New Delhi: Apple is all set to reveal iOS 19, the next big update for iPhones, and it’s expected to bring some major changes. The official launch will take place on June 9 at WWDC 2025, where Apple is likely to show off a new look, a smarter Siri, and several exciting new features for users to enjoy. iOS 19 is expected to work on a wide range of iPhones, starting from the iPhone 11 series all the way up to the upcoming iPhone 16. It’s also likely to support the 2nd and 3rd generation iPhone SE models, so many users can look forward to getting the update. Expected iOS 19 Compatible Devices: iPhone 11 Series: 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max iPhone 12 Series: 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max iPhone 13 Series: 13, 13 mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max iPhone 14 Series: 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max iPhone 15 Series: 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max iPhone 16 Series (upcoming): 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max, 16e iPhone SE: 2nd Gen, 3rd Gen Apple’s upcoming iOS 19 is likely to get a fresh new look, taking design cues from visionOS—the sleek interface used in the Apple Vision Pro headset. Apple Brings Encrypted RCS Messaging to Its Devices Apple has announced that it will add end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging to the Messages app in future updates, including iOS 19, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS. This means Apple is adopting the latest RCS Universal Profile 3.0, which brings new features similar to iMessage and improved security. Right now, iOS 18 supports an older version (2.4), so this is a big step forward for messaging on Apple devices. Real-Time Speech Translation Coming to AirPods With iOS 19 and new firmware updates, some AirPods models will soon get a live translation feature. Here’s how it works: if someone speaks in a different language, like Spanish, your iPhone will translate their words and stream the English version straight to your AirPods. At the same time, when you respond in English, your iPhone will translate your reply into Spanish and play it aloud—making conversations in different languages much easier. AirPods to Get Instant Language Translation Soon, with iOS 19 and new updates, select AirPods will be able to translate conversations live. If someone speaks in another language, like Spanish, your iPhone will translate their words and send the English version directly to your AirPods. When you reply in English, your iPhone will translate it back into Spanish and play it aloud—making chatting across languages simple and smooth.

New Delhi: Google on Tuesday, introduced Gemma 3n on its I/O event on tuesday. It is a new AI model designed to run smoothly on everyday devices like phones, laptops and tablets. The model is now available in preview and can understand and process audio, text, images and even videos. Gemini usually needs an internet connection as most of its tasks are processed in the cloud especially the more complex ones. For those who prefer on-device AI, there’s Gemini Nano, which is made to handle tasks directly on smartphones. And now, there’s another option: Gemma 3n. Announced at Google I/O 2025, Gemma 3n is built on the same technology as Gemini Nano but is open-source and designed to run smoothly on phones, laptops, and tablets without relying on the cloud. The new system has been created in partnership with Qualcomm, MediaTek and Samsung. It has been designed to deliver fast, efficient and private Ai experiences right on your device. The Gemma 3n model, built on this tech, runs smoothly with just 2GB to 3GB of RAM and is surprisingly quick. It performs on par with top AI models like Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet, based on recent Chatbot Arena rankings. What can Gemma 3n do? Gemma 3n is a multimodal AI model, which means it can understand text, voice, and even images — whether they’re on your screen or coming from your phone’s camera in real time. It can read text, translate languages, solve math problems, and answer complex questions on the spot. While the experience feels similar to what Gemini and Gemini Live offer on mobile, the key difference is that Gemma 3n is built to run directly on your device. It’s not a standalone Google app, but a model that developers can integrate into apps or operating systems. Google says Gemma 3n is very efficient, running smoothly with only 2 to 3GB of RAM. It’s also faster than many other AI models, both proprietary and open-source. In fact, its performance ranks close to Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet, according to Chatbot Arena scores.

New Delhi: In a key step towards combating cyber fraud and financial crime via mobiles, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on Wednesday announced sharing of “Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI)” with its stakeholders. The multi-dimensional analytical tool, developed as part of the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP), empowers financial institutions with advance actionable intelligence for cyber fraud prevention. This will enhance cyber protection and validation checks in case of mobile numbers flagged with this tool when digital payment is proposed to be made to such numbers, said the Ministry of Communications. It is a risk-based metric that classifies a mobile number to have been associated with Medium, High, or Very High risk of financial fraud. Leading UPI platforms — PhonePe, Paytm and Google Pay who collectively account for over 90 per cent of UPI transactions — have begun integrating DIP alerts into their systems. “One of the leading UPI platforms has introduced transaction delays, with alerts and needing user confirmations. Other banks are also actively using the data for mitigating cyber frauds,” said the Ministry. With UPI being the most preferred payment method across India, this intervention could save millions of citizens from falling prey to cyber fraud. The FRI allows for swift, targeted, and collaborative action against suspected frauds in both telecom and financial domains. The Digital Intelligence Unit (DIU) of DoT regularly shares the list of mobile numbers, that were disconnected, with stakeholders along with the reasons for disconnections — found involved in cyber-crime, failed re-verification and exceeding prescribed limits. These numbers are also usually used for financial frauds. As soon as a suspected mobile number is flagged by a stakeholder, it undergoes multi-dimensional analysis, and classifies it into Medium, High, or Very High financial risk associated with it. It then shares this assessment about the number immediately with all stakeholders through DIP. DoT said it is committed to prevent misuse of telecom resources by implementing national level technology driven solutions and collaborating with stakeholders, thus ensuring a secure and safe telecom ecosystem for all citizens.

Apple iPhone Security Alert: Apple has issued a crucial warning to millions of iPhone users, advising them to take immediate action after serious security vulnerabilities were discovered in iPhones. Researchers at cybersecurity firm Oligo found major security flaws in Apple’s AirPlay feature that allow hackers to hijack compatible devices connected to the same Wi-Fi network, according to media report. As a result, the tech giant has recommended disabling the AirPlay feature due to what has been dubbed the “AirBorne” security flaw. These vulnerabilities pose significant risks to user privacy and data security. A total of 23 security flaws, dubbed “AirBorne”, have been found in Apple’s AirPlay protocol and the AirPlay Software Development Kit (SDK), which is used by other companies to make their devices work with AirPlay. These flaws could let hackers break in without any user action. Once inside, attackers can remotely access devices, install malware, and steal sensitive data — all without any interaction from the iPhone user. Moreover, they claimed hackers could realistically use similar tactics to access devices with microphones for espionage. This isn’t the first time Apple has urged users to update their devices amid security concerns. In February, Apple reported facing “extremely sophisticated” attacks that could potentially disable USB Restricted Mode on locked devices.  Adding further, Apple’s Restricted Mode is a security feature added almost seven years ago in iOS 11.4.1 and included in all later versions of iOS. The new security feature prevents locked devices from leaking data to any accessories connected to the USB-C or Lightning port.  How To Stay Safe Open Settings: Go to Settings > General > AirPlay And Handoff on your Apple device. Disable AirPlay Receiver: Turn off the AirPlay Receiver option to stop unnecessary broadcasting. Restrict Access: If you keep AirPlay on, set access to Current User Only to limit potential intrusions. Install Security Software: Use trusted security apps to enhance protection against background broadcasting risks. 

Google I/O 2025 Announcements: Google’s just wrapped up its I/O 2025 keynote with another jam-packed set of AI-first announcements, demos, forward-looking promises at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California. The tech giant has made it clear that artificial intelligence is no longer just a feature — it’s the foundation. During the keynote, the tech giant introduced two new subscription tiers: AI Pro and AI Ultra. These plans are designed for users who want deeper access to Google’s most advanced AI tools and features. Both premium plans are powered by Gemini, Google’s flagship AI model, and promise better performance, smarter context handling, and exclusive capabilities. It’s worth noting that AI Ultra is a brand-new offering, while AI Pro is simply a rebrand of the existing Premium plan. Following last year’s momentum, Google made big moves with Gemini 1.5, Project Astra, Circle to Search, and stronger AI features in Android. This year, the tech giant kept on maintaining that momentum and went even further. At Google I/O 2025, Search became a fully AI-powered experience. Project Starline got a new name: Google Beam. Google also showed off smart glasses powered by Android XR and introduced new tools to create videos using AI. This wasn’t just a small step forward—it was a major shift in Google’s AI journey.  Let’s have a quick look at everything big that Google announced at Google I/O 2025   Gemini Comes To Chrome For Pro And Ultra Users  Gemini is now built into Google Chrome. With just a click, it can summarize web pages, help with research, and even support cross-tab tasks. This feature is available to Gemini Pro and Ultra users.  Deep Think Mode For Gemini 2.5 Pro Google also introduced a new “Deep Think” mode for Gemini—designed to handle complex tasks like math and coding. It tests multiple ideas before giving an answer and is currently being rolled out to trusted testers.  New AI Mode In Search Search now includes a new AI Mode tab, where users can chat directly with Gemini to explore topics, make charts, and even shop. This feature is launching in the U.S., with future updates like live conversations and smart shopping on the way.  Flow App Brings AI Video Creation  Google launched Flow, a creative or filmmaking app that lets you make 8-second AI-generated video clips using Veo, Imagen, and Gemini. You can also stitch clips together and build scenes to make longer videos.  Project Aura: Smart Glasses Powered by Android XR  Google teamed up with Xreal to introduce Project Aura, a prototype smart glasses powered by Android XR, complete with cameras and Gemini AI. Brands like Samsung, Gentle Monster, and Warby Parker are also working on XR glasses.  Search Live: Talk To Your Camera  Expanding on last year’s Astra demo, Google revealed Search Live—a real-time tool that lets you point your camera and talk to Search about what it sees. It’s useful for things like homework help, object detection, or discovering products.  Stitch: Your New AI UI Design Assistant  Google launched Stitch, a new experimental tool that applies AI to create app interfaces from sketches, screenshots, or design prompts. Targeted at developers and designers, it’s live on Google Labs now.  Smarter Gmail Replies Are Coming  Smart Replies in Gmail are also getting smarter. Soon, they’ll pull context from your inbox and Google Drive to craft more personal responses—adjusting tone depending on who you’re replying to. 

New Delhi: The Gemini app now has over 400 million monthly active users and we are seeing strong growth and engagement particularly with the 2.5 series of AI models, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, has said. Over seven million developers are building with Gemini, five times more than this time last year, and Gemini usage on Vertex AI is up 40 times, said Pichai during the ‘Google I/O 2025’ conference in the US. “For those using 2.5 Pro in the Gemini app, usage has gone up 45 per cent,” he informed. This time last year, “we were processing 9.7 trillion tokens a month across our products and APIs. Now, we’re processing over 480 trillion — that’s 50 times more”, Pichai added. He further stated that what all this progress means is that “we’re in a new phase of the AI platform shift, where decades of research are now becoming reality for people, businesses and communities all over the world”. Since launching last year, AI Overviews have scaled to over 1.5 billion users and are now in 200 countries and territories. “In our biggest markets like the U.S. and India, AI Overviews are driving over 10 per cent growth in the types of queries that show them, and this growth increases over time. For those who want an end-to-end AI Search experience, we’re introducing an all-new AI Mode,” informed the Google CEO. It’s a total reimagining of Search. With more advanced reasoning, you can ask AI Mode longer and more complex queries. In fact, early testers have been asking queries that are two to three times the length of traditional searches, and you can go further with follow-up questions. All “I’m excited to share that AI Mode is coming to everyone in the U.S., starting today (Tuesday US time). With our latest Gemini models our AI responses are at the quality and accuracy you’ve come to expect from Search, and are the fastest in the industry. And starting this week, Gemini 2.5, is coming to Search in the U.S., as well,” he added. The company is making 2.5 Pro even better by introducing an enhanced reasoning mode called Deep Think. It uses our latest cutting-edge research in thinking and reasoning, including parallel thinking techniques.

New Delhi: Cybersecurity readiness remains alarmingly low in Indian companies, with only 7 per cent of firms in India expected to achieve a mature level of readiness by 2025, according to a recent report by global technology firm Cisco. This marks an increase from last year’s (2024) Index, in which only 4 per cent of Indian organisations were designated as mature, the Cisco 2025 Cybersecurity Readiness Index noted. This demonstrates that despite an improvement from last year, cybersecurity preparedness remains low, especially as hyper-connectivity and AI introduce new complexities for security practitioners. The report added that artificial intelligence (AI) is both revolutionising security and escalating threat levels, with 9 in 10 organisations (95 per cent) facing AI-related security incidents last year. However, only 66 per cent of respondents expressed confidence that their employees fully understand AI-related threats. The report further observed that more than half of Indian organisations (57 per cent) suffered cyberattacks in the previous year, hindered by complex security frameworks and disparate point solutions. The Cybersecurity Readiness Index also highlighted that industry respondents view external threats—such as malicious actors and state-affiliated groups (46 per cent)—as more significant than internal threats (54 per cent), underscoring the urgent need for streamlined defence strategies to thwart external attacks. The Index evaluates companies’ readiness across five pillars—Identity Intelligence, Network Resilience, Machine Trustworthiness, Cloud Reinforcement, and AI Fortification—encompassing 31 solutions and capabilities. A deep dive into the findings reveals that the lack of cybersecurity readiness in India is alarming, as 81 per cent of respondents anticipate business disruptions from cyber incidents within the next 12 to 24 months. In India, about 96 per cent of organisations use AI to better understand threats, 88 per cent for threat detection, and 77 per cent for response and recovery—underscoring AI’s vital role in strengthening cybersecurity strategies. The report also notes that Generative AI (GenAI) tools are widely adopted, with 46 per cent of employees using approved third-party tools. However, 28 per cent have unrestricted access to public GenAI, and 43 per cent of Information & Technology (IT) teams are unaware of employee interactions with GenAI—highlighting major oversight challenges. On the investment front, about 98 per cent of organisations plan to upgrade their IT infrastructure, yet only 54 per cent allocate more than 10 per cent of their IT budget to cybersecurity—down 7 per cent year over year. 

Google One Cloud Storage Subscription Service Free: Bharti Airtel and Google has announced a partnership that brings 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.  Airtel partners with @Google to bring Google One cloud storage to its Postpaid and Wi-Fi customers in India. As part of the offer, customers will get 100 GB of storage across Google Photos, Drive, and Gmail—free for the first 6 months. The service will also support WhatsApp chat… — Bharti Airtel (@airtelnews) May 20, 2025 Users To Pay Rs 125 Per Month After Six Months  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.  Cloud Storage For Android And iOS Platforms  Adding further, WhatsApp chats on Android are backed up to Google Account storage which will make device switching easier for customers. The cloud storage provision is compatible with both Android and iOS platforms, making it widely accessible to Airtel’s diverse customer base. Google One, the subscription service offering cloud storage and AI features, has recently surpassed 150 million subscribers. This marks a 50 per cent increase since February 2024, when it reached the 100 million mark nearly six years after its launch. (With IANS Inputs)