Articles about India

Many analysts argue that cryptocurrencies need to be formally recognized by major governments in order to gain credibility. Well, for Bitcoin, the biggest cryptocurrency around, things are moving in the right direction.

The Indian government has decided to regulate the local Bitcoin market, just a few months after it was revealed that the Inter-Disciplinary Committee under the Ministry of Finance was assessing the legality of Bitcoin.

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Microsoft has released yet another chatbot, and this one is aimed specifically at the Indian market. Named Ruuh, the chatbot is said to enjoy chatting about Bollywood, music, humor, travel and browsing the net.

It is available only in India and only in English, at least for now. It was launched on February 7, with Microsoft filing for a trademark on March 15.

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Microsoft has thrown a lot at Skype in recent years, and the latest move sees the company releasing a completely new version of the Android app designed for use on slower internet connections -- specifically in India.

Described variously as being "our fastest and smallest app to date" and "built in India, for users in India", the focus with Skype Lite is on speed and efficiency. The new version of Skype uses less data and battery power, but still delivers the Skype experience that users have come to rely on.

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YouTube is a very popular destination for millennials -- and older folks -- to consume media. Entertainers like Gabbie Hanna (The Gabbie Show), Ian Carter (iDubbbzTV) and Justine Ezarik (iJustine) are the real stars for some of these young folks -- not dinosaurs like Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Courteney Cox. This is a huge shift for the entertainment industry.

Unfortunately, while YouTube popularity grows around the world, many countries still suffer with slow data connections. Apparently, in India, many citizens still use 2G, which creates a poor video streaming experience. Google is looking to change this, and today, it announces 'YouTube Go'. This new app not only optimizes the viewing for slow data, but adds easy offline viewing, and social aspects too.

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India is the third-largest smartphone market worldwide, after China and the United States. In the second quarter of the year, vendors shipped just over 30 million devices, the vast majority of which run Android. That is no different than what is happening in the other leading markets, China and United States, except for one thing: iPhone sales.

Apple is a major player in both China and United States, where its market share is well into double digits. However, in India, the iPhone is not as appealing to local shoppers, as only 2.4 percent of the smartphones shipped in Q2 2016 feature Apple's logo on the back.

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Google's plans to gather Street View data in India have hit a brick wall after the country rejected the company's proposals.

Indian security agencies expressed concerns about plans to send Google Street View cars around the country, taking 360-degree photos along roadways. This is certainly not the first time Google Street View has faced problems, with numerous cases relating to privacy resulting in changes being made to the service.

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It may not be big in the United States, but cricket equates to baseball in other parts of the world -- a sport with huge crowds and a somewhat similar method of play. The sport is very big in India and the Premier League is what the people want to watch.

Now Roku can bring all of the action to you with ESPN Cricket Pass. The set-top box maker brags that it is the only connected device offering this option for the 2016 season.

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One of the main selling points of the new iPhone SE is its affordable price. Starting at just $399, Apple's latest smartphone costs $250 less than a comparable iPhone 6s or $150 less than a similar iPhone 6. For iPhone fans or would-be customers on a budget, it is a very attractive proposition. That is the story in US anyway.

In other markets, Apple has decided to sell the new iPhone SE at a premium, making it a less attractive proposition in the process. In Europe, for instance, prices are considerably higher even when removing VAT from the equation.

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Facebook was dealt a blow today when its Free Basics program was banned in India for contravening net neutrality rules. As you would expect, Mark Zuckerberg is more than a little disappointed, but the Facebook founder says he remains "committed to keep working to break down barriers to connectivity in India and around the world".

In a somewhat bitter-sounding post on Facebook, Zuckerberg reiterated his belief that "everyone in the world should have access to the internet". But as well as hitting out at the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), he also says he wants to keep driving to connect the whole of India to the internet to "help lift people out of poverty, create millions of jobs and spread education opportunities".

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The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has ruled in favor of net neutrality laws, effectively banning Facebook's beleaguered and controversial Free Basics program. In a win for net neutrality proponents, the telecom regulator ruled against "discriminatory tariffs for data services" saying that internet access should be provided on an equal basis.

Mark Zuckerberg's dream of connecting the entire world to the internet has met with controversy ever since it was first announced because of the way it only provides access to a limited number of websites from select Facebook partners.

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Xiaomi announced Redmi Note 3 last year, in late-November, alongside the Mi Pad 2 slate. The affordable phablet, which sports a metal body and fingerprint sensor, arrived with a MediaTek Helio X10 processor, but the company is now adding a Qualcomm Snapdragon version into the mix.

The new Redmi Note 3 version is powered by a mid-range, 64-bit, 1.8 GHz hexa-core Snapdragon 650 processor, which offers Adreno 510 graphics, support for UltraHD video and VoLTE, and an integrated X8 modem which enables higher transfer speeds over cellular networks. This model is likely introduced for international markets.

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In some markets, consumers who want to get an iPhone 6s can expect to pay about $1000 just to get their hands on the base model. In India, for instance, the 16 GB version of Apple's smaller flagship officially arrived with a price tag of $935 (Rs 62,000). At the other end of the spectrum, an iPhone 6s Plus with 128 GB of storage could be had for a whopping $1390 (Rs 92,000).

The high barrier of entry seems to have been too much for many prospective buyers because Apple has just slashed the prices of its latest flagships by at least 10 percent across the board in India. A price cut so soon after an iPhone launch -- keep in mind, iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus were officially announced in September -- is unheard of.

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Amazon launched in the nation of India with a lot of attention and it has grown from there. The country is a vibrant market for sites, and it was a wise move by the retail giant to get in on the deal. Now Amazon is releasing bigger news.

Amazon.in has become the most popular site in the nation, or to clarify, the most visited commerce site in India. The milestone came in October of this year and was reported by Comscore, stating more than 30 million visitors, up 38 percent over the previous month.

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For those who didn't know, the BBC has launched a 24 hour news channel to compete with such entities as CNN and Al Jazeera. Now the issue is making the network available for as many viewers as possible in this crowded market that is today's news cycle.

One of the largest markets is India and the channel is now there, announcing it has signed on to provide its network to YuppTV, the world's largest provider of OTT TV, at least for Indian content. The service provides more than 200 channels and 5,000 movies to viewers.

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India has proposed a set of rules aimed at regulating ridesharing apps such as Uber. The rules will see the tech companies operate more like traditional taxi fleets, a move which will probably please other taxi companies in the country.

India’s Ministry of Road Transport and Highways released the guidelines proposal, which suggests all cars run by these companies should have an emergency button and an in-app feature to call the police.

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