Your Tech Story

Athulya

Being a cinephile with a love for all things outdoorsy, Athulya never misses a chance to chase inspiring stories or poke fun at things, even when the subject is herself. Currently pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, she is someone innately interested in technical and scientific research. Music reviews and op-eds define her as they allow her to explore different perspectives. Though sometimes she thinks she makes more sense playing the guitar than she does while writing.

Apple Event

Apple Major Announcements from One More Thing Event

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Apple hosted its One More Thing event yesterday. This was the tech giant’s third event in the last three months, with several major announcements coming out yesterday. Apple has kept itself busy throughout the pandemic, focusing on research and development. All that hard work seems to have paid off as the One More Thing event announced certain new releases for the company. In this article, we will take an in-depth look at the event and the major announcement made by the American giant.

Apple Move to Better Chips

The One More Thing event’s most significant announcement came in the way they detailed in what manner Apple would be shifting the new Macs to better chips. The new chips, built and designed by Apple will power the new Mac Mini, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air. While Apple has been mass-producing its chips for the iPad, iPhone, and Watches, they relied on third-party suppliers for the other devices. Rather than rely on Intel processors, Apple has switched to its ARM-based processors to power all their new Macs.

However, the company seems to be shifting that concept by using their chips for their bigger devices as well. Apple promises better performance, higher efficiency, and improved power efficiency with its new chips. The first Mac chip named M1 will have the following specifications;

Runs on an 8-core CPU with four focusing on high-performance and the four on high efficiency

  • A GPU with up to eight cores
  • Uses around 16 billion transistors
  • Comes built-in with Apple’s Secure Enclave system in
  • Supports both the Thunderbolt and USB 4 system

iOS Applications to run on Mac

As mentioned at the WWDC conference held in June, the iOS applications will now run on Mac devices. In June, Apple announced that several new applications will now run on both iOS and Mac. Apple held true to their word, and the One More Thing event showcased the HBO Max and Among Us apps running on both iOS and macOS.

Apple Event
Image Source: hk.asiatatler.com

New MacBook Air Announced

Apple also announced a new MacBook Air which will run on Apple’s self-designed M1 chip. The new device, much to the surprise of fans and experts, will run fanless. Apple claimed that the latest device was around 3.5 times faster than its predecessor. Furthermore, the absence of fans for cooling will help make the new MacBook Air a lot quieter than the previous generation. Announcers claimed that the device would run for up to 15 hours on a single charge while using the internet, and for 18 hours if only watching videos. The MacBook Air features a 13.3-inch display and supports an SSD of up to 2 TB. The device will also support Wi-Fi 6, Thunderbolt connectivity, and USB 4 systems. Apple announced that the new device would cost $999 for regular customers, and $899 for educational users.

Apple Announces New Mac Mini

The Mac Mini will also feature the new M1 chip and will go for sale at $699. When considered with older models, the new Mac Mini has been priced $100 less, with experts believing this will help boost sales considerably. The device will support an SSD with up to 2TB capacity and comes with 16GB worth memory. When it comes to connectivity, the device has two USB-A and USB-C ports. The USB-C ports support both Thunderbolt and USB 4 connectivity. The Mac Mini also features a 3.5mm headphone jack, along with space for HDMI 2.0 and Gigabit Ethernet cables.

New MacBook Pro

The new M1 chips will help the MacBook Pro last for up to 17 hours claims Apple. Furthermore, the device will last for up to 20 when used only for video playback. Similar to the MacBook Air, the Pro too features a 13.3-inch display and offers support to SSD’s with up to 2TB storage. The device has 16GB worth of memory and supports both Thunderbolt and USB 4 for connectivity. Additionally, it also features the TouchID, supports Wi-Fi 6, and has a TouchBar. The device will go on sale for $1,299 for regular customers and $1,199 for educational users.

Big Sur arriving soon

Another major announcement that Apple made concerned the new macOS update. Apple announced Version 11.0, named the Big Sur back in June during the WWDC event. The One More Thing event finally named a release date for the update, by informing excited fans that it will drop on November 12th. We will have to wait and see what new changes the update brings, but it is safe to say that fans are excited regarding all the new announcements.

Google Pay UPI

Google Pay and PhonePe Hit Back Against New Government Regulation Regarding UPI Payments

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India’s move to cap digital payments within the nation has drawn flak from all quarters. Global tech mogul Google on Friday expressed its discontent regarding the new rule, which will make things difficult for its payment portal- Google Pay. India recently decided to put a cap on the amount or share of financial transactions facilitated by payment platforms. Google stated that curtailing the freedom of such platforms would hinder India’s growing digital payments economy. In this article, we will take a look at the new rule brought out by India, and how it can impact digital payments.

Google Pay and PhonePe Hit by India’s New Rule

Google’s criticism came as a result of a new rule passed by the Indian government. The National Payments Corp of India released a notice on Thursday regarding how third-party payment platforms will process only 30% of all UPI transactions from January 1, 2021. The NCPI is India’s flagship UPI payment-processing platform. The UPI framework has grown in popularity in India over the last few years due to its ability to facilitate easy and seamless transactions. The new rule will prevent third-party apps from cornering the market as it puts a threshold based on the total volume of financial transactions occurring within India.

Prevents Growth of Other Apps

Such a move will restrict the growth of other payment services, such as the ones offered by Google, Walmart, and Facebook. However, it will help accelerate the development of portals hosted by Reliance Jio and SoftBank’s Paytm, both of which have bank permits. As per NPCI records, over 2.07 billion UPI transactions were made in October. Walmart-owned PhonePe processed over 40% of such transactions, whereas Google Pay came in a close second. PhonePe processed over 83.5 crore transactions in October while, Google Pay facilitated around 82 crore transactions. They were followed by a dozen other platforms splitting the rest of the market share. Both GPay and PhonePe exceed the cap set by the NPCI and will receive two years to maintain compliance with the new laws.

Google Pay UPI
Image Source: studiobook.in

Reaction from the platforms

Sajith Sivanandan, who serves as the Business Head of GPay, said that such a move was very unexpected. He went on to say that it would have an impact on hundreds of millions of users, leading to a drop in the adoption of UPI payments in the country. However, the new laws will not have an impact on Jio Payments Bank and Paytm as they do not come under the category of third-party apps. Certain experts said that such a move gives stimulus to the theory that the government is pitting foreign players against Indians. They questioned the NPCI’s move to place a cap on third-party platforms and not all platforms on the whole. 

However, as expected, the spokesman for Paytm said that such a move would help grow the UPI infrastructure in India. They went on to say that the new rules would help de-risk and diversify the UPI transactions market in the country. PhonePe CEO, Sameer Nigam said that the company would try its best to ensure that the new rule does not disrupt UPI services for its customers. 

Facebook left behind 

The new rule came out right after NPCI finally permitted Facebook-owned WhatsApp to begin a payment service in India. The authority had cleared the roll-out of such a service in a limited capacity to over 20 million users. While the long-awaited approval came as a sigh of relief for the company, the new rule will inhibit their growth prospects. While WhatsApp has a customer base of over 400 million users, this new rule will create problems for the company. However, the company welcomed the approval by stating that the combination of WhatsApp and UPI would help India’s rural population participate more freely in the digital economy. 

Such a move has been in the works since 2019, wherein the cap was supposed to be at 50% in the first year, and reduced to 40% in the second year. However, the NPCI has gone ahead with a flat rate for the cap but giving companies two years to comply with the regulations.  Ram Rastogi, who is a former NPCI executive, stated that the new move would help foster healthy competition. He ventured to say that since PhonePe and GPay together accounted for almost 80% of the market, bringing in such a cap would help diversify the market. Furthermore, experts believe that such a move would also help the government prevent cybersecurity threats. Also, more competition would help make the market less vulnerable, while also allowing the authorities better controls over the market.

Micromax

Micromax banks on INdia to take on Chinese brands by making surprising announcements.

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Last month Micromax made a surprising announcement that they were making a comeback to the Indian smartphone market. Often regarded as a significant player in the budget-phone segment, Micromax was an Indian favorite a few years ago. The comeback rides on the hopes that Indians will prefer Micromax to the Chinese phones which now flood the market. The comeback pitch which they launched regarding their new releases also captured this sentiment beautifully. With the new phones out, here’s a quick look at how the company expects the Indian market to react.

Micromax Pitch for a New Future

Micromax co-founder Rahul Sharma talked about his humble origins in Micromax’s advertisement for their new devices. During the ad, he spoke about how his father was an ordinary government school teacher. Since Micromax has always been an economical choice for Indians, the advertisement emphasizes the right emotions. The comeback pitch also focused heavily on nationalism and patriotism. Both these emotions have been on a high recently due to border skirmishes with the Chinese. 

The advertisement focused on Sharma, who has served as the brand’s face for years. Started by Vikas Jain, Rajesh Agarwal, Sumeet Kumar, and Rahul Sharma, Micromax took the market by a storm. The video also talks about the success the brand enjoyed and how it eventually lost out to Chinese competitors. He then goes on to reference the events at the border, with the Galwan issue being a hot topic recently. The emotional pitch makes it clear that Micromax hopes the current Anti-China sentiment will help it regain its foothold in the Indian market. With their new line named IN hitting markets, Micromax requires all the help it can get to muster a strong comeback.

What the Experts Think

However, industry experts seem to think that the Anti-China sentiment can only do so much for the company. While the idea might work temporarily, consumers still look for value when buying products. Off late, the Chinese products have been delivering the value that consumers seek and have hence become a hit. Therefore, to succeed, Micromax will have to match its competitors in terms of specifications and price. The Research Director at the International Data Corporation, Navkendar Singh, believes that unless they go head-to-head with the Chinese on quality, the brand will not be able to make an impact.

A survey was done by the IDC in July, soon after the border skirmish showed that though seven out of ten consumers asked for a non-Chinese phone, only two or three bought one. The most significant reason for this being that there aren’t many non-Chinese options in the market. Apple is not affordable to most Indians, leaving Samsung the most prominent choice for consumers. 

How to Make a Difference?

Since the sentiment is an emotional reaction, Rushabh Doshi who heads research at Canalys Research believes Micromax might make an impact. However, he is quick to point out that the brand lost against Chinese competitors before due to their quality and after-sales services. In the past, the company relied heavily on Chinese supply chains which also made procurement complicated. He believes that the only way they can make an impact is if they have a robust intellectual property to rival Chinese vendors. With the market’s 80% being accounted for by the top five players, can Micromax’s nationalist pitch make a difference?

Micromax’s Options 

Micromax
Image Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com

Realme has been able to make a space for itself within the market, proving that it is in fact, possible. However, the top five brands, which now include Realme, are pushing out smaller ones, such as Motorola, LG, and Nokia. Experts think that sticking to the budget INR 7000-8000 range might help the company. Since most of these brands exist within the highly competitive INR 10,000-20,000 range, avoiding this might help Micromax regain some market share. Also, the last few months witnessed a lot of people shifting to the budget category due to financial constraints. The sub-10,000 range has fewer players, with the major ones being Tecno, ITEL, Redmi, and Realme due to its low-margin characteristics. As a result, most experts believed that the November 3 launch would focus on budget-friendly options.

Micromax IN Series Launch

After much anticipation, Micromax finally launched the IN series in India yesterday. The brand released two new phones, IN Note 1 and IN 1b which fall within the INR 7000-11,000 range. The phones will go on sale on both the official Micromax website and Flipkart. 

Micromax IN Note

The phone is powered by the MediaTek G85 and features a 5000 mAh battery and runs Stock Android as its OS. The Micromax IN Note 1 has a base price of 10,999 and will house 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. Meanwhile, the model that has 4GB RAM and 128GB storage will cost users INR 12,999. The phone will go on sale on November 24th through both Flipkart and Micromax’s official website. The phone features a relatively large 6.7-inch full HD display and comes with a punch-hole camera. The phone has a 48MP rear camera that has a 5MP for ultra-wide angle and a dual 2MP setup for Macro and depth sensors. In the front, the phone features a 16MP ultra-wide angle selfie camera.

Micromax IN 1b

This budget-friendly option from Micromax runs on a MediaTek G35. Like the more expensive model, this too features a 5000 mAh battery and will run Stock Android. This option will start at a base price of INR 6,999 and will have 2GB RAM and storage worth 32GB. The model that runs on 4GB RAM and offers 64GB storage will go for sale at INR 7,999. It features an HD+ display on a screen that is 6.5-inches in size and comes with a mini drop design. The phone comes with an AI Dual camera, that has an 8MP front camera and a 13MP primary camera with a 2MP depth sensor.

Both these phones will face stiff competition from the Redmi 9 series, along with ITEL and Tecno phones. So, we will have to wait and see whether the nationalistic sentiments help Micromax climb back to the top of the Indian market. Whatever might happen, it is good news that Indians now have an economical choice that is made-in-India when buying a new smartphone.

Intel

Intel Announces New Iris Xe Max GPU with AI and Encoding Performance Boost

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Intel recently announced that its 11th Gen Tiger Lake Core CPUs would be the first to feature its Xe graphics. The new integrated graphics model and architecture will be a revolutionary technology, helping computers render more realistic images. While laptops powered by the new CPU go on sale around the world, Intel has more exciting news to share. The tech giant announced on Saturday that some of these laptops would also feature the Intel Iris Xe Max.  The company’s first discrete GPU, the Xe Max comes with some advanced features. Let us take a look at why this announcement has sent ripples through the tech world.

Surprise Announcements by Intel

Through a surprise announcement, Intel disclosed details regarding its first discrete GPU. The model can integrate with several laptops and help them improve their performance. Furthermore, Xe GPUs help accelerates graphics performance and other AI-based tasks. Enthusiasts first got word of the new model when Intel included it as a part of its brand overhaul way back in September. Since then, there has been a lot of speculation regarding the product and its specifications. Furthermore, the GPU also showed up in the specifications list put up by other laptop manufacturers, including Acer. 

New GPU Specs

The Iris Xe Max takes a lot of inspiration from the Xe-LP GPU, the integrated GPUs which power the 11th-Gen Tiger Lake processors. The product targets thin laptops that are light and work well in conjunction with the laptop’s built-in GPU. Such integration is possible due to Intel’s software, dubbed Deep Link. Some of the primary capabilities that can receive a boost due to such integration include AI inferencing and video encoding. The software titled Deep Link can manage the thermal headroom and power requirements of the GPU and CPU. Intel claims that it leads to a 20% improvement in CPU performance, similar to how the AMD SmartShift feature works.

Intel
Image Source: newsbreak.com

Furthermore, Intel promises AI-based content formulation that is seven-times faster than previous models. The combination of the 11th Gen Core i7 with the Xe Max can hence be a revolution. This new integration performs much better than the older sequence of a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 and Nvidia GeForce MX350 GPU. Also, the latest gear achieves 1.7 times better results when it comes to media encoding capabilities.

Xe Max GPU Tech

The Iris Xe Max has around 96 execution units which most top-end GPUs nowadays have. However, the model has a higher max clock speed that reaches up to 1.65GHz. The Xe Max also leverages Intel’s SuperFin transistor tech to derive its faster processing speeds. As a result, the GPU can reach PCIe 4.0 speed to establish a connection with a CPU. The model also features a 4GB LPDDR4X memory that has a bandwidth of 68GBps. Making use of its outlets, the model can run up to four displays simultaneously. The outlet ports of the same will feature a DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0B, and internal eDP. The model also supports both variable-rate shading and adaptive sync.

Gaming Capabilities of the Xe Max

When it comes to gaming performance, the Iris Xe Max compares to Nvidia GeForce MX350. Hence, gamers can run relatively modern games with ease at frame rates greater than 30 fps at 1080p at either medium or low settings. Also, Dell, Acer, and Asus have announced a line of laptops that will feature the new GPU. Here’s a quick look at the latest laptops that will feature the Iris Xe Max and will go on sale in November.

  1. Acer Swift 3X
  2. Asus VivoBook TP470
  3. Dell Inspiron 15 7000 

Intel had promised to launch such a discrete GPU this year. The move came as a way to overhaul its discrete graphics power and capabilities. To make this dream a reality, Intel took the help of Raja Koduri, who served as AMD’s head of Radeon graphics. Furthermore, the company revealed plans to release a high-end gaming GPU that supports hardware ray tracing. The future of gaming is here, and Intel is planning to do everything in its power to stay on top!

Facebook

Facebook Locks Horns with NYU Over Ad-Targeting Data Collection

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Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic ballooned out of proportion, tech companies have been feeling the heat. Most countries around the world, with the EU in particular, have started holding them accountable for information shared online. As a result, there have been a lot of discussions and debates regarding how to ensure such companies use their power wisely. The world is still debating on the data tax bill, and Google and Facebook have been asked to fact-check the information they share. Amidst all of this, Facebook has now asked NYU to stop a study they were conducting on political advertisements. Here’s a look at everything you need to know about Facebook’s stand, and how the world is reacting to it.

Facebook Blocks the NYU

New York University seems to be in a lockdown contest against Facebook. The tech giant has asked NYU to stop collecting data for a study it is doing on political ads propagated by Facebook. However, journalists, lawyers, academics, and First Amendment activists have come to the support of NYU. The study essentially focuses on how the tech giant micro-targets specific individuals with their political ads. While Facebook has asked the university to shut down its data collection tool, researchers believe that the tool is integral to their study. In essence, the tool helps the academics track how Facebook serves as a source of misinformation and manipulation by several extremist political groups.

Disable Tools Collecting Data

A Facebook executive order that came out on October 16 demands that researchers disable their data collection tool. The University depends on a special plug-in for both Firefox and Chrome browsers to collect data regarding the ads. The University has signed on over 6500 volunteers across the US to help with the data collection. Facebook’s new order demands that the University halt its data collection and delete the information obtained. The plug-in essentially allows the researchers to see what ads each volunteer views, helping them understand how Facebook targets users. The researchers claim that Facebook’s algorithm for tailor-made ads depends on a lot more than gender, race, age, and political afflictions. 

Facebook

Facebook’s Side of Things

Allison Hendrix, the executive from Facebook, states that the tool violates Facebook’s rules. She also noted that the social media giant does not allow the automatic collection of bulk data from it. The letter also warned of enforcement action in case the NYU did not comply with November 30th. Also, Joe Osborne, who serves as Facebook’s spokesperson, stated that the tech giant had informed NYU months ago to not move forward with their study. He claims that the company had warned them that doing so would be a violation of their terms. Furthermore, he also stated that Facebook works extensively to ensure the privacy of its users’ data. However, researchers at NYU claim that their tool does not violate any terms as it collects data from volunteers anonymously.

Reaction to the Threat

The public seems to be rallying against the social media giant with several prominent personalities calling out the social media giant. Ever since the Wall Street Journal broke the news on Friday, public sentiment seems to be on the side of the researchers. The WSJ quickly pointed out that NYU’s Ad Observer tool may shine some much-needed light on Facebook’s policies on advertisements. The tool has been in effect since September by volunteers from Utah to Florida to Wisconsin. Ramya Krishnan, who works as a lawyer with Columbia University’s Knight First Amendment Institute, represents the researchers. She was quick to point out that it was unfortunate that Facebook is attaching a tool that will help identify gaps within the current framework. Since the study aims to expose disinformation related to the American elections, Krishnan believes the paper should not be halted. She also pointed out that the public deserves to know how they are being targeted and that Facebook cannot serve as a gatekeeper to information. 

Julia Angwin, who serves as an editor of The Markup, which is a tech news website, also tweeted in disappointment after Facebook’s statement. Since the NYU’s Ad Observatory was the only way researchers could explore micro-targeting of political ads, she deemed this move extremely controversial and disappointing. In a statement released by NYU, researcher Damon McCoy stated that the study focuses on how Facebook profiles citizens. After profiling, the company sends them misinformation regarding policies and candidates to influence their votes.

While 2016 witnessed social outcry over Facebook’s political ad-running algorithm, history seems to be repeating this time around. Ads on traditional media are accounted for as they have to create an ad archive that lists who paid for the ad and how long it ran. However, social media companies do not have any such rules in place, making it difficult to see their political biases. With right-wing content trending in the last few weeks on the platform, the move to block the study will only further hurt Facebook’s public standing. Last year, over 200 researchers asked Facebook to lift bans on the collection of data. It will be interesting to see if Facebook’s terms hold in a court of law and whether the study ends u exposing the company’s biases.

Qualcomm

Reliance JIO and Qualcomm Join Forces to Bring 5G to India

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India is all set to receive superfast internet soon enough. Making this dream a reality will be a partnership between India’s Reliance JIO and US-based Qualcomm. The two technology and communication giants are joining hands to build and develop 5G technologies in India. Reliance will be leveraging its subsidiary Radisys Corporation, which it wholly owns to help build the necessary 5G infrastructure. In this article, we will take a look at how this deal works out, and by when we can expect super-fast internet in India.

Jio and Qualcomm partners for the Better

Chipset manufacturer Qualcomm and Radisys Corporation will develop a virtualized RAN. Such a Radio Access Network will help boost the development of 5G architecture in India. With the help of this partnership, we can expect a faster roll-out for such services within the country. The companies also announced that they achieved speeds eclipsing 1 Gbps over their 5GNR network. Reliance Jio’s 5GNR software leverages Qualcomm’s RAN platform to obtain these high speeds. Furthermore, Qualcomm announced that this platform allows it to enter the Gigabit 5G NR portfolio.

Faster Internet for all

The usage of 5G will allow mobile phone users to receive higher data rates. Furthermore, 5G also offers lower latency communication and enhance the overall digital experience. The network supports a slew of devices, including AR and VR gaming products, smartphones, and laptops. The announcement which occurred on Tuesday will fast-track the much-awaited 5G roll-out in India. The indigenous network infrastructure for 5G will help in streamlining network services for millions in India. Also, the 5G RAN product has become a part of the Gigabit throughput clock. Furthermore, a Tier-1 American carrier has already tested and verified the product for its quality and high-speed performance. This move will also help India join the 5G club. Presently, only a few nations, including Australia, Germany, the US, South Korea, and Switzerland have produced 1 Gbps speeds over 5G.

Qualcomm
Image Source: qualcomm.com

What the Companies Had to Say

Mathew Oommen, who serves as the President of Jio Infocomm, stated that the company was looking forward to the partnership. While speaking at the Qualcomm 5G Summit, he noted that the development of new-gen 5G RAN will be a revolutionary technology. The cloud-native software will help both companies scale their operations tremendously. Qualcomm Technologies, while working with Jio Platforms, will help make India a genuinely 5G inclusive nation. It will provide a vital boost to local manufacturing and help accelerate the achievement of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Meanwhile, VP of Qualcomm India Rajen Vagadia stated that they were delighted to take their partnership with Jio to the next level. Both companies have now been working together for quite some time now and enjoy a great relationship. By creating a shared 5G vision for India, the partnership will help in supporting India’s digital transformation. As per the needs of the day, India requires a better and more powerful mobile experience. Rajen noted that very soon more and more consumers will want 5G services, leading to a massive spike in demand. Such services will be of great help to healthcare, retail, and manufacturing industries. Since Jio is a game-changer when it comes to the delivery of cost-effective 4G services, this partnership will help both companies drastically. Jio already enjoys massive network coverage and a large user base, which will be ready to switch to 5G once the roll-out is complete.

Moving Forward

As you can see, the partnership between Qualcomm and Reliance Jio will help catalyze the adoption and implementation of 5G in India. The adoption of this technology will finally put an end to lousy streaming, never-ending buffering, and frequent voice cuts over calls. It will also give a push to the adoption of vertical IoT solutions and other smart devices across the nation. Such an indigenous network will prevent India from having to depend on Chinese systems for their infrastructure. Not only will this help reduce our dependence on them, but it will also help improve security on our national infrastructure. Also, earlier this year Qualcomm picked up a 0.15% stake in Jio for a whopping INR 730 crores. Hence, this venture may be the start of many more such partnerships between the communication-industry legends.