While the Mac mini continues to focus on a compact desktop experience, the Mac Studio is aimed at professionals handling demanding creative, development and AI workloads.

Their latest devices; Mac mini and Mac Studio desktops are now available for sale in India.

The Mac mini M6 starts at Rs 99,900, while the M5 Pro variant starts at Rs 2,09,900. The Mac Studio with M5 Max starts at Rs 2,79,900, while the M5 Ultra model starts at Rs 6,29,900.

Are they worth the buy?

The latest Mac mini moves to the M6 and M5 Pro chips, replacing the previous-generation M4 and M4 Pro processors. The compact desktop retains its 5-by-5-inch footprint, which Apple introduced with the 2024 redesign.

Apple says the new M6 Mac mini delivers up to 40 per cent faster CPU performance, while graphics and storage performance can reach up to twice that of the previous M4 model. In an official note they also highlighted improvements in AI-related workloads, with the new system designed to handle on-device AI tasks more efficiently.

M6 or M5 Pro: Which could be a better choice?

The M6 model starts with 16GB of unified memory and can be configured with up to 32GB. The M5 Pro version comes with up to an 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU, with support for up to 64GB of unified memory.

Whereas, the M5 Pro variant is targeted at users who need greater processing and graphics capabilities. It supports up to 64GB of unified memory and includes Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, allowing users to connect high-speed external storage and other peripherals.

The M6 is aimed at users who want a powerful, compact Mac for everyday and moderately demanding workloads, while the M5 Pro is built for users whose professional applications can take advantage of additional processing power, memory and high-speed connectivity.

Mac Studio gets M5 Max and M5 Ultra chip

For users upgrading from older Macs, the difference will depend largely on their existing hardware and workload. The new Mac mini is aimed at users seeking a compact desktop with considerably more processing headroom, while the Mac Studio remains targeted at professionals whose workflows require high-end CPU, GPU, memory and connectivity capabilities.

The M5 Ultra variant goes up to a 36-core CPU and 80-core GPU and can be configured with up to 512GB of unified memory. Apple said the system offers up to 1.2 TB/s of memory bandwidth.

Both Mac Studio models support Thunderbolt 5, with data transfer speeds of up to 120 Gb/s. The desktops can also support up to eight displays, depending on the configuration.

macOS 27 and Apple Intelligence integration

The upgrades also reflect Apple's broader focus on AI processing, with both desktop families benefiting from newer Apple silicon architectures and improvements aimed at running demanding AI workloads locally.

The new desktop runs on macOS 27, which includes new Apple Intelligence features and the company's updated Siri AI. Apple said, “Siri can use personal context to help users find information across messages, emails, and photos, while Visual Intelligence can be accessed through Spotlight and systemwide context menus."

The operating system also brings Apple Intelligence features to apps, including Safari, Shortcuts, and Photos.

Apple said the new Mac mini and Mac Studio will begin arriving at customers and Apple Store locations and authorised resellers from September 22. The Mac Studio configuration with 512GB of unified memory is expected to arrive in late October.

Rather than positioning Googlebook as a replacement for existing Chromebook models, Google describes this tech-savvy device as a new category of laptop built around the Android technology stack, combined with desktop features from ChromeOS.

Google says the devices are designed to make it easier to move between an Android phone and a laptop.

You can now integrate your Android phone into a laptop

The main focus of Googlebook is integration with Android phones. During setup, users can transfer settings, saved passwords, Wi-Fi networks and messages from their Android phone, with Google saying the process is protected by end-to-end encryption.

Googlebook also includes features aimed at moving work between the two devices. The ‘Continue On’ feature on this device allows users to resume supported activities started on their phones, while the Files app provides access to files and photos stored on an Android phone.

Another feature, Cast My Apps, allows users to display and interact with Android phone apps in a desktop window. This could allow tasks such as using a delivery app or accessing a message containing a one-time code without repeatedly switching between devices.

Google partners with Acer, Dell and three others

While issuing an official note, Google said that it has partnered with Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP and Lenovo for the initial Googlebook range.

According to Google, the laptops will start at USD 899 (approximately Rs 86,000) and include features such as aluminium, magnesium alloy or carbon-fibre construction; touchscreens with displays of up to 2.8K OLED resolution; haptic glass trackpads; and backlit keyboards.

Performance

The devices from Google will be integrated with processors from Intel and Qualcomm. As per Google, the newly introduced Googlebook comes with dedicated neural processing units capable of more than 45 TOPS.

A 14-hour battery life

Google claims battery life of up to 14 hours, although actual battery performance is likely to vary depending on the device and usage.

Google is also bringing back its Glowbar, an exterior light that appears during startup, indicates battery levels and responds with animations during interactions with Gemini.

Googlebook comes with Gemini AI integration

Googlebook will include several AI-focused features under Google’s Gemini platform.

One of them, Magic Pointer, allows users to bring up Gemini by moving the cursor. Google says it can be used for tasks such as organising information displayed on screen or translating text.

Rambler is designed to turn spoken thoughts into structured text, including notes, action items and checklists. Google says it can work with speech in multiple languages.

There is also Create My Widget, which generates desktop widgets based on descriptions provided by the user.

Google says Gemini features are designed to act only when requested, with users able to disable Magic Pointer.

Chrome, Android apps and developer tools

Googlebook combines a desktop version of Chrome, including support for extensions, with access to Android applications through the Play Store.

Google says applications including Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom and CapCut can be used on the devices, while streaming services such as Netflix and HBO Max can support offline viewing.

Google offers free GeForce NOW with every purchase

Gaming is also part of the platform, with Google offering a year of GeForce NOW with each purchase, as per Google’s official statement.

For developers, Googlebook will include Antigravity, Google's AI agent development platform, as well as a full terminal environment. This is intended to allow developers to run tools such as Claude Code and Antigravity CLI directly on the laptop.

Googlebook offers security based on ChromeOS architecture

Googlebook uses the security architecture associated with ChromeOS, including Google’s Titan hardware root of trust, a defence-in-depth approach and on-device malware detection.

Google also says the platform includes a Level 5 security-certified pKVM hypervisor. The system is intended to isolate a Linux environment, allowing users to access developer tools and repositories without running them directly within the main operating environment.

Google has also said Googlebook OS will receive regular feature updates for up to 10 years.

Price and availability

While Google is yet to announce the exact prices for India, Googlebook will start at USD 899 (approximately Rs 86,000).

The company says that each device will include 12 months of Google AI Pro, with 5TB of cloud storage and Gemini Advanced tools, along with three months of YouTube Premium and access to Adobe Photoshop and other offers.

No official launch date has been announced by Google for India. Pre-orders are currently open through the Google Store and select retailers. According to Google, the laptops will go on sale from October 4 in the US, followed by October 5 in Canada, the UK, Ireland, France, Germany and Australia.

When I first started playing Star Wars Zero Company, my immediate thought was XCOM. The movement, cover system, turn-based combat, and the constant need to position your team before everything inevitably goes horribly wrong all feel very familiar. What I didn’t know at the time was that several people behind Zero Company had actually worked on XCOM and Marvel’s Midnight Suns, another game I really enjoyed. Suddenly, everything made sense.

Developer Bit Reactor is filled with former Firaxis developers, and that DNA runs through Zero Company. However, calling this Star Wars XCOM would do the game a massive disservice because, once you get past the obvious similarities, it starts doing its own thing. More importantly for me, this is my kind of strategy game. Combat matters, but it isn’t the whole game.

You play Hawks, a former Republic officer who now runs a slightly dysfunctional mercenary company during the Clone Wars. Things aren’t exactly going swimmingly for Hawks and gang when Republic Intelligence gives them a job investigating a mysterious organisation called The Coil. Without giving away too much, things escalate.

What surprised me most was how much I cared about the story. I actually wanted to know what happened next.

The characters have personalities, relationships, and motivations. 

There are moments when Zero Company feels closer to Mass Effect or Midnight Suns than XCOM, and I mean that as a compliment. It also helps that the game doesn’t rely on Jedi waving lightsabers around every five minutes to remind you that you are playing Star Wars. There are Jedi and plenty of familiar Star Wars ingredients, but most of the story focuses on soldiers, mercenaries, droids, spies, and the galaxy’s slightly dirtier side. It feels surprisingly refreshing.

This is also where Zero Company is much better than I expected. The Clone Wars is already a very well-trodden part of Star Wars, but the game manages to squeeze its own story into that period without feeling like someone desperately trying to find five unused minutes between two episodes of an animated series. Then there is the strategy layer, which is probably my favourite part of the game.

Between missions, you are managing Zero Company. You have resources to spend, facilities to improve, equipment to buy and operations happening across the galaxy. You also have to think about your squad.

Nothing is quite like spending several minutes staring at the battlefield, moving everyone into position, and then watching an entire group of enemies disappear because your ridiculous plan somehow actually worked. That is what I want from a tactics game.

Zero Company also uses three action points per character, rather than moving as rigidly as in some other games in the genre. 

Maps are also generally compact enough that you are encouraged to move rather than permanently parking everyone behind the nearest wall.

I particularly like that the strategy isn’t confined to combat. Decisions made outside missions, like building trust with your crew, affect what happens inside them, and that is where the game really had me. You can also customise Hawks and create additional mercenaries, choosing different appearances, species and combat roles. There is a decent amount of customisation available, although I didn’t find the tools particularly intuitive. There were times when I knew what I wanted to change but spent more time than I should have figuring out where the option was.

My bigger complaint, at least on the PS5 version I played, is the presentation. Zero Company can look fantastic. Environments have plenty of detail, combat effects look great, and there are moments when it genuinely feels like you are playing through an expensive Star Wars production. Then a story scene begins, and things occasionally go wonky.

I noticed graphical artefacts, awkward animations, and some visual weirdness during in-game story sequences. It isn’t enough to ruin the game, but it is particularly noticeable because Zero Company is trying very hard to be cinematic. When a game zooms the camera right into someone’s face, that face had better behave itself. The good news is that these problems never made me want to stop playing. They are annoyances in an otherwise excellent game rather than reasons to avoid it. And excellent is probably the word I keep coming back to.

Yes, Star Wars Zero Company owes an enormous debt to XCOM. You don’t need to be a strategy-game detective to figure that out. The developers aren’t exactly hiding the family resemblance either. But somewhere between managing The Den, building relationships with the crew, choosing operations, upgrading characters, and occasionally spending an embarrassing amount of time deciding where one person should stand, I stopped thinking about XCOM. I was thinking about Zero Company. That might be the biggest compliment I can give it.

For someone like me who enjoys strategy, management, and tinkering with a team more than mindlessly running into another firefight, Zero Company hits a very specific sweet spot. The combat is excellent, but it exists as part of a much larger strategy game rather than being the only thing holding everything together. Add one of the better original Star Wars stories we have had in a game recently, and you have something that isn’t merely XCOM with blasters. It is a damn good strategy game that happens to take place in Star Wars. I just wish someone would polish those PS5 cutscenes.

First reported by The Wall Street Journal on Friday, the intrusions took place in May during an exercise conducted by the testing firm Irregular, which also participated in evaluations involving similar breaches disclosed by OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta.

In one instance, the AI model guessed passwords until it penetrated a protected network. In two separate runs, the system identified exposed credentials within public repositories to gain entry. Google maintained that the model ceased its operations in each instance once it recognized that it had penetrated real corporate infrastructure rather than a simulated target.

Irregular alerted Google to the breaches in late July, following revelations that OpenAI agents had compromised the software platform Hugging Face. Google did not make the development public until inquiries were submitted by The Wall Street Journal.

The company stated that the event did not warrant disclosure because the model inflicted no damage and disconnected upon discovering the mistake, likening the process to a bug bounty initiative.

“This event highlights the importance of training powerful AI models to act responsibly,” Heather Adkins, Google’s vice president of security engineering, said in a statement. “In this case, the model acted appropriately.”

Industry observers contested Google's characterization of the event, arguing that the autonomous breach of external corporate networks represented a serious breakdown in containment protocols.

The breaches stemmed from an issue of mistaken identity during a capture-the-flag exercise on Irregular’s infrastructure, where the model received instructions to retrieve data from a simulated entity that shared its name with an active business. While the test environment was intended to remain isolated, internet connectivity was inadvertently left open.

Beyond guessing passwords in the initial run, the system executed web searches for the target name during subsequent tests, located credentials stored in online repositories, and deployed them to penetrate two additional corporate environments.

Google stated that it informed the three affected entities alongside federal authorities, while declining to identify the victim companies or the specific Gemini version involved.

“All relevant labs were notified in late July, and affected entities were contacted as part of the investigation,” an Irregular spokesperson said.

“Irregular took immediate action, and all known issues on our end were remedied and resolved weeks ago,” the spokesperson added. 

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.

The phone is priced in the range of around Rs 17,000 and is available in two storage variants.

Design and durability

The Spark Go 3 Pro takes a slightly different approach to the usual budget-phone formula by making durability one of its central selling points.

The IP68 and IP69 ratings are particularly notable on the specification sheet. The phone has been designed to withstand exposure to water and dust, while its wet- and oily-finger touch support is intended to reduce accidental or missed touches when the display is being used in less-than-ideal conditions.

Available in three different colours including Burgundy Red, Sunrise Orange, Eclipse Black and a titanium/silver shade. It might not look extremely attractive but ultimately proves to be a decent choice at this price point.

Display

One of the best things about this budget smartphone is that it gets a sizable 6.78-inch IPS LCD display with an HD resolution of 720 x 1526 pixels.

However, the 120Hz refresh rate of Tecno Spark Go 3 makes scrolling through menus, social media feeds, and compatible applications feel smoother than a conventional 60Hz panel.

The display is rated at 580 nits, according to the supplied specifications. That should be adequate for many indoor situations, although very bright outdoor conditions may be more challenging.

Performance

Under the hood is the MediaTek Helio G81 4G, built on a 12nm process. The octa-core CPU is clocked at up to 2.0GHz and is paired with a G52 MC2 GPU running at 820MHz. The Spark Go 3 Pro is therefore positioned as a phone for everyday tasks rather than demanding flagship-level workloads. 

The specification sheet lists 12GB RAM as 4GB + 8GB, alongside 64GB or 128GB of UFS 2.2 storage. Since the 12GB figure includes the 8GB component in the stated configuration, buyers should not interpret it as 12GB of physical RAM.

Cameras

The budget smartphone from Tecno comes with a 13MP rear camera with an f/1.8 aperture, autofocus, and a rear flash. Whereas, the front camera on this smartphone is an 8MP integrated with  f/2.0  sensor and fixed focus. 

However, the Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro does miss out on ultrawide or dedicated telephoto cameras, the performance does look quite decent. 

Battery and charging

The 5,200mAh battery on Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro is one of the phone's more practical specifications. Combined with the relatively modest 4G chipset, it should be capable of supporting extended everyday use, although actual endurance will depend on usage.

The phone supports 10W charging, which is modest by current smartphone standards. So while the large battery may reduce how often the phone needs to be charged, topping it up is unlikely to be particularly quick.

Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro price in India

The Tecno Spark Go 3 Pro starts at Rs 15,999 for the 4GB RAM and 64GB storage variant. The 4GB RAM and 128GB storage model is priced at Rs 16,999.

Is it worth buying?

At Rs 15,999 onwards, the Spark Go 3 Pro is therefore aimed at users who prioritise durability, battery capacity, and a high-refresh-rate display over 5G connectivity, faster charging, or more versatile cameras. However, the design on the outside could have been a little more impressive. With Tecno focusing more on performance, the inclusion of night mode and a dedicated telephoto lens would make it a standout choice.

The US tech giant said that the service is being rolled out globally with more than 50 features available across its platforms. Meta said it has recorded 15 million subscriptions and trials so far.

According to Meta, the core versions of Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Meta AI will continue to remain free, while Meta One subscribers will get access to additional features, higher AI usage limits, and professional tools.

In India, Meta One's single-product plans start at Rs 79 per month, while individual bundle plans start at Rs 549 per month. Plans for creators and businesses start at Rs 639 per month. Pricing and features can, however, vary depending on the app, region, and account.

Meta One plans for Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook

Meta One offers individual subscriptions for Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, as well as bundled plans that combine features from the three social media platforms with additional Meta AI access.

Single-product plans for three major social media platforms

• Instagram Plus is priced at Rs 99 per month in India and includes features such as custom fonts for direct messages, Stories, and Story-view notifications for selected people and DM previews.
• WhatsApp Plus will cost at Rs 79 per month and includes additional themes and icons, special-effect stickers, and the ability to pin more chats.
• Facebook Plus is priced at Rs 99 per month and includes features such as custom app icons, Super Hearts, and additional customisation options.

For users seeking greater access to Meta's AI tools, the core plan costs Rs 549 per month, while Premium is priced at Rs 1,950 per month in India.

The core plan provides increased access to features such as image and video generation through Meta AI, Instagram's Restyle, and voice effects, along with the features available through the individual app plans. The Premium plan offers higher usage limits across Meta's AI and other services.

Meta said that every day, the use of Meta AI will remain available without a subscription.

Meta offers subscription plans for creators and businesses; check pricing

Meta is also offering subscription tiers aimed at creators and businesses, with tools intended for managing professional accounts and interacting with customers.

Essential: The Essential plan starts at Rs 639 per month and includes an enhanced profile, a verified badge, a verified channel on WhatsApp Business, impersonation protection, and greater access to Meta Business Agent on WhatsApp.

Advanced: The Advanced plan starts at Rs 2,099 per month and adds features such as scheduling Stories up to 30 days in advance, adding links to organic posts and Reels, exportable analytics, and deeper audience insights. It also allows businesses to provide team members access to accounts without sharing passwords.

Expert and Max: The Expert and Max plans cost Rs 6,399 and Rs 20,990 per month, respectively, and offer higher levels of feature access and Meta Business Agent capacity for larger teams.

Meta said it plans to add further features to the service, including Edits Plus, which will provide additional cloud storage and access to an upcoming Edits assistant designed to help users analyse Instagram insights and develop content ideas. The company also said Meta One will eventually expand to Edits and its AI glasses.

The company will roll out the expansive set of software improvements across iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, and other Apple platforms, it said in a statement.

New version of Siri 

Siri AI will be a new version of the company's virtual assistant that is powered by the next generation of Apple Intelligence. The company said it is a more capable and conversational assistant with personal context understanding, broad world knowledge, onscreen awareness, and even more systemwide app actions.

"Siri AI can understand personal context across messages, emails, photos, and more to help users find what they need in the moment. It can also answer questions related to the content on a user's screen or go out to the web to get up-to-date information to generate a helpful answer. Siri is integrated into the Camera app on iPhone with Siri mode, allowing users to get information and take action on what's in front of them," it said.

Users can also opt for Write with Siri, which will allow them to generate a draft or polish what they have written. 

Siri AI would be deeply integrated into iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple is rolling out the beta in English and plans to launch other languages such as French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish in October.

Besides, the company said the next generation of Apple Intelligence will help in editing photos and creating high-quality photorealistic images, and users can also identify images generated or edited with AI, which will be available through a software update later this year.

In its web browser Safari, the Apple Intelligence-powered tools will automatically organise a user's tabs into topics and enable the creation of custom extensions based on a description. It can also send notifications to alert users on website changes such as product restocks or price drops. 

Apple Intelligence and Siri AI in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 are available on iPhone Duo, iPhone Air, iPhone 16 models or later, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad mini (A17 Pro), iPad models with M1 or later, MacBook Neo (A18 Pro), Mac with M1 or later, Apple Vision Pro, Apple Watch Series 9 or later, Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, and Apple Watch SE 3 when paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone. 

Child Safety Features 

Apple has said Siri AI will not be available for users below the age of 13. Besides, the company has added new features that will allow parents to monitor what their kids can see, who they can talk to, and when they have access to apps. Parents can also enable age-based safeguards across the system. Before children access a new website on Safari, they would require parental consent. In addition, Apple has added features that detect and intervene to block gore or violent content in shared images or videos.

Parents can also monitor the average device usage of the children and manage which apps their children have access to at different points in the day.

Faster performance

The company claimed that with the new software update, users will experience faster performance on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. "On iPhone and iPad, apps launch up to 30 percent faster, photos load up to 70 percent faster after being taken, and AirDrop transfers are up to 80 percent faster," it said, adding that it was based on its internal testing.

On iPad, browsing files and transferring them to an external USB drive will become five times faster; on Apple Watch, music playback is even faster.

It further said that sending large photos and videos in low-bandwidth situations no longer prevents subsequent texts from going through, so users can continue replying while media is being delivered. 

The change applies across iCloud+ storage tiers, starting at Rs 75 a month for the 50GB plan, and is part of a rollout to more than 100 countries through the end of September.

As that rollout takes effect, Apple will stop accepting new sign-ups for Apple One in India. Apple TV and Apple Arcade will also no longer be sold as standalone subscriptions to new customers. New customers who want access to those two services through Apple will need an eligible iCloud+ plan.

Existing iCloud+ subscribers will get access to Apple TV and Apple Arcade automatically. Their iCloud+ plan can be shared with up to five other people through Family Sharing.

The changes come days after Apple unveiled its 2026 iPhone lineup at its September event, alongside the Apple Watch Series 12 and AirPods 5.

“We're excited to bring Apple TV and Apple Arcade to iCloud+ users in over 100 countries in one convenient subscription,” said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice-president of Services and Health, in a statement.

What iCloud+ subscribers get

The expanded subscription gives users access to Apple TV's original films, series and more than 200 games on Apple Arcade.

The games are available without advertising or in-app purchases.

Limited access to Apple Music

iCloud+ subscribers will also get Apple Music Select at no extra cost. The offering provides a selection of curated, ad-free listening stations, rather than access to Apple Music's full catalogue.

The full Apple Music subscription, which includes features such as lyrics, Spatial Audio and offline listening, remains available separately. In India, it costs Rs 115 a month for an individual plan and Rs 145 for a family plan.
Apple raised its India subscription prices by up to 28 per cent in July.

Airtel customers can also access the new plans

Eligible Airtel postpaid customers with an iPhone can subscribe to the updated iCloud+ plans through Airtel.

The arrangement builds on the partnership between the two companies announced in February 2025, when Airtel began offering Apple TV+ and six months of Apple Music to postpaid and Home Wi-Fi customers on plans above Rs 999.

Airtel customers who already get Apple TV through eligible postpaid plans can manually switch to the new iCloud+ plans. The switch is not automatic. The iCloud+ plan is charged separately from the existing postpaid plan, with the applicable iCloud+ rate remaining unchanged.

What happens to Apple One in India?

India and several other markets included in Apple's latest rollout have not had access to the full Apple One offering available in the US.

In the US, the Apple One Premier plan bundles Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+ and 2TB of iCloud storage. Apple News+ and Apple Fitness+ are not available in India.

Existing Apple One subscribers in India will retain their current plans, while new customers will no longer be able to sign up.

For new customers in India, iCloud+ will now be the route to getting Apple TV and Apple Arcade alongside cloud storage. Full access to Apple Music, meanwhile, remains a separate paid subscription.

Yadav made the remarks on the sidelines of the RealX Box event on real estate tokenisation. His comments come as financial fraud increasingly involves the movement of money across bank accounts, digital platforms and, in some cases, cryptocurrency wallets.

Maharashtra Cyber ADG shed light on how mule accounts are used for cyber frauds

Money mule accounts are generally used to receive and transfer funds linked to fraudulent or other illicit activities. According to Yadav, the transaction behaviour of such accounts often differs significantly from that of legitimate account holders, creating patterns that can be identified using artificial intelligence.

“Money mule activity can be identified and addressed very easily and seamlessly with the latest AI technologies because the pattern of a money mule is very distinct and very different from that of a bona fide account holder,” Yadav said.

He said a common pattern involves a large amount of money being deposited into an account, remaining there for a short period and then being transferred to multiple accounts or platforms. In some cases, the money may subsequently move into cryptocurrency wallets, making it more difficult to trace.

“For an AI engine trained to identify such patterns, detecting this activity can be a matter of less than a minute,” Yadav said.

AI could speed up response to financial fraud

Maharashtra Cyber Cell ADG also highlighted the potential for AI-based monitoring systems to identify suspicious financial activity at an early stage rather than after fraudulent transactions have already been completed.

He said the technology required to detect such activity is already available and that deploying appropriate software could significantly reduce the time taken to identify and respond to money mule networks.

Yadav also asserted, “The money mule problem in the country can therefore be addressed in a matter of hours if the right software and technologies are deployed.”

However, detecting a suspicious account is only one part of tackling financial fraud. Banks, financial institutions and law enforcement agencies would also need systems that can quickly act on alerts generated by AI-based monitoring tools.

Cybersecurity concerns around digital assets

Speaking about the role of cybersecurity in emerging digital financial models such as land tokenisation. Yadav also said that the increasing integration of physical assets with digital platforms would require safeguards covering both financial assets and the identities and reputations of people participating in such systems.

“Land tokenisation can only be successful and effectively regulated when it is underpinned by robust cybersecurity,” Yadav further added.

As financial transactions increasingly span traditional banking systems, digital platforms and cryptocurrency networks, the effectiveness of AI-based fraud detection is likely to depend not only on identifying suspicious patterns but also on how quickly financial institutions and authorities can intervene once such activity is flagged.

Similar to Samsung's foldable phones, the "Duo" won't be cheap. According to the report, Apple's first-ever foldable iPhone will start at USD 2,000 (approximately Rs 1.90 lakh) for the 256GB version and may cost around USD 3,000 (around Rs 2.90 lakh) for a fully equipped 2TB model. The report also stated that Apple may sacrifice some profit margin to hit that price point and boost demand.

Apple may introduce A20 chip in iPhone 18 models 

Among the features that could be integrated into the latest-generation iPhones are the A20 Pro chip and C2 modem, dual 48-megapixel rear cameras, a 12MP front camera, support for the Apple Pencil stylus, and a magnetic hinge system.

The Duo will likely have a wide design that folds out into a landscape-oriented display for watching videos (much like Samsung's Galaxy Fold 8) and offer the ability to multitask with side-by-side apps. It will be available in dark blue and white and go on sale sometime in October, not too long after the iPhone 18 hits shelves, the report stated. 

'iPhone 18 Pro models will be costlier than their predecessors'

Bloomberg also reported that the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will be USD 100 more expensive than their predecessors, a modest price increase that is also lower than expected.

How and where to watch ‘Surprise and Shine’ event

Apple is set to host its annual September launch event, titled “Surprise and Shine”, on Wednesday, September 9, with the company expected to unveil new iPhone models and updates to its wider hardware lineup.

The event is likely to garner a lot of attention this year as it marks the first major Apple product launch under new CEO John Ternus. The September keynote could also be significant for another reason, with reports suggesting Apple may finally introduce its first foldable iPhone.

The new earbuds are priced from Rs 14,900 and are available for pre-order from today, with retail availability beginning September 18.

Apple is also offering AirPods 5 with a Wireless Charging Case for Rs 17,900. The higher-priced variant adds longer battery life and a new force sensor that allows users to adjust volume by swiping along the stem.

The new AirPods also bring improved audio, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness and support for features including Siri AI and Live Translation when paired with compatible Apple devices.

AirPods 5 price and availability in India

The standard AirPods 5 are priced at Rs 14,900, while AirPods 5 with the Wireless Charging Case cost Rs 17,900.

Both variants are available for pre-order from today and will be available in stores from September 18.

ANC comes to Apple’s open-ear AirPods

The biggest addition to AirPods 5 is Active Noise Cancellation, which Apple says delivers the best ANC performance in the industry for an open-ear design.

The earbuds feature a new multiport acoustic architecture and next-generation Adaptive EQ.

According to Apple’s internal testing, AirPods 5 with ANC reduce up to 50 per cent more external noise than AirPods 4 with ANC.

The earbuds also offer Transparency mode and Adaptive Audio, which automatically adjusts between ANC and Transparency mode based on the user’s surroundings.

Conversation Awareness can automatically lower media volume when the wearer begins speaking, allowing them to interact with people nearby without manually pausing playback.

Sound and Spatial Audio get an upgrade

Apple says AirPods 5 use an acoustic architecture inspired by the AirPods Pro 3, which has been re-engineered for the open-ear design.

The new acoustic system and Adaptive EQ are designed to improve audio across different ear shapes. The earbuds also support Personalised Spatial Audio for a more immersive listening experience.

Siri AI and Live Translation

AirPods 5 are also positioned as part of Apple’s wider push into AI-powered, hands-free features.

The earbuds support the redesigned Siri AI, which begins rolling out in beta with iOS 27. Apple says the updated assistant can use personal context from information such as messages, emails and photos to perform tasks without requiring users to pick up their iPhone.

For example, users can ask Siri to play a song mentioned in a message or navigate to information from a reservation received by email.

AirPods 5 also support Siri Interactions, allowing users to respond to Siri using head movements such as nodding or shaking their head.

Live Translation is another major addition. Powered by Apple Intelligence, the feature allows users to hear conversations translated into their preferred language in real time.

Users can activate Live Translation by pressing both AirPods stems simultaneously, using the command “Siri, start Live Translation”, or through the Action button on a compatible iPhone.

Apple says Live Translation is available across its AirPods lineup, although the feature requires compatible hardware, software and languages and is not available in all regions.

Wireless Charging Case adds volume control

The Rs 17,900 AirPods 5 variant comes with a Wireless Charging Case and introduces a force sensor with volume swipe controls.

Users can adjust the volume by swiping along the stem, a feature Apple is bringing to its open-ear AirPods for the first time.

Battery life is also higher on this model, with up to five hours of playback with ANC enabled. That is one hour more than the AirPods 4 with ANC, according to Apple.

With the charging case, users can get up to 22 hours of listening time with ANC enabled.

The case supports Apple Watch chargers, Qi-certified wireless chargers and USB-C charging.

AirPods 5 focus on recycled materials

Apple says AirPods 5 were designed as part of its goal of achieving carbon neutrality across its operations and supply chain by 2030.

The earbuds use 40 per cent recycled material overall. The Wireless Charging Case includes 70 per cent recycled plastic, while the battery uses 100 per cent recycled cobalt, according to Apple.

Apple also says 35 per cent renewable energy is used in manufacturing across the supply chain, while the packaging is fibre-based and recyclable through household recycling programmes where available.

Software requirements

To access the full range of AirPods 5 features, the earbuds need to be paired with an Apple device running compatible software.

Apple Intelligence is set to arrive with iOS 27 on September 14, with support for languages including English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese and Korean, although availability varies by region and language.

The redesigned Siri AI will initially begin its beta rollout in English, with French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish support expected in October.

Live Translation requires a compatible Apple device running the latest software, compatible AirPods with the latest firmware, and Apple Intelligence enabled.

Apple also offers AppleCare+ and AppleCare One coverage for the new AirPods, including options covering accidental damage, theft and loss, battery service and priority support.

The Apple Watch Series 12 price in India starts at Rs 56,900.

The new Apple Watch Series 12 is available to pre-order in India from Thursday, September 10, with retail availability beginning September 18. It comes in 42mm and 46mm sizes and is available in aluminium, titanium and a new ceramic finish.

Apple says the Apple Watch Series 12 offers its most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable, with the new Health Sensing System enabling more frequent heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) measurements.

The company has also introduced a new readiness score that uses activity, training load, sleep and health data to assess how prepared a user is for the day.

Apple Watch Series 12 price and availability in India

The Apple Watch Series 12 starts at Rs 56,900 in India. Customers can pre-order the smartwatch from September 10, while the device will be available in stores from September 18.

The smartwatch is available in 42mm and 46mm sizes, with aluminium models offered in dark bronze, black, light gold and space grey. Titanium models are available in radiant gold and natural titanium, while the new ceramic version comes in pearl white and night blue.

Apple Watch Series 12 gets new Health Sensing System

The biggest upgrade on the Apple Watch Series 12 is its new Health Sensing System, which combines new optical and electrical heart sensors with the S11 chip.

Apple claims the new system delivers the most accurate heart rate sensing in a wearable. The company said a study involving more than 1,000 participants compared Apple Watch's heart rate accuracy with leading wearable devices.

The smartwatch can now measure heart rate every five seconds throughout the day, compared with less frequent measurements on previous models. Apple says the higher-frequency readings are designed to provide a more detailed picture of a user's fitness and physiological state.

The updated system also increases the frequency of HRV measurements by up to 24 times. Apple Watch Series 12 provides recovery HRV and overall HRV readings, with the data available through the Heart Rate app and the Vitals experience.

New readiness score tracks daily recovery

Apple Watch Series 12 introduces a new readiness feature that analyses recent activity, training load, sleep score and vital signs to provide a score between 0 and 10.

The score is designed to indicate how prepared the body is for the day ahead. Depending on the results, Apple Watch can recommend that users recover, pace themselves, stay ready or push ahead.

The readiness score can change throughout the day as new information becomes available, including after a workout or changes in daytime health metrics.

Apple says the algorithm behind the feature was developed using data from the Apple Heart and Movement Study, alongside input from exercise scientists and physicians.

Apple Watch Series 12 gets longer workout battery life

Apple Watch Series 12 continues to offer up to 24 hours of everyday battery life. However, battery life during outdoor workouts has been increased to up to 10 hours, which Apple says is 25 per cent more than the previous generation.

Charging has also been improved. Apple claims that 15 minutes of charging can provide up to 12 hours of additional battery life, representing a 50 per cent improvement over the previous model.

Apple claims most accurate step tracking on a smartwatch

The Apple Watch Series 12 also gets a redesigned pedometer system powered by new machine learning algorithms.

The updated system is designed to improve distance measurements during indoor walking and running workouts while also providing more accurate step counts throughout the day.

Apple claims the Apple Watch Series 12 now offers the most accurate step tracking of any smartwatch. A new Steps complication also allows users to view their step count directly on the watch face.

Apple Watch Series 12 brings new Audio Intelligence features

Apple is expanding Apple Intelligence to the Apple Watch with a new set of Audio Intelligence features powered by the S11 chip, the microphone, Apple Intelligence models on iPhone and Private Cloud Compute.

The features are designed to help users stay aware of sounds around them, remember parts of conversations and remain engaged without constantly checking their phone.

One of the new features is Sound Recognition, which can alert users to sounds such as sirens, alarms, doorbells and a baby crying.

The feature can work even when the user's iPhone is not nearby.

Another feature, Live Rewind, allows users to recall the previous 15 seconds of a conversation as a text snippet. Users can double-press the Digital Crown to access the feature and can ask Siri about the information or save it for later.

Siri Recap can also generate high-level summaries of conversations, including a title and key points. Both Live Rewind and Siri Recap are expected to arrive in beta later this year.

The Apple Watch Series 12 also gets faster Shazam integration, allowing users to identify music playing around them from the wrist.

Apple focuses on privacy with Audio Intelligence

Apple says privacy is central to the new Audio Intelligence features. According to the company, the features do not create or store audio recordings.

The S11 chip includes a Secure Exclave, a hardware-isolated component that processes audio separately from the rest of the system before deleting the raw audio.

Apple says Live Rewind and Siri Recap do not identify or attribute individual speakers. Siri Recap generates a high-level summary rather than a complete transcript and is designed to exclude sensitive information.

Users can also choose whether to enable individual Audio Intelligence features.

Siri AI comes to Apple Watch Series 12

With watchOS 27, the Apple Watch Series 12 supports Siri AI, Apple's new version of Siri powered by Apple Intelligence.

The updated Siri can understand personal context and provide access to broader world knowledge. Apple is also introducing a new Siri app and a Siri Modular watch face that provides quicker access to the assistant.

Siri AI will initially roll out as a beta in English on September 14, with French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish support expected in October.

Apple Intelligence features require a compatible Apple device and supported language, with availability varying by region.

watchOS 27 adds new Apple Watch features

The Apple Watch Series 12 will ship with watchOS 27, which brings several additional features to the smartwatch.

The update introduces a dynamic app grid featuring Siri-suggested apps based on a user's most-used and recently used applications. It also adds a new single-handed tap gesture that allows users to interact with widgets using their thumb and index finger.

Smart Stack suggestions can now surface relevant information based on context, such as a parked-car reminder or a birthday message.

Apple is also expanding Cycle Tracking with support for perimenopause and menopause, while Workout Buddy is gaining additional fitness data and can work without an iPhone nearby when a Wi-Fi or cellular connection is available.

Apple Watch Series 12 gets Ceramic Shield 2

The aluminium Apple Watch Series 12 models feature Ceramic Shield 2, which Apple says is 60 per cent tougher than the Ion-X glass used on previous aluminium models.

The smartwatch is also available in a new ceramic material in pearl white and night blue finishes.

Apple has introduced several new band colours alongside the Series 12, including olive, burgundy, wildflower blue and pale succulent for Sport Bands.

Apple Watch Series 12: India availability and software requirements

Apple Watch Series 12 is available for pre-order in India from September 10, with sales beginning September 18.

watchOS 27 will be available from September 14 for Apple Watch Series 9 and later, Apple Watch SE 3 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later. The update requires an iPhone 11 or later, or an iPhone SE (second generation or later), running iOS 27 or later.

Apple Intelligence features require a compatible Apple Intelligence-enabled device. Siri AI will initially be available in English, with additional languages expected later.

Notably, Apple says Hypertension Notifications will not initially be available in India on the Apple Watch Series 12 or Apple Watch Ultra 4.

The feature is awaiting additional regulatory clearances and is expected to become available next year.

Apple Watch Series 12 and the environment

Apple says the Apple Watch Series 12 contains 40 per cent recycled material overall. The aluminium models use 100 per cent recycled aluminium, while the titanium models use 100 per cent recycled titanium.

Apple also says all electricity used to manufacture the Apple Watch Series 12 comes from renewable sources across its supply chain.

The company continues to target carbon neutrality across its entire footprint by 2030.

Apple Watch Series 12: What is new?

The Apple Watch Series 12 brings several major changes over its predecessor, with health sensing and AI among the key upgrades.

The new Health Sensing System enables more frequent heart rate and HRV readings, while the readiness score gives users a single daily measure based on activity, sleep and physiological data.

The S11 chip also enables new Audio Intelligence features, while watchOS 27 brings Siri AI and several interface and fitness updates.

With a starting price of Rs 56,900 in India, the Apple Watch Series 12 is positioned as Apple's latest flagship smartwatch for users looking for advanced health tracking, fitness monitoring and AI-powered features on the wrist.

The new device marks a major addition to Apple's iPhone lineup, combining a larger screen with stylus support. The tech giant said it is aimed at users looking for a more versatile smartphone experience. Apple iPhone Duo features a large 7.6-inch inner display, a compact 5.4-inch outer screen, the new A20 Pro chip and a dual-battery architecture.

iPhone Duo price and storage options

In India, the iPhone Duo starts at Rs 2,99,900 for the 256GB variant. It will also be available with 512GB, 1TB and 2TB storage options. The foldable iPhone comes in two finishes: Star White and Night Sky.

• iPhone Duo (256GB) - Rs 2,99,900
• iPhone Duo (512GB) - Rs 3,24,900
• iPhone Duo (1TB) - Rs 3,74,900
• iPhone Duo (2TB) - Rs 4,49,900

iPhone Duo display

When closed, the smartphone features a 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR display, which Apple says provides 90 percent of the screen area of the iPhone 18 Pro. The compact outer screen is designed for one-handed use and makes the device easier to carry in a pocket.

However, opening the phone reveals a 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR display, which Apple says is 50 percent larger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max. This provides a larger viewing area for entertainment, gaming, productivity and multitasking.

Both displays have the same aspect ratio, allowing content to scale proportionally between the inner and outer screens. Apple says this helps create a continuous visual experience when switching between the two displays.

iPhone Duo comes with Apple Pencil support

Apple has also placed a new FaceTime camera beneath the inner display, allowing the large screen to remain uninterrupted when the camera is not being used.

Apple Pencil support is also coming later this year. The company says iPhone Duo will support Apple Pencil with USB-C, allowing users to take notes, sketch and mark up documents on either display.

Built for durability

Apple says the iPhone Duo has been engineered for durability, with a hardware design focused on strength and longevity.

The phone is crafted from grade 5 titanium and features a mirror-polished enclosure. A 3D-printed hinge cover uses a contrasting micro-blasted finish.

The rear of the device is protected by Ceramic Shield, while the front uses Ceramic Shield 2, which Apple says offers three times better scratch resistance than the previous generation.

The iPhone Duo also carries an IP68 rating for splash, water and dust resistance.

iPhone Duo camera

The iPhone Duo gets an advanced camera system built around a 48MP Fusion Main camera.

The main camera can capture images at up to 48MP resolution with zero shutter lag, while 24MP is the default resolution for balancing image quality and file size. An integrated optical-quality 2x Telephoto option provides closer framing.

The 48MP Fusion Main camera also uses a new computational image pipeline for improved detail. Apple says the larger sensor, fast aperture and sensor-shift optical image stabilisation help the camera perform in low-light conditions.

The phone also features a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera, which supports wider shots and macro photography.

A20 Pro chip and thermal management

The iPhone Duo is powered by Apple's new A20 Pro chip, bringing the company's latest processing platform to its first foldable iPhone.

To maintain performance in the slim foldable chassis, Apple has developed an advanced thermal management system featuring a custom-designed vapour chamber.

The phone also uses a dual-battery architecture, with a high-energy battery positioned on each side of the device. Apple says the combination of Apple silicon and energy-rebalancing algorithms allows the two batteries to function seamlessly as one.

Battery

Despite its slim foldable design, Apple says the iPhone Duo delivers impressive battery life.

The phone provides up to 31 hours of video playback when using the inner display and up to 44 hours when using the outer display.

When both displays are used equally, the iPhone Duo offers up to 24 hours of usage per charge, according to Apple.

Fast charging can take the battery to 50 percent in around 20 minutes, while wireless charging can reach 50 percent in around 30 minutes using a compatible MagSafe or Qi2 charger.

iPhone Duo comes with e-Sim only option

The iPhone Duo uses an eSIM-only design worldwide, eliminating the need for a physical SIM card and freeing up internal space for other components, including the battery.

Apple says eSIM is supported by more than 500 carriers globally, including Airtel, Jio and Vi in India.

iOS 27 also introduces iPhone Handoff, which allows users with supported carriers to switch between two iPhone models while retaining the same phone number.

Availibilty

Starting at Rs 2,99,900 in India, the iPhone Duo will be available for pre-booking from October 16, while the device will be available for purchase from October 23, 2026. 

The iPhone 18 Pro is positioned as Apple's flagship smartphone for users looking for enhanced photography, video recording, performance, and AI capabilities.

iPhone 18 Pro starts at Rs 1,64,900 in India

According to Apple, the iPhone 18 Pro (256 GB) starts at Rs 1,64,900 in India. Meanwhile, the 2TB variant has been priced at Rs 3,14,900. The tech giant is offering several hardware and software upgrades in its 18th-generation iPhone compared with previous-generation Pro models.

The company has also introduced the iPhone 18 Pro Max, which sits above the standard Pro model and offers an even larger battery and display.

iPhone 18 Pro camera

One of the biggest upgrades on the iPhone 18 Pro is its camera system. The smartphone features a 48MP Fusion Main camera with variable aperture, allowing the camera to adjust the amount of light entering the lens depending on the shooting conditions.

The variable-aperture system is designed to improve low-light photography and video recording, while also giving users greater control over depth of field. This can help create more natural background separation in portraits and other photographs.

Apple is also highlighting improved video capabilities, with features aimed at users who regularly shoot photos and videos using their smartphones.

iPhone 18 Pro gets A20 Pro chip

The iPhone 18 Pro is powered by Apple's new A20 Pro chip, which is designed to deliver faster performance and enhanced efficiency.

The chip is paired with a next-generation vapor chamber for improved thermal management during demanding tasks.

The device also features a dual 16-core Neural Engine, which Apple says is designed to support AI-related tasks and features.

The combination of the new processor and Neural Engine is expected to support demanding applications, advanced computational photography, and Apple's growing range of on-device AI features.

Siri AI comes to iPhone 18 Pro

Apple is also putting artificial intelligence at the centre of the iPhone 18 Pro experience with Siri AI.

The company describes Siri AI as a more personal and powerful AI assistant. The upgraded experience is designed to make Siri more capable of understanding users and assisting with everyday tasks.

Apple's latest AI push is part of its broader effort to integrate more intelligent features directly into the iPhone experience.

iPhone 18 Pro battery life

Battery life is another major highlight of the new iPhone 18 series. Apple claims the longest battery life ever offered on an iPhone.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max can deliver up to 45 hours of video playback, according to Apple. This makes battery endurance one of the key selling points of the new Pro lineup.

The combination of Apple's latest chip, thermal architecture, and battery improvements is aimed at delivering longer usage without compromising performance.

iPhone 18 Pro price in India

• iPhone 18 Pro (256GB) - Rs 1,64,900
• iPhone 18 Pro (512GB) - Rs 1,89,900
• iPhone 18 Pro (1TB) - Rs 2,39,900
• iPhone 18 Pro (2TB) - Rs 3,14,900 

The iPhone 18 Pro starts at Rs 1,64,900 while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at Rs 1,79,900.

One of the key highlights of the iPhone 18 Pro is its 48MP Fusion main camera, which Apple says is designed to deliver improved photography and imaging performance.

A20 Pro chip brings faster graphics and AI performance

Powering the new iPhone 18 Pro lineup is Apple's A20 Pro chip, which brings significant upgrades to graphics and artificial intelligence capabilities. Apple claims the new GPU features a 7-core design that delivers up to 40% faster graphics performance, along with increased memory bandwidth.

The chip also introduces new Neural Accelerators, offering up to 2x faster 8FP math, aimed at improving demanding AI and machine-learning workloads directly on the device.

Apple has also expanded the Neural Engine architecture. According to the company, a second Neural Engine has been added, bringing the total to 32 cores. The upgrade is aimed at accelerating advanced on-device AI models and improving the performance of AI-powered features.

Apple highlights wider memory interface

Apple described the A20 Pro as a major step forward for on-device AI and performance. The company said the chip is “the ultimate chip for running advanced on-device models," while also highlighting that it features the widest memory interface ever shipped in an iPhone.

The combination of increased bandwidth, a more powerful GPU and an expanded Neural Engine is expected to help the iPhone 18 Pro series handle graphics-intensive applications and increasingly sophisticated AI workloads more efficiently.

With the new 48MP Fusion camera, A20 Pro chip and four new colour options, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max mark a significant upgrade to Apple's premium smartphone lineup.

The event, held at Apple Park in Cupertino, began at 10:30 pm IST. The launch was also significant, as it marked one of the first major Apple events under new CEO John Ternus.

The new iPhone lineup comes with upgrades across performance, cameras, battery life and design. Apple is also expected to expand its premium smartphone portfolio with its first foldable iPhone, making the 2026 event particularly significant for the company.

iPhone 18 Pro starts at Rs 1,64,900

The iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone Duo have been launched at a price of Rs 1,64,900. While briefing about the latest-generation smartphones from Apple, Ternus also highlighted some exciting new features on the smartphones. Both models are expected to feature Apple’s new-generation A20 Pro chipset, along with camera improvements and other hardware upgrades.

While the iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to remain the largest and most premium model in the conventional iPhone lineup, the iPhone Duo is something that headlined the Apple event.

Apple’s first foldable iPhone unveiled

One of the biggest announcements at the event is Apple’s entry into the foldable smartphone market.

Apple has unveiled the iPhone Duo, introducing what the company describes as the largest-ever display on an iPhone. The new device marks a major addition to Apple's iPhone lineup, combining a larger screen with stylus support aimed at users looking for a more versatile smartphone experience.

The iPhone Duo has been launched at a starting price of USD 1,999. Apple will begin accepting pre-orders on October 16, while the device will be available for purchase from October 23.

iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max and Duo price in India

• iPhone 18 Pro (256GB) - Rs 1,64,900
• iPhone 18 Pro (512GB) - Rs 1,89,900
• iPhone 18 Pro (1TB) - Rs 2,39,900
• iPhone 18 Pro (2TB) - Rs 3,14,900
• iPhone 18 Pro Max (256GB) - Rs 1,79,900
• iPhone 18 Pro Max (512GB) - Rs 2,04,900
• iPhone 18 Pro Max (1TB) - Rs 2,54,900
• iPhone 18 Pro Max (2TB) - Rs 3,29,900
• iPhone Duo (256GB) - Rs 2,99,900
• iPhone Duo (512GB) - Rs 3,24,900
• iPhone Duo (1TB) - Rs 3,74,900
• iPhone Duo (2TB) - Rs 4,49,900

iPhone 18 availability in India

Apple will begin accepting pre-orders on October 16, while the device will be available for purchase from October 23.

The new devices are expected to be available through Apple’s India online store, Apple retail stores and authorised retail partners.

The event is likely to garner a lot of attention this year as it marks the first major Apple product launch under new CEO John Ternus. The September keynote could also be significant for another reason, with reports suggesting Apple may finally introduce its first foldable iPhone.

Apple has not confirmed all the products expected to be announced at the event. However, several reports and leaks have pointed to new iPhone 18 Pro models, a possible foldable iPhone, new Apple Watch models, and other hardware updates.

When and where to watch Apple’s ‘Surprise and Shine’ event

Apple's event is scheduled to begin at 10 am PT on September 9, which is 10.30 pm IST in India.

The keynote will be held at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, and viewers around the world will be able to follow the event online.

Apple is expected to stream the presentation through multiple official platforms, including its website, the Apple TV app and its official YouTube channel. The Apple Developer app is also expected to provide access to the livestream.

For viewers in India, the event will begin at 10.30 pm on Wednesday.

How to watch the iPhone 18 launch event

Those looking to watch Apple's September keynote can access the livestream through the company's official platforms.

The event can be watched through:

Apple's official website
The Apple TV app
Apple's official YouTube channel
The Apple Developer app

The livestream is scheduled to begin at 10 am PT, or 10.30 pm IST.

The September event is traditionally one of Apple's most important hardware showcases, with the company using the keynote to introduce its latest iPhone generation alongside updates to other major product lines.

Foldable iPhone could be the biggest announcement

One of the most widely reported potential announcements is Apple's first foldable iPhone.

The device could be marketed as the iPhone Ultra or iPhone Fold, although Apple has not confirmed its name. Reports suggest it could use a book-style folding design similar to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold series.

The foldable iPhone is also expected to have a wider and shorter form factor compared with some existing foldable smartphones. If launched, it would mark Apple's entry into a smartphone category that has already been established by competitors.

However, details about the device, including its final name, specifications and price, remain unconfirmed until Apple makes an official announcement.

iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max expected at September event

Apple is also expected to introduce the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max at the September event.

The new Pro models are likely to receive upgrades to their processors and camera systems, along with other improvements. There have also been reports of a possible price increase, although Apple has not announced pricing.

The standard iPhone 18 is reportedly not expected to be part of the September lineup. According to Bloomberg reports cited in the original report, Apple could instead move the launch of the standard iPhone models to the spring.

The spring lineup could include the iPhone 18, iPhone 18E and a possible refreshed iPhone Air. These details remain based on reports and should not be treated as confirmed product plans.

Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 may debut

Apple's smartwatch lineup could also receive an update during the September keynote.

The Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are expected to be among the products unveiled at the event. Reports have suggested that the new watches could feature faster processors and additional health and fitness capabilities, potentially including AI-powered features.

The feature runs directly on Bharat Connect, the national bill payments network formerly known as BBPS, which was conceptualised by the Reserve Bank of India and is operated by NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited, a subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India.

The rollout will be gradual, with the feature reaching Android and iOS users across India over the coming weeks.

Bill payments across 30 categories

According to Meta, the feature gives users access to 22,722 billers across 30 categories, including electricity, gas, water, FASTag, insurance, credit card and loan repayments.

The ₹ icon at the top of the WhatsApp home screen lets users open bill payments, view past payments as well as upcoming bills, and manage multiple accounts under a single service provider. Users can make bill payments using any UPI app, debit card or credit card, separate from the company’s own WhatsApp Pay UPI feature.

First major India-focused launch under Kunal Shah

The launch is the first significant India-specific product WhatsApp has shipped since Kunal Shah, founder of CRED, was appointed global head of the platform in June 2026, succeeding Will Cathcart. Meta announced the appointment with an explicit focus on payments and commerce.

“For millions of Indians, WhatsApp is already the simplest way to stay close to family and friends, talk to businesses, access citizen services, and buy everything from metro tickets to insurance,” said Arun Srinivas, Managing Director and Country Head, Meta India.

WhatsApp's notable releases in recent months—usernames and calling on WhatsApp Web — were global rollouts, as was WhatsApp Plus for iOS users, the paid subscription tier that launched a fortnight before Shah's announcement, making Bill payments the first product release under Shah aimed squarely at the Indian market.

How to use bill payments on WhatsApp

1. Open WhatsApp and tap the ₹ icon at the top of the home screen
2. Select the bill category and biller
3. Add and confirm your account details
4. Review the fetched bill amount and required details
5. Select your payment mode—UPI, debit card, or credit card
6. Complete the payment

Meta said bills are pre-fetched, and any biller paid earlier through the feature appears on the Payments Home screen for one-tap access. Users can manage bills for home, office, and family under a single provider in one place, and the most-used categories surface automatically.

Reach has never been WhatsApp's problem

The feature places bill payments on arguably the most-visited screen in Indian smartphone software. India is WhatsApp's largest market, and the app already supports phone recharges, metro ticket bookings across cities, and access to government citizen services.

This reach, however, has not translated into payment usage. According to statistical data published by NPCI, WhatsApp Pay processed 167.89 million UPI transactions worth Rs 12,957.07 crore in July 2026. This is substantially lower than PhonePe’s 10.86 billion transactions, Google Pay’s 7.65 billion, and Paytm’s 1.90 billion transactions in the same month.

Although WhatsApp Pay has grown sharply in percentage terms over the past year, it remains a marginal player in a market it has had access to since NPCI cleared it to go live on UPI in November 2020.

Bill payments is a different kind of bet from peer-to-peer transfers. Utility bills are low-value, high-frequency, and habitual, and they do not require the person on the other end to be on the same app. Meta's design also removes a step where payment apps typically lose users: the bill amount is fetched and shown rather than typed in. More importantly, NPCI's proposed cap limiting any single app to 30 per cent of UPI transaction volumes is currently due to take effect at the end of December 2026, a rule aimed at the two dominant players that leaves a window for smaller ones to build share. This, combined with the BBPS Bill Payments integration, might just give WhatsApp the push it needs to increase its market share.

Cybersecurity remains a concern

Moving household bills into a messaging app also raises the stakes on account security. In August, BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide's WhatsApp account was hacked, with fraudsters using her name to ask her contacts for money. Bhide flagged the breach on X and urged people to ignore any messages seeking financial help in her name. The incident illustrated how the platform is regularly exploited in India: not by breaking its encryption, but instead by taking over an account and trading on the trust associated with a user’s saved contacts.

Days later, WhatsApp announced new security features with passkeys and an improved two-step verification system, aimed at account takeovers, impersonation, and financial scams. The company said the update came as fraudsters increasingly use messaging and social media platforms to target individuals, including public figures and senior officials.

Those defences now have more to protect. A compromised account that holds saved biller details, linked payment methods, and a record of every utility a household pays is a materially different problem from a compromised chat history—and it arrives at a point where digital growth outpaces cybersecurity readiness in India.

Meta said the Bill Payments rollout is gradual, and the feature will reach all Android and iOS users in India over the coming weeks.

One of his biggest challenges for John as he takes the leadership role will be balancing the company's dependence on China while parrying acute political pressure from the White House, as per AFP. 

The handover ends Tim Cook's 15-year run, replacing the operations specialist who built Apple's supply chain with the engineer who built its hardware. Ternus, 51, joined Apple's design team in 2001 and worked his way up to senior vice president of hardware engineering, reporting to Tim Cook.

He leads the engineering teams behind Apple's entire product lineup, including the iPhones that generate most of the company's revenue.

He gets barely a week to settle in, with Apple holding its annual iPhone event on September 9, where it is expected to unveil its first foldable handset.

Dan Ives, partner and senior managing director at investment firm Yorkville Ives & Co., said, "Tim Cook left the house in phenomenal order, but now it's about Ternus defining the AI chapter," as cited by AFP. 

Iven further said, "There's no reason to fix what's already working," predicting Ternus will concentrate on hardware innovation while leaving Cook's supply chain intact.”

Some analysts had argued software chief Craig Federighi was the more logical pick for a company scrambling to catch up on AI. Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at Creative Strategies, said that misreads how consumers actually adopt technology.

She further highlighted, "Consumers are still buying hardware first, and it's going to be like that for a long time," she said. "You're not going to discover the value of AI if you're not interested in the hardware," as per AFP. 

Who is John Ternus

John Ternus earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and worked as an engineer at Virtual Research Systems before joining Apple.

Inside the company, he is credited with driving a push to make products more durable, reliable, and resilient and with design work that cut their carbon footprint.

Major challenge for Ternus

Nowhere is that gap wider than in the geopolitical role Cook excelled at, courting both Beijing and Donald Trump's White House to protect a supply chain that runs largely through China. Apple's manufacturing operation is among the most complex in corporate history, a web of hundreds of suppliers and assembly lines that Cook painstakingly built over decades, as per AFP.

Tim Cook in recent years began shifting some of the work elsewhere; iPhone assembly to India, other production to Vietnam -- but the diversification has been gradual with China, one of Apple's biggest consumer markets, still anchoring the system.

Complicating matters, Trump has repeatedly demanded Apple build iPhones on American soil, threatening tariffs on those made overseas.

Cook avoided the heaviest blows of Trump's trade war by cultivating the president directly, making US investment commitments and political donations—all while also keeping Beijing on side, as per AFP. 

Tricky political turns might challenge Ternus

Ives said, "He knows Apple Park like the back of his pocket in terms of hardware," Ives said of Ternus. "But on the global stage—that's probably one of the biggest areas where he's going to have to learn on the job."

Cook is not going far. He becomes executive chairman of Apple's board on the same day, with a mandate the company has said includes engaging policymakers around the world. "That was really clever," said Milanesi, arguing the arrangement frees Ternus from a role Cook has handled alone for years.

(With inputs from AFP)

Counting down with everyone! https://t.co/FhRumftT4S

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) August 26, 2026

Apple’s annual launch event will take place at 10 am PT (10:30 p.m. IST), and viewers will be able to watch the keynote live on YouTube, the Apple website, and Apple TV, as per Mashable.

Apple’s first foldable iPhone on the cards

At the event, Apple is widely expected to release the new iPhone 18 lineup, as well as a foldable smartphone, rumored to be called the iPhone Ultra, as per ANI. 

Apple on Wednesday released promotional artwork featuring the tagline "Surprise and shine" alongside its logo rendered in a glowing neon effect. The design evokes the white neon aesthetic of the Siri AI beta Apple unveiled earlier this year at WWDC 2026.

Apple Watch Series 12 

Apple is also expected to introduce the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra, alongside new smart home devices. While taking it to social media handle X, Apple also uploaded a livestream link for the event to its YouTube channel, and the video description reads, "Join us for a special event on September 9 at 10 a.m. PT."

The event will take place at the Apple Park Campus in Cupertino, California. 

Apple launches new Mac mini with M6, M5 Pro; Mac Studio with M5 Max, M5 Ultra

Earlier on Tuesday, August 25, Apple had also launched the new Mac mini and Mac Studio, with the Mac mini powered by the M6 and M5 Pro chips and the Mac Studio by the M5 Max and M5 Ultra. 

The new machines promise major gains in on-device AI performance and graphics, while offering upgraded capabilities for demanding workflows. Both machines are available for pre-order in India starting today, with the Mac mini starting at Rs 99,900 and the Mac Studio at Rs 2,79,900. 

New Mac mini and Mac Studio launched

The US tech giant on Tuesday also unveiled two major updates to its desktop Mac lineup—the new Mac mini, now powered by the all-new M6 and the more powerful M5 Pro chips, and the new Mac Studio, featuring the M5 Max and the all-new M5 Ultra. These chips build upon the M5 series introduced earlier this year.

Apple said the new chips mark its biggest leap yet in on-device AI performance, positioning both desktops as always-on machines for what the company calls the agentic AI era.

India is one of the largest markets for the generative artificial intelligence (AI) platform, and the company aims to monetise this through the ads.

ChatGPT crossed the 1 billion weekly global user mark earlier this month. India remains its second-largest market with over 100 million weekly users across students, developers, educators, and enterprises as of February 2026.

Ad-led service for free and go customers

The sponsored products or services featured in the advertisements (ads) will appear at the bottom of ChatGPT responses, which would be clearly labelled and visually separate from ChatGPT's answers, the company said.

The rollout will show ads to logged in adults on the Free and Go tiers, the latter priced at Rs 399 per month in India, while paid subscribers on Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education tiers will continue to enjoy ad free service, as per IANS.

The AI company expects over 50 brands to go live with ads this week. Besides, it plans to offer self-serve access to ChatGPT Ads Manager in India from September 4, and businesses could sign up for daily budgets starting at Rs 725.

Privacy to be prioritised

However, the company clarified that the ad features will not be extended to accounts where the user has indicated they are under 18, or where the company determines that the user is a minor. Moreover, in case of sensitive or regulated topics such as health, mental health, or politics the ads will not appear alongside the responses.

Assuring customers on data privacy, the firm said users’ chats, chat history, memories, or personal details are inaccessible to advertisers and that it does not sell user data to advertisers. Advertisers will instead receive aggregate campaign-performance information, such as impressions and clicks, as per IANS.

Ads to drive revenue growth

OpenAI first announced plans to start testing ads within ChatGPT in January 2026, to diversify its revenue streams and drive expansion.

The pilot commenced in the United States in February and it has crossed the USD 100 million annualised revenue mark within six weeks of launch. The company then expanded it to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, and South Korea.  OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Ads across 31 European countries last week, including Germany, France, Spain, and Italy.

(With inputs from IANS)

New Mac mini, Mac Studio launched

Apple on Tuesday unveiled two major updates to its desktop Mac lineup — the new Mac mini, now powered by the all-new M6 and the more powerful M5 Pro chips, and the new Mac Studio, featuring the M5 Max and the all-new M5 Ultra. These chips build upon the M5 series introduced earlier this year.

Apple said the new chips mark its biggest leap yet in on-device AI performance, positioning both desktops as always-on machines for what the company calls the agentic AI era.

"It's the little Mac that can do it all," said Johny Srouji, Apple's chief hardware officer, of the new Mac mini. He also added that the new chips make the new Mac Studio "our most powerful Mac ever."

Mac mini with M6: Features and performance

The Mac mini with M6 delivers up to 4x faster AI performance, 2x faster graphics and storage, and 40 per cent faster CPU performance compared with the M4 chip, according to Apple.

The chip packs a 12-core CPU and a 12-core GPU with Neural Accelerators in every core for the first time on the Mac mini. It also features a Dual 16-core Neural Engine, with unified memory configurable up to 32GB.

The more powerful Mac mini with M5 Pro is aimed at professional workflows such as video production and game development. It features up to an 18-core CPU, a 20-core GPU, and up to 64GB of unified memory. 2.5Gb Ethernet for faster wired connectivity now comes as standard, with 10Gb Ethernet still available as an upgrade.

Mac Studio gets M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips

On the Mac Studio, the M5 Max chip comes with an 18-core CPU and up to a 40-core GPU, supporting up to 128GB of unified memory. The all-new M5 Ultra scales further to a 36-core CPU, an 80-core GPU and a maximum 512GB of unified memory, which Apple said delivers up to 4.3 times the peak AI compute performance of the previous-generation M3 Ultra. Both new Mac mini and Mac Studio models get Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 for the first time, along with Thunderbolt 5 connectivity that lets multiple systems be clustered together to speed up AI inference tasks.

Both machines ship with the upcoming macOS 27, which brings Siri AI — Apple's more capable, personal version of its voice assistant — along with the next generation of Apple Intelligence across apps like Safari, Photos and Shortcuts. These AI capabilities parallel the recent iOS 27 updates announced at WWDC 2026.

The pricing

Pre-orders for both the Mac mini and Mac Studio opened in India on August 25 via the Apple Store online and app, with deliveries beginning September 22. The Mac mini with M6 starts at Rs 99,990, while the M5 Pro variant starts at Rs 2,09,900. The Mac Studio with M5 Max starts at Rs 2,79,900, and the M5 Ultra variant starts at Rs 6,29,900, with the 512GB unified memory configuration arriving in late October. The pricing strategy reflects the broader trend of rising memory costs seen across Apple's recent hardware releases.

Considering that Apple has launched their new set of devices at a relatively higher price range, earlier claims about the inflating RAM prices might be the reason. However, there has not been any official statement about this made by the US tech giant yet.

The update, announced through an official blog, comes as fraudsters increasingly use messaging and social media platforms to target individuals, including public figures and senior officials.

Passkeys used by more than a billion people

A WhatsApp blog stated that more than one billion users have now adopted passkeys, strengthening account protection without relying on traditional SMS verification codes.

Passkeys use security features already built into a device, including facial recognition, fingerprints or a screen-lock passcode.

Users with more than one mobile device can also register passkeys across iOS and Android through WhatsApp's account settings.

The system is designed to make it harder for criminals to gain access to accounts by stealing or intercepting verification codes.

Stronger two-step verification

WhatsApp is also improving its two-step verification system.

Users can now create longer, alphanumeric passwords that can include special characters, instead of relying only on a six-digit numerical PIN.

The additional layer of protection is intended to reduce the risk of account takeovers, even if a criminal manages to obtain a user's primary one-time password or verification code.

Users are encouraged to enable two-step verification and avoid sharing verification codes or passwords with anyone.

More information about unknown callers

WhatsApp is introducing additional information for calls from unsaved numbers on Android devices, the blog stated.

It further said that when an unknown person calls, users may see details such as the caller's country code and whether they share any WhatsApp groups.

The additional context is intended to help users judge whether an incoming call is genuine before answering or responding to requests.

This could be particularly useful in cases where scammers create a sense of urgency and ask victims to transfer money or provide personal information.

Security features can reduce the risk of fraud, but users still need to be cautious when receiving unexpected messages and calls.

BMC chief's account hacked

The announcement follows a recent incident involving Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, whose WhatsApp account was reportedly used in an impersonation scam.

Bhide had confirmed on social media on Saturday afternoon that her WhatsApp account had been temporarily compromised.

Senior officials later said the incident appeared to be an impersonation scam in which fraudsters used her photograph to approach contacts and request money, rather than a direct compromise of her phone.

Bhide later stated that access to her WhatsApp account had been restored.

While POVA promises it to be one of their most brilliant AI-integrated smartphones, one of the key features of this smartphone that impresses the critics is its Alive Matrix Display. 

A dot-matrix panel placed on the rear of the device can display information such as battery status, timers, and notifications. The phone can also be placed face-down to function as a desk clock.

POVA 8 Pro 5G specifications

Talking about the specifications, the POVA 8 Pro 5G smartphone features a 144Hz AMOLED display, designed to provide a higher refresh rate for smoother scrolling and animations. The display is also designed to adjust its viewing experience for different lighting conditions.

Camera

As far as the camera performance is concerned, the POVA 8 Pro 5G comes with a 50MP Sony LYTIA 700C main camera with OIS, accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide camera. The camera system also includes features such as AI Auto Zoom, 3D Photo, and Motion Trail.

The phone from POVA has also been integrated with a range of AI-based features, highlighting the company's super-smart AI Assistant that can record, transcribe, and summarise calls. The feature supports English, Hindi, Bengali and Marathi and is designed to turn conversations into summaries and actionable information.

The smartphone also includes smart caller ID functionality that can flag potential spam calls before users answer them.

Display

Being a mid-price smartphone, the POVA 8 Pro 5G marks itself as one of India's most value-for-money mid-premium smartphones with a combination of a high-refresh-rate AMOLED display, Sony camera sensor with OIS, rear display functionality, and AI-powered calling features.

Price and availability

The POVA 8 Pro 5G is priced at Rs 49,999 in India and is available from August 21 through Flipkart and retail outlets nationwide.

With the Rs 3,000 instant cashback offer, the effective price comes down to Rs 46,999 for eligible transactions. The company is also offering no-cost EMI options for up to 18 months.

The super smart integration on these earbuds has been designed to assist users during meetings, classes, and calls by capturing conversations in the background, allowing them to focus on the discussion instead of manually taking notes.

One-button recording

One of the standout features of these earbuds is its One-button receiving feature. The POVA AI Buds Pro comes with a dedicated button on the charging case that allows users to start recording instantly without opening a smartphone or launching an app. While briefing about this feature, POVA said that these earbuds have been intended for situations such as back-to-back meetings, classes, and client calls.

The earbuds can also process recorded conversations to generate concise summaries, action items, and full transcripts, giving users a structured overview of discussions after they end.

Real-time translation across 12 Indian languages

Another key feature of the POVA AI Buds Pro is real-time translation. The earbuds support translation across 12 Indian languages, allowing users to communicate with vendors, clients, and others without having to rely on a separate translation app or type messages on a phone.

Speaking about the launch, Arijeet Talapatra, CEO, TECNO Mobile India, said the company's focus was on making AI useful in everyday situations without requiring users to interrupt what they are doing.
"We took an everyday essential, earbuds, and turned them into a smarter companion to help you capture conversations, recall key details, and stay on top of your day effortlessly. It’s not about adding more tech to your life; it’s about making the tech you already carry work a little harder for you,” Talapatra added.

POVA AI Buds Pro price and availability in India

The POVA AI Buds Pro will go on sale in India from August 22 at a price of Rs 14,999.
As per POVA, as part of the launch offer, buyers can get the earbuds at an effective price of Rs 12,499, including applicable bank offers on the sale day.

Snapchat study suggests that festive shopping is no longer concentrated around a single peak period. Instead, Gen Z begins researching and planning purchases weeks in advance, while continuing to make spontaneous buying decisions throughout the festive season.

For technology and digital platforms, the findings point to a shift in how consumers interact with shopping content. While creator-led content remains important for product discovery, conversations within consumers’ personal networks are emerging as a key factor in converting interest into purchase decisions.

Yagnesh Ravi, Lead (Ad Solutions) at Snapchat India, said, "For years, festive advertising has been centred around visibility. What this research shows is that the next opportunity lies in confidence. Gen Z isn't making purchase decisions in isolation; they're discussing, validating and sharing those decisions with the people they trust.”

Social platforms influence decisions

According to the collaborative research, 70 per cent of Gen Z consumers say creator content helps them discover products. However, the influence of social platforms extends beyond product discovery.

Around 76 per cent of Gen Z respondents said instant feedback from people they trust makes them more confident about purchase decisions, while 63 per cent said they share products with friends or family before buying them. Four in 10 actively seek opinions or advice before making a purchase.

75 per cent says they talk about their purchase on social media

The trend is particularly relevant for platforms built around private communication and sharing. Among Gen Z Daily Snapchat users, 75 per cent said they chat with friends on Snapchat about purchases while an item is still in their shopping basket.

Meanwhile, 67 per cent said Snapchat helps them feel more confident about purchase decisions during the festive season.

The research also found that 40 per cent of Gen Z Daily Snapchatters have shared a product with others after seeing or sharing it on Snapchat.

Festive shopping starts earlier

The research challenges the idea that festive shopping is concentrated around Diwali or major shopping events.

Seventy per cent of Gen Z respondents said the festive season consists of multiple celebrations rather than one shopping moment. Nearly four in 10 said they begin planning their Diwali purchases more than a month in advance.

At the same time, shopping behaviour remains a mix of planned and spontaneous purchases. Around 41 per cent said most of their purchases are planned in advance, while another 40 per cent said they combine planning with impulse buying.

For digital platforms and brands, this creates a longer window for engagement, with consumers moving between product discovery, research, conversations and purchase decisions over several weeks.

Highlighting facts on the same, Jason Mander, Chief Insight Officer at GWI said, “What's striking in this research is how much the festive shopping journey has changed shape. It's no longer a single moment to be won around a big shopping weekend. For Gen Z, it's an extended season, with nearly four in ten planning their Diwali purchases a month or more in advance, and just as many blending planning with impulse buys along the way 

Messaging becomes part of the shopping journey

The study also highlights the role of social and messaging platforms as a layer between product discovery and purchase.

Among Gen Z Daily Snapchatters, 49 per cent said they ask friends or family for shopping advice. Around 43 per cent said they have asked friends for shopping opinions on Snapchat, while 42 per cent have sent a Snap to a friend specifically to ask for their opinion while shopping.

The findings indicate that messaging is increasingly becoming part of the digital commerce journey, allowing consumers to move from seeing a product online to discussing it with people they trust before deciding whether to buy it.

The broader festive behaviour also remains strongly centred around digital connections. The study found that 77 per cent of Gen Z interact most with family members on social media during the festive season, followed by 76 per cent who interact with close friends.

For technology platforms, the findings underline a shift from social media being primarily a destination for content consumption to becoming part of the decision-making infrastructure surrounding online shopping.

As festive commerce becomes increasingly digital, the research suggests that the path from discovery to discussion to purchase could become as important as traditional advertising-led product discovery.

The new lineup from Boat includes the Aavante Bar Prime DA600, Aavante Bar Prime B450, and Aavante Bar Prime Thunder-D, with prices ranging from Rs 12,999 to Rs 18,999.

Expressing his views on the launch, Gaurav Nayyar, CEO, boAt, said, “The company aims to make premium home audio experiences accessible to more Indian households while expanding boAt's presence as a lifestyle technology brand across different entertainment categories.”

Performance

The flagship Aavante Bar Prime DA600 offers up to 600W of Boat Signature Sound and 5.2-channel surround sound. The speakers have been integrated with Dolby Atmos, dual wired subwoofers, and dual rear satellite speakers, designed to deliver a more immersive audio experience.

Aavante Bar Prime B450 has also been integrated with 450W sound output and 5.2-channel surround sound. It is equipped with dual wired subwoofers and rear satellite speakers.

Meanwhile, the Aavante Bar Prime Thunder-D features Dolby Audio and is designed to deliver balanced acoustics for everyday home entertainment.

Features and connectivity

The new soundbar series has been built around the company's “Double the Bass, Double the Impact” campaign, with dual subwoofers positioned as a key feature across the lineup.

The soundbars support multiple connectivity options, including Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI with eARC, USB, AUX and optical connectivity. This allows users to connect the systems with televisions, gaming consoles, and other entertainment devices.

According to boAt, “The Aavante Bar Prime series is designed for consumers who are increasingly using OTT platforms, connected TVs, gaming consoles, and live sports as part of their home entertainment.”

The Indian audio brand further highlighted that the new range aims to provide powerful acoustics and surround sound in a space-efficient form factor, offering an alternative to traditional television speakers and more complex home theater setups.

Price and availability

Highlighting about the price range, Boat announced that Aavante Bar Prime DA600, B450 and Thunder-D are available in India at introductory prices ranging from Rs 12,999 to Rs 18,999.

Google, while launching their latest smartphone range, said that all four phones that have been launched are powered by Google's new Tensor G6 chipset and feature IP68-rated protection, enhanced Gemini AI capabilities, and upgraded 5x telephoto cameras.

Design

Highlighting about the design, Google said that they haven’t made much; it didn't change drastically compared to the Pixel 10. They also added that the new series of smartphones now comes in a few new colors:

• Lilac-like frost
• Hibiscus pink
• Pistachio green 
• Obsidian black

Battery

While hailing about the power-packed battery, Google said the latest smartphone series now offers a powerful battery pack that lasts over 30 hours and supports 25 percent faster wireless charging than the Pixel 10.

Camera 

The Pixel 11 also gets a significant camera upgrade, along with a redesigned camera bump that's more than 40 percent thinner than the one on the Pixel 10. On the back, it features a 48MP wide camera, a 13MP ultrawide lens, and a 10.8MP 5x telephoto camera.

On the front the Google Pixel 11 comes with a 10.5MP selfie camera that offers a 48MP main sensor and offers 56 percent greater light sensitivity, while the 5x telephoto camera can deliver up to 30x Super Zoom.

Announcing the new smartphone, which is said to be launched on August 20, Google's has included a new feature in the camera bar called HiLight. The smartphone now comes with an LED indicator light for things like Gemini interactions and incoming calls from favorite contacts. 

Google says that the little LED will get more capabilities down the line, like signaling message notifications from frequent contacts.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold

Talking about their flagship device, which is the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold, they said that the 11 Pro Fold features the thinnest bezels ever on a Fold and claims it's three times as durable as the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, with IP68 water and dust resistance and a back material that's "designed to be nearly impossible to crack."

The Fold's displays are 20 percent brighter than last year's model, and the inner display goes up to 3,600 nits of brightness, like the Pixel 11 Pro / Pro XL. It also runs on Google's Tensor G6 chip and offers up to 24 hours of battery life. 

Whereas the camera on the 11 Pro Fold includes a new 48MP wide lens plus a 10.5MP ultrawide lens and a 10.8MP telephoto lens with up to 30x super zoom.

The Mini 13 instant camera has been built on the Instax Mini 12, retaining the basic point-and-shoot approach while adding features aimed primarily at selfies, group photographs and hands-free shooting.

Two self-timer options

The biggest functional addition is the inclusion of two self-timer options. Users can choose between a two-second and a 10-second delay using a lever on the shutter button. The shorter timer is intended for handheld selfies, while the longer option allows users to place the camera down and move into the frame for group or full-body photographs.

Fujifilm's Mini 13 has also included a camera angle adjustment feature, which allows users to alter the camera's angle during self-timer shots without requiring a separate tripod.

Features and design

Furthermore, the camera continues to use features carried over from the Mini 12, including close-up mode and automatic exposure. Close-up Mode includes parallax correction to better align the viewfinder's framing with the area that will appear in the final print. Also, the automatic exposure adjusts shutter speed and flash intensity based on the shooting conditions.

The Mini 13 has a rounded, 3D body and is available in five translucent pastel colours: Dreamy Purple, Candy Pink, Frost Blue, Lagoon Green and Clay White. The design is aimed at making the camera as much of an accessory as a photography device.

Alongside the camera, Fujifilm is introducing the Instax Mini PASTEL GALAXY film, priced at Rs 899. Fujilfilm said that the film uses a mini-format frame with glossy colour gradients.

AI comes to Instax print digitisation

One of the more notable technology updates around the launch is not built into the Mini 13 itself but comes through Fujifilm's Instax UP! smartphone application.

According to Fujifilm, the AI system improves scan accuracy and can process prints more effectively across different background colours and orientations. This gives Mini 13 users a way to retain the physical appeal of instant photography while also creating digital copies that can be stored or shared through smartphones and social media.

Fujifilm also adds a new colour to Instax Wide 400

Fujifilm has also announced a Jet Black variant of its Instax Wide 400 instant camera. The new matte-black version joins the existing green option and will be available from March 31.

The Wide 400 uses the larger Instax Wide film format and is positioned separately from the smaller Mini series. The company has retained the camera's existing functionality while expanding its colour options.

With the Mini 13, Fujifilm is largely keeping the simplicity that has defined its entry-level Instax cameras while adding features that address common use cases such as selfies and group photography. 

The Instax Mini 13 is available in India at a price of Rs 10,999.

Launched on Global Mental Health Leadership Day, the inaugural Audacity Roundtable in New York brought together leaders from technology, healthcare, psychology, neuroscience, media, and social impact to explore how humanity can thrive in the age of artificial intelligence. The event was convened by entrepreneur and AudacityAI founder Kunal Sood.

The gathering centered on a key question facing the AI era: while artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly capable, can humanity develop the wisdom, compassion, and leadership needed to guide its use responsibly?

Addressing the event, Sood said, "The greatest challenge of the AI era is not building more intelligent machines. It is developing wiser leaders. Technology amplifies human intention. If our wisdom, compassion, and character fail to evolve alongside our technology, our greatest innovations may deepen our greatest challenges." 

As per the official statement, “AI has transformed communication, healthcare, software development, and creative industries. However, these technological gains have coincided with growing concerns over loneliness, anxiety, burnout, and declining social connection across the world.”

AI leadership must focus on emotional intelligence

The initiative argues that leadership in the AI era must increasingly focus on qualities such as emotional intelligence, moral courage, self-awareness, compassion, and the ability to build trust and belonging within organisations.

Sood's work through AudacityAI draws upon psychology, neuroscience, systems thinking, leadership science, and social innovation to help organizations integrate well-being into innovation strategies. Rather than treating employee wellbeing as separate from business performance, the initiative positions human flourishing as a strategic advantage.

The organisers further highlighted that businesses with high levels of trust and psychological safety tend to foster greater creativity, resilience, and long-term performance, while communities built around purpose are better equipped to navigate uncertainty.

Discussion around societal implications of artificial intelligence

The Audacity Roundtable featured discussions among experts from psychology, neuroscience, technology, entrepreneurship, healthcare, wellness, and public policy on the societal implications of artificial intelligence and the qualities that will distinguish effective leaders in an increasingly automated world.

The event also marked the launch of "Audacity with Kunal Sood," a long-form podcast that will feature conversations with entrepreneurs, scientists, psychologists, artists, philosophers, policymakers, and technologists. The series aims to explore themes including leadership, consciousness, mental well-being, and the future of humanity as AI becomes more deeply integrated into everyday life.

The organisers believe that as artificial intelligence transforms sectors ranging from healthcare and education to governance and business, uniquely human capabilities—including empathy, ethical judgment, imagination, and authentic relationships—will become increasingly valuable.

The initiative concludes that while artificial intelligence may become one of humanity's most transformative technologies, the future will ultimately depend on how people choose to use it.

The officials further added, "In an era when intelligence is becoming increasingly abundant, wisdom may become the world's scarcest resource."