TecQ is our weekly round-up of the top technology stories.
1. Sex, Likes and Video Chat Apps: The Dark Side of Monetary Rewards
The internet is home to some of the most provocative, suggestive and sexual content one can think of. But, little did we know that such content has slowly pervaded into the app world where regular video chat applications like Bigo Live and Like play a major role.
A recent report by The Economic Times highlighted apps like Bigo and Like for allowing provocative and explicit content on their platform. It’s an issue which had gone unchecked for a while and now has opened a can of worms for its stakeholders.
What many consider a source of entertainment, these video chat apps have been a boon purely because of their incentive-based revenue model and also because of access to cheap data plans.
Read the full story here.
2. PUBG Mobile Prime & Prime Plus Subscriptions: All You Need to Know
PUBG Mobile is offering more goodies to its users, but these you'll have to pay for. The latest PUBG Mobile update 0.11.5 has brought forth with it the new Prime and Prime Plus subscriptions.
These subscriptions will allow players to purchase Unknown Cash (UC), discounts, and an option to buy items with Battle Points (BP).
These subscriptions have gone live on the game's interface and can be purchased from there. It has been noticed that there is a certain discrepancy in pricing for both iOS and Android where subscription prices in the latter are more expensive.
Read the story here.
3. Spam Alert! Fed Up of Unwanted SMS Messages, Indians Seek An End
Many people in the country are fed up of getting spam messages/calls and the telcos have to take most of the blame for this. This has made India the second-most spam riddled country in the world, an unwanted label for sure.
A recent report from LocalCircles has surveyed more than 12,000 participants to get their opinion on spam SMS and how big an issue it is for them.
The LocalCircles survey found that more than 78 percent of the respondents were getting four or more spam SMS every day. Which turns out to be 28 SMS on an average in a week and if 78 percent of 12,000 people are saying this, then telcos have a big problem on their hands.
You can read more on the survey over here.
4. Now You Won’t Be Added to Random WhatsApp Groups Without Consent
It’s here, folks! The power to decide who can add you in a WhatsApp Group and who can’t. Isn’t that what you’ve been crying out for?
Well, WhatsApp, the Facebook-owned messaging platform, has finally heard your request and the feature is rolling out with its latest update to some users on Wednesday, and is likely to get a global release in the coming weeks.
Interestingly, we had first heard about this feature getting added to iOS via a WABetainfo report a few weeks back. WhatsApp understands the need to offer it for Android as well, since this OS caters to over 90 percent of the world’s mobile population.
Read the story here.
5. Apple Music Prices in India Slashed, One Month Plan for Rs 99 Now
Apple Music is the latest music streaming app to reduce its prices for Indian users. The monthly plan now costs Rs 99 (it was Rs 120 before) and even the family sharing plan now costs Rs 149 (previously it was Rs 199) per month, for six people.
This change comes as a surprise, especially when Apple is the last brand you would consider will be slashing prices of its services, just because others are.
Apple Music (AM) along with Gaana and JioSaavn are now available in the country for less than Rs 100 per month, while Gaana and JioSaavn have gone one step ahead and reduced the prices of their annual packs by a whopping 75 percent, bringing them to Rs 299 for one year.
Many are seeing this is as rebuttal to the launch of YouTube Music and Spotify in the country over the past few months, making the streaming segment a hyper-competitive space in India.
Read the story here.
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