Although one of the flagship devices of Samsung for 2019 has already been launched, the other flagship is yet to be announced. The Galaxy Note-series is launched by the company around August every year and this year will be no different. Samsung Galaxy Note 10’s launch may be months away, but rumours and leaks about the device have already started surfacing. According to the new leaks, Samsung Galaxy Note 10 will come with a larger battery than the Galaxy Note 9. And it might also come with a 25W fast charge support making it charge faster and its battery last longer.
The new leaks suggest that there will be an addition of 500mAh battery size to the battery of Galaxy Note 10. The Galaxy Note 9 packed a 4,000mAh battery so its successor will reportedly come with a 4,500mAh battery. Renowned tipster Ice Universe tweeted that the “Note 10 charging is note 25W”. He further pointed out that from Galaxy Note 10 onwards, the charging speed and the battery capacity of Samsung won’t be its weak points as it will be upgraded. While other leak mentions that the Galaxy Note 10 will come with a big 4,500mAh battery.
Forbes too stated that the battery of the upcoming Galaxy Note 10 will be bigger than last years’. According to it, the users will be surprised by Galaxy Note 10’s battery capacity and its charging speed. Currently, there is no official word from Samsung about the battery capacity or the charging speed of its device. But we have already seen Oppo’s 50W Super VOOC fast charging which set a benchmark with its speed. While beating it might be tough, Samsung needs to do something similar or greater than it in its Galaxy Note 10 to make an impact.
Not much is known about Samsung Galaxy Note 10 till now, but earlier we saw that it might come in four variants. Two smartphones might be packing 4G connectivity while the other two might pack 5G connectivity. The 5G variants of the Galaxy Note 10 might be named under the ‘Pro’ moniker. Also, it is rumoured that the Galaxy Note 10 will come with no physical buttons but will use force touch in place of it. The force touch will be a touch-sensitive panel replacing the Galaxy Note 10’s physical buttons. Other than that, the Galaxy Note 10 will reportedly come with four cameras like the Galaxy S10 5G and will be powered by the Exynos 9825 SoC.
But since all these specifications are based on rumours and leaks, they should be taken with a pinch of salt.
Technology giant Google has finally announced its Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL smartphones at its I/O 2019 keynote. The Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL handsets are more affordable versions of the company’s flagship Pixel offerings and with them, Google eyes to compete better in the premium segment. The company has admitted that it did not have a very good quarter when it comes to smartphone sales.
The newly launched Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL smartphones will take on mid-range smartphones from the likes of Samsung, OnePlus and Apple. They come with a number of services that are exclusive to the Pixel lineup. Here are more details about the two smartphones:
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Google Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL price in India, availability
Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL are only available in one variant in India, that comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. While the former is priced at Rs 39,999, the latter costs Rs 44,999. The handsets will be released in India on May 15 and interested customers can register for them on Flipkart starting today at 12:30 pm IST. The two devices by Google have been launched in Clearly White, Just Black, and Purplish colour options. However, only the first two will be available in India.
Google Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL specifications and features
Technology giant Google has used hardware in its new devices that are mostly found in the budget segment of smartphones. While it has removed custom Pixel hardware like Pixel Visual Core, the handsets do come with the Titan M security chip. We should mention that Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a Xl smartphones are single SIM globally, but in India, you can use the eSIM feature will be available via Airtel and Reliance Jio. Needless to say, the handsets come with the latest version of Android 9.0 Pie and will be the first to be upgraded to Android Q. They will also have support for the AR applications.
Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 670 SoC, Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL come with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. While the former comes with a 5.6-inch full-HD+ gOLED display, the latter has a 6-inch full-HD+ gOLED display. Both Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL are protected by Dragon Trail glass and offer 24-bit colour depth.
On the photography front, both the handsets come with a 12.2MP Dual-Pixel rear camera that has a Sony IMX363 sensor and supports OIS and EIS. The primary camera comes with an f/1.8 aperture, 76-degree field of view and 1.4-micron pixels. The Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL also come with Night Sight feature that enhances low-light photography, HDR+, Portrait Mode, Super Res Zoom and Top Shot, that was introduced with Pixel 3 series.
For selfies and video calls, there is an 8MP camera that has an 84-degree field of view, 1.12-micron pixels, and an f/2.0 aperture. The back panel of the smartphones houses a Pixel Imprint fingerprint sensor. While the Pixel 3a packs a 3,000mah battery, Pixel 3a XL has a 3,700mAh battery. Connectivity options of the handsets include 4G VoLTE, Wi-FI 802.11ac, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS, and thankfully, a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Cupertino-based technology Apple’s CEO Tim Cook has said that the company has acquired between 20 and 25 companies in the last six months. The number may seem huge, but then we should not forget that it Apple that we are talking about, and it is the first trillion dollar company after all. The company’s current market capitalization is above $900 billion and it definitely can afford to do this.
However, we should also mention that Cook did not reveal the nature of the business of the companies that Apple has acquired. But then, he did say that the Cupertino-based technology company buys a company every two or three weeks. We have to say, we can’t think of any other company who is doing this.
The CEO attended Berkshire’s annual shareholder meeting where he said all of this in an interview with CNBC. He also mentioned that after spending on expansion, Apple will look to buy companies for strategic value. He also added that Apple, with its leftover money, mostly acquires companies looking at their talent and intellectual property.
Speaking on this, Cook said, “We bought probably 20 to 25 companies in the last six months or so. And then, we look at, what do we have leftover? And if we’ve got something leftover, we look at where we can place it. And the top value that we believe we can place it is investing in ourselves and investing in Apple. And so we do that. We’re fortunate in that, when we buy our stock we think that almost 50 percent of US households own Apple stock, either directly or indirectly through indexes and mutual funds and so forth. And so it helps everybody or helps a large number of people.”
Coming to the companies that Apple has acquired in the last six months, one among them is AI Assistant startup Silk Labs. The technology giant acquired the company in November last year. Then in December, Apple purchased a London-based music firm, Platoon. In March this year, Apple acquired Italian startup Stamplay. These are the biggest acquisitions that have been made by the company.
Huawei’s sub-brand Honor is all set to launch its Honor 20 and Honor 20 Pro flagship smartphones at an event on May 21. And there have been plenty of leaks about these smartphones for the last few months. And now, some new renders have surfaced online that confirm the smartphones‘ rear camera setup. It has been tipped that both Honor 20 and Honor 20 Pro handsets will come with four rear cameras and sport a 48MP Sony IMX 586 sensor.
The latest renders that have emerged have been posted by Slashleaks contributor Teme (@RODENT950) on Twitter. One of them shows the Honor 20 and the other shows the Honro 20 Pro smartphone.
As we mentioned earlier, the Honor 20 smartphone comes with a quad camera setup and has a 48MP primary sensor, which is said to come with a ‘4-in-1 Light Fusion’ system. This means that although the primary camera will hold a 48MP sensor, it will most likely save images that are up to 12MP in resolution. It is also worth mentioning that it is the sensor is 1/2-inch and has an aperture of f/1.8.
Besides this, the camera module also has a 16MP wide-angle sensor that has a field of view of 117-degrees and an aperture of f/2.2. In the image, a 2MP depth sensor and a 2MP macro lens can also be seen. The latter sits on the right side of the main camera module.
Coming to Honor 20 Pro, its camera setup is more interesting than that of Honor 20. It comes with the same 48MP primary sensor and 16MP wide-angle senor, however, the primary sensor of the device comes with optical image stabalization and a has an aperture of f/1.4. We should mention that having an aperture like that would make Honor 20 Pro’s low-light photography very good.
Instead of Honor 20’s depth sensor, Honor 20 Pro comes with an 8Mp telephoto camera that has a 3x optical zoom, OIS and an aperture of f2.4. Other than this, there are a 2MP macro-lens on the smartphone. Teme also posted a sample photo which has been clicked using the Honor 20 Pro. The sample shot has been taken from the main camera and there is another one that has been clicked using an ‘AI Ultra Clarity Mode’.
After the launch of the selfie-centric smartphones named Redmi Y3, Xiaomi is focusing on its Mi A-series smartphones. The Mi A-series devices were one of the most popular smartphones launched by the company due to its Android One software experience. The Android One UI puts the stock Android experience over the smartphones, and needless to say, it is very popular. Other than that, the Android One device receives fast software updates, security patches and other similar updates. The last Mi A-series device, the Mi A2 was launched back in 2018 and now the company is expected to launch the next smartphones in the same series. The Mi A3 and the Mi A3 Lite is expected to be launched by the company later this year. And rumours have already started pouring in as it is expected that the handset will be powered by the Snapdragon 700-series processors.
According to the XDA Developers, the rumours are based on the source code information of Xiaomi. It reports that the new Xiaomi smartphones could have codenames such as “Bamboo_Sprout”, “Cosmos Sprout” and “Pyxis”. Currently, they are in development and will be powered by the Snapdragon 700-series of CPUs. The ‘Sprout’ codenames could be referred to the Mi A-series devices (Mi A3 and the Mi A3 Lite) as in the past the Mi A-series devices held the ‘Sprout’ codenames. But more information about the ‘Pyxis’ named device is currently not known.
The Mi A3 might be launched as Mi 7X in the Chinese market, much like Mi A1 and the Mi A2 which were launched as Mi 5X and Mi 6X in China.
Other than that, since Mi A3 will be the successor of the Mi A2 it should have better and higher specifications than its predecessor. To take into account, the Mi A2 was powered by the Snapdragon 660 while the Mi A1 was powered by the Snapdragon 625 SoC. So, the use of Snapdragon 700-series SoCs in the Mi A3 comes as a surprise as those CPUs are aimed at a mid-range smartphone below the flagship ones. While the Snapdragon 600-series processors are the true mid-range CPUs as they were used in the earlier Redmi Note 7 and even the Redmi Note 7 Pro. So, using the Snapdragon 700-series CPUs in the Mi A3 could mean a rise in its performance as well as the price tag of the device.
Till now, these are the only details available about the Mi A3, other details about the device will be available as its launch date draws closer.
Two weeks before the launch of its Honor 20 flagship smartphone, the Chinese smartphone brand has unveiled a ‘Lite’ version of the device. Honor today launched the Honor 20 Lite ahead of its May 21 event where the company was going to announce its smartphones. The Honor 20 Lite is the watered-down version of the main flagship, the Honor 20. The key features of the device is its triple-rear camera, a water-drop style notched display and Android 9 Pie. The newly launched smartphone will be the successor of the popular Honor 10 Lite launched last year. Here are all the details of the newly-launched smartphone:
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Honor 20 Lite price and availability
The Honor 20 Lite holds a price tag of RM 949 (approximately Rs 15,900) in Malaysia. While the UK price of the device is GBP 249 (approximately Rs 22,500).
Currently, the Honor 20 Lite is on sale only in Malaysia. The device is yet to be released in the UK. After that, it will be launched in the other European and South East Asian countries including India. Its price in the Indian market is expected to be similar to the Malaysian price.
It comes in three colour options – Phantom Red, Phantom Blue, and Midnight Blue.
Honor 20 Lite specifications and features
The Honor 20 Lite sports a 6.21-inch full-HD+ (1080 x 2340 pixels) display with an aspect ratio of 19.5:9 and 415 ppi pixel density. Powered by the octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 710 SoC, the smartphone comes with 4GB of RAM. The Honor 20 Lite runs Android 9.0 Pie skinned with EMUI 9.0. It supports dual-SIM (Nano) and packs a 3,400mAh battery. The smartphone has 128GB of internal storage with support of microSD card of up to 512GB. For security, there is a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner at the back and face unlock support.
On the camera front, the Honor 20 Lite features a triple-rear camera setup which comprises of a 24MP primary camera with an f/1.8 aperture paired with an 8MP ultra-wide sensor that has an f/2.4 aperture. There is also a 2MP depth sensor that has an f/2.4 lens. While at the front, Honor 20 Lite packs a 32MP selfie camera with an f/2.0 aperture.
The Honor 20 Lite includes 128GB of onboard storage, which can be further expanded via a microSD card (up to 512GB). Other features of the smartphone includes Micro-USB 2.0, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS.
Technology giant Amazon has added the ability for users to publish their skills that they have created using Alexa Skill Blueprints to the India Alexa Skills Store. Starting today, users will able to do add their skills to India Alexa Skills Store. The company people would be able to create their own personal Alexa skill within minutes using Skill Blueprints, which will provide them with over 30 templates. There will be a number of categories to choose from including Fun & Games, Learning and Knowledge, At Home and Storyteller to create custom games, unique stories, or household lists.
Speaking about this, Dilip RS, Country Manager for Alexa Skills, Amazon India said, “With today’s announcement, we are excited to launch four new Skill Blueprints built specifically for content creators, bloggers, and organizations, so they can reach anyone with an Alexa-enabled device – with no coding required. Being able to publish a blueprint skill allows customers and content creators to share their passions, creativity, and interests with anyone even though they may not have a technical background.”
The company has added four new Skill Blueprints that are aimed at content creators, bloggers, and organizations. These include:
Content creators will be able to use Flash Briefing blueprint to publish their latest updates and share them on the Alexa Skills Store. Then, customers will be able to add this content into their Flash Briefing.
Bloggers who use WordPress will be able to deliver their posts as audio using Alexa with the Blog blueprint.
Universities and religious organizations will be able to use the new University and Spiritual Talks blueprints to make their live and recorded audio content accessible on devices that have Alexa.
In addition to this, anyone can use the existing blueprints to publish skills for a variety of customizable scenarios. The examples of this are:
Budding authors can share their short stories or poems with the Storytelling blueprints such as Fable or Fairy Tale.
Tutors can use the Trivia blueprint to help students use Alexa. This will enable them to teach using the system.
History lovers can use the Quiz blueprints to create a fun and interesting quizzes for their community.
Besides this, customers can also create a personal skill for their household, share its with their friends and family and publish their blueprint skill to the Alexa Skills Store. It is worth noticing that personal skills that are limited to a customer’s local device and do not go through a certification process since they aren’t published to the Alexa Skills Store.
Just a few hours before Google I/O 2019 is scheduled to begin, the full specs sheet of the Pixel 3a has been leaked. Along with the specifications, the renders of the device have also been leaked. The leak comes from popular tipster Roland Quandt of WinFuture who posted the specs sheet on his Twitter account prior to the launch.
The leak was originally posted in some other language which was translated and then posted by Quandt. Some of the major points about the Pixel 3a is that it will have 5.6-inch display and will be powered by the Snapdragon 670 SoC. Earlier, the colour options of the upcoming devices were leaked which stated that, the Pixel 3a-series will come in Just Black and Clearly White colour variants.
Pixel 3a specifications (leaked)
According to the leaks, Google’s Pixel 3a will come with a 5.6-inch (2280 x 1080 pixels) resolution OLED display with 441 ppi pixel density. It will have an aspect ratio of 18:9 and will come with the always-on feature. Being a mid-range device, it will come in a poly-carbonate back panel. The Pixel 3a will be powered by the Snapdragon 670 SoC paired with Adreno 615 GPU. The smartphone is reported to come with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. Google Pixel 3a is tipped pack a 3,000mAh battery and will weigh 147 grams.
On the camera department, the Pixel 3a will sport a single 12.2MP camera with an f/1.8 aperture, optical and electronic stabilisation and autofocus. For selfies and video calls, there is an 8MP front-facing camera with an f/2 aperture and a fixed focus lens.
Some of the sensors of the Pixel 3a include Active Edge, Proximity and Ambient Light sensors, apart from Gyroscope, Magnetometer, Barometer, Android Sensor Hub. The device will come with a 3.5mm headphone jack and will have the USB 2.0 port. It will run Android 9.0 Pie out-of-the-box. Along with that, Google has promised at least 3 years of security update on the Pixel 3a. It will also support dual-SIM (Nano) cards. The connectivity options of the Pixel 3a includes Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0 + LE, AptX, AptX HD, NFC, Google Cast, GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo and QZSS etc.
The original says FHD+ OLED, not FHD + OLED. Formatting error introduced by gtranslate. https://t.co/E4LKt3LC1J
The Google Pixel 3a also comes with the latest Google Assistant and Google Lens support. Inside the retail box, the user will find and 18W power adapter, 1m USB-C to USB-C cable (USB 2.0), Quick Switch Adapter, SIM ejector tool and 3.5mm earphones.
If you are just beginning to play PUBG Mobile, we should warn you that it is addictive. But even if you are a beginner, you may be hooked to the game already.
Here, we have listed down a few things that you may not consider important while playing PUBG Mobile, but should, as they may change the outcome of the game. Take a look here:
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Best PUBG Tips and Tricks That You Should Know in 2019
PUBG Tips: Get your smartphone ready
PUBG Mobile uses very heavy graphics. So, your smartphone must be able to survive that. So, remove all the apps that you don’t use much and close all the background apps and functions before you begin.
If you keep battery or data savers on, turn them off and also keep in mind that the night mode is not preferred. Also, don’t rely on auto-brightness while playing the game.
The brighter your screen, the better. You can also check out our list of PUBG Mobile Settings that should be changed while playing the game.
PUBG Tips: Your internet connection matters
When it comes to playing PUBG Mobile, your internet connection really matters. We recommend you to only play when your device is connected to Wi-Fi to get a lag-free experience.
In addition to this, you can test your mobile network speed by using a Speedtest.
Also, if someone using the same Wi-Fi as you are streaming 4K content, then you should avoid playing the game until they are done.
PUBG Tips: Use your headphones
This may sound irrelevant, but trust us, it’s extremely important.
You will be able to perform much better as soon as you plug in your headphones because they will help you hear your enemies much better, and thus, you will be able to act more quickly.
PUBG Tips: Adjust the frame rate
You should adjust the frame rate of your PUBG Mobile based on the smartphone you are playing the game on. Click on the Settings icon and go to Graphics.
There, you will find the option of changing the frame rate. If you think your device will not be able to handle heavy graphics, select low. If your smartphone is a powerful one, go for high.
Adjust the graphics level
The higher the graphics level, the more you will be able to see and it will affect your performance immensely. But then, we recommend you to only for the level that your smartphone can handle.
If at any point you feel that your device is not able to handle it, change the settings to ensure the game keeps running smoothly.
You can use the gyroscope on your smartphone to aim
If you have a gyroscope on your handset, you can use motion to make your character in the game move.
If it much faster and it helps you escape from some very tricky places.
If you have this option, we recommend you to make use of it. To make this change, head to Settings and then go to Basics. You’ll be able to make the change there.
There are four maps to choose from
If you have version 10 or above, which we are sure you do, you can select from four different maps: Erangel, Miramir, Sanhok, and Vikendi.
You can select the map once you press on the game type button.
Different maps come with different terrains, exclusive weapons, and vehicles.
Choose the one that you know well to increase your odds of winning.
If you want to try something new, it’s a different story. If you select all of them, the game will randomly select for you.
Making a choice between solo, duo or squad
If you think you are good enough at the game to destroy everyone, you should play solo, but then, if you think there is still room for improvement, you should either pick duo or squad.
However, we must mention that when playing as a team, you must communicate with your squad members or you all may end up dying because of something stupid.
Wheels over feet
Whenever you can, use vehicles to travel in games. You will be able to get to your destination way quicker than you will on feet.
Furthermore, it may even save you from getting killed, so quickly learn these kinds of PUBG Tips.
Choose your clothes wisely
We know that PUBG Mobile is not a fashion show, but then clothes must be selected wisely for a battle royale too.
Go for muted shades and camouflage and you will be able to get a tactical advantage. When playing in the snow in the Vikendi map, go for light colors and avoid these mistakes.
These are the PUBG Tips, make use of them to become an advance player.
HMD Global has released its newest budget smartphone Nokia 4.2 in India today. The newly launched smartphone comes with basic and entry-level/ budget segment specifications. The device comes with dual-rear camera setup with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. It also runs Android 9.0 out-of-the-box. The smartphone is priced at Rs 10,990 and it falls in the most competitive price segment of the Indian smartphone market. A number of brands have been dominating this segment for a very long time now. We are comparing two of the best-selling devices in this price category with the Nokia 4.2 – the Samsung Galaxy M20 and the Redmi Note 7. Read on to find out which device you should go for:
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Display
Nokia 4.2: 5.71-inch HD+ Si TFT display with 2.5D curved glass protection
Redmi Note 7: Android 9.0 Pie skinned with MIUI 10
Starting Price
Nokia 4.2: Rs 10,990
Samsung Galaxy M20: The 3GB RAM/32GB storage is priced at Rs 10,990, 4GB RAM/64GB storage costs Rs 12,990.
Redmi Note 7: Rs 9,999
Comparing all the three devices we see that all these devices have some strengths and some weaknesses. The Redmi Note 7 packs some good specifications and is powered by a better and stronger CPU. Samsung Galaxy M20 has a bigger battery and more expandable storage option. The Nokia 4.2 on the other hand runs Android 9.0 Pie and has the Nokia branding behind it making it a durable smartphone. Plus, all Nokia smartphones are a part of Google’s Android One program, which is definitely an added advantage. So, it really depends on what the customer is looking for.
Cupertino-based technology giant Apple is said to be considering to reveal its revamped Mac Pro at its WWDC 2019 developer’s conference that is scheduled for June this year. This is rather unusual on Apple’s part as the company’s WWDC conference is usually just focussed on software-related announcements. But then, Google is also making an exception at its I/O 2019 conference by launching its Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL smartphones, so it would not exactly be surprising to see Apple do the same.
Besides this, considering that Mac Pro is aimed at demanding users, it makes sense for the company to talk about it during WWDC 2019, as most of its audience there would be developers. And who can be a more demanding user than developers themselves?
The report about Apple’s plan first surfaced on Bloomberg, and the publication also said that the Cupertino-based technology giant may be looking to make its external monitor once again. It has also been suggested that this too, will be launched at the WWDC 2019. The monitor is suggested to come with HDR support. According to other reports, the monitor by Apple will come with a 31.6-inch 6K screen and have mini-LED backlighting that will enhance the display’s contrast and make it as good as OLED.
This is all that Apple is reportedly considering to unveil at its WWDC 2019 conference. However, we should mention that the company is said to be working on other hardware and there are no clear timelines for them yet. For instance, an updated MacBook Pro that will have a 16-inch screen and come with a revamped design is being worked upon. Along with this, Apple is also adding a 32GB MacBook Pro model that will come with a 13-inch display.
It is worth mentioning that Apple usually takes wraps off its new MacBooks in fall. According to a report in 9to5Mac, Apple is working on a tracking service that is similar to Tile, that is expected to be announced in September.
Apple’s WWDC 2019 conference is all set to begin on June 3. While Apple has not spoken much about it, there are a number of reports that suggest what one can expect to see at the event. The most talked-about changed that are expected are Dark Mode for iOS, iPad apps and Siri Shortcuts on Mac, and some options of multitasking.
Popular micro-blogging website Twitter is always tweaking its platform to satisfy the needs of its users. Now, Twitter has rolled out a new feature on its platform which enables users to add images, videos and GIFs to their re-tweets. The new feature is available for both its Android and iOS platforms. The news of the addition of this new feature was announced by Twitter itself on May 6 using a tweet.
Other that the platforms mentioned above, the new feature can also be used on the Mobile website of Twitter.
Twitter Support’s official handle posted, “It’s easy to express yourself by re-tweeting with a comment. What if you could take it a step further and include media? Starting today, you can retweet with photos, a GIF, or a video to really make your reaction pop.”
Earlier, when the user wanted to retweet something, he had the option to retweet directly or add a comment to it. However, this was only limited to using text while retweeting. But now, the users have another option where they can retweet something using GIFs or media making it easier to express themselves.
A Twitter spokesperson said to technology website The Verge, “We found it was challenging for people to quickly understand all the content in a retweet with media. This was due to the layout; two large tweets stacked on top of each other.”
When retweeting using a GIF, the original tweet will appear in a smaller and indented box with the display picture of the user still visible. But it will make the media to view in full width.
Other than GIFs, the user can also use videos or images to retweet. With this feature, Twitter has given more options to the user by which he can express himself on its platform. Although this feature has been released for the iOS, Android and Mobile Website of the platform, its desktop availability is currently unknown. While there is no word from the company about it, we do see the possibility of the feature’s arrival for the desktop version of the microblogging website in the near future.
It's easy to express yourself by Retweeting with a comment. What if you could take it a step further and include media? Starting today, you can! Retweet with photos, a GIF, or a video to really make your reaction pop. Available on iOS, Android, and https://t.co/AzMLIfU3jB. pic.twitter.com/Oir5Hpkb2F
Furthermore, in April, Twitter reduced the number of people/ profile one can follow in a day to stop the spread of spammers on its platform. Earlier, the limit to follow profiles in a day was 1,000 which was reduced to just 400.
HMD Global launched its Nokia 4.2 smartphone in India today. Priced at Rs 10,990, Nokia 4.2 comes with a 5.71-inch HD+ a-Si TFT display and is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 SoC.
It houses a 3,000mah battery and comes with a dual rear camera setup with 13MP and 2MP sensors. Watch our unboxing video of the smartphone to know more about it.
Xiaomi recently announced that its Redmi X smartphone is set to launch on May 14 – the same day as OnePlus 7. And now, the competitor of the Redmi X, the Realme X’s official launch date has also been announced. Realme confirmed that the Realme X handset will be launching on May 15 at an event in Beijing. Other than the Realme X, the company will also be bringing the Realme X Youth Edition/ Lite Edition. According to the leaks, the Lite Edition of Realme X is just the Realme 3 Pro with a different name. Before the official launch, the Realme X is available for registrations on the major Chinese e-commerce platforms. And the device is likely to make its way to India after launching in China.
Realme announced the launch date of its upcoming device on Chinese official social networking platform Weibo in a post that read that the device will be launched in Beijing on May 15. The company also said that the users can now register for the upcoming smartphone on online shopping platforms like JD.com or Suning. The first 100 customers to register for the Realme X will get a pair of Realme headphones free. Other than that, the company didn’t say anything about the Lite or Youth Edition of the Realme X. Earlier, the handset was spotted alongside the Realme X on the TENAA listing.
Realme X specifications and price (expected)
The Realme X will sport a dew-drop notched display with a Gorilla Glass 5 protection on top. It is expected to be powered by the Snapdragon 730 SoC and will also feature an in-display fingerprint scanner.
The Realme X might come with VOOC 3.0 fast charge support but its exact battery configuration is currently not known. On the camera front, the Realme X may come with a 48MP primary sensor paired with a 5MP depth sensor. The details about the front camera are currently not known.
It is expected that the Realme X will come with three variants. While its base variant with 6GB RAM and 64GB storage is expected to carry a price tag of CNY 1,599 (approximately Rs 16,500). A higher-end model will come with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage and will reportedly hold a price tag of CNY 1,799 (approximately Rs 18,500). Coming to the top end variant pf Realme X, it is said to have 8GB RAM and 128GB storage is expected to be priced at CNY 1,999 (approximately Rs 20,600).
HMD Global has today launched its Nokia 4.2 smartphone in India. The smartphone was initially launched at the Mobile World Congress 2019 in Barcelona and today, it has finally made its way to India. Although Nokia 4.2 falls in the budget range, it comes with a dedicated button for Google Assistant and has an LED notification light on its power button. The company has also taken to Nokia Mobile India’s Twitter handle to tease the features of the handset there.
Like all the other Nokia smartphones from HMD Global, Nokia 4.2 is a part of Google’s Android One program, which basically means that it will be getting timely Android updates for two years and security patches for three years. Here are the pricing details and specifications of the newly launched Nokia 4.2 smartphone that you should know about:
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Nokia 4.2 price in India
Nokia 4.2 smartphone is available only in one variant in India that comes with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The handset is priced at Rs 10,990 in the country and will be available starting today.
Interested buyers can head to Nokia’s official online store to buy the Nokia 4.2 handset. The device will be on sale on the platform exclusively for a week, after which it can be picked up from Croma, Reliance, Sangeetha, Poorvika, Big C, and MyG starting May 14.
We should mention that at this price, the newly-launched Nokia 4.2 smartphone competes with the likes of Redmi Note 7 Pro, Realme 3 Pro and Samsung Galaxy M30 (review).
On using the code LAUNCHOFFER till June 10, 2019, on the company’s official website, customers will be able to get Rs 500 off on the Nokia 4.2. In addition to this, Vodafone Idea subscribers will get an instant discount of Rs 2,500 via 50 vouchers of Rs 50 each. Customers will also be getting a free screen replacement that will remain valid for six months.
Nokia 4.2 specifications
Nokia 4.2 has support for dual SIM cards and runs Android 9.0 Pie out-of-the-box. The handset sports a 5.71-inch HD+ (720×1520 pixels) a-Si TFT display that has an aspect ratio of 19:9 and is protected by a 2.5D curved glass. Powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 SoC, Nokia 4.2 comes with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. In case users want more storage, they can install a microSD card of up to 400GB.
On the camera front, the Nokia 4.2 sports a dual rear camera setup that comprises of a 13MP sensor that has an f/2.2 aperture and a 2MP secondary sensor that comes with an f/2.2 aperture. For selfies and video calls, there is an 8MP front-facing camera that comes with an f/2.0 lens.
The smartphone houses a 3,000mAh battery and in terms of connectivity options, it comes with 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS, NFC, Micro-USB, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The sensors onboard include an accelerometer, ambient light and a proximity sensor. The device has a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor and it measures a 148.95×71.30×8.39mm.
Google’s I/O 2019 will finally begin today and during it, the company is expected to launch a number of new products and services and at the same time, announce some new ones. The major highlights of the event would be the Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL, Android Q, and smart home devices. The California-based technology giant will also come with some advancements related to its software ecosystem. Google would also talk about its other products such as Google Stadia gaming console and Google Assistant. The Google I/O 2019 will start today and go on till May 9 at Mountain View, California.
Google I/O 2019: What to expect and how to watch
The Google I/O 2019 will start at 10:00am PDT (10:30pm IST) and the company will be live-streaming it. Those who wishes to watch the livestream of the Google I/O 2019 can go on the official website of the event. The website also has the schedule of the sessions that will take place at the Google I/O 2019.
Other than that, the users can also watch it at the official Google Developers YouTube channel. There is also an official app for the Google I/O 2019 for Android. The users can either download the app or visit the official Developers Facebook and Twitter pages for the live updates.
Talking about the announcements and the launches at the Google I/O 2019, one of its main focus points will be the Google Pixel 3a and the Pixel 3a XL – mid-range versions of Pixel 3 handsets. Both smartphones have already been leaked multiple times in the past with their specifications. Even though they will be affordable, they will come with the Pixel’s famous camera setup. And since they will be a part of the Google’s Pixel family, they will be getting newer updated more quickly than other handsets.
Other than the smartphone, Google is will also be unveiling its Android Q OS, the successor of the Android 9 Pie. Google will be bringing new improvements and many new features to its Android operating system.
The company should give some details and make some announcements in the fields of Google Stadia, Machine learning, Google Assistant, Android TV, Self-driving cars, digital payments, Chrome and much more.
Furthermore, the company has already confirmed that it will be making hardware announcements at the Google I/O 2019. More details about the Google I/O 2019 will be available once it kicks off today at 10:00pm IST.
OnePlus is all set to launch a new flagship device and there is a lot of excitement in the air about the same. Apart from the leak, the company is also sharing a few details regarding the phone to keep that is feeding the frenzy. One such information that has come to light is that OnePlus 7 Pro will come with HDR10+ certification. What this necessarily means is that the display of OnePlus 7 Pro will be compatible with high resolution content from streaming services such as YouTube and Netflix.
Many leading TV brands come with HDR10+ certification as it provides adaptive frame-by-frame adjustments for the optimum representation of contrast from the HDR source content. What one gets HDR 10+ over HDR 10 is brighter content. HDR 10+ delivers 4000 nits of peak brightness, much higher than the older HDR 10 standard that supports 300 nits of brightness. Among the current crop of smartphones, only Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ support HDR10+.
The company has also been confirmed that OnePlus 7 Pro will support UFS 3.0 storage, which will enable it to be faster than ‘comparable smartphones.
Days ahead of the launch, the price of OnePlus 7 Pro had been leaked by popular tipster Ishan Agarwal. He claims that the price of 6GB RAM/128GB storage model of OnePlus 7 Pro will be priced at Rs 49,999, while its 8GB RAM/256GB storage version will set you back by Rs 52,999. The OnePlus 7 Pro variant that will come with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage is expected to cost Rs 57,999. He has also said that the smartphone will be available in three colour options namely – Mirror Grey, Nebula Blue, and Almond.
Just a week prior to the launch of OnePlus 7 Pro, its Almond colour variant has been leaked today in some renders that have been shared by technology website WinFuture. In the render that has been leaked, the smartphone can be seen with a pop-up selfie camera coming out of its top edge. The back panel of the device also shows a triple rear camera setup that has all the sensors stacked vertically.
The triple rear camera setup of OnePlus 7 Pro is expected to come with a 48MP, a 16MP, and an 8MP sensor. Other than this, the smartphone is also said to be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 processor, that guarantees a very smooth performance.
OnePlus 7 is undoubtedly one among the most anticipated smartphones of the year and it is all set to launch on May 14. The company has been teasing us with some of the features of the upcoming smartphone. In the latest teaser, it has confirmed that the OnePlus 7 Pro will come with a HDR10+ display along with UFS 3.0 storage.
The company has also revealed that the flagship device from OnePlus with the HDR10+ will give users a more dynamic and detailed display. The display of the device is said to provide adaptive frame-by-frame adjustments for the optimum representation of the contrast from HDR content. In addition to this, the display will produce around 4000nits of peak brightness. So, we would not be wrong to assume that the display of OnePlus 7 Pro will be one of its major features. Other smartphones with the HDR10+ support includes the Samsung’s Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy S10+. Earlier, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau revealed on Twitter that the OnePlus 7 Pro will come with UFS 3.0 storage which will make the device faster than the other smartphones in the market.
Also, there are rumours circulating on the internet that the upcoming OnePlus 7 Pro will have a 90Hz refresh rate display with a QHD+ resolution. Before its launch, the display of the OnePlus 7 Pro received the A+ rating from DisplayMate along with VDE certification making it safe for the eyes.
In a statement, the CEO Lau said, “HDR10+ is the future of not just television displays, but also smartphone displays as well. We hope that our newest device will set a new benchmark for the smartphone industry and open up a new world of visual fluidity for users. We’re glad we are leading the ranks in sharing quality technology with the world.”
Coming to its use of UFS 3.0, the UFS standard is a customised interface which is created to enable the fast read-write operations while minimizing the power consumption. This technology was introduced last year in 2018 and it brought improvements in the read and write speeds while doubling the bandwidth per lane. What it means in smartphone term is that it will make the OnePlus launch apps faster, reduce the loading time of the games and apps, and also giving the device a faster boot time.
To keep matters in perspective, Samsung Galaxy S10 and the Huawei P30 Pro comes with UFS 2.1 storage support. The new UFS 3 is 2 times faster than the UFS 2.1 and it offers a maximum data transfer rate of 23.2Gbps with up to 11.6Gbps per lane. It also consumes less power as it uses the 2.5V VCC.
With these new technologies being brought by OnePlus, the other competitors will have to think outside the box to not get left behind. More details about the OnePlus 7 and the OnePlus 7 Pro will be made available once it launches on May 14.
Chinese smartphone brand OnePlus is all set to launch its OnePlus Pro handset in exactly a week now. And as the date of the launch draws nearer, more and more number of leaks about the device are surfacing online. The hype around the upcoming smartphone is justified considering that OnePlus 7 Pro is touted to be the best handset yet from the company, and fans would obviously be excited. Days before the device’s launch, images of the OnePlus 7 Pro have emerged online.
The report was first published by technology website WinFuture and it comes with an entire gallery of pictures of OnePlus 7 Pro. In the images, one can see the handset from all the sides. The pictures show all the colour variants of the OnePlus 7 Pro handset too.
The report in WinFuture claims that the pop-up selfie camera on the top left is also visible for the first time in its extended module. Besides this, it can also be seen that the smartphone has a simpler but a more “reliable realization of the ear piece”, that will be placed in a narrow slot on the top of the device’s display.
OnePlus 7 Pro can be seen to come with a large number of antenna bands. While they make look rather unusual to some, we personally have no concerns about them since they would provide a higher call quality. The handset is seen to come with a 6.67-inches display (diagonal) with a 3120×1440 pixel resolution and its back panel seems rounded on the sides. The display of the smartphone will come with a refresh rate of 90Hz.
The images also show the OnePlus 7 Pro to come with only one loudspeaker at the bottom, that also houses a USB Type C port. In addition to this, it is claimed by the report that the handset comes with a 4,000mh battery that will have support for 30 watts Warp Charging technology. It can also be seen that the camera module on the device will protrude out a bit.
We should mention that OnePlus 7 Pro will be the first smartphone by the company to come with a triple rear camera setup and it is speculated that it will have a 48MP, a 16MP and an 8MP sensor. The handset is expected to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Octa-core SoC and will come with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.
HMD Global is all set to launch its Nokia 4.2 smartphone in India today. The company has been teasing to launch the smartphone for a few days now, and last week, it took to Twitter to say that the device will be launched on May 7. Nokia 4.2 smartphone was initially launched at the Mobile World Congress 2019 in Barcelona, Spain.
The key features of the handset include a dedicated button for Google Assistant and an LED notification light on the power button. A teaser shared by the company also showed the back of a smartphone, which looked exactly like Nokia 4.2, and this further cements the fact that the handset will finally make its way to India today.
Another teaser by HMD Global shows a pink coloured variant of Nokia 4.2 that was earlier shown at the MWC 2019, which means that we can expect to see this colour variant in India too. Like all other Nokia smartphones from HMD Global, the device is a part of Google’s Android One program. It features a fingerprint scanner and sports a vertically aligned dual rear camera setup. Here’s everything that we know about the smartphone:
In This Article
Nokia 4.2 price in India (expected)
Globally, Nokia 4.2 is priced at $169 (approximately Rs 11,700) for its base variant that comes with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage, while its 3GB RAM/32GB storage version costs $199 (approximately Rs 13,800). In India too, the pricing of the smartphone is expected to be similar. In this price range, it will compete with the likes of Nokia 4.2 will compete with smartphones like Redmi Note 7 Pro, Samsung Galaxy M30 (review) and Realme 3 Pro.
Nokia 4.2 specifications
Since Nokia 4.2 has been launched already, we know about the specifications of the smartphone. The handset comes with a 2.5D glass on the front as well as on the back. It is made of a polycarbonate body and has a metallic internal structure. Nokia 4.2 has a 5.71-inch HD+ (720 x 1520 pixel) display that has an aspect ratio of 19:9.
Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 439 SoC processor, the device from Nokia comes with up to 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. Users can also add a microSD card of up to 400GB for more storage. For imaging duties, Nokia 4.2 sports a dual rear camera setup that comprises of a 13MP camera with f/2.2 autofocus lens and a 2MP fixed-focus lens.
Microsoft today announced a number of new things that it will be doing at its Build 2019 developer’s conference. The software giant has a lot up its sleeve. Here, we have listed down all the plans that it spoke about at Microsoft Build 2019. Take a look:
In This Article
New features for Edge Chromium browser
The software giant unveiled a number of new features for its Edge Chromium browser at its developer’s conference. To begin with, the browser has got a new ‘IE Mode’, that will enable businesses to load old sites on the new browser with Internet Explorer. The company will let businesses customize the New Tab page and it is also building on new Collections feature that will let users collect text, images, and information in a note.
It is worth noticing that Microsoft will be keeling the links of the images or text that you drop in these Collections. Most importantly, the company is also focussing on privacy and would not let web trackers follow you on the internet.
Fluid Framework
With the new Fluid Framework developer platform, Microsoft will let developers build more interactive apps and services on the internet. We should mention that prior to this, the company has tried multiperson collaboration on the internet in Office as well as its Whiteboard app.
And now, with Fluid Framework, it looks like the software giant is getting the learnings to all. According to the company, the content produced using Fluid Framework will be split into different components and hence, developers will be able to use it across various apps.
Edge Chromium browser for macOS
Microsoft has teased that it is getting its Edge Chromium browser for macOS. We should mention that it was first launched last month on Windows as Canary and Dev builds, and now, it will be seen finally making its way to macOS. While the company has not given out any official dates yet, it has definitely hinted that it will be getting the browser to macOS too.
Enhancements to Cortana
Microsoft will be introducing some improvements to its digital assistant Cortana so that it can compete with its rivals like Google Assistant. The company has announced that going forward, the digital assistant will be able to respond to conversations, set reminders and even get meetings in place for the user. While Cortana could already do some of the things that were announced, the part about having conversations is the key addition.
New Minecraft AR games for smartphones
Last but not least, the company teased that a new Minecraft AR game will soon be coming to smartphones. While we do know now that Microsoft is working on the game, we have not been given any details about it as of now. It is speculated to be on the lines of Pokemon Go.
Netflix Originals Sacred Games had created quite a stir when it launched. The makers on Monday dropped the first look for the upcoming season (Sacred Games 2) and according to the same, Kalki Koechlin and Ranvir Shorey will be joining the cast.
In the same promo, we also see glimpses of Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who play Sartaj Singh and Ganesh Gaitonde respectively. However, they have saved the best for the last as we see Pankaj Tripathi as the mysterious Guruji. It is noteworthy that, Guruji did not have a lot of screen time in the first season but he is expected to play a vital role in the upcoming season. In this new promo, there is no date mentioned on when Sacred Games 2 will start streaming we now know it will happen sometime this year.
Kalki will be playing a character called Batya, while Ranvir will essay the role of Shahid Khan in Sacred Games 2. The duo will play pivotal roles in the unravelling of a new mystery.
Talking about her role in Sacred Games 2, Kalki Koechlin said, “Personally, I am a fan of the series, and it is super awesome to be a part of the Sacred Games and Netflix family. Season 2 promises to be much more exciting and I cannot wait for viewers to watch me in the series.”
Ranvir Shorey, on the other hand, said, “The digital platform is so empowering and working on this audience-favourite show has been an absolute delight! My character in Sacred Games 2, Shahid Khan, is a complete departure from any of the roles I have played before, and I am looking forward to fans across the world bingeing on the new season.”
Another change in the second season of Sacred Games is that it will now be directed by Anurag Kashyap and Neeraj Ghaywan. Neeraj is the director of critically acclaimed film Masaan and has replaced Vikramaditya Motwane, who is continuing as the showrunner.
The audio market in India is getting bigger by the day. Some might give its credit to companies like Reliance JIO, as they have increased internet penetration in India. However, one main reason is that the youngsters are waking up to the smartphone culture and want better audio accessories and equipment to soothe their senses. Today, Blaupunkt BH01 Bluetooth wireless headphones were launched in India aimed at the next-gen user.
The German company forayed into personal audio range in Feb 2019 here. They are quickly bringing new headphones for each type of users. The Blaupunkt BH01 Bluetooth wireless headphones fall in the affordable range of BT headsets and are priced at Rs 1,699. The company claims that the resonance provided by these headphones are best in class and they work on Bluetooth 5.0, the latest BT tech right now.
These are over the ear pair of headphones, which have good cushioning on the ear cups as well as headband. The company has added a unique equalizer button on them that enables the user to switch between music mode and Turbo boost mode. Blaupunkt says, the Turbo boost mode is added keeping the Indian consumers in mind who listen to a lot of Bollywood and regional music.
Andrzej Cebrat, Managing Director, Blaupunkt said, “Blaupunkt in India has already become leaders in the range of home audio products. Blaupunkt with its century-old legacy of impeccable innovation and 20+ years of experience in Indian audio products segment. It aims to raise the bar in India market and meet consumer demands with its latest edition BHO1 in the Indian Market”.
The Blaupunkt BH01 Bluetooth wireless headphones come with 300 mAh battery. This can keep the headphones alive for up to 10 hours in a single charge. The battery gets fully charged in 2.5 hours. There is a mic function on the headphones too which lets the users make voice calls with the headphones. Other control buttons on the headphones include Play, Pause and track change.
With Blaupunkt BH01 Bluetooth wireless headphones, the company has extended its range of audio products in the Indian market. Now they have a range of televisions, sound bars and headphones. And at this price point, they will go ahead and fight for market space with the likes of Skullcandy, who already have a good lead in India.
Recently, we caught up with Mr Yogesh Mudras, MD, UBM India. We picked his brains on how the gaming industry in India is evolving and what role is the ecosystem playing in its growth. He gave us some good insights on what made gaming revive here, since it was a dying breed in India, just 5 years ago.
Can you tell our readers more about what the UBM India group does when it comes to gaming?
A little backgrounder, UBM India, organises exhibitions in the country and provides the industry with platforms that bring together buyers and sellers from around the world. Through a portfolio of over 25 large scale exhibitions, 40 content led conferences & seminars across the country.
In the gaming vertical, we host a 2-day interactive Game Development and Design Conference in India, which aims to bring different stakeholders under a single platform from the industry with keynote presentations, brainstorming panel discussions and case studies. This summit provides a platform for game designers, programmers, artists, producers, and business professionals in the gaming community to enhance their knowledge, address challenges and gain insights on future trends of the industry.
The conference is an initiative taken to address all aspects of gaming, ranging from current trends, a slow shift from mobile games to the augmented engagement level of online games, digital distribution platforms, game design and development for the Indian market, emerging technologies to smart monetisation. Under the aegis of UBM and Informa, we also present a lineage in Gaming expos and conferences with — Game Developers Conference ( GDC ) which is held annually in San Francisco attracting over 550 exhibitors, 28,000 attendees, hosting over 500 sessions with 830 speakers and another annual three day expo — Middle East Games Con in Abu Dhabi that delivers a world of innovation and the ultimate gaming experience bringing in the region’s vibrant and ever-growing community together.
Till a few years ago gaming was a dying breed, how did it revive?
Gaming in India saw its first light with games like Tetris, Space Impact, Solitaire, Super Mario and Pacman. In the last few decades, the gaming industry in India has come a long way and with a tag of being called the Boomtown of digital gaming, it is all set to reach, or even surpass, the $1 billion market by 2020. With millennials increasingly getting hooked to technology with mobile phones and social media the booming opportunity in the gaming space has revived. With the emergence and growing adoption of 3G/4G network mobile services, which was not there back then, and with increased production of games, the industry will get a further push. This, in turn, will offer new opportunities for developers, publishers and technology experts.
Over the last two years, gaming has hit new heights in India as there is a focus on the local development of games, large volume of users and rising potential of monetisation. This implies that gaming has the potential to emerge as a significant sector creating jobs for thousands of millennials who can join the creative workplace. Apart from this, game apps allow players to stream their games on social media platforms and post scores and statistics or invite people to join the force. Clearly, the gaming industry is far more evolved from the time when a lot of us were growing up.
What is accelerating its growth now?
The gaming industry has seen growth from casual to serious gamers. The major drivers for the gaming industry growth are increasing smartphone penetration and affordability, expanding the internet user base and declining data prices. The way games are run today has changed completely in terms of both engagement and revenues.
Rising demand for evolved gaming consoles such as PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch etc., is being witnessed in urban areas of India. Government initiatives like Digital India and Make in India have created a lucrative pull towards the gaming industry, encouraging gamers to play games based on famous events like Kaun Banega Crorepati, T20fever.com, IPL and Khel Kabaddi, amongst others.
Moreover, the innovation of technologies, the focus of gaming companies is towards AR, VR and AI related games in the country and is anticipated to boost India’s gaming market in the coming year.
Gaming startups are spaces for rapid growth. With money moving into the Indian gaming industry, investors are certainly expecting exceptional results and return on investment, as India is the world’s second largest internet population with skills base across IT, Testing and Arts. Game development outsourcing is a promising trend in India, as there is abundant talent in the programming and art sectors. Although there are some challenges involved, this is the ideal time to invest in the industry given that just two years ago, India was placed on the 2nd position in the mobile game session’s category, securing a 13 per cent share.
There are many factors from both the organisation and a business perspective regardless of platform. Almost all new games these days are competitive and is a form of entertainment which give people the power to enjoy their passion for gaming in ways that suit their mood, lifestyle or interest. The global games industry has reinvented itself to maximize consumer engagement and is based on three dimensions playing, viewing and owning which helped in revenue growth on a global scale. As we look toward the future, we foresee games playing an increasingly impactful role in disrupting and reshaping traditional industries, from implementing individual game mechanics to an array of mergers and acquisitions crossing the boundaries of traditional industries.
How is India poised to become the next big thing when it comes to Gaming?
There are nearly 300 million gamers in India and 95% of them are below 30. Looking ahead, app store game downloads for local and foreign players are expected to reach 5.3 billion by 2020. Now, there are players in India who take gaming seriously and are professionally well trained who can compete with other country gamers in gaming Arenas and Tournaments. Tournaments like DOTA, players are winning prize amount of 1 Million dollars each, a professional gamer doesn’t have to do some boring 9-5 Job to earn money, he can earn it by doing what he loves to do. some of the trending games in India right now are PUBG, Clash Royale, HQ Trivia, 8 Ball Pool, and of course, Candy Crush, amongst others, which has given way to real-time experience, leading to massive user-retention.
Will UBM India Group hold gaming tournaments as well? If so, where and when?
UBM India is an aggregator platform, our aim is to support the gaming industry by hosting conferences such as the recently held Game Development and Design Conference. It is an initiative aimed at stakeholders to converse and discuss the way forward for the gaming industry in India. It is a platform for all the stakeholders in the gaming fraternity to come together and address all aspects of gaming, ranging from current trends, a slow shift from mobile games to the augmented engagement level of online games, digital distribution platforms, game design and development for the Indian market, emerging technologies to smart monetisation. Our aim is to bring together creative forces, everyone under one roof to provide opportunities for developers, hardware, software and middleware service providers, visualization technologies, content production services, online streaming service providers corporations, and the end user.
What according to you is the biggest challenge for this market, especially brands who sell hardware or software solutions to gamers?
With technology ever changing, to compete in this field itself is a huge challenge. The evolution of technology has caused the death of handheld gaming devices. These days, we have mobile gaming with consoles still thriving and each new invention of the console makes us believe in new invention and capabilities. The hardware platforms, on which the game runs, be it an arcade, a PC or a gaming console has witnessed a flat trajectory in the console market. The original systems weren’t designed to support the latest technology which means a lot of porting and backward compatibility and both hardware and software has to go hand-in-hand for this.
Technology giant Google will kick start its annual I/O 2019 developer conference on Tuesday. At the event, the company is expected to shed a light on the new features and improvements coming to its Android operating system, Google Assistant, and to its various popular apps and services. But this year, Google is expected to do more than what it normally does. The company is also expected to launch its mid-range smartphones at the event. Here, we have compiled everything that you can expect from Google I/O 2019 developer conference:
In This Article
Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL
Reports and rumours about the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL smartphones have been surfacing online for months now. Google is expected to unveil its mid-range smartphones on the first day of Google I/O 2019. While the Pixel 3a will reportedly be available at a starting price of $399, the Pixel 3a XL will cost $479. It has also been said that both the smartphones will come with a camera performance that will be on par with its Pixel 3 flagship handsets. But then, they will come with a plastic build instead of a glass one, be powered by less powerful processors and come without wireless charging.
How do we know that the launch will on May 7?
There are various leaks about Google’s Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL smartphones. But if something does confirm the launch, it is the smartphone’s listing on e-commerce giant Flipkart’s website. The listing says that one can find out more about the two handsets on May 8. If the two smartphones will get listed on Flipkart on May 8, they have been unveiled on May 7, which is the first day of Google’s conference.
Details about Android Q
If there’s one thing that everyone looks forward to at Google I/O every year, it is the full preview of Android. While the company has already released two betas of Android Q, we are sure it is saving a lot of details for the event. The latest version of Android will give users more control over privacy, ability to limit apps to track their location only when required to, a system-wide dark mode, and a number of other features.
Android Q: Things that are little-known
While the features we mentioned till now are known because of the Android Q betas, there are other things that are not known popularly. For instance, Android Q will be able to work with foldable phones and will enable them to go from tablet to handset mode seamlessly. Google is also reported to get a Samsung Dex-like mode with Android Q.
There are plenty of questions that Google left unanswered about its cloud gaming service Stadia. We don’t even know how much Google Stadia’s subscription will cost yet. At its I/O developer conference this year, Google is expected to announce more about the new service.
Nest Hub Max with a smart display
The technology giant has revealed a Nest-branded Home Hub smart display without giving us too many details about it previously. It is expected to give us more details about it during Google I/O 2019. The device comes with a 10-inch display and has stereo speakers. That’s all that we know about the Hub Max right now, but then, one doesn’t have to be a genius to know that it will focus a lot on Google Assistant.
Additions to Google Assistant
Google Assistant just gets better every year. And this year should be no different. Google will be showing off what’s new to its digital assistant during the developer conference and how it has made it smarter than its rivals. News on Google Lens is expected too.
Duplex
One among the key highlights of last year’s Google I/O was the demonstration of Duplex, that enables Google Assistant to make calls to make reservations on your behalf. We are really hoping to find out more about it at this year’s event.
Enhancements in Google Photos
Let’s face it: A majority of us use Google Photos as the default app for photos now. Google knows this, and it never manages to get more useful features to the app every year. We will have to wait a little more to find out what it plans to get this year.
Maybe some additions to Android TV OS
While we know that there isn’t much to expect from Wear OS this year, there is no word about the Android TV OS. So, there is a possibility that Google will be upgrading it for users this year.
![[Video] Nokia 4.2 unboxing, first impressions and camera shots](https://www.gadgetbridge.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Screenshot-109-768x402.jpeg "[Video] Nokia 4.2 unboxing, first impressions and camera shots")
