TecQ: Poco F1 vs OnePlus 6, Natural Disaster Apps, Apple & More

TecQ is The Quint’s roundup of the week’s top tech news.

Here are a few disaster management apps that you can use in times of calamities.

(Photo: Canva/The Quint)

TecQ is The Quint’s weekly roundup of technology stories.

1.The Affordable Flagship Battle

OnePlus 6 (left) or the Poco F1 (right)(Photo: The Quint)

OnePlus 6 launched a few months back in India and has got a good response from consumers. Even though it costs more than the OnePlus 5T, buyers have gotten used to the brand’s value proposition, opting for flagship features with a relatively affordable price.

The success of OnePlus has alerted Xiaomi, which has brought in its sub-brand Poco. Its first product, the Poco F1, pushes the limits of how much a flagship-like phone can cost in the market.

To know more about both the phones, click here.

2. The Android One Battle: Nokia 6.1 Plus or Xiaomi Mi A2

Both Nokia 6.1 Plus (right) and Xiaomi Mi A2 (left) are two mid-range Android One powered phones in the market.(Photo: The Quint)

Nokia 6.1 Plus has been launched this week for Rs 15,999, which means it competes with a host of devices like the Moto G6 Plus and Mi A2.

The latter one is what we’re pitting against in our latest comparison feature, as both; Mi A2 and the Nokia 6.1 Plus are Android One devices. Priced at Rs 16,999 and Rs 15,999 respectively, which one of the Xiaomi or Nokia phones should you be looking to buy?

To find out, click here.

3. WhatsApp Rejects Indian Govt’s Plea to Soften Encryption

WhatsApp has said that letting go of the encryption will hamper user’s privacy.(Photo: Harsh Sahani/The Quint)

WhatsApp has rejected India's demand for a solution to track the origin of messages on its platform, saying building traceability would affect user privacy and undermine end-to-end encryption.

To read the full story, click here.

4. Just Like the Notch, Apple Could Start the Wireless Charging Era

Apple started supporting wireless charging with iPhone 8 last year. (Photo: The Quint)

When Apple showcased the notch design on the iPhone X last year, most of the brands and even people ridiculed the idea behind it. Fast forward to 2018, and the notch has become a standard feature that can be seen on mid-range phones now.

Apple was also the first to take the bold move of dropping the headphone jack from the iPhone 7 a few years back. While Samsung continues to offer it, most high-end brands have decided to drop this feature following Apple’s lead.

This clearly shows the impact Apple has on the industry. Keeping that in mind, Apple may set a trend yet again according to an industry veteran.

To read the full story, click here.

5. Here are a Few Apps That Can Come Useful in Times of Natural Disasters

Here are a few disaster management apps that you can use in times of calamities.(Photo: The Quint/Canva)

The floods in Kerala have killed hundreds and displaced lakhs. As Kerala faces its worst floods in 100 years, people across the country and outside are doing their bit to help. In such instances, we often wonder if technology such as mobile apps can play a part in preventing calamities or aiding in rescue.

Since there are not enough applications that have been designed to be of help in such situations, we have listed a few apps that could come handy during natural disasters.

To see what apps we have listed for you, click here.