HIGHLIGHTS
WhatsApp feature that deletes sent messages rolled out to all users
Pixel 2 released in India at starting price of Rs. 61,000
Airtel offers Rs. 10,000 cashback to postpaid users on buying iPhone X
WhatsApp has rolled out the ‘Delete for Everyone’ feature that allows people to delete sent message(s) for all users in the conversation. It had been released last week, but was available only for select users of the app. All you need to do to get this feature is to update WhatsApp to the latest version for your Android phone, iPhone, or Windows Phone device. The feature will work only if the recipient has the latest version of the app too, and messages can be deleted up to 7 minutes after they are sent. To use the message delete feature, just select the message you want to delete, and tap on the trash icon on the screen; here you will see 'Delete for Me' and 'Delete for Everyone'. While the former only deletes the message on your phone, the latter removes it from the recipients' devices as well
Google Pixel 2 goes on sale in India
The Pixel 2 smartphone went on sale in India today via both online and offline stores across the country. A rival to the iPhone 8, the handset comes in two colour options – Just Black and Clearly White. As for the Pixel 2 price in India, the base 64GB variant is priced at Rs. 61,000 and the 128GB variant costs Rs. 70,000. The handset has a 5-inch full-HD screen, Android 8.0 Oreo operating system, Snapdragon 835 SoC, 4GB of RAM, a 2700mAh battery, a 12.2-megapixel rear camera, and an 8-megapixel front camera.
Airtel announces iPhone X cashback offer
With the iPhone X launch just a couple of days away, Airtel has announced it will sell the upcoming smartphone to customers via its online store. However, only postpaid customers of the telecom operator can purchase the handset from its e-store; if you are a prepaid Airtel user, you will have to switch to postpaid. Airtel is not taking iPhone X pre-orders and will go straight to the sale on Friday. Customers who purchase the handset between 6pm IST on Friday and 7am IST on Saturday using a Citibank credit card will get Rs. 10,000 cashback.
iOS 11.1 with 70 new emojis, bug fixes released
Apple has released the iOS 11.1 update for compatible iPhone, iPad and iPod touch models. Among the highlights of the iOS 11.1 update are 70 new emojis, host of bug fixes, and the return of the gesture-enabled 3D Touch App Switch. Apart from iOS 11.1, Apple also released the watchOS 4.1 update for Apple Watch, tvOS 11.1 for Apple TV, and macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 for desktops.
Xiaomi says more than 10 million smartphones shipped in October
Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun has announced that the company shipped 10 million units across the globe in October. This makes October the second straight month the Chinese brand has achieved this feat. In fact, Xiaomi India head Manu Kumar Jain had revealed in late October that the company sold 4 million units in the country during the Diwali festive season. It has experienced strong growth in India in the past few months, with Counterpoint Research saying that its market share went from 6 percent in Q2 to 22 percent in Q3.
Airtel profit falls sharply as battle with Jio refuses to let up
The country's biggest telecom operator Airtel has reported a steep 76.5 percent decline in consolidated net profit in the September quarter. The company's net profit was Rs. 343 crores in the July-September period, down drastically from the Rs. 1,461 crores in the preceding quarter. Its revenue also fell 11.7 percent, from 24,651 crores. However, CEO Gopal Vittal said the company is still focusing on increasing its revenue market share. The company, along with other incumbent operators, has been battling the constant threat from telecom upstart Jio in the past year, which has seen Vodafone and Idea announce a merger, while smaller operators have exited the industry altogether.
Zomato launches Food Hygiene Ratings for restaurants
Zomato has announced a new programme called Food Hygiene Ratings for its partner restaurants, wherein the platform would rate them on various hygiene parameters. It will bring in experts in food hygiene, who will conduct surprise audits to rate the food outlets. The restaurants will be rated on whether the vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods are properly separated, the cleanliness level of the restaurants, the food prep environment, among others. For now, the rating system is being implemented only in the UAE and Australia, and will make its way to India though there is no word regarding when that would happen.
Coolpad Cool Play 6C smartphone unveiled in China
Coolpad has launched the Cool Play 6C smartphone in China, a follow-up to the Cool Play 6 that was unveiled earlier this year. Its highlights are the dual camera setup for selfies (8-megapixel + 5-megapixel), Android 7.1.1 Nougat software, and 3GB RAM. The Cool Play 6C is priced at CNY 849 (approximately Rs. 8,300) in the brand's home country. Other key specifications of the Coolpad handset include 5-inch HD screen, 1.25GHz octa-core Snapdragon 425 chipset, 32GB inbuilt storage, microSD support up to 128GB, 2500mAh battery, 13-megapixel rear camera, and dual-SIM functionality.
