Even holiday season has failed to give a boost to smartphone sales globally. Global smartphones shipments suffered their worst quarterly drop on record in October-December period. The smartphone makers have launched new handsets to attract buyers.

World Business Watch: Phone sales see biggest-ever drop in Q4, 2022

A day after India's top court refused to block an antitrust watchdog ruling against Alphabet-owned Google, the company has made key changes in its rulebook that include removing restrictions on smartphone makers related to pre-installation of apps. Google will no longer have exclusivity to web search in the world's second largest smartphone market.&nbsp;

Google rulebook overhaul: What will change for India's Android users?

Alphabet-owned Google will now prompt Android smartphone users in India to choose their own search engine while setting up a new smartphone. Until Wednesday, this wasn't the case. Nearly all Android smartphones had Google as the default search engine.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/google-to-cooperate-with-india-antitrust-watchdog-after-android-ruling-554611">Google to cooperate with India antitrust watchdog after Android ruling</a>

This means that while setting up the smartphone, a user will have the freedom to choose its default search engine other than Google, such as Bing or DuckDuckGo. 
 
Smartphone makers will now be able to build approved, forked versions of Android, clearing the path for India's home-grown smartphone operating system, BharOS.

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-google-loses-anti-trust-battle-in-india-554600">Gravitas: Google loses anti-trust battle in India</a>

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Google said that it will now allow smartphone makers "licence individual Google apps" to preinstall on their devices. This means that it will now depend on the smartphone-maker which Google apps will be pre-installed in the smartphone.&nbsp;

What changes for smartphone makers?

The cost of a smartphone, in-part, depends on the number of applications it is equipped with on a pre-installed basis. This means that if a smartphone-maker wants to launch a super affordable device, it can do so by reducing the number of Alphabet-owned applications.&nbsp; 
Other than this, Google is already letting users in India choose a billing system other than Google Play when making in-app purchases. This way, the app and game developers will get a larger share of their profits.

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A day after India's top court refused to block an antitrust watchdog ruling against Alphabet-owned Google, the company has made key changes in its rulebook that include removing restrictions on smartphone makers related to pre-installation of apps.

A day after India's top court refused to block an antitrust watchdog ruling against Alphabet-owned Google, the company has made key changes in its rulebook that include removing restrictions on smartphone makers related to pre-installation of apps. Google will no longer have exclusivity to web search in the world's second largest smartphone market. Google rulebook overhaul: What will change for India's Android users? Alphabet-owned Google will now prompt Android smartphone users in India to choose their own search engine while setting up a new smartphone. Until Wednesday, this wasn't the case. Nearly all Android smartphones had Google as the default search engine. ALSO READ | Google to cooperate with India antitrust watchdog after Android ruling This means that while setting up the smartphone, a user will have the freedom to choose its default search engine other than Google, such as Bing or DuckDuckGo. Smartphone makers will now be able to build approved, forked versions of Android, clearing the path for India's home-grown smartphone operating system, BharOS. ALSO WATCH | Gravitas: Google loses anti-trust battle in India × Google said that it will now allow smartphone makers "licence individual Google apps" to preinstall on their devices. This means that it will now depend on the smartphone-maker which Google apps will be pre-installed in the smartphone. What changes for smartphone makers? The cost of a smartphone, in-part, depends on the number of applications it is equipped with on a pre-installed basis. This means that if a smartphone-maker wants to launch a super affordable device, it can do so by reducing the number of Alphabet-owned applications. Other than this, Google is already letting users in India choose a billing system other than Google Play when making in-app purchases. This way, the app and game developers will get a larger share of their profits. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Google policy overhaul: India's smartphone makers, Android users get better control

The new statistics from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) show that costlier smartphones have stalled the increase in new Internet users in the country. The Internet sector is one of the largest online markets in the world which has been adding new users every year at a rapid rate. But after seeing rapid growth in this sector for nearly a decade, the numbers seem stuck now at 800 million users for two years.&nbsp;

The data from the telecommunications regulator show that the country earlier had 837 million Internet subscriptions as of June 2022, out of which 92 per cent were mobile broadband connections. TRAI defines broadband as a connection with a speed of at least 512 kilobits per second.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/budget-2023-24-what-should-india-expect-in-the-energy-sector-553994">Budget 2023-24: What should India expect in the energy sector?</a>

The number of connections in January 2021 was 734 million, and in October 2022, the latest month for which data is available, it was 789 million, with an increase of only about 7 per cent. In contrast, from 2016 to 2020, the number of mobile Internet connections doubled every year.

Analysts of these trends say that this is due to the rising price of smartphones which is, in turn, driven by global supply chain problems and chip shortages.&nbsp;The Indian government has said in the past that the country is the world's second-largest mobile phone manufacturer after China but still relies on imports for semiconductors that power smartphones.&nbsp;

A market research company, International Data Corporation also estimated in 2022 that smartphone prices had risen by 20 per cent on average since the Covid-19 pandemic began. Several leading phone manufacturers such as Xiaomi, Oppo and Samsung increased prices after launching phones.

Watch |&nbsp;Android smartphones might become expensive due to CCI's ruling, says Google

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Another market research company, Counterpoint, also researched this area and found that the smartphone market in India had failed all the growth expectations n 2022. The reasons they cited were-

1) First, it was due to the shortages in mobile components 
2) Second, it was due to higher retail prices and inflation 
But despite having the supply chain back on track by the first half of 2022, demand did not improve as expected.

"The weak demand was especially felt in the entry and mid-level price bands", said the company, which estimates that smartphone sales in India could fall by 5 per cent until March 2023.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/with-focus-on-counter-terrorism-defence-india-and-oman-hold-strategic-dialogue-in-delhi-553971">With focus on counter-terrorism, defence, India and Oman hold strategic dialogue in Delhi</a>

On an earnings call in November 2022, Mr Gopal Vittal, chief executive of Bharti Airtel, said, "Imagine a poor customer who has a feature phone and who’s made a decision to change to a smartphone. And he’s been told that the price is about 6,500 to 7,000 rupees (S$105 to S$113). But he lands in the store and finds that it’s actually 10,000 rupees. He will go away".&nbsp;

As a result, the market for used phones has grown. Cashify, an online resale marketplace, recorded a 50 per cent growth in revenue from 3.3 billion rupees in 2021 to 4.9 billion rupees in 2022.

The immediate future for the smartphone market is not rosy, as many telecom analysts believe that any significant growth in this field will be seen only in three to five years from now. And this growth will only be possible when new production incentives will be given to domestic chip manufacturing.&nbsp;

In April 2021, India announced incentives worth 760 billion rupees to companies manufacturing mobile parts, semiconductors and displays in the country. Now, about 15 per cent to 20 per cent of Indian phone is made in India. The government aims to increase this from 35 per cent to 40 per cent.

&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

The new statistics from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) show that costlier smartphones have stalled the increase in new Internet users in the country.

The new statistics from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) show that costlier smartphones have stalled the increase in new Internet users in the country. The Internet sector is one of the largest online markets in the world which has been adding new users every year at a rapid rate. But after seeing rapid growth in this sector for nearly a decade, the numbers seem stuck now at 800 million users for two years. The data from the telecommunications regulator show that the country earlier had 837 million Internet subscriptions as of June 2022, out of which 92 per cent were mobile broadband connections. TRAI defines broadband as a connection with a speed of at least 512 kilobits per second. Also Read | Budget 2023-24: What should India expect in the energy sector? The number of connections in January 2021 was 734 million, and in October 2022, the latest month for which data is available, it was 789 million, with an increase of only about 7 per cent. In contrast, from 2016 to 2020, the number of mobile Internet connections doubled every year. Analysts of these trends say that this is due to the rising price of smartphones which is, in turn, driven by global supply chain problems and chip shortages. The Indian government has said in the past that the country is the world's second-largest mobile phone manufacturer after China but still relies on imports for semiconductors that power smartphones. A market research company, International Data Corporation also estimated in 2022 that smartphone prices had risen by 20 per cent on average since the Covid-19 pandemic began. Several leading phone manufacturers such as Xiaomi, Oppo and Samsung increased prices after launching phones. Watch | Android smartphones might become expensive due to CCI's ruling, says Google × Another market research company, Counterpoint, also researched this area and found that the smartphone market in India had failed all the growth expectations n 2022. The reasons they cited were- 1) First, it was due to the shortages in mobile components 2) Second, it was due to higher retail prices and inflation But despite having the supply chain back on track by the first half of 2022, demand did not improve as expected. "The weak demand was especially felt in the entry and mid-level price bands", said the company, which estimates that smartphone sales in India could fall by 5 per cent until March 2023. Also Read | With focus on counter-terrorism, defence, India and Oman hold strategic dialogue in Delhi On an earnings call in November 2022, Mr Gopal Vittal, chief executive of Bharti Airtel, said, "Imagine a poor customer who has a feature phone and who’s made a decision to change to a smartphone. And he’s been told that the price is about 6,500 to 7,000 rupees (S$105 to S$113). But he lands in the store and finds that it’s actually 10,000 rupees. He will go away". As a result, the market for used phones has grown. Cashify, an online resale marketplace, recorded a 50 per cent growth in revenue from 3.3 billion rupees in 2021 to 4.9 billion rupees in 2022. The immediate future for the smartphone market is not rosy, as many telecom analysts believe that any significant growth in this field will be seen only in three to five years from now. And this growth will only be possible when new production incentives will be given to domestic chip manufacturing. In April 2021, India announced incentives worth 760 billion rupees to companies manufacturing mobile parts, semiconductors and displays in the country. Now, about 15 per cent to 20 per cent of Indian phone is made in India. The government aims to increase this from 35 per cent to 40 per cent. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India: Rising price of smartphones stalls the growth of internet users

The new statistics from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) show that costlier smartphones have stalled the increase in new Internet users in the country. Watch to know further.

WION Fineprint | Internet growth stalls in India as smartphones get costlier

Smartphones in India might become expensive; tech giant Google has warned. Google also warned about the potential threat to users' security.

World Business Watch: Smartphone prices might rise in India, says Google

Android smartphones might become expensive due to CCI's ruling, says Google

A new study has traced the impact of smartphones on Indian marriages. It has been found that excessive use of smartphones is hurting relationships.

Gravitas: Impact of smartphones on relationships

After the European Union, India is also moving to make USB Type-C as the compulsory&nbsp; common charging port for all smart devices sold in the country.&nbsp;The decision, if implemented, could have serious repercussions for Apple Inc., as its iPhone doesn't&nbsp;have a Type-C charging port.

The decision was taken on Wednesday by consensus of all stakeholders at an inter-ministerial task force constituted by the&nbsp;Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government. The task force held wide-ranging discussions on the possibility of making uniform charging ports for all compatible smart devices and another for low-cost feature phones.

“During the meeting, a broad consensus emerged among stakeholders on the adoption of USB Type-C as a charging port for electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops etc. Further, it was deliberated that a different charging port may be adopted for feature phones," consumer affairs secretary Rohit Kumar Singh was quoted as saying in Indian media.

The meeting was attended by representatives from industry associations such as the Confederation of Indian Industry, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and educational institutions including IIT&nbsp;Kanpur, and IIT (BHU),&nbsp;Varanasi.

In the meeting, the stakeholders agreed on a phased roll-out of uniform charging ports for “effective implementation and easy adoption”.

<h2>World Business Watch | Common charging port: India moves towards USB-C</h2>

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The move is aimed at cutting down massive amounts of electronic waste generated in the country.&nbsp;According to an ASSOCHAM-EY report titled ‘Electronic Waste Management in India’, India is estimated to have generated 5 million tonnes of e-waste in 2021, ranking behind only China and the US.

The officials believe that a shift towards universal chargers would bring down the cost of chargers in product packaging, as most consumers will have the necessary chargers and charging accessories.

EU was the first region to push for a universal Type-C charge port. In June this year, they passed a law making the USB-C port mandatory for a whole range of electronic devices, including smartphones, by 2024-end. Some Democrats in the US have reportedly been pushing for a similar law.

Brazil, too, has moved towards a similar initiative, with the government pushing Apple to roll out its devices with Type-C ports.

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After the European Union, India is also moving to make USB Type-C as the compulsory common charging port for all smart devices sold in the country. The decision, if implemented, could have serious repercussions for Apple Inc.

After the European Union, India is also moving to make USB Type-C as the compulsory common charging port for all smart devices sold in the country. The decision, if implemented, could have serious repercussions for Apple Inc., as its iPhone doesn't have a Type-C charging port. The decision was taken on Wednesday by consensus of all stakeholders at an inter-ministerial task force constituted by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government. The task force held wide-ranging discussions on the possibility of making uniform charging ports for all compatible smart devices and another for low-cost feature phones. “During the meeting, a broad consensus emerged among stakeholders on the adoption of USB Type-C as a charging port for electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops etc. Further, it was deliberated that a different charging port may be adopted for feature phones," consumer affairs secretary Rohit Kumar Singh was quoted as saying in Indian media. The meeting was attended by representatives from industry associations such as the Confederation of Indian Industry, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and educational institutions including IIT Kanpur, and IIT (BHU), Varanasi. In the meeting, the stakeholders agreed on a phased roll-out of uniform charging ports for “effective implementation and easy adoption”. World Business Watch | Common charging port: India moves towards USB-C The move is aimed at cutting down massive amounts of electronic waste generated in the country. According to an ASSOCHAM-EY report titled ‘Electronic Waste Management in India’, India is estimated to have generated 5 million tonnes of e-waste in 2021, ranking behind only China and the US. The officials believe that a shift towards universal chargers would bring down the cost of chargers in product packaging, as most consumers will have the necessary chargers and charging accessories. EU was the first region to push for a universal Type-C charge port. In June this year, they passed a law making the USB-C port mandatory for a whole range of electronic devices, including smartphones, by 2024-end. Some Democrats in the US have reportedly been pushing for a similar law. Brazil, too, has moved towards a similar initiative, with the government pushing Apple to roll out its devices with Type-C ports. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

After EU, India to make common Type-C charging port mandatory for all smart devices

After anticipating dwindling demands for new iPhone14 models, Apple has reportedly asked the suppliers to cut back on production this year.

The California-based tech behemoth is planning to reduce production by as many as six million units,&nbsp;Bloomberg reported quoting people familiar with the matter.

Now, the tech firm is looking to produce&nbsp;90 million handsets for the period, which would be roughly the same level as the last year and in line with Apple’s original forecast this summer.

&nbsp;The firm had previously told its suppliers to prepare for a 7 per cent increase in orders.

Moreover, the demand has been more for the iPhone 14 pro models than the entry-level ones, which has forced one of the suppliers to focus the production capacity exclusively on the premium versions, it has reported.

On Wednesday, Apple’s shares went down about four&nbsp;per cent following reports of cuts in production plans this year.

On Monday, the US tech giant announced that it began making its new iPhone 14 in India sooner than anticipated, as it moves some of its production away from China.

Apple had worked with Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group, its most important production partner, with the original goal of assembling iPhones in Chennai about two months after its global launch, Bloomberg had reported.

Apple's move to diversify the supply chains has been in response to rising tensions between US and China over Taiwan and trade.

Earlier this month, JP Morgan analysts said that they expect Apple to move around 5&nbsp;per cent of iPhone production to India this year.

The report also predicted that 25 per cent of all iPhone production will be in the South Asian nation by 2025.

(With inputs from agencies)

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After anticipating dwindling demands for new iPhone14 models, Apple has reportedly asked the suppliers to cut back on production this year. The California-based tech behemoth is planning to reduce production by as many as six million units, Bloomberg reported quoting people familiar with the matter.

After anticipating dwindling demands for new iPhone14 models, Apple has reportedly asked the suppliers to cut back on production this year. The California-based tech behemoth is planning to reduce production by as many as six million units, Bloomberg reported quoting people familiar with the matter. Now, the tech firm is looking to produce 90 million handsets for the period, which would be roughly the same level as the last year and in line with Apple’s original forecast this summer. The firm had previously told its suppliers to prepare for a 7 per cent increase in orders. Moreover, the demand has been more for the iPhone 14 pro models than the entry-level ones, which has forced one of the suppliers to focus the production capacity exclusively on the premium versions, it has reported. On Wednesday, Apple’s shares went down about four per cent following reports of cuts in production plans this year. On Monday, the US tech giant announced that it began making its new iPhone 14 in India sooner than anticipated, as it moves some of its production away from China. Apple had worked with Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group, its most important production partner, with the original goal of assembling iPhones in Chennai about two months after its global launch, Bloomberg had reported. Apple's move to diversify the supply chains has been in response to rising tensions between US and China over Taiwan and trade. Earlier this month, JP Morgan analysts said that they expect Apple to move around 5 per cent of iPhone production to India this year. The report also predicted that 25 per cent of all iPhone production will be in the South Asian nation by 2025. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Apple slashes iPhone 14 production target by 6 million units as demand stutters: Report

From telephones, pagers, feature phones, to smartphones, our communication devices have undergone a meteoric change in the past century. But no one would have thought that phones, which are part of our lives, can become extinct.

Will 6G make smartphones extinct by 2030?

Since technology is such an important aspect of our lives today, and because of its role to economic progress, National Technology Day seems both apparent and significant. In India, May 11 is National Technology Day. It is observed to recognise the achievements of Indian scientists and scientific workers to the field. The day honours not only scientists and engineers, but also anybody interested in developing, innovating, and encouraging information transmission, as well as ensuring that its advantages reach the general public.

Just a few decades ago, technology was something that appear enigmatic. We sure had machines but the tech-driven world we have today and the way tech solutions have reached even the person on the street is something that was not there before.

On National Technology Day 2022, let's take a look at 5 things that are increasingly becoming common and we can say that we can't do without these pieces of tech

Smartphones

Smartphones ushered in the first wave of our tech-dependent world. This gizmo made several things obsolete in one stroke. Phone was no longer something you used just to call your friends and family but it became an entertainment hub, camera, movie maker and much much more. Crtics of technology often decry smartphones by calling them 'portable tracking devices people willingly carry on their person'.&nbsp;

But all said and done. Smartphones are not going anywhere.

Wearable tech

Once smartphones became an inseparable part of our lives, wearables made their grand entry. Suddenly it became a priority to complete 10,000 steps per day to reach fitness goals. Think you are stressed? Check your blood pressure in the band you are wearing.

Laptops

Fads come and go but if there is something that has maintained its position, it's our lappy. In last two years when working from home became a norm all over the world, laptops went through a renaissance of sorts. It was speculated a few years ago that laptops would soon be things of the past and would lose the race against rapidly improving smartphones and tablets.

But there is nothing like the touch of good ol' physical keys when you are slaying your office project.

Home assistants

It is often said that technology is making us lazy. But asking Alexa, Siri or any other virtual assistant to play ANY song we are in the mood of is something else.

Virtual assistants are soon becoming reality in thousands of households across the world. Everything from bulbs, fans, air conditioners and more is getting smart.

Internet

This may seem like a very obvious, plain-sounding entry in this list but it is necessary nonetheless. All the smartness of phones, cars and more would vanish if internet is to stop working. It is fast becoming the very lifeblood of our global existence. Internet is not a new discovery. But it remains backbone of everything we do and looks like it will remain so for a long time ahead.

Meanwhile, on the occasion of National Technology Day, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered gratitude to scientists whose work resulted in the successful Pokhran tests in 1998.

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Today, on National Technology Day, we express gratitude to our brilliant scientists and their efforts that led to the successful Pokhran tests in 1998. We remember with pride the exemplary leadership of Atal Ji who showed outstanding political courage and statesmanship. <a href="https://t.co/QZXcNvm6Pe">pic.twitter.com/QZXcNvm6Pe</a>
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&nbsp;

Since technology is such an important aspect of our lives today, and because of its role to economic progress, National Technology Day seems both apparent and significant.

Since technology is such an important aspect of our lives today, and because of its role to economic progress, National Technology Day seems both apparent and significant. In India, May 11 is National Technology Day. It is observed to recognise the achievements of Indian scientists and scientific workers to the field. The day honours not only scientists and engineers, but also anybody interested in developing, innovating, and encouraging information transmission, as well as ensuring that its advantages reach the general public. Just a few decades ago, technology was something that appear enigmatic. We sure had machines but the tech-driven world we have today and the way tech solutions have reached even the person on the street is something that was not there before. On National Technology Day 2022, let's take a look at 5 things that are increasingly becoming common and we can say that we can't do without these pieces of tech Smartphones Smartphones ushered in the first wave of our tech-dependent world. This gizmo made several things obsolete in one stroke. Phone was no longer something you used just to call your friends and family but it became an entertainment hub, camera, movie maker and much much more. Crtics of technology often decry smartphones by calling them 'portable tracking devices people willingly carry on their person'. But all said and done. Smartphones are not going anywhere. Wearable tech Once smartphones became an inseparable part of our lives, wearables made their grand entry. Suddenly it became a priority to complete 10,000 steps per day to reach fitness goals. Think you are stressed? Check your blood pressure in the band you are wearing. Laptops Fads come and go but if there is something that has maintained its position, it's our lappy. In last two years when working from home became a norm all over the world, laptops went through a renaissance of sorts. It was speculated a few years ago that laptops would soon be things of the past and would lose the race against rapidly improving smartphones and tablets. But there is nothing like the touch of good ol' physical keys when you are slaying your office project. Home assistants It is often said that technology is making us lazy. But asking Alexa, Siri or any other virtual assistant to play ANY song we are in the mood of is something else. Virtual assistants are soon becoming reality in thousands of households across the world. Everything from bulbs, fans, air conditioners and more is getting smart. Internet This may seem like a very obvious, plain-sounding entry in this list but it is necessary nonetheless. All the smartness of phones, cars and more would vanish if internet is to stop working. It is fast becoming the very lifeblood of our global existence. Internet is not a new discovery. But it remains backbone of everything we do and looks like it will remain so for a long time ahead. Meanwhile, on the occasion of National Technology Day, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered gratitude to scientists whose work resulted in the successful Pokhran tests in 1998. Today, on National Technology Day, we express gratitude to our brilliant scientists and their efforts that led to the successful Pokhran tests in 1998. We remember with pride the exemplary leadership of Atal Ji who showed outstanding political courage and statesmanship. pic.twitter.com/QZXcNvm6Pe — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 11, 2022 ×

National Technology Day 2022: A look at 5 pieces of tech we can't do without

If recent reports are to be believed, Apple might finally dump the notch display in its iPhones, and may release the upcoming iPhone 14 series with a punch-hole camera.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in his latest podcast 'Power On’ revealed that Apple is most likely to ditch the notch on some 2022 devices.

According to Gurman, who specializes in Apple products, the tech company would release a redesigned MacBook Air with an M2 chip and wireless charging for the 2022 iPad Pro.

Gurman claimed the new M2 chip would be "marginally faster" than the M1. It should have an octa-core CPU and 9- or 10-core GPU, which would be an upgrade over the 8-core GPU on the current Air.

A new, internally-developed chip is also expected for the Mac Pro and an AR/VR headset, which is likely to make an appearance at WWDC in the summer.

Meanwhile, there are reports that Apple will be launching iPhone 14 series in two models—iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro.

It is being said that the tech giant has decided to drop the mini series after it didn’t see great sales numbers compared to the other models.

There are also claims hinting towards the inclusion of an under-display fingerprint. Face ID and fingerprint scanning together would help to improve the authentication process on the next-gen iPhones.&nbsp;

As far as the chipset is concerned, iPhone 14 may come with the A16 Bionic chipset. Apart from that, there are also claims that 2022 models would feature a Type-C USB port.

(With inputs from agencies)

If recent reports are to be believed, Apple might finally dump the notch display in its iPhones, and may release the upcoming iPhone 14 series with a punch-hole camera.

If recent reports are to be believed, Apple might finally dump the notch display in its iPhones, and may release the upcoming iPhone 14 series with a punch-hole camera. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in his latest podcast 'Power On’ revealed that Apple is most likely to ditch the notch on some 2022 devices. According to Gurman, who specializes in Apple products, the tech company would release a redesigned MacBook Air with an M2 chip and wireless charging for the 2022 iPad Pro. Gurman claimed the new M2 chip would be "marginally faster" than the M1. It should have an octa-core CPU and 9- or 10-core GPU, which would be an upgrade over the 8-core GPU on the current Air. A new, internally-developed chip is also expected for the Mac Pro and an AR/VR headset, which is likely to make an appearance at WWDC in the summer. Meanwhile, there are reports that Apple will be launching iPhone 14 series in two models—iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro. It is being said that the tech giant has decided to drop the mini series after it didn’t see great sales numbers compared to the other models. There are also claims hinting towards the inclusion of an under-display fingerprint. Face ID and fingerprint scanning together would help to improve the authentication process on the next-gen iPhones. As far as the chipset is concerned, iPhone 14 may come with the A16 Bionic chipset. Apart from that, there are also claims that 2022 models would feature a Type-C USB port. (With inputs from agencies)

iPhone 14 may come with punch hole display: Report

A novel wearable device converts a finger's touch into a power source for small electronics and sensors.

Engineers from the University of California, San Diego, created a thin, flexible strip that can be worn on a fingertip and generate small amounts of energy when a person's finger sweats or presses against it.&nbsp;

According to the researchers who took part in this study, wearing this strip for 10 hours while sleeping could help charge electronic equipment that could run a watch for 24 hours.&nbsp;

To charge devices, most wearable power-producing charging strips on the market today require users to engage in strenuous exercise or rely on external sources such as sunshine or large temperature fluctuations. 
&nbsp;

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Researchers have invented a new technology that allows users to charge their cellphones and watches while they sleep.&nbsp;

"Unlike other sweat-powered wearables, this one requires no exercise, no physical input from the wearer in order to be useful. This work is a step forward to making wearables more practical, convenient, and accessible for the everyday person," said Lu Yin, a doctoral student, and co-author of the study in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies)

A novel wearable device converts a finger's touch into a power source for small electronics and sensors. Engineers from the University of California, San Diego, created a thin, flexible strip that can be worn on a fingertip and generate small amounts of energy when a person's finger sweats or presses against it.

A novel wearable device converts a finger's touch into a power source for small electronics and sensors. Engineers from the University of California, San Diego, created a thin, flexible strip that can be worn on a fingertip and generate small amounts of energy when a person's finger sweats or presses against it. According to the researchers who took part in this study, wearing this strip for 10 hours while sleeping could help charge electronic equipment that could run a watch for 24 hours. To charge devices, most wearable power-producing charging strips on the market today require users to engage in strenuous exercise or rely on external sources such as sunshine or large temperature fluctuations. × Researchers have invented a new technology that allows users to charge their cellphones and watches while they sleep. "Unlike other sweat-powered wearables, this one requires no exercise, no physical input from the wearer in order to be useful. This work is a step forward to making wearables more practical, convenient, and accessible for the everyday person," said Lu Yin, a doctoral student, and co-author of the study in a statement. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Now use your body's energy to charge smartphones and watches

WhatsApp, the hugely popular instant messaging app, has announced that it is testing new capability that will free its users from smartphones.

Currently, users can run their WhatsApp account via other devices (like desktops) but the user needs to be connected to internet via smartphone on which respective WhatsApp account is installed. The phone cannot be switched off and in case of network loss, the app does not work simultaneously on other devices.

The new capabilities appear to be aimed at decreasing users' dependence on smartphones in order to run Facebook-owned WhatsApp on other devices.

In a blog post on Wednesday, Facebook engineers said the new feature would allow for the hugely popular service be used on multiple "non-phone" devices without needing to connect to the smartphone app.&nbsp;

"The new WhatsApp multi-device architecture removes these hurdles" by no longer requiring a smartphone to perform every operation, the company said.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/watch-now-use-your-bodys-energy-to-charge-smartphones-and-watches-398373">Watch: Now use your body's energy to charge smartphones and watches</a>

The new capability will be expanded more broadly as it is refined, Facebook added.

It also made assurances that WhatsApp's security measures will still work under the new system.&nbsp;

"Each companion device will connect to your WhatsApp independently while maintaining the same level of privacy and security through end-to-end encryption that people who use WhatsApp have come to expect."

(With inputs from agencies)

WhatsApp, the hugely popular instant messaging app, has announced that it is testing new capability that will free its users from smartphones. Currently, users can run their WhatsApp account via other devices (like desktops) but the user needs to be connected to internet via smartphone on which respective WhatsApp account is installed.

WhatsApp, the hugely popular instant messaging app, has announced that it is testing new capability that will free its users from smartphones. Currently, users can run their WhatsApp account via other devices (like desktops) but the user needs to be connected to internet via smartphone on which respective WhatsApp account is installed. The phone cannot be switched off and in case of network loss, the app does not work simultaneously on other devices. The new capabilities appear to be aimed at decreasing users' dependence on smartphones in order to run Facebook-owned WhatsApp on other devices. In a blog post on Wednesday, Facebook engineers said the new feature would allow for the hugely popular service be used on multiple "non-phone" devices without needing to connect to the smartphone app. "The new WhatsApp multi-device architecture removes these hurdles" by no longer requiring a smartphone to perform every operation, the company said. Also Read | Watch: Now use your body's energy to charge smartphones and watches The new capability will be expanded more broadly as it is refined, Facebook added. It also made assurances that WhatsApp's security measures will still work under the new system. "Each companion device will connect to your WhatsApp independently while maintaining the same level of privacy and security through end-to-end encryption that people who use WhatsApp have come to expect." (With inputs from agencies)

WhatsApp tests function to allow users to log in without linking to smartphones

Smartphones have literally become the "place where we live," and a large study has claimed this.&nbsp;

Researchers at University College London (UCL), in a study that involved nine countries and conducted for more than a year, found that people feel the same about their smartphones as they do about their homes.&nbsp;

"The smartphone is no longer just a device that we use, it's become the place where we live," Prof Daniel Miller, who led the study, was quoted as saying by The Guardian.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="http://wionews.com/science-technology/smartphone-camera-can-help-doctors-measure-pulse-breathing-rate-375344">Smartphone camera can help doctors measure pulse, breathing rate</a>

"The flip side of that for human relationships is that at any point, whether over a meal, a meeting or other shared activity, a person we're with can just disappear, having 'gone home' to their smartphone."

He added that this phenomenon is causing "death to proximity" of face-to-face communication.&nbsp;

"This behaviour, and the frustration, disappointment or even offence it can cause, is what we're calling the 'death of proximity'. We are learning to live with the jeopardy that even when we are physically together, we can be socially, emotionally or professionally alone," Miller further said.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="http://wionews.com/world/smartphones-have-made-uk-one-of-the-laziest-countries-in-europe-323237">Smartphones have made UK one of the laziest countries in Europe</a>

Chat apps like WhatsApp are leading this transformation, according to the research which describes these as the "heart of the smartphone".&nbsp;

"These apps are the platforms where siblings come together to take care of elderly parents, proud parents send out endless photographs of their babies, and migrants reconnect with families; they are the means by which you can still be a grandparent even if living in another country," the lead researcher said.&nbsp;

Smartphones have literally become the "place where we live," and a large study has claimed this. Researchers at University College London (UCL), in a study that involved nine countries and conducted for more than a year, found that people feel the same about their smartphones as they do about their homes.

Smartphones have literally become the "place where we live," and a large study has claimed this. Researchers at University College London (UCL), in a study that involved nine countries and conducted for more than a year, found that people feel the same about their smartphones as they do about their homes. "The smartphone is no longer just a device that we use, it's become the place where we live," Prof Daniel Miller, who led the study, was quoted as saying by The Guardian. Also read | Smartphone camera can help doctors measure pulse, breathing rate "The flip side of that for human relationships is that at any point, whether over a meal, a meeting or other shared activity, a person we're with can just disappear, having 'gone home' to their smartphone." He added that this phenomenon is causing "death to proximity" of face-to-face communication. "This behaviour, and the frustration, disappointment or even offence it can cause, is what we're calling the 'death of proximity'. We are learning to live with the jeopardy that even when we are physically together, we can be socially, emotionally or professionally alone," Miller further said. Also read | Smartphones have made UK one of the laziest countries in Europe Chat apps like WhatsApp are leading this transformation, according to the research which describes these as the "heart of the smartphone". "These apps are the platforms where siblings come together to take care of elderly parents, proud parents send out endless photographs of their babies, and migrants reconnect with families; they are the means by which you can still be a grandparent even if living in another country," the lead researcher said.

Are smartphones our homes now? Study calls them 'place where we live'

There is a leadership crisis in Samsung. South Korea has sentenced Samsung's heir and Vice Chairman Jay Y Lee to two and a half years in prison. What happens to the world's largest smartphone maker?

Gravitas: South Korea jails Samsung's heir

Network is precious, network is everything. All of us yearn for that extra bar on our phones when we are watching movies or doing anything that is data-heavy. The buffering circle is the most annoying thing when all we want to do is unwind. We run around our homes for that perfect sweet spot of abundant network.

But what if we told you, you'll get 4G network on Moon too?

Yes, NASA seems to be doing such a thing. It has awarded USD 14.1 million to Nokia to deploy 4G cellular network on Moon.

Think about it, if you go to the Moon and in case you lose network, you can call it 'out of the world problem' instead of first/second world one. This seemingly sad tip may bring in a lot of social media cred!

But right now the set up of 4G cellular network on the Moon appears to be for scientific and research purposes.

"The system could support lunar surface communications at greater distances, increased speeds and provide more reliability than current standards," NASA noted in its contract award announcement.

The grant given to Nokia is part of USD 370 million worth of contracts signed under NASA`s "Tipping Point" selections, meant to advance research and development for space exploration.

According to United Press International, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine in a live broadcast said that the space agency must quickly develop new technologies for living and working on the moon if it wants to realise its goal to have astronauts working at a lunar base by 2028.

"We need power systems that can last a long time on the surface of the moon, and we need habitation capability on the surface," Bridenstine said.

Nokia`s research arm, Bell Labs, provided more details in a Twitter thread. The company intends for the network to support wireless operation of lunar rovers and navigation, as well as streaming video.

"Working with our partners at @Int_Machines, this groundbreaking network will be the critical communications fabric for data transmission applications, including the control of lunar rovers, real-time navigation over lunar geography and streaming of high definition video," Bell Labs said in a tweet.

This is not Nokia`s first attempt to launch an LTE network on the moon. It was planned to do this in 2018 in collaboration with PTScientists, a German space company, and Vodafone UK to launch an LTE network at the site of the Apollo 17 landing, but the mission never got off the ground.

(With IANS inputs)

Network is precious, network is everything. All of us yearn for that extra bar on our phones when we are watching movies or doing anything that is data-heavy. The buffering circle is the most annoying thing when all we want to do is unwind.

Network is precious, network is everything. All of us yearn for that extra bar on our phones when we are watching movies or doing anything that is data-heavy. The buffering circle is the most annoying thing when all we want to do is unwind. We run around our homes for that perfect sweet spot of abundant network. But what if we told you, you'll get 4G network on Moon too? Yes, NASA seems to be doing such a thing. It has awarded USD 14.1 million to Nokia to deploy 4G cellular network on Moon. Think about it, if you go to the Moon and in case you lose network, you can call it 'out of the world problem' instead of first/second world one. This seemingly sad tip may bring in a lot of social media cred! But right now the set up of 4G cellular network on the Moon appears to be for scientific and research purposes. "The system could support lunar surface communications at greater distances, increased speeds and provide more reliability than current standards," NASA noted in its contract award announcement. The grant given to Nokia is part of USD 370 million worth of contracts signed under NASA`s "Tipping Point" selections, meant to advance research and development for space exploration. According to United Press International, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine in a live broadcast said that the space agency must quickly develop new technologies for living and working on the moon if it wants to realise its goal to have astronauts working at a lunar base by 2028. "We need power systems that can last a long time on the surface of the moon, and we need habitation capability on the surface," Bridenstine said. Nokia`s research arm, Bell Labs, provided more details in a Twitter thread. The company intends for the network to support wireless operation of lunar rovers and navigation, as well as streaming video. "Working with our partners at @Int_Machines, this groundbreaking network will be the critical communications fabric for data transmission applications, including the control of lunar rovers, real-time navigation over lunar geography and streaming of high definition video," Bell Labs said in a tweet. This is not Nokia`s first attempt to launch an LTE network on the moon. It was planned to do this in 2018 in collaboration with PTScientists, a German space company, and Vodafone UK to launch an LTE network at the site of the Apollo 17 landing, but the mission never got off the ground. (With IANS inputs)

Nokia will now set up 4G network on Moon, courtesy NASA

Amazon is extending the feature of ‘Hindi language’ support for Alexa voice assistant. Amazon Alexa is easily available on Echo Dot, Echo Plus and more from where it can be used to gain information and entertainment of various genres.

Amazon India's smart assistant Alexa completed one year of its existence, and will now available be on both Android and iOS smartphones in the country from Monday. The customers can now interact with Alexa in Hindi using the Alexa app on their mobile devices.

Alexa in Hindi can be experienced on the entire Amazon Echo range of smart speakers, Alexa built-in devices by other brands, the company said.

Alexa can now understand 50 different ways to play a particular song in Hindi. Amazon has also added six new Alexa original songs and poems, along with 20 new stories in Hindi.

Alexa now has a special message for all users in India. Just ask "Alexa, hamari dosti par poem sunao".

The company said that Alexa is now equipped with hundreds of new words from the Hindi vocabulary, and is also able to understand different ways in which customers can ask for the same information.

At the launch last year, Amazon had over 500 Hindi skills. Today, it has over 1,000 Hindi Skills, including Audible Suno, Ramayan Katha, Devotional Stories by Hungama, Shilpa Shetty Yoga, Jungle Safari, Kabir's Dohe, Rekhta, Hindi Jokes and so on. 
&nbsp;

Amazon is extending the feature of ‘Hindi language’ support for Alexa voice assistant. Amazon Alexa is easily available on Echo Dot, Echo Plus and more from where it can be used to gain information and entertainment of various genres.

Amazon is extending the feature of ‘Hindi language’ support for Alexa voice assistant. Amazon Alexa is easily available on Echo Dot, Echo Plus and more from where it can be used to gain information and entertainment of various genres. Amazon India's smart assistant Alexa completed one year of its existence, and will now available be on both Android and iOS smartphones in the country from Monday. The customers can now interact with Alexa in Hindi using the Alexa app on their mobile devices. Alexa in Hindi can be experienced on the entire Amazon Echo range of smart speakers, Alexa built-in devices by other brands, the company said. Alexa can now understand 50 different ways to play a particular song in Hindi. Amazon has also added six new Alexa original songs and poems, along with 20 new stories in Hindi. Alexa now has a special message for all users in India. Just ask "Alexa, hamari dosti par poem sunao". The company said that Alexa is now equipped with hundreds of new words from the Hindi vocabulary, and is also able to understand different ways in which customers can ask for the same information. At the launch last year, Amazon had over 500 Hindi skills. Today, it has over 1,000 Hindi Skills, including Audible Suno, Ramayan Katha, Devotional Stories by Hungama, Shilpa Shetty Yoga, Jungle Safari, Kabir's Dohe, Rekhta, Hindi Jokes and so on.

Alexa in Hindi turns one; now available on smartphones in India

Smartphone shipments in China fell 16% in June compared with a year earlier, according to government data released on Tuesday.

The numbers suggest that handset demand in China remains lukewarm despite the country's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, boding poorly for Apple Inc and its local rivals like Huawei Technologies Co Ltd.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/severe-floods-in-china-leave-over-38-million-affected-141-dead-or-missing-312838" hreflang="en">Severe floods in China leave over 38 million affected, 141 dead or missing</a>

Phone makers shipped 27.7 million handsets in June, down from 32.7 million in June 2019, according to the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), a state-backed think tank.

That follows a similar decline in May, when shipments dropped more than 10% annually, from 36.4 million in May 2019 to 32.6 million one year later.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/majority-of-us-firms-in-hong-kong-concerned-about-security-law-312843" hreflang="en">Majority of US firms in Hong Kong concerned about security law</a>

In April, after a slump in the previous months due to the health crisis, CAICT reported that smartphone shipments grew an unexpected 17% percent annually.

At the time, the jump suggested potential for a rebound in the China's smartphone brands, which for years have wrestled with shrinking growth at home.&nbsp;

China is one of the few countries where retail outlets have re-opened almost fully after a lockdown period as COVID-19 spread.

Apple and its rival smartphone brands do not publicly release regional shipments.

Smartphone shipments in China fell 16% in June compared with a year earlier, according to government data released on Tuesday. The numbers suggest that handset demand in China remains lukewarm despite the country's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, boding poorly for Apple Inc and its local rivals like Huawei Technologies Co Ltd.

Smartphone shipments in China fell 16% in June compared with a year earlier, according to government data released on Tuesday. The numbers suggest that handset demand in China remains lukewarm despite the country's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, boding poorly for Apple Inc and its local rivals like Huawei Technologies Co Ltd. Also read: Severe floods in China leave over 38 million affected, 141 dead or missing Phone makers shipped 27.7 million handsets in June, down from 32.7 million in June 2019, according to the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), a state-backed think tank. That follows a similar decline in May, when shipments dropped more than 10% annually, from 36.4 million in May 2019 to 32.6 million one year later. Also read: Majority of US firms in Hong Kong concerned about security law In April, after a slump in the previous months due to the health crisis, CAICT reported that smartphone shipments grew an unexpected 17% percent annually. At the time, the jump suggested potential for a rebound in the China's smartphone brands, which for years have wrestled with shrinking growth at home. China is one of the few countries where retail outlets have re-opened almost fully after a lockdown period as COVID-19 spread. Apple and its rival smartphone brands do not publicly release regional shipments.

Smartphone shipments in China fall 16% in June

Samsung has been on a blitz of sorts in 2020. For many months now Xiaomi and Realme have dominated the budget segment (under Rs 15,000) in the smartphone industry. Samsung is hell-bent on changing that with the recently launched Galaxy M21. It’s a phone that borrows design cues from its predecessor Galaxy M20 and its immediate successors Galaxy M30s/M31, at an economical price of Rs 12,999. &nbsp;

The Galaxy M21 is a smartphone that offers a massive 6,000mAh battery, an AMOLED screen, decent RAM and storage options, a 48-megapixel rear camera and weighs just 164 grams.&nbsp;

While the M21 borrows a lot from other Samsung M-series smartphones, does it have what it takes to stand on its own two feet? Read on to find out.&nbsp;

Design and Display: Plain old boring&nbsp;

Thanks to the polycarbonate body of the Galaxy M21 that covers the entire back and chassis, the smartphone is extremely lightweight. Though this doesn’t feel premium at all. The plastic body lends to its durability. The smartphone is very ergonomically designed and it is a treat to use in one’s hand. &nbsp;

Thanks to the glossy nature of the plastic, the phone is very susceptible to fingerprints. If you choose to use the Galaxy M21 without a case then be prepared to be constantly wiping the back of the smartphone to make it look new and shiny.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="Samsung" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b8ff02ea-7fc8-46f7-af9e-b24db312c1e5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/samsung5.jpg" />

The Galaxy M21 comes with a volume rocker and power button on the right, the SIM card slot on the back and the USB-Type C (thank you Samsung) port, 3.5mm headphone jack and speaker grille on the bottom. On the back is a capacitive fingerprint scanner. &nbsp;

There’s also no camera bump on the Galaxy M21. In a world of Galaxy S20s, this sure does feel refreshing. On the whole, the Galaxy M21 is dull and monotonous. It definitely won’t stand out next to an array of competitors in any mobile phone shop.&nbsp;

The display, on the other hand, is the standout feature (other than the battery) of the Galaxy M21. Samsung’s displays have always been its strong point and that doesn’t change with the M21. You get a 6.4-inch, full HD+ AMOLED (1440x2400 resolution) display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. It’s got punchy colours and gets bright enough to be used while out and about on a walk. Furthermore, it’s got good viewing angles and is Widevine L1 certified which means that it’ll be a pleasure consuming media from OTT platforms such as Amazon Prime and Netflix.&nbsp;

It may not have a 90Hz high-refresh-rate display but that isn’t something that has trickled down into the budget segment yet.&nbsp;

Performance and Software: Advantage over Realme and Xiaomi&nbsp;

Sadly though, performance is one area where the Galaxy M21 falters. The Exynos 9611 (coupled with 4GB/6GB of RAM) that powers the smartphone isn’t snappy and lags quite a bit when trying to multitask.&nbsp;

It’ll handle everyday tasks without a problem but when you try to open multiple tabs in Google Chrome while using the camera and listening to some audio, it sure will stutter along. The smartphone also tends to heat up slightly when taking a lot of photos of recording long videos. &nbsp;

Playing games like PUBG, Need For Speed, and others will not work on their highest settings. You’ll have to reduce the in-game graphics so that you can play the games without any lag.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="Samsung" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="563a4172-bebe-4ba5-abfc-b9556a83f07c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/samsung4.jpg" />

Samsung’s One UI 2.0 is by far the standout Android skin amongst all the budget players, especially Realme’s Reamle UI and Xiaomi’s MIUI. The software is feature-rich and you get consistency across all Samsung smartphones. It’s got a native dark theme that pairs well with the AMOLED screen.&nbsp;

The mono speaker on the smartphone is loud. At loud volumes though, it isn’t as clear and you can hear a little bit off crackling. The earpiece quality is pretty good.&nbsp;

Battery life: Most excellent&nbsp;

The Galaxy M21 comes with a huge 6,000mAh battery that doesn’t weigh down the smartphone at all. The smartphone lasts almost two days with a good 5-hour plus screen-on-time. The one downside is that the Galaxy M21 takes over two and a half hours to charge from 0 per cent -100 per cent.&nbsp;

The long charge times are negated by the fact that the smartphone can last really long on a single charge.&nbsp;

Cameras: So-so&nbsp;

The Galaxy M21 has a triple-camera setup at the back. It has a 48-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens (123* field of view) and a 5-megapixel depth sensor. On the front is a 20-megapixel sensor for all those selfies one takes on a daily basis.&nbsp;

Over the last few months, Samsung’s budget range of smartphones has gotten better and better in the camera department. &nbsp;

The 48-megapixel main sensor on the Galaxy M21 is excellent. With sufficient lighting, the pixel-binned photos came out great. The colours were vibrant and crisp. The close-ups also offered good depth-of-field. Taking some landscapes and you’ll be impressed with the dynamic range as well. Now it isn’t without its faults. &nbsp;

The ultra-wide sensor comes with a fixed focus and that’s a huge disappointment. Furthermore, a lot of noise is there and some details are lost.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="Samsung M21" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="26e53618-4e23-4fde-99f5-c257196d5414" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Samsung1.jpg" />

The depth-sensor takes fairly decent shots but some of the in-focus items are sometimes slightly blurred and that’s a disappointment.&nbsp;

The 48-megapixel shots have some major issues. First, the colours looked weaker/faded and if you look at the pixel-binned photos and the 48-megapixel shots side-by-side, you’ll notice a huge colour temperature difference.&nbsp;

Finally, I’ll end on a positive note. Disable all the beautification features (trust me, you don’t want any of them) and you’ll get good, crisp selfies, that you can share on social media and spam all of your friends on WhatsApp. 
 
<img alt="Samsung M21" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cf27a43e-c5c5-4085-9a62-0117a57f61a9" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/samsung2.jpg" />

On the video front, you only get the main sensor to shoot from. Samsung, for whatever reason, doesn’t allow you to shoot with the ultra-wide sensor. Maybe this is where they are cutting corners. Nonetheless, videos come out decently good on auto mode with the anti-shake mode turned off. Turn on the super-steady mode and the videos look washed out.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Verdict: Is this a worthy budget smartphone in today’s market?&nbsp;

Compared to Samsung’s own Galaxy M31, I’d say this isn’t as good a deal. The Galaxy M31 has a better design - albeit slightly - and better low-light performance. Significantly, it has more RAM (the Galaxy M31 starts at 6GB and there is an 8GB variant as well) than the Galaxy M21’s measly 4GB.&nbsp;

Still, there is a lot going for the Galaxy M21. It’s got a great AMOLED display with HD streaming support, a massive 6,000mAh battery (on par with the M31) and fast biometric unlock - whether with face unlock or with the capacitive fingerprint sensor. It’s a worthy smartphone in today’s market.&nbsp;

At Rs 12,999, one feels that Samsung could have gone a little more aggressively and it a thousand rupees cheaper. That would have definitely given it the edge against the Realme 6 that at just Rs 13,999 offers a faster CPU, a fluid display and faster-wired charging. Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 9 Pro also starts at Rs 13,999 and offers great performance albeit with crippled software experience.&nbsp;

Both the Realme 6 and Redmi Note 9 Pro offer better gaming performance than Samsung’s Galaxy M21.&nbsp;

For those that have brand loyalty, or can’t get a Realme/Xiaomi where they are because of lockdown rules, the Galaxy M21 will do them just fine. If you can stretch your budget to the Galaxy M31, I’d recommend getting that instead but it is a hefty Rs 3,000 more though.&nbsp;

Samsung has been on a blitz of sorts in 2020. For many months now Xiaomi and Realme have dominated the budget segment (under Rs 15,000) in the smartphone industry.

Samsung has been on a blitz of sorts in 2020. For many months now Xiaomi and Realme have dominated the budget segment (under Rs 15,000) in the smartphone industry. Samsung is hell-bent on changing that with the recently launched Galaxy M21. It’s a phone that borrows design cues from its predecessor Galaxy M20 and its immediate successors Galaxy M30s/M31, at an economical price of Rs 12,999. The Galaxy M21 is a smartphone that offers a massive 6,000mAh battery, an AMOLED screen, decent RAM and storage options, a 48-megapixel rear camera and weighs just 164 grams. While the M21 borrows a lot from other Samsung M-series smartphones, does it have what it takes to stand on its own two feet? Read on to find out. Design and Display: Plain old boring Thanks to the polycarbonate body of the Galaxy M21 that covers the entire back and chassis, the smartphone is extremely lightweight. Though this doesn’t feel premium at all. The plastic body lends to its durability. The smartphone is very ergonomically designed and it is a treat to use in one’s hand. Thanks to the glossy nature of the plastic, the phone is very susceptible to fingerprints. If you choose to use the Galaxy M21 without a case then be prepared to be constantly wiping the back of the smartphone to make it look new and shiny. The Galaxy M21 comes with a volume rocker and power button on the right, the SIM card slot on the back and the USB-Type C (thank you Samsung) port, 3.5mm headphone jack and speaker grille on the bottom. On the back is a capacitive fingerprint scanner. There’s also no camera bump on the Galaxy M21. In a world of Galaxy S20s, this sure does feel refreshing. On the whole, the Galaxy M21 is dull and monotonous. It definitely won’t stand out next to an array of competitors in any mobile phone shop. The display, on the other hand, is the standout feature (other than the battery) of the Galaxy M21. Samsung’s displays have always been its strong point and that doesn’t change with the M21. You get a 6.4-inch, full HD+ AMOLED (1440x2400 resolution) display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. It’s got punchy colours and gets bright enough to be used while out and about on a walk. Furthermore, it’s got good viewing angles and is Widevine L1 certified which means that it’ll be a pleasure consuming media from OTT platforms such as Amazon Prime and Netflix. It may not have a 90Hz high-refresh-rate display but that isn’t something that has trickled down into the budget segment yet. Performance and Software: Advantage over Realme and Xiaomi Sadly though, performance is one area where the Galaxy M21 falters. The Exynos 9611 (coupled with 4GB/6GB of RAM) that powers the smartphone isn’t snappy and lags quite a bit when trying to multitask. It’ll handle everyday tasks without a problem but when you try to open multiple tabs in Google Chrome while using the camera and listening to some audio, it sure will stutter along. The smartphone also tends to heat up slightly when taking a lot of photos of recording long videos. Playing games like PUBG, Need For Speed, and others will not work on their highest settings. You’ll have to reduce the in-game graphics so that you can play the games without any lag. Samsung’s One UI 2.0 is by far the standout Android skin amongst all the budget players, especially Realme’s Reamle UI and Xiaomi’s MIUI. The software is feature-rich and you get consistency across all Samsung smartphones. It’s got a native dark theme that pairs well with the AMOLED screen. The mono speaker on the smartphone is loud. At loud volumes though, it isn’t as clear and you can hear a little bit off crackling. The earpiece quality is pretty good. Battery life: Most excellent The Galaxy M21 comes with a huge 6,000mAh battery that doesn’t weigh down the smartphone at all. The smartphone lasts almost two days with a good 5-hour plus screen-on-time. The one downside is that the Galaxy M21 takes over two and a half hours to charge from 0 per cent -100 per cent. The long charge times are negated by the fact that the smartphone can last really long on a single charge. Cameras: So-so The Galaxy M21 has a triple-camera setup at the back. It has a 48-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens (123* field of view) and a 5-megapixel depth sensor. On the front is a 20-megapixel sensor for all those selfies one takes on a daily basis. Over the last few months, Samsung’s budget range of smartphones has gotten better and better in the camera department. The 48-megapixel main sensor on the Galaxy M21 is excellent. With sufficient lighting, the pixel-binned photos came out great. The colours were vibrant and crisp. The close-ups also offered good depth-of-field. Taking some landscapes and you’ll be impressed with the dynamic range as well. Now it isn’t without its faults. The ultra-wide sensor comes with a fixed focus and that’s a huge disappointment. Furthermore, a lot of noise is there and some details are lost. The depth-sensor takes fairly decent shots but some of the in-focus items are sometimes slightly blurred and that’s a disappointment. The 48-megapixel shots have some major issues. First, the colours looked weaker/faded and if you look at the pixel-binned photos and the 48-megapixel shots side-by-side, you’ll notice a huge colour temperature difference. Finally, I’ll end on a positive note. Disable all the beautification features (trust me, you don’t want any of them) and you’ll get good, crisp selfies, that you can share on social media and spam all of your friends on WhatsApp. On the video front, you only get the main sensor to shoot from. Samsung, for whatever reason, doesn’t allow you to shoot with the ultra-wide sensor. Maybe this is where they are cutting corners. Nonetheless, videos come out decently good on auto mode with the anti-shake mode turned off. Turn on the super-steady mode and the videos look washed out. Verdict: Is this a worthy budget smartphone in today’s market? Compared to Samsung’s own Galaxy M31, I’d say this isn’t as good a deal. The Galaxy M31 has a better design - albeit slightly - and better low-light performance. Significantly, it has more RAM (the Galaxy M31 starts at 6GB and there is an 8GB variant as well) than the Galaxy M21’s measly 4GB. Still, there is a lot going for the Galaxy M21. It’s got a great AMOLED display with HD streaming support, a massive 6,000mAh battery (on par with the M31) and fast biometric unlock - whether with face unlock or with the capacitive fingerprint sensor. It’s a worthy smartphone in today’s market. At Rs 12,999, one feels that Samsung could have gone a little more aggressively and it a thousand rupees cheaper. That would have definitely given it the edge against the Realme 6 that at just Rs 13,999 offers a faster CPU, a fluid display and faster-wired charging. Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 9 Pro also starts at Rs 13,999 and offers great performance albeit with crippled software experience. Both the Realme 6 and Redmi Note 9 Pro offer better gaming performance than Samsung’s Galaxy M21. For those that have brand loyalty, or can’t get a Realme/Xiaomi where they are because of lockdown rules, the Galaxy M21 will do them just fine. If you can stretch your budget to the Galaxy M31, I’d recommend getting that instead but it is a hefty Rs 3,000 more though.

Samsung Galaxy M21 review: The best Samsung smartphone under Rs 15,000

A new bug has been discovered on Android phones. Setting a certain image as your phone’s wallpaper could cause it to keep crashing and freezing.

The bug went viral on social media over the weekend, The Verge reported. The image was shared by “Ice Universe” on Twitter, and since then, people have been testing the veracity of this claim on their phones. Turns out, it actually causes phones to crash, especially if you’re using a Samsung device.

<h6><img alt="bug" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="115bd01f-4583-4f85-9d7f-54b0c5c6a31d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-3_10.jpg" /> 
The image that is causing the bug on phones | Courtesy: Twitter user @IceUniverse 
&nbsp;</h6>

Since it was brought to attention, the bug has been verified by online Android portals like”9to5Google” and “Android Authority”.

Even though the bug mostly affects Samsung devices, it also caused similar issues on Google Pixel phones.&nbsp;For users who made this bug picture their wallpapers, the phones kept turning on and off,&nbsp;disabling the users from using it.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WARNING！！！ 
Never set this picture as wallpaper, especially for Samsung mobile phone users! 
It will cause your phone to crash! 
Don't try it! 
If someone sends you this picture, please ignore it. <a href="https://t.co/rVbozJdhkL">pic.twitter.com/rVbozJdhkL</a>
— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) <a href="https://twitter.com/UniverseIce/status/1266943909499826176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

According to “9to5Google”, restarting the phone isn’t enough. In fact, one needs to restart their phones in safe mode and then delete the file, which may or may not work.

Most tech experts suggest not to try this on phones.&nbsp;However, the bug doesn’t seem to affect all Android phones. For instance, “Android Authority” attempted to replicate the bug on a Huawei handset, but it wasn’t affected.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/UniverseIce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UniverseIce</a> This is an android issue sadly is affecting also google pixels as well <a href="https://t.co/HZTtogLfwB">pic.twitter.com/HZTtogLfwB</a>
— Sebastian (@seb3153) <a href="https://twitter.com/seb3153/status/1266968321733296138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Most users who tried to play with the image ended up formatting their phones, ie, restoring it to factory settings, which could put all your data in jeopardy, especially in the absence of backups.

Experts suggest that this may be due to the variation in colour space used in the image, which may not be supported by many phones. For clarity -&nbsp;the image uses the RGB colour space, opposed to the Android preferred SRGB.

Just earlier this year, a similar visual bug serenaded iPhones, whereby certain Sindhi characters caused phones to crash. In a series of bizarre mass-crashes, a five-second long video caused many iPhones to crash a few years ago.

Many developers have submitted patches to fix the issue. A tech professional from “Android Authority” claimed that Pixel 4 XL did not crash after the image was used as its wallpaper, but instead opened up space to replace the unsupported colour code, implying there might be a fairly simple solution to this bug.

A new bug has been discovered on Android phones. Setting a certain image as your phone’s wallpaper could cause it to keep crashing and freezing. The bug went viral on social media over the weekend, The Verge reported.

A new bug has been discovered on Android phones. Setting a certain image as your phone’s wallpaper could cause it to keep crashing and freezing. The bug went viral on social media over the weekend, The Verge reported. The image was shared by “Ice Universe” on Twitter, and since then, people have been testing the veracity of this claim on their phones. Turns out, it actually causes phones to crash, especially if you’re using a Samsung device. The image that is causing the bug on phones | Courtesy: Twitter user @IceUniverse Since it was brought to attention, the bug has been verified by online Android portals like”9to5Google” and “Android Authority”. Even though the bug mostly affects Samsung devices, it also caused similar issues on Google Pixel phones. For users who made this bug picture their wallpapers, the phones kept turning on and off, disabling the users from using it. WARNING！！！ Never set this picture as wallpaper, especially for Samsung mobile phone users! It will cause your phone to crash! Don't try it! If someone sends you this picture, please ignore it. pic.twitter.com/rVbozJdhkL — Ice universe (@UniverseIce) May 31, 2020 × According to “9to5Google”, restarting the phone isn’t enough. In fact, one needs to restart their phones in safe mode and then delete the file, which may or may not work. Most tech experts suggest not to try this on phones. However, the bug doesn’t seem to affect all Android phones. For instance, “Android Authority” attempted to replicate the bug on a Huawei handset, but it wasn’t affected. @UniverseIce This is an android issue sadly is affecting also google pixels as well pic.twitter.com/HZTtogLfwB — Sebastian (@seb3153) May 31, 2020 × Most users who tried to play with the image ended up formatting their phones, ie, restoring it to factory settings, which could put all your data in jeopardy, especially in the absence of backups. Experts suggest that this may be due to the variation in colour space used in the image, which may not be supported by many phones. For clarity - the image uses the RGB colour space, opposed to the Android preferred SRGB. Just earlier this year, a similar visual bug serenaded iPhones, whereby certain Sindhi characters caused phones to crash. In a series of bizarre mass-crashes, a five-second long video caused many iPhones to crash a few years ago. Many developers have submitted patches to fix the issue. A tech professional from “Android Authority” claimed that Pixel 4 XL did not crash after the image was used as its wallpaper, but instead opened up space to replace the unsupported colour code, implying there might be a fairly simple solution to this bug.

Using this particular image as the wallpaper is causing many Android phones to crash

A new study has found that smartphones may make your headaches worse. This report has more.

Gravitas: Smartphones can make your headaches worse

Wistron Corp, Taiwan's phone assembler has announced plans to assemble PCBs or printed circuit boards at its new plant in South India.&nbsp;

Apple is pushing to increase manufacturing in India, which is the world's second-largest smartphone market.

Earlier, Wistron had assembled and manufactured Apple's middle-tier device called the ''SE'' in 2017. Currently, iPhones 6s and 7 are also assembled there.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/latest-business-news-apple-prepares-from-for-virus-fallout-samsung-says-it-will-affect-first-quarter-earnings-277547">Apple prepares for Coronavirus fallout, Samsung fears it may affect earnings</a>

This is the first assembly of PCBs by Wistron in India.

A PCB holds the key components of a phone, including processors, memory, wireless chipsets, which remain at the centre of an electronic device.

The PCBs usually account for half of the cost of a smartphone. 
Wistron is set to open another facility 65 kms out of Bengaluru, which shall become operational by April. The plant will make iPhone 7 and 8 models, with much of it being exported.

<h6><img alt="apple" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4b13f965-4a52-4e4f-a1f7-354a54d648a2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/78235-untitled-design-3_0.jpg" /> 
Apple logo | Reuters</h6>

 
Reuters reported that the facility can produce 8 million smartphones annually.&nbsp;

In 2018, Wistron had announced plans for a 30 billion rupee investment in Karnataka.

Foxconn, Wistron's rival began making iPhone XR models in India last year, with PCB assembly happening locally.

The local assembly of PCBs will help Apple save on import taxes on smartphone components, which is levied by the central government to boost local manufacturing.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apple-to-close-all-china-mainland-stores-due-to-virus-outbreak-278041">Apple to close all China mainland stores due to virus outbreak</a>

In the yearly budget, India announced that the taxing import on PCBs will increase to 20 per cent, from an earlier ten.

Apple still makes most iPhones in China but has been scouting other locations amidst the trade war between US and China.

India boasts 1.1 billion wireless connections, with about 480 million smartphones in the country. However, Apple's share based on shipment volumes is just over one per cent. 
&nbsp;

Wistron Corp, Taiwan's phone assembler has announced plans to assemble PCBs or printed circuit boards at its new plant in South India. Apple is pushing to increase manufacturing in India, which is the world's second-largest smartphone market.

Wistron Corp, Taiwan's phone assembler has announced plans to assemble PCBs or printed circuit boards at its new plant in South India. Apple is pushing to increase manufacturing in India, which is the world's second-largest smartphone market. Earlier, Wistron had assembled and manufactured Apple's middle-tier device called the ''SE'' in 2017. Currently, iPhones 6s and 7 are also assembled there. Also read: Apple prepares for Coronavirus fallout, Samsung fears it may affect earnings This is the first assembly of PCBs by Wistron in India. A PCB holds the key components of a phone, including processors, memory, wireless chipsets, which remain at the centre of an electronic device. The PCBs usually account for half of the cost of a smartphone. Wistron is set to open another facility 65 kms out of Bengaluru, which shall become operational by April. The plant will make iPhone 7 and 8 models, with much of it being exported. Apple logo | Reuters Reuters reported that the facility can produce 8 million smartphones annually. In 2018, Wistron had announced plans for a 30 billion rupee investment in Karnataka. Foxconn, Wistron's rival began making iPhone XR models in India last year, with PCB assembly happening locally. The local assembly of PCBs will help Apple save on import taxes on smartphone components, which is levied by the central government to boost local manufacturing. Also read: Apple to close all China mainland stores due to virus outbreak In the yearly budget, India announced that the taxing import on PCBs will increase to 20 per cent, from an earlier ten. Apple still makes most iPhones in China but has been scouting other locations amidst the trade war between US and China. India boasts 1.1 billion wireless connections, with about 480 million smartphones in the country. However, Apple's share based on shipment volumes is just over one per cent.

Wistron to start assembly of key iPhone component in India soon

The Indian Navy has banned navy personnel from using social media and smartphones at naval bases, dockyards and onboard warships. This stringent step has been taken by the force after seven Navy personnel were caught leaking sensitive information to enemy intelligence agencies on social media. #IndianNavy #Navy #Smartphones #WION

Indian Navy bans use of smartphones at naval bases, warships

After Indian Navy Busted An Espionage Racket, It Has Banned Smartphones Across Naval Bases, Dockyards & Ships. #Gravitas

Gravitas: Indian Navy Bans Use Of Smartphones, Social Media

After the recent arrest of seven Navy personnel for allegedly sharing sensitive information linked to Pakistan, the Indian Navy has issued directives to ban smartphones and social media use onboard ships and naval bases.&nbsp;

A senior Navy officer said that all social networking platforms including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and others, would not be allowed at the naval bases and ships from now on.&nbsp;

Smartphones would also not be permitted to operate, the official said.&nbsp;

On December 20, seven Navy personnel and a Hawala operator were arrested from Mumbai, Karvar and Visakhapatnam after a joint operation by the intelligence agencies busted an espionage racket linked to Pakistan.

Reportedly, the accused were sharing sensitive information about the movement of Indian warships and submarines to the Pakistani agents.&nbsp;

The intelligence agencies said that some more suspects are being interrogated.&nbsp;

After the incident, the Indian Navy said that there is no security breach and all critical assets are safe.

The operation was named 'Dolphin's Nose' and was jointly executed by central, naval intelligence officials and Andhra Pradesh Police.&nbsp;

The accused are currently under judicial custody. &nbsp;

(with inputs from agencies)

After the recent arrest of seven Navy personnel for allegedly sharing sensitive information linked to Pakistan, the Indian Navy has issued directives to ban smartphones and social media use onboard ships and naval bases.

After the recent arrest of seven Navy personnel for allegedly sharing sensitive information linked to Pakistan, the Indian Navy has issued directives to ban smartphones and social media use onboard ships and naval bases. A senior Navy officer said that all social networking platforms including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and others, would not be allowed at the naval bases and ships from now on. Smartphones would also not be permitted to operate, the official said. On December 20, seven Navy personnel and a Hawala operator were arrested from Mumbai, Karvar and Visakhapatnam after a joint operation by the intelligence agencies busted an espionage racket linked to Pakistan. Reportedly, the accused were sharing sensitive information about the movement of Indian warships and submarines to the Pakistani agents. The intelligence agencies said that some more suspects are being interrogated. After the incident, the Indian Navy said that there is no security breach and all critical assets are safe. The operation was named 'Dolphin's Nose' and was jointly executed by central, naval intelligence officials and Andhra Pradesh Police. The accused are currently under judicial custody. (with inputs from agencies)

Indian Navy bans use of social media platforms, smartphones

A recently conducted study on mobile phone usage reveals that Indians, on an average, spend more than 1,800 hours on their smartphones in a year.&nbsp;

Global smartphone giant VIVO carried out the study titled ‘Smartphone and their impact on human relationships’ in association with Cybermedia Research (CMR).&nbsp;

The study looked at uninhibited smartphone usage as well as factors that influence smartphone users, their actions, moods and preferences.

Some of the key features that the study highlighted about an average Indian smartphone user included the fact that around 75 per cent of the people surveyed agreed to own a smartphone in their teens of them 41 per cent were hooked to the device even before graduating from high school.

Here's looking at some of the top findings from the study.&nbsp;

- An average Indian spends one-third of their waking hours on their phone - roughly 1800 hours annually.&nbsp;

- 1 in 3 people feels that they can’t even have a 5-minute conversation without checking their phones.

- Over 70 per cent felt that the growing influence of smartphones is likely to impact mental and physical health.

- 3 out of 5 people believe in technology detox and say that it’s important to have a life separate from mobile phones.

The study was conducted based on an online survey with people, ageing 18 to 45 years - from across the top 8 cities in India.

As many as 2,000 Indians were surveyed for the study of which 36 per cent were females and 64 per cent were men.

A recently conducted study on mobile phone usage reveals that Indians, on an average, spend more than 1,800 hours on their smartphones in a year. Global smartphone giant VIVO carried out the study titled ‘Smartphone and their impact on human relationships’ in association with Cybermedia Research (CMR).

A recently conducted study on mobile phone usage reveals that Indians, on an average, spend more than 1,800 hours on their smartphones in a year. Global smartphone giant VIVO carried out the study titled ‘Smartphone and their impact on human relationships’ in association with Cybermedia Research (CMR). The study looked at uninhibited smartphone usage as well as factors that influence smartphone users, their actions, moods and preferences. Some of the key features that the study highlighted about an average Indian smartphone user included the fact that around 75 per cent of the people surveyed agreed to own a smartphone in their teens of them 41 per cent were hooked to the device even before graduating from high school. Here's looking at some of the top findings from the study. - An average Indian spends one-third of their waking hours on their phone - roughly 1800 hours annually. - 1 in 3 people feels that they can’t even have a 5-minute conversation without checking their phones. - Over 70 per cent felt that the growing influence of smartphones is likely to impact mental and physical health. - 3 out of 5 people believe in technology detox and say that it’s important to have a life separate from mobile phones. The study was conducted based on an online survey with people, ageing 18 to 45 years - from across the top 8 cities in India. As many as 2,000 Indians were surveyed for the study of which 36 per cent were females and 64 per cent were men.

Study reveals Indians spend over 1,800 hours glued to their smartphones annually 

A landmark lawsuit has been filed against the world’s tech giants by Congolese families who say their children were killed while mining for cobalt used to power smartphones, laptops and electric cars. #TechGiants #Apple #Google

Tech giants like Google, Apple sued for Congolese child cobalt mining deaths

Russian President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/now-russia-makes-worlds-best-cheese-thanks-to-putins-sanctions-war-264952">Vladimir Putin</a> has signed a law requiring all smartphones and computers sold in the country to come pre-installed with Russian software.

The legislation, which will take effect in July 2020, is aimed at promoting Russian-made software. But it has been dubbed the "anti-Apple" law because it would force the US tech giant to pre-install non-Apple software on its products.

The Russian government will now draw up a list of products affected by the law, published and signed by Putin on Monday, as well as a list of applications that would need to be pre-installed.

It comes amid a slew of measures taken by Russian officials to control the tech sector, including a law that took effect on November 1 requiring local internet providers to install devices provided by authorities to enable centralised control of traffic.

Apple last week appeared to bow to government pressure and began showing the annexed Crimea peninsula as part of Russia on maps and weather apps in the country. After the move sparked outrage in Ukraine, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apple-fails-to-end-macbook-butterfly-keyboard-class-action-265873">Apple</a> said it might "adjust its approach".

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law requiring all smartphones and computers sold in the country to come pre-installed with Russian software. The legislation, which will take effect in July 2020, is aimed at promoting Russian-made software.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law requiring all smartphones and computers sold in the country to come pre-installed with Russian software. The legislation, which will take effect in July 2020, is aimed at promoting Russian-made software. But it has been dubbed the "anti-Apple" law because it would force the US tech giant to pre-install non-Apple software on its products. The Russian government will now draw up a list of products affected by the law, published and signed by Putin on Monday, as well as a list of applications that would need to be pre-installed. It comes amid a slew of measures taken by Russian officials to control the tech sector, including a law that took effect on November 1 requiring local internet providers to install devices provided by authorities to enable centralised control of traffic. Apple last week appeared to bow to government pressure and began showing the annexed Crimea peninsula as part of Russia on maps and weather apps in the country. After the move sparked outrage in Ukraine, Apple said it might "adjust its approach".

Russia to pre-install their local software in every smartphone and computer

Samsung's plan to&nbsp;outsource a fifth of its smartphone production to&nbsp;China&nbsp;next year may help it compete with low-cost&nbsp;rivals&nbsp;such as Huawei and Xiaomi but it's a strategy fraught with risks, people with familiar with the move said.

Samsung&nbsp;Electronics, which shut its last in-house Chinese smartphone factory in October, is quietly moving production of some Galaxy A models to contractors such as Wingtech, which are little known&nbsp;outside&nbsp;China.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/samsung-says-to-shut-down-united-states-cpu-research-division-260078">Samsung&nbsp;</a>has been coy about&nbsp;the volumes involved but sources said the South Korean tech giant plans to ship some 60 million&nbsp;phones&nbsp;made&nbsp;in&nbsp;China&nbsp;by so-called original design manufacturers (ODMs) next year&nbsp;out&nbsp;of a total of about&nbsp;300 million devices.

Wingtech and other ODMs make&nbsp;phones&nbsp;for multiple brands - including Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo - giving them the economies of scale to keep costs down, and the nimble contractors can develop and produce new budget&nbsp;phones&nbsp;quickly.

Critics of&nbsp;Samsung's strategy say it risks losing control of quality and undermining its manufacturing expertise by&nbsp;outsourcing, and may even help&nbsp;rivals&nbsp;by giving contractors the extra volume they need to lowers costs further for all.

Samsung&nbsp;can ill afford another quality crisis. It scrapped its flagship Galaxy Note 7 in 2016 after reports the expensive&nbsp;phones&nbsp;were catching fire and delayed the launch of its folding phone this year after screen defects were identified.

But with margins razor-thin for budget smartphones, people familiar with&nbsp;Samsung's strategy say it has little choice but to follow&nbsp;rivals&nbsp;and use Chinese ODMs to shave costs.

"This is an inevitable strategy rather than a good strategy," a source with knowledge of&nbsp;Samsung's Chinese operations said.

Samsung&nbsp;said in a statement to Reuters that it has been making limited lines of smartphones&nbsp;outside its own plants to broaden its existing portfolio and "ensure efficient management in the market". It declined to say how many&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;phones&nbsp;are&nbsp;made&nbsp;by ODMs and said future volumes had yet to be determined.

Wingtech did not respond to a request for comment.

Research firm Counterpoint says ODMs can procure all the components needed for $100-$250 smartphones&nbsp;for 10 per cent&nbsp;to 15&nbsp;per cent less than major brands with their own factories in&nbsp;China.

One supply chain source said Wingtech can get some parts for up to 30 per cent less than&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;Electronics pays in Vietnam, where it has three factories churning&nbsp;out&nbsp;smartphones, TVs and home appliances.

Wingtech started making tablets and&nbsp;phones&nbsp;for&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;in 2017, accounting for 3&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;of its smartphones. That's expected to hit 8 per cent, or 24 million units, this year, according to IHS Markit.

Samsung's&nbsp;outsourcing plans involve its lower and mid-range Galaxy A series, with Wingtech having a hand in both design and production, sources said. The A6S, one of the models to be&nbsp;outsourced, costs from 1,299 yuan ($185) in&nbsp;China.

The Wingtech&nbsp;phones&nbsp;will mainly go to Southeast Asia and South America, one source said.&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;is gaining share in both at the expense of Huawei, which is suffering from U.S. sanctions that bar it from putting all Google's services on new&nbsp;phones.

While&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;is anxious to remain global smartphone market leader, some analysts worry it might not be worth the risk is given that profits in the budget phone business are scarce for all.

"Low-end&nbsp;phones&nbsp;are a headache for&nbsp;Samsung," said CW Chung, head of research at Nomura in Korea.

Chung said they were now commodity products and it was "nonsense" to make them in-house. But he and other experts said if&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;gave ODMs&nbsp;more&nbsp;volume, that could cut contractors' costs further and boost their experience and knowledge.

"If ODM firms become&nbsp;more&nbsp;competitive,&nbsp;rivals&nbsp;will be&nbsp;more&nbsp;competitive," Tom Kang, an analyst at Counterpoint said, adding that once a company loses its expertise in making low-end&nbsp;phones&nbsp;by&nbsp;outsourcing, it is difficult to regain the know-how.

Chung said&nbsp;Samsung's strategic shift signalled the declining manufacturing prowess of the company, once a low-cost Asian manufacturer and now the world's top producer of high-end electrical consumer goods.

US rival Apple&nbsp;outsources production to Taiwan's Foxconn Technology, which has factories in&nbsp;China, but Apple still designs its&nbsp;phones&nbsp;in California.

Samsung&nbsp;said in an emailed response to Reuters that it will be involved in the oversight of the design and development of smartphones&nbsp;produced by ODMs.

One person familiar with&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;and Chinese ODMs said contractors save money by cutting some steps&nbsp;out&nbsp;of the manufacturing process, potentially raising quality issues. He declined to go into details.

With that in mind,&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;has been pairing South Korean component suppliers with Chinese contractors to keep closer tabs on quality control, the person said.

"We understand the logic of increasing the production volume with Chinese contractors is a strategic business decision but that doesn't mean all of us are happy about&nbsp;it," an executive at a Korean component supplier said.

Samsung&nbsp;told Reuters it has applied the same quality checks and standards it does with all its devices, adding that it was committed to delivering high-quality products.

Historically,&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;has designed and produced almost all its&nbsp;phones&nbsp;in-house in vast factories in Vietnam and,&nbsp;more&nbsp;recently, India while winding down production in South Korea and&nbsp;China&nbsp;where labour costs&nbsp;more.

But Roh Tae-moon, the youngest executive to become a president at&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;Electronics, is championing the new ODM strategy in his role as number two at the mobile division, two people familiar with the matter said.

"It is crucial to cut costs to maintain competitiveness with Huawei and other Chinese handset makers," said a&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;insider who declined to be named.

Other Korean firms have also embraced&nbsp;outsourcing. LG Electronics, whose smartphones&nbsp;have been losing money for several years, has said it plans to expand its ODM&nbsp;output from budget models to mid-priced&nbsp;phones.

"Smartphones&nbsp;have come down to a battle over costs.&nbsp;It's a game of survival now," said Kim Yong-serk, a former&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;mobile executive who is a professor at South Korea's Sungkyunkwan University.

Samsung's plan to outsource a fifth of its smartphone production to China next year may help it compete with low-cost rivals such as Huawei and Xiaomi but it's a strategy fraught with risks, people with familiar with the move said.

Samsung's plan to outsource a fifth of its smartphone production to China next year may help it compete with low-cost rivals such as Huawei and Xiaomi but it's a strategy fraught with risks, people with familiar with the move said. Samsung Electronics, which shut its last in-house Chinese smartphone factory in October, is quietly moving production of some Galaxy A models to contractors such as Wingtech, which are little known outside China. Samsung has been coy about the volumes involved but sources said the South Korean tech giant plans to ship some 60 million phones made in China by so-called original design manufacturers (ODMs) next year out of a total of about 300 million devices. Wingtech and other ODMs make phones for multiple brands - including Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo - giving them the economies of scale to keep costs down, and the nimble contractors can develop and produce new budget phones quickly. Critics of Samsung's strategy say it risks losing control of quality and undermining its manufacturing expertise by outsourcing, and may even help rivals by giving contractors the extra volume they need to lowers costs further for all. Samsung can ill afford another quality crisis. It scrapped its flagship Galaxy Note 7 in 2016 after reports the expensive phones were catching fire and delayed the launch of its folding phone this year after screen defects were identified. But with margins razor-thin for budget smartphones, people familiar with Samsung's strategy say it has little choice but to follow rivals and use Chinese ODMs to shave costs. "This is an inevitable strategy rather than a good strategy," a source with knowledge of Samsung's Chinese operations said. Samsung said in a statement to Reuters that it has been making limited lines of smartphones outside its own plants to broaden its existing portfolio and "ensure efficient management in the market". It declined to say how many Samsung phones are made by ODMs and said future volumes had yet to be determined. Wingtech did not respond to a request for comment. Research firm Counterpoint says ODMs can procure all the components needed for $100-$250 smartphones for 10 per cent to 15 per cent less than major brands with their own factories in China. One supply chain source said Wingtech can get some parts for up to 30 per cent less than Samsung Electronics pays in Vietnam, where it has three factories churning out smartphones, TVs and home appliances. Wingtech started making tablets and phones for Samsung in 2017, accounting for 3 per cent of its smartphones. That's expected to hit 8 per cent, or 24 million units, this year, according to IHS Markit. Samsung's outsourcing plans involve its lower and mid-range Galaxy A series, with Wingtech having a hand in both design and production, sources said. The A6S, one of the models to be outsourced, costs from 1,299 yuan ($185) in China. The Wingtech phones will mainly go to Southeast Asia and South America, one source said. Samsung is gaining share in both at the expense of Huawei, which is suffering from U.S. sanctions that bar it from putting all Google's services on new phones. While Samsung is anxious to remain global smartphone market leader, some analysts worry it might not be worth the risk is given that profits in the budget phone business are scarce for all. "Low-end phones are a headache for Samsung," said CW Chung, head of research at Nomura in Korea. Chung said they were now commodity products and it was "nonsense" to make them in-house. But he and other experts said if Samsung gave ODMs more volume, that could cut contractors' costs further and boost their experience and knowledge. "If ODM firms become more competitive, rivals will be more competitive," Tom Kang, an analyst at Counterpoint said, adding that once a company loses its expertise in making low-end phones by outsourcing, it is difficult to regain the know-how. Chung said Samsung's strategic shift signalled the declining manufacturing prowess of the company, once a low-cost Asian manufacturer and now the world's top producer of high-end electrical consumer goods. US rival Apple outsources production to Taiwan's Foxconn Technology, which has factories in China, but Apple still designs its phones in California. Samsung said in an emailed response to Reuters that it will be involved in the oversight of the design and development of smartphones produced by ODMs. One person familiar with Samsung and Chinese ODMs said contractors save money by cutting some steps out of the manufacturing process, potentially raising quality issues. He declined to go into details. With that in mind, Samsung has been pairing South Korean component suppliers with Chinese contractors to keep closer tabs on quality control, the person said. "We understand the logic of increasing the production volume with Chinese contractors is a strategic business decision but that doesn't mean all of us are happy about it," an executive at a Korean component supplier said. Samsung told Reuters it has applied the same quality checks and standards it does with all its devices, adding that it was committed to delivering high-quality products. Historically, Samsung has designed and produced almost all its phones in-house in vast factories in Vietnam and, more recently, India while winding down production in South Korea and China where labour costs more. But Roh Tae-moon, the youngest executive to become a president at Samsung Electronics, is championing the new ODM strategy in his role as number two at the mobile division, two people familiar with the matter said. "It is crucial to cut costs to maintain competitiveness with Huawei and other Chinese handset makers," said a Samsung insider who declined to be named. Other Korean firms have also embraced outsourcing. LG Electronics, whose smartphones have been losing money for several years, has said it plans to expand its ODM output from budget models to mid-priced phones. "Smartphones have come down to a battle over costs. It's a game of survival now," said Kim Yong-serk, a former Samsung mobile executive who is a professor at South Korea's Sungkyunkwan University.

Samsung to outsource production to China to fend off rivals

The founder of China's smartphone maker Smartisan Technology has been barred from taking flights and high-speed railway trains due to the company's failure to comply with court rulings from a contractual dispute, a local court document showed.

Smartisan is a niche player in China's smartphone sector and is best known for its flamboyant founder Luo Yonghao, who made headlines in recent years with bold statements including a claim that he was planning to acquire Apple.

Luo is also barred from spending at higher quality hotels, night clubs and golf clubs, buying properties and high-premium insurance and sending his children to expensive private schools, according to an order issued by the court of Danyang in eastern China.

The order was issued after the court found the company failed to comply with previous court rulings from a contractual dispute with a local electronics firm, the document said.

Smartisan's smartphone sales in China lag behind players like Huawei, Xiaomi&nbsp;and Oppo. Chinese social media firm ByteDance earlier this year said it was developing a phone with Smartisan after acquiring a set of patents from it.

Smartisan launched a new phone on Thursday. In a video posted on its official Weibo account, Smartisan Chief Operating Officer Wu Dezhou said that most of the Smartisan team had moved to ByteDance following the deal to work on smartphones and education hardware, but that Luo had left the team due to personal reasons.

The founder of China's smartphone maker Smartisan Technology has been barred from taking flights and high-speed railway trains due to the company's failure to comply with court rulings from a contractual dispute, a local court document showed.

The founder of China's smartphone maker Smartisan Technology has been barred from taking flights and high-speed railway trains due to the company's failure to comply with court rulings from a contractual dispute, a local court document showed. Smartisan is a niche player in China's smartphone sector and is best known for its flamboyant founder Luo Yonghao, who made headlines in recent years with bold statements including a claim that he was planning to acquire Apple. Luo is also barred from spending at higher quality hotels, night clubs and golf clubs, buying properties and high-premium insurance and sending his children to expensive private schools, according to an order issued by the court of Danyang in eastern China. The order was issued after the court found the company failed to comply with previous court rulings from a contractual dispute with a local electronics firm, the document said. Smartisan's smartphone sales in China lag behind players like Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo. Chinese social media firm ByteDance earlier this year said it was developing a phone with Smartisan after acquiring a set of patents from it. Smartisan launched a new phone on Thursday. In a video posted on its official Weibo account, Smartisan Chief Operating Officer Wu Dezhou said that most of the Smartisan team had moved to ByteDance following the deal to work on smartphones and education hardware, but that Luo had left the team due to personal reasons.

Founder of China's smartphone maker Smartisan barred from planes, trains

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