Tech NewsWrap: Telegram crosses 1 billion downloads… and more

Telegram crosses 1 billion downloads globally

Encrypted messaging app Telegram has become the latest app to join the exclusive club of apps that surpassed the mark of one billion downloads globally, as per the data shared by Sensor Tower. It has also been revealed that the largest portion of these downloads comes from Indian users, who make up 22 percent of the total installs. The app has been in existence late since 2013, competes against WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. Other apps on the list include Telegram arch-rival WhatsApp as well as Messenger, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Spotify, and Netflix.

Redmi Note 10 Pro, Pro Max ‘Dark Nebula’ color variant launched

Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 10 Pro and Redmi Note 10 Pro Max smartphones in India earlier this year and initially came in three colors – Vintage Bronze, Glacial Blue and Dark Night. The company has launched a new Dark Nebula color variant of both smartphones in India. The new color adds to the options and fits within the bluish-purple space theme that Xiaomi is going for with its Redmi Note 10 series phones. Recently, the Redmi Note 10S got a Cosmic Purple color option with a similar blueish-purple hue.

Realme smartphones prices hike up to 1500

Smartphone maker Realme has increased the prices for a couple of smartphone models in India. Devices ranging from budget to mid-range have been made expensive by up to Rs 1500. The company has officially announced that they are increasing the price of many of their phones. In this list, Realme 8, Realme 8 5G, Realme C11 (2021), Realme C21, and the Realme C25s have been made expensive. Realme has announced to increase the price of its smartphones due to component shortage.

Instagram to require all users to enter birthdate

Instagram will require all users to enter their birthdate to log in to the app, Facebook has announced, as part of the company’s efforts to introduce a child-safe experience for users under 18. New users have been required to enter their birthdate as part of the sign-up process since 2019 but, for the first time, existing users will be prompted to give their birthdate before opening the app. In the short term, dismissing the request will cause Instagram to blur posts that are marked as sensitive. However, it will eventually require users to add their age to continue using the app at all.

Vivo X70 series launch date revealed

Vivo has confirmed that it will be announcing the Vivo X70 series in China at 7:30 PM (local time) on September 9. The series is rumored to have the regular Vivo X70 as well as Vivo X70 Pro and Vivo X70 Pro+. The company has also posted a teaser image, showing off the design and camera layout of the Vivo X70 Pro+ in full glory. The device looks similar to the recently leaked render images. The official renders show that the Vivo X70 Pro+ will be available in black and orange color variants.