India
Latest
Google delays its 30-percent Play Store cut in India after pushback
Google will delay enforcement in India of a new billing policy that will force some developers to pay a 30 percent commission on in-app purchases, the company announced (via TechCrunch). The new rules are set to go in effect globally by September 2021, but after facing pushback from an alliance of app developers, Google will postpone them in India until April 2022.
Steve Dent10.05.2020
Apple's online store is opening in India on September 23rd
Apple is opening its online store in India on September 23rd over a year after the government eased rules that limited the tech giant’s business in the country. The store will offer Apple’s full range of products and direct support to customers in India for the first time, and it will also give them access to financing options and the company’s trade-in program. Apple started building iPhones at a plant in Karnataka back in 2017.
Mariella Moon09.18.2020
'PUBG Mobile' will escape India ban by cutting out Tencent
PUBG Corporation says it’s looking for ways to bring its mobile apps back to India.
Christine Fisher09.08.2020
Netflix, Amazon and Disney+ will self-regulate to avoid censorship in India
Netflix, Amazon and Disney+ have agreed to a self-regulatory code to prevent the Indian government from censoring streaming movies and TV.
Jon Fingas09.05.2020
India bans 'PUBG Mobile' and more than 100 other apps
Since June, India has banned 177 apps with ties to China.
Christine Fisher09.02.2020
Apple gears up for direct iPhone sales in India
The online Apple Store comes to India next month, and a real-world one is due to arrive in 2021.
Daniel Cooper08.25.2020
India restores some of Kashmir's 4G internet following court ruling
India has restored some of Kashmir's 4G internet access after the Supreme Court said an indefinite shutdown was illegal.
Jon Fingas08.16.2020
India will provide ID cards that store all your medical data
India is planning health ID cards that store all your medical data, although there are privacy concerns.
Jon Fingas08.15.2020
Google buys $4.5 billion stake in India's biggest mobile network
Google has paid $4.5 billion for a 7.7 percent share of Jio, India's biggest mobile network.
Daniel Cooper07.15.2020
Google makes a $10 billion bet on India
Google will invest up to $10 billion in Indian businesses in the next seven years to help get the country online.
Daniel Cooper07.13.2020
Samsung begins offering support requests via WhatsApp in India
With the COVID-19 crisis continuing unabated in India, more folks than ever are relying on their smartphone. At the same time, the pandemic means it’s not easy to get help if you have a technical problem. With all that in mind, Samsung has introduced Customer Care for WhatsApp, an ultra-popular service in India.
Steve Dent07.06.2020
India may require online shops to hand over site code
India is drafting e-commerce rules that could force internet giants to hand over source code and AI info.
Jon Fingas07.05.2020
India has banned TikTok, WeChat and many other Chinese apps
The government cited citizen concerns over privacy and data security.
Kris Holt06.29.2020
Amazon has eliminated single-use plastic at its Indian fulfillment centers
Amazon's fulfillment centers in India are now free of single-use plastics.
Rachel England06.29.2020
India requires all workers to use its COVID-19 tracking app
India is now mandating that all workers use its COVID-19 contact tracing app, even though there are concerns it violates policies.
Jon Fingas05.03.2020
Facebook buys 9.9 percent of India's biggest mobile network
Facebook is spending $5.7 billion to own 9.9 percent of India's biggest mobile network. It's all part of its plan to own the internet.
Daniel Cooper04.22.2020
Apple will open its first India retail store in 2021
If Apple is going to keep iPhone sales going in a market that's cooling down, it may have to court regions where it previously hasn't sold well -- and it appears poised to do just that. CEO Tim Cook told attendees at Apple's annual shareholder meeting that the company would start selling its products online in India later in 2020, and would open its first official retail store in the country in 2021. The tech firm was waiting for government approval to run the branded stores itself rather than relying on a local partner. Apple doesn't want "somebody else to run the brand for us," Cook explained.
Jon Fingas02.26.2020
Bloomberg: India may soon make controversial social media rules official
The Indian government might soon publish a set of controversial rules that could give it access to the identities of social networking and messaging app users. According to Bloomberg, India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is expected to publish the new rules later this month without making major changes to previous drafts.
Mariella Moon02.13.2020
Kenya halts biometric ID scheme over discrimination fears
Kenya introduced a sweeping national biometric identity program last year, with the view to collecting personal and biometric data -- such as fingerprints and facial photographs -- from its 50 million-strong population. Now, however, the program has been temporarily suspended by the country's high court, which has cited concerns about the way the data may be used.
Rachel England02.03.2020
India is now a larger smartphone market than the US
China eclipsed the US as the largest smartphone market on Earth years ago, but now Americans can't even claim second place. Counterpoint Research estimates that India overtook the US to become the second-largest market, with 158 million phones shipping to the country in 2019. That's largely due to the surge of Chinese manufacturers offering aggressively-priced devices, analysts said. A whopping 72 percent of phones shipped to India came from brands like Xiaomi, Vivo, Realme and Oppo.
Jon Fingas01.25.2020