Here are the mobile plans offering free subscriptions to Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar and more

Telecom operators are offering a free subscription to OTT services such as Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, Zee5 and more. This opens several doors for the viewer as they have ample choices when it comes to streaming movies and TV shows. With more and more OTT players focusing on producing original shows and movies, the quality is also bound to improve and so many OTT services offer complimentary subscriptions to users of a particular telecom provider. 

OTT platforms such as Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+ Hotstar are offered for free along with some prepaid and postpaid recharge plans from telcos such as Reliance Jio, Vodafone-Idea and Airtel. Let’s take a look at all the mobile recharge plans offering free OTT subscriptions.

How to get Amazon Prime Video subscription for free? 

Airtel offers a free subscription to Amazon Prime with some of its recharge plans for prepaid and postpaid customers. Airtel has a prepaid plan priced at Rs 349 which comes with a validity of 28 days along with 2GB data per day. As part of the Airtel Thanks offer, you will also get a free subscription to Amazon Prime for a month. However, if you’re a postpaid user, Airtel offers free Amazon Prime subscription for one year on plans priced Rs 499 and above.

Vodafone subscribers can also get a free complimentary subscription to Amazon Prime. If you’re a Vodafone Red postpaid users, you can watch Prime Video for free on recharge plans priced at Rs 399 and above. If you’re already on any of the Vodafone Red plans, you can download the Vodafone Play app on your phone to avail the offer.

How to get Netflix subscription for free? 

Netflix has partnered with Vodafone for its RedX limited edition postpaid plan that’s priced at Rs 1099. This plan offers 1 year of complimentary Netflix subscription along with Amazon Prime subscription as well. Sadly, no other telecom operator currently offers free Netflix subscription bit we’ll keep an eye out for complimentary Netflix subscriptions by telcos and will update accordingly.

How to get Disney+ Hotstar VIP subscription for free?

Reliance Jio offers complimentary subscription to Disney+ Hotstar for its prepaid customers. Jio prepaid users have an option to choose from four tariff plans to avail the free Disney+ Hotstar offer. There’s a plan worth Rs 401 that has a validity of 28 days and comes with access to Disney+ Hotstar VIP for one year and 90GB data. You can also recharge with Rs 2,599 annual plan to get the VIP subscription. This plan comes with 740GB data and unlimited calling. Additionally, Jio has two add-on tariff packs worth Rs 612 and Rs 1208 that come with free Disney+ Hotstar VIP subscription. Both these plans need a base plan to be activated as they only offer additional data.

Airtel also offers a tariff plan worth Rs 401 that comes with a complimentary subscription to Disney+ Hotstar VIP with a validity of one year. The plan is valid for 28 days and comes with 3GB data per day but comes without any calling or SMS benefits. 

How to get Zee5, ErosNow and SonyLIV subscription for free?

As part of the Airtel Thanks membership, any prepaid customer recharging with tariff plans above Rs 149 is eligible to get access to Zee5 Premium and Eros Now. If you’re a postpaid subscriber, you can opt-in for any of the Airtel infinity plans to get a complimentary subscription to Zee5 and Eros Now.

Similarly, Vodafone offers Zee5 Premium subscription with all its prepaid tariff plans starting from Rs 19. Additionally, the plans also come bundled with a subscription to Vodafone Play which offers TV shows, movies and more from ErosNow and SonyLIV as well.

 

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OnePlus OxygenOS Open Beta to now get monthly updates

The OnePlus Open Beta program has been running for years now and covers a host of their devices, from the most modern to even those that are two years old. OnePlus has been fairly regular to push out updates to its beta program users, however, in recent times, the beta program has had its fair share of problems. OnePlus has therefore announced that the company would move to a monthly update release model for the Beta Program, starting now.

Users who are a part of the OnePlus OxygenOS Open Beta can now expect updates to roll out once a month, instead of the usual bi-monthly plan. The company says that it would rather focus on pushing out quality, stable builds rather than emphasizing on the number of updates. Being part of the OxygenOS Open Beta program means users get new, experimental features much before those who are on the stable OxygenOS build. However, lately, there have been various beta builds of OxygenOS that had to be pulled by the company, due to catastrophic problems with them. However, the company recently also brought 960fps super slow-motion recording to the OnePlus 7T, verified first through the beta program. The OxygenOS Open Beta program also allows OnePlus to experiment with features and see how their customers respond.

By moving to the once-a-month release model, OnePlus hopes to eliminate issues that have recently caused it to pull beta updates from the program prematurely. Rushing to get updates out eventually does lead to undesirable consequences, but thankfully, OnePlus users have been more than accommodating of the company’s occasional missteps with regards to OS updates. With the company moving to the once a month frequency, it’s quite possible that the company’s OxygenOS is going to be shipping with fewer bugs, and more importantly, is likely to eliminate builds that could cripple devices.

OnePlus has maintained a very high degree of quality standards when it comes to OxygenOS, ever since their split with the original CyanogenMod team. Besides offering an incredibly polished OS experience, OnePlus has also from Day 1 maintained a very healthy third-party ROM development ecosystem by allowing users to unlock the bootloader without voiding the warranty. This has allowed developers to not only develop custom ROMs, but also kernels for OnePlus devices, allowing owners of the device to really get the kind of experience they want from their phones. You can read the official blog post announcing the changes here.

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AMD hints at higher minimum-VRAM GPUs in latest blog post

AMD recently published a blog post, comparing their Radeon RX 5500 XT 4GB variant with the 8GB one. The premise of the blog post was not to show how 8GB VRAM was superior, but how 4GB VRAM may not be sufficient for many users. The post has led many to draw the conclusion that AMD might be readying to increase the minimum amount of VRAM it offers on its next-gen GPUs.

The blogpost seems to be pointing towards the end of the 4GB VRAM era, as the company readies the launch of its first RDNA2 powered GPUs. AMD’s blog post details numerous games that can be run at high FPS with maxed out graphics when there’s an 8GB GPU in play, however, a 4GB Radeon RX 5500 XT variant isn’t even capable of loading the high graphics setting, let along run the game at playable fps. AMD's blog also points out other issues with low VRAM such as texture pop-in, low frame rates and even error messages. AMD all but says that GPUs with 4GB VRAM is no longer suited for the modern-day gamer. Let's not forget that AMD is also the company behind the CPU-GPUs on the next-generation consoles like the PS5.

After an entire blog post that talks against the 4GB VRAM GPU, it's easy to conclude that AMD is pushing the minimum VRAM spec upwards on its next generation of cards. Given that the comparison uses the lowest-tier card in the Radeon lineup and pits the 4GB VRAM variant against the 8GB one, it wouldn’t be too far fetched to assume that 8GB would be the new norm, but that is unlikely. While 8GB may not be the new norm, it would be nice to see AMD ramp up the minimum VRAM up to 6GB at least. AMD has always been the one to push boundaries of GPU spec, with being the first to bring HBM to the market. AMD was also the first to bring an 8GB VRAM GPU to the market, so it wouldn’t be too far off to assume that the company would do something similar with their upcoming RDNA 2 GPUs.

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Oppo A12 with Helio P35 launched in India starting at Rs 9,990: Specifications, price and availability

Oppo A12 was launched in India earlier today after being announced back in April 2020. The A12 is yet another budget smartphone by Oppo that’s set to take on the likes of the Redmi 8, Realme 5i and Narzo 10A in India. 

The Oppo A12 comes with a dual-camera setup, large capacity battery and fingerprint sensor as well. Let’s take a brief look at the specifications, prices and availability of the Oppo A12.

Oppo A12 specifications

Oppo A12 features a 6.22-inch HD+ (1520 x 720 pixels) resolution display, topped with a layer of Gorilla Glass 3 for added protection. The screen has a waterdrop notch cutout on top for the selfie camera which gives it a 19:9 aspect ratio. Being an entry-level phone, the A12 has a plastic chassis that measures 8.3mm at its thickest point and weighs 165 grams.

It is powered by MediaTek Helio P35 chipset with an octa-core CPU and PowerVR GE8320 graphics. This is paired with upto 4GB of RAM and upto 64GB storage options to choose from. The storage can further be expanded via microSD card. It runs on ColorOS 6.1 that's based on Android 9.

The A12 comes with a dual-camera setup on the back that consists of a primary 13MP camera with an f/2.2 aperture and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, housed within the waterdrop notch is a 5MP selfie camera.

The phone is fitted with the basic set of connectivity features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 and microUSB for charging. It comes with a 4,230mAh battery to boot. 

Oppo A12 pricing and availability

Oppo A12 is priced starting at Rs 9,990 for the base variant with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage while the other variant with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage is up for sale at Rs 11,490. It will be available in two colours-- blue and black from June 10 across all leading offline and online stores.

 

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OnePlus is making affordable smart TVs: Whos the competition and what it means for the market

According to the HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Pvt. Ltd, “In terms of display size, television sets between 32 inches and 43 inches account for the most notable percentage of sales since they are affordable to the masses. Further, as goods and services tax (GST) rates were reduced, prices of television sets went down.” Yes, my dear readers, this data is pertaining to India. The press release goes on to say, “The flat panel television (LED, LCD, HD, and UHD) market in India was valued at Rs 690.16 Bn in FY 2018 and is expected to reach Rs 1,238.33 Bn by FY 2024, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.25% during the FY 2019-FY 2024 period.” Have I caught your attention yet? Good. There is no doubt that people, during the lockdown are sitting at home and spending more time in front of the idiot box, which if I can say so, isn’t such a big idiot any more. TVs are getting smarter, letting you control your smart home appliances, chat with a virtual assistant, tell you the time, and much more.

With the growing demand for affordable TVs, one brand that has swooped in and charmed audiences is Xiaomi. Xiaomi may have launched a super slim 55-inch 4K HDR TV when it entered the TV market in India a few years ago, but it's no surprise that the company's strongest portfolio is smaller screen sizes. In the 43-inch size alone, the company offers a Full HD and a 4K variant for customers to choose from in the form of the Mi TV 4A Pro and the Mi TV 4X, respectively. With Xiaomi’s dominance in this price and screen size segment, we saw a lot of other brands fight for attention. From TV brands made in India like Daiwa, Shinco and Kodak to French brands like Thomson and even big names like Sony and Samsung, all wanted a piece of the pie. We even saw the likes of Realme and Nokia enter the TV market in India. Realme launched two TVs, a 32-inch and 43-inch while Nokia launched only a 43-inch TV. With the competition heating up in the 32 and 43-inch screen size segment, we think this is where OnePlus will place its next TV bet.

Why it makes sense for OnePlus to launch a 32/43-inch TV in India?

Let’s face it, the OnePlus TV was overpriced at Rs 99,900 for the top of the line variant. Sure, you had the Q1 but it doesn’t come with the fancy stand or the sliding out speakers, which are present in the Q1 Pro. And at a price tag of nearly 70k, the Q1 didn’t impress. One of the most expensive components in a TV is the panel. The larger the panel, the more expensive the TV. That’s why you will have a 55-inch TV priced at say Rs 1,00,000 and the same model in a 65-inch will be closer to the Rs 2 lakh mark. With a 32-inch FHD display and a 43-inch 4K panel, OnePlus could have a winning combination at its hands, especially if it brings with it some of the features from its larger siblings. Needless to say, the growing 32 and 43-inch market will mean consumers will have one more option to choose from. 

OnePlus, as a brand, also brings with it the brand value of performance for a price. So it can be expected that one will get better performance than budget brands, albite for a slightly more premium price. But not so expensive that one may consider an offering from premium brands like Sony or LG. 

What killer features could the smaller size OnePlus TV bring?

Today’s budget TVs are feature-rich. Kodak is giving consumers a 43-inch 4K TV with Dolby Vision and 500 nits of brightness, outperforming the Mi TV 4X (which is closer to the 350 nits mark) and the Nokia 43-inch TV (claiming 300 nits of brightness) on paper, as far as the panel is concerned. It is running on Android TV as well, bringing with it the bells and whistles of Android TV like Chromecast, Play Store, and more. But then again, so are the others. One place where OnePlus showed its TV charms was with its app and UI integration. Xiaomi may give consumers the option of PatchWall and Android TV but OnePlus, in its Q1 series, gave consumers an enhanced app experience. From being able to take screenshots and sharing it with friends to seamless app switching and content controls from the comfort of your smartphone, the hidden gem in the OnePlus TV was its app integration. Sure, it had its own UI overlaying Android TV and we expect the UI to evolve in this new TV. Maybe OnePlus can add cool new features to its app integration and UI to differentiate itself?

Also, bringing Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos to the 43-inch screen space will stir things up. We’d definitely love the “affordable” OnePlus TV to have a QLED panel. If OnePlus brings its sliding soundbar or similar audio technology, then it would really stir up the budget 43-inch space. While we would like OnePlus to throw everything including the kitchen sink in the package, the devil, unfortunately, lies in the details. And in this case, the details need to be pixel perfect. If OnePlus can offer great picture quality and great sound while offering a compelling smart TV experience, it would certainly stir up the competition.  

Should the competition be worried about the OnePlus TV?

As of December 2019, Xiaomi has a 33 percent market share in the TV segment. It isn’t going to be easy to dethrone the current king in the budget TV space. But if OnePlus brings with it a compelling spec sheet, performance and design at an “affordable” price, it will not only stir up the competition but force other TV manufacturers to “up” their game in the budget 32 and 43-inch screen space, the hottest TV segment in India.

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WhatsApp multi-device feature could be coming soon

A new feature on WhatsApp could soon be rolling out to users. The company had been working on multi0devices support for a while now. The feature will allow users to access their accounts on multiple devices simultaneously. WhatsApp Web does exist but it’s more or a mirror than an actual app. It basically mirrors your profile on your desktop. 

As reported by WABetainfro, WhatsApp has already begun internal testing of the feature ut there is no timeline for when the company will launch the feature. In a tweet posted last week, WAVetainfo said, “It's not available yet and there isn't a release date: it could be next two months, four months, six months… but it's really positive that they have started to test it on the whole.” The feature could be launching alongside WhatsApp for iPad and going by how it’s supposed to work, you could be seeing Android users accessing their respective accounts on an Apple device. 

From now on WhatsApp is internally starting some important tests for the multi device feature. It's not available yet and there isn't a release date: it could be next two months, four months, six months .. but it's really positive that they have started to test it on the whole.

— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) June 2, 2020

In other WhatsApp news, numbers that are using the WhatsApp Click to Chat feature are popping up on Google search. You can read more about that story here. The company will also soon allow users to add contacts by just scanning their profile QR codes and have already restored the Status video limit to 30 seconds in India. 

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OnePlus Z to launch in India on July 10: Report

OnePlus is expected to launch a new, more affordable smartphone called the OnePlus Z. The device has been leaking left, right and centre and now it looks like we might have a launch date. According to a report by Android Central, OnePlus plans to launch the device on July 10. However, the report did note that the date is still tentative, which means that it could still change. 

OnePlus Z launch: Specs and Price

Earlier today, the pricing and specifications of the OnePlus Z were leaked via an online forum called DesiDime. It was reported that a survey was sent out to some PayBack customers, asking if they would be willing to purchase a device from OnePlus at a particular price and specification. Judging by the survey, the OnePlus Z will be priced at Rs 24,999 and is tipped to pack a 6.55-inch Super AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. It is also expected to feature an in-display fingerprint sensor. At the back, the phone is said to offer a triple-rear camera design with a 64MP+16MP+2MP configuration. The OnePlus Z may be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765 SoC and feature a 4300mAh battery. 

Late last month, OnePlus CEO, Pete Lau revealed the company’s plans to launch affordable smartphones once again. During an interview with Fast Company, Lau hinted that the new device would be coming to India soon. It was noted that the company initially planned to launch the device alongside the OnePlus 8 series’ launch. Reports suggest that the launch of the device was postponed to a later date to the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak. It should be noted that the name of the device has not yet been officially confirmed, so it is quite possible that the new device might end up being called the OnePlus 8 Lite instead of the OnePlus Z.

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