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Chinese Smartphone Giants Could Bring Back ToF Sensors

Posted: 21 Jul 2021 09:03 AM PDT

ToF Sensor It seems that the days of seeing ToF or Time-of-Flight sensors on smartphones might return once again, as a new report has suggested that the upcoming flagship handsets of the Chinese vendors will work to re-adopt the ToF camera sensors. The timing for this report is quite interesting, considering as to how the news comes just days after reports have suggested that Apple will be working to include the new ToF based LiDAR sensors for the iPhone Pro series lineup in 2021. For those of you unaware, LiDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging, and it is a remote sensing technology that makes use of light that is in the form of a pulsed laser in order to measure ranges to the Earth.

Will Chinese Flagships Really Feature ToF Sensors?

Coming back to the report, which arrives via DigiTimes, citing sources close to the matter mentions that Chinese brands are now raising their orders for components and lenses that are key to the making of ToF cameras. One such example is Honor, which recently added the ToF sensor to its flagship Honor 50 Pro series of devices, with the sensors sourced via Taiwanese supply chains. The suppliers for the parts consist of GaAs foundries Win Semiconductors, Advanced Wireless Semiconductor (AWSC), and certain others that will be key to supplying Apple with 3D Face-ID sensors and ToF LiDAR scanners as well, to be used in the upcoming iPhones. To add to this, the source added that a few of the Huawei P50 series models will also be adopting the ToF cameras, Samsung Electronics, another major smartphone maker hailing from Korea seems unlikely to bring the ToF cameras back to its premium handsets, and it seems unlikely that it could launch a device with the same in 2021. Do note that despite this, the source believes that the Taiwanese suppliers should see robust orders in the second part of the year, due to the strong sales of 5G PA handsets and VSCEL chipsets that are to be used in new iPhones and flagship-grade offerings from the top Chinese vendors. In case you did not know, a ToF or Time-of-Flight sensor makes use of infrared light, which are lasers that are not visible to the naked eye to determine depth-related information, much like how a bat might see its surroundings. The specific sensor will emit a light signal, which goes and hits the subject, then proceeds to return to the sensor. The time that is taken to return is then measured, providing depth-mapping based abilities.

BSNL to Finally Offer 4G Speeds in Kerala via BTS Technology

Posted: 21 Jul 2021 07:54 AM PDT

BSNL 4G Kerala BSNL customers in Kerala have been missing out on 4G, but it seems that these days will soon be gone, since, according to a new report by Mathrubhumi, the consumers of the telco in South India might soon get the ability to enjoy 4G. According to a new plan, around 15,000 network towers in Southern India will be upgraded to offer 4G connectivity. Out of these 15,000 towers, around 80% are present in Kerala. The towers, which come equipped with Nokia’s BTS or Base Transceiver Station, will now get an additional system to transmit the 4G network.

Is BSNL 4G Really Coming to Kerala?

The management of BSNL (Bharti Sanchar Nigam Limited) recently approved the project, which mandated the need for the permission of the board director. This 4G spectrum, which was allocated to the telco back in 2018 as part of a revival package can finally be used to offer the service. In case you were wondering, generic mobile towers feature two units, namely a radio part that is present on the top and a base part that is present on the bottom. BTS or Base Transceiver Station is a combination of the two and will be added to the radio part of the existing towers in and around Kerala. Once this process is completed, BSNL customers will finally be able to access better internet facilities. BSNL will be required to pay a whopping Rs 30 crore on a monthly basis to make use of 4G connectivity in the country, to use the spectrum that had been allotted to the telco by the Indian government. Interestingly, it seems that BSNL does not think of this to be any sort of burden, despite having lost ground to competitors such as Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, since this move could provide better service and could result in increasing revenues by capturing more customers in the region. Do note that this plan was proposed earlier, with the process of installing 4G systems by BSNL having been dropped due to the tender invitation which included a new guideline that mandates 20% Make-in-India equipment. As of now, BSNL owns around 60,000 towers spread across the country of India.

BSNL had recently taken steps that could take it closer to the private telecom companies with the telco having has finally started the rollout of an SMS based sign up service. The consumers who wish to subscribe to a BSNL service can do so by sending the right message depending on what kind of connection they would like to have.

Airtel eSIM: Things You Must Know Before Applying

Posted: 21 Jul 2021 06:42 AM PDT

Airtel eSIM Bharti Airtel is one of the telecom operators providing the Airtel eSIM service to its subscribers. With the proliferation of devices that offer eSIM features to the users, it is imperative to know about this new phenomenon. If you were to buy a smartwatch in the premium segment, or an Apple iPhone, then chances are then you would have to resort to using an eSIM instead of a physical second SIM. To the unknown, the process of shifting to an eSIM can be very daunting. However, once you start using an eSIM going back might be tough because of how seamless the technology of an eSIM is. But, here are some of the things that you must know before applying for a Bharti Airtel eSIM. Largely, these steps apply to other operators as well.

The necessity of a Linked Email ID

If you are transferring from a physical SIM to an Airtel eSIM for the first time, it is imperative to link your email ID with your Airtel number. In case you have not done this year, you will have to go to the Airtel Thanks application and update your email ID in the profile section. However, simply inputting the ID is not sufficient to obtain an Airtel eSIM; you will also have to verify your email ID by getting a confirmation code. Post this; you can apply for the Airtel eSIM by messaging "eSIM" followed by your email ID to the 121 number. It is quite possible that your email ID might not be linked instantly, and even after multiple attempts, you get the error that the email ID is not registered, then you will have to call the customer service to request a manual email ID update. After a few hours, post the update of the email ID, you can again try applying for the Airtel eSIM.

Airtel eSIM Handling While in Device

As the name suggests, an Airtel eSIM is configured via software and authentication. There is no physical SIM inside your phone to make the network and mobile data work. As such, you add an Airtel eSIM by scanning the QR code which you get in your email ID. However, this also means that the Airtel eSIM can be easily revoked from your phone. You must keep in mind that while you fidget around the settings menu in your phone, you must not remove the "Mobile Data Plan", which is under your Airtel eSIM; if you do this, you might permanently revoke your SIM, causing you a lot of hassle and of course, loss of network and calling and SMS services.

Deactivation of Service For 24 Hours

Lastly, you should keep in mind that post-activation of Airtel eSIM, you will not be able to receive or send any SMS from your phone for 24 hours. This is done by the telecom operator to make sure that no one scams you by requesting an eSIM of your number and then using the OTPs to make transactions or hack your accounts. So, if you have plans of registering UPI accounts, or other important social media accounts using OTP, you might have to wait for an entire day.

5G in India Is Likely to Be Dominated by European Telecom Gear

Posted: 21 Jul 2021 05:58 AM PDT

5G in India The fifth-generation network is now being used in countries like the USA, China, and other places all over the globe. However, in India, the technology remains only limited to trials by telecom operators. The early auction of the 5G waves in these countries, coupled with robust finances and thriving telecom industry, led to the early launch of 5G in these places. However, the same is not the case for India. Currently, India's telecom industry suffers under a heavy burden of dues. The telecom companies find themselves hardening up even for operational expenses. So much so that during the time of the pandemic, the telcos made a move to replace their customer service staff with chatbots in a lot of places. But, when the time comes, and the industry rises to the adaption of 5G, it is much likely that we will see European telecom gear manufacturers more than the Chinese ones.

The Debate on Security

Firstly, there is a debate on the security of Chinese telecom gear. The scare on Huawei, which has been going on for the last two years, causing much diplomatic tension between the USA and the Chinese mainland, has found its way to India as well. With the recently passed laws being very stringent on our northern neighbour. If we look at the recent legislation, we see that the government is not loosening up on the national security front anytime soon. Not only this, but the government also remains very sceptical about any investment coming from China right now. In such a scenario, the allowance of listing ZTE and Huawei on the telecom gear procurement website seems more like a formality than anything else. Despite being allowed to sell to the Indian telecom companies right now, the ZTE and Huawei equipment will be inspected first, scanned for supply chain discrepancies, and will go through a lot more stages before any Indian company is able to get their hands on it. Besides, even with the Indian telecom companies having the option to list the specifications of the 5G gear, none of them came forward to do it themselves. This also shows the reluctance of the telecom operators as well to resort to Chinese gear.

Rise of the European Telecom Gear Companies

On the other side is the proliferation of companies like Nokia, Ericsson, and Samsung. While the Korean manufacturer is the telecom equipment provider of Reliance Jio, Ericsson and Nokia have been making strides by providing technology like MassiveMIMO, mmWave, and others. These companies have already started helping Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea in testing their gigabit 5G connections on the available spectrum. Besides, the deficit of supply created from the absence of Chinese telecom gear manufacturers is slated to be filled by these companies only. Ericssons' new ventures point to a good business in the Asian region as well. The Swedish manufacturer reported an increase to 4% in its total earning from India, which is double the amount of what it did in the same quarter last year. This definitely hints towards the rise of European telecom gear manufacturers in India.

Airtel, Jio and Vi Subscribers Pay Way More for Plans With No Daily Data Limit

Posted: 21 Jul 2021 05:26 AM PDT

Airtel Jio Vi Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea are the three heads helming the telecom industry right now. If you are reading this on a mobile data plan, chances are you are most likely subscribed to one of the following operators. Now, with the increasing demand for data, all three of these companies have introduced many prepaid plans for their subscribers. The customers often find themselves lost in the portfolio, browsing through multiple plans, trying to guess which plan would be best for them. Often, the choice boils down to one of the two options – a plan with a daily data limit or a plan with no daily limit. Here is something that you must keep in mind if you are thinking of opting for a plan which comes with no daily limit on data usage.

Bharti Airtel Daily Data vs No Limit Plans

Firstly, we will take a look at two plans from Bharti Airtel, both priced around the same and offering almost the same validity. The first plan is the Rs 299 plan which offers 30GB data with 30 days validity and an unlimited calling feature. The subscribers also get access to Prime Mobile Video edition, among other and 100 SMS per day. Now, on the flip side, we have the Rs 298 prepaid plan, which comes with 28 days validity and offers 2GB daily data. This means that the subscribers get 30GB of data in the first plan and 56GB of data in the second plan for the same price. Going into the minute details, this amounts to Rs 9.96 per GB of data and Rs 5.32 per GB of data respectively. A difference of almost double! This basically means that the subscribers are paying almost double the amount for removing the daily limit from their data.

Reliance Jio and Vi Daily Data vs No Limit Plans

The story is repeated in Reliance Jio as well since the Rs 247 prepaid plan offers 25GB data for the validity period of 30 days. Again, the calculation runs into Rs 9.88 per GB of data. Going towards the plan with a daily data limit, the 28 days validity plan comes with 1.5GB data and Rs 199 tariff, offering the same calling and SMS benefits. The calculation comes out to be Rs 4.73 per GB. This reveals a drastic difference in pricing as to how much more the consumers pay when it comes to the same data, but with different specifications. A slight deviation from this phenomenon is currently Vodafone Idea, which is because of the data rollover and weekend binge features on some of its plans. This means that the subscribers will be able to fully use their data despite some of their daily limits. For example, the Rs 405 plan of Vi offers 90GB data with 28 days validity with a ZEE5 premium subscription and other calling and SMS benefits. However, the situation remains the same in the plans in which these novel features are not available. Hence, if you are looking for cheap data, then the plans with no daily data limit are not for you. If you are someone, who wants to use a lot of data just in a few days, then might be the plans could be useful for you. But, for most users, the daily data plans make a lot more sense to buy.

Netflix Records Spike in Indian Users, Games for No Additional Cost

Posted: 21 Jul 2021 05:08 AM PDT

netflix-spike-indian-users-games-no-cost Netflix, the American over-the-top (OTT) streaming platform, witnessed "some increase" in user acquisition in India in its second quarter, Spence Neumann, chief financial officer at Netflix, said in its earnings call. The streaming giant on Tuesday reported its second-quarter financial results, with Netflix recording US$7.3 billion (around Rs 544 billion) in revenue, translating to a 19% year-over-year (YoY) increase. The company said that its operating income hit US$1.8 billion (around Rs 134 billion), translating to a 36% YoY increase while its user base touched 20.9 crores, up by 15 lakhs on a quarter-on-quarter basis.

Netflix Faces Headwind on User Acquisition Across Multiple Markets

Netflix, in its letter to shareholders on Tuesday, highlighted that its paid user base at the end of its second-quarter was "slightly ahead" of its forecast of 10 lakhs user additions in the quarter. "In Q2, when things tightened up a little bit, say in Brazil or India, we did see some increase in the acquisition," Neumann said in the earnings call. However, the company said that the COVID pandemic has "created some lumpiness” in its user growth as the company recorded "higher growth in 2020" and a "slower growth" in the current year. Further, Neumann said that Netflix witnessed a "bit of a headwind on acquisition", specifically in "most" of Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and also the United States and Canada (UCAN) regions. "The one thing we do see with COVID is we don't see the big spikes that we saw in terms of engagement or acquisition or trend that we saw in the very early days of the pandemic," Neumann said. "But on the margin, the acquisition is impacted." Crucially, Neumann said that the user acquisition would "hopefully" reaccelerate towards late 2021 due to its “strong release schedule as well as peak seasonality." Netflix has forecasted 35 lakh paid user additions for the third quarter of its current fiscal year as compared to 22 lakhs that the company recorded in its previous year quarter. Reed Hastings, Co-CEO at Netflix, in the earnings call on Tuesday, said that it "seems pretty unlikely" that internet streaming would slow down. "Internet streaming has been amazingly consistent, prolific," Hastings said. "As you get new competition in, you get validation, more reasons to get a smart TV or limited broadband. So, I think, for at least the next several years, the growth story of streaming as a whole is very intact." Further, Neumann said that the company has "roughly 20% penetrated in broadband homes" and that there are over 90 crore broadband or PayTV homes outside of China.

Netflix Gaming Set to Be Available for No "Additional Cost"

In early July, it emerged that Netflix has hired Mike Verdu, former Facebook and Electronic Arts executive, to lead its gaming push. The company, in its letter to shareholders, said that it sees "gaming as another new content category," identical to its "expansion into original films, animation and unscripted TV." "Games will be included in members' Netflix subscription at no additional cost similar to films and series,” Netflix said in its letter to shareholders. “Initially, we'll be primarily focused on games for mobile device." Greg Peters, chief product officer at Netflix, said that the company thinks it has an "opportunity to add games" to its existing offering and "deliver more entertainment value" to its users. "It's a multiyear effort," Peters said in the earnings call. "We're going to start relatively small, we'll learn, we'll grow where we focus our investment based on what we see is working, and we'll just continuously improve based on what our members are telling us is working." Peters said that Netflix could offer a gaming portfolio "that is differentiated from what's out there already" as it is in the "business of making these amazing worlds and great storylines and incredible characters." The chief product officer at Netflix said that the company knows its "fans of those stories want to go deeper" and that "they want to engage further." "We don't have to think about ads, we don't have to think about in-game purchases or other monetization, we don't think about per title purchases," Peters said. "Really, we can do what we've been doing on the movie and series side, which is just stay laser-focused on delivering the most entertaining game experiences that we can." Peters said that the mobile devices will be a "primary focus" for games as "it's very mature" and that it's got "great enabling technology, tools” and also a “great developer community." "The vast majority of our members have phones that are capable of great gameplay experiences, which sort of checks all of those boxes," Peters said. "But ultimately, we see all of the devices that we currently serve as candidates for some kind of game experience."

Vodafone Idea Extends eSIM Service to a New State

Posted: 21 Jul 2021 04:00 AM PDT

Vodafone Idea Vodafone Idea eSIM service is now available in multiple circles including Mumbai, Gujarat, Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra & Goa, UP East, Kerala, Kolkata, Tamil Nadu and Punjab. Vodafone Idea postpaid users utilising eSIM supportive smartphones will no longer be required to put in a physical SIM card to access the company’s telecom network. eSIM comes in the form of an integrated SIM chip that will be compliant with all the supported mobile network operators. The consumer will be able to carry out normal calling, SMS, data access and more without having to change physical SIM cards manually. The newly added state in the list is Tamil Nadu.

Vodafone Idea Also Offers VoWi-Fi Calling Service Along with eSIM

Vodafone Idea offers VoWi-Fi calling services to its subscribers at no extra cost. Currently, the telco giant has rolled out services to all prepaid and postpaid customers who reside in Maharashtra and Goa, Kolkata, Gujarat, Delhi and Mumbai. Vi has assured the customers that it will roll out VoWi-Fi calling services in other circles in the coming period. In case you are not aware, VoWi-Fi stands for Voice Over (EPC-integrated) Wi-Fi. With the help of VoWi-Fi calling, users get a packet voice service delivered over IP via a Wi-Fi network. In simple words, VoWi-Fi allows users to make normal calls using a Wi-Fi network in low network regions.

How To Use Vodafone Idea Wi-Fi Calling?

Vodafone Idea VoWi-Fi calling services ensures that subscribers are able to connect with their loved ones in low network regions. To enable Wi-Fi calling services in your prepaid or postpaid account, upgrade your smartphone's to the latest operating system. Once the smartphone has been upgraded, ensures that your smartphone is connected to Wi-FI with a high-speed internet connection. Subscribers must also ensure that they have a 4G SIM with VoLTE service enabled. To use the services, the Wi-Fi calling switch should be enabled. It is also advised that for a seamless experience, both VoLTE and Wi-Fi Calling must be enabled.

Features of Vodafone Idea VoWi-Fi Calling Services

One of the best features of Vodafone Idea VoWi-FI calling services is seamless connectivity. Users do not have to download an additional app to use the feature. They can simply use their Vi mobile number to make or receive voice calls over a Wi-Fi connection. Users get clear, quality voice calling services with VoWi-Fi, and there are no call drops at home or office. Vodafone Idea has listed all the compatible handsets that are compatible with VoWi-Fi calling service. Also, the telco is continuously adding new hands to extend the reach of Wi-Fi calling. Users must note that the quality of voice calls will depend upon the strength of the Wi-Fi signal. So, they do not have to worry about the network signal strength. Since the VoWi-Fi calling services is just available in Delhi, Mumbai, Gujarat, Goa, Kolkata and Maharashtra, the roaming call facility is restricted to these regions. However, Vodafone Idea VoWi-Fi calling can be used to make international calls to a foreign territory. Both Vi prepaid and postpaid customers must note that if they turn on the airplane mode, the Wi-Fi calling service will not work.

Qualcomm Launches Wearables Ecosystem Accelerator Program

Posted: 21 Jul 2021 03:48 AM PDT

Qualcomm The American multinational corporation Qualcomm Technologies has recently revealed its investment plans and marked that it will push investments in the Snapdragon Wear Platform. Not only this, but Qualcomm has also launched the Wearables Ecosystem Accelerator Program as Snapdragon Wear Shipments crossed 40 million. As reported by ET Telecom, the program includes device manufacturers, platform players, service providers, independent hardware and software vendors and system integrators who will work together with original equipment manufacturers to create and commercialise products and solutions. Qualcomm has also reported nearly 60 wearable industry leaders like Oppo, Vodafone, Verizon, BBK, Fossil will take part in the program.

Wearables Market Elevated 21% Year-on-Year

The wearables market is growing at a rapid scale. As revealed by renowned market analysis firm International Data Corporation (IDC), the wearables market elevated 21% year on year, and it will grow further in the coming period. Pankaj Kedia, Senior Director and Global Head, smart wearables, Qualcomm Technologies, stated that the company is pushing investments in leading-edge ground-up silicon platforms and technologies. It also plans to roll out new Snapdragon Wear Platforms across different sectors in the coming period to meet its long-term vision. On the other side, Jitesh Ubrani, Research Manager, WW Mobile Device Trackers, IDC, stated that customers are eyeing innovative approaches in wearable devices. The smartwatch segment has outpassed the heath and fitness tracking in terms of demand and growth across consumers and enterprise segments.

Qualcomm Wearables Ecosystem Accelerator Program Will Revamp the Industry

Ketan Shah, who is the Senior Director of XR and Wearables, Client Line of Business, Arm, stated that Arm is invested in offering to compute performance and security features required to enable next-generation wearables devices. With the help of the Qualcomm Wearables Ecosystem Accelerator Program, Arm will closely work with the wider ecosystem to increase collaboration and change across the industry. The Global Products and Services Director of Vodafone Group Services GmbH Phil Patel expressed his opinions and marked that wearables are pillars of the next generation of telecommunications, and it will be successful by blending the efforts of industry innovators in connectivity, semiconductors, hardware and user experience design.

Bharti Airtel Partners With Intel to Develop 5G Solutions in India

Posted: 21 Jul 2021 03:17 AM PDT

Bharti Airtel Bharti Airtel, India's second-largest communications solutions provider, today announced a collaboration with Intel for 5G network development by leveraging vRAN / O-RAN solutions. The partnership is part of Bharti Airtel's 5G plans for India as the telco transforms its mobile networks to enable its users to absorb the complete possibilities of a hyperconnected Earth where the Industry 4.0 to cloud gaming and virtual or augmented reality become an everyday experience. Bharti Airtel became the first telecom service provider (TSP) in India to demonstrate the power of a 5G in a live network and is further conducting 5G trials in major cities, including Mumbai and Gurgaon.

What Will Airtel an Intel's Partnership Entail?

Bharti Airtel will deploy Intel's latest 3rd generation FPGAs and eASICs, Xeon Scalable processors, and Ethernet 800 series across its networks in the country for building a strong base for rolling out wide-scale 5G services, network slicing, and mobile edge computing. As members of the O-RAN Alliance, Intel and Bharti Airtel will work together for coming up with a range of make in India 5G solutions and enabling world-class telecom infrastructure in India through local partners. Open radio access network (O-RAN) will be a crucial area for the companies since it brings creativity and tremendous innovation to the table. These O-RAN platforms will make use of Intel FlexRAN, a reference architecture with both hardware and software components, and will enable software-based radio base stations that can run on general-purpose servers located at the network edge. With affordable smartphones and the lowest data tariffs throughout the globe, India has the world's second-largest internet population at over 620 million as per IAMAI – Kantar Cube. The country's active internet user base is expected to grow to 900 million by 2025. The advent of 5G will further deepen digital adoption through a range of industrial and customer use cases. It is worth noting that Bharti Airtel is not the first telecom operator in the country with which Intel has partnered. Intel has also partnered with Reliance Jio for helping the operator with 5G.

Apple Might Finally Offer Cheaper 5G Smartphone

Posted: 21 Jul 2021 01:40 AM PDT

iPhone SE 2022 Apple, the premium smartphone maker, is expected to completely ditch making 4G iPhones. The Cupertino tech giant is expected to embrace 5G and only go ahead with manufacturing 5G iPhones from 2022. This also includes the anticipated iPhone SE 2022, which is expected to run on Apple's A14 Bionic. Note that this doesn't mean Apple's iPhones won't support 4G at all. The company might want to ensure that every device that it launches is future proof and the customer has no hesitation in purchasing it. The development comes directly from a Nikkei report.

Apple Saying Goodbye to 4G iPhones

The Nikkei report suggests that Apple might bring 5G connectivity to the iPhone SE 2022. This will mean that users will get a cheaper 5G iPhone in the market, which might be good for Apple's revenues. The iPhone 12 series is powered by the A14 Bionic, and if the same processor is used on the iPhone SE 3, 5G connectivity won't be an issue. As for the iPhone 13 series, there's no doubt that every smartphone in the series will be 5G supportive. This would even be a timely launch for Apple in the Indian market since 5G will only arrive in India in the first half of 2022 after the spectrum auctions are concluded. If the iPhone SE 3 comes with 5G connectivity, Apple can comfortably shut down the 'mini' line of devices. The iPhone 12 mini devices didn't get a very great response from the market because they weren't too cheap compared to the iPhone 12 but only smaller in size. The analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had earlier said that the iPhone SE 3 wouldn't be too different from the iPhone SE 2020 in size, design and form factor. Honestly, it would be great to see Apple coming out with a futuristic design on the iPhone SE 2021 or iPhone SE 3 and gain the interest of users.

Samsung Galaxy M21 2021 Edition Is Perfect for Budget Segment

Posted: 21 Jul 2021 12:59 AM PDT

Samsung Samsung has just launched a new smartphone in India, namely the 'Galaxy M21 2021' edition. The Samsung Galaxy m21 2021 Edition is aimed at people who want to go for a budget smartphone and still get a good experience out of it. Since it is a 4G support device, users can experience the power of fast-internet with it. The smartphone has a waterdrop notch at the top center and comes with a big battery for enabling users to keep using the smartphone for a long time. Let's take a complete look at the specifications and price of the Samsung Galaxy M21 2021 Edition.

Samsung Galaxy M21 2021 Edition Specifications

The Samsung Galaxy M21 2021 Edition has launched with a 6.4-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED Infinity-U display with an aspect ratio of 19:5:9. The smartphone comes running on Android 11 out of the box. The Galaxy M21 2021 Edition is powered by the same octa-core Exynos 9611 SoC that we saw in its predecessor. The smartphone comes packed with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. In the optics department, there is a triple-camera setup at the rear, where the primary sensor is a 48MP lens paired with an 8MP ultra-wide-angle sensor and a 5MP depth sensor. At the front is a 20MP lens for video calling and selfies. It is a 4G VoLTE supportive device that can also support Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. For charging, there is a USB Type-C port at the bottom, and the device packs a 6,000mAh battery with support for 18W fast-charging.

Samsung Galaxy M21 2021 Edition Price

The Samsung Galaxy M21 202 Edition has been launched in two different variants in India. The base variant with 4GB+64GB is priced at Rs 12,499, and the second variant with 6GB+128GB is priced at Rs 14,499. The Galaxy M21 2021 Edition has launched in two colours – Charcoal Black and Arctic Blue. The device will be available for sale from July 26, 12 PM via Amazon and the official website of Samsung India.

Bharti Airtel 5G Plans Unveiled

Posted: 21 Jul 2021 12:11 AM PDT

Bharti Airtel Bharti Airtel, one of the leading telecom operators in the country, has unveiled its 5G plans in India. The telco has been one of the biggest supporters of Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) adoption in the country. Airtel wants to move ahead with O-RAN to roll out 5G in India in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Speaking at the 'Built in India Virtual Summit' organised by ET Telecom and Telecom Infra Project, Manish Gangey, Head of Network Architecture and R&D at Bharti Airtel, said, open and disaggregated network technologies are the future of the telecom industry.

Indian Telecom Operators Don't Get Fair Return on Investments

Gangey went on to say that India is a kind of market where the average revenue per user (ARPU) is very low for the operators while the data usage by the consumers is very high. This means that the operators always need to be on their toes to ensure that high-speed connectivity and seamless network services are offered to the users at all times. Gangey said that because the ARPU is very low, the operators don't get much return on their investments. Gangey further said that for building resilient mobile networks for the future, the operators need to adopt O-RAN technologies. It will help them in reducing both opex and capex while at the same time will enable the operators to provide better services. Gangey noted that Bharti Airtel's plan for 5G in India is to go ahead with O-RAN only. It is worth noting that O-RAN technologies are still in the development phase. The operators can surely adopt it in the medium-term and improve their return on investments. O-RAN adoption will help the operators in saving money since they won't have to buy everything from the same telecom vendor. Nokia, Ericsson, and Huawei are some of the prominent companies that have ruled the market because of no O-RAN technologies available.

5G in India Will Boost Multiple Industries

Posted: 20 Jul 2021 11:21 PM PDT

5G in India 5G network technology will arrive in India by 2022. Initially, the launch of the next-generation connectivity networks will only be limited to a few major cities. One of the things worth noting here is that with every new generation of network technology, new use cases of mobile networks emerge. All the telecom operators and other research groups are continuously testing 5G solutions and networks to see just what they can make possible. Internet-of-Things (IoT) products are expected to see a major proliferation on the back of the low-latency and high-speed internet connection that 5G promises.

IoT Products to See Major Growth

All the IoT products in the market will be put to better use once 5G networks are made available by the telcos in every region of the country. Even with network slicing, companies and organisations can get their private 5G network so that they can scale their business online faster. For the unaware, IoT products need low-latency networks with high speed to ensure that real-time communication isn’t affected. While 4G is faster than 3G, it just isn't enough to empower the growth of IoT. But with 5G, that is expected to change given the telcos' can avail high-quality 5G network services without any interruptions.

Cloud Services to Grow

Cloud services will also see major growth once the 5G networks arrive in India. Cloud products and services need high-speed networks with ultra-low latency to enable real-time processing and transferring of data. Once the cloud services grow, it will impact the way companies store and analyse data. Further, even online gaming will be enhanced since cloud servers will be able to transfer and process much more data. This would also give online gamers a more synchronised experience of playing the game on multiple devices. With the arrival of 5G and the new use cases, the technology industry is confirmed to grow multiple folds in India. This will also help with improving the economy of the country.

Vodafone and Nokia Launch Solution to Resolve Network Issues

Posted: 20 Jul 2021 10:37 PM PDT

Vodafone Vodafone along with the Finnish telecom gear maker Nokia has launched a new solution that will be able to detect any problems in the network and resolve it before it affects the end consumer. The new solution is powered by machine learning (ML) and will be running on Google Cloud. The solution/service is based on Nokia Bell Labs technology and was developed only after both the companies signed an agreement back in 2020.

Vodafone Expects 80% of Anomalies to Resolve With This New Solution

With the help of this new service, Vodafone expects that 80% of the issues that occur on its networks will be solved automatically. This will keep the network capacity demand in check and will allow the end-users to get better network services. This new service will be rolled out for Vodafone's PAN-European network. If there are mobile site congestions or any irregularities in the network, this new product from Nokia and Vodafone will troubleshoot it automatically to resolve it in no time. Initially, the product has been installed in over 60,000 4G sites of Italy, and it will reach more European markets by early 2022. According to a release from the company, anomaly detection will be offered 'as-a-service', and it will also help Vodafone with its 5G networks. Leveraging ML with this new product, Vodafone will be able to deliver an overall better 5G experience to the users. Moreover, the telco will be able to stay more consistent with its network services. The reason why Vodafone and Nokia went with Google's Cloud services was to allow the telco's engineers to make quick decisions, including boosting network capacity whenever and whenever required based on the data and analytics that Google Cloud provides. This is certainly a solution that even other companies can deploy and improve their network performance. However, only time will tell just how efficient this solution from the two companies is!

Apple’s Next iPad Mini Could Make Use of A15 Bionic Chip

Posted: 20 Jul 2021 10:05 PM PDT

iPad Mini It had been rumoured that Apple could launch a new tablet in the market, and, by the looks of it, the specific tablet could be the new iPad Mini, which should be dubbed the iPad Mini 6, sporting the J310 model number. Insiders familiar with the matter have recently spoken to 9to5Mac, with reports suggesting that this new iPad could come with the A15 Bionic chipset inside, coupled with new connectivity options and a modern design that appeals to the modern age consumers who want something more than a glass slab. Much like the new iPhones that should be launched in the upcoming months, the future iPad Mini will supposedly make use of the A15 Bionic processor, with a more powerful chip, called the A15X supposedly being the chipset of choice for the iPad Pro series of tablets, which differentiate themselves with the vanilla variants on power and display technology.

What Will the iPad Mini 6 Offer?

To add to this change in processor, the iPad Mini 6 will also feature USB-C based connectivity, allowing for the provision of multiple different accessories. To make it better, Apple will also include a Smart Connector, as per rumours, that should make the tablet compatible with the older iPad Air and iPad Pro accessories that a user might own. The J310 or the iPad Mini 6 could debut alongside another entry-level model, which goes by the codename J181. This tablet is supposedly going to use the dated A13 Bionic processor with its design supposedly being inspired by the older 2019 iPad Air 3. Do take all of these rumours with a bit of salt. For those of you unaware, Apple shook up its iPad series of devices by opting for the M1-chip for the iPad Pro series of devices, with the chipset being used by the new-age MacBook Air and Pro, allowing for the iPad to really punch above its weight. Furthermore, in the latest publication of the popular weekly Power On newsletter, the popular Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman had specified what customers should expect from the 2021 iPhone. According to Gurman, the new iPhones will opt for larger batteries that can be used to power displays that sport a 120Hz refresh rate and an Apple Watch-inspired always-on mode, which sits in line with leaked battery capacities, this comes after the recent Apple watch model, brought wit it a feature to use the display at a lower brightness and variable refresh rate without any noticeable battery impact.

Sony’s Revival in the Smartphone Segment Gives Hope to Fading Giants

Posted: 20 Jul 2021 07:59 PM PDT

Sony Xperia 1 III The smartphone market has changed so drastically in the last couple of years that someone who was an enthusiast in the early 2010s will barely understand the market now, with market leaders Nokia, Blackberry and HTC almost dying or long gone, in favour of Chinese brands such as Xiaomi, Oppo and Korean giant Samsung. LG was one such causality that faded away in the last couple of years and, a few months back, it finally called it quits on its smartphone offerings, after failing more than once to reinvigorate the products. One such brand that seems to have escaped such a fate is Sony. Don’t get us wrong, they are nowhere close to where they were, as they currently reside at the bottom of the market, making enthusiast products that lack mass appeal, but it is interesting to see how long it has been able to sustain itself. So, what did Sony do differently that allowed for it to stay in a market that pushed multiple brands out and, can it keep on doing what it has done and sustain itself? Read more to find out.

Sony’s Succeeded Where LG Failed

LG Wing Despite having faced its toughest competition, Sony’s mobile division was able to post its first profit since the last five years in Q1 of 2021, which was achieved by a reduction in production cost and an increase in overall selling prices for the handsets. One such product was the Xperia 1 III flagship that retails for a pricey $1299. Do note that this hike does not mean good times are here for the company, as it is selling lesser devices than any point in the 2010s. 2.9 million units across 2020 in contrast to a whopping 39.1 million in 2014 showcase the dent that the company has suffered, but it remains an admirable feat to exist in 2021. For a long time Sony and LG fans, the difference is massive when it comes to the current strategies they had. Both have existed with initial success, selling phones by the millions bringing in cash but, in recent years, times have been tough, leaving LG with no choice to call it quits. What LG did differently was that it kept on trying, rather than get bogged down on one market. It tried everything, from generic budget handsets to the wonky LG Wing to even the Velvet, all of which were spread across different price brackets and had multiple form factors to offer. But whilst LG had its mind set on trying each and every scenario, Sony decided to try and carve out a niche, doubling down on its efforts and working on what it was known for, optics. Sony decided to leave out the generic smartphone segment and try something different, something that was expensive but had some form of reach and interest around it. For those of you thinking that Sony had it easy, it too failed massively at times. From the Xperia series of devices, the most prominent failure of which were the Z and XZ series, there were multiple models that would remind you of an approach that Realme takes these days, offering an array of models with not much difference between them. The Xperia 1 brought back some of the Sony charm, but instead of failing like its predecessors, it decided to stick to what its core audience wanted. From the 4K HDR 21:9 OLED panel to the triple-camera setup capable of good optics performance to the headphone jack, the device was the multi-media machine for owners of Sony’s professional cameras.

Is Sony on Its Way to Glory?

Sony Xperia 1 It does not seem so, but it need not be so. The company has taken a trial and error basis, with the Sony Xperia 1 and Xperia 5 having been standouts in a good way. The Xperia 1 III got much praise from both critics and users, who felt that it was the perfect companion for the Sony user. The sales figures do not paint a glory day incoming, and why should it? Sony is building phones for niche consumers and this return to profits does not require it to chase the same. By making use of the Bravia panels, audio advancements and Alpha cameras, Sony has been successful in tapping that enthusiast who yearned for a bit more and was willing to pay for it. Sony has shown, for better or for worse that it is possible to make good phones that are capable of supporting a business without having to appeal to the mass consumer, and, the company might be one to watch, for it may just garner more and more attention going by its current trajectory, at least amongst the enthusiast crowd.

Reliance Jio Is Offering 1TB of Data for Less Than Rs 250

Posted: 20 Jul 2021 06:34 PM PDT

JioFiber JioFiber has become one of the most popular fiber broadband service providers in India. In a very short span of time, JioFiber has beaten a ton of internet service providers (ISPs) and gotten ahead of them. The primary reason for this is the ideology the ISP follows. It is worth noting that JioFiber is the broadband arm of Reliance Jio, India's number one telecom operator currently. For the unaware, Reliance Jio is offering 1TB or 1,000GB of data for less than Rs 250. Let's look at what this plan really is and what can users expect from it.

Reliance Jio 1TB Data Plan

Reliance Jio's fiber arm JioFiber offers users 1TB of data for Rs 199 only (exclusive of taxes). The 1TB data is available for the user for 7 days. Users get 100 Mbps speed with the plan and after consuming the fair-usage-policy (FUP) data, the user can resume consuming data at 1 Mbps speed. There is also free voice calling offered with this plan for 7 days. With taxes added, this plan would cost Rs 234.82. Note that this is a 'Data Sachet'. A user can purchase this plan after he/she has consumed all the FUP data offered by their plan. Since JioFiber offers 3.3TB of data to the users with almost its every plan, it is highly unlikely that this data sachet would ever be required by a user with average internet needs. Regardless, it is a satisfying offering from JioFiber if ever someone runs out of FUP data and only needs a very small amount of data for a few days. This 'data sachet' will be applicable on top of any broadband plan that the user had purchased in the first place. It is worth noting that neither Airtel nor BSNL offer their users such a plan. In case Airtel or BSNL users run out of monthly FUP data with their broadband plan, they won't be able to recharge with such an offer. Any of the unutilised data out of the 1TB will not stay and will go away at the time of the expiry of the plan. If you are unsure about a fiber connection from JioFiber, you can go with one of the two trial plans that the company offers to the users. The first plan comes for Rs 1,500 and the second one comes for Rs 2,500. Both the plans offer users 150 Mbps speed however there are OTT benefits bundled with the Rs 2,500 plan while the Rs 1,500 plan doesn't come with any OTT benefits.

Nokia, Ericsson Awarded 5G Contract By Telefonica

Posted: 20 Jul 2021 02:00 PM PDT

Nokia Ericsson 5G Both the Finnish and Swedish telecom vendors Nokia and Ericsson have been awarded a new 5G contract from the Spanish operator Telefonica. A thing worth noting here is that both the vendors have been provided with an equal deal. Telefonica chose both the operators in equal capacity to ensure continuity with its 4G and 3G network deployments. The two vendors will continue to deploy equipment and solutions where their products are installed already.

Telefonica Has Chosen Nokia, Ericsson to Follow Same Strategies of Other Countries

Telefonica said that it had chosen the two vendors because it wanted to follow the same strategy that other countries have followed in regards to their 5G networks. In a press release, the Spanish operator said that in Germany, O2's 5G network is managed by both Nokia and Huawei equally, while in the UK, both Nokia and Ericsson manage 50%-50% of networks. The 5G network rollout of Telefonica will be in the 3.5 GHz and 700 MHz bands. The mid-band, which is the 3.5 GHz spectrum, will allow the operator to serve fast internet in areas that are densely populated, while the 700 MHz bands will allow the operator to provide better coverage in less densely populated areas. Both the vendors have also helped the operator with its legacy network rollouts. Thus, they will be installing their 5G equipment in areas where their 3G and 4G equipment are already installed. For the unaware, Telefonica is the largest telecom vendor based out of Spain, and it already offers 5G coverage to 80% of the population in the country. Note that Telefonica's 5G networks present in Spain already combine the 5G non-standalone (NSA) networks and dynamic spectrum sharing. Both Ericsson and Nokia are quite experienced in the deployment of network equipment and solutions and have also launched new solutions to help the operators with their 5G rollout operations.

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