Apple overtakes Samsung in Q4 2020 for the first time since 2016: Report

2020 was a year that everyone would rather forget. However, it seems like the guys over at Cupertino still had plenty of reason to celebrate. According to a report by Gartner, Apple managed to overtake Samsung in the number of units sold in the fourth quarter of 2020. According to the report, Apple sold 79.9 million iPhone in Q4 2020. On the other hand, Samsung managed to sell 62.1 million units during the same period. Thanks to this, Apple is said to have snagged a market share of 20.8%, while Samsung had a share of 16.2% in Q4 2020. The last time Apple was in a similar position was back in 2016. 

Samsung still on top in 2020 as a whole, but Apple closing in

However, when looking at 2020 as a whole, Samsung had a pretty comfortable lead with 256 million units sold in the entirety of the year. By comparison, Apple sold 199.8 million units in 2020. However, it should be noted that Samsung’s sales figures are actually lower than what it managed to sell in 2019. That year, the company sold 296.1 million units. This means that Samsung saw a year-on-year decline of about 14.6%, but still managed to hold on to the top crown. However, the South Korean company would want to nip the issue before it loses its crown to second-placed Apple. The Cupertino-based company saw a year-on-year increase of 3.3%.

A global decline in smartphone sales

Another very interesting point to note in Gartner’s report is that global smartphone sales declined by 12.5% in 2020. In fact, Q4 2020 itself saw a decline in 5.4%. “The sales of more 5G smartphones and lower-to-mid-tier smartphones minimized the market decline in the fourth quarter of 2020,” said Anshul Gupta, senior research director at Gartner. “Even as consumers remained cautious in their spending and held off on some discretionary purchases, 5G smartphones and pro-camera features encouraged some end users to purchase new smartphones or upgrade their current smartphones in the quarter.” 

However, Gupta was pretty optimistic about 2021. “In 2021, the availability of lower end 5G smartphones and innovative features will be deciding factors for end users to upgrade their existing smartphones,” he said. “The rising demand for affordable 5G smartphones outside China will boost smartphone sales in 2021.”

It’s still very early in the year to see how 2021 will pan out. We have already seen Qualcomm and MediaTek have unveiled budget-oriented 5G chipsets. Qualcomm has the Snapdragon 480, while MediaTek has the Dimensity 700.  

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Airtel partners with Qualcomm to bring 5G services to India

Bharti Airtel has partnered with Qualcomm Technologies to roll out 5G services in India. The telecom operator and the US-based chipmaker, Qualcomm, announced the new partnership which will see Airtel use Qualcomm's Radio Access Network (RAN) platform. This development comes shortly after Airtel became India’s first telco to demonstrate 5G over a LIVE commercial network in the city of Hyderabad.  

"Through Airtel’s network vendors and device partners, Airtel will utilise the Qualcomm 5G RAN Platforms to roll out virtualized and Open RAN-based 5G networks. Airtel, as a board member of the O-RAN Alliance, is committed to driving the success of O-RAN and is working with Qualcomm Technologies to explore and implement the O-RAN approach for India. The flexible and scalable architecture of O-RAN will create new opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses to become viable players in the deployment of 5G networks," the company said in a statement. 

Airtel and Qualcomm team up to bring 5G to India

Additionally, the company announced that under the partnership, Airtel and Qualcomm Technologies will collaborate to enable a number of use cases, including 5G Fixed Wireless Access that is designed to deliver broadband connectivity at Gigabit speeds to homes and businesses. This, the teleco says, will also allow it to handle the roll-out of broadband services in the country in a "cost-effective and expeditious manner for last-mile connectivity challenges that are becoming increasingly important in today’s remote, mobile-first society."

The company further added that with the help of the partnership it will be able to deliver multi-gigabit internet speeds wirelessly to customers and open up a wide range of innovations. "For customers, the ultra-fast and low latency of 5G will unlock a digital world of limitless possibilities – gigabit size file downloads in seconds and 4K video streaming on the go across smartphones and computing devices, Immersive Technologies such as Virtual Reality and SMART Homes with connected things," the statement noted.  

Commenting on the collaboration, Rajen Vagadia, Vice President, Qualcomm India Private Limited and President, Qualcomm India said, “There is a compelling case to accelerate the roll-out of 5G networks in India, as it will help fast-track the country’s socio-economic growth and development. We are pleased to be working with Airtel, and we are excited by the opportunity ahead. This collaboration is expected to play a critical role in Airtel’s plans to add 5G network coverage and capacity where and when it is needed the most.

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Spotify in 12 Indian languages, Spotify HiFi service and more announcements from Stream On 2021

Spotify will be available in 12 Indian languages soon, the company has announced at its Stream On event. Spotify, the popular audio streaming service that boasts of over 340 million active users, spread across 93 countries, announced its expansion plans earlier this week. The company will be launching in over 80 new regions that will see it adding over 36 new languages to the music streaming app.

Spotify, during its Stream On event also announced its HiFi service which will let users listen to music in high quality from later this year. Apart from this, the company has released tons of new music and podcasting features for creators, artists and producers. Here’s everything Spotify announced during the Stream On event.

Spotify to be available in 12 Indian languages, 80+ countries

Spotify has announced that it is adding over 36 new languages to the app including 12 Indian languages as well. This means that Spotify will be available in regional languages including Hindi, Gujarati, Bhojpuri, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, and Bengali. The new languages will be added to Spotify later this year.

Moreover, the audio streaming service is also releasing in 80+ countries including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and more. Spotify will be offering its global catalogue in these countries and plans to subsequently add more regional content as well. 

With this, Spotify aims to reach out to more people across the world with its library of over 70 million audio tracks and 2 million podcasts. After its expansion plans for this year, Spotify will be available in more than 170 regions serving over 1 Billion listeners. 

Spotify HiFi service launching later this year

Spotify HiFi will let users listen to music in high-quality which is a huge sigh of relief for artists and produces who have been looking forward to this feature. With this, users can expect much more depth and clarity while listening to music on Spotify HiFi. The service will release later this year in select markets and will offer music playback in CD-quality, lossless audio format across devices and Spotify Connect-enabled speakers. 

For the latter, the company is working with “some of the world’s biggest speaker manufacturers to make Spotify HiFi accessible to as many fans as possible through Spotify Connect.”

Spotify partners with WordPress for podcasts

Spotify has announced its partnership with WordPress which will let users turn written content into podcasts. Several websites that are based on WordPress and just install the new tool released in collaboration with Anchor and WordPress and can publish a podcast directly from a written article. 

Now, artists and creators can also create WordPress-based websites that will allow them to publish their podcasts on Spotify directly. 

Spotify announces new podcasts

During its Stream On event, Spotify also announced some new podcasts that will be releasing this year. Renegades: Born in the USA is an eight-episode series featuring President Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen as they deep dive into their friendship, growing up in their hometowns and more. “Over the course of the season, President Obama and Springsteen will explore topics of race, fatherhood, marriage, and the future of America,” the description reads.

Spotify has also announced the second season of the Tell Them, I Am podcast series which consists of stories from compelling Muslim voices including activists, artists, actors and more. It is hosted by Misha Euceph and will launch in April.

Spotify has revealed that as part of its multi-year deal with Warner Bros. and DC Comics inked in 2020, the first project Batman Unburied will be released this year. The series is being produced by David S.Goyer and will feature characters including Superman, Lois Lane, Wonder Woman, Joker, Catwoman, Katana, The Riddler, Batgirl and Harley Quinn.

Spotify has also announced its partnership with AGBO the entertainment company of Russo Brothers. With this, AGBO and Spotify plan on bringing some exciting stories to the platform.

 

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Vi and Hungama join hands to offer movie rental services

Vi (Vodafone Idea) has joined hands with Hungama to offer customers access to Premium Video on Demand (PVoD) service. Priced at Rs 60 and Rs 120, customers will have access to 380 movies to rent. The duration of the rental is 48 hours. Using the Vi Movies and TV app, users will be able to cast the content to a larger screen. The catalogue of movies is quite extensive and includes popular titles like Tenet and Joker, Birds of Prey, SCOOB and Aquaman, to name a few. 

Users will have access to content in Indian languages, including Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, for the PVoD service. 

Avneesh Khosla, CMO, Vi, said, “Vi continues to drive the agenda to partner with top content providers to delight our customers with new propositions and cost-effective offerings. With the opening of the economy and entertainment business, new content consumption models are emerging that allow users to watch single content for a specific price.

“Our innovative and partnership led content strategy has helped us adopt a telco-first approach for content monetisation in this hugely untapped market. We look forward to working with like-minded partners like Hungama Digital, to grow this segment,” Khosla said.

Don't miss the movie Tenet, with India's Fastest 4G. Enjoy the latest releases on-demand only on Vi Movies and TV App. Rent now: https://t.co/eeGsYTH8No T&C Apply. @Hungama_Play pic.twitter.com/1txaodJtRM

— Vi Customer Care (@ViCustomerCare) February 22, 2021

Siddhartha Roy, COO, Hungama Digital Media, said, “Through our partnerships with international studios, Hungama Play offers its users the opportunity to watch the latest Hollywood blockbusters within a few weeks of their theatrical release, in a pay per view model.

“The integration of Hungama Play’s transactional service with Vi Movies and TV will allow their users to explore and consume an extensive library of the latest Hollywood titles, giving them access to global entertainment on their phones. We have had a long and fruitful relationship with Vi and are certain that the latest association will expand the scope of on-demand services that can be offered to Vi users,” Roy said.

Coming to the pricing, Tenet, along with the best of 2020, will be available for rent at Rs 120, while other movies will be available at Rs 60.

In other entertainment news, Netflix has released a feature called ‘Downloads for You’, which automatically downloads content based on your taste. The feature is currently available on Android only, and you can learn more about it here.

   

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Samsung unveils new 50MP ISOCELL GN2 sensor with true-to-life autofocusing

South Korean tech giant, Samsung, has launched the new ISOCELL GN2. The new 50MP imaging sensor offers large 1.4-micrometer (μm)-sized pixels. Developed by its System LSI Business, this new sensor promises more true-to-life autofocus function for performance that is similar to how the human eye operates. Further, with enhancements over its predecessor, the ISOCELL GN1, the GN2 offers up to 100MP imaging, improved auto-focusing through Dual Pixel Pro technology, staggered HDR, and overall better results in multiple lighting conditions through Smart ISO Pro.    “ISOCELL image sensors and its technologies have made vast improvements to deliver the quality and performance one would expect from top-tier prograde cameras,” said Duckhyun Chang, executive vice president of sensor business at Samsung Electronics. “Our new ISOCELL GN2 features Dual Pixel Pro, an innovative all-direction auto-focusing solution that elevates the agility to capture moments as they unfold. Adding on Smart ISO Pro and a variety of advanced pixel technologies, pictures from GN2 are more true-to-life than ever.”

Samsung GN2: What makes it special?

As Samsung explains, the ISOCELL GN2 is Samsung’s first image sensor to offer Dual Pixel Pro technology. It is touted to be the company’s most advanced phase-detection auto-focus solution yet. Among the many benefits of using this new technology are the improved low-light focusing and tracking of moving objects. 

The new sensor also promises improved performance in mixed-light environments, such as sunsets or indoors with daylight coming through a window. For these, the new ISOCELL GN2 increases its dynamic range with a staggered-HDR feature that "uses rolling shutters over the same pixel arrays to capture multiple frames in short, middle, and long exposures." Further, staggered-HDR also promises to reduce energy consumption by up to 24-percent when compared to the predecessor’s real-time HDR mode. 

As mentioned above, the ISOCELL GN2 promises detailed photographs in regular settings. However, Samsung claims that in low-lit environments such as indoors, the sensor can "simulate a larger 2.8μm-pixel with four-pixel-binning technology to absorb more light, delivering brighter and sharper images." The new GN2 also offers an option to take pictures higher than the available 50MP resolutions through a special mode to produce a single ultra-high 100Mp resolution photograph.

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Samsung extends security updates by four years for Galaxy phones launched since 2019

Samsung has announced that it is extending its security updates to cover more smartphones and tablets launched from 2019 onwards. Previously, the company has been known to release security updates for at least the first two years and now that has been extended to four years. This applies to most Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablet devices announced since 2019.

Samsung has revealed that Galaxy smartphones including the Z-series, S-series, Note lineup, A-series and M-series are eligible for receiving four years of security updates. The company has also included the Galaxy XCover and Galaxy Tab range of devices launched since 2019.

We’re committed to offering the best and most secure mobile experience possible. That’s why we’re extending our security updates to a minimum of 4 years for our users. #Samsung #SamsungKnoxhttps://t.co/XZbRfbLWiF

— SamsungNewsroomIN (@SamsungNewsIN) February 22, 2021

“At Samsung, our number one priority is offering the best and most secure mobile experience to our users, and we’re constantly optimizing the security of our products and services. Mobile devices play such an important role in our lives, it’s only natural that we want to hold onto them longer. That’s why, thanks to the latest technology advancements, we’re committing to securing Galaxy devices for even longer, so that everything that should be kept protected stays protected,” said Seungwon Shin, VP & Head of Security Team at Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics.

List of eligible smartphones and devices Galaxy Foldable devices: Fold, Fold 5G, Z Fold2, Z Fold2 5G, Z Flip, Z Flip 5G Galaxy S series: S10, S10+, S10e, S10 5G, S10 Lite, S20, S20 5G, S20+, S20+ 5G, S20 Ultra, S20 Ultra 5G, S20 FE, S20 FE 5G, S21 5G, S21+ 5G, S21 Ultra 5G Galaxy Note series: Note10, Note10 5G, Note10+, Note10+ 5G, Note10 Lite, Note20, Note20 5G, Note20 Ultra, Note20 Ultra 5G Galaxy A series: A10, A10e, A10s, A20, A20s, A30, A30s, A40, A50, A50s, A60, A70, A70s, A80, A90 5G, A11, A21, A21s, A31, A41, A51, A51 5G, A71, A71 5G, A02s, A12, A32 5G, A42 5G Galaxy M series: M10s, M20, M30, M30s, M40, M11, M12, M21, M31, M31s, M51 Galaxy XCover series: XCover4s, XCover FieldPro, XCover Pro Galaxy Tab series: Tab Active Pro, Tab Active3, Tab A 8 (2019), Tab A with S Pen, Tab A 8.4 (2020), Tab A7, Tab S5e, Tab S6, Tab S6 5G, Tab S6 Lite, Tab S7, Tab S7+  

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Is the PS5 India restock happening in March

If you didn’t manage to secure a PS5 at launch, then it looks like you won't have to wait long to get your hands on the console. A report in early February from IGN India suggested that we could see restocks of the PS5 in India in March 2021. Now, it is the end of February, and Sony has changed the console’s status on its own India website, ShopAtSC, from “Sold Out” to “Notify Me.”

The information comes from Twitter user @PS5India. Clicking on “Notify Me” on ShopAtSC leads users to input information like Name, Mobile Number, email-ID and Pin Code.

ShopAtSC has gone from "Sold Out" to "Notify Me" on the PS5 listing. https://t.co/CIs5MKACSl

— Is PS5 Out in India? (@PS5India) February 22, 2021

What remains to be seen is whether Sony officially announces the restocking date and time or India or whether consumers will have to be in touch with retailers for that information. During the pre-order phase, in a statement, Sony said, “Please stay in touch with retailers for the next pre-order phase.” 

The PS5 is available in India via scalpers who are selling the console at a premium. While the online gaming community in India is activity reporting them, it was recently highlighted that Sony’s authorised sellers were a part of the PS5 scalping syndicate. Sony, in a statement, said, “We have taken serious note of the feedback of our patrons that have been made on our social media handle and reportedly on other platforms. We sincerely expect that the third party retail partners operate in compliance of the legal framework of our country and follow ethical business practices. We have a ‘zero-tolerance policy’ for any practices that are inconsistent to the afore-said. We have taken steps, as deemed appropriate and available with the company including but not limited to discontinuing our association with such channel partners.”

If you are looking to pick up a PS5, you can check out our review of the console here. You can also check out our in-depth comparison with the Xbox Series X here. While the PS5 is a great console, there are still some things the console can’t do. Here is a look at what’s missing from the PS5.

 

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