As we begin the new year, there’s a lot to look forward to from the world of tech. CES 2017 is just days away, and we should witness a lot of awesome, useful, fun and crazy gadgets from the show. But until then, here’s a wrap up of all of the major stories from today.
WhatsApp stops working on old iPhones, Android Phones, and more
Anybody using Android 2.2 or below and iOS 6 and below won’t be able to use WhatsApp anymore, as the company halted support for these old OS versions. It has also dropped support for Windows Phone 7, and is advising affected users to upgrade to newer phones. BlackBerry and old Nokia phones will also have their support cut on June 30, 2017.
Samsung launches Galaxy A3, A5, and A7 2017 models
Samsung’s first models to launch in the year 2017 include refreshed versions of the mid-range Galaxy A series. The Galaxy A3 (2017), Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017) will have better cameras than their predecessors, IP68-certified water and dust resistance and the metal and glass combination body, like the more expensive Galaxy S and Galaxy Note series.
Reliance Jio Happy New Year Offer kicks in
After giving subscribers free unlimited calls, SMSs and 4G speeds for up to 4GB per day for nearly four months, Reliance Jio’s ‘Welcome Offer’ is replaced with the ‘Happy New Year Offer’. It has more or less the same benefits, except that the daily cap is now reduced to 1GB per day. It will be valid until 31st March 2017.
BSNL offers unlimited voice calling plan
Government-run mobile operator BSNL has continued its response to Reliance Jio’s entry into the market with a new Rs. 144 plan for both prepaid and postpaid customers, which offers unlimited local and STD calls for one month, along with 300MB of data. The plan is said to be valid for the next six months.
BHIM app tops charts on Google Play in India
The Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) digital payments app has become the number one downloaded app on the Google Play app store in the country. The app, which launched last week offers easy transfer of money from one bank account to another and you can transact up to Rs. 20,000 per day.
OnePlus 3, OnePlus 3T start receiving Android 7.0 Nougat
OnePlus promised its users it will deliver the Android Nougat update to its users before the end of 2016, the Chinese smartphone maker has just about managed to keep up to its deadline. The company has started the official rollout of Android 7.0 Nougat update to OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T models in a phased manner. Android Nougat includes several updates like a newly designed notification drawer, multi-window mode, battery optimisations with an improved Doze Mode, etc.
Reasons for the Galaxy Note 7 explosions could be revealed this month
Reports suggest that Samsung will share findings of its investigations into the reasons behind the Note 7 explosions. The fiasco resulted in the product being taken off the shelves in October 2016, after its launch just months before. The move is said to be critical for Samsung in order to regain the trust of its customers.
PSA - PM Modi offering free recharge WhatsApp forward is fake
A message claiming that the Prime Minister wants to give Rs. 500 worth of free mobile recharge has gone viral on WhatsApp. It is fake - the suspicious hyperlink within the message points to a Web page asks for personal details, then asks to forward the link to 15 people.
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