TecQ is our weekly round-up of the top tech stories.
1. Apple to Launch New iPad and MacBooks at Its Event on 30 October
Now that the iPhones have been launched, it’s time for Apple to showcase its latest range of iPad and probably the new MacBooks.
The company is holding a media event on 30 October to unveil the products, and many people expect Apple to reveal a new-look iPad with Face ID technology and make the long over due announcement for a new version of the MacBook Air.
The agenda of the event was revealed in a Bloomberg report on Thursday and the world will now wait for Tim Cook and Co to get on the stage and make a slew of launches.
Read the full story here.
2. Netflix Could Lower Its Plans in India to Get More Users on Board
Netflix could finally cave into the pressure of succeeding in India, pushing them to lower the prices of plans in the country. Currently, users pay Rs 500 for the standard plan, going up to Rs 800 for the ultra-definition (4K) package, letting four users access the same account.
This, compared to Amazon and Hotstar’s Rs 999 annual pack dithers everyone from subscribing, especially when both these platforms charge under Rs 200 for their respective monthly plans.
Netflix has been repeatedly asked about differing in its pricing strategy for markets like India, and it’s likely that the potential of reaching over 50 million users could have played its part in the change of heart.
Read the full story here.
3. Most Indians Use Video Streaming Apps but Someone Else Pays for It
Most digital streaming services have claimed to be popular among users in India and more importantly, stating that people are finally keen on paying for it. But it’s time we heard from the people themselves, and according to most people, Amazon’s Prime Video takes the cake for its service and probably its overall value for money quotient.
We also got some clarity as to how much are people in India willing to spend on streaming services as of today and how many platforms are part of their monthly/annual shopping list.
The most staggering insight out of the lot is the fact that most Indian users prescribe to watching their favourite web series by using the account of friends or even family members.
Read the full story here.
4. Don’t Worry, Your Mobile Number Will Not Get Deactivated
On Wednesday, 17 October, media reports pointed out that over 50 million mobile numbers activated via eKYC will be deactivated in the coming months. This caused panic among users, who were looking to get some concrete answers whether they’ll have their numbers shut down or not.
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has issued a clarification. To answer these questions UIDAI has issued a notification that quashes all the rumours of numbers getting deactivated. It says people have nothing to worry about. This press statement was jointly put out by the entity governing Aadhaar and the Department of Telecom (DoT) on Thursday.
Read the full story here.
5. OnePlus 6T Prices to Start From Rs 37,990 This Year?
The upcoming OnePlus 6T from the company is likely to be its costliest product since its debut in 2014. This is also going to be the first from OnePlus to come with an in-display fingerprint scanner and probably a water drop notch on the front as well.
The phone, according to latest leaks could get a starting price tag of Rs 37,999 and will be available in two storage variants, with 6GB and 8GB RAM options expected to be announced.
Interestingly, the report also believes that OnePlus is ditching the 64GB variant for good, and starting off its range with 128GB with 6GB RAM with the OnePlus 6T. The top model, carrying 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage is likely to cost Rs 44,999, as highlighted in the report. It is possible that the storage bump and the addition of the new display feature is the reason why phone will cost more.
Read more about the OnePlus 6T here.
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