to macOS whilst others are borrowed from iOS and iPadOS 15. One of the first new features to macOS Monterey is in relation to Universal Control. With the feature, users can control their iPad with the keyboard and mouse/trackpad of their Mac. This requires no additional setup and the users just have to place their iPad next to their Mac. Users can also move their mouse across all of their Mac and iPad. macOS is also getting AirPlay for Mac. With this feature, users can AirPlay audio and video content from their iPhone, iPad to the user’s Mac, just as the user would with an Apple TV. This will allow them to make use of the display of their Mac to show videos or presentations from their phone. macOS Monterey also opts for a fully-redesigned Safari that offers a brand new tab bar that integrates the address and search box within the active tab, as well as tab groups to ensure frequently opened tabs are arranged in custom groups. Safari can also adjust its UI colours to match the design of the current webpage. macOS Monterey is also receiving Shortcuts, a feature that debuted on the iPhone. Macs will now automatically open and run commonly performed tasks and they can be launched with a single click. The OS offers a set of pre-built actions and users can create their own via a simple interface. macOS Monterey also gets many of the new features that include all the new improvements to FaceTime, such as spatial audio, which makes the sound of the people you are talking to appear from where the person is located on the screen. What Else Does macOS Monterey Offer Voice Isolation will also let you eliminate background noise, with Wide Spectrum allowing all of the ambient noise to come through. The new Portrait mode will be able to automatically blur the background. SharePlay is also coming to the new version of macOS. Shared with You is another new feature that collects all of the content shared with the user via Messages, such as photos, videos, articles, and puts it in a Shared with You tab that is a part of the Photos, Safari, Apple Podcasts, Apple News, and the Apple TV app. The Focus feature will be able to filter out unwanted notifications based on current activity. macOS Monterey will also be getting the updated Maps app complete with an interactive globe and detailed city experience and the new Notes app. Live Text will also offer machine-learning advancements to detect text in photos, such as phone numbers, websites, addresses, and tracking numbers, so a user can copy and paste, take a phone call, open a website, and find more information. Apple also claims that macOS Monterey is going to support the broadest range of Macs in history, complete with both Intel and Apple Silicon models. Do note that Apple is dropping support for some of the older machines, some of which are the older iMac, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro models. In case you are wondering, macOS Monterey will be on offer to developers today, whilst a public beta is coming next month. A stable release is coming in the Fall of 2021.

JioFiber Offers Slightly Better Broadband Plans Than Its Competitor Posted: 07 Jun 2021 06:49 PM PDT JioFiber and Airtel Xstream Fiber are two of the top fiber broadband brands in India. Both the companies have millions of customers around the country and provide services in several circles. Since both the companies are also expanding to new tier-2 and tier-3 cities around India, a lot of people living in those cities will be wondering which operator they should go with. We are here to help you make that decision. Since both the companies offer very similar plans, it is important to understand the small differences that exist in the offerings of JioFiber and Airtel Xstream Fiber which will help you make the right decision. JioFiber Broadband Plans More Economical? JioFiber's broadband plans are more economical than the plans offered by Airtel Xstream Fiber. The base plan offered by both the companies comes for Rs 399 (Jio) and Rs 499 (Airtel). While there's a Rs 100 difference between the plans of the companies, Airtel justifies the price gap by offering 40 Mbps speeds against Jio's plan with 30 Mbps speed. Moving ahead, both the companies offer a 100 Mbps plan. Here also, there is a gap of Rs 100 in the plans from both the fiber brands where Airtel's plan is again more expensive. Both the plans come with the same speed, same fair usage policy (FUP) data (3.3TB), and a fixed-line voice calling benefit. There are some over-the-top (OTT) benefits included with Airtel's plan, such as Airtel Xstream Premium, Wynk Music, and Shaw Academy. Jio's Rs 999 Plan Lags Behind Airtel's Plan However, just when it comes to the Rs 999 plan, Jio's plan lags behind Airtel's plan quite severely. Airtel's plan comes with 200 Mbps speed, while Jio's plan comes with 150 Mbps speed. OTT benefits are offered with both the plans where Airtel offers a free subscription to platforms such as Disney+ Hotstar VIP, Amazon Prime, Airtel Xstream Premium, and other Airtel Thanks benefits. Reliance Jio offers multiple OTT benefits worth Rs 1,000/month for free. Both the companies again offer the same plan of Rs 1,499 with 300 Mbps speed and the same amount of FUP data. Jio here takes the lead from Airtel because of the OTT benefits offered with the plan. JioFiber offers users the OTT benefit of 15 platforms which are worth Rs 1,500/month. Airtel offers the same OTT benefits as it does with the Rs 999 plan. Further, Airtel again offers the same OTT benefits as it did with the Rs 999 plan with the Rs 3,999 plan, which offers 1 Gbps speeds. JioFiber offers users the same plan but with way more OTT benefits, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar VIP, SonyLIV and more. None of the prices mentioned above includes taxes. Note that with either of the companies, users are eligible to receive a free router if they meet the terms and conditions of the offer.

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