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5G enabled

Smartphones above Rs 10,000 to be 5G enabled soon

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Representatives of mobile phone manufacturing firms held a meeting with top government officials on Wednesday and assured them that they would gradually discontinue production of 4G phones priced at Rs 10,000 and above and are going to switch to 5G enabled phones.

5G enabled
Image Source: mysmartprice.com

Top officials from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (also known as MeitY) met with mobile operators and smartphone manufacturers, telling them to launch 5G services with 5G enabled smartphones within three months.

Highlights

  • Smartphones estimated to cost more than Rs 10,000 will soon switch to 5G.
  • The government met with mobile operators and smartphone manufacturers.
  • Bharti Airtel has initiated launching 5G in eight cities.

On Wednesday morning, top officials from both ministries met with representatives from the country’s mobile operators and smartphone manufacturers. On the condition of anonymity, a smartphone company official told ANI that smartphone makers will gradually shift to 5G phones priced at or above Rs 10,000.

According to him, India has approximately 750 million mobile phone users and among which, 100 million subscribers have 5G-ready phones, but more than 350 million people use phones that are only 3G-4G compatible. He stated that they have informed the ministry that our company will gradually phase out 3G-4G compatible phones priced above Rs 10,000.

The meeting, which lasted more than an hour, was attended by top executives from smartphone manufacturers such as Apple and Samsung, as well as telecommunication operators, to discuss issues related to providing seamless access to 5G services.

Another official from a smartphone company told ANI that the meeting was called to fine-tune the relationship between mobile operators and smartphone manufacturers in which Smartphone manufacturers agreed to begin testing their devices together with mobile operators providing 5G services.

He clearly asserted that over 100 million subscribers in India have 5G-ready phones already, but many devices, including Apple, are not compatible with 5G services at this time. We will figure out the problem that consumers with 5G phones are experiencing once we begin testing, according to the official.

The official stated, “Once we begin the testing, we will determine the issue that 5G phone users are experiencing.”

Source: timesnownews.com

Bharti Airtel has officially started 5G implementation in eight cities which are Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Siliguri, Nagpur, and Varanasi, while Jio has finally started beta trials in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Varanasi.

The agenda of this meeting consisted of a discussion regarding preparing customers’ handsets for 5G services launched on 5G networks by telecom service providers.

The meeting also addressed handset manufacturers’ and telecom service providers’ active participation in rolling out several software FOTA upgrades for all 5G handsets. It was also decided to prioritize software upgrades for early 5G implementation in the country.

Qualcomm also stated that it will collaborate with some of the leading smartphone manufacturers to enable 5G in their devices by 2019. Qualcomm is collaborating with these companies to bring 5G smartphones to market. In addition, the company has developed 5G New Radio (NR) technology, which will allow for faster and more efficient 5G connectivity. Qualcomm has also created a 5G modem known as the Snapdragon X50.

Meta Quest Pro

Meta releases new $1500 Meta Quest Pro VR Headset

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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has unveiled the all-new Quest Pro(formerly Project Cambria), a premium $1500 Meta Quest Pro VR Headset, at Meta’s annual Connect conference.

Meta Quest Pro
Image Source: laptopmag.com

The $1,500 headset, which was presented at Meta’s Connect Conference, will be available to buy from October 25. Users can also place pre-orders on the Meta website. The launch is a part of Meta’s strategy to grow its user base.

Since its release in 2020, the Quest Pro’s predecessor, the Quest 2, had a sale of around 15 million units. Unlike its predecessor, Quest Pro supports mixed reality, allowing users to view digital content overlaid on the actual world.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, called mixed reality “the next major step for VR.”

Meta Quest Pro is the first in a lineup of cutting-edge headsets designed to increase the potential of mixed and virtual reality. The headset’s pancake lenses compress light multiple times, resulting in smaller overall dimensions and crisper sights. Overall, the Meta Quest Pro headset is more ergonomic and balanced because of the new, flared battery on the back.

The device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ processor. It offers 256GB of internal storage and 12GB of RAM. In order to provide users with a full-color mixed reality and virtual environment, it features ten high-resolution sensors, five of which are located within the headset and five outside.

There are two LCD panels that provide richer, more vibrant colors due to the local dimming and quantum dot technology. Meta Quest Pro’s design enables users to switch between the physical and virtual worlds while using their peripheral vision. If the user desires an immersive experience, magnetic partial light blocks are included in the box. It contains sensors for detecting the eyes and capturing facial expressions.

For a richer virtual experience, if the person raises an eyebrow, grins, or just engages in eye contact with somebody, their avatar does the same. To track the user’s position in 3D space independently of the headset, the headset contains three built-in sensors for each controller. In comparison to Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro provides 10% more pixels per degree and 37% more pixels per inch.

Additionally, users will notice a 50% improvement in the periphery of the screen and a 25% rise in full-field visual acuity in the center. The color spectrum has also increased by 1.3 times from the previous version. The device comes with rechargeable batteries and a TruTouch Haptics system.

The Quest Pro has a battery life of one to two hours, though users can also use the device while it’s charging. According to Meta, a complete battery charge will take about two hours.

Microsoft CEO and Chairman Satya Nadella also joined Zuckerberg to reveal a brand-new partnership that will bring potent new work and productivity features to Meta Quest Pro and Meta Quest 2 in the coming years. These tools include apps for Microsoft Teams and Windows 365 as well as the capability to attend a Teams meeting from within Meta Horizon Workrooms.

Most likely, Apple’s rumored AR/VR headset will compete with Meta’s newest headset. The advancement of Meta’s headsets is essential to the company’s plans for the Metaverse, wherein Mr. Zuckerberg envisions a brand-new internet where users can play and work together.

Metaverse is a virtual environment where users may both conduct their daily lives as avatars and explore fantastical virtual worlds. Although several IT companies are developing their metaverses, it will probably be years before any are materialized. There have been conflicting reviews of Meta’s current virtual reality environment, Horizons, and there have also been allegations of sexual assault and violence committed by avatars there.

1024 users

WhatsApp reportedly tested to increase group size up to 1024 participants

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There is good news if you enjoy WhatsApp groups but believe that their biggest drawback is that they never get big enough. The messaging service WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta, has announced a number of new features and is now enabling the addition of up to 1024 users to groups for certain beta testers.

1024 users
Image Source: androidcentral.com

When it pertains to group chat capacity, WhatsApp has traditionally been a bit stingy, but it’s getting better. The company expanded the group chat size to 512 individuals in May and added the capacity to exchange files with up to 2GB in storage. Users of WhatsApp’s most recent beta for iOS and Android can form groups with up to 1,023 members.

Only a small group of beta testers have access to the feature for now, but it’s reasonable to anticipate that it will soon be made available to more people to add 1024 users in groups. With this minor upgrade, WhatsApp moves a bit closer to the Telegram messenger, which supports big groups of thousands of users.

Pavel Durov, the developer of Telegram, recently claimed that the system’s encryption standards are pointless if it constantly has security problems and that WhatsApp has been utilized as a surveillance tool. He made these remarks after WhatsApp delivered a critical update that, as per reports, contained security weaknesses that exposed users to hackers,

Large groups are useless if one can’t effectively manage them, but there is also positive news in that regard. WaBetaInfo claims that WhatsApp is creating new capabilities that will provide administrators with additional choices for handling huge groups. To examine all of the applicants and approve them all at once, they include a membership approval process and a list of group members who are presently awaiting permission.

The move would improve the recently introduced Communities feature, which enables several groups to all be placed underneath a single Community umbrella. The messaging app has undergone a tonne of changes and additions this year, including emoji reactions, the option to hide the “Last Seen” status for specific contacts, more features for group phone conversations, and an enhanced native Windows client, in addition to the increased group chat member limit.

WhatsApp unveiled a new calling function for its app last month. With its new Call Links feature, users may now join an audio or video call with just one tap. On the messaging network operated by Meta, users can post links to the corresponding calls for their family and friends. This virtual call service functions quite similarly to Google Meet or Zoom.

In the meantime, the platform launched WhatsApp Premium, a new tool for business accounts. Right now it is only available for beta testers in some nations.

Through WhatsApp Premium, businesses may take use of several cutting-edge features, including a better way to connect with clients and some advantages when connecting new devices. WhatsApp has recently started testing features that restrict users from taking screenshots of photographs transmitted with the “View once” option but only with a small group of beta testers.

WhatsApp Group has become the go-to spot for users to connect with various individuals on a single topic. The new update will increase its popularity and has a lot of potential.

Apple AirTags

Lufthansa Bans Apple AirTags on Flights

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Lufthansa is the latest airline to prohibit the use of Apple AirTags on its flights. The German airline stated, in a statement, that it is aware of the new accessory and that it is not permitted to be used on flights due to a high risk of meddling with aircraft navigation and also the communication systems.

Apple AirTags
Image Source: paddleyourownkanoo.com

According to the statement, Lufthansa is currently updating its in-flight safety video to reflect the new policy. Other airlines, including Delta and American, have also prohibited the use of AirTags on their flights.

Lufthansa announced over the weekend that it is prohibiting Apple AirTags from checked bags only to attribute the policy to the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization).

The German airline replied to a request to address reports on Lufthansa’s ban on AirTags from checked luggage in a statement posted to its Twitter account.

“Lufthansa is banning activated AirTags from luggage as they are classified as dangerous and need to be turned off,” the airline said on Saturday. “According to ICAO guidelines, baggage trackers are subject to the dangerous goods regulations. Furthermore, due to their transmission function, the trackers must be deactivated during the flight if they are in checked baggage and cannot be used as a result”, it explained.

Source: theregister.com

The policy appears to be unpopular among tourists who have been using Apple AirTags to track checked bags because air carriers misdirect or lose bags regularly.

Travelers speculate that Lufthansa implemented this policy to avoid being shamed by passengers whose bags were lost on social media. Lufthansa did not respond to multiple phone calls and emails seeking comment on the policy’s rationale if it will be enforced, and how.

Lufthansa stated in a report that Apple AirTags are small, coin-sized devices that can be attached to items such as keys and wallets to help them stay organized. The devices communicate with Apple devices via Bluetooth and can be used to track down misplaced items. While AirTags are not intended for use on aircraft, they do emit radio signals that may interfere with aircraft navigation and communication systems. As a result, many airlines have decided to prohibit the use of AirTags on their flights.

IATA and the ICAO did not respond immediately to requests for comment, and Apple did not reply to a request for comment either.

The combustion of lithium-ion batteries in aircraft baggage holds has resulted in restrictions on the types of electronic devices that can be carried in aircraft cabins and baggage holds over the last decade.

Apple AirTags, on the other hand, rely on tiny lithium-metal batteries, specifically model CR2032. They have an energy density of 198 milliwatt hours per gramme and a lithium content of 0.109 grammes (about 0.0038 oz.). As a result, they are permitted in checked bags in the United States under FAA regulations.

AirTags appear to be permitted under International Air Transport Association (IATA) rules, which are based on ICAO recommendations. According to the IATA rule, approval is not required for lithium metal batteries with a lithium content of two grams or less, so AirTags are permitted.

Separate Lufthansa guidelines state that checked bags may contain devices with integral, removable batteries with up to 0.3 g of lithium, indicating that AirTags should be permitted.

Specific IATA guidance for “smart” baggage features, such as GPS trackers, requires, “The portable electronic device must be designed with at least two independent means to turn off completely, turn off cellular or mobile functions, or a combination of both when airborne.”

Source: theregister.com

Since AirTags lack an on-device or remote off switch, this may be where Apple’s GPS trackers breach the rules. To turn it off, the battery must be removed, or it will run out of power.

It’s unclear whether or not Lufthansa intends to enforce this policy. Removing bags with AirTags from flights will certainly generate negative feedback from customers.

Meta

Meta Might do ‘Quiet Layoff’ and Axe over 12,000 Facebook Employees

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Meta Platforms is implementing “quiet layoffs” at Facebook to reduce its workforce as global constraints and declining ad expenditure pose severe issues for Big Tech corporations.

Meta
Image Source: madhyamam.com

According to a Business Insider report, Facebook executives are currently in the midst of carrying out “quiet layoffs” of underperforming employees, which might result in thousands of workers receiving pink slips. Executives around the firm were instructed by Facebook leadership to choose at least 15% of the employees in their teams to be classified as “needs support” through an internal review process. This targeted restructuring raises the possibility of removing 12,000 employees or 15% of Facebook’s staff.

The report said that the possible layoffs were made public last week through a post by a Meta employee on Blind. Blind is a popular app amongst tech employees that requires a valid workplace email account to use the portal anonymously.

In Facebook’s employee-review procedure, an employee “in need of support” is regarded as performing below the benchmark standards. Such employees are placed on a performance improvement plan (PIP), which typically results in layoffs.

Facebook employees made predictions on the work app Blind that anyone who fell into the 15% bracket would probably lose their jobs. If 15% of Facebook’s workforce were to be let go, 12,000 workers might lose their jobs.

As per Business Insider, In July 2022, Maher Saba, Facebook’s chief engineer, reportedly told its managers that they should identify team employees that “needs support”. However, they did not give a specific percentage.

During the weekly Q&A session, Zuckerberg told its employees:

“ I had hoped the economy would have more clearly stabilized by now, but from what we’re seeing it doesn’t yet seem like it has, so we want to plan somewhat conservatively.”

In May 2022, the company announced a recruiting freeze that has since been extended to all of Meta’s other departments and verticals. While this is going on, a few employees have been given 30 to 60 days to find a new position within the company or leave. Meta has a longtime policy of dismissing the employee when a job position is eliminated but an employee cannot locate a replacement within the firm.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg pinned the blame on the economy and forewarned that the company would have to go through a downsizing or restructuring process. Zuckerberg said that all of Meta’s departments and subsidiary companies including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, would be experiencing budget cuts.

The CEO mentioned that Facebook had significant growth during the initial 18 years of its existence. However, according to Zuckerberg, recent quarters’ sales and revenue statistics have plateaued.

Meta’s move is in line with similar measures made by other major tech companies including Google, Apple, and Microsoft. To reduce costs while maintaining operating margins, some companies have stopped hiring new employees or started issuing pink slips to existing ones.

As per data collated by Crunchbase until late July, over 32,000 tech employees were laid off from their jobs in the USA.

After a surge in success that escalated during the pandemic, the tech sector has been experiencing a lull lately. Many tech giants are halting or ceasing hiring in the face of a more widespread global economic slowdown, interest rate hikes, and regulatory challenges.

new feature

Twitter new feature allows users to combine GIFs, Photos, Videos & Memes in Single Tweet

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Twitter is unveiling a brand-new feature that will enable users to tweet memes, gifs, and images all at once. The new feature will be released on both iOS and Android. 

new feature
Image Source: timesnownews.com

According to the company, everyone would be able to share different sorts of media via a single tweet. Late on Wednesday, Twitter stated in a blog post, “This feature will roll out globally to iOS and Android, with a chance to see mixed media Tweets on the web.”

Earlier anyone who wished to share several media types had to do it through different Tweets. Now, when users post their Tweet, they may choose and post a mix of up to four different forms of media, including images, memes, GIFs, and videos. They can do so by clicking the photo icon in the Tweet composer on the Twitter application.

Through this new feature, users can also change the layout of their media while creating a Tweet. Alessandro Paluzzi, a reverse engineer, discovered the feature for the first time in April. 

In addition to the option to post multiple media in a single tweet. Twitter also launched a vertical video experience similar to Instagram Reels in some countries. Twitter revealed that it would be releasing two improvements that would enhance the viewing experience for full-screen videos and combine video discovering with a new video carousel. Twitter made this announcement in a Tweet:

“Now on iOS, videos on your timeline will open in our full-screen immersive video player, where you can swipe up to keep discovering more content. Some of you on iOS and Android will also see recommended content in a new video carousel on the Explore “For You” page”.

Currently, the Explore tab video carousel assists users in discovering more videos as well as potentially interesting Tweets and Trends. This feature is currently accessible to users of Twitter on Android and iOS in a few selected nations. The improved immersive media viewer, according to the company, opens videos to a full-screen mode with a single click, enabling users to quickly get the complete, immersive viewing experience.

The company stated that the users of the Twitter app for iOS only needed to click or tap on a video to turn on this new feature. Twitter users noticed right away that this feature resembled the way they discovered and viewed videos on TikTok.

Recently, Twitter also introduced the new “Edit Button” feature for Twitter Blue users. in selected locations. Since Twitter Blue membership is not available in India, Indian Twitter users would have to wait a bit longer to enjoy the service. On October 3, Twitter sent a tweet post telling users that the Edit Button was now being made available to Twitter Blue subscribers in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada.

Through this new feature selected users can now edit their tweets on Twitter, which was previously not available. The tweet will, however, include the time of the most recent edit at the bottom. Users can also view the complete history of the editing to see what has already been written in the tweet.

Twitter is continuously test out new features and gaining knowledge from users’ interactions with the service. With over 23.6 million active Twitter users as of January 2022, India makes up the third-largest global audience on Twitter.