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OnePlus Open global debut today at 7:30pm: Livestream, device info and more

OnePlus Open global debut today at 7:30pm: Livestream, device info and more

by | Oct 19, 2023 | Technology


In a global unveiling from India, OnePlus is set to debut the OnePlus Open on October 19 at 7:30m (IST). Calling it a modern flagship smartphone, OnePlus said its maiden foldable device strikes the perfect balance between portability, durability and imaging. Explaining the thought process to create a light and compact-slim foldable, OnePlus said it invested heavily in mechanical design and material-component choices of the phone so as to produce a folding device that feels just like a regular single-display phablet smartphone.


OnePlus Open: What we know so far


Hinge and construction material


OnePlus earlier confirmed that it worked together with OPPO to develop the OnePlus Open, which would be available under OPPO branding in select markets outside India. The foldable smartphone would feature OPPO’s Flexion Hinge (water-drop shaped) with a single-spine architecture. OnePlus said the hinge on Open has 69 parts, compared to the nearly 100 components typically required for standard folding hinge designs. This allowed the company to trim the weight of the hinge and, therefore, the overall weight of the device. OnePlus said the Open is made from aerospace-grade materials, including titanium alloy and reinforced carbon fiber.


Camera


OnePlus said the Open features camera system with sensors from Sony, including the Sony LYTIA-T808. This sensor would debut on the foldable device with OnePlus Open. OnePlus said this camera sensor boasts Sony’s “Dual-layer Transistor Pixel” technology (also known as Pixel Stacked) where light adsorption-retention structure was redesigned from ground up, allowing for doubling the light captured and stored for conversion despite a relatively smaller sensor size.


Display and crease


OnePlus said the crease on the OnePlus Open bendable display is virtually imperceptible, thanks to the Flexion Hinge. This water-drop shaped hinge, OnePlus said, enables the screen to be folded flat, removing the appearance of a gap between the two sides without adding to the thickness of the folded device.


OnePlus essentials


The OnePlus Open would feature its iconic alert slider, which the company said have been optimised for the design and architecture to fit the foldable form factor without compromising on functionality. OnePlus said it has increased the external size of the alert slider button, but reduced the height and width inside the phone to save on the internal space.


Apps support


Earlier, the company had announced that it has worked closely with developers to ensure apps compatibility with its new foldable form factor. Citing Facebook as one of the apps examples, OnePlus said the work required substantial effort from both parties, and it believes the results are significant and meaningful for foldable device users. OnePlus also confirmed that its maiden foldable device would come with a small number of apps pre-installed. The company believes this approach strikes the right balance between delivering a novel and seamless user experience while preserving the stability and security of its products.


Other details


OnePlus said it would deliver a flagship-level performance and experience with its new foldable device. According to media reports, the OnePlus Open foldable smartphone would feature a 7.82-inch main display and a 6.31-inch outer shell display. The device may get up to 24GB RAM and up to 1TB storage.


OnePlus Open launch livestream



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Meta to roll out broadcast channels to Facebook, Messenger after WhatsApp

Meta to roll out broadcast channels to Facebook, Messenger after WhatsApp

by | Oct 19, 2023 | Technology


The announcement comes as rival messaging app Telegram’s broadcast channels have assumed an outsized role in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, as the primary means that the Palestinian Islamist group uses to communicate with the world | Photo: Bloomberg


Meta Platforms said on Wednesday it will roll out broadcast channels, a feature for public distribution of messages from individuals, to Facebook and Messenger.


Social media firms are bringing in more features to shore up engagement across apps in a highly competitive online environment.


The announcement comes as rival messaging app Telegram’s broadcast channels have assumed an outsized role in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, as the primary means that the Palestinian Islamist group uses to communicate with the world.


“We’re currently testing the ability for Pages to create broadcast channels and expect to roll this out in the coming weeks,” Meta said in a statement.


Meta expanded WhatsApp Channels to users in over 150 countries last month. The feature is also available on Instagram.


 

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Oct 19 2023 | 7:26 AM IST



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Amazon, X will likely avoid paying bill for enforcing EU’s content rules

Amazon, X will likely avoid paying bill for enforcing EU’s content rules

by | Oct 18, 2023 | Technology



By Jillian Deutsch


Amazon.com Inc. and X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, appear poised to escape paying millions of euros in fees to enforce the EU’s strict new content rules, leaving other tech companies to pay a larger share.

 


The commission estimates it needs €45.2 million ($47.7 million) to enforce the Digital Services Act this year. Very large online platforms — companies with more than 45 million monthly active users in Europe — are required to divvy up those costs based on the number of users they have. 


However, the EU has adjusted the charges to ensure that companies don’t pay a fee above 0.05% of their profit in 2022, meaning that companies that reported a loss don’t have to pay even if they have a large user base or represent a greater regulatory burden. This methodology results in X, formerly known as Twitter, and Amazon not contributing a penny, while Alphabet Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. together would pay about €31 million — almost three-quarters of the total, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified discussing information that’s not public.


These preliminary calculations could change before the commission announces the final totals at the end of November, according to the commission’s rules.  


Some of the tech companies view the fee structure as unfair, given the regulatory burden imposed by X and Amazon, said the people. X has spent months publicly sparring with regulators over its content moderation decisions and Amazon, which reported $514 billion in revenue in 2022, has sued the commission over the company’s designation as a very large online platform.


The EU passed the landmark act last year, spurred by what it saw as a failure by powerful firms to combat illegal material on their platforms. 


The new rules require social media companies to hire more content moderators and use risk mitigation methods to decrease the spread of harmful content, while online marketplaces have to trace sellers and allow customers to flag illegal products. Companies that fail to comply could face fines as high as 6% annual revenue or even be banned from the bloc if they repeatedly break the rules.


A representative for the commission declined to comment. Alphabet, Meta and Amazon declined to comment. X did not respond to a request for comment. 


Other online platforms that meet the DSA’s size threshold but weren’t profitable last year include Snapchat and Pinterest. 


Snapchat’s owner Snap Inc. confirmed it would pay nothing. Pinterest didn’t respond to a request for comment. 



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Used phones become ‘new’ craze, sales of smartphones fall in 2023

Used phones become ‘new’ craze, sales of smartphones fall in 2023

by | Oct 18, 2023 | Technology



Refurbished and used smartphone sales are booming, although the overall sales of new smartphones (primary phones) has fallen in calendar year 2023.


According to the latest projections by Counterpoint Research, as many as 35-45 million refurbished or used smartphones will be sold this year — a growth of 15 per cent over the previous year. On the other hand, the overall sales of new smartphones will fall about 5 per cent from the 151 million sold last year. 


In the April-June period of 2023, smart phone shipments have declined 3 per cent. However, it is better than the 19 per cent decline in the January-March period of 2023, according to the research agency. Surprisingly, the reason for the upsurge in the sale of used smartphones is not affordability, but a discernible change in the buying pattern of customers. 


Some customers  are looking to upgrade their feature phones and go for a smartphone. While those who have an entry-level smart phone costing Rs 6,000-7,000 are looking for the next upgrade.


The mobile phone market is divided into new feature phones — mostly 2G and 4G phones starting from Rs 700 — and entry-level new smartphones which retail between Rs 6,000 and Rs 7,000. 5G phones currently start from Rs 12,000 to 13,000 a piece.


However, there is a large market for three-year-old refurbished and used 4G smartphones which have an average selling price of Rs 10,000-Rs 15,000. Such phones offer far higher specifications, better battery life and camera, and more storage and powerful chipsets compared to entry-level smartphones. Many customers are gravitating to this market instead of buying a new phone.    


Says Neil Shah, co-founder of Counterpoint Research: “It is not so much affordability but the preference of feature phone customers looking at upgrading. First-time smartphone buyers are looking at upgrading to a more capable and branded Rs 10,000-Rs 15,000 used or refurbished phone, which is more expensive than an entry-level, less capable 4G smart phone which is cheaper.”


He also points out that those who already have an entry-level smartphone for which they paid Rs 6,000-7,000, are buying used smartphones that cost Rs 15,000 rather than buying another new Rs 6,000-phone, or going for a more expensive new 4G phone, which would be costing over Rs 20,000.   


According to Counterpoint, the total installed base of phones in the country is 800 million, out of which there are 200 million feature phones. 


But Shah admits that the conversion of feature phone customers to new smartphones, which are key to increasing overall sales, has slowed down.


Clearly, price of refurbished phones is very attractive. For instance, a refurbished One Plus 6T is on offer on Amazon, backed by a six months warranty, for only Rs 12,999, which is a saving of over Rs 29,000 compared to a new model of the same phone. Similarly, a refurbished Xiaomi 11 5G phone can be buyed for Rs 16,297, which is half the price of its new phone and a used Redmi Note 9 is available for Rs 9,490, which is half the price of its new model.


MAKING THE SWITCH

 


– Used smartphone sales likely to grow 15% in CY23, while new smartphone sales may fall 5%, according to Counterpoint Research

 


– Changing buyer behaviour, not affordability, key factor for slowing upgrades to new phones

 


– Higher specifications, and better battery life and camera compared to entry-level smartphones at competitive prices behind the pull

 


– Used or refurbished smartphones with an average selling price between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 attracting buyers





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Govt to ensure trusted supply chain for digital ecosystem: Official

Govt to ensure trusted supply chain for digital ecosystem: Official

by | Oct 18, 2023 | Technology



India is determined to ensure a trusted supply chain for its digital ecosystem and will not compromise on the security of the internet, an IT Ministry official said on Wednesday, after the US, China and Korea raised concerns over the decision to impose import curbs on laptops and computers at a recent WTO meeting.


These concerns were flagged in the meeting of the WTO Committee on Market Access. It was chaired by Renata Crisaldo of Paraguay on October 16 in Geneva.


The senior IT Ministry official on Wednesday affirmed that India is determined, indeed justified, in ensuring that the digital backbone and ecosystem are trusted and without any compromise.


“…We are very clear and determined that we want an absolutely trusted supply chain for the Indian digital ecosystem, and especially, when we are just going to take off, and the entire internet is going to be built on servers, clouds and data centres,” the official said in response to a question on the US and Korea raising concerns over India’s decision to impose import restrictions on laptops and computers.


Ensuring security and trust are not in contravention to trade agreements or commitments, the official said, adding that India wants to build a trusted digital backbone and ecosystem, and on that, there is “zero compromise”.


The modalities of the new import management system may be announced soon.


On August 3, India imposed import restrictions on a host of IT hardware products such as laptops, personal computers (including tablet computers), microcomputers, large or mainframe computers, and certain data processing machines with a view to boosting domestic manufacturing and cutting imports from countries like China.


The regime would come into effect from November 1.


However, Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal last week said that India will not impose licensing requirements on imports but will only monitor their inbound shipments.


The US has stated that the decision will have an impact on the trade of these products, including US exports to India, once they are implemented. America has also said that the decision is creating uncertainty for exporters and downstream users.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)



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Amazon to start testing drones that will drop prescriptions on doorstep

Amazon to start testing drones that will drop prescriptions on doorstep

by | Oct 18, 2023 | Technology



Amazon will soon make prescription drugs fall from the sky when the e-commerce giant becomes the latest company to test drone deliveries for medications.


The company said Wednesday that customers in College Station, Texas, can now get prescriptions delivered by a drone within an hour of placing their order.


The drone, programed to fly from a delivery center with a secure pharmacy, will travel to the customer’s address, descend to a height of about four meters or 13 feet and drop a padded package.


Amazon says customers will be able to choose from more than 500 medications, a list that includes common treatments for conditions like the flu or pneumonia, but not controlled substances.


The company’s Prime Air division began testing drone deliveries of common household items last December in College Station and Lockeford, California. Amazon spokesperson Jessica Bardoulas said the company has made thousands of deliveries since launching the service, and is expanding it to include prescriptions based in part on customer requests.


Amazon Prime already delivers some medications from the company’s pharmacy inside of two days. But pharmacy Vice President John Love said that doesn’t help someone with an acute illness like the flu.


What we’re trying to do is figure out how can we bend the curve on speed, he said.


Amazon Pharmacy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Vin Gupta says the US health care system generally struggles with diagnosing and treating patients quickly for acute illnesses, something that was apparent throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.


Narrowing the window between diagnosis and treating makes many treatments more effective, he said.


Amazon is not the first company to explore prescription deliveries by drone. The drugstore chain CVS Health worked with UPS to test deliveries in 2019 in North Carolina but that program has ended, a CVS spokesman said.


Intermountain Health started providing drone deliveries of prescriptions in 2021 in the Salt Lake City area and has been expanding the program, according to Daniel Duersch, supply chain director for the health care system. Intermountain is partnering with the logistics company Zipline to use drones that drop packages by parachute.


Companies seeking to use drones for commercial purposes have faced hurdles from regulators who want to make sure things are operating safely. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos had predicted a decade ago that drones would be making deliveries by 2018. Even now, the e-commerce giant is only using the technology in two markets.


Lisa Ellman, the executive director of the Commercial Drone Alliance, an industry group that counts Amazon as one of its members, said to date, regulatory approvals have been limited to specific geographic areas and in terms of their scope and usefulness to companies.


That said, she noted regulators have also been issuing more approvals. Last month, the FAA gave the OK for Zipline and UPS to fly longer-range drones.


Walmart has also been working to expand its own drone deliveries.


Amazon says its drones will fly as high as 120 meters, or nearly 400 feet, before slowly descending when they reach the customer’s home. The done will check to make sure the delivery zone is clear of pets, children or any other obstructions before dropping the package on a delivery marker.


The company said it hopes to expand the program to other markets, but it has no time frame for that.


Amazon has been growing its presence in health care for a few years now.


Aside from adding a pharmacy, it also spent nearly USD 4 billion to buy primary care provider One Medical. In August, the company added video telemedicine visits in all 50 states.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)



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