Vivo Y200e 5G Observed on the Website for BIS Certification

The Vivo Y200e 5G may soon be released in India. The smartphone has reportedly been spotted on the Indian BIS certification website, following its recent appearances on the Google Play Console and GeekBench listing. The phone is expected to be similar to the Vivo Y200 5G, which debuted in India in October 2023 and included a Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 SoC, a 4,800mAh battery, and a 64-megapixel primary camera with optical image stabilization (OIS). Although there are rumors that the upcoming phone will cost a little less than the Y200, leaks have indicated that it may come with a more recent chipset. MySmartPrice discovered that the model number V2336 and the brand name Vivo were listed in the BIS certification listing. According to a 91Mobiles report, the model number is the same as the one that was recently seen on the GeekBench V4.0 and Bluetooth SIG listings. It is noteworthy, though, that this model number—V2327—differes from the one found on the Google Play Console, which also goes by the name Vivo Y200e 5G for the handset. It's unknown why there is this disparity. The Vivo Y200e 5G's primary specifications don't change in spite of this inconsistency. The smartphone may come with an octa-core chipset (model number SM4450), according to reports. According to reports, the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset from Qualcomm is paired with an Adreno 613 GPU and 8GB of RAM. This is indicated by the serial number. There are currently no known variations of the handset in terms of RAM or storage. The device might also come pre-installed with Funtouch OS 14, which is based on Android 14. It might also have a Full-HD+ screen with a resolution of 1080x2400.  

The February update for Pixel 8 Series and Older Models includes security patches and bug fixes.

The Pixel 5a through the Pixel 8 Pro are among the smartphone models that are eligible for Google's monthly Android 14 update. The February update will also be available for Google's first Pixel-branded tablet and foldable phone, the Pixel Tablet and Pixel Fold. With the most recent monthly update, the search giant fixed a few bugs and patched a few issues affecting the company's phones. On its most recent Pixel 8 series of smartphones, Google recently enabled new software features. According to the company's release notes, which were made public on Monday, the February Pixel update fixes a bug that occasionally caused the screens of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro to appear corrupted and brings general improvements for camera system stability and performance. Additionally, on the Pixel 5a, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel 8, and Pixel 8 Pro, Google has resolved problems with the Android system framework that impacted stability or performance when using third-party apps. With the February update, problems with the Pixel Fold's external display have also been fixed. In the meantime, a security vulnerability (CVE-2024-22012) with 'high' severity that affects the bootloader—the program that loads the operating system into memory when the device is started—has been patched, according to the company's February update bulletin.Six security vulnerabilities have been fixed, five of which were related to Qualcomm components (audio) and one of which affected a closed-source Qualcomm component. All six vulnerabilities have been categorized as "moderate" in severity.   Owners of the Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet, as well as the Pixel 5a and later models, can open the Settings app and select System > Software updates > System update to download and install the update. The phone will be protected with the most recent security patches after installing the update and restarting the tablet or smartphone. The company advises owners of Pixel hardware to download and install the most recent February Pixel update.     

Honor X9b Amazon India Microsite Goes Live; Honor Choice Earbuds X5 Launch Teased

Honor X9b is set to launch in India on February 15, months after its initial launch in October 2023 in select global markets. The Indian variant is expected to come with similar features to its global version. A key display feature of the smartphone was recently teased and its Amazon product page was also leaked. However, the Amazon microsite for the Honor 90 5G has now gone live officially. This confirms that the phone will be available for purchase in the country via Amazon. Some key details of the upcoming smartphone are teased on the page alongside the possible launch of Honor Choice Earbuds X5.The Amazon microsite for the Honor X9b claims that the curved display of the upcoming handset will be "unbreakable." An earlier teaser of the phone suggested that similar to its global variant, the Indian version of the Honor X9b will come with SGS-certified "360-degree whole-device protection." It is said to sport "India's first ultra bounce display" with 'Airbag' technology. Amazon's product page also teases a big battery, a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, and a slim design for the upcoming Honor X9b. It does not list the exact specifications but hints at another key launch that is likely to occur alongside the smartphone. At the top of the microsite is a banner that shows a big, round silhouette of the rear camera module of the upcoming phone inside which the launch date, i.e. February 15, and the words "unlock the extra" are written.Upon looking closely, however, we can see the "x" in the word extra to be portrayed by two overlapping earbuds. These are quite possibly the Honor Choice Earbuds X5, which the HonorTech CEO Madhav Sheth had teased previously. This easter egg likely indicates the launch of these TWS earbuds on February 15, confirming a recent report. Since the Indian variant of the Honor 9Xb is likely to come with similar specifications as the global variant, the phone could be powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC paired with up to 12GB of RAM. It may also get a 6.78-inch 1.5K (1,200 x 2,652 pixels) AMOLED display and run Android 13-based MagicOS 7.2. The phone is also likely to pack a 5,800mAh battery with 35W wired fast charging support. For optics, the Honor 9Xb may launch with a 108-megapixel triple rear camera system including a 5-megapixel sensor with an ultra-wide lens, and a 2-megapixel macro shooter. The front camera is likely to carry a 16-megapixel sensor.    

Apple Vision Pro cost is about Rs 2.8 lakh, Tim Cook explains why it is priced so high

Apple's latest innovation, the Apple Vision Pro, hits stores today with a hefty price tag of $3,500 (around Rs 2.8 lakh). The sticker shock may leave some wondering why such a steep cost, but Apple CEO Tim Cook took the opportunity to shed light on the matter during a recent earnings call.He emphasized that the high price is a reflection of the incredible technological advancements packed into the mixed-reality headset. The Vision Pro, built on a foundation of 5,000 patents, stands as a testament to Apple's commitment to cutting-edge technology.During the earnings call, Cook addressed concerns about the steep pricing, stating, "If you look at it from a price point of view, there's an incredible amount of technology packed into the product." He went on to highlight the inclusion of two Apple Silicon chips and the availability of 600 new apps and games tailored for the device. The Apple Vision Pro introduces spacial computing, allowing wearers to integrate digital content into their physical surroundings. This technology is a result of years of innovation, from silicon advancements to displays, and significant strides in AI and machine learning.Cook elaborated on the role of AI, stating, "It's, of course, built on many innovations that Apple has spent multiple years on, from silicon to displays and significant AI machine learning — all the hand tracking, the room mapping, all this stuff is driven by AI. Despite the seemingly high price, many Apple fans didn't hesitate to grab their piece of the future when preorders opened on January 19 as there were reports that that the company has already sold around 2 lakh headsets. However, some analysts predict that the demand may taper off due to the niche nature of the headset.Interestingly, major corporations like Walmart and Nike are already exploring potential applications for the Vision Pro among their customers and employees, according to Apple's CFO Luca Maestri. This indicates that the headset's capabilities extend beyond entertainment. The headset is yet to be launched in India.    

"ISRO On Space Platform POEM-3: ""All Payload Objectives Fully Met"" "

On Saturday, ISRO announced that POEM-3, its space platform, had successfully completed all of its payload goals. The PSLV-C58 rocket, which launched XPoSat on January 1st of this year, includes a spent PS4 stage that is used by POEM-3 (the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-3). According to ISRO, POEM-3 carried nine payloads from space start-ups, academia, the Physical Research Laboratory, and the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre.   POEM-3, which the space agency described as a novel and low-cost platform, had completed 400 orbits by the 25th day of its orbit. Every payload was deployed according to schedule during this time, and performance was shown.   It was mentioned that POEM-3 is a three-axis-attitude controlled platform that can support payloads with power generation, telecommand, and telemetry capabilities.   POEM-3 is expected to stay in orbit for a further 73 days or so before returning to Earth's atmosphere.   "With the likely re-entry of POEM-3 in the next 75 days, the PSLV-C58 XPoSat mission will be leaving zero debris in space" , stated ISRO.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai confirms Bard Advanced will be Google’s answer to Microsoft’s Copilot Pro

Microsoft recently announced Copilot Pro, an advanced version of its AI-powered tool for power users and content creators. The company said that this subscription-based tier offers 'advanced help’ in taking up various tasks. Google Bard Advanced will have similar capabilities but the search giant is yet to make it available to customers. Rumours were rife that this will be a paid version, and the company CEO has now confirmed a subscription-based model for the AI chatbot.During the company’s Q4 earnings call, Sundar Pichai said that Bard Advanced will be available to users as a subscription.“It’s [Bard] now powered by Gemini Pro, and it’s much more capable at things like understanding, summarising, reasoning, coding, and planning. It’s now in over 40 languages and over 230 countries around the world. Looking ahead, we’ll be rolling out an even more advanced version for subscribers powered by Gemini Ultra,” said Pichai, who is also the CEO of Google-parent company Alphabet. Google didn’t share any details about when it will be available or what subscription cost will be but the company previously said that it will release the powerful AI chatbot sometime this year.Bard Advanced is Google’s more powerful AI chatbot that will be powered by Gemini Ultra – the most powerful large language model (LLM) in the Gemini lineup of models. As per Google, Gemini Ultra is its largest and most capable model.It is “designed for highly complex tasks and built to quickly understand and act on different types of information — including text, images, audio, video and code. One of the first ways you’ll be able to try Gemini Ultra is through Bard Advanced, a new, cutting-edge AI experience in Bard that gives you access to our best models and capabilities,” Google said.    

Apple extends agreement with Qualcomm for 5G modem chips until 2027: Report

Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon in an interview with CNBC has confirmed that Apple has agreed to extend its patent licence agreement related to 5G modem through March 2027. Last year, Apple extended the agreement for using Qualcomm’s 5G modems until 2026 which has now been extended further until 2027. Amon in his interview with CNBC said that after last year’s deal, Apple had an option to extend the deal further, which they have until March 2027. “We are very happy with the relationship with Apple right now, and we will continue to be supplying modems to them,” said Amon. Apple has been working on developing in-house modems since 2019 when the Cupertino-based company acquired the majority of Intel's smartphone modem business. However, there have been news reports alleging that Apple's attempt to produce in-house 5G modem chips has been hampered by major problems related to unrealistic goals, an inadequate understanding of the challenges involved, and unusable prototypes. Last month, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple has shifted its attention to focus on the 6G cellular modem, while continuing to work on its first 5G modem chip. According to the analyst, Apple is racing to get its modem finished so it does not need to extend a contract with Qualcomm. He stated that the two companies have feuded over the years, and Apple really does not want to rely on Qualcomm for this vital iPhone component.Apple is yet to comment on the deal with Qualcomm, but with the new contract extension in place, it is highly likely that Apple’s attempt of producing in-house modem chips have been hindered further.   

Xiaomi Rises to the Top as Smartphone Shipments to India Increase 25% YoY in Q4 2023: Counterpoint

According to a recent report by market research firm Counterpoint, smartphone shipments in India increased by a noteworthy 25 percent year-over-year (YoY) for the October–December period (Q4) in 2023. For the first time since Q3 2022, Xiaomi took the top spot during the quarter with 18% of the market share. The accomplishment was made possible by the company's entry into the low-cost 5G market with the Redmi 13C. Vivo held onto the second position, with Samsung falling to third after dominating the market for four straight quarters. Realme and Oppo, two Chinese smartphone manufacturers, took fourth and fifth place, respectively.One of the main drivers of the growth in the quarter, according to Counterpoint's report, was the 61 percent contribution from 5G smartphones. Notably, 24% of all smartphone shipments were made up of 5G phones priced between Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 15, 000. There was also a 51% increase in the premium smartphone market. Due to the release of the iPhone 15 series, Apple dominated the market with a 17 percent share. When comparing brands among the top five positions, Xiaomi emerged as the market leader with an 18% market share. For the second quarter in a row, Vivo maintained its impressive second place ranking and gained 17 percent of the smartphone market. Samsung only managed to secure 16.8% of the market share in third place, despite having a strong Q3 performance in which it led the industry. At number four with an 11 percent market share, Realme was present. With a 69 percent YoY growth, the company was the fastest-growing brand, according to the report. Oppo maintained its fifth-place position with a 10 percent share of the market. A different Counterpoint report noted that even with a strong quarter, the overall picture for smartphone shipments in India in 2023 stayed unchanged at 152 million units. The market research firm attributed the lack of growth to issues arising from macroeconomic turbulence, which led to low demand and an inventory build-up in the first half of 2023. The report also stated, "Better-than-expected holiday sales and 5G upgrades helped the market start recovering in the second half of the year." After capturing 18% of the market as a result of its impressive performance in the first three quarters, Samsung emerged as the market leader in 2023. Since 2017, this is the first time the South Korean tech giant has taken the lead in a calendar year. Notably, the business debuted the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 in 2023 along with the Samsung Galaxy S23 series. Vivo, with a 17 percent share, continued to perform steadily and held the second position. The next three positions were occupied by Chinese smartphone brands Xiaomi, Realme, and Oppo, with respective market shares of 16.5%, 12%, and 10.5%. Although Apple did not place among the top five in shipments, it led the category when revenue crossed the ten million mark for the first time in a calendar year.    

iPhone 16 may not feature any major design changes, bring new gen AI features

It's only been a few months since Apple unveiled the iPhone 15 series at its Wonderlust event in California. However, there have been a lot of rumours about the iPhone 16. The iPhone 16, like other iPhone models before it, is expected to debut in September this year.According to a recent post by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo on Medium, Apple is unlikely to make any major design changes to the iPhone 16 this year. Furthermore, the company is not expected to make any major generative AI-based changes to its ecosystem until at least the launch of iPhone 17 in 2025. “It is expected that Apple will not launch new iPhone models with significant design changes and the more comprehensive/differentiated GenAI ecosystem/applications until 2025 at the earliest. Until then, it will likely harm Apple’s iPhone shipment momentum and ecosystem growth." Kuo wrote in a blogpost. Notably, previous reports have suggested that the iPhone 16 may follow a similar camera design to the iPhone 12, which isn't likely to be a major design change and seems compatible with the usual changes Apple makes every year.Other rumours about the iPhone 16 include the addition of a dedicated camera button, which will make it easier to take videos and photos. The iPhone 16 Pro series is also expected to have a larger display than the current generation, with the iPhone 16 likely to have a 6.3-inch display and the 16 Pro a 6.9-inch display.Kuo's blog post noted that Apple is likely to see a decline in iPhone shipments in 2024, due to the increasing demand for AI and foldable smartphones. Meanwhile, Kuo added that the decline in iPhone shipments in China could be a direct result of competition from Huawei.    

Room Heaters Under Rs 2,000 To Keep Your Home Warm And Cosy

As temperatures drop, keeping our homes warm and cosy becomes a top priority. Room heaters offer a convenient solution, providing warmth and comfort during chilly days and nights. However, finding an efficient and budget-friendly room heater can be challenging, especially with so many options available in the market. Fortunately, there are several affordable room heaters priced under Rsafety. 0 that effectively heat small to medium-sized rooms without breaking the bank.In this article, you can check out some of the best room heaters available under Rs 2,000, ensuring that you can stay snug and comfortable without exceeding your budget.  Bajaj RHX-2 Halogen Heater: The Bajaj RHX-2 halogen heater comes with two halogen tubes and high-quality reflectors to provide consistent and effective heating. It offers two heat settings, 400W and 800W, allowing users to adjust the temperature according to their preference. Moreover, it includes a sturdy mesh grill for hand safety from direct heat exposure, while its robust outer body is constructed from durable ABS material to ensure longevity.RR Calid Halogen Room Heater 1200 W: The room heater functions silently, delivering ample warmth without producing any noise. Its 180-degree oscillation ensures uniform heat dispersion across the room by moving from side to side, effectively covering a larger area. Additionally, the heater includes tip-over protection, ensuring automatic shutdown if accidentally knocked over for added safety.Crompton Insta Comfy 800 Watt Room Heater: The heater features a high-quality plastic body that remains cool even during operation. Its advanced Quartz tubes heat up rapidly, ensuring faster dispersion of warmth. Moreover, the inclusion of two advanced quartz tubes, each with a power of 400 W, enables you to adjust the heat level according to your preference.   

From February 1, You Can Send More Money Through IMPS: Key Details

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) announced new changes for the Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) online bank transaction system in October 2023. As per NPCI’s circular shared in October, customers will be able to transfer up to Rs 5 lakh between bank accounts without adding a beneficiary starting February 1. The regulatory body has also asked all members to comply with the directive for initiating and accepting fund transfers via mobile number and bank name on all IMPS channels by January 31.What is IMPSIMPS is a 24x7 instant domestic funds transfer system. This online bank account transfer system has played a crucial role in transforming the financial landscape of India. To ensure both accuracy and speed, it facilitates real-time fund transfers with a deferred net settlement between banks. How this will help usersWith the new changes implemented, users will soon be able to transfer up to Rs 5 lakh using IMPS. For such transactions, users won’t need to input recipient details like mobile numbers, bank account names, account numbers or IFSC codes.The recent update is set to eliminate the need for users to input tedious beneficiary details during transactions. Users will be able to execute fund transfers with a simplified process that only requires the recipient's mobile number and bank name.  

Reliance Jio Urges Government to Frame Policy to Shut Down 2G and 3G Services

Reliance Jio, in response to a consulting paper published by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), titled Digital Transformation through 5G Ecosystem, suggested that the government should frame a policy to shut down the 2G and 3G networks in India and move the existing users to 4G and 5G networks. In a separate response, Vodafone Idea (Vi) also made the same suggestion and highlighted that the existence of such barriers lead to a digital divide and impacts the ecosystem for 5G use cases.The regulatory body sought opinions on the barriers to the development of the ecosystem for 5G use cases, which need to be addressed and the possible policy and regulatory interventions that can overcome them. Responding to this, Reliance Jio stated, “The Government should come out with a policy and glidepath for closing down the 2G and 3G networks completely so that unnecessary network costs should be avoided, and all customers can be migrated to 4G and 5G services.” The telecom operator added that this will also boost the developing ecosystem to 5G use cases.  Separately, Vodafone Idea also submitted its suggestion highlighting a similar measure. “The inability of users to switch to smartphones on account of the cost of these devices also leads to the users continuing on older technology and hence, not using digital services and most likely ending up being not updated on latest digital technologies and services,” it added. The two major issues with shifting users to a higher network bandwidth include the abundance of phones used in India that are only 2G/3G capable, and the pricing of the 4G and 5G enabled smartphones that might be unaffordable for the rural and remote population of the country. Vodafone Idea highlighted the issue as well and stated that the cost of smartphones for low-income groups is a very big challenge.  Reliance Jio also underlined the necessity for the availability and allocation of a “massive amount” of spectrum bands to better implement a robust 5G connectivity. To solve this, the telecom operator urged that the 6GHz band, full C-Band, and 28GHz (on a flexible use basis) should also be auctioned, along with the planned auction of the E-Band and V-Band spectrum.