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Amazon Sale Offers: Deals You Can Get on OnePlus 3T, iPhone 7, iPhone 6, and More

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

Amazon Sale Offers: Deals You Can Get on OnePlus 3T, iPhone 7, iPhone 6, and More

HIGHLIGHTS

  • OnePlus 3T gets a No Cost EMI option and an exchange offer
  • iPhone 7 all variants are available at a discounted rate
  • Budget phone deals on Coolpad Note 5 Lite, Samsung Galaxy On5 Pro

The sale season continues with the new Amazon sale that started Monday and continues till tomorrow. The three-day Amazon Smartphone Sale offers deals and discounts on OnePlus 3T, Moto G5 Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 7, Coolpad Note 5 Lite, and many others. The new Amazon sale will end tomorrow, so if you are in the market for a new smartphone, then you should probably check out the deals here. But it’s not just smartphones that are on discount, as the new Amazon sale provides deals on laptops, televisions, earphones, power banks, microSD cards, as well as consumer durables. Separately, OnePlus 5 – the successor of OnePlus 3T will launch tonight, and Amazon India is running an app-only contest through which fans can get a unit of the next OnePlus flagship for free.

Amazon sale deals on mobiles

For starters, the Amazon sale is offering OnePlus 3T 64GB at Rs. 29,999 with an exchange offer and a No Cost EMI option. The exchange offer is up to Rs. 13,060 and there’s also an offer from Vodafone that gets you 45GB of free data for five months. Furthermore, as part of the Amazon sale, there is up to 70 percent off on OnePlus 3T cases and covers as well. Amazon is also offering those buying the OnePlus 3T as part of the Amazon sale, Amazon Pay balance of Rs. 250 if you stream video content via the Prime Video app once you purchase the smartphone. Lastly, there’s also a Bajaj Finserv No Cost EMI option applicable on the OnePlus 3T 64GB starting at Rs. 2,499 for 12 months.

As part of the Amazon India sale, the iPhone 7 32GB, 128GB, and 256GB are up for grabs at discounted rates of Rs. 42,999, Rs. 54,490, and Rs. 65,900 respectively. There’s a further discount of up to Rs. 13,060 also offered on exchange of an old smartphone, reducing the purchase value even further. This exchange offer is also listed on the iPhone 6 32GB which is available at a discounted rate of Rs. 24,999 as part of the Amazon sale offers.

The Moto Z is also available at a discounted rate of R. 29,999, with additional exchange offers of up to Rs. 13,060 also applicable on the purchase of this smartphone. There are several Moto Mod discounts also listed alongside the smartphone during the Amazon India sale. A similar exchange offer is also listed on the Moto G5 Plus as well as the Xiaomi Mi Max Prime smartphones.

Coming to budgeted smartphones, the Coolpad Note 5 Lite has a Rs. 2,000 discount offer during the Amazon sale and is available at Rs. 6,999.The Samsung Galaxy On7 Pro smartphone is available at a discounted rate of Rs. 8,690 with an exchange offer of up to Rs. 6,712 also applicable. The Samsung On5 Pro is up for grabs for Rs. 7,190 and the maximum exchange offer is up to Rs. 5,662.

All smartphone offers during the Amazon India sale can be viewed on the Amazon website.

Amazon sale offers on laptops, mobile accessories, and other products

Mobile accessories like memory cards and headphones have also been listed with lucrative offers. Laptops from Apple, HP, Lenovo, Dell, and other brands are also being sold at a discounted rate, and some of them also list an exchange offer of up to Rs. 10,000. Check out all the laptop deals here. Lastly, Amazon is also offering discounts on TVs and large appliances as part of its three-day sale.

[“Source-ndtv”]

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Gadgets News

SanDisk iXpand Mini Flash Drive for iPhone, iPad Launched Starting Rs. 2,750

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

SanDisk iXpand Mini Flash Drive for iPhone, iPad Launched Starting Rs. 2,750

 

After launching its iXpand Flash Drive earlier this year, Western Digital on Monday launched its SanDisk iXpand Mini Flash Drive, presented as a memory solution for iPhone and iPad. The SanDisk iXpand Mini Flash Drive has already been made available in India in 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB storage capacities, with starting prices ranging between Rs. 2,750 to Rs. 7,050. The new flash drive is available online exclusively through Flipkart.

The SanDisk iXpand Mini Flash Drive offers transfer speeds of up to 70Mbps, as per Western Digital’s claims. It features a different design than the drive launched earlier this year and allows users to connect it directly to the iPhone or iPad without having to remove the case, Western Digital said in its release. It comes with a Lightning connector and a USB 3.0 connector that allows for quick and easy transfer of files between iPhone/ iPad and Mac or PC.

“Smartphone and tablet users are creating more content than ever before and we know that customers are looking for physical mobile storage solutions that are easy to use, portable and reliable,” Khalid Wani, managing director sales at Western Digital Corporation India, was quoted as saying in the release. “The new SanDisk iXpand Mini Flash Drive offers iPhone and iPad users an option to capture everything they love without worrying about running out of space,” he said.

The SanDisk iXpand Mini Flash Drive comes with a companion app, called the iXpand Drive app for iPhone and iPad, which automatically backs up users’ camera rolls as well as content from social networking sites including tagged photos from Facebook and Instagram. The companion app also allows users to watch videos directly from the drive as well.

The iXpand Drive app even allows users to cast content from the SanDisk iXpand Mini Flash Drive directly to their television via Chromecast or Amazon Fire TV. The app is already available for download from the App Store, and launches when the SanDisk iXpand Mini Flash Drive is plugged into an iPhone or iPad. The new flash drive from Western Digital features encryption software that password-protects files and allows users to share content while keeping sensitive files protected across devices.

 

 
[“source-ndtv”]

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Tech Update

iPhone Call Logs Easy Pickings on iCloud, Says Russian Security Firm

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

icloud-privacy

Russian digital forensics firm ElcomSoft on Thursday reported that Apple automatically uploads iPhone call logs to iCloud remote servers, and that users have no official way to disable this feature other than to completely switch off the iCloud drive.

The data uploaded could include a list of all calls made and received on an iOS device, as well as phone numbers, dates and times, and duration, the firm said.

Apple retains the cloud-based data for up to four months, according to ElcomSoft’s report. It includes calendars, wallet, books, notes and other data synced with iCloud. Even photos may be retained remotely longer than Apple has indicated.

Apple currently relies on a two-factor authentication system that requires an iCloud token along with an Apple ID and password, but ElcomSoft’s new Phone Breaker 6.20 software can allow law enforcement to bypass those checks.

For its part, Apple has defended the fact that the data is backed up on the cloud.

“We offer call history syncing as a convenience to our customers so that they can return calls from any of their devices,” an Apple spokesperson said in a statement provided to TechNewsWorld by company rep Ryan James.

“Apple is deeply committed to safeguarding our customers’ data,” the spokesperson added. “That’s why we give our customers the ability to keep their data private. Device data is encrypted with a user’s passcode, and access to iCloud data including backups requires the user’s Apple ID and password. Apple recommends all customers select strong passwords and use two-factor authentication.”

Privacy or Security?

ElcomSoft made its announcement not so much to call attention to the potential weaknesses in Apple’s data storage practices, as to address how easily its own software can obtain the information. It is billed as a tool for law enforcement, but it’s not too hard to imagine that hackers could utilize similar tools for nefarious purposes.

“It is very concerning, as this can’t be something that is a surprise to Apple; it is baked into their design for the product and services,” said Jim Purtilo, associate professor of computer science at the University of Maryland.

“Only Apple can speak to its motive for orchestrating this behavior, but this is a way to project an image of security to consumers,” he told TechNewsWorld.

These iPhone users may believe their data are encrypted and secure, “which is mostly true, even if only on their actual device, while [Apple] is still working accommodatingly with the feds, who get tremendous value from the traffic analysis made possible by these saved data,” Purtilo added.

Standard Practices

The fact that Apple is being called out this week is somewhat notable in its own right.

“Apple doesn’t seem to be walking its talk in the sense of actually doing what it publicly claims to be doing,” noted Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT.

The other part of this is in the lack of transparency customers have into the process, and the fact that there is no easy way to opt out, he told TechNewsWorld.

“If you use iCloud, you’re in whether you want to be or not,” King added.

However, “as several reports on Apple’s situation mention, the company isn’t alone in syncing or saving call data,” King explained, adding that it is standard practice for U.S. carriers to retain call data for up to 12 months.

“Where Apple could run into problems is in foreign markets that restrict retention of caller data,” he said. “The company also risks some egg on its face if ElcomSoft’s contention that more data is collected and that some is retained for longer than Apple says is the case.”

Who Guards the Guards?

The fact that this information is being uploaded to the iCloud is noteworthy, given the showdown that Apple had with the FBI over its ability to obtain information from an iPhone belonging to Syed Rizwan Farook, who carried out last December’s terrorist attack in San Bernardino.

Farook’s phone was protected cryptographically. Apple challenged more than 11 orders to assist in providing access to the phone, issued by the United States district courts under the All Writs Act of 1789.

The question is whether the FBI showdown was necessary, based on ElcomSoft’s findings. Much of the data may have been on the iCloud and hence accessible.

“If most users rely on iCloud services, then police largely don’t need the actual device in order to investigate someone; the data have already been disclosed for far more convenient access by whoever asks,” explained Purtilo.

“Consumers should be so lucky that only the police are accessing their data; in this news, we more or less need to presume other less upstanding groups have been accessing the data too,” he added.

For the vast majority of users, this may be a nonissue, noted Pund-IT’s King.

“Most criminals and ne’er-do-wells probably know enough not to use their personal phones for conducting illegal business,” he suggested.

“How threatening the practice may be is hard to say, but with Apple actively trying to pitch its products for enterprise applications and use cases, companies considering deploying iPhones and iPads may want to question how their employees’ call data is being collected and secured,” King added. “Personal communication is the lifeblood of many businesses, to the point that any threat of injury and hemorrhage should be avoided.”

[Source:- technewsworld]

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Online Marketing

Snapdeal Sale Offers: iPhone 6s, Galaxy S7 Edge, and More Unbox Diwali Sale Deals

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

Snapdeal Sale Offers: iPhone 6s, Galaxy S7 Edge, and More Unbox Diwali Sale Deals

Just like Flipkart and Amazon, Snapdeal is putting all the time and energy behind its annual sale. Snapdeal’s Unbox Diwali Sale begins October 2 and will go on till October 6, the same as rival Flipkart. The Snapdeal sale offers great discounts and one-day deals on smartphones, tablets, and other electronics. The e-commerce giant is also giving away free prizes like the iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, and the Le Max 2 to few buyers in this five-day sale.

Snapdeal has partnered with Citibank, wherein all Citi debit and credit card holders will get a 20 percent instant discount on purchases. There’s also a Bajaj Finserv no cost EMI plan for those looking to pay in instalments for any Snapdeal offers as part of the Unbox Diwali sale. This plan will eliminate the need to pay any down payment, or a processing fee.

As part of the Unbox Diwali Sale, Snapdeal will offer discounts on the iPhone 6s and the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. Unlike Flipkart, Snapdeal hasn’t unveiled the temporary price cut that these smartphones will get just yet, but looking at how big these annual sales are, they will hopefully be worthy. Other products that will get discounts as part of Snapdeal’s sale offers include the Sony PlayStation 4 1TB variant, the Canon EOS 1300D, and other home electronics and appliances.

Almost all the big electronics brands like Samsung, Xiaomi, Micromax, Apple, Lenovo, HP, Seagate, SanDisk, and LG are participating in the Snapdeal Unbox Diwali Sale. As the sale falls in a festive week, Snapdeal is hosting exclusive stores for Navratri and Diwali. There’s a separate lighting and puja store as well for buying products pertinent to religious ceremonies.

As mentioned, Snapdeal will give away prizes to buyers who purchase mobile accessories worth more than Rs. 750 during the sale offers week. Prizes worth Rs. 4 lakhs are up for grabs during the Unbox Diwali Sale, and the iPhone 5s, iPhone 5 and LeEco Max 2 are also included among the goodies. Furthermore, there is a guaranteed Rs. 100 off on prepaid orders above Rs. 750 from 9am to 9pm on sale days. As part of the Diwali sale, Snapdeal will amp up its Deals of the Day page and include more products with heavy discounts. This page includes products from all categories like electronics, garments, and home decor.

[Source:- gadgets.ndtv]

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Internet

Apple Launches 2TB iCloud Storage Plan Ahead of iPhone 7 Event

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

Apple Launches 2TB iCloud Storage Plan Ahead of iPhone 7 Event

Apple has introduced a new tier in its iCloud storage plans. Alongside the 1TB plan, the Cupertino giant has now introduced a 2TB plan for $19.99 per month as well. For Indian users, the new plan costs Rs. 1,300 per month.

This move comes just a week before the iPhone 7 launch event on September 7. Apple is heavily rumoured to unveil the new 256GB storage variant, and upping the iCloud storage plan seems certainly seems to be an associated strategic move.

Expanding to 2TB would follow the current iCloud storage pattern, as 9to5Mac notes. The former largest tier, 1TB, was roughly eight times as large as the top storage model – 128GB. With the bump up to 2TB of iCloud storage available to users, Apple appears to want to maintain the same ratio for the anticipated 256GB storage variant.

For users who are unaware, when you first sign up for iCloud storage, the first 5GB is free. After that, Apple offers plans for 50GB, 200GB, 1TB, and now 2TB as well. In the US, these plans cost $0.99, $2.99, $9.99, and $19.99 per month respectively. In India, these plans cost Rs. 65, Rs. 190, Rs. 650, and Rs. 1,300 per month respectively. For other countries.In any case, Apple is going to unveil the iPhone 7 with its new storage options next week. This year, Apple is sticking with minor changes and looks to break its tick-tock cycle. The camera on the 4.7-inch variant is pegged to get OIS, while the 5.5-inch variant is said to sport a new dual camera module. The company is ditching the 16GB base storage variant, in favour of 32GB. There’s also a Space Black variant that is expected to be introduced.

[Source:- gadgets.ndtv]

 

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Tech Update

How to transfer music from laptop to an iPhone

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

How to transfer music from laptop to an iPhone

There’re many advantages to Apple’s ecosystem. The synergy between the devices is unprecedented. Apple has “simplified” things so much that its products are considered to be easier to use. The products also come with a great ecosystem of accessories which makes owning them a fuss-free experience for most of the people.

However, Apple’s approach also adds some complexities. For example, one big problem for the iPhone users is management of their music collection. On the iPhone or iPad you can’t “cut, copy and  paste” files. Also, Apple owns the iTunes store and in order to avoid piracy it limits the user of an iPhone or iPad to a host PC or a Mac. So how does one transfer music from a laptop to an iPhone? For example you have 10 songs on your computer. You want them into your iPhone. It is an amazingly simple question, but the answer to it is a little complex.

The iTunes method

The iTunes method is what one must use to transfer music from a laptop, external hard-drive or pen drive to the iPhone. To do this, you need to follow these steps:

1- Download and install iTunes on your Windows PC. On a Mac, it will be pre-loaded. When you will open iTunes for the first time, it will scan your computer for all the music and media and add it to the iTunes library. If you have the music stored on an external drive, make sure that’s also connected to the computer. It will also download all the music you’ve bought from Apple once you log-in to your iTunes account if you have used it before to purchase music.

2- Connect your iPhone to the computer using the USB cable.

3- Open iTunes.

4- Locate and click on your device on the left side bar.

5- Click on the ‘Summary’ tab and scroll down to the Options section.

6- Click the box next to “Manually manage music and videos.”

7- Go to the ‘Music’ tab, check box next to sync music

8- Then click on either ‘entire library’ or ‘selected playlists, artists and genre’ which basically allows for manually selecting the songs that you want in the iPhone.

9- Click apply.

Using iTunes, you can also transfer music wirelessly to the iPhone. The process is quite straight forward and you have to follow the following steps.

1- Connect the iPhone to iTunes using USB cable so that the sharing is enabled between the two devices.

2- Ensure iPhone and your laptop which is running iTunes is on the same Wi-Fi network.

3- Open iTunes

4- Once iPhone is connected iTunes, in the summary tab check on the ”Sync with this iPhone over Wi-Fi’ tab.

5- Press “Apply”

6- The next time you open iTunes, you will be able to sync music wirelessly — no USB cable required — as long as both the laptop and iPhone are on the same Wi-Fi network.

In case you store music in a pen drive or an external hard disk, here is what you will need to do:

1- Select the “iTunes preferences” menu. On Windows you have to go to the tiny button on the top right corner. On OS X, you have to go to the iTunes icon on the top right.

2- Inside preferences you have to jump straight to the last tab (8th) called “Advanced”.

3- In the advanced tab, the first thing you will see ‘iTunes media folder location’. By default, its path will read something like ‘C:\\Users\Sahil\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media’. This is the folder you need to copy if you’re backing up your music.

4- In the case you’re trying to add music from an external drive you have to change the path. So if you’re music is on ‘D’ drive inside a folder called music all you need to is change the path to D:\\Music and you’re good to go.

Copy music using cloud storage

What if you have saved your music on cloud storage platforms like DropBox, OneDrive, or even Apple’s iCloud? In most cases you will be able to stream the music directly from the dedicated app of the service. In the case of iCloud, the music finds its way into the Music app on the iPhone by turning on a setting on the phone.

So here’s what you must do:

For iCloud

1- Enter the settings menu on the iPhone

2- Go to the iTunes and App Store settings and click the automatic downloads for the music. This will download all the music you have downloaded from the iTunes store on your iPhone. This works even if you made a purchase from a different device, using the same iTunes account.

3- Inside the setting menu, scroll down for the ‘music’ sub-menu and turn on iCloud Music Library which will either seek to merge your iCloud music with the one on your phone or completely replace the music on your phone with the one on iCloud. Opt for the option that is convenient to you.

For DropBox and OneDrive

1- Download the respective apps from the App Store

2- Supply your relevant account ID and password to the app

3- Click on the file to play the song. The app will stream it.

4- On OneDrive, on the bottom right corner, click on the contexual menu and click on open with another app option. This will download the file on the phone so that you can play the song using the standard Music app or third party apps like JukeBox.

5- If you have a lot of music on DropBox and you want to download the music on to the iPhone, then download a free app called JukeBox. Once you open the app, it will ask for your DropBox account details and scan and download all the files on the phone so that you can play them.

Third-party solutions

The way iOS is architected there is no file system that’s accessible to the user. So if you’re looking for the traditional drag and drop method, you can’t do it, unless you download a third party app. There are apps for both OSX and Windows. For Windows there is SharePod which can be bought for $20, while for OS X, there are solutions like iExplorer which costs $39 and Senuti which costs $19.
Basically, when an iPhone, iPod or iPad are connected to a PC or Mac which have either of these apps open, users can see the file system and drag and drop files.

SharePod

1- First connect your iPhone to the PC.

2- Then open SharePod, and it will start scanning for an Apple iOS device.

3- Then choose manually the files that you want to copy and click on the ‘Copy to Computer’ button.

iExplorer

1- Open iExporer on the Mac.

2- Connect your iPhone or iPad with the Mac.

3- If iTunes prompts you to sync with your computer, select no or cancel.

4- Select individual tracks using the command button on the Mac.

5- Drag and drop the files in the folder of your choice.
It is worth noting that we have not tested either iExplorer or SharePod, but these apps are believed to be very good at extracting data directly from an iPhone by opening up its file system.

[Source:- Intoday]

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News Update

Why is Apple still being asked to unlock iPhone by the US government

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

Apple has been asked to unlock more iPhones, this time involved in cases from Boston and Brooklyn. These demands have been made shortly after, FBI dropped the case against them after they managed to unlock an iPhone 5c without Apple’s help.

While Apple has helped the authorities access data on iPhones before, CEO Tim Cook took a stand against the FBI’s request for a universal key that would let them into any iPhone.

Eventually, the FBI did manage to unlock the iPhone 5c without Apple’s help and dropped the case against the phone maker. However, the method FBI acquired to unlock iPhones is valid only specific models of iPhone and the iPhone 5s — evidence for the Brooklyn case — can’t be unlocked using the same method.

According to a report in the New York Times, the technological solution found in the San Bernardino case would not work to get into the phone of the Brooklyn drug dealer, which has a different operating system.

“In this case, we still need Apple’s help in accessing the data, which they have done with little effort in at least 70 other cases when presented with court orders for comparable phones running iOS 7 or earlier operating systems,” said a Justice Department spokesperson.

So, prosecutors are asking for Apple’s co-operation to unlock the iPhone. But with the bitterness lingering from the court case, Apple sees this request as a recurring pattern. Especially, when the court case reached a point where Apple employees contemplated quitting before they build a back-door into their own security features.

Addressing the Spring Event, Cook started the evening by calling for a discussion on the topic of our privacies and how much control the authorities should have over it.

A lawyer for Apple told NYT that, that prosecutors were pushing the case not because of the value of the information in the phone, but rather to set a precedent that could be used to get into other locked iPhones.

[Source:- Hindustantimes]

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News Update

iOS 12.1.3 Update With Bug Fixes for iPhone, iPad Pro (2018), and HomePod Released

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

iOS 12.1.3 Update With Bug Fixes for iPhone, iPad Pro (2018), and HomePod Released

Apple has released iOS 12.1.3 as a new software update for all the compatible iPhone and iPad models. Similar to the previous iOS 12 update, the latest software version doesn’t bring any noticeable changes on board. It, however, addresses some minor bugs to enhance the user experience. The iOS 12.1.3 update also fixes some known vulnerabilities. The Cupertino giant has also brought watchOS 5.1.3 with bug fixes. Apple’s HomePod has also received a couple of improvements to address the existing issues.

As per the official changelog, the iOS 12.1.3 update fixes a bug that was impacting scrolling through photos in the Messages Details view. The new iOS version also addresses the problem that was bringing striped artefacts to photos after being share from the Share Sheet. There is also a fix for the issue that was causing “certain CarPlay systems” to disconnect from the new iPhone models, including the iPhone XR₹ 72,484, iPhone XS₹ 91,131, and iPhone XS Max.

Specifically for the iPad Pro (2018) models, the iOS 12.1.3 update fixes an issue that was causing audio distortion with some external audio input devices. The latest iOS release also has some fixes pertaining to the HomePod. It essentially addresses a random restart issue and fixes a bug that was causing Siri to stop listening to your commands.ios 12 1 3 update gadgets 360 iOS 12

Notably, Apple hasn’t detailed in the official changelog whether the iOS 12.1.3 update fixes the cellular data connectivity issues that were reported for the iOS 12.1.2 update last month.

Aside from the latest iOS update, Apple has released watchOS 5.1.3 for Apple Watch Series 1 and above models. The update carries unspecified improvements and bug fixes, as noted in the official changelog.watchos 5 1 3 update gadgets 360 watchOS

You can read about the security content of iOS 12.1.3 by visiting the official support page. Apple has also detailed the security content of watchOS 5.1.3 on its support page.

How to download iOS 12.1.3, watchOS 5.1.3

The iOS 12.1.3 update is compatible with all the iPhone and iPad models running iOS 12. To download the latest version on your device, go to Settings > General > Software Update and then follow the on-screen instructions.

Your device should be using a Wi-Fi connection to download the over-the-air update. Also, it is recommended to back up your data, and ensuring your device has over 50 percent of charge or connected to a power source before beginning the update process.

The watchOS 5.1.3 update is compatible with all Apple Watch models running watchOS 5. To download the update, go to the Apple Watch app on your iOS device and then visit General > Software Update.

The Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent of the battery charge to enable the installation process. Also, it is recommended to keep it on the charging dock while installing the new update. Your iPhone will also need to be in close proximity to the Apple Watch and will need to be on Wi-Fi. The Apple Watch should restart twice before the update is completely installed, and you need to enter the Watch passcode if prompted, after beginning the update and then follow the prompts from your iPhone.

[“source=gadgets.ndtv”]

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Online Marketing

Apple Resorts to Promo Deals, Trade-Ins to Boost iPhone Sales

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

Apple Resorts to Promo Deals, Trade-Ins to Boost iPhone Sales

Apple is experimenting with iPhone marketing strategies it rarely uses – such as discount promotions via generous device buyback terms – to help goose sales of its flagship product.

Company executives moved some marketing staff from other projects to work on bolstering sales of the latest handsets in October, about a month after the iPhone XS ₹ 94,322 went on sale and in the days around the launch of the iPhone XR ₹ 70,849, according to a person familiar with the situation. This person described it as a “fire drill,” and a possible admission that the devices may have been selling below some expectations. The person asked not to be identified discussing private strategy changes.

Since then, Apple has embarked on a series of aggressive trade-in offers that have temporarily reduced the cost of some of its latest iPhones, a rare step for a company that’s been raising device prices in recent years to lift revenue and profit. Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller declined to comment.

On Sunday evening, Apple kicked these efforts into high gear, adding a new banner to the top of its website advertising the iPhone XR for $449 (roughly Rs. 31,700), $300 less than its official sticker price. The deal, noted with an asterisk and described at the bottom of the page, requires customers to trade in an iPhone 7 Plus ₹ 44,699, a high-end handset from two years ago.

Apple has lost about a fifth of its market value since the start of October on signs of waning iPhone demand. On Monday, iPhone supplier Cirrus Logic. cut its holiday quarter sales forecast 16 percent due to “recent weakness in the smartphone market.” Apple has also stopped reporting iPhone unit sales, sparking concern its most-important product is no longer growing.

The new marketing push may give holiday sales a bump and help the company with a broader goal of increasing the number of Apple devices in use. However, the approach may undermine a key bullish argument from analysts: That higher prices will make up for lackluster unit sales.

Last week, the company started offering a limited-time promotion that boosts the trade-in value of older iPhones by between an additional $25 to $100. Apple retail employees have also been told in recent weeks to mention the program more often to consumers in stores, according to another person familiar with the situation. Some Japanese wireless carriers also cut iPhone XR pricing last week by way of subsidies.

Last year, there were similar concerns about sales of the iPhone X ₹ 74,999, and the handset ended up selling well. And Apple has used similar marketing tactics before. In 2007, it cut the price of the iPhone by $200, less than three months after the device launched. When the iPhone 3G debuted in 2008, Apple worked with carriers to subsidise the cost. It has also quietly increased trade-in values for older iPhone models in the past.

Apple marketing executive Greg Joswiak tried to quell concern about sales by telling CNET last week that the iPhone XR has been the company’s best seller since it went on sale at the end of October.

Regardless of such efforts, “investors are very focused on the longer term strategy and growth outside of iPhones, given what we’ve seen now coming out of this last iPhone cycle,” Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives said. “In a fearful technology environment, investors aren’t going to give Apple the benefit of the doubt.”

Apple is working on several new products and services, including an augmented-reality headset, driverless car technology, and digital offerings like original video. Analysts also expect a new business model centered on subscriptions.

Those options are riskier than the iPhone, which for a decade enticed millions of consumers to hand over hundreds of dollars for a new handset every two years like clockwork. The public hasn’t flocked to AR technology in the same way yet, while Netflix has a huge head start in digital video, Alphabet’s Waymo leads in autonomous vehicles, and Amazon.com’s Prime service has nailed subscriptions online.

“The question yet again is ‘what’s the next phase of innovation?'” Michael Olson, an analyst at Piper Jaffray, said. Apple spent $35 billion on research and development from 2016 to 2018. The technology that emerges from this huge investment “needs to become a new engine of growth,” he added.

Finding another hit like the iPhone will be almost impossible. Since Apple launched the device in 2007, it’s become one of the most successful products on Earth. The gadget generated $167 billion in revenue during Apple’s latest fiscal year, about the same as Alphabet and Walt Disney Co. combined.

Apple aims to have technology ready for an AR headset in 2019 and could ship a product as early as 2020, people familiar with the situation told Bloomberg late last year. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook considers AR, which overlays images and data on views of the real world, as potentially revolutionary as the smartphone.

It’s unclear if the gadget will be a hit. The market is nascent, and early entrants like Google’s Glass eye wear failed. Microsoft Corp.’s HoloLens has done slightly better by focusing on business and military uses, while startup Magic Leap recently released a headset to mixed reviews.

Apple specialises in doing hardware better than early movers in consumer technology, so there’s hope. Still, the market has a long way to go to match the iPhone. There will be almost 5 million AR head-mounted displays shipped in 2022, according to researcher IDC. That compares with sales of more than 200 million iPhones a year currently.

Emerging markets offer a source of growth for Apple’s iPhone business. But the company continues to struggle in several of these regions. The holy grail of all emerging markets is India, which Cook recently said saw “flat” sales in the fourth quarter. Apple sold fewer than 1 million smartphones in the country in the first half of 2018, according to Counterpoint Research.

To crack that market, Apple may need to embrace even bigger and more-permanent iPhone discounts than the ones it’s trying in the US this holiday.

“Apple is faced with the conundrum of needing to look into the mirror and decide if they should come out with an even lower-priced iPhone,” said Ives.

[“source=cnbc”]

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Tech Update

Qualcomm aims to ban iPhone XS and iPhone XR in China too

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

On Monday the Fuzhou Intermediate People’s Court in China banned the import and sale of select iPhones due to a lawsuit between Qualcomm and Apple. Cupertino had to pull out phones from iPhone 6s all the way to iPhone X but said the 2018 devices are not affected by this ruling.

Apparently, the chipset company thinks otherwise and now filed for an injunction of the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR in China as the next step in its legal battle with Apple.

The action is another move in the legal battle between the tech giants that are still nowhere near reaching a deal about licensing fees and patent application. Interestingly enough, a US company banning another US company on the foreign ground will boost the domestic competitors even more.

Apple warned that the ban would hurt Chinese manufacturers like Foxconn and noted that it had created 5 million jobs across the country’s supply chain. Apple representative was quoted to say that the company “will be forced to settle with the Respondent, causing all mobile phone manufacturers to relapse into the previous unreasonable charging mode and pay high licensing fees.”

[“source=indiatoday]

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