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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.

new policy

Elon Musk Slams PayPal’s ‘New Policy’ to Fine Users

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Last week, according to a number of media sources, PayPal issued a new policy update prohibiting users of its services from engaging in actions it defined as “sending, publishing, or publication of any messages, content, or materials” disseminating misleading information.

new policy
Image Source: pgurus.com

According to reports, the policy change, which stated that users could be required to pay charges of $2,500 for every breach, was set to take effect on November 3. After receiving a barrage of condemnation from a number of well-known people, including the company’s former president, David Marcus, PayPal hastily apologized for what it termed “confusion” and claimed it was all just an oversight.

David Marcus, the former President of PayPal, criticized the new policy change on Twitter, noting that it runs against everything he believes in.

Marcus noted in his tweet, “A private company now gets to decide to take your money if you say something they disagree with. Insanity”.

Elon Musk, the co-founder of PayPal and the CEO of Tesla responded “Agreed” in response to Marcus’s tweet.

Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, co-founded the online bank X.com in 1999. In 2000, X.com and Confinity merged to become PayPal. PayPal was purchased by the online auction site eBay in 2002 for $1.5 billion. eBay separated it in 2015.

Musk, who has reopened negotiations to purchase Twitter for over $44 billion, has also stated a desire to create a super app called X.com that will be accessible to everyone worldwide, similar to China’s WeChat.

On Monday, PayPal announced that it will not penalize users for false information and that a previous policy update stating that users would be required to pay damages of $2500 was sent incorrectly. The update, which PayPal claimed contained inaccurate information, provoked severe outrage on social media. The shares of the California-based corporation fell by about 6%.

The company states, “An acceptable use policy (AUP) notice recently went out in error that included incorrect information. PayPal is not fining people for misinformation and this language was never intended to be inserted in our policy.”

According to Google Trends data, global searches for “delete PayPal” increased by 1,392% after the update revelation and the company’s subsequent apologies.

PayPal has found itself in several controversies this year. On September 15, PayPal removed two right-leaning organizations from its platform in the UK. They were a campaign organization called The Free Speech Union and a news website called ‘The Daily Sceptic’. After a public outcry that reached Parliament, the accounts were subsequently reinstated.

Recently, Paypal also banned Gay Against Groomers, a group of LGBT individuals opposed to the sexualization and gender transformation of minor children.

This occurs during a crucial phase for PayPal. This year, pressure on tech and fintech companies as well as more specialized difficulties for businesses has caused PayPal shares to lose more than half of their value.

In order to adjust expectations to the new economic realities, the corporation lowered its prediction numerous times throughout 2022. Additionally, PayPal executives admitted that they had overestimated how pandemic-era trends would continue once the world reopened.

PayPal is a multinational financial tech company that operates an online payment platform in most countries that permit online money transfers. The business processes payments for internet retailers, auction sites, and several other business users for a fee.

Galaxy Tab S9

Samsung Delays Galaxy Tab S9 Series Launch

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Due to recent economic uncertainties, South Korean electronics giant Samsung is reportedly delaying the release of its next-generation Galaxy Tab S9 series.

Galaxy Tab S9
Image Source: tablet-news.com

According to The Elec GizmoChina, Samsung introduced the Galaxy Tab S8 series earlier this year, one and a half years after the release of the Galaxy Tab S7 family. The company had planned to unveil its upcoming premium tablets in December. However, according to the source, they will now be released the following year.

According to the report, Samsung’s decision is the result of recent global economic uncertainty.

In accordance with the report, as the global pandemic of Covid-19 nears its end, demand for IT products has begun to fall globally. Samsung originally planned to produce 33.6 million tablets in 2022. However, due to low demand, the company may be unable to carry out its plans.

The global tablet market will contract by 8% this year, according to DSCC (Display Supply Chain Consultants). However, the premium tablet category (OLED and Mini LED) is supposed to grow by 22%.

According to reports, Samsung has devised a new strategy for its upcoming flagship tablets. The Galaxy Tab S9 series, like the Galaxy Tab S8 series, is said to have three versions.

In the last 24 hours, Samsung has sold over 1.2 million Galaxy devices in India, totaling Rs 1,000 crore. On the first day of the online festive sales, Samsung India said it sold more than 1.2 million Galaxy devices worth more than Rs 1,000 crore (by value). The Galaxy series of smartphones were among the most popular devices on both Amazon and Flipkart. In terms of monetary value, Samsung sold Galaxy devices worth over Rs 1,000 crore in 24 hours.

According to the company, the Galaxy M13 was the best-selling device, while the recently launched Galaxy M32 Prime Edition was among the top choices for Amazon’s Kickstarter deals. In less than 12 hours, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 received over 50,000 pre-orders.

On the first day of Flipkart’s Big Billion Days, Samsung doubled its platform market share. The Galaxy F13 was a top seller in the 4G segment, while the Galaxy F23 was the most popular 5G smartphone on Flipkart.

According to the company, the Galaxy S21 FE and Galaxy S22+ sold well in the premium segment on Flipkart. Samsung has also stated that it intends to consolidate its 5G and overall smartphone leadership in the country.

“Galaxy M33 was the top-selling 5G smartphone on Amazon. Galaxy S22, the biggest deal of the year on Amazon, and Galaxy S20 FE were among the top sellers in the premium segment on Amazon,” according to the company.

Source: latestly.com

Samsung is trying its best to enhance the user experience. In a real-world camera test, Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra easily defeats Huawei’s P40 Pro. Huawei P40 Pro is the Chinese tech giant’s latest flagship. It is not, however, the best flagship available. In a real-world camera test, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra outperforms the Huawei P40 Pro.

Samsung has also made the Buy Now, Pay Later option available for its Galaxy S22 Series, Galaxy Z Flip 3, and Galaxy Z Fold 4 smartphones. This offer is available at retail stores across India to ICICI Bank Credit cardholders with a minimum credit limit of Rs. 1.50 lakhs. Samsung’s Buy Now, Pay Later scheme also requires no down payment and charges a 1% processing fee.

It is also planning to consolidate its 5G and overall smartphone dominance in the country.

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.