Reliance Jio had to withdraw its Jio ‘Summer Surprise’ offering due to a TRAI injunction stating it does not comply with the existing regulatory framework. Reliance Jio said it would comply with TRAI’s decision but would take a few days to make the operational changes necessary to withdraw the offer. Jio subscribers who had already activated the Jio ‘Summer Surprise’ offer will continue to take advantage of this, but new registrations will stop soon – although Reliance Jio does allow users to sign up and take advantage of the offer benefits at this time.
The offer, announced on March 31, will give Jio Prime users free services for three months after a top-up of Rs. 303 or more, more than the offers announced since the launch of Jio. Users had to become Jio Prime members and refill with a certain minimum amount to get three additional months of free service.
Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro launched in India today. As expected, Samsung formally launched the Galaxy C7 Pro in India today, with a price tag of Rs. 27,990. This more affordable sibling of the Galaxy C9 Pro will be available exclusively on Amazon. in from April 11. The new phone is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 SoC and has a 5.7-inch full-HD display. The case is made of metal and curved glass; youu can buy it in gold or navy blue.
On the plus side, you get 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, a fingerprint sensor, and 16MP front and rear cameras. However, this phone runs the dated Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and has a hybrid dual SIM tray, so you have to choose between a microSD card and a second SIM card.
The Samsung C7 Pro competes against the OnePlus 3T (Review) and Vivo V5 Plus (Review). Gadgets 360 spent some time with a demo unit at Samsung’s launch event today, and we look forward to doing an in-depth review shortly.
The Chinese powerhouse entered India less than three years ago but immediately rose to fame for its shockingly low prices and strategy of limiting supply to generate buzz. Xiaomi ranked India’s “most preferred smartphone brand”, distinguishing Apple and Samsung. While market share is determined by the actual number of units shipped in a given time frame, a new study conducted by research firm Strategy Analytics finds Xiaomi as “India’s most preferred smartphone brand”, even ahead of Apple and Samsung.
Xiaomi got 26 percent of the vote when a panel of Android users was asked which brand members would go for when buying their next smartphone. Samsung and Apple were each chosen with 12 percent, Motorola followed with 7 percent, and Lenovo with OnePlus with 6 percent each. Strategy Analytics noted that Xiaomi had grown tremendously since its launch. However, the return of Nokia, a powerful brand, could make Xiaomi disappear from the top spot.
Reliance Jio looks set to get ready to launch TV services. Reliance Jio has already rocked the mobile operator industry, and tests for home broadband services are underway. Not content with that, the company is also getting ready to enter the TV room. Two new options have appeared on Jio’s website: Home Broadband and Jio Link.
Jio could use its massive infrastructure to deliver TV over IP instead of launching a satellite DTH service. Jio Link, in particular, seems to refer to a set-top box. Details are scarce at the moment, but keep an eye on Gadgets 360 for all the news when it comes out.
iPad (2017) preorders are now open in IndiaApple announced its new 2017 iPad a few weeks ago, and it’s already ready for preorders in India. The new model is slightly thicker than the outgoing iPad Air 2 and lacks its laminated screen, but it offers a renewed processor that is much more affordable. It weighs 469 grams. Prices start at Rs. 28,900 for the 32GB Wi-Fi variant and go up to Rs. 47,900 if you want to max out the 128GB storage and add mobile connectivity.
The iPad (2017) is available in gold, silver, or space gray and, like its predecessors, has a 9.7-inch 2048×1536-pixel Retina display. You get an A9 CPU, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 1.2-megapixel front camera, and a fingerprint sensor. This model lacks the True Tone display, quad speakers, and Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard compatibility that the 9.7-inch iPad Pro offers.
Xiaomi Mi 6 and Mi Max 2 specs supposedly leak online. Xiaomi is also in the news amid speculation about the upcoming Mi 6 flagship and the Mi Max 2 phablet. Devices claiming to be these two models have appeared in the GFXBench benchmark online database, indicating that testing is already underway on prototype units.
The Mi 6 is believed to run Android 7.1.1 Nougat with a new iteration of Xiaomi’s MIUI custom ROM. It should have a 5.1-inch full-HD display and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC. RAM is tipped to be 4GB or 6GB, and there should be 64GB and 128GB of storage. These specs don’t match previous leaks that pointed to much more premium hardware and a bigger Mi 6 Plus brother model.
Xiaomi Mi Max 2 has a 6.4-inch full-HD display and an unannounced Snapdragon 660 SoC. Stay tuned to Gadgets 360 for confirmation of the Mi 6 specs as soon as we get them.
Facebook is launching an AI-based companion in its Messenger app. Facebook Messenger in the US can now chat with M, an AI-powered assistant that aims to show helpful suggestions and actions within the app. Facebook hopes to compete with the likes of Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, and Samsung in the race to capture the market share of AI partners. M should be rolled out to users around the world in due course. It helps users manage conversations and perform other actions, adding more capabilities over time.
The Department of Telecom (DoT) has released the results of the data it collected by surveying users about call dropouts. DoT research shows that calls are more likely to drop when you’re indoors. Texting and IVRS services were launched to help mobile subscribers file complaints. By monitoring them to determine the circumstances of each call disconnection, the DoT could determine that calls are more likely to be disconnected indoors.
2,20,935 subscribers have participated in the survey since its inception in December 2016, of whom 1,38072 (62.5 percent) reported lost calls. These results are shared biweekly with mobile operators to help them improve their service.
LG G6 will go on sale in some parts of the world soon. LG’s 2017 flagship, the LG G6, was unveiled at MWC 2017. Units are shipping to key markets in North America, Europe, and Asia, and they should be very soon. The phone is already on sale in South Korea’s home market.
The highlight of the LG G6 is the 5.7-inch 1440×2880-pixel FullVision display with an unusual 18:9 (or 2:1) aspect ratio and extremely narrow bezels. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 SoC and has 4 GB of RAM.
