Are companies solving the wrong problem? While product teams race to launch new features, many overlook a crucial truth: users don’t leave apps because they lack features—they leave because the app doesn’t meet their specific needs. Arbaz Khan, a veteran in building large-scale AI systems, asserts, “Companies need to compete on understanding users, not feature lists.” Today’s technology makes personalization not just possible but essential for success. India’s Digital Revolution: Personalization at the Core Khan highlights India’s food delivery giants, Swiggy and Zomato, as leaders in personalization. “A user doesn’t want to sift through thousands of restaurants—they want to see their favorite Biryani place or options matching their taste and budget,” he explains. Similarly, streaming platforms like Hotstar and Netflix thrive by catering to local preferences, such as offering regional content or personalized sports highlights. Personalization Beats Features and Content “Even the best content is useless if users can’t find it,” Khan emphasizes. In e-commerce, platforms like Flipkart and Amazon succeed by tailoring search results. For instance, a search for ‘kurta’ shows options based on past purchases, style preferences, and budget, which drives higher conversions than simply showing the highest-rated products. Affordable Personalization: A Reality Khan challenges the notion that personalization is costly. “A consumer-grade PC can handle 10,000 predictions per second with deep learning models, while gradient boosting systems can process up to 100,000 predictions on the same hardware,” he reveals. Personalization, he explains, can be both efficient and budget-friendly. Smart Architecture: The Two-Stage Approach Khan outlines a two-stage recommendation system that balances speed and quality. The first stage uses a lightweight model to shortlist 100 candidates quickly. The second stage employs a deep learning model to re-rank these for the user. This approach powers platforms like Flipkart and Uber Eats, enabling real-time, cost-efficient personalization. The Future of Personalization Investments in personalization technology are growing. “Top recommendation models today reach sizes of 100 terabytes, requiring significant infrastructure. However, the ROI is undeniable,” Khan states. Personalization directly impacts user engagement, retention, and revenue. Khan concludes, “As India’s digital economy expands, the companies that succeed will be those that best understand their users. The future of digital products is personalized, and those who invest in this will lead the market.” Arbaz Khan is a machine learning expert in recommendation systems. His views are personal.

iQOO Neo 10R India Launch: The Chinese electronics brand iQOO is likely to launch the iQOO Neo 10R smartphone in the Indian market. This will mark the company’s first smartphone launch in India this year and the debut of an ‘R’ variant in the Neo series. The much-anticipated iQOO Neo 10R is expected to compete with the OnePlus 13R in the coming days. iQOO India CEO Nipun Marya has officially confirmed the imminent launch of the iQOO Neo 10R. While the exact date remains undisclosed, the much-anticipated smartphone is expected to debut in India sometime in February 2025, generating excitement among tech enthusiasts. It is suggested that the phone will follow in the footsteps of the massively popular iQOO Neo 9 Pro from last year. The phone is expected to launch in Blue and White Slice colour options.   A revolution in gaming is on the horizon! Get ready to dominate with groundbreaking performance and unmatched power. It’s time to rise, conquer, and claim the #PowerToPlay. Stay prepared—greatness is coming!#AmazonSpecials #PowerToPlay pic.twitter.com/WlH2JKys90 — iQOO India (@IqooInd) January 27, 2025 iQOO Neo 10R India Price And Availability (Expected)  It is expected to be priced very competitively, with a starting price of under ₹30,000 bringing it in direct competition with Poco F6, which has the same processor and is currently available for Rs 24,999. The iQOO Neo 10R could be sold on the e-commerce giant Amazon and the company’s official website.  iQOO Neo 10R Specifications (Expected) The smartphone is expected to feature a stunning 1.5K 144Hz AMOLED display, powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC. The phone will likely run Android 15-based Funtouch OS and offer memory configurations of up to 12GB RAM and 256GB storage.  The game-changer is here! #iQOONeo10R #PowerToPlay pic.twitter.com/Fa9vKRAaAo — Nipun Marya (@nipunmarya) January 27, 2025 The smartphone is anticipated to house a massive 6,400mAh battery, ensuring long-lasting performance. For photography, it is expected to sport a 50MP primary camera paired with an 8MP ultrawide lens and a 16MP front-facing camera for selfies. Adding a unique touch, the phone will feature a “NEO POWER TO WIN” caption imprinted on its white panel. 

WhatsApp New Feature: WhatsApp, an instant messaging platform, is preparing to launch a new feature that will allow iPhone users to manage multiple accounts on a single device. According to a report by WaBetaInfo, the update is currently in beta testing and will arrive over a year after it was made available on Android. The feature, spotted in the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS 25.2.10.70 and accessible through Apple’s TestFlight program, will let users add and switch between multiple accounts directly within the app. This is a game-changer for individuals managing multiple phone numbers, whether for personal or professional purposes. WhatsApp Multiple Accounts on Android On Android, running two WhatsApp accounts requires a dual-SIM setup, with each account linked to a unique phone number. While WhatsApp Business allows users to set up a second account, it requires switching between two separate apps. Unique Chat Backups for Each Account Notably, notifications, chats, backups, and settings will remain distinct for each account, ensuring they function independently. This feature will especially benefit users with dual-SIM devices, as they’ll no longer need to assign one SIM to WhatsApp and the other to WhatsApp Business. Instead, they can now manage both numbers seamlessly within the main app.  How To Set Up Multiple WhatsApp Accounts For Android Users  Step 1: Open your WhatsApp settings and navigate to the Accounts section. Step 2: Click on Add Account and carefully read and accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Step 3: Proceed to select your country from the list and enter your phone number in the international format. Step 4: A verification code will be sent to your phone via SMS; enter the code to verify your number. Step 5: Once verified, your additional account will be successfully set up on WhatsApp. 

Google Chrome Update: India’s cybersecurity watchdog, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), has identified several vulnerabilities in the widely-used Google Chrome web browser. A fresh security alert has been issued for billions of Chrome users across all platforms—except iOS. These newly uncovered flaws could potentially be exploited by hackers, posing significant risks to user data and devices.  “Multiple vulnerabilities have been reported in Google Chrome which could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service (DoS) condition on the targeted system,” the CERT-In team asserted.  Google Chrome Affected Version: The vulnerabilities impact Google Chrome versions below 132.0.6834.110/111 on Windows and Mac, and versions below 132.0.6834.110 on Linux. Users running these versions are advised to update their browser immediately to avoid potential security risks and protect their devices and data from possible exploitation. This alert is critical for all individuals and organisations that use Google Chrome on their computers, whether they are running Windows, macOS, or Linux operating systems.  Google Chrome New Update:  Google Chrome has released a new update: version 132.0.6834.110/111 for Windows and Mac, and 132.0.6834.110 for Linux. This update will be available to everyone in the next few days or weeks. Another update for the Extended Stable version on Windows and Mac is also on its way.  How To Enable Automatic Google Chrome Updates  Step 1: Open the Play Store app on your Android device. Step 2: Tap your profile icon in the top-right corner. Step 3: Select Manage apps & device from the menu. Step 4: Under Updates available, locate Google Chrome. Step 5: Tap Update next to Chrome to install the latest version.  Furthermore, the Help page for Chrome on Android also includes directions on how to find an update on the version of Chrome on your computer and how to get a Chrome update for your iPhone and iPad.

The Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued notices to popular cab services, Ola and Uber, following allegations of varying prices for the same ride depending on whether customers use Android or iOS devices. Consumer Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi announced the development on Thursday. “As a follow-up to the earlier observation of apparent Differential Pricing based on the different models of mobiles (iPhones/ Android) being used, Department of Consumer Affairs through the CCPA, has issued notices to major cab aggregators Ola and Uber, seeking their responses,” the minister stated in a post on X. Ola and Uber have been asked to provide their responses to the notices. As a follow-up to the earlier observation of apparent #DifferentialPricing based on the different models of mobiles (#iPhones/ #Android) being used, Department of Consumer Affairs through the CCPA, has issued notices to major cab aggregators #Ola and #Uber, seeking their… — Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) January 23, 2025 This followed multiple complaints from commuters about differences in cab fares shown on Android devices and iPhones for the same rides. Last month, Mr. Joshi warned the companies involved that there would be “zero tolerance for consumer exploitation” and instructed the CCPA to conduct a detailed investigation. He emphasized that if differential pricing was happening, it would be a “blatant disregard” of consumer rights.