Gadgets Now Bureau
06 Aug, 2023, 07:28AM IST
Government has announced a licensing regime for import of laptops, tablets and personal computers. The new rules will come into effect from November 1. Reliance Retail launched its cheapest laptop so far, JioBook. Data Protection Bill 2023 presented in Lok Sabha. Apple announced its quarterly results and CEO Tim Cook said that the company is set for a new iPhone record in India. All this and more in Gadget Now’s top tech news of the week.
Reliance JioBook launched launched, available under Rs 20,000
Reliance JioBook laptop is official in India and users can purchase it at Rs 16,499 via Amazon India website. The company is offering buyers additional benefits worth Rs 1500. This includes a free backpack, Quick Heal antivirus program and access to DigiBoxx.
Click here to know about the specifications and features.
Government imposes new import rules on laptops and tablets
The government introduced a licensing regime for import of laptops, tablets and personal computers, but due to fears of price increase and hitting supplies, the government decided to give a “transition period” for companies to migrate to the new regime. The minister of state for IT & electronics Rajeev Chandrasekhar assured the industry that there will be a transition period.
Read more about these curbs.
Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023: All details
The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023, was tabled in the Lok Sabha this week. The bill aims to pave the way for volunteer disclosure of data breaches by companies, while also providing alternate dispute resolution mechanisms. The bill is being tabled in the Parliament almost a year after its previous version, the Data Protection Bill, was withdrawn by the government.
Here’s all you need to know about the bill.
GST council meeting on 28% GST on online gaming
The GST council met this week and there was no change in the decision to impose a 28% tax on online games, horse trading and casinos. The finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman provided some clarifications. The council, however, clarified that 28% GST would be levied on full face value and not gross gaming revenue (GGR) or the platform fee. The 28% GST will come into effect from October 1.
Here are the details.
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iPhone, iPad sales drop as Apple’s revenue clocks at $81 billion
Apple announced its quarterly results and posted quarterly revenue of $81.8 billion, which was down 1 per cent year over year. The revenue from the iPhone was slightly down compared to last year — at $39.67 billion, which was 2% down from the corresponding quarter last year. Apple also said that it saw a lot of “switchers” — those shifting from Android to iPhone — in the quarter, mainly in China.
Here are the details.
Apple sets new iPhone record in India, says CEO Tim Cook
Despite being a predominantly Android territory, Apple performed well in the country. During the company’s investors’ call after announcing quarterly results, Apple CEO Tim Cook doubled down on Apple’s focus on India and the significance it holds. Cook revealed that Apple hit a quarter revenue record in India and grew in strong double digits.
Read more.
Realme Pad 2 India launch: Price, specifications
Realme has expanded its product portfolio with the launch Pad 2 tablet. The Realme Pad 2 comes in two variants, 6GB + 128GB and 8GB + 256GB, priced at Rs 19,999 and Rs 22,999, respectively. The Pad 2 is available for purchase from Realme and Flipkart’s official websites in Inspiration Green and Imagination Grey colour options.
Know more here.
Lenovo LOQ gaming laptop launched in India
Lenovo has launched the LOQ series of gaming laptops in India. The LOQ gaming laptop comes in multiple configuration options to choose between — Intel 12th Gen Core i5, 13th Gen Core i7, and Ryzen 7 7840HS CPU — and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, RTX 4050, or RTX 4060 GPU. Here’s all you need to know about Lenovo LOQ gaming laptops.
Here’s all you need to know.
5G smartphone shipments in India cross 100 million units in Q2 2023
5G-enabled smartphones saw an upturn in sales, surpassing 100 million units, accounting for half of the total smartphone shipments in Q2 2023. According to a report released on Friday by CyberMedia Research (CMR), Samsung and OnePlus led the way in 5G smartphone shipments in India during Q2 2023, with a volume share of 24% and 20%, respectively.
Know which phones topped the charts.
Vivo beats Samsung to become number one smartphone brand in India
In a shocker to some, Chinese smartphone brand Vivo has emerged as the number one smartphone brand for Q2 2023. Samsung, which held the top spot earlier, is now a close number two, according to a report by IDC. Vivo garnered 16% market share in the second quarter of 2023. Compared to last year, Vivo’s market share grew by 7.4%.
Here’s the full list.
Samsung Crystal Vision 4K UHD TV launched in India: All the details
Samsung has announced the Crystal Vision 4K TV lineup in India. The new Smart TV range comes with multi-voice assistant support and an inbuilt IoT Hub, among other features. The starting price for this model is Rs 33,990.
Here’s everything you need to know about Samsung Crystal Vision 4K TV.
HP launches Dragonfly G4 laptop
HP launched the Dragonfly G4 expanding its premium ultra-thin and lightweight laptop lineup. The laptop aims to offer a premium user experience in a hybrid work environment. The laptop weighs under 1 kg and comes with the 13th-generation Intel Core processor. HP Dragonfly G4 is available at a starting price of Rs 2,20,000 at HP online stores and select HP world stores.
Click here for specifications.
Foxconn to invest $600 million to set up two plants in Karnataka
Apple supplier Foxconn said that it will invest $600 million to set up two manufacturing plants in Karnataka. One of the plants will be established in a partnership with US-based Applied Materials, the government said.
Details here.
Apple CEO Tim Cook on company’s approach to AI
At a time when tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and others are working in AI space, Apple and its executives have remained relatively mum, even at its quarterly earnings call. It was until analysts asked about the company’s strategy and investments in artificial intelligence. CEO Tim Cook said that Apple has been long working on AI, including generative AI, and it is showing up in the company’s research and development spending.
Here’s what the CEO told people on call.