The Reliance Jio Prime membership deadline is close, but the company could extend the application period as it struggles to meet its own goals for Jio Prime subscribers. According to the report, instead of March 31 to April 30, users will be given the time to sign up for Jio Prime subscriptions. The report adds that 22 to 27 million Reliance Jio users have joined the Jio Prime plan, which is reportedly 50 percent lower than the company’s expectations. This is about a quarter of the 100 million users the company last announced. However, a final decision on this has yet to be taken.
WhatsApp is accused of giving terrorists a secret place. WhatsApp is facing criticism from the British government for not cooperating with authorities over the London attack investigation and handing over encrypted messages sent by attacker Adrian Ajao. Due to the end-to-end encryption of WhatsApp messages, only the sender and recipient can see them; not even the company can decrypt them. Home Secretary Amber Rudd called this “completely unacceptable” and said that internet companies give terrorists a “secret hiding place”. She also said, “You can have a system where they can build it so we can access it [encrypted WhatsApp messages] when necessary,” said a backdoor looking for WhatsApp encryption.
BSNL gives 1 GB free data to non-internet usersBSNL gives 1 GB free data to users who have not used mobile internet on its network. The state telecom operator said this is an effort to promote the Digital India drive and increase the number of prepaid mobile internet users. The free 1GB data, valid for 28 days, is available to users across India and automatically credited to subscribers who have never used internet services. This comes just ten days after the company released the Rs. 339 prepaid package that provides buyers with 2 GB of 3G data per day.
Aadhaar-based eKYC a must for all mobile usersAadhaar-based eKYC has been made mandatory for all new and existing mobile users in India, and the more than a billion users with mobile connections will have to re-verify their identity through an eKYC process. Telecom operators that are members of the Cellular Operator’s Association of India (COAI) will meet this week to discuss the modalities of the process. All operators will have to inform existing subscribers – through advertisements in print and electronic media, their respective websites, and SMS – of the Supreme Court’s order for the Aadhaar-based eKYC process. The operators have one year to complete the re-verification process.
Google Play gets the ‘Free app of the week’ section. The Google Play marketplace has received a new ‘Free app of the week’ selection, which will highlight the weekly offer on popular apps. The new area can be seen on the Apps page in the Android marketplace and on both mobile and desktop. It’s not currently visible in India, but we can expect the feature to roll out soon. Card Wars: Adventure Time, priced at $2.99, is available to download for free for the next five days, according to the listing.
Panasonic launched Eluga Ray Max and Eluga Ray X with Arbo virtual assistantPanasonic has launched the Eluga Ray Max and Eluga Ray X smartphones with its new Arbo virtual assistant, which uses machine learning to evolve with user usage patterns. Both Panasonic smartphones are exclusive to Flipkart, compatible with Jio’s 4G VoLTE network, run Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS, have fingerprint sensors and have dual SIM functionality. Priced at Rs. 8,999, the new Panasonic Eluga Ray X has a 5.5-inch HD display, 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MTK6737 chipset, 3GB RAM, fingerprint sensor, 13-megapixel rear camera with dual LED flash, 5- megapixel front camera, 4000mAh battery and 32GB internal storage with support for microSD cards up to 64GB.
On the other hand, the Panasonic Eluga Ray Max has a 5.2-inch full-HD display, 1.4 GHz octa-core Snapdragon 430 processor, 4 GB RAM, up to 128 GB microSD card expansion support, 3000 mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging, 16-megapixel rear camera with dual LED flash and 8-megapixel selfie snapper with front flash. The Eluga Ray Max variant with 32GB of internal storage costs Rs. 11,499, while the 64GB model costs Rs. 12,499.
Railwire Saathi Wi-Fi kiosks to bring e-services to remote train stations Indian Railways has set up Wi-Fi kiosks, called Railwire Saathi, at about 500 stations to offer online services, including several government-run programs, in distant areas. The Wi-Fi kiosks allow people to use services such as e-commerce, online banking, e-ticketing for train and bus services, and access to open schools/universities and insurance, among other things. Other benefits expected from the Railwire Saathi initiative include automated form filling and charging mobile phones and DTHs; the scheme will likely start in May.
Datawind launched MoreGMax 3G6 smartphone with free internet for one yearDatawind has launched MoreGMax 3G6 phablet in India for Rs. 5,999; the company offers free internet access with the handset for a year. The new Datawind MoreGMax 3G6 has a 6-inch display, 1.3GHz quad-core processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB internal storage, up to 32GB microSD card support, an 8-megapixel rear camera, and a 2-megapixel front camera. The phablet does not support 4G networks, and the battery capacity and Android version are unknown. Tfree internet access is only available through the standard UbiSurfer browser and does not include audio/video streaming or local downloads.
