Apple could launch its own online store as soon as September 2020

Apple could announce its own online e-commerce platform in India next month after strict prohibitions in FDI in retail was relaxed by the government. A report by Bloomberg claims Apple will have the online store operational in time for the festive season. The move could mean a lot more involvement for Apple in one of the fastest smartphone markets in the world.

Apple has been lobbying the government for years to get the regulations relaxed so it can open its own stores. Earlier, the mandate required sellers to source 30 percent of the components locally. With that relaxed last year, Apple was supposed to begin online sales much earlier. However, things got delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to unnamed sources cited in the article.

Apple has also been looking outwards of China, especially in other South Asian countries, including India to shift a chunk of iPhone-manufacturing, due to escalating tensions between Washington and Beijing.

Other than an online store, Apple is working on opening its first brick-and-mortar store in Mumbai, followed by a second in Bengaluru. The Mumbai Apple Store will be the first physical retail store for the Cupertino giant and is set to open next year in the posh BKC neighbourhood. In Bengaluru, Apple is planning to open a large, half a million square feet space.

Currently, Apple sells its products through online retail channels like Flipkart and Amazon, while in the offline space, Apple has authorized retailers and service centres across the country. With their own stores, Apple could have better control over the branding and marketing of iPhones in India, and compete with the likes of OnePlus and Samsung, who already have their own online stores functioning in India.

There’s also a rising demand for iPhones in India, which is perhaps why the company wants to start its online store as soon as possible. iPhones had a 49 percent market share in the premium segment, in the second quarter of 2020, according to IDC. The popular offerings include the iPhone XR and the iPhone 11, which constitute 28 percent of all high-end smartphones shipped.

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Oppo A53 with 90Hz display, 5,00mAh battery launched in India: Price and specifications

Oppo A53 has launched in India as the company’s latest budget offering and succeeds the A53 from 2015. The A53 2020 features a 90Hz display, a high-capacity 5,000mAh battery with fast charging and more. The phone goes head to head against the likes of Redmi Note 9 and Realme 6i.

Oppo also announced the 10,000mAh Power Bank 2 in India with 18W fast charging support and it is priced at Rs 1,299.

Oppo A53 Price and availability

Oppo A53 is priced starting at Rs 12,990 for the base variant with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage and Rs 15,490 for the 6GB RAM variant with 128GB storage. The A53 is available to purchase from Flipkart with some decent launch offers including bank discounts.

Oppo A53 specifications

Oppo A53 has a polycarbonate built that measures 8.4 millimetres in thickness and 186 grams in weight. It features a 6.5-inch HD+ (1600 x 720 pixels) resolution display with 90Hz high refresh rate and a punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera upfront. It comes in three colours-- Fairy White, Electric Black and Fancy Blue.

The A53 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 processor with an octa-core CPU and Adreno 610 graphics. This is paired with up to 6GB LPDDR4x RAM and 128GB UFS 2.1 storage which can be further expanded via microSD card of upto 256GB. It runs ColorOS 7.2 which is based on Android 10.

The Oppo A53 comes with a triple camera setup that consists of a primary 13MP camera with an f/2.2 aperture and 6x digital zoom, a 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. There’s a 16MP selfie camera housed within the notch cutout with features like AI beautification, portrait bokeh effect and more.

There is a fingerprint sensor on the back and the A53 comes equipped with a 5,000mAh battery that supports 18W fast charging.

There are many smartphone options in the sub-Rs 15,000 segment and if you're looking to buy a phone here are the best budget phones and best phones under Rs 15,000 in India.

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Call of Duty: Warzone Games of Summer Update: Heres whats new

Call of Duty: Warzone is getting a Season 5 Reloaded update today. It comes with exciting new changes including a new weapon, new game modes and a brand new, Olympic like Games of Summer event. Here’s everything new coming to Call of Duty: Warzone.

Games of Summer Event 

The big one is the Games of Summer event itself. The event which begins on August 28 seems to be Call of Duty’s take on the Olympics and involves players competing in a series of trials and challenges. This single-player event will take place in the Trial mode and includes challenges like Risky Parkour, Gun Course, Marksman Challenge amongst many more. Each trial will be time-based. Based on the players’ performance they will be awarded a medal. Those with gold medals in all 5 challenges will be rewarded with a Legendary Assault Rifle - Juliet Blueprint. Just like the Olympics, each individual medal will be worth points to their country. Throughout the duration of this event, players will see a country leaderboard too. The event is free to play across all platforms and begins on August 28 till September 2. The roadmap of the event is below.

Gun Course (starts August 28): Make your way through the course as fast as possible while clearing all enemy targets and avoiding civilian casualties. Price’s Alley (starts August 29): Eliminate an endless series of enemy targets while avoiding civilian targets to maintain the combo for as long as possible, with only a Renneti as your Loadout. Risky Parkour (starts August 30): Move through each checkpoint and finish the course as quickly as possible. Beware the heavy toxic gas on low ground. Shooting Range (starts August 31): Locate and shoot all targets in the area as quickly as possible while conserving ammunition. Marksman Challenge (starts September 1): Engage waves of long-distance targets and beat the clock while conserving ammunition. New FiNN LMG

We are also getting a brand new weapon this update. An agile, mobile, and hostile tank of an LMG, the FiNN’s ultra-light and open-bolt design is uniquely paired with advanced recoil controls. This all adds up to a weapon with exceptional full-auto accuracy while still being lightweight, allowing for a unique playstyle that further blurs the line between an assault rifle and LMG. 

 

Call of Duty Warzone and Modern Warfare Season 5 Reloaded kicks off: • Aug. 24 at 11PM PT • Aug. 25 at 1AM CT / 2AM ET / 7AM BST / 8AM CEST Stay tuned and turn on notifications to stay in the loop. pic.twitter.com/JzgXdTHcUq

— Call of Duty Warzone News (@BattleRoyaleCoD) August 25, 2020

 

Multiplayer

For all multiplayer fans, there is some good news as in the new playlist update Shoot the Ship will be making a comeback. This playlist features the two most frantic, high paced and exciting maps of the game i.e. Shipment and Shoot House across many game modes. This is complemented with a triple feed XP weekend, meaning players will be able to rank up faster with double XP, Battle Pass XP and Weapon XP.

The Gunfight tournament is returning on the free to play weekend. Players will battle it out for rewards like XP, cosmetic items and most importantly, bragging rights as champions. Keeping with the Olympic theme, the pitch of the Stadium from Verdansk is being added as a new Gunfight map.

This update we are getting a new operator called Morte, a spaghetti western-loving gunslinger. Players will be able to access this new operator by purchasing his operator bundle from the store.

Players will also be getting a new Ground War game mode called Ground War Reinforced. Like traditional Domination, players will battle for three flags on the large scale Ground War map but once they are downed they will enter spectator mode, returning only when their teammates capture a new flag. If a team captures all three flags they automatically win the round.

Warzone

This Season 5 Reloaded update brings a new game mode for Warzone called Kingslayer. This is a large-scale Team Deathmatch on Battle Royale where teams fight to earn points by defeating hostile players. However, the circle doesn’t collapse, rather it moves around the map for an agile battle on the go. The top five team’s top-scoring player will be marked as a ‘king’ on the Tac-Map. Players eliminate kings to get additional points and are awarded a free Killstreak.

We also expect to see some in-game event on August 26 for the reveal of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War on August 26. We have already covered its teaser trailer, click here to check it out. 

Surprisingly, this update isn’t as large as players are now used to getting. For PS4 it is 10.6 GB, Xbox One it is 14.09 GB and PC as much as 17.3 GB.

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Sony launches ready for PlayStation 5 BRAVIA X9000H TV in India

Sony is scheduled to launch the PS5 towards the end of 2020 and speculations suggest it could come to India soon after its international launch. One of the biggest advantages of the PS5 is that it supports HDMI 2.1 bringing with it features like Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) to name a few. 

If you are looking to upgrade your TV to one which has HDMI 2.1 to make the most of the upcoming console, then Sony has the TVs for you. Sony has introduced the X9000H in India in 55 and 65-inch screen sizes. So let’s dive in and check out the features, specifications and price of the Sony BRAVIA X9000H

Sony BRAVIA X9000H price and availability

The Sony BRAVIA X9000H will be available in 55 and 65-inch screen sizes priced at Rs 1,09,990 and Rs 1,59,990 respectively. The TV will be available starting today, August 25, 2020, online and offline. 

Sony BRAVIA X9000H specifications and features

Speaking of the specifications and features of the Sony BRAVIA X9000H apart from the screen size and speakers, all the features are the same on both the TVs. Both the TVs are 4K TVs and come with Sony’s X1 processor and Triluminos display. Both the TVs have Full Array backlighting and support HDR, HLG and Dolby Vision.  It also supports Dolby Atmos. It also supports eARC.

The TV also comes with the Netflix calibrated mode so you can enjoy content on Netflix like the creators intended it to be watched. The TV comes with minimalistic metal feet, aluminium design and thin bezels. The TV also boasts of Xtended Dynamic Range which should help with consuming HDR content. 

 

It’s smart, it’s big, it’s the all-new #SonyBRAVIA X90H 4K Full Array LED TV. Immerse yourself in lifelike contrast and cinematic sound. Know more: https://t.co/fyeWquDpOp pic.twitter.com/QSd4tN3Egq

— Sony India (@sony_india) August 25, 2020

 

The Sony BRAVIA X9000H also brings with it Sony’s XMotion Clarity for those that want the smooth effect when watching content like sports. Speaking of audio, the 55-inch variant of the TV comes with Sony’s Bass Reflex Speaker with X-Balanced Speaker technology with a total output of 20W coming from 2 full-range drivers. The 65-inch variant of the TV, on the other hand, comes with Sony’s Acoustic Multi-Audio, Sound Positioning Tweeter, X-Balanced Speaker. It has 2 full-range drivers and 2 tweeters with a total sound output of 20W. 

Moving to connectivity, the Sony X9000H sports dual-band Wi-Fi, one ethernet port, Bluetooth version 4.2, one RF port, one composite video port, 4 HDMI ports along with support for eARC, digital audio out and headphones out. It also has 2 USB ports. 

The TV runs on the Android TV platform bringing with it support for all popular streaming services built-in along with a Google Assistant enabled remote control. The TV also supports Apple AirPlay and Apple HomeKit. 

PS5 features on the Sony BRAVIA X9000H

Speaking of the PS5 features on this Sony BRAVIA TV, it brings with it HDMI 2.1 which is a feature the console is touting. This doesn’t mean you won't be able to connect your PlayStation 5 to your current TV, it just means that your TV will become the limiting factor when trying to make the most of the console. Let’s try and understand this. 

The PS5 claims to be able to 4K and 120fps. Most 4K TVs today are limited to 60fps. So even though you will be able to play games on your current TV, you will be limited to the framerate of 60 frames per second which is the cap for most TVs today. With HDMI 2.1, the PS5 will also be able to exploit features like Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). To use any of these features your TV needs to have HDMI 2.1. VRR ensures you get a smoother experience with the frame rate when playing games, ALLM helps with input lag. 

However, it must be noted that the HDMI 2.1 features will come to the Sony BRAVIA X9000H via a firmware update.

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HMD Global announces Nokia 53, Nokia C3, Nokia 125, Nokia 150: Price, availability, features

HMD Global has announced four new Nokia phones for India which includes two 2G feature phones and two smartphones. In recent times, Nokia has been focused on the feature phone segment in India, where it continues to commands a large chunk of market share, but has ignored the smartphone side of things till now. The Nokia 125 and the Nokia 150 are the two new feature phones that make their debut today, while the Nokia 5.3 and the Nokia C3 are the Android offerings, priced starting Rs 13,999 and Rs 7,499 respectively.

 

Introducing a range of 4 new Nokia phones. There's one for everyone. #Nokiamobile pic.twitter.com/qjvHPoR30R

— Nokia Mobile India (@NokiamobileIN) August 25, 2020

 

The Nokia 5.3 launched earlier in London as part of Nokia’s post-COVID online event for Europe, alongside the 5G-enabled Nokia 8.3 which just so happens to be James Bond’s smartphone of choice in the upcoming film, “No Time To Die”. That seems unlikely to be coming to be India anytime soon though.

Nokia 5.3 features and specifications

The Nokia 5.3 (review) is a mid-range smartphone powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 with a 6.5-inch HD+ LCD display, a quad-camera setup and a 4,000mAh battery. The smartphone sports a matte plastic body and a waterdrop notch on the display. There’s also a dedicated Google Assistant button and a breathing notification light on the power button. HMD has announced 4GB and 6GB RAM variants, both with 64GB storage eMMC 5.1 storage. The Nokia 5.3 will be available in Cyan, Sand and Charcoal colours.

As for the camera, the Nokia 5.3 comes with a 13MP primary camera, a 5MP ultrawide lens and two 2MP cameras for macro and portrait photos. On the front is another 8MP camera for selfies.

Nokia C3 features and specifications

The Nokia C3 is an entry-level smartphone with a UNISOC SoC that runs on Android 10, made available first in India. It’s an offline-only smartphone that offers a 5.99-inch HD+ LCD display and comes in two variants — 2GB+16GB, 3GB+32GB. The smartphone is powered by a 3,000mAh battery and comes with a dedicated Google Assistant button and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor.

Nokia 125 features and specifications

The Nokia 125 is a 2G feature phone with a 2.4-inch colour display, with an ergonomic design and bigger buttons. You get the classic Snake and other games, and wireless FM radio. The Nokia 125 can save up to 2,000 contacts and 500 SMS messages.

Nokia 150 features and specifications

The Nokia 150 goes a step higher with the addition of an MP3 Player and a VGA camera, and up to 32GB expandable storage. The Nokia 150 is also a 2G feature phone with a polycarbonate exterior and large keys.

Nokia 5.3, Nokia C3, Nokia 150, Nokia 125 price and availability

The Nokia 5.3 will be available on Amazon.in and Nokia.com in two variants — 4+64GB and 6+64GB priced Rs 13,999 and Rs 15,999 respectively. You can pre-book the smartphone on both platforms from today and sale will begin from September 1. There are additional benefits from Reliance Jio up to Rs 4,000 on a Rs 349 plan. That includes Rs 2,000 instant cashback and Rs 2,000 worth vouchers from partners, for both new and existing Jio subscribers.

The Nokia C3 is being offered in Nordic Blue and Sand colour options with two variants to choose from — 2+16GB, and 3+32GB priced Rs 7,499 and Rs 8,999 respectively. It will be available on Nokia.com and from offline retailers in India starting 17th September. The phone comes with a 1-year replacement guarantee.

The Nokia 150 and the Nokia 125 will also be offered via offline mobile retailers and on Nokia.com, available from August 25. The Nokia 150 is priced Rs 2,299 while the Nokia 125 is priced at Rs 1,999.

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HP Envy 15 launched in India starting at Rs 1,19,999: specifications, availability and more

HP Envy 15 has launched in India as the new thin and light laptop in the company’s Envy lineup. The new HP Envy 15 (review) series now features up to 4K OLED HDR display, 10th generation Intel Core processors, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q graphics and more. Alongside, HP has also announced two new workstations under its ZBook series including ZBook Studio and ZBook Create.

With its new laptops, HP wants to enable all kinds of creators including photographers, vloggers, graphic designers, filmmakers and architects, to name a few. “The HP Envy with seamless software integration, powerful performance, stunning display and long battery life built for today’s creative consumers and prosumers,” said Vickram Bedi, Senior Director, Personal Systems, HP India.

HP Envy 15 price, configuration and availability

HP Envy 15 is available in India starting at Rs 1,19,999 for the base variant that is powered by 10th generation Intel Core i5-10300H processor, paired with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD and NVIDIA GTX 1650Ti graphics to boot.

The second variant is priced at Rs 1,49,999 and comes with 10th gen. Intel Core i7-10750H processor with 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD storage and GTX 1660Ti graphics.

The maxed-out Envy 15 is priced at Rs 1,69,999 and comes with 15.6-inch OLED touchscreen, 10th gen Intel Core i7-10750H processor, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD storage and RTX 2060 Max-Q graphics.

HP Envy 15 specifications

HP Envy 15 laptops have been designed with a minimal approach and are durable as the chassis is aluminium with a diamond-cut design. There are subtle design upgrades here and there but these new Envy laptops are the first of their kind to come with a glass layer on the trackpad.

These laptops feature a high-quality 4K OLED panel that is VESA certified for HDR and deep black levels. The screen is capable of reproducing 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut range with 400 nits brightness and the top-end variant also comes with touch support.

The HP Envy 15 lineup can be configured with up to 10th generation Intel Core i7 (H-series) processors, up to NVIDIA RTX 2060 Max-Q graphics, 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB PCIe SSD storage. The Envy 15 laptops now come with a dedicated vapour chamber and two 12-volt fans for faster and efficient heat dissipation. HP claims that its custom vapour chamber design offers 33% more power to users when performing intensive work and the HP Dynamic Power utility allocates power between the CPU and the GPU.

HP also claims that the Envy 15 laptops can provide up to 16.5 hours worth of battery life on a single charge. It also supports fast charging via HP Fast Charge that can take it from 0-50% in 45 minutes.

 

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Some Chinese smartphones are shipping with malware that aims to steal your money

According to Secure-D and BuzzFeed News, the low-cost Tecno W2 smartphone has shipped with a malware that subscribes to paid services to steal the user’s money. The budget smartphone sells in African countries like Egypt, Ghana, and South Africa along with Indonesia and Myanmar.

The malware in question here is the Triada and xHelper software. It silently downloads and subscribes to apps which are paid services. This causes the user to have not only high bills but high consumption of data as well. The thing is, this budget smartphone is attractive to the poorer section of society, those looking for budget smartphone offerings. The biggest downside is that this malware cannot be removed even by factory resetting the smartphone. 

According to Android Authority, “Transsion, the China-based company behind the Tecno brand, has pinned the malware on an unnamed “vendor in the supply chain process.” It said that it delivered fixes for Triada in March 2018 and xHelper in late 2019. However, the issue doesn’t appear to have gone away. Secure-D said it was still blocking Triada and xHelper on Transsion phones through April 2020, and it may simply be dormant”.

This isn’t the first time the malware has made an appearance. According to Secure-D, the pre-installed malware was previously discovered on Alcatel phones made by TCL in markets like Brazil, Malaysia, and Nigeria.

Kenneth Adu-Amanfoh, the executive director of the Africa Cybersecurity and Digital Rights Organization told BuzzFeed, “You have all these wonderful features for cheap, but there is a hidden cost. There are a lot of Chinese phones that have malware installed on it.”

According to the BuzzFeed report, “People in the United States are also being exploited. Earlier this year, Malwarebytes, a security service, found preinstalled malware of Chinese origin in two phones offered to citizens with low incomes as part of the US government’s Lifeline program, which provides subsidized phones and mobile data. Both phones were made by Chinese companies.”

In case you were wondering how severe the malware is, the security firm Secure-D has “blocked 844,000 transactions connected to preinstalled malware on Transsion phones between March and December 2019”.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, everyone is resorting to staying indoors and this has led to educational institutes and offices move to a study from home and work from home model. The lower-income group of society has resorted to budget smartphones to ensure they can stay connected and their children can participate in online classes. 

Chinese brand Huawei is under scrutiny for spying and the world is moving towards banning TikTok for security reasons. In India, local manufacturing is looking to ramp up as local consumers have an anti-China sentiment due to the recent tensions on the border. Brands like Micromax are looking to make a comeback in India while Apple is not only beginning the production of the iPhone SE 2020 in India but also looking to Assemble its upcoming iPhone 12 in India by the middle of 2021.

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