New Delhi: Meta-owned, WhatsApp has officially launched its long-awaited app for iPad users. Meta announced the dedicated app with features like end-to-end encryption, voice and video calls for up to 32 people, screen sharing, and more—all designed to bring the full WhatsApp experience to iPad. Meta has also added a few iPad-specific features to make the app more useful and better suited for the larger screen. WhatsApp for iPad Launch Details WhatsApp for iPad is now officially available on the Apple App Store. Users can simply head to the store and download it to get started. How to Download WhatsApp on Your iPad – Open the App Store on your iPad. – Search for WhatsApp in the search bar. – Tap the ‘Get’ button next to the app. – Use Face ID, Touch ID, or your Apple ID password to confirm and start the download. WhatsApp for iPad: Key Features WhatsApp for iPad brings all the familiar features from the iPhone version—including calling, media sharing, status updates, and strong security with end-to-end encryption. But it also adds iPad-specific tools to make the experience even better on a bigger screen. These include: Support for Stage Manager, Split View, and Slide Over – letting you multitask easily, like chatting while browsing or taking notes during a group call. Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard compatibility – for a smoother and more versatile messaging experience. WhatsApp says its iPad app uses multi-device technology to keep your chats, calls, and media in sync across your iPhone, Mac, and other devices. And no matter where you’re using it, your conversations stay protected with end-to-end encryption.

New Delhi: WhatsApp might finally be adding a much-requested feature which is letting users log out of their accounts on their main device without having to delete the account. According to a report by Android Authority, this option was spotted in the latest WhatsApp beta update (version 2.25.17.37), hinting that the feature could be coming soon. Right now, WhatsApp only lets you log out from linked devices like desktops or tablets. On smartphones, your only options are uninstalling the app or deleting your account. Both of these are pretty extreme especially since deleting your account erases all your data and removes you from groups. But the new beta version introduces a much more flexible and user-friendly option. WhatsApp’s upcoming logout feature will give users three simple options to choose from. – “Erase all Data & Preferences” lets you log out and completely wipe your chats, media, and settings from the device. – “Keep all Data & Preferences” allows you to log out but keep everything intact, making it easy to pick up where you left off later. – “Cancel” just exits the process without making any changes. The new logout feature is currently labeled with an “Internal” tag, meaning it’s still in limited testing. According to Android Authority, it could become available to more beta users soon but it might take some time before it reaches everyone through the stable version. So for now, most users will need to wait a little longer. Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, hasn’t shared an official release date yet but the feature is expected to roll out to beta testers first.

New Delhi: Has your Android phone’s battery been draining faster than usual lately? Instagram might be to blame. Google has identified a recent version of the app as the cause of the issue but there’s good news. A fix has already been released and users are being urged to update their Instagram app right away.// Instagram Update Fixes Battery Drain Issue Google has confirmed that updating Instagram to version 382.0.0.49.84 should fix the battery drain issue affecting many Android users. In a post on the Android Help Community, the company advised users to install the latest version as soon as possible.  Here’s how to check if you’ve got the update: Step 1: Long-press the Instagram app icon on your Android phone. Step 2: Tap on “App info” from the menu that appears. Step 3: Scroll down to find the app version number. Step 4: Make sure it shows version 382.0.0.49.84 or later. Pixel Users Among the Worst Hit by Battery Glitch The battery drain issue first caught attention earlier this month when users, especially those with Google Pixel phones started noticing problems after a recent software update. A report by 9to5Google revealed that Pixel models from the Pixel 6 to Pixel 9 were affected following the May update. Google later pointed users to a notice about updating Instagram, suggesting the app was at least partly to blame. It’s still unclear whether other apps or Android versions played a role or if Instagram alone caused the battery drain across all affected devices. Simple Tips to Save Battery Life on Your Android Phone Besides updating your apps, you can cut down battery usage by making a few quick screen-related changes—since the display is one of the biggest battery drainers. Here’s how: – Lower screen brightness: Go to Settings > Display > Brightness level and adjust the slider to a lower level. – Turn on adaptive brightness: This feature automatically adjusts brightness based on your surroundings. – Reduce refresh rate: If your phone supports high refresh rates, switch to a lower one in the display settings to save power. – Shorten screen timeout: Head to Settings > Display > Screen timeout and choose a shorter duration. – Avoid live wallpapers: Animated wallpapers use more power due to constant motion. – Use a black wallpaper: On OLED and AMOLED screens, black pixels use less energy, helping you conserve battery.

New Delhi: For the first time ever, Indian customers can now buy Google devices directly from the company itself. Google has launched its official online store in India. Now, it will be easier for users to shop for products like the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 series without relying on third-party retailers like Flipkart, Amazon, or Croma. Along with smartphones, the Google Store in India also features a variety of other products like the Pixel Watch 3, Buds Pro 2, phone cases, USB-C chargers, watch bands, and more. Google Store India: Benefits and Launch Offers  The launch of the Google Store in India comes with a range of offers for Pixel buyers. Customers can take advantage of no-cost EMI options through HDFC Bank and over 15 other leading banks. Those opting for credit card EMIs, especially with select HDFC Bank cards, can also enjoy instant cashback. Moreover, users can exchange their old smartphones for a special bonus, with extra perks available for existing Pixel users looking to upgrade. To top it off, shoppers will earn store credits on their purchases which can be used for future orders on the Google Store. How is Google making after-sales service easier in India? Google has made after-sales service more convenient for Indian users. You can now request a repair directly on the Google Store website and even schedule a pick-up for your device. The company has also expanded same-day repair services at over 20 service centres across India, including three exclusive Google Service Centres. Plus, for extra ease, customers can opt for free doorstep pick-up and drop-off through Google’s mail-in service. Where can you buy Pixel devices in India? Pixel devices are now available both online through the Google Store and offline at over 25 major retail chains and wireless partners, including Croma, Reliance Digital, Vijay Sales, Bajaj Electronics, Poorvika, and Sangeetha.

New Delhi: Airtel has updated its existing International Roaming plan of Rs 2,999 for postpaid users in India. The Rs 2,999 roaming plan offers unlimited data access with an FUP limit of 5 GB. Airtel has upped the high-speed data usage limit to 10 GB. The data usage will be charged after this limit has been reached.   The plan is the same except for providing additional data. The Rs 2,999 Airtel postpaid International Roaming pack is valid for 10 days. It provides 100 minutes of call time and 20 free SMS daily.  The Rs 2,999 postpaid roaming pack is valid across 189 countries.  The Rs 2,999 roaming pack does not provide in-flight benefits. Users don’t receive calling, messaging or data benefits on a flight. Earlier, last week, Bharti Airtel and Google announced a partnership bringing Google One cloud storage subscription service for Airtel customers.  This partnership aims to address the common issue of limited device storage by offering six months of 100 GB Google One cloud storage to all postpaid and Wi-Fi customers at no additional cost. Moreover, Airtel customers will also be able to share this storage with up to five additional people, said the companies in a statement. 100 GB Cloud Storage Free The 100 GB cloud storage will be available at no extra cost for the first six months from the date of activation, enabling customers to back up their data and experience the convenience of cloud storage.  After six months of 100 GB storage at no charge, a fee of Rs 125 per month will be added to the customer’s monthly bill. If a customer chooses not to continue the subscription, they can opt out of Google One membership. Notably, Airtel’s plans start at Rs. 499 per month for Wi-Fi subscribers and Rs. 449 for postpaid customers.  The partnership aims to address the growing issue of data storage constraints by ensuring that users have ample space to store their cherished photos, videos, documents, and other digital content—without frequently deleting files or relying on costly physical storage solutions. 

If you think that a forwarded image on WhatsApp is harmless, think again. A chilling new scam is making the rounds in India, and all it takes is one image to wipe out your bank account. A 28-year-old man from Jabalpur recently lost Rs 2 lakh just by downloading a picture from a WhatsApp forward. There were no links or calls. It was just an image. So what is going on? Cybercriminals are playing new trick. They are using steganography, which hides malicious code inside images that look totally normal. Once downloaded, this hidden malware silently installs itself, grabs your passwords, intercepts your OTPs and can even drain your bank account. Unfortunately, these files do not even raise alarms with most antivirus software. That is what makes this new scam so dangerous. Catching this type of malware is not easy because the malicious code is hidden inside image files. It often slips past regular antivirus programs that only look for known threats or obvious suspicious behaviour. Detecting these hidden attacks requires deep forensic analysis and advanced threat detection tools, things most everyday users and their devices simply do not have access to. In the Jabalpur case, the malware quietly infiltrated his phone, scooped up sensitive data and ultimately let hackers steal Rs 2 lakh directly from his bank account – all without raising a single red flag. But do not panic. Here is how you can stay protected. 1. Turn off auto-downloads: Go to WhatsApp > Settings > Storage and Data > Media Auto-Download > Disable everything. 2. Don’t download media from strangers: If you do not know the sender, do not trust the file. 3. Update group settings: Limit group invites to only your contacts to reduce spam forwards. 4. Never share sensitive information on WhatsApp: Even if it is someone you know, verify first. Share this to protect your family and friends because the next image they open could be a trap.

New Delhi: Microsoft and Yotta Data Services, India’s leading sovereign cloud infrastructure and platform services provider, on Wednesday partnered to accelerate artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in India. The partnership enables Microsoft and Yotta to engage with IndiaAI Mission participants, government agencies, IITs, startups, enterprises, and software development companies to leapfrog AI innovation. Microsoft said it would bring its AzureAI services to Shakti Cloud, Yotta’s AI cloud platform, to offer cutting-edge AI capabilities to developers, startups, enterprises, and public sector organisations across India. “Our partnership with Yotta to power Shakti Cloud will help unlock AI innovation at scale. Microsoft is honoured to play its part in helping the country realise its AI ambitions through innovation that reflect India’s unique needs and priorities,” said Puneet Chandok, President, Microsoft India and South Asia. India is already among the top global markets on AI adoption and return on investment. Together with Yotta, we will continue to help India become an AI-first nation, securely and responsibly, he added. As of May, IndiaAI Mission has received over 500 proposals for developing indigenous AI models. Shakti Cloud customers will benefit from a rich ecosystem and vast catalogue of foundational LLMs and SLMs available on Azure AI Foundry to develop, deploy and scale at the speed of AI. Built-in safety tools, content filters, groundedness detection, and copyright protection will empower organisations to build and scale AI responsibly. As a global provider of software, infrastructure, and cloud services, Microsoft runs on trust and enables trustworthy AI by prioritising security, privacy, and safety. “This partnership is a key step forward towards India’s AI self-reliance and digital transformation, and we are excited to be able to support Indian enterprises in their journey towards AI excellence with a full gamut of offerings,” said Sunil Gupta, Co-founder, CEO and Managing Director, Yotta Data Services. The combined strength of Microsoft’s services backed by Yotta’s infrastructure gives access to some of the best capabilities to support AI development in the country. “It will make cutting-edge AI capabilities accessible for Indian enterprises of all sizes and give a huge boost to driving the nation’s AI ambitions,” Gupta noted. In January this year, Microsoft chairman and CEO Satya Nadella announced a collaboration with IndiaAI, a division of Digital India Corporation, to advance AI and emerging technologies in the country, and established AI Centre of Excellence and AI Productivity Labs to foster inclusive growth.

Motorola Razr 60 India Launch: Motorola has launched the Razr 60 flip phone in India. The newly-launch foldable smartphone operates on Hello UI based on Android 15 out of the box. The company will give 3 years of OS upgrades and 4 years of security updates to it. Notably, the Motorola Razr 60 flip phone will complement the already launched Motorola Razr 60 Ultra among the foldable space and succeeds the Razr 50 launched last year.  The Motorola Razr 60 flip phone features the world’s first video gestures with a 100% true color camera. It also debuts as India’s first flip phone with finishes in Pearl Marble and Fabric textures, alongside a vegan leather option. The new smartphone introduces several firsts in the flip phone segment, including gesture-controlled video recording, Pantone-validated camera color accuracy, and support for both motoAI and Google Gemini on the external display.  Motorola Razr 60 Flip Phone Specifications:  The phone features a 6.96-inch FlexView FHD+ pOLED LTPO internal display with a resolution of 1080×2640 pixels along with a 3.63-inch QuickView pOLED LTPS outer display with a resolution of 1056×1066 pixels, offering a smooth 90Hz refresh rate and up to 1700 nits peak brightness.  The phone is powered by the octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 7400X 4nm processor paired with a Mali-G615 MC2 GPU for efficient performance. It houses a 4500mAh battery that supports 30W TurboPower fast charging and 15W wireless charging. On the photography front, the Razr 60 is equipped with a 50MP main camera, a 13MP ultra-wide lens, and a 32MP front camera for selfies.  The flip phone’s audio is enhanced with stereo speakers, USB Type-C audio output, and Dolby Atmos support. The flip phone is built with a titanium-reinforced hinge tested for over 500,000 folds. Adding further, the flip phone is IP48-rated for dust and water resistance and protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. It also features Dolby Atmos spatial sound for an immersive audio experience.  Motorola Razr 60 Price In India And Availability  The foldable smartphone is priced at Rs 49,999 and will be available starting June 4 via Motorola.com, Flipkart, and leading offline retail stores. 

New Delhi: Apple’s iPhone 16 was the world’s best-selling smartphone in Q1 2025 (January–March period), according to a new report released on Wednesday. This also marked the return of the iPhone series’ base variant to the top spot in the first quarter after a gap of two years, as per Counterpoint Research’s Global Handset Model Sales Tracker. Apple maintained a strong presence in the top-10 list, securing five spots for the fifth consecutive March quarter. Meanwhile, Samsung featured one fewer model compared to the same period last year. While the top 10 smartphones’ share of overall global sales remained stable, the report noted an increase in the contribution from low-end smartphones (priced under $100) in the top 10. The iPhone 16 performed well in Japan and the Middle East and Africa (MEA), with Japan recording the highest growth in base variant sales. Which Phone Is Ranked Second? Improved economic conditions and revised subsidy regulations favoured Apple’s pricing strategy and ecosystem, further strengthening its appeal in the Japanese market. The iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16 Pro ranked second and third, respectively. Apple’s iPhone 16e made a strong debut, securing the sixth spot in the global top-10 list for March 2025—its first full month of sales. Despite being priced higher than the SE 2022, the 16e is expected to outperform its predecessor in its first year. This success will be largely driven by significant technological advancements and an expanded feature set, the report added. Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra secured the seventh spot in Q1 2025, down from the fifth spot held by the S24 Ultra in Q1 2024. This shift was primarily due to a shorter sales window for the S25 Ultra during the quarter. Despite limited availability, the S25 series delivered steady results, contributing one-fourth of Samsung’s total smartphone sales during its active sales month. With deeper Gemini integration, the S25 series also signals Samsung’s shift toward a more agentic AI experience, enhancing user productivity and personalization. Smartphones In Global Top-10 List Xiaomi’s Redmi 14C 4G was the only model outside of Apple and Samsung to make it into the global top-10 list. It achieved an impressive 43% year-on-year growth over the Redmi 13C 4G, the report noted. Looking ahead, despite ongoing tariff tensions and broader market uncertainties, the share of the top 10 best-selling smartphone models is expected to remain relatively stable, the report concluded.

New Delhi: As Apple ramps up its India manufacturing plans, iPhone exports from the country to the US surged 76 per cent (year-on-year) in April, according to a new report. According to latest estimates by market research firm Omdia, nearly 3 million ‘India-made’ iPhones were shipped to the US in April. In comparison, iPhone shipments from China plummeted by a massive 76 per cent to just 900,000 units. This marks the first time India has consistently outpaced China in supplying iPhones to the American market, according to a report by CNBC, citing the data. “Apple has been preparing for this kind of trade disruption for years. The April spike likely reflects strategic stockpiling ahead of tariff hikes,” Le Xuan Chiew, research manager at Omdia, was quoted as saying in the report. The demand in the US for iPhones is around 20 million per quarter at the moment. A ‘Made in US’ Apple iPhone can cost a whopping $3,500 (more than Rs 2,98,000) in absence of a fully-integrated supply chain in the country. Dan Ives, global head of technology research at Wedbush Securities, told the CNN recently that the idea of fully domestic iPhone production is a “fictional tale.” Ives also warned that replicating Apple’s complex Asian supply chain in the US would result in massive cost increases. Moreover, it would take Apple at least three years and a massive $30 billion just to shift 10 per cent of its supply chain to the US, according to market watchers. Apple CEO Tim Cook said during the company’s latest quarterly earnings call that “the majority” of iPhones shipped to the US for the June quarter will come from India. US President Donald Trump has threatened a 50 per cent tax on all imports from the European Union as well a 25 per cent tariff on Apple products unless iPhones are made in the US. However, according to informed sources, India’s competitive edge makes it a natural choice for tech giants like Apple, and the tech giant has assured the government of its commitment to manufacture its products and boost the ‘Make in India’ initiative. India has become a key hub for Apple’s global supply chain in recent years. Global tech giants such as Apple see a lot of economic sense in setting up manufacturing facilities in the country.