New Delhi: WhatsApp is constantly evolving to keep up with users’ needs, rolling out new features that make staying connected easier and more engaging. In 2024, it introduced some exciting updates, including multiple account support, pinned messages, screen sharing, and even the ability to reply from the lock screen. One standout feature is multi-device support, which lets you use WhatsApp on several devices at once. Previously, WhatsApp required users to have separate numbers for each phone if they wanted to use the app on more than one device. However, in 2024, WhatsApp introduced a new feature that changed this. Now, with multi-device support, or “companion mode,” you can use the same WhatsApp account on multiple phones simultaneously. This update allows you to link up to four devices to your primary phone, and you can keep using them indefinitely—as long as you log in on your main device at least once every 14 days to maintain the connection. Whether you decide to link your phone to four other phones or to four computers, WhatsApp now makes it easy to do both. However, the steps to link additional phones and desktop devices differ slightly. Linking WhatsApp on Web – Open web.whatsapp.com on your laptop. – Use your phone to scan the QR code on the screen. – Once scanned, your chats will instantly load on your laptop. – The same steps work for the WhatsApp app on Windows. Linking WhatsApp on Smartphones – Install WhatsApp on your second phone. – Agree to the privacy policies. – On the screen where it asks for your phone number, tap the three dots in the upper-right corner. – From the drop-down menu, select the option to link this phone as a companion device. – A QR code scanner will open — use it to scan the QR code from your primary phone. – Once scanned, your WhatsApp account will link to the second phone. Limitations of Companion Mode The companion mode has a few limitations. Features like live location and status updates aren’t available on companion devices. Plus, if you don’t use your primary phone for more than 14 days, your companion devices will automatically log out.

New Delhi: Google smartphones, including the popular Pixel series will no longer be available for sale in Indonesia due to new regulations mandating that at least 40 per cent of a device’s parts be locally sourced. This move follows a similar decision by Apple, which has halted the sale of the iPhone 16 for the same reason. As a result, consumers in Indonesia will miss out on these devices until manufacturers can meet the country’s production requirements. “We are pushing these rules so that there’s fairness for all investors in Indonesia,” said Febri Hendri Antoni Arief, spokesperson for the industry ministry, on Thursday. “Google’s products have not adhered to the scheme we set, so they can’t be sold here.” He noted that consumers can still purchase Google Pixel phones from abroad, provided they pay the required taxes. He further mentioned that the country may consider deactivating phones that are sold illegally. Febri stated that consumers can still purchase Google Pixel phones from other countries as long as they pay the required taxes. He also mentioned that the government may consider deactivating phones that are sold illegally. This ban follows Indonesia’s recent decision to restrict iPhone 16 sales in the country due to similar violations of local content regulations. Companies have various options to comply with the ruling. For instance, different smartphone manufacturers established production facilities in Indonesia at different times: Samsung and Xiaomi invested in assembly plants, while Apple has focused on developer academies to enhance local expertise. These proactive steps enable them to meet local content requirements and maintain a presence in Indonesia’s smartphone market. Local content regulations are part of a wider industrial policy aimed at leveraging Indonesia’s large consumer market to boost domestic economic growth. Violating these regulations can result in significant sales restrictions, making it difficult for local companies to compete effectively against foreign giants like Google and Apple.

New Delhi: Meta-owned WhatsApp on Thursday made it easier to organise messages filling up users’ inbox, which will help them keep track of conversations with family members, work colleagues, college friends and more.  Earlier this year, the popular messaging platform introduced chat filters as a way to find messages faster. “We’ve had great feedback that they help you keep track of your chats, and we’re excited to have quickly evolved them into Lists,” said the social media company. How To Filter Chats With Customised Lists On WhatsApp With Lists, you can now filter your chats with custom categories of your choice. Whether that’s a list for family, work or your local neighbourhood, Lists help you focus on the conversations that are most important, when you need them. “You can create and edit your lists easily by tapping the + in the filter bar at the top of your Chats tab, or edit by long-pressing a list,” said WhatsApp. Similar to your ‘favourites’, you can add both groups and one-on-one chats to a list, and any list you create will appear in the filter bar. “We’re rolling Lists out to users today, and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks. We look forward to expanding the functionality of Lists to help you focus on the people and conversations that matter most,” the company informed. By default, WhatsApp will still open to the “All” category, which displays all messages in chronological order. Notably, WhatsApp already had a way to look at unread messages through a filter in the search bar. But with the new filter bubbles on top of the chat screen, the option is easily available. Gmail users might find these filter bubbles familiar as the Google-owned email service introduced a similar feature in 2020 to make search simpler.

Seoul: Samsung Electronics on Thursday hinted at the possibility of supplying its advanced high bandwidth memory (HBM) chips to the US AI giant Nvidia in the near future.  The South Korean tech giant has been struggling to have its HBM3E chips pass Nvidia’s quality tests, while its local chip making rival SK hynix recently began mass-producing industry-leading 12-layer HBM3E chips, Yonhap news agency reported. “We are currently mass-producing both eight-layer and 12-layer HBM3E products,” said Kim Jae-june, vice president for memory business at Samsung Electronics, during a conference call following the release of its third-quarter earnings report. Kim noted that the company has achieved “meaningful progress” in meeting quality testing requirements for a “major customer,” expected to be Nvidia, whose GPUs are essential for AI computing. “We expect to expand sales in the fourth quarter,” he added, addressing previous concerns that Samsung Electronics had fallen behind in supplying HBM products to Nvidia. Samsung Electronics reported that its third-quarter HBM sales rose more than 70 per cent from the previous quarter, with the fifth-generation HBM3E chips expected to contribute 50 per cent of total HBM sales in the fourth quarter. “We are expanding sales of our eight- and 12-layer HBM3E chips to multiple customers,” the company said. “We are working on improving our HBM3E in line with the next-generation GPU plans of a major customer.” Samsung Electronics said it is developing sixth-generation HBM4 products and aims to begin mass production in the second half of next year. In its third-quarter earnings report, Samsung Electronics’ semiconductor division posted a 3.86 trillion won ($2.8 billion) operating profit, missing the market expectation of 4.2 trillion won. Shares of Samsung Electronics rose 0.17 per cent to close at 59,200 won on the Seoul main bourse, outperforming the KOSPI’s 1.45 per cent drop.

Apple Music Subscription Free: As the festive season approaches, Airtel, a leading private telecom service providers, is delighting its customers with a special offer: a free subscription to Apple Music just in time for Diwali. This initiative allows subscribers to enjoy a vast selection of music, playlists, and exclusive content to enhance their celebrations.  With this gift, Airtel aims to make Diwali even more memorable for music lovers everywhere. The free Apple Music subscription is available to customers on selected prepaid and postpaid plans. If you’re an Airtel user, you can enjoy Apple Music at no additional cost, gaining access to millions of songs, curated playlists, and other premium features.  Apple Music Subscription Free: Eligibility   The free Apple Music subscription is available for a limited time and is accessible only to select prepaid and postpaid users. Customers are encouraged to check their plan details on the Airtel Thanks app to determine their eligibility. This initiative is part of Airtel’s ongoing efforts to enhance the customer experience, following previous offers such as free access to Amazon Prime and Disney+ Hotstar.  How To Claim A Apple Music Subscription Free   Step 1: Go to the Google Play Store or Apple App Store and search for the Airtel Thanks app. Download and install it on your device.  Step 2: Open the Airtel Thanks app and enter your Airtel number to log in.  Step 3: Once logged in, find and tap on the ‘Rewards’ section available in the app’s menu.  Step 4: In the Rewards section, look for the option to activate your free Apple Music subscription and click on it.  Step 5: Follow the prompts to confirm the activation of your subscription.  Step 6: After activation, you’ll have access to Apple Music without any additional charges. Start enjoying millions of songs and curated playlists!