TecQ is our weekly roundup of technology stories.
1. This Android Smart TV Costs Just Rs 4,999, But There’s A Catch
Smart televisions have become cheaper in India. Xiaomi showed everyone the way with the Mi TV series. But now, the tag of most-affordable smart TV goes to another brand. The biggest surprise, however, is that it’s made by an Indian company.
Yes, that’s right. There’s a company called Samy Informatics, which has launched its 32-inch smart television (TV) in the Indian market for Rs 4,999. You must be thinking this is some April fool’s joke or an alleged ponzi-scheme like the Freedom 251 phone, that too in February, but no, the company showcased it and even its website shows the product listed with a host of features.
What does it offer for this price? Click here to read everything about this unique product.
2. Should You Buy a Soundbar Worth Rs 5,000 For Your Big Screen TV?
Ever since Xiaomi launched its Mi Soundbar in India, that too for Rs 4,999 I was eager to try the device out and see if its value for that money.
Since I got my hands on the soundbar, I have hooked it up to my 43-inch LED TV and was using it as the sound driver for watching movies and web series on Netflix or Amazon Prime. So has Xiaomi delivered much above its weight (and price) with the Mi Soundbar?
Read here to know if the Mi Soundbar is worth the value for its affordable price tag.
3. Will New Online Shopping Rules in India Hit Your Cashback Wallets?
Online shopping has taken a hit because the Indian government has changed its rules for companies like Amazon and Flipkart. What has brought about the change in e-commerce policies, that too just a few months before India goes to General Elections?
Industry experts believe that appeasing local sellers will be on top of the ruling government’s agenda before the voting countdown begins. Sure, but for consumers this means Amazon and Flipkart will have less (or no control) over sellers and even delivery firms on their platform.
That’s not all, you’ll have to bear with a fall in the amount of cashbacks for every item purchased from these sites. Even discounts are going to take a hit, at least in the short term, according to industry experts we spoke with.
Read the full story here.
4. Over 40 Smartphone Brands Exit the Indian Market in 2018: Report
One of the largest smartphone markets in the world is now witnessing a slump, according to data provided by Cybermedia Research (CMR) to ET Telecom. The report says over 40 smartphone brands exited India in the year 2018 due to hyper-competition, while 15 other brands found the market lucrative and entered the Indian market seeing potential.
2019 is expected to be no different with brands like Samsung, Xiaomi and Oppo eating into a major chunk of the market thanks to more volume and better marketing.
As per CMR research estimates, India currently has around 200 smartphone brands operational in the country. At its peak in 2014-15, the mobile phone market comprised over 300 smartphone players.
Read the story here.
5. Tik Tok Has Huge Indian User Base, but Struggles with Hate Speech
User-generated content has become a rage on the internet, so much so that you have influencers thronging various platforms to reach out to their fan base. What started as a viral trend in China, the short video platform Musicaly (now Tik Tok) from ByteDance has hit the right notes in a competitive market like India as well.
The millions made by Tik Tok has got even Facebook’s attention, as the social-media giant launched Lasso, its competitor for the short-video platform. But now it’s time Tik Tok and its parent company looks to improve the hygiene on its platform and curtail the hate mongering on it.
Read the story here.
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