Wednesday was a happening day in the world of technology, with Coolpad launching its Mega 3 smartphone with triple-SIM support; Flipkart valuation reportedly getting marked down to $5.54 billion; Facebook allowing users to play games in their News Feed and the Messenger app; and Netflix introduced a long-awaited feature. Read about these and other important tech stories of the day in your 360 Daily.
Coolpad launches smartphone with triple-SIM in India
Coolpad has launched the Mega 3 smartphone with triple-SIM functionality, and the Note 3S with 3GB of RAM in the Indian market. Priced at Rs. 6,999, the Coolpad Mega 3 has a 5.5-inch HD display, 1.25GHz MT6737 quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB internal storage, microSD card support, 8-megapixel cameras on the front and back, and a 3050mAh battery.
The Coolpad Note 3S – which costs Rs. 9,999 – has a 5.5-inch HD screen, 1.3GHz Snapdragon 415 octa-core chipset, 3GB RAM, 32GB internal storage, microSD card support, 13-megapixel rear camera, 5-megapixel front camera, and 2500mAh battery.
Flipkart valuation reportedly slashed 38 percent by Morgan Stanley
According to regulatory filings, a fund managed by Morgan Stanley has marked down the value of its stake in Flipkart by 38 percent. This is the second time Morgan Stanley has struck down Flipkart’s valuation in recent times, the first time being February when the value dipped by 27 percent. This reportedly brings down Flipkart’s valuation to $5.54 billion, from $9.39 billion in the last quarter, and from its peak of $15.2 billion.
Netflix now lets you download content for offline viewing
Netflix has announced you can now download select titles and watch them offline. The download feature will only be offered on select titles to begin with. The new feature is included in all Netflix plans, and you just need to make sure you are running the latest version of the Netflix app on iOS or Android to enjoy the feature.
Samsung Galaxy S8 selfie camera may have autofocus
The Galaxy S8 may become the first Samsung to offer the autofocus feature in the selfie camera, if a recent report turns out to be true. Samsung will reportedly use encoder technology instead of the existing voice coil motor mechanism for autofocus in the Galaxy S8’s selfie camera. Earlier rumoured features of Galaxy S8 include bezel-less pressure-sensitive display with 4K resolution, optical fingerprint sensor, 6GB of RAM, and faster Exynos 8895 processor; it is expected to be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
You can now play games in Facebook Messenger, News Feed
Facebook has unveiled a new feature called Instant Games that will let users play games directly in the News Feed as well the Messenger app. Instant Games has been launched in 30 countries and includes 17 games, including Bandai Namco, Space Invaders, Words with Friends, and Shuffle Cats Mini. This is being seen as an effort to monetise the Facebook Messenger app, which has over a billion users.
Apple Music subscription now starts at Rs. 60 per month
Apple has expanded its University Student plan for Apple Music to 25 countries, including India. Now, alongside the Individual and Family plans, Apple Music users in India will notice a new plan called University Student when choosing their subscription plan in the Apple Music app. While the Individual and Family plans are priced at Rs. 120 and Rs. 190 per month, the new University Plan comes at a discounted monthly charge of Rs. 60 per month.
Sony Xperia X Performance starts receiving Android 7.0 Nougat update
Sony Xperia X Performance and Sony Xperia X Performance Dual have reportedly started receiving the Android 7.0 Nougat update. The new update (firmware build number 39.2.A.0.327) for the two Sony smartphones brings changes in the user interface as well as features such as multi-window, direct replies, quick settings, extended battery life, and multi-locale support.
Twitter will now order replies based on importance
Twitter has announced that the company will now organise replies to tweets in such a way that users will get to see the "best content" first, bringing its mobile apps in line with the desktop. The company added that users may see replies in different order based of various factors, such as whether you follow the person who has replied within a conversation and whether the reply is coming from the person who initiated the conversation.
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