Xiaomi, Vivo’s phone launch; UPI may go paid for some, Pornhub shutdown and other top tech news of the week

Apple stock has not started on a great note. The company's shares fell nearly 3.6% to a seven-week low on January 2 after Barclays downgraded the shares of the world's most valuable company. Barclays is the second brokerage to have the equivalent of a "sell" rating on the stock, which now has its most number of bearish recommendations in at least two years, according to LSEG data.

Barclays has published a new research note with its expectations on Apple. In the report, Barclays analysts say that their research shows “weakness on iPhone volumes and mix, as well as a lack of bounce-back in Macs, iPads, and wearables.” Apple has been grappling with a demand slowdown since early last year and has forecast holiday-quarter sales below Wall Street estimates. Its performance in China has also been a worry after the revival of local rival Huawei. With that in mind, Barclays has slightly lowered its price target for Apple stock from $161 per share to $160 per share. Click here to know more

Redmi Note 13 Pro and Note 13 Pro+ smartphones are here. Xiaomi has launched its new Redmi Note 13 smartphone series in India. The series consists of three phones — Redmi Note 13, Redmi Note 13 Pro and Redmi Note 13 Pro+.

The Redmi Note 13 Pro and Note 13 Pro+ feature an OLED display and pack up to 12GB of RAM. The smartphones house a 200MP main camera and run Android 13 operating system.

The Redmi Note 13 Pro comes in three variants — 8GB+128GB, 8GB+256GB and 12GB+256GB priced at Rs 25,999, Rs 27,999 and Rs 29,999 respectively. The smartphone can be purchased in Arctic White, Coral Purple and Midnight Black.

On the other hand, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ comes in Fusion White, Fusion Purple and Fusion Black colour options. The company has launched three variants of the smartphone 8GB+256GB, 12GB+256GB and 12GB+512GB priced at Rs 31,999, Rs 33,999 and Rs 35,999 respectively.

The duo will go on sale on Flipkart, Mi.com, Mi Home Stores and offline stores starting January 10, 2024. As part of the launch offers, the company is giving an instant discount of Rs 2,000 on ICICI Bank credit and debit cards. Read the full story here

After weeks of teasing, Vivo has finally launched its flagship Vivo X100 and X100 Pro smartphones in India. The camera-centric smartphones bring advancements in partnership with ZEISS, which has provided hardware and software for mobile photography. The phones are powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 SoC and are claimed to bring the category's best telephoto camera. The Vivo X100 Pro packs V3 imaging chip and the Vivo X100 comes with V2.

The Vivo X100 12GB+256GB variant is priced at Rs 63,999 and the 16GB+512GB variant will be available at Rs 69,999. The phone can be purchased in two colour options: Stargaze Blue and Asteroid Black.

The Vivo X100 Pro comes in a 16GB+512GB variant that will be available at a price of Rs 89,999 in Asteroid Black colour option.

Both smartphones are available for purchase on 24-month No Cost EMI, Zero Down Payment option. Consumers can also avail of the following offers on both the vivo X100 series smartphones:

Up to 10% Instant cashback on ICICI Bank and SBI Card with additional upgrade bonus of up to Rs 8,000.

Flat 10% Instant discount on debit/ credit cards and EMI transactions through HDFC Bank and SBI Card with additional upgrade bonus of up to Rs 8,000. Click here to know more

Big merchants may have to pay for UPI payments in the coming years. National Payments Corporation of India's chief Dilip Asbe said that large merchants may have to pay charges for UPI-based payments in the next three years. He said that presently all the energies are focused on providing a viable payment alternative to cash and increasing the acceptability of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). NPCI's chief executive and managing director was speaking at an event organised by the Bombay Chartered Accountants Society (BCAS).

Asbe added that in the future, a lot of money will be required in getting newer innovations, more people to use the ecosystem and incentives like cashbacks, adding that another 50 crore people need to be pulled into the system. Read the full story here

Since announcing its entry into the ‘AI era’, Microsoft has been rolling out AI features to its services. Along the way, the company has been renaming some of its offerings that best define that particular product. Last year, the company changed the name of Bing Chat to Copilot and it has now refreshed the name of Edge browser to Edge: AI browser.

Microsoft Edge gets the “AI browser” branding on iPhone and Android apps. The first image in the app's description also announces that users can enhance their browsing with “an AI-powered browser”.

“Microsoft Edge, your AI-powered browser, with Copilot built in to enhance your browsing experience.

Empowered by GPT-4, Copilot enables you to ask questions, refine searches, receive comprehensive summaries and create images with DALL-E 3. Microsoft Edge is a smarter way to browse, find, create and shop on the go,” the description on the App Store and Google Play Store reads. Click here to know more

The new age verification laws have gone into effect in the US states of Montana and North Carolina as of January 1, 2021. As a result, some adult websites have either blocked access from these regions or have started requiring visitors to provide a copy of their government ID for verification purposes. Meanwhile, PornHub has chosen to block people in both states from accessing its website instead of asking for verification. Other websites owned by Aylo, the parent company of Pornhub, including Brazzers, Redtube, and more, are also no longer accessible in these regions.

Users in Montana and North Carolina attempting to access an Aylo website will encounter a video message featuring performer Cherie DeVille. In the message, DeVille explains that sharing personal identification details with adult websites poses a risk to both children and privacy. DeVille advocates for identifying users by their device to allow access to age-restricted materials based on that identification. Read the full story here

SpaceX, Elon Musk’s space exploration company has taken a significant leap forward in providing satellite-based internet. The company has launched six satellites equipped for direct-to-mobile phone connectivity.Musk in a post on X said that “this will allow for mobile phone connectivity anywhere on Earth.”

However, he made it clear that this won’t rival — at least not with these satellites — existing cellular networks. “Note, this only supports ~7Mb per beam and the beams are very big, so while this is a great solution for locations with no cellular connectivity, it is not meaningfully competitive with existing terrestrial cellular networks,” Musk noted in his post.

Still, this is a big step in bridging the digital divide and bringing mobile access to remote and underserved areas around the globe. Click here to know more

Apple reportedly continues to lead the premium smartphone market globally. The global premium smartphone comprises devices with wholesale price of $600 or more (Rs 50000 or higher).

According to CounterPoint Research, "Apple continues to be the premium market’s undisputed leader. " The company continues to hold 71% share in the market. The second company in the list is Samsung with 17% market share.

However, compared to the year 2022, Apple's share has declined this year. There are said to be two key factors behind this fall in market share: One, due to Huawei’s resurrection in China driven by the Mate 60 series. Two, Samsung has also gained share driven by its S23 and Foldable series. Read the full story here

Samsung has opened the pre-reserve for its next flagship Galaxy smartphone, the Galaxy S24 series, in India. Samsung’s Unpacked event is scheduled for January 17, with in-person attendance at the SAP Center in San Jose and will also be livestreamed on the company's official channels.

Customers can pre-reserve the new flagship Galaxy smartphone, the Galaxy S24 series, by paying a token amount of Rs 2000 on Samsung.com, Samsung Exclusive stores, Amazon.in, and leading retail outlets across India.

Consumers who pre-book will get benefits worth Rs 5000, though, what benefits are not mentioned currently. Click here to know more

Qualcomm has announced the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 Platform, a single-chip architecture that powers 4.3K spatial computing at 90 frames per second. Building upon the capabilities of the Snapdragon XR2 Gen2, the new '+' version helps in realistic, detailed experiences in MR and VR with higher GPU frequency by 15% and CPU frequency by 20%. Supporting 12 or more concurrent cameras with powerful on-device AI, Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2-powered devices can track the user, their movements, and the world around them for navigation and experiences that merge physical and digital spaces.

Qualcomm also revealed that it has partnered with Samsung and Google for the chipset. However, there’s no word on the availability of the devices powered by the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 Platform.

“Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 unlocks 4.3K resolution which will take XR productivity and entertainment to the next level by bringing spectacularly clear visuals to use cases such as room-scale screens, life-size overlays and virtual desktops,” said Hugo Swart, vice president and general manager of XR, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “We are advancing our commitment to power the best XR devices and experiences that will supercharge our immersive future.” Read the full story here

ViewSonic has expanded its product portfolio with the launch of four new gaming monitors that promises to improve user’s gaming and entertainment experience. The latest line-up includes four models -- VX3219-2K-PRO-2, VX2758A-2K-PRO-2 and the VX79 series-FHD models.

All of these models are designed to offer immersive visuals and superior performance. The company claims that these monitors can be used by hardcore enthusiasts who meticulously construct gaming rigs as well as casual players who embark on gaming adventures in their leisure time.

The latest gaming monitors are available on Amazon, Flipkart and all leading retail stores across India. Click here to know more

Panasonic Life Solutions India has launched a new digital mirrorless camera - Lumix G9II. The Lumix G9II is the latest addition to its flagship G series line-up for the Indian market. This camera is equipped with the latest sensor, a new engine and the first-time implementation of Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF) technology in the LUMIX G Series. This technology is expected to offer enhanced photograph/videographic performance and high-speed response.

The Lumix G9II body has been priced at Rs 1,74,990 and a Lumix G9II combo kit with a lens, including Leica DG VARIO-ELMARIT 12-60mm/F2.8-4.0 ASPH/ Power O.I.S carries a price tag of Rs 2,28,990. LUMIX G9II will be available across all Panasonic brand shops, Lumix Lounges, dealer network across India. Read the full story here

13-year-old Willis Gibson has made history by becoming the first person to beat the Tetris game since its release more than three decades ago. While playing the Nintendo version of the puzzle game, Willis' screen froze, and he achieved a feat that was previously only credited to artificial intelligence.

A video of his gameplay, uploaded on YouTube on Tuesday, shows Willis playing Tetris for about 38 minutes and reaching level 157. Right then, when he thought he had missed a block, he recovered. As the blocks kept falling, he said, "Please crash," and completed another line of blocks to score points.

Suddenly, the game froze, which meant he won, and he exclaimed, "Oh my God! Yes! I'm going to pass out. I can't feel my hands." His Tetris score displayed the number "999999." Click here to know more

Apple recently rolled out the second beta update of iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3 to developers for testing purposes. The latest beta update added multiple new features for registered developers. However, after installing it, some developers complained that the latest update bricked their phones as their devices were stuck in a boot loop. This issue has reportedly forced Apple to reportedly pull the update soon after releasing it.

According to a report by MacRumors, some iPhone users who tried to install the latest beta update took to social media platforms X, Mastodon and others to report the issue. Users who tried to update their iPhones to iOS 17.3 beta 2 found that their devices were stuck in a boot loop with a blank black screen that showed a frozen spinning wheel. Read the full story here

In 2024, Microsoft is planning to usher into the AI PC era with its entire Copilot integration within Windows and even in its apps and services. To take things forward, Microsoft has announced a major change in terms of keyboard layout of Windows PCs in the form of a new Copilot key for Windows 11 PCs.

If you are unaware, it has been 30 years since Microsoft has made any official layout change into the Windows keyboard.

The company says that this change represents a significant shift towards a more personal and intelligent computing future, seamlessly integrating AI into Windows at every level—from the system to the silicon and hardware.

Microsoft has also collaborated with silicon partners AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm to introduce new system architectures, combining the power of GPU, CPU, NPU, and the cloud to unlock AI experiences on Windows. Click here to know more

Proptech startup Frontdesk abruptly severed ties with its entire 200-person workforce in a shockingly brief, two-minute Google Meet call.

The termination impacted all 200 employees, including full-time, part-time workers, and contractors. According to an employee present at the meeting, the abrupt decision was attributed to Frontdesk's unsuccessful efforts in securing additional capital, as reported by sources familiar with the situation to TechCrunch.

Frontdesk was founded in 2017 and managed over 1,000 furnished apartments across the United States. It had raised around $26 million from investors, including JetBlue Ventures, Veritas Investments, and Sand Hill Angels. The company attempted to raise more capital, but unfortunately, was unsuccessful in its efforts. Read the full story here

India’s success in Chandrayaan-3 mission in August cemented its place in the big league and it will help the Indian space industry in the long run. NASA came calling for the tech used in the mission and partnerships with global private space companies was on the cards. Fast forward to 2024, India is already working with one of the biggest companies, which happens to be owned by Elon Musk.

According to a report by news agency Reuters, India will launch a communications satellite using SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket this year. This is the first partnership with the company as Musk, who wants to expand his other businesses in the country.

This communication satellite aims to boost India's broadband communication in remote and unconnected regions of the country, said NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL), the commercial arm of India's space agency. The launch is scheduled for the second quarter of this year.

The satellite – which weighs 4,700kg – exceeds the current highest spacecraft launching capacity of 4,000kg of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). According to NSIL, it will fully own, operate and fund the GSAT-20 high-throughput satellite, offering a capacity of 48Gbps. Click here to know more

WhatsApp rival, Telegram has rolled out a new update for its users. The new feature-rich update adds improved calls with a colourful new design that uses less of your phone's battery, a new vaporise effect when you delete messages, the largest bot update. Here are all the new and improved features coming to Telegram

The latest update brings a redesigned interface to calls. The cloud-based messaging app has added new animations and backgrounds that change dynamically based on the call's status: ringing, active or ended. The new interface requires fewer resources than before, which means it saves battery life and works better on older devices.

Last month Telegram added an experimental vaporise animation on iOS for auto-deleted messages. This impressive (and energy-efficient) animation is now available on both iOS and Android and plays whenever you delete any message. Read the full story here

2023 wasn't just another year for Microsoft Edge; it was a tidal wave of innovation, creativity, and AI marvels that redefined browsing as we know it. The company has released a list of achievements where it highlighted the milestones in 2023.

In 2023, Microsoft Edge and Bing users engaged in more than 1.9 billion Copilot chats which is equal to the total number of websites in 2022. Furthermore, 1.8 billion AI-generated images were created in the last year, which is more art than the Louvre and Met combined!

Microsoft claimed that it thwarted 127 million phishing attacks as Edge stood guard, stopping 4 phishing attacks every second to keep users secure. Furthermore, Edge helped users in the US save $400 on average yearly by offering deals on shopping. Click here to know more

Facebook has introduced a feature called Link History, which will track the links users click on within the Facebook app for up to 30 days. This optional feature aims to personalise users’ ad experience, but it also raises privacy concerns.

Link History is a new feature on the Facebook mobile app that tracks the links you click on within the app. This includes links in posts, comments, and messages. Facebook will store this data for up to 30 days, unless you choose to delete it sooner.

When you click on a link within the Facebook app, Facebook will record the URL and the time you clicked it. This information is then stored in the Link History. Facebook says it may use this data to show you more targeted ads based on your interests. Read the full story here

Facebook-owned instant messaging platform WhatsApp banned over 71 lakh accounts in India in the month of November 2023. The company banned the accounts in compliance with the new IT Rules 2021.

Between November 1-30, WhatsApp banned 71,96,000 accounts. About 19,54,000 of these accounts were proactively banned, before any reports from users, WhatsApp said in its monthly compliance report.

The company had banned 71 lakh plus accounts in the month of October. In September the company banned 75 lakh accounts. In August 2023, the banned accounts number stood at around 74 lakh.

"We ban accounts if we believe the account activity violates our Terms of Service, for example if it involves spam, scams or if it puts WhatsApp users’ safety at risk," says the company on its page. Click here to know more

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has released its monthly compliance report for India for the month of November. The company revealed that it took down over 23 million pieces of content across both platforms in the month.

Notably, the company removed 37 million pieces of bad content in the preceding month, representing a significant decrease on a monthly basis. The report also details the content moderation efforts across 13 policies for Facebook and 12 for Instagram.

It also highlights Meta's response to user reports received through the Indian grievance mechanism. Read the full story here

Valve announced that it will end support for its popular PC game library, Steam, on older versions of the Windows operating system in early 2023. At this time, the company noted that the unsupported version of Steam will be available on PCs running Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 starting January 1, 2024.

While giving out the deadline, the company also advised Steam users to upgrade their PCs within this period to avoid any interruptions. So, users who are still running the older versions of Windows will either have to upgrade their systems or run the unsupported version of Steam.

The company decided to end Steam’s support for the older versions of the Windows OS as it noticed a lot of users moving away from the older operating systems. Valve takes opt-in surveys on its user's computers to collect data to understand what PC gamers are using to play their games.

Steam’s latest Hardware & Software survey for November 2023 revealed that 0.81% of Steam users are running Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 versions combined. For comparison, 53.53% of Steam users are on Windows 10 while the remaining 42.04% users are on Windows 11. Click here to know more

Tata group-owned digital payments app, Tata Pay joins Google Pay, Razorpay and Cashfree among others to secure a much-anticipated payments licence from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The apex bank of the country has granted a payment aggregator (PA) licence to Tata Pay to operate in India.

This will help the firm to use its platform to facilitate e-commerce transactions. Tata Pay comes under the Tata Digital business unit of the conglomerate. It is the Tata Group's subsidiary entity which houses its digital businesses.

In a statement to The Economic Times, the founder of a digital payment startup (who decided to remain anonymous) said: “With the payment aggregator licence, Tata can power all e-commerce transactions within its subsidiary entities which will help it manage funds better.”

In 2022, Tata Group partnered with ICICI Bank to launch its digital payments app on the Unified Payments Interface.

The company has been planning a detailed financial services strategy, however, consumer traction on the platform is limited as of now. Read the full story here

Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal has launched a new startup named ‘OppDoor’. The latest venture will help e-commerce companies to expand operations globally by providing them with end-to-end solutions. As per the filings, the company is officially registered in Singapore and was founded in May 2021. According to a report by Moneycontrol, OppDoor was previously known as Three State Ventures Pte Ltd.

Bansal’s e-commerce ambitions were first reported in August 2023. The new company will offer design, product, human resource and other backend support to e-commerce companies that are planning to expand to other regions by leveraging the network of top platforms like Amazon and others.

OppDoor is set to first target e-commerce businesses operating outside India in countries like the US, UK, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Singapore, Japan and Australia. The report notes that the startup’s official website doesn’t include India yet. The company's website also mentions that OppDoor will provide “a comprehensive suite of services.” Click here to know more

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has reportedly asked telecom service providers -- Airtel, BSNL, Reliance Jio and Vodafone-Idea -- to warn subscribers against messages being sent by cybercriminals in the name of the telecom regulator.

"Nowadays, in the name of Trai, many messages are being sent and the public are being defrauded," Trai secretary V Raghunandan told Economic Times. "In order to create awareness and advise the public at large, we want to send an advisory and a cautionary message to all subscribers."

Lately, fraudsters have been sending messages to mobile subscribers in the name of Trai, seeking a no objection certificate (NOC) for tower installation or a verification of existing mobile number to avoid disconnection.

Trai has issued a similar advisory in the past too, cautioning the public against such fake messages. Read the full story here