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Xiaomi Watch S1, Buds 3 launched: Check specifications and price

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Just before the end of the year, Xiaomi released Watch S1 and Xiaomi Buds 3 alongside the Xiaomi 12 series and MIUI 13. The Xiaomi Watch S1 is the most premium smartwatch of the company to date, and the Xiaomi Buds 3 are its truly wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds.

The new wearable from the house of Chinese tech major was long hinted at, and even before the launch, we knew much of what to expect. However, now that the things are official, we know for a fact how the new Xiaomi smartwatch and TWS 3 earphone looks and what they promises to offer in terms of quality and functionality. Let’s check out:

Xiaomi Watch S1 Specifications

Xiaomi Watch S1

The Xiaomi Watch S1 has a stainless steel casing that features a 1.43-inch circular AMOLED display with 466 x 466 pixels resolution and Sapphire Glass protection. The smartwatch has health-monitoring sensors like blood oxygen and heart rate sensors, as well as a sleep-tracking feature. It is compatible with devices running on at least Android 6.0 or iOS 10.0 and is bundled with 117 sports modes. It also sports a 5ATM waterproof build.

The Xiaomi Watch S1 can be used for navigating notifications and messages when paired with a compatible mobile phone. It also includes a microphone and speaker that help users to attend voice calls from their wrist, without requiring them to take out their connected smartphone from pocket.

Also Read | Top 10 Wireless Earphones Under 2000 in India [2022] – Choose Best Bluetooth Neckband Earphone for You

The watch includes support for blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) and heart rate tracking. However, it can’t be used as a replacement for medical equipment. It further has onboard GNSS positioning support for precise location tracking and NFC to make touchless payments.

Xiaomi Watch S1 Price

For the Viton wristband option, the price of Xiaomi Watch S1 has been set at CNY 1,049 (roughly Rs 12,300) while the one with the leather wristband will cost CNY 1,099 (roughly Rs 12,900). It comes in Black Viton and Obsidian Black Strap as well as Streamer Silver with Brown and Blue Leather Strap options.

Xiaomi Buds 3 Specifications

Xiaomi Buds 3

The Xiaomi Buds 3 feature an ultra-dynamic dual-magnetic driver unit that is touted to deliver audio output with detailing at all levels. It comes with active noise cancellation (ANC), which reduces ambient noise by up to 40 decibels. The earphones are equipped with three microphones (Mild Noise Reduction, Balanced Noise Reduction, and Deep Noise Reduction) and a transparency option that let some ambient sounds in. They also have IP55-rated dust and water resistance.

The Xiaomi Buds 3 can last 7 hours on a single charge with ANC turned off and 30 hours with the charging case that can be charged in one of two ways: either USB-C or via a certified Qi wireless charger.

Xiaomi Buds 3 Price

The price of Xiaomi Buds 3 carry a price tag of CNY 449 (roughly Rs 5,300) and are featuring Black Jade and First Snow White colour options.

Also Read: Tecno Spark 8 Pro launched with 48 MP triple camera

“Quizbee is a part of the gaming space with a unique approach”

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Team My Mobile
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Participating in a quiz has its own experience. It brings to fore the curiosity in you to gain more knowledge on a variety of topics. Quizbee, a real money gaming app, is one such platform that drives your desire to enhance your general awareness, by enabling you to play quiz to answer few simple questions along with a group of peer to win cash prizes. The sooner you answer, the higher you score and the higher you score, the higher is the amount you win. Amit Khaitan, CEO, Intelligence Game which owns Quizbee, speaks more about this quiz platform, in a conversation with Ramesh Kumar Raja. Excerpts:

How do you look at the emerging trend of online gaming which has undergone a massive change, especially in the wake of COVID-19 lockdown?

Online gaming was biding its time and that’s when COVID gave it the push it needed. People sitting at home with nothing to do were looking for good ways to spend their free time. Challenge is something that everyone likes but will relish only when you have enough time to get better at something and have a chance of winning. People have tasted the fun and challenge of the online gaming industry even after the COVID-19 phase with more strong mental capabilities and vast potential moving forward.

Can you please tell us about the whole business of gaming in India and how is Quizbee contributing to this technological revolution?

It’s not much different from any other business, in a sense you have to find something that people like and then create a scenario where some cash prize makes the users enjoy the setup more. The advantage of gaming is that we all loved playing games as a kid and it brings out the child even among the senior citizens in the family. Most gaming sectors include a specific category of audience and that you need to make sure to reach out to that category. Otherwise, the progress will be steady and slow.

We wanted Quizbee to be a part of the gaming space but with a unique approach. We wanted to focus more on general knowledge rather than being specific to sports or arcade games.

Let’s analyze it with a simple example- Since we have a large population buying newspapers, most of them don’t buy it to read the news stories instead they just play and enjoy the crossword section in it.

Now, if you can create a crossword puzzle game with an entry fee of, say 1 rupee, you can reach out to the type of people just mentioned above that carry something that can scale up your crossword gaming section.

What sorts of games do you offer on your platform and how have been their responses?

We offer knowledge-based quizzes, which include study subjects like Maths, General Knowledge, and more. We also intend to add science and even some technical subjects like Java, PHP, and so on. For more fun subjects, we have Bollywood and Cricket theme-based quizzes. We are also looking forward to add more to this section and finally ensuring that we have the whole spectrum covered. We are also adding some simple fun arcade games, if you feel taxed enough after a few quiz games.

Why is Quizbee still not available on Google Play and Apple App Store? Do you have any plan to land on these platforms?

We are a real-money gaming app and Google Play has some policy that doesn’t allow real money gaming apps. We are on the Apple Store as they don’t have any such reservations. We hope that Google will pretty soon do away with this policy and we will be able to go up on store, but while we are waiting for it, we also intend to create a version of our application that will be created for students and will be hosted on Google store. I can’t share more details but we will let everyone know once it’s there.

“We are a real-money gaming app and Google Play has some policy that doesn’t allow real money gaming apps… We hope that Google will pretty soon do away with this policy and we will be able to go up on store, but while we are waiting for it, we also intend to create a version of our application that will be created for students and will be hosted on Google store”

What is your revenue model? How has been the business so far for Quizbee?

Every room has a fee associated with it. When someone joins a room to play the game, they pay the fees which get added to the prize kitty of the room for that game. We take a certain percentage of that prize amount as our platform service charge and distribute the rest to the players who performed well in that game. There is quite a few more revenue models planned as we will keep improving our app with more such features but that information will be coming out slowly over the next year or so. As we are in the early stages of our launch, our main goal is to bring more and more players to the game. On the business side, we see traction in the sense that more and more games are being played on our platform and we will hit a critical mass soon.

What are your expectations now, especially when the COVID-19 pandemic is going down?

There are two things to be noted. One, I don’t think COVID-19 is going down so easily, with a variant coming every month but the positive person in me wants it to go down tomorrow if possible, but I don’t see any adverse effects of it on the gaming industry as of now. Once a rolling boulder has gained speed on a slope you generally can’t stop it and that is the stage of the gaming industry. It is now getting up, so let’s just wait and watch and enjoy the ride.

What do you do to increase the recall value of your brand among gamers?

We keep adding new types of games and new features to the app. Along with that, we give free tickets to our players to join games without paying a joining fee. We have quite a few more things in the pipeline.

Also Read: “Snowflake simplifies complex gaming data to empower gaming companies”

What innovations and diversifications you are doing to stay ahead of the curve in India, which is a highly competitive market?

It is competitive, yes, but as of now, it has a lot of space similar to what the ecommerce industry had 7-8 years back. A lot of people came into this industry but some of them weren’t able to make it to the last point, while others are growing with more strength now.

In gaming, you just have to stay in touch with your players and keep evaluating what they like and what they don’t. Also in the early phases, most of the competitors are helpful for each other in that they help you understand good and bad features by just tracking them. We are trying to see the patterns emerging around us and are also trying to ensure being a part of every good pattern.

What are your thoughts on the gaming industry becoming more of a social media platform for millennials?

With the metaverse coming into the picture and our progress towards sci-fi gaming movies is becoming a reality, it will not become a social media platform. It has the power to become an alternate universe and that path will go through the intermediate stage where games will form their own social media setup and there could be specific applications that will come or the games themselves will provide the opportunity inbuilt.

How has the model of gaming on the cloud been one of the biggest boons of the industry which has helped handle the sudden upsurge?

Cloud makes it easier to manage and upscale very fast when the time comes. Imagine the fact that the only thing you are working for is a lot of users and suddenly one day millions of users show up and you can’t serve them because your infrastructure is not ready. That will be a plain suicide and that’s where the cloud comes in and helps you avoid that suicide and ensures it’s not big on your pocket allowing even small players to stay in the game. We don’t need to forget that this is India, where we are talking about billions of users. Therefore, we can figure out what would be the scary outcome if the cloud weren’t there.

“Cloud makes it easier to manage and upscale very fast when the time comes. Imagine the fact that the only thing you are working for is a lot of users and suddenly one day millions of users show up and you can’t serve them because your infrastructure is not ready. That will be a plain suicide and that’s where the cloud comes in and helps you avoid that”

What are the challenges you see in India from a gaming point of view?

First and foremost, gaming is considered a distraction from your main path in our country. Therefore, there is a need to avoid that thought in the country, doing what we are good at (making sure it doesn’t hurt others) and enjoying it, and also making a living out of it is a dream come true and not a distraction.

Once this is taken care of and the mindset changes, I believe that the government policies will make it easier for the gaming industry to become more progressive. These laws in the gaming industry space will help us become much bigger than what we are today. There are more clauses to it but we can discuss them later when these two are taken care of.

How do you look at the future of online gaming in India? What are your plans for the next year i.e. 2022?

It’s very bright. We are on the verge of a gaming revolution; it’s just a matter of time. The only thing that we as an industry need to make sure is that we don’t take this for granted and there’s a lot of sweat and patience that we still need before we make it to the big.

Also Read: Gaming is going to give birth to multiple careers: Rooter CEO

Tecno Spark 8 Pro launched with 48MP triple camera

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Team My Mobile
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Smartphone brand Tecno has launched another all-rounder smartphone under its most popular ‘Spark series’ portfolio, the all-new Spark 8 Pro.

The smartphone is loaded with segment disruptive features such as a 33W super-fast charger, 48MP triple rear camera, Helio G85 Processor, a huge 6.8 FHD+ Dot-in-Display, and a massive 5,000mAh battery. Spark 8 Pro is designed to up the entertainment quotient for India’s Gen-z consumers who have a fast paced lifestyle & media consumption habits, by providing a seamless smartphone experience.

Smartphones in the Spark series are known for their superior camera, display, and overall smartphone experience in the affordable segment. The smartphone is loaded with category defining features such as 48MP triple rear camera with super night mode, intelligent focus, and multi-frame exposure for professional grade photography even in low light conditions. Additionally, Spark 8 Pro also flaunts a 6.8FHD+ Display for uninterrupted viewing experience, a 5,000mAh battery for non-stop entertainment and a 33W Super-Fast charger that juice up the battery up to 85% in merely 60 minutes, all this powered by the efficient and robust Helio G85 Blazing Fast Processor ensuring powerful graphics and best in class usage experience.

Arijeet Talapatra, CEO of Transsion India, said, “At Tecno, customer satisfaction has always been the heart of our product innovation. With the Spark series, our strategy is to continue to focus on all-rounder smartphones that are equipped with industry-leading specifications at unmatched price points. The latest Spark 8 Pro has been designed keeping in mind the aspirations of the youth of India of always wanting the best of everything. Another exciting news is that an even more stylish version of Spark Go 2021, Spark Go 2022 will be available on Amazon.in starting from December 29, 2021. We look forward to bringing in such multiple disruptive innovations in the coming year 2022, to further keep providing our consumers with best-in-class latest features.”

Tecno Spark 8 Pro has been introduced as the successor the Spark 7 Pro variant, and comes equipped with disruptive feature upgrades. Spark 8 Pro will be available in four vibrant colors namely Winsor Violet, Komodo Island, Turquoise Cyan and Interstellar Black.

Key USP’s of Spark 8 Pro:

33W super-fast charger for very quick charging

The Spark 8 Pro comes with powerful 33W type-c fast charger which can charge 85% of the battery in 1 hours’ time so no more low battery hassles.

48MP High Resolution AI camera with Super Night Mode

The Spark 8 Pro is equipped with a 48MP High Resolution AI Camera with an F1.79 big aperture and Super Night Shot with Ultra Sensing Tetracell technology to click superior pictures in any light. Moreover, it supports various Pro shooting modes like 2K Time-lapse, Slow Motion, Video Bokeh, Video Beauty Intelligent focus, Gender Specific AI Beauty to click excellent images and many more.

Also Read | Tecno Camon 18 brings 48MP rear, selfie camera at Rs 14,999

Helio G85 superfast processor for extra ordinary usage

The Spark 8 Pro comes with a 2GHz Octa-Core Arm Cortex A75 CPU and 1GHz Mali G52 GPU for gaming greatness. Its HyperEngine technology with intelligent dynamic CPU and GPU management provides a seamless performance and multi-level optimization.

6.8-inch FHD+ Center Dot-in Perfect display

The Spark 8 Pro features a large 6.8-inch FHD+ Center Dot-in Perfect display, making it perfect for binge watching and gaming. The 500 nits’ brightness makes the viewing experience vivid even in direct sunlight. The screen size is perfect for playing games, watching videos or to do online activities like e-learning, meetings etc. Its 120Hz touch sampling rate ensures faster touch response on the screen while playing games.

5,000mAh powerful battery for nonstop action

The Spark 8 Pro houses a mega 5,000mAh battery. This provides a whopping standby time of up to 63 days, and 160 hours of music playback time. The powerful battery provides an uninterrupted smartphone experience.

Memory fusion – Up to 7GB RAM Extended Virtual Memory

Extended RAM makes it a perfect device for binging content, the smartphone is also assisted by a 4GB LPDDR4x RAM and 64GB ROM. In addition to this it also flaunts a Virtual memory expansion that’s up to 3GB to make it up to 7GB, wherein the OS can transfer data from Internal storage (ROM) to physical memory (RAM) in case of RAM memory is not enough. Internal storage can further extended up to 512GB by dedicated SD Card slot

Other features:

IPX2 Splash resistant

Spark 8 Pro comes with a IPX2 rating splash resistant technology that can save damage to the phone with dripping water (3 mm/min) at max tilt of 15° from drips.

Enhanced audio experience with a DTS Sound, SOPLAY 2.0

Spark 8 Pro comes loaded with exciting audio features such as a DTS Sound for core audio enhancements and supports high resolution Audio. SOPLAY 2.0 app for customizable music that supports Voice recording, Lyrics Writing and One-Click Ringtone and the best part is that it doesn’t even require internet!

Also introducing Tecno Spark Go 2022, an upgrade of the Spark Go 2021. It is a perfect smartphone with bolder and refreshed looks and with superior specs yet affordable on your pocket. It has a massive 5,000mAh battery with 46 days long standby for non-stop action. Spark go 2022 flaunts a 6.52-inch HD+ IPS display with 120Hz touch sampling rate to enjoy smoother and faster viewing experience on a bigger screen. The smartphone also features DTS sounds that enhance the entertainment experience of the customer. Spark Go 2022 comes with 13MP AI Dual rear camera with f1.8 large aperture and 8 MP AI selfie camera with front flash to capture clear and vivid images. Its unique SOPLAY 2.0 feature helps you create one’s own music and HiParty app enables to play same music across multiple devices. The smartphone also comprises of smart fingerprint sensor and face unlock features for security, along with IPX2 rating that make the smartphone splash resistant. It will be available on Amazon.in starting December 29, 2021.

Also Read: U&i launches new range of wireless products for millennials

U&i launches new range of wireless products for millennials

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Team My Mobile
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U&i has launched its new wireless tech products – Batman Series, Missile Series, Pink Series and Screw Series. The newly launched products deliver phenomenal sound quality with excellent power backup. Now, one can enjoy uninterrupted music while jogging, cooking, or even while working.

The U&i Batman Series Wireless Earphone comes with a 30-hour backup, making it a truly portable earphone. For ease of connectivity, it is fitted with the latest Bluetooth version 5.1+EDR. The U&i Batman Series Wireless Earphone boasts of a battery capacity is 40mAh with a talk time of 6 hours in total. Furthermore, the earphones and the charging case both take 1.5 hours to fully charge with the charging case battery capacity of 350mAh. The Batman Series Wireless Earphones come with an output of 5V/100mA which is the most suitable and the most recent technology. Its standby time is 500 hours with a transmission distance of 10 metres.

Batman Series

The U&i Missile Series Wireless Earphone gives a tough competition in the market. It is equipped with a touch sensor and comes with a 20-hour backup. Its transmission distance is that of 10 metres with a standby time of 400 hours. With an output of 5V/100mA, it has a 5.0+EDR Bluetooth, providing much better ease in connectivity and battery. This U&i Missile Series Wireless Earphone has a battery capacity of 30mAh with a talk time of 4 hours and charging time of 1 hour. Moreover, the battery capacity of the charging case is 260mAh and takes 1.5 hours to fully charge.

Missile Series

Also Read | U&i brings in latest series of must-have smart products

The U&i Pink Series Wireless Neckband comes with a mind blowing bass and attractive colours. With the Bluetooth version of 5.1, its standby time is 2,100 hours. The talking time, as well as music time of this neckband, is 25 hours each, which means you can talk to your loved ones and even listen to music all day long without the hassle of charging. This U&i Pink Series Wireless Neckband has a battery capacity of 210mAh and takes 1-3 hours to fully charge. Moreover, it comes with a C-Type charger, making it easier and accessible as a charger. The maximum time of the speaker to be on standby without charging can go up to 2100 hours with a transmission distance of 10metres. Its input power is 1.0A and that of output is 3mWX2, which means comparatively, it takes much less power to charge as compared to its performance.

Pink Series

The U&i Screw Series Wireless Single Earphone is here to revolutionise the market with its brand new features. It has a talk time of 24 hours, which means you can go all day without charging it even once. It comes with a Bluetooth version of V5.0 and its frequency ranges from 20-20000Hz. This earphone’s microphone sensitivity is -85dBm which means it can pick up on the faintest of sounds, making the user’s experience quite memorable. The U&i Screw Series Wireless Single Earphone offers a wireless distance of 10m along with the charging time and standby time of 2 hours and 20 hours each. It contains a lithium battery of 3.7V, with a capacity of 60mAh. The file formats supported by this earphone are A2DP/HFP/HSP/ AVRCP, easing the process of connectivity.

Screw Series

Pricing and Availability:

  • U&i Batman Series Wireless Earphone is available at INR 3,499.
  • U&i Missile Series Wireless Earphone is available at INR 3,499.
  • U&i Pink Series Wireless Neckband is available at INR 2,499.
  • U&i Screw Series Wireless Single Earphone is available at INR 799.

Read Here: Sevenaire Dock S15: India’s first and only wireless charging dock for Samsung smartphone, watch and earbuds

Also, Read:

  • Top 10 Wireless Earphones Under 2000
  • Upcoming 5G Mobiles in India –  Specifications, Expected Date, and Price List in India
  • Samsung 5G Mobile Price in India – Choose Best Samsung Phone For You!
  • Best 5G Phones in India  – Check Latest 5G Mobiles Specifications, Features, and Price
  • Celebrate Holiday season with attractive discounts on Huawei’s smart wearables
  • Boult Audio ‘AirBass Propods X’ launched in India at Rs 1,499
  • Boat launches ‘Rockerz 330 Pro’ neckband earphone with 60-hour battery backup
  • Ambrane launches Dots Tune earbuds at Rs 2,199

Sevenaire Dock S15: India’s first and only wireless charging dock for Samsung smartphone, watch and earbuds

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Team My Mobile
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Why should Apple users have all the fun? Presenting India’s first multi-charging wireless dock for Samsung smartphone and smartwatch owners. Now you can conveniently charge your Samsung phone and Samsung Watch simultaneously using a single wireless dock from Sevenaire. The S15 is designed specifically for Samsung devices and can also be used for charging Qi-compatible phones and gadgets.

Sevenaire is the first Indian brand that caters a wireless multi-device charging dock for Samsung ecosystem users, it said in a statement. The Sevenaire Dock S15 is a 2-in-1 wireless charging dock for Samsung mobile, Samsung Watch and wireless earbuds.

Crafted with elegance and using durable silicone and ABS materials, it is built around some of the safest and intelligent electronics, with a promise of convenience and safety. The silicone anti-slip surface prevents the smartphone and watch from slipping, while premium ABS materials promise long life and durability, making it highly portable to carry in your handbag or backpack. The S15 uses a USB Type-C port and requires just a single 18W QC3.0 power adapter to function.

Also Read: Sevenaire launches Dock D1600, a 15W portable 3-in-1 wireless charging mat for Apple users

The Sevenaire S15 features a dedicated spot on the left for the Samsung Galaxy Watch and is compatible with Samsung Galaxy watch series 1/2/3 and 4. Additionally, you can also use it to charge the Samsung Galaxy Active (series 1/2/3/4). The right side of the charging pad can charge all Samsung wireless compatible smartphones starting from the Galaxy S6, S7,S8,S9,S10,S20,S21 series and even Note 8,9,10,20 and even the latest Galaxy Note/Fold/Flip phones. That’s not all, you can also charge any smartphone that has a wireless charging option – be it Apple’s iPhone, or other Android smartphones from Google, OnePlus 8 Pro,9 Pro or Xiaomi Mi10. You can even charge any wireless charging earbuds on it namely Samsung Buds Live and Samsung Buds Pro and many more. Checkout the full list of compatible devices on brand’s website.

The Sevenaire Dock S15 requires an 18W USB fast charger and can charge your Samsung Smartphones with up to 15 watts of power while charging your Samsung Watch with up to 2.5 Watts of power simultaneously. Lastly, keeping your Samsung smartphone and Watch safe are the S15’s intelligent protection chips that secure your devices from over-voltage, over-current, over-charging and over-heating.

Available in Black, the Sevenaire S15 portable wireless charging dock for Samsung will be available for a price of Rs 2,999 and can be purchased from Amazon.in or Sevenaire.com.

Also Read: Sevenaire launches ‘Neptune’ – 24W portable speaker with RGB LED lights

Tech NewsWrap: Vivo iQOO 9 launch date confirmed… and more

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Team My Mobile
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Vivo iQOO 9 launch date confirmed

Vivo has confirmed that its upcoming iQOO 9 series will launch on January 5, 2022. The company has also lifted the curtain from the much-anticipated look of the phone series. Reportedly, the new iQOO 9 will retain the BMW M design on the back. It will remain Samsung E5 AMOLED, but this time it will be a second-generation panel. It will also be the official KPL device, meaning all competitors will use it in the Arena of Valor King Pro League competition.

Amazon Customer’s Choice Awards 2021 announced

Amazon announced the winners of its first-ever ‘Amazon Customer’s Choice Smartphone & Smart TV Awards 2021’. This annual property was aimed at celebrating and recognizing the best in the smartphone and TV products that are available on Amazon.in. The voting started from December 6, 2021 and received an overwhelming response from over 50,000 participants. The winners are chosen from 12 categories in smartphones and 9 categories in television.

Read here | Winners of first Amazon Customer’s Choice Smartphone, Smart TV Awards 2021 announced

WhatsApp to allow you to link up to 10 groups

WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new community feature, which is set to make the app feature-rich and will allow up to 10 groups to be added in a ‘community’. The feature has been recently spotted in an iOS beta build and is expected to come to both platforms soon. With communities, admins of a community will have more control than admins of a group and will be able to do things like deciding who and who cannot message on a group. Meanwhile, when members will leave a community, they will not be able to view the linked groups either.

Xiaomi introduces MIUI 13

Xiaomi has announced the latest version of custom operating system MIUI – called MIUI 13 and is based on Android 12. It builds on the existing MIUI 12.5 which powers several Xiaomi devices in China, India and other markets. The company released the MIUI 13 during an online event in China. MIUI 13 will focus more on security and privacy enhancements, the company said during its launch event. It comes with an all new MiSans font for Xiaomi phones and improved security and privacy features. Xiaomi has also announced MIUI 13 Pad for its tablets.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro: Which flagship phone claims the crown?

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro: Which flagship phone claims the crown?

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Team My Mobile
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When it comes to flagship smartphones, we can’t miss talking about Samsung and Apple. While Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is one of the best high-end Android phones of 2021, one simply can’t deny the existence of iPhone 13 range. And the iPhone 13 Pro is the big and shiny flagship phone leading the charge. Ahead of the lucrative end of year period, it’s going to have to wrestle with the early-crowned king of the 2021 device – the Galaxy S21 Ultra, to win over the public.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Comparison

Today we are comparing the two biggest phones of 2021 – Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and Apple iPhone 13 Pro. If you are planning to buy any one of these two smartphones for yourself, then this comparison will help you pick the right model. Let’s get started:

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Design

The designs of both the phones – Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and iPhone 13 Pro – are iconic. To accommodate the bigger lenses used by the iPhone 13 Pro, Apple has shrunk the notch on the model while giving it a slightly larger camera array. But on Galaxy S21 Ultra, you don’t have to deal with a notch at all as there’s just a small punch hole. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is taller and thicker than the iPhone 13 Pro while Apple’s device is fractionally wider.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Design

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Display

The screen of Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is a 6.8-inch AMOLED and can run at both a 120Hz refresh rate and a QHD+ (1440 x 3200) resolution simultaneously. While, the iPhone 13 Pro Max has a smaller, less sharp 6.1?inch 1170 x 2532 OLED screen. When it comes to raw image quality, there really isn’t much in the device.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Display

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra would take this category if you awarded bonus points for having a feature first. After all, fast-refreshing displays are old hat for Samsung’s handsets, and the Galaxy S21 Ultra is able to dynamic adjust how fast its display will refresh, scaling from 10Hz all the way up to 120Hz. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra also fully supports Samsung’s S Pen, which is sold as an accessory.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Camera

The Galaxy S21 Ultra and iPhone 13 Pro cameras seem evenly matched. There’s a new-generation 108-megapixel primary camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera and two telephoto cameras on Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra. This time around, iPhone putting the emphasis on low-light photography. The main 12-megapixel lens uses a bigger sensor than before and lets in 49 percent more light while the aperture on the ultrawide angle lens has increased as well. For selfie lovers, Galaxy S21 Ultra offers 40-megapixel front camera and iPhone 13 Pro carries a 12-megapixel selfie shooter. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S21 Ultra continues to rule with its zoom ability. Besides, optical zoom on iPhone 13 Pro goes up to 3X and has introduced new camera features, Cinematic Mode and Photographic Styles.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Processor

The iPhone 13 Pro is a bit more powerful than the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. Apple’s iPhones have been the most powerful in their class for some time now, and the iPhone 13 Pro’s Apple A15 Bionic chipset continues that trend. With a new Apple A15 Bionic chipset running the show on the iPhone 13 Pro, you’d figure the Cupertino-based tech giant would continue to enjoy a big advantage. On the other hand, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra uses the Samsung Exynos 2100 which is commonly used for most high-end Android smartphones now.

In terms of storage, both smartphones give you a choice of 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of internal capacity, but the iPhone 13 Pro also supplies a 1TB option. Besides, as you might expect, both smartphones are 5G ready.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Battery

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with a 5,000mAh battery, while the iPhone 13 Pro has been found to have a 3,095mAh Li-ion type battery with 23W Fast Charging, MagSafe 15W wireless charging, 7.5W Qi wireless charging. That might be a lot smaller than the Samsung, but more significantly it’s a massive increase on the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s 3,687mAh equivalent, which had a great stamina.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Price

Apple iPhone 13 Pro price in India starts at Rs 119,900 for 6 GB RAM + 128 GB internal storage base variant, which is available in Gold, Silver, Graphite, Sierra Blue colour. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra price in India starts from Rs 102,999 for 12 GB RAM + 256 GB internal storage base variant which is available in Phantom Silver, Phantom Black, Phantom Brown colour.

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the iPhone 13 Pro’s biggest competitor. It’s been arguably the best all-round smartphone on the market for most of 2021. However, the things that are important to phone owners — performance, cameras, storage — are the things the Apple iPhone does best. The areas where Samsung holds a big edge is fast refreshing display. However, the addition of a 120Hz display to the iPhone 13 Pro successfully closes the gap to the stunning screen of Galaxy S21 Ultra, though on brightness and sharpness, we would still have to give the latter the edge. In the end, you won’t be disappointed with either device. These are the best options for Android and iOS today.

Also Read: Sumo wishes to make India a major hub of AAA games development, says studio director

 

Sumo wishes to make India a major hub of AAA games development, says studio director

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Team My Mobile
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Mobile gaming is big in India due to the increasing penetration of smartphones and the free-to-play nature of many popular titles. But video game consoles and high-priced games still remain out of reach for average users. Still, the country is fast emerging as an export hub for game developers and the esports companies are increasing their investments. Though the home console market in India is tiny compared to that of mature territories like the US and Europe, developers like Sumo Digital want to use India as a major exporter of games and develop AAA titles almost exclusively for game consoles. The recent opening of Sumo Digital’s second studio in India in Bangalore after Sumo Pune, shows the British company’s commitment to put India on the global map. Stewart Neal, Studio Director, Sumo India, speaks more about this development, in a conversation with Ramesh Kumar Raja. Excerpts:

Sumo Digital is looking to expand further in India, setting up a second studio in Bangalore. Can you please tell us about this move and some of the expectations that the organization has towards this venture?

This move is indeed a milestone for us. We have been looking forward to expanding in India for some time now since we feel there is immense potential for growth in this country. Now that the new Sumo studio in Bangalore is finally here, we are incredibly excited. The new studio will provide more opportunities to deliver specialist development services on multiple console titles. Having a studio in Bangalore, India’s IT capital, is of special importance as the place is brimming with talent in the fields of IT and development, which we seek to leverage for Sumo’s continued growth in the country.

Although console gaming is not as popular as its mobile and PC counterparts, it’s still growing at a significant rate in India. Do you feel that India will one day become a hub of console game developers?

Yes, I feel that India has the potential to become a hub of console game development firms and is pacing down this road in recent times. As per the 2020 Maple Capital Advisors’ Report, the number of game development companies in India went from about 25 in the year 2010 to more than 400 in present times.

Xbox Series X and PS5 recently observed unparalleled sales even with stock shortages due to Covid. The surge in sales of popular consoles has worked to attract investments in the Indian console gaming market. This was highlighted in a 2021 report by KPMG that mentioned that India received investments of 544 million USD in its gaming sector within the first half of FY 2020-21.

Further, it is a fact that India is predominantly inclined towards mobile gaming. However, I believe that people indulging in mobile gaming can actually work to facilitate the growth of the console gaming market. This is because a hiked interest in gaming would naturally lead people to try out other forms available in the field.

I feel that these growth data points are sufficient proof of the fact that India’s gaming industry is advancing.

Lastly, the Indian games industry is abundant in talented developers looking for an opportunity to explore the field of console game development and leverage their skills and knowledge to grow in this arena. Enhanced interest in console gaming could facilitate that.

“I believe that people indulging in mobile gaming can actually work to facilitate the growth of the console gaming market. This is because a hiked interest in gaming would naturally lead people to try out other forms available in the field”

Please tell us about works done by Sumo Digital on the games such as Hitman 2, Forza Horizon 4, Sackboy: A Big Adventure etc.

For Hitman 2

Two levels are created, The Columbia and the Arc from scratch.

For Forza 4

We worked on Barn find vehicle texturing. Created the barn for the vehicles. Environment creation where we created multiple iconic buildings and also worked on asset creation that could be placed on the map.

For Sackboy

Level creation – We were responsible for working on level art where we created levels. We did layouts and then did multiple art passes by adding assets to the levels to bring them to life. We were also responsible for a lot of art motifs where we generated some cool surprise and delight ideas that could be used in levels.

The Pune design team worked on numerous levels from single-player, multiplayer to time trials for Sackboy: A Big Adventure. We collaborated with a team from the Sheffield studio to create small sections of grey box layouts called motifs to explore the interesting combinations of gameplay objects and scenarios. We shortlisted these motifs and used them along with play areas, surprise and delight moments to give ample challenge whilst maintaining the core principles of the game. We worked on prototyping various gameplay objects via visual scripting as well. It was a great experience working with the Pune art and code team along with the Sheffield team.

Can you please tell us about AAA gaming production at Sumo Pune? What were the challenges you faced?

The biggest challenge has been ensuring that we are consistently welcoming new individuals from India’s broad talent pool to join our development teams. India has a very large number of talented programmers, designers and artists, but as more studios are opening, the competition for high-priority roles can be fierce.

Historically, the value of working within the games industry in India was not traditionally understood. Thankfully, attitudes towards the industry have changed massively in recent years, with the stability, security and development opportunities it can provide boosting the interest in joining. As a Sumo Digital studio, we’re committed to supporting entry to the games industry through education and hope that we can further explore opportunities for outreach through Sumo Pune and Sumo Bangalore to continue supporting the growth of our industry.

What is the future of AAA gaming in India?

The AAA gaming industry is fast growing in India. I feel that it would grow at a similar, if not an amplified, rate in the future as well. Sumo is looking forward to leveraging this growth. We wish to make India a major hub of AAA games development in the future and are currently working in this direction.

What are the recent trends in artificial intelligence and game developments?

Artificial intelligence in video games is mainly centered on making the non-playable characters behave in a realistic and believable manner. Techniques such as state machines, decision and behavior trees are popular to drive the AI decision making. Recently, machine learning is coming up as a tool which can result in AI characters having emergent and human-like behaviors, for example an AI learning from its mistakes and adapting to dynamic scenarios. It also can be used to make developing games easier. It can reduce manpower required in large and complex games by automating pipelines such as parts of game testing and also be used in procedural world and content creation. Currently, use of machine learning in games is not widespread, but with future advancements in the technology and new research, it has potential to become a mainstream tool in game development.

What are some of the video game projects that Sumo Bangalore has in store for its gamers?

Whilst we can’t discuss details of our unreleased projects currently, rest assured we have some really exciting games in development and look forward to sharing them with the world soon. Our teams at Sumo India Studios are working on projects across multiple platforms and multiple genres, so it’s a very exciting time to be part of the teams.

With more and more youth looking to delve into the field of esports and game development, do you feel this field will soon be recognized as any other mainstream sport in India?

Esports is undoubtedly growing in terms of recognition in India in recent times. As per a report drafted by EY, the market size of esports that stands at INR 3 billion in FY21 is expected to value INR 11 billion by FY2025.

With such rapid growth, esports has become an attractive option for brands looking to garner the attention of young audiences. I think that the award money for Indian esports would increase in the future, and thus the youth may be attracted to esports as a possible career option. Speculations have been made about including esports in the 2028 Olympics, which can significantly boost the presence of the field in India and globally at large.

As for game development, it’s already a popular career option for the Indian youth. The gaming and game development industries are expanding quickly, and so are the human resources it employs. The demand for qualified coders, engineers, designers, and other creative people is bound to increase shortly.  Gaming is already a billion-dollar industry that is fast-growing and thus offers immense employment opportunities to the youth.

“A recent Research Gate survey based on social interactions of 912 people stated that people who played multiplayer online games established long-lasting friendships and relationships through gaming. So, yes, we can say that gaming is the new way of socializing for people”

What are your thoughts on the gaming industry becoming more of a social media platform for millennials?

Well, it cannot be denied that games are increasingly being used as platforms to find and interact with new people by the youth. Especially in multiplayer games that are gaining rapid popularity these days, the players get to interact with like-minded people. Channels like discord or YouTube channels that categorically exist for gamer interaction further aid the socializing factors of these games. A recent Research Gate survey based on social interactions of 912 people stated that people who played multiplayer online games established long-lasting friendships and relationships through gaming. So, yes, we can say that gaming is the new way of socializing for people.

I think that this can also be beneficial for the gaming companies as word of mouth and player invitations can boost their gamer pool and reach. This can aid the growth of the gaming community and the industry at large in the country.

Winners of first Amazon Customer’s Choice Smartphone, Smart TV Awards 2021 announced

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Team My Mobile
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Amazon.in today announced the winners of its first-ever ‘Amazon Customer’s Choice Smartphone & Smart TV Awards 2021’. This annual property was aimed at celebrating and recognizing the best in the smartphone and TV products that are available on Amazon.in.

The voting started from December 6, 2021 and received an overwhelming response from over 50,000 participants. The winners are chosen from 12 categories in smartphones and 9 categories in television.

“We are delighted to announce the winners of Amazon Customer’s Choice Awards 2021. It gives us immense pleasure to see great participation from our customers across the country who voted for their most preferred Smartphone & Smart TV. We congratulate all the winners who’ve been the customer’s choice for the year 2021 on Amazon.in,” said Nishant Sardana, Director – Mobile Phones & Televisions, Amazon India.

Here’s the list of winners & runner-ups for all the categories:

Amazon Customer’s Choice Smartphone Awards 2021 Winners & Runner-UpsAmazon Customer’s Choice Smart TV Awards 2021 Winners & Runner-Ups

Also Read: The 5G Craze: How Consumers Are Looking For A Smartphone Beyond Cameras

The 5G Craze: How Consumers Are Looking For A Smartphone Beyond Cameras

By
Team My Mobile
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The trend of purchasing a 5G smartphone is catching up in such a way that the consumers are willing to spend more to upgrade to a 5G-enabled device compared to a 4G model. Even brands are leaving no stone unturned in cashing in on this opportunity by offering “smartphones with 5G compatibility” as USPs, in order to entice consumers to think twice before purchasing a handset.

Deepak Wadhwa, a 22-year-old college graduate from Delhi University, recently purchased the Aurora colour variant of Oppo Reno 6 Pro 5G from an ecommerce platform. He is elated to have this new companion which he keeps showing off in his friend circle – it’s not because the smartphone has got a stunning design or it offers above par cameras or it ensures solid performance, but it’s a 5G-compatible device, which makes Reno 6 Pro future-proof. “There’s a lot of talk going on around the impending next-generation 5G telecom network and I’m happy to have Reno 6 Pro till the next few years instead of worrying about the device becoming obsolete,” says Wadhwa.

Likewise, 31-year-old marketing professional Shikha Bharti is planning to buy either an iPhone 12 series smartphone or the recently-launched iPhone 13 or a flagship 5G-enabled device from Samsung or OnePlus. Bharti says, “Since 5G is said to be the next big thing in the telecom space, it’s better to get a smartphone that is future-ready besides offering numerous other features that could be of great help to people like us.” She believes it’s smart to go for a 5G smartphone, keeping the future scenario in mind, which will ensure higher internet speed and lower latency.

There are millions of consumers like Deepak and Shikha who are consciously crazy about 5G smartphones and their much-talked-about benefits, even though India is yet to see the commercial roll out of the next generation technology which is said to dynamically reshape the telecom space. The trend is catching up in such a way that the consumers are willing to spend more to upgrade to a 5G smartphone compared to a 4G model. Interestingly, even brands are leaving no stone unturned in cashing in on this opportunity by offering “smartphones with 5G compatibility” as USPs, in order to entice consumers to think twice before purchasing a handset, which is quite natural.

Numbers say it all

If we talk about figures, India continued to see an upsurge in share of 5G smartphones as such devices accounted for 22 per cent of the market share in the third quarter of 2021, as per a recent report by CMR. Market share of 5G phones maintained a skyward trend with customers looking to future-proof themselves and companies prioritising 5G phones. CMR’s India Mobile Handset Market Review Report indicated that more than 20 5G-capable smartphones were launched over the course of Q3.

“Across price tiers, 5G smartphone shipments are gaining in strength, and contributing to increased affordability, availability and accessibility. With smartphone brands, such as OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Samsung and Vivo prioritising 5G, and consumers seeking to future-proof themselves, 5G continues to gain momentum,” said Shipra Sinha, Analyst-Industry Intelligence Group, CMR. Sinha further said that together, these five brands shipped 5G smartphones in excess of $3 billion during the September 2021 quarter. Vivo led the 5G smartphone segment with an 18 per cent market share, followed by Samsung at 16 per cent, according to CMR.

“Across price tiers, 5G smartphone shipments are gaining in strength, and contributing to increased affordability, availability and accessibility. With smartphone brands, such as OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Samsung and Vivo prioritising 5G, and consumers seeking to future-proof themselves, 5G continues to gain momentum”

– Shipra Sinha, Analyst-Industry Intelligence Group, CMR

For the entire year, CMR estimates point to a potential 5-8 per cent year-on-year growth in smartphone shipments. In the fourth quarter, CMR anticipates the ongoing supply constraints, high components and logistics costs, and consequent high retail costs, to continue challenging smartphone brands. On the demand side, aided by the availability of attractive affordability schemes, smartphone upgraders are seeking better-specced 5G-capable phones.

In the recent festive season sales, the strong consumer demand for smartphone upgrades has been met by aggressive offers in the value for money and premium smartphone segments from smartphone brands, as per CMR. Remarkably, more than 84 per cent of mid-range segment of smartphones bought on popular ecommerce platform Amazon were 5G-ready. Over one million customers purchased a smartphone on Amazon for the first time during its month-long Great Indian Festival 2021. Earlier, in a survey, Amazon had said more than 54 per cent of respondents were looking for a 5G-compatible phone.

“In Q4 2021 and beyond, the supply chain constraints will continue to persist. Smartphone brands that are able to augment their component supplies, and plan in advance their market outreach strategies, will be able to succeed. CyberMedia Research (CMR) anticipates consumer sentiment to remain robust during this period, driven by India’s growing digital transformation,” said Anand Priya Singh, Analyst-Industry Intelligence Group, CMR.

Market forecast

Research firm IDC said that India was the third-largest 5G smartphone market globally with 7 per cent of worldwide 5G shipments, shipping 10 million units at an Average Selling Price (ASP) of $401 (approx. Rs 29,853) in 3Q21. From January-September’21, 17 million 5G smartphones were shipped to India and are expected to be under 30 million for 2021. The OnePlus Nord CE, iPhone 12 and Samsung Galaxy A22 were the most popular 5G models in 3Q21, as per IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. Interestingly, it said the sub-$200 segments dropped by 24 per cent, while $200+ smartphones grew by 56 per cent, signalling a shift to higher price buckets, driven primarily by supply.

Meanwhile, Counterpoint Research forecasts that India’s 5G smartphone installed base will cross 35 million by the end of 2021 from over 17 million in August. According to reports quoting Prachir Singh, Senior Research Analyst at Counterpoint, the 5G smartphone sales will cross 50% by value of the total smartphone market in 2021 festive season and 30% by volume.

“5G is definitely going to be a preferred specification for the October-December quarter sales of smartphones as people are buying expensive smartphones of higher ASPs. So, they will want their investment to be future proof”

– Faisal Kawoosa, Founder and Chief Analyst, Techarc

According to Techarc, 5G smartphone sales for the calendar year 2021 is estimated to be 28.3 million units, out of which 12.7 million are expected to be sold during the festive quarter of fourth quarter alone. Faisal Kawoosa, Founder and Chief Analyst at Techarc, said, “5G is definitely going to be a preferred specification for the October-December quarter sales of smartphones as people are buying expensive smartphones of higher ASPs. So, they will want their investment to be future proof. At the same time, the industry has also complemented very well in terms of making 5G smartphones available across price points. So, in whatever price range a user is looking to buy a smartphone, can explore buying a 5G smartphone.”

Key drivers

India is a “devices go first” market for 5G, with first handset made available back in February 2020 by Realme. Since then, market has witnessed plethora of devices in spite of no spectrum available. So, what are the factors driving people to upgrade their smartphones to 5G in India? Competitive pricing with 4G variants is the major factor driving the popularity of 5G phones. Brands like Oppo, Realme and Xiaomi have already launched affordable 5G smartphones at Rs 15k price points, while the likes of Vivo, OnePlus and Apple have 5G offerings in the mid-premium and premium range above Rs 30k.

As per CMR, 5G-readiness is one of the top three consumer considerations, alongside battery life and smartphone brand imagery. “In India 5G is a sort of luxury feature which consumers are choosing to be future-proof,” said reports quoting an analyst, who did not wish to be named. Brands like Oppo and Realme, he said, are using 5G as an attractive selling proposition and making it affordable for Indian consumers by launching phones priced below Rs 15k.

“IDC expects a boost in 5G shipments with more affordable devices – lowering the ASP gap between 4G Vs 5G devices, without compromising on key specifications, stickiness through financing/trade-in programs and better discounts/offers. Further IDC expects US$250+ price segment to be 5G dominated by end 2021,” said Upasana Joshi, Research Manager, Client Devices, IDC India.

“IDC expects a boost in 5G shipments with more affordable devices – lowering the ASP gap between 4G Vs 5G devices, without compromising on key specifications, stickiness through financing/trade-in programs and better discounts/offers”

– Upasana Joshi, Research Manager, Client Devices, IDC India

Faisal Kawoosa of Techarc said, “The biggest enabler for 5G uptake has been the chipset enablement in the mid-range which allowed OEMs to launch 5G smartphones in affordable segment. This has substantially increased 5G smartphone sales in India even when there is no service available. By 2022, we estimate that 1/3rd of smartphones sold in India will be 5G and close to 10% of the user base will be 5G enabled.”

According to Techarc, since July 2021, 26 smartphones launched were 5G-enabled. “These smartphones are cumulatively expanding into 53 variants with different configurations of RAM-ROM. Primarily these are the 5G smartphones up for sale in Q4,” said Kawoosa.

Millennials – The trend setter

Amid all these facts and figures, there’s a very interesting development! The awareness and willingness to buy a 5G smartphone is highest among millennials or people aged between 21 to 30 years old when it comes to 5G interest among consumers. According to a recent study by market analytics firm PredictiVu, 73% of surveyed smartphone owners are interested in buying a 5G smartphone while nearly 25% (or 1 in 4) MBO consumers are 5G aware.

PredictiVu’s findings stressed that 5G is going to be a major driver for consumers to upgrade their smartphones and Muti Brand Outlets (MBOs) need to have better 5G advertisements and have an effective omnichannel marketing strategy in place to attract more women buyers, a high potential market segment, to their offline stores. Currently, 94.3% of consumers are buying from local retail stores while only 4.7% of consumers shopped from MBO chains. MBOs though have a high potential to educate consumers in-store on 5G technology-enabled smartphones.

“The 5G adoption is going to be a big driver for consumers to upgrade their smartphones and so offline retail MBOs are gearing to deliver convenient and personalized experiences to the consumers. By leveraging robust consumer base, local consumer relationships and social media, offline smartphone retailers can influence the consumers decision making process. Raising consumer awareness is imperative now,” said Kunal Sarkar, Vice President, PredictiVu.

“Offerings and strategies to woo consumers to shift purchase focus to offline stores is important. Therefore, it is imperative that retailers play a key role in educating consumers on 5G enabled smartphones”

– Kunal Sarkar, Vice President, PredictiVu

“Offerings and strategies to woo consumers to shift purchase focus to offline stores is important. Therefore, it is imperative that retailers play a key role in educating consumers on 5G enabled smartphones. Better partnerships with brands, monitoring online exchange schemes to offer better deals, attractive advertisements using omni-channel and hyperlocal marketing strategy are some of the factors that can help in improving foot traffic to physical locations of the MBOs,” added Sarkar.

Online or offline – Which is going to win?

This year, of course, it was online channels which gained the maximum traction, found Techarc. “Next year onwards, the opportunity should divide equally for offline and online channels,” hopes Kawoosa.

As per PredictiVu, in Q3, online as well as offline performed at par in small towns and cities, online smartphone sales saw record sales in beginning of October due to festival offers and big sales run by the leading online players. “Eventually by the year end, we can expect the online-offline market share to be 55:45. The outlook for Q4 looks positive, an increase in festival-related discount offers from online players coupled with a growing shortage of semiconductors might hamper the growth prospects for MBOs. The offline smartphone MBOs are going all out to woo consumers with innovative, marketing strategies to win in the new normal,” said Sarkar.

If the PredictiVu survey is to be believed, India’s top 5 metros leaned towards online channels and top 50 Indian cities accounted for 60% of smartphone sales, MBOs claimed 45% of the total sales. The offline retail emerged as the biggest sales channel in India contributing more than half of all smartphone sales despite the unprecedented pandemic-triggered online boom.

“Realizing the strong buying potential (73%) for 5G-enabled smartphones among the consumers in tier 2 and 3 cities, marketers need to create awareness, hire female staff and look for the right blend of technology, innovation, in-store promotions and deals to influence purchase decision of the audience,” advises Sarkar.

Remarkable development but network a far cry

Given that the global smartphone ecosystem is moving towards the fifth generation of cellular networks, the manufacturers are able to leverage favourable 5G supply chain dynamics and introduce 5G-ready handsets across all price segments in India. Consequently, the OEMs are paving the way for a 5G devices-ready market even before the 5G network implementation in India. It must be noted that while 4G required four years to reach annual shipment numbers exceeding 200 million units, 5G has hit the mark much faster after just two, which is very remarkable, especially considering the severe difficulties faced by the world in 2020 and the year after i.e. 2021.

But how sensible is it from the consumer’s perspective to buy a 5G device, especially when the network implementation looks a far cry? Just think! Upasana Joshi of IDC India has this to say, “We are still far away from 5G becoming mainstream for another year or so, underlining the importance of spectrum availability, clear use cases and a cohesive future-ready infrastructure led by telcos.”

Consumers speak:

“I would prefer iPhone 12 to experience 5G”

Keeping the future scenario in mind, 5G smartphone is surely the thing I would like to bet on. Speed matters, especially in the post-pandemic world. Smartphones are more than just “phones,” it has become our theatre, gaming battlegrounds, a platform to keep track of IoT devices, and many more. The dual benefit — higher download speed and lower latency — will be the driving force behind my intent to have a 5G smartphone. I would prefer iPhone 12 that can provide me with privacy and data security as an additional benefit.

– Kumar Gaurav, a PR professional

“5G is the future of smartphones”

I really want to get hold of one of the 5G providers anytime soon, after all, that’s the future of smartphones. Now that we are living in a world where work from home and online classes are becoming a way of life, the power of innovation can only enhance our experience to do better. Whether it is for work, news feeds, gaming or binge-watching, we want to stay constantly engaged and rely on our smartphones. It’s actually not limited to that only. Smartphones have enabled many small businesses to operate remotely, thanks to faster network services. The smartphone market will boom with 5G, and everyone can benefit from it.

– Sriparna Choudhury, a communication manager

“Using a 5G phone will help me work more efficiently”

I bought Vivo V21 5G smartphone, as the future is 5G and it will be a prime requirement if the next generation network is rolled out in India. Using a 5G phone will help me work more efficiently because I operate multiple apps on my phone at a time and a 5G phone provides higher speed, lower latency and greater capacity. By the way, the world is growing at a fast pace and the advancement of technology is one of its factors. Buying a 5G smartphone is required, as it’ll make your life easier. Also, nobody wants to use old technology phones these days.

– Lakshender S Angras, a publicist

“I wanted to be future proof with OnePlus 8T 5G”

I bought OnePlus 8T, it was one of the first devices to be launched with 5G bands in India. I wanted to be future proof with my device. If any operator launches 5G in the country today, I’ll be ready to kick-start my journey with its high speed cellular connectivity. I’m glad even during the turbulent 2020, 5G was rolling out at a good pace all over the earth. We are living in an environment where using a high-speed 5G phone will make life easier. Buying a 5G smartphone becomes more important now, as speed will matter a lot with the roll out of 5G network in India.

– Kratika Chhabra, an influencer manager

Wait for 5G in India gets longer as telcos granted more time for trials

Telecom-towers

In a major relief to the telecom operators, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has extended the validity of the 5G trial permit to Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel by six months, allowing them to conduct 5G experiments until May 2022. “DoT gave an extension for 5G trials for a period of six months. We received a letter from the DoT earlier this week,” said a report quoting a telecom official.

License for undertaking trials expires on November 26, but industry analysts argued that the 5G ecology needs extra time to test out different services. Six months ago, the DoT allotted 5G trial spectrum to operators in the 3.5 GHz, 26 GHz and 700 MHz bands. Telcos are using this spectrum to create and test a range of India-specific use cases, either on their own or via strategic alliances and joint ventures.

At the moment, the DoT is also engaging with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to get base pricing suggestions. However, telcos would need to pay Rs 50,000 crore to purchase 100 MHz of 5G spectrum in the 3.3-3.6 GHz band, which is required on average to implement 5G technology, as per the current reserve price which is too expensive according to telcos for them to buy.

This extension of testing is expected to delay India’s commercial 5G deployment, as it would postpone the much-anticipated spectrum auction process which was expected to take place between January and March. The DoT has begun the process of commercialising 5G by requesting feedback from telecom regulator TRAI on spectrum auction pricing and procedure. While there is no clarity on the auction’s scheduling, industry insiders anticipate it will take place between April and June 2022.

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