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BSNL Cannot Jump to 5G Straightaway
iPhone 11 Still a Good Buy After iPhone 13 Launch
DoT Orders Mandatory Testing, Certification of Select Electronics
Bharti Airtel Stops Importing STBs, Starts Production Locally
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Might Replace Note Series With This Feature
New MacBook Air Could Be Unveiled In Q3 2022
MarQ M3 Smart Is The New Budget Smartphone on The Block
Reliance Jio Recently Made Changes to These Plans
iPhone 13 ‘Unlock With Apple Watch’ Issue Will Get Fixed Soon
BSNL Selfcare Mobile App Launched for Recharges, Balance Check and More
Apple iPhone 13 Series Supply Snag in India Evident
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Might Be Cancelled
Reliance Jio Failed to Make Impact With Postpaid, Shows Network Gaps: Opinion

Posted: 27 Sep 2021 12:01 PM PDT

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) can't straight away jump to 5G. There's a solid reason behind it. That reason is the absence of 4G networks. Since the telco doesn't have live 4G networks around the country, it will have no other option than considering 5G Standalone (SA) network core architecture. To many, this will sound very simple! Many would just say that if BSNL can leverage 5G SA to get ahead of the private operators, including Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, it should do that. But things become interesting when one understands that there aren't many use cases of 5G SA that make it very much better than the 5G NSA.

BSNL Needs 4G Core for 5G NSA

Most of the telecom operators around the world will look to go for 5G NSA. For the unaware, 5G NSA utilises the 4G core meaning operators can rollout 5G networks and services with their existing 4G networks using the Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) technology. But, since BSNL doesn't have 4G networks, it can't go the 5G NSA route. The 5G SA route, on the other hand, is very expensive. In India, every operator is expected to follow up to 5G with the NSA technology. This is because it will be less expensive and will have almost the same use cases of 5G SA networks. BSNL would want to roll out 4G services as fast as possible, but time and again, the telco has got something in its way to do that. If there's one thing that is clear, it is that BSNL won't go for the 5G SA networks. The state-run telecom operator neither has the money nor would it try to go for 5G SA when it doesn't really have any need. BSNL can still make a difference in India if it ensures that its 4G networks are released on time and are also consistent. This will help the telco in the long run. Not jumping to 5G straight away with a 5G SA core is the right thing to do.

iPhone 11 Still a Good Buy After iPhone 13 Launch

Posted: 27 Sep 2021 09:38 AM PDT

If you are someone who isn't troubled by a short battery, the iPhone 11 can still be a great buy for you in 2021. Yes, the iPhone 13 series has launched, and the iPhone 12 series might see record drops in pricing during the Flipkart Big Billion Days, but the iPhone 11 series devices are still quite powerful. The A13 Bionic chipset powering the smartphone is still stronger than most of the flagships out in the market. Further, yes, the camera isn't the best, but if you know how to click great pictures, you can click great pictures. Why should you spend Rs 50,000 on an iPhone 11 today? That's a great question. Let's find out the answer.

iPhone 11 Can be a Great Buy Today!

The iPhone 11 is available at a starting price of Rs 49,900 on Amazon for the 64GB variant. Further, the 256GB variant is priced at Rs 64,900. It comes with a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina HD LCD display and offers a smooth experience to the users. If you are a lightweight smartphone user and love the Apple ecosystem, get the iPhone 11. It is better than most of the Androids in the same price range because it will get more lifetime updates and also because Apple's products are generally more secure and offer higher levels of privacy than Android devices. You can record in 4K at 60fps, which is not bad, and there is support for Portrait Mode and more by the device's camera. Further, the iPhone 11 will also receive the iOS 15. You can definitely go for the iPhone 12 series devices as well. But the thing is, if you want to save some money and still get a powerful smartphone, the iPhone 11 can be your perfect buddy. There's no saying on when will Apple discontinue the iPhone 11 devices, but it should be right around the corner since the iPhone 13 series has already launched.

DoT Orders Mandatory Testing, Certification of Select Electronics

Posted: 27 Sep 2021 08:32 AM PDT

In a recent development, the department of telecommunications (DoT) has revealed a list of telecom products that should undergo mandatory testing and certification before sale in India. Effective from July 1, 2022, electronics products such as smartwatches, smart cameras, tracking devices, base tower stations for telecom networks and electricity metres among others can be sold, used or imported only if they have been tested and certified by an accredited lab. The third phase of mandatory testing and certification of telecom equipment (MTCTE) regime has notified these products, notes Financial Express. Notably, the regime came into effect after the government set the Indian Telegraph Rules. In the fourth phase, products such as optical point of sale (PoS), optical fibre, transmission equipment, routers, LAN switches, satellite communications equipment, and more will be included in the list. Apparently, these will also need mandatory testing and certification from February 1, 2022.

Mandatory Certification Of Equipment

Mandatory testing, as well as certification of equipment, are important to check for security flaws, especially when it comes to imported equipment. Though there is already a proposal for mandatory testing of telecom equipment since 2010, there has been a delay in its implementation due to several reasons such as non-compliance with some WTO rules. However, it was surmounted with the Telegraph Act that was amended in 2017. In addition to the new amendment of mandatory testing and certification, there has been an increase in the number of accredited labs in the country to avoid disruptions in the supply chain. Also, this will ensure that telecom equipment can be tested and implemented in the networks on a timely basis. The Telecommunications Engineering Centre (TEC) and International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) are capable of testing and certifying these equipment. As the Telecom Equipment Manufacturing Association (TEMA) welcomes this move taken by the government, it noted that the step will promote the Make in India initiative. Also, it will boost local talent and help in bringing about data privacy and national security. NK Goyal, chairman emeritus, TEMA said that they welcome and complement the Phase III and IV of mandatory testing and certification of equipment that was pending demand since 2010.

Bharti Airtel Stops Importing STBs, Starts Production Locally

Posted: 27 Sep 2021 06:53 AM PDT

Airtel Digital TV, a leading DTH service provider and the direct-to-home arm of Bharti Airtel, has stopped imports of the HD Set-Top Boxes (STBs) from other Asian countries completely. The company has started the local manufacturing of the devices at a facility in Noida in partnership with Skyworth Electronics. Well, Airtel Digital TV has plans to bring about a complete transition to the Made-in-India STBs that includes the high-end Airtel Xstream 4K Android TV Box by this year's end. Notably, the Airtel Xstream 4K TV Box lets users access both OTT and linear TV content.

Homegrown Manufacturing Of Devices

Already, Airtel has started providing devices that are manufactured locally to its customers. The latest move is in line with the strategy of the company to locally source all networking and telecom equipment and STB devices. Previously, Airtel manufactured its non-smart STBs in Rangangaon, Pune via MyBox Tech, which is a Hero Electronix subsidiary and ST Microelectronics. The telco halted the production of these devices in India and opted to import these from Thailand and Vietnam in order to leverage FTA (Free Trade Agreement) duty benefits. Now, the electronics manufacturing ecosystem in India has built capabilities locally, thereby letting companies have better control over the quality of their products. This has made Airtel move back to manufacturing its devices locally in the country. Regarding this development, Sunil Taldar, CEO-DTH, Bharti Airtel, told ET Telecom that they are pleased with the level of product quality that their partners have delivered. Furthermore, he added that this is a big leap in the growth of Airtel Digital TV's journey. Also, it is a sign of the country's rapidly growing manufacturing capabilities. Notably, the COVID-19 scenario has created a delay due to supply chain disruptions that have accelerated the company's efforts to manufacture products within the country to make its supply chain more reliant on India.

Local Manufacturing Partners

Recently, Bharti Enterprises Ltd signed a pact with homegrown contract manufacturer Dixon to form a joint venture for the local manufacturing of networking and telecom gear such as routers, modems, and Set-Top Boxes, among others. Dixon filed necessary applications with the Ministry of Communications to get the benefits under the Rs 12,195 crore PLI scheme introduced by the government. Besides Dixon, Airtel claims that Ericsson and Nokia, its partners provide only locally produced 4G and 5G equipment. Currently, the telco is working with TCS for 5G. The early trials of the locally developed 5G stack will be trialled early in 2022, along with locally made equipment.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Might Replace Note Series With This Feature

Posted: 27 Sep 2021 05:41 AM PDT

Given that the flagship smartphones from Samsung for this year are already official, it is time for us to wait for the next-generation models in the Samsung Galaxy S22 series. It is believed that there will be three models as usual – the Samsung Galaxy S22, Samsung Galaxy S22 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Already, we have been coming across speculations from several sources hinting at the design of these upcoming smartphones. Now, fresh reports regarding the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra have surfaced online suggesting an interesting development.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra S Pen Support

Recently, we saw the renders of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra suggesting its design. Now, a tipster Ice Universe has taken to Twitter to claim that the high-end variant of the flagship S series smartphones arriving in 2022 will have an S Pen slot. The tipster cites a Dutch publication GalaxyClub, which claims that the S Pen support will be in-built in the upcoming model. Already, multiple sources hinted at the support for the S Pen in the Galaxy S21 Ultra that went official earlier this year. Moreover, the leaked renders of the Galaxy S22 Ultra also showcased the S Pen slot at the smartphone's bottom. This is something that we have seen with the Galaxy Note series smartphones that have an S Pen support and a slot to house the stylus. If this turns out to be true, then it will become clear that the company might consider discontinuing the Note devices. Already, Samsung skipped launching a new Note model this year and the Galaxy S21 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold3 came with the S Pen support. However, these models come with a specialised case to house the stylus and there is no dedicated stylus slot. For the Galaxy Note gans, this could be good news as the high-end model of the Samsung Galaxy S22 series will arrive with the S Pen support out-of-the-box. It will offer several functions that we can expect from Note smartphones. Also, this inclusion will mark a significant shift in the design of the Galaxy S smartphones. This report adds fuel to a previous report hinting that Samsung is considering to overhaul its Galaxy S series smartphones into the Note series devices.

New MacBook Air Could Be Unveiled In Q3 2022

Posted: 27 Sep 2021 04:38 AM PDT

Apple just announced its next-generation iPhones and smartwatch. While its fans are awaiting the launch of the next models in the MacBook lineup, fresh reports hint that the next-gen MacBook Air might not be launched anytime soon. It has been estimated by a noted analyst that there could be a delay in its unveiling due to the delay in the production timeline. The reason for this delay in production is due to the hit in the chip shortage crisis worldwide is the MacBook Air powered by the M2 chip. The previous iteration of the MacBook models from Apple was released around this time in 2020. These models used the powerful and efficient Apple's M1 chipset. Eventually, it was speculated that the company will come up with an upgrade to this chipset with the Apple M2 chipset, which will be used in the next version of the MacBook Air. Initial speculations pointed out at the announcement of the next version in the much-celebrated laptop series to happen n mid-2021.

Delay In Next-Gen MacBook Air

Now, the same analyst – Ming-Chi Kuo reports that the Cupertino tech giant will not unveil the new MacBook Air model until Q3 2022. As per a 9to5Mac report citing the analyst's prediction, the production of the next-gen laptop will not begin until late Q2 or early Q3 of next year. Eventually, we have another year to witness the launch of the upgraded laptop models. The delay of over two months might make Apple face sales-related challenges as the overall shipments for the current MacBook Air version are also facing low demand as well as supply. The component shortage is blamed for this as well. On the other hand, there has been a drop in the demand for portable personal computers as people all over the world are moving back to their offices as COVID restrictions are relaxing. Detailing on the upgraded MacBook Air, it is believed to arrive with a redesign and new components. This includes the Apple M2 chipset will pave the way for improved performance in the upgraded model. As of now, the company is focused on bringing the M1X chipset with the next-generation MacBook Pro models comprising 14-inch and 16-inch models with a similar design as the yesteryear models. These new models are slated to be unveiled in October.

MarQ M3 Smart Is The New Budget Smartphone on The Block

Posted: 27 Sep 2021 03:11 AM PDT

Flipkart-owned electronics brand MarQ recently made its way to the headlines as it was gearing up to launch its first-ever smartphone. Now, the company has launched the device dubbed MarQ M3 Smart. Prior to this, the brand has launched smart TVs and speakers in the affordable market segment. Likewise, the MarQ M3 Smart is a budget smartphone with standard specifications. It comes with a dual-camera setup at its rear, an octa-core processor and a waterdrop notch and misses out on a physical fingerprint sensor.

MarQ M3 Smart Specifications

The MarQ M3 Smart boots on Android 10 OS out-of-the-box with no word regarding the customisation. It bestows a 6.08-inch HD+ display with a resolution of 1560 x 720 pixels and a 2.5D curved glass protection. Under its hood, the MarQ smartphone is powered by an octa-core processor clocked at 1.6 GHz but there is no word on the exact model of chipset that is used. This processor is teamed up with a single storage configuration comprising 2GB RAM and 32GB of storage space, which can be expanded further up to 256GB with the help of a microSD card slot. For optics, the MarQ M3 Smart bestows a dual-camera arrangement on the flip side. This camera module seen at the top left of the smartphone's back features a 13MP primary sensor and a bokeh lens for portrait shots. There are features including beauty mode, night mode, timelapse, slow motion and many others. At the front, it comes with a 5MP selfie camera sensor. Keeping the lights turned on is a 5000mAh battery touted to deliver up to 24 hours of music playback, 9 hours of video watching, and nearly a whopping 42 hours of calling time. There is Face Unlock for biometric authentication but no fingerprint sensor. The other goodies on board the MarQ M3 Smart include dual SIM support, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 4.2, dual 4G and more.

MarQ M3 Smart Price And Availability

The MarQ M3 Smart was launched for Rs 7,999 in two colour options such as Black and Blue. It will go on sale initially during the Flipkart Big Billion Days Sale 2021 and will be available for Rs 6,299 during this period.

Reliance Jio Recently Made Changes to These Plans

Posted: 27 Sep 2021 02:03 AM PDT

Reliance Jio keeps on making changes to its prepaid plans time and again. The recent changes come on the back of the festive season when people are ready to spend more. With the changes, Jio has aimed to make some of its best-selling prepaid plans even more affordable for users. The changes are already live on the website, and the users can take advantage of them before the offer on these plans is removed. The three plans that we are talking about come for Rs 249, Rs 555, and Rs 599. Let's see what the offer is and what you will get with these plans.

Reliance Jio Prepaid Plans That Recently Went Live

Reliance Jio has made these changes pretty recently to these plans. The three plans that we are talking about now come with a cashback offer. Reliance Jio will be offering 20% cashback with all these plans. The Rs 249 plan comes with 28 days of validity, while the other two plans for Rs 555 and Rs 599 come with a validity of 84 days each. The Rs 555 plan offers 1.5GB daily data, while the Rs 599 plan offers 2GB of daily data. All of these plans offer common benefits, including unlimited voice calling, 100 SMS/day and a free subscription to these Jio applications – JioCinema, JioTV, JioNews, JioSecurity, and JioCloud. Note that this cashback benefit will only be offered to the users who are directly recharging with Jio's mobile app or official website. There are no other plans from the company that come with recharge benefits. This move from Jio looks like an attempt to retain most of their subscribers on these plans. There are more types of prepaid plans that Jio offers. You can also find plans that come with the over-the-top (OTT) benefit of the Disney+ Hotstar mobile-only plan for free. All of the company's plans can be found on its official website or the mobile app.

iPhone 13 ‘Unlock With Apple Watch’ Issue Will Get Fixed Soon

Posted: 26 Sep 2021 11:31 PM PDT

The iPhone 13 lineup was released in several markets last week. Since the launch of these new models, several Apple fans worldwide are gearing up to experience the new features. However, the early buyers of the iPhone 13 series are facing a minor inconvenience. The device features the "Unlock with Apple Watch" capability, which malfunctions. Many users who try to unlock the new iPhone via their Apple Watch models with their face masks faced some difficulty in unlocking their device. Now, Apple has acknowledged this glitch and assured that it will roll out a fix soon.

iPhone Unlock Issue

Apple has created a support page, "if Unlock with Apple Watch isn't working on your Apple 13". In the support page, it is mentioned that "this issue will be fixed in an upcoming software update". Also, it acknowledged the error message "Unable to Communicate with Apple Watch". The users get this error message when they try to unlock their iPhone with their Apple Watch with a mask or when they set up the Unlock with Apple Watch feature on their iPhone 13. Those iPhone users who cannot use the Unlock with Apple Watch feature on the iPhone 13 models are suggested to switch it off until the fix is rolled out. Furthermore, the company has urged users to opt for the passcode method to unlock their devices while they wear a mask. Without the face mask, the iPhone 13 users can also use the Face ID method to unlock their phones. To turn off the Unlock with Apple Watch feature, one can go to the Apple Watch setting post which they can tap on the setting "Face ID & Passcode".

Another Fix Rolling Out

While Apple has assured that it will roll out a fix soon, it has not disclosed when exactly the fix will arrive. It could be rolled out as a part of the iOS 5.0.1 update that will bring the fix. Also, there is another fix for the issue that has not been acknowledged publicly by the company. A lot of users claim that they are getting a warning message on their iPhone showing that their device's storage capacity is full while users claim they have not done anything to use up the storage. Notably, this happens after users opted to update to iOS 15.

BSNL Selfcare Mobile App Launched for Recharges, Balance Check and More

Posted: 26 Sep 2021 11:00 PM PDT

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has launched a new mobile application called the 'BSNL Selfcare' that will help users with recharging, checking balance, and more. This application will be a big step up from the current 'My BSNL App' that lacks a decent user interface (UI) and also doesn't function smoothly. The My BSNL App has a rating of 2.8 in the Google Play Store with 1 crore+ downloads. To be honest, the new 'BSNL Selfcare' mobile application looks a lot like Vodafone Idea's mobile app. Here's everything you can do with BSNL's app.

BSNL Selfcare App Features

With the BSNL Selfcare mobile app, users can check their current balance, recharge from anywhere and at any time, and also see the leftover benefits their current plan is offering. The app very conveniently shows the data that is remaining for the day. Users can change plans, add balance, recharge new services, all with the BSNL Selfcare application. The UI of this app is very much smoother than the existing 'My BSNL App' which looks like an app built in the 2000s. Further, users can add and manage multiple BSNL numbers including their broadband connections, relatives' numbers, and more. All of the recharge plans that are available on the website of the state-run telco are present in this application. This ensures that users don't need to go anywhere for their next recharge but come directly to the BSNL Selfcare mobile application. The app also highlights when the user's existing recharge plan will expire. This helps the user think in advance which plan they want to recharge with and also lets them check if their relatives including father, mother, or brother's mobile number are recharged at the right time so that they never have to face connectivity issues. Better late than never, BSNL has come out with a new mobile app that will transform the way people consume its services.

Apple iPhone 13 Series Supply Snag in India Evident

Posted: 26 Sep 2021 10:19 PM PDT

Apple recently announced the iPhone 13 series for the Indian market. There were four new devices in the series including the iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max. While there's always a stock supply issue when a new smartphone from Apple is launched, this time, because of the COVID-19 pandemic slowdown, the supply has been affected even badly. Even if you go to Apple's Online Store of India, you will see longer than usual wait times for getting the iPhone 13 series devices. Especially the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max have a severe shortage of supply in India.

Apple iPhone 13 Series Supply Issues Rising Out of Limited Shipments

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the shipments have largely slowed down and thus the assembling and manufacturing factories of Apple and its partners are not receiving the equipment on time. This has resulted in a low production of the iPhone 13 series. Not only that, because the iPhone 13 series is currently not being assembled in India, Apple needs to ship it to the country before people can buy it. Because of the limited shipments, the suppliers don't really have much to sell. According to an ET Telecom report, Apple might see its revenues driven by the iPhone 12 series devices that are already in supply. It can be a big miss for Apple in generating revenues from the freshly launched iPhones. Indians usually spend more on the festive seasons. The Cupertino tech giant has already built a good momentum selling the iPhone 12 series and thus it is likely to drive sales for the company this festive season. It is not just India that is seeing a limited supply of the iPhone 13 series. Even markets such as the US are not completely stocked with fresh iPhones. It will be interesting to see how Apple tackles this situation.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Might Be Cancelled

Posted: 26 Sep 2021 08:27 PM PDT

Samsung last year announced the Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition), which was the more affordable version of the Galaxy S20. This year as well, market expectations were that Samsung would go ahead with the Galaxy S21 FE, and multiple leaks about the same were making rounds online too. But in a recent development, it looks like the Galaxy S21 FE might not see the light of the day. A Samsung Electronics official confirmed to DDaily, a South Korean publication, that Samsung had cancelled the 'Galaxy S21 Fan Edition (FE)' unpacked event scheduled for mid-October. In fact, the official said that Samsung might not release the S21 FE at all.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Launch Cancelled, Possible Reasons

One of the primary reasons behind the move mentioned in the report was that the Galaxy Z Flip 3 was selling too well. At such a point, Samsung doesn't want to take the limelight away from its recent flagship by launching an affordable entry-level flagship device. Another issue that has plagued the entire electronics industry is the shortage of semiconductors. The global chip shortage might have also had to do something with Samsung cancelling the launch event. It is worth noting that the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE had already been spotted at the TENAA, Google Play Console, and Geekbench. The launch of the smartphone was still very much in the cards, but after looking at this fresh development, Samsung fans waiting for the Galaxy S21 FE would be very disappointed. But there's one more possibility to consider. Samsung might not launch the Galaxy S21 FE in the South Korean markets but might launch it elsewhere. In markets such as India, an affordable flagship can certainly make some noise if it comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC. It would be a little harsh on the company's books if it cancels the smartphone now since a lot of money has already gone into the production and R&D of the smartphone.

Reliance Jio Failed to Make Impact With Postpaid, Shows Network Gaps: Opinion

Posted: 26 Sep 2021 06:33 PM PDT

Reliance Jio last year launched the JioPostpaid Plus plans. Until then, Jio didn't look too keen on growing the postpaid segment and fairly so as it was doing really well in the prepaid segment. JioPostpaid Plus has not worked out too well for Reliance Jio, though. Even though these plans are at par with what other operators are providing, some even better, Jio has been unable to gain the attention of the Indian customers. In fact, Bharti Airtel is considered as a far more superior company when compared with Jio if postpaid service is concerned. This clearly represents the network gaps that Jio has.

JioPostpaid Plus Plans Didn't Make Much Impact

The reason why JioPostpaid Plus plans have not made a huge impact in the Indian market is because of the network quality that Jio offers to the users. Yes, while the telco has the best network coverage throughout India, there's too much congestion and falls offs of the telco's network because of the large subscriber base. The additional spectrum bought in the 4G spectrum auctions held on March 2020 will help, but it will only go so far as to help the company add more prepaid users. The reason why Jio enjoys the attention is because of its cheap plans. But as soon as it comes to expensive plans, no one wants to pay more for the kind of network quality that Jio is providing. There's a lot of congestion in the telco's networks, and that is something the premium or the postpaid customers won't enjoy. At the same time, Bharti Airtel enjoys a lot of attention when it comes to postpaid services. Not just the normal consumers, even the corporates and enterprises choose Bharti Airtel first when it comes to purchasing postpaid services. The reason is not just better branding by Airtel, but also the more premium network service it provides. Airtel offers mostly consistent network services both for voice calling and data. But the same can't be said for Jio's networks which are half the time congested because almost everyone has one SIM of the company in their device for data usage. Even Vodafone Idea's postpaid plans see more traction than what Jio's postpaid plans do. Jio did well by introducing a ton of over-the-top (OTT) benefits with its postpaid plans, but what wasn't great was its network. Jio really needs to figure this out if it wants to improve its postpaid service revenues in the near or medium future.

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