Reliance Jio and Google partner to develop entry-level smartphone for India

Earlier today, Google revealed that it had signed an agreement with Indian telecom giant Reliance Jio to invest ₹33,737 crores (~$4.5 billion) in Jio Platforms Ltd. for a 7.73% equity stake in the company. This marked the first investment from Google’s recently announced Google For India Digitization Fund, which aims to accelerate India’s digital economy by funding ₹75,000 crores (~$10 billion) in the region over the next five to seven years. Alongside the investment, the two companies have announced a commercial agreement to develop an entry-level smartphone for the Indian market. Curiously, at the Reliance AGM held earlier today, Reliance announced that it will develop an OS in collaboration with Google.

In a blog post regarding the matter, Google notes that it will develop an entry-level affordable smartphone in partnership with Jio Platforms which will feature “optimizations to the Android operating system and the Play Store.” While the company hasn’t revealed exactly what optimizations will be made for the new smartphone, the idea behind these optimizations leads us to believe that this is Android Go that is being talked about here. Android Go has been designed from the ground up for entry-level hardware and is tailored for devices coming in with low RAM and low storage.

“Google and Jio Platforms have entered into a commercial agreement to jointly develop an entry-level affordable smartphone with optimizations to the Android operating system and the Play Store. Together we are excited to rethink, from the ground up, how millions of users in India can become owners of smartphones. This effort will unlock new opportunities, further power the vibrant ecosystem of applications and push innovation to drive growth for the new Indian economy.”

Google

Thus, Google’s and Reliance Jio’s collaboration on this end would signal an upgrade for Jio as well as for the Indian masses. Jio has already tapped the absolute entry-level market with devices like the JioPhone and JioPhone 2 feature phones, but both of these are KaiOS-run feature phones. Collaboration on the Android platform will open the doors for Android apps on these low budget devices, marking their users as potential consumers to Google and increasing their data consumption for Jio. For the users, they do get a cheap and optimized smartphone that isn’t just a feature phone with Google Assistant. Jio further plans to leverage the learnings from this program and apply it to the 5G ecosystem, once it makes an entry.

As we mentioned earlier, Reliance Jio’s AGM event spun this announcement into Google and Jio collaborating on a new OS. However, we could not uncover further details on a “new Operating System” just yet. Whereas on the other hand, Google’s simultaneous announcement in written format talks about a phone more than an OS. Hence, in the absence of further details, we believe that Google and Jio are collaborating on a low-budget, entry-level, heavily optimized Android device. We’ll update the article with more details once they become available.

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Reliance Jio set to enter India’s 5G market as early as 2021

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL, or Reliance in short) just concluded its 43rd Annual General Meeting. Chairman and Managing Director Mr. Mukesh Ambani used the opportunity to drop a whole host of announcements centered around Reliance Jio, one of RIL’s subsidiaries. Reliance Jio is one of the world’s fastest-growing telecom operators, which has grown to occupy the number 1 spot in India in a span of just four years. The telecom company has just picked up sizeable investments from the likes of Facebook, Intel, Qualcomm, Google, and others in the past few months, and now, the company has set its eyes on the impending 5G push in India.

Reliance Jio is best known for its 4G push in India, as its advent into the telecom industry provided millions of Indians access to cheap, affordable, and abundant 4G data for the first time. Fast forward four years, and what was once a sector that saw more than 12 operators jostling for a share of the pie now has just four players: Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, and BSNL. We have even predicted a monopoly for Reliance Jio in India’s telecom sector, riding on the minimal impact from AGR judgment that has deeply wounded Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel.

With 5G, Jio aims to continue playing its pivotal role in India’s data revolution. Mr. Mukesh Ambani has mentioned in today’s AGM that “Jio has designed and developed a complete 5G solution from scratch“. Further, this solution will be ready for trials as soon as the 5G spectrum is available in India. And if this spectrum allocation happens soon enough, Jio 5G will also be ready for field deployment next year.

“Jio has designed and developed a complete 5G solution from scratch. It will be ready for trials as soon as 5G spectrum is available and can be ready for field deployment next year.”

Mr. Mukesh Ambani

This announcement is important for India for a few reasons. One, this indicates Jio’s confidence in scooping up 5G spectrum in India even within a fast-tracked timeline. The country was expected to defer 5G spectrum auctions to 2021, and new reports suggest that it indeed has decided to do so. The auctions in October 2020 are largely expected to be focused on 4G, with 5G (3.3GHz to 3.6GHz) deferred to 2021 in light of the poor health of the telecom sector. Jio’s confidence indicates that it is ready for the auction process. Other telecom players were bargaining for a lower base price for the spectrum, but Jio’s recent capital acquisition spree puts it into the best position to emerge victorious even if the 5G auction proceeds at the high base price (estimated to be ₹4.92 billion ($64.9 million) per MHz) for spectrum in the 5G band.

Further, Mr. Ambani also mentioned that upgrading Jio’s 4G network to 5G would be easy, thanks to its converged all IP network architecture. The company also plans on exporting Jio 5G solution to other telecom operators globally as a completely managed service. Jio is also working on expanding its 4G network further with a collaboration with Google to build entry-level smartphones, and we reckon this partnership could easily spill over to 5G too, once that becomes a reality.

Long story short, Reliance Jio might just become the face of 5G in India, a country with 1.3 billion people.

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Google buys 7.73% stake in Reliance Jio for ₹33,737 crore ($4.5 billion)

At the Google for India live event earlier this week, Google announced a $10 billion Digitization Fund to help India become technologically self-reliant. This fund is intended to aid in the easy availability of internet and mobile phones to India’s 1.35 billion-strong. Although Google has designated this fund for the next 5-7 years,  it has already made its first – and massive – investment. Google has already exhausted 45% of the amount, as it has bought a 7.73% stake in Reliance Jio, India’s youngest yet largest telecom operator, for $4.5 billion (₹33,737 crores).

At Reliance Industries’ Annual General Meeting today, it was announced that this $4.5 billion investment will be used to realize digitization goals for India, including the revamping and expansion of the 4G network further as well as the co-development of an entry-level smartphone in India with an optimized Android and Play Store experience.

This is the second major investment that Reliance Jio has received from a global tech giant. Back in April, Facebook invested $5.7 billion (₹43,574 crores) in Jio for a 9.99% stake in the telco. Even before Facebook formally announced the investment, Financial Times had reported that both Google and Facebook were eyeing stakes in Jio.

After this investment from Google, Jio stands with $20.2 billion (₹1,52,056 crores) in investments and another $8.1 billion (₹60,753 crores) it raised through a right issue in which it offered shares at discounted prices to the existing shareholders. This brings the cumulative capital raised by Jio to $28.3 billion (₹2,12,809 crores).

Other than developing the smartphone together, Jio could also leverage Google’s software acumen to develop software solutions. The benefits of this software partnership could also be reaped by other arms of Reliance Industries’ multi-faceted business just like Jio’s partnership with Facebook did for JioMart. JioMart is a hyperlocal grocery delivery platform and users can place orders conveniently via WhatsApp.

Interestingly, Reliance Jio also launched JioChat last week and it looks like an apologetic replica of WhatsApp. The news came when Jio was already under criticism for blatantly ripping Zoom – although that seems to have been fixed now.

Qualcomm’s interest in Reliance Jio

Alongside Google, chipmaker Qualcomm is also investing in Jio. In an online statement, Jio announced that Qualcomm Ventures, the investment arm of Qualcomm Inc., has “committed to invest up to” $97.2 million (₹730 crores). This investment will be primarily used for establishing 5G infrastructure in India. It is also possible that as a result of this deal, Qualcomm becomes the vendor supplying mobile chips for the smartphone that Google and Jio jointly develop for the Indian consumers, though this is just speculation from our end.

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New European regulation could force Apple and Google to be fairer to app developers

Google and Apple are known for keeping a tight leash on what gets published on their respective app stores. However, at times, the companies have been found guilty of removing apps/games from their platforms without offering developers a clear reason behind the app’s removal. A new EU regulation aims to address this issue and promote a more transparent relationship between developers and the Google Play Store/Apple App Store.

The regulation in question was signed into law in the European Union on June 20, 2019, but per Article 19, it went into effect on July 12, 2020. As a report from gamesindustry.biz points out, the regulation brings new rights for European app/game developers and publishers against distribution platforms like the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The regulation pushes for a fairer process for removing apps/games from online stores, imposes new transparency requirements for the ranking criteria on such platforms, demands that any differential treatment for big-name developers and publishers be disclosed, implement better transparency for data access rights, and offer more understandable and predictable contract terms.

Fair app/game removal process

With the new regulation, platforms like the Google Play Store and Apple App Store will no longer be able to remove apps/games for arbitrary reasons. The platforms will be required to submit a statement highlighting why an app is being removed 30 days beforehand, thereby giving developers the opportunity to raise a complaint or make all necessary changes to avoid removal. However, the regulation doesn’t require app stores to provide 30-days notice to malicious, copyright infringing, or illegal apps.

Transparent rankings

The EU regulation also calls for a more transparent ranking system for online stores, however, the Commission hasn’t clarified how it intends to do so. The Commission is expected to publish more detailed guidelines on the transparency of ranking algorithms in the near future and we expect the guidelines to reduce the need for app store optimization services, thereby creating a more level playing field for indie developers and publishers.

Transparency of preferential treatment

There have been plenty of rumors in the past that accuse platforms of providing preferential treatment to big-name developers and publishers. In case there’s any truth to the rumors, the platforms will now have to disclose any such preferential treatment under the new regulation.

Improved transparency of data access rights

The new EU regulation will require platforms to be more transparent about what personal and non-personal data they collect from apps/games. They will also have to disclose what data they provide access to and what data they do not provide access to, which is expected to help evaluate data breach risks connected to the use of such platforms.

Simplified contract terms

The contract terms and conditions disclosed by online stores today can be difficult to understand, even for legal professionals. On top of that, platforms have the ability to change the terms and conditions without any prior notifications. With the new EU regulation, platforms will be required to draft their terms and conditions in plain and intelligible language, making it easier for developers and publishers to understand. Additionally, if the platform decides to make any changes to the contract terms, they will be required to notify developers 15 days beforehand to give them the opportunity to adjust their apps/games based on the new terms.

It’s worth noting that the new regulations only apply to platforms that facilitate direct transactions between developers and publishers, like the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The regulations will not apply to console manufacturers’ online stores as they enter direct transactional relations with players and don’t identify as “online intermediation services.” Similarly, the regulations won’t apply to services like Apple Arcade, where the contract between developers and the service provider are clearly negotiated.

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Source: EUR-Lex
Via: gamesindustry.biz

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Xiaomi’s next smartphone could come with Snapdragon 865, 48MP camera and 120W fast charging

All major OEMs have a whole bunch of smartphones in their pipeline at any point in time, and Xiaomi is no different in this regard. Earlier this month, we reported on one pair of Xiaomi’s upcoming smartphone, gauguin and gauguinpro, that are expected to arrive in multiple markets soon. And now, we have some information on another new smartphone from Xiaomi, and this one could have 120W fast charging technology as its major highlight.

Xiaomi Cas – M2007J1SC

Recently, a Xiaomi smartphone was spotted at 3C certification with the model number M2007J1SC.

Curiously, this smartphone was spotted with a 120W (6A x 20V) charger included in the box. As we know, Xiaomi has already demoed a 100W Super Charge Turbo technology last year that could charge a 4000 mAh smartphone within 17 minutes. However, this technology has not made its way to a commercial smartphone just yet, and Xiaomi reasoned back then that there were few limitations to the technology that needed to be ironed out before we can see a product in our own hands. It seems that the technology is now ready, as the 3C certification indicates that the phone will come with a 120W charger in the box. It isn’t immediately clear whether the M2007J1SC smartphone will have 100W charging or 120W charging as Xiaomi has not officially confirmed either specification — but we are inclined to believe it will sport 120W charging since the charger maxes out at that specification. Other OEMs like Vivo’s iQOO and OPPO have been working on their own 120W and 125W technology, so 120W for Xiaomi sounds about right.

We also have information on M2007J1SC beyond this 3C certification. As informed by XDA Member kacskrz, who is our frequent and trusted Xiaomi tipster, and XDA Senior Member Deic, this model number belongs to the Xiaomi device with the codename “cas“. Multiple code snippets within MIUI 12 indicate that “cas” is likely to come with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC (though it could also come with the Snapdragon 865 Plus instead as this particular code snippet makes no distinction between the two). Further, cas was expected to come with a 108MP camera originally, but the code snippet was modified recently to indicate that the phone may finally come with a 48MP primary camera instead.

Further, Xiaomi “cas” is expected to come with an optical zoom camera as well as a “supermoon” mode. The phone will also have a wide-angle camera that can take macro shots. This means that the phone has at least a triple rear camera setup.

Unfortunately, it does appear that this smartphone may be a China-specific release as we could not spot any indications of a global release, unlike what we could ascertain for gauguin and gauguinpro. This does not mean that the phone will never be released outside of China — it just means that we have not spotted any clues for a global release at this stage. Xiaomi’s plans could change in the future.

Speculation

The jump down to 48MP camera on this smartphone may signal that Xiaomi is swapping out the high megapixel count 108MP sensor for a lower MP count but larger sensor — note that this information on a larger sensor is speculation on our end. Similarly, a “supermoon” mode indicates that the phone could have a high optical zoom factor — Huawei P30 Pro’s “moon mode” was enabled through the periscope zoom camera, so Xiaomi could be going for something similar here. Though, it could also be a much simpler setting within the Camera app instead. And of course, Xiaomi could also possibly add a fourth camera sensor, just because it can.

We also do not know what marketing name Xiaomi will adopt for this smartphone. It could be the next smartphone in the Mi Mix series, or it could be a successor in the Mi 10 series, or it could be an entirely new smartphone series — we don’t know yet.

Leaker Digital Chat Station pointed out that Xiaomi’s 100W fast-charging smartphone could see a launch in China in the next month. Xiaomi has not officially teased or confirmed a launch, so we are treating this as speculation at the moment. Other OEMs are also expected to show off their fast-charging products in August in China, and a launch in August also allows Xiaomi and other OEMs to take some attention away from Samsung’s Unpacked event. And seeing how the Xiaomi smartphone has been spotted at 3C, the reveal may not be that far off.

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OPPO unveils its 125W wired and 65W wireless fast charging technologies

The smartphone industry is evolving at an increasingly fast pace. The race to get to the top involves constant improvements in the processing capabilities, cameras, display technology, and battery life. Lately, as the batteries on smartphones have grown bigger, smartphone companies and consumers have been emphasizing on faster-charging solutions, inviting innovation from all directions. Almost every major smartphone brand is now implementing dependably fast charging solutions that couldn’t be imagined in the past. The current commercial solutions for smartphones go as high as 65W charging by means of independent solutions from Vivo, OPPO, Realme, and Xiaomi. The industry is now preparing for a significant leap as OPPO is announcing its technologies for 125W fast wired charging and 65W fast wireless charging. Along with this, OPPO is also announcing two new compact GaN chargers with up to 110W output.

This is not the first time we’re hearing of a viable charging solution with three-digit power output. Last year, Xiaomi demonstrated its 100W fast wired charging that could charge a 4000mAh battery in under 20 minutes. The technology, however, is yet to take off due to limitations in commercial implementation. OPPO surpasses this with the 125W solution that is claimed to charge a 4000mAh battery up to 41% in 5 minutes and fully in 20 minutes.

125W OPPO flash charge

OPPO is launching its 125W flash charge technology along with a 110W “mini” flash charger. The 125W flash charge technology also supports USB-PD at 65W and USB-PPS at 125W and is backward compatible with devices that support its previous SuperVOOC standard for 65W charging. The technology draws 6.25A current and relays it across a potential difference of 20V.

The supported battery will be split into two halves for parallel charging and will utilize 128-bit microcontrollers to optimize the voltage as well as the flow of current. OPPO will also be integrating ten temperature sensors to keep the temperature of the phone under 40ºC as well as a fuse for overvoltage protection to ensure safety and avoid any fire-related hazard. OPPO claims that supported batteries will retain 80% health even after 800 charging cycles.

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65W fast wireless charging

In addition to the superfast wired charging, OPPO is also introducing its 65W fast wireless charging. Along with the technology comes a new “conceptual” 65W AirVOOC wireless charging dock from OPPO that will be able to refill a 4000mAh battery fully in just 30 minutes. The company says it will achieve this fast charging rate by reducing the interference to the magnetic induction coil.

The conceptual charger will come with a glass surface and will be equipped with a semiconductor cooler and a fan to keep the temperatures of both – the phone and the charging pad – under control. In addition, OPPO will be using a dual-coil design for charging in parallel.

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110W and 50W mini fast chargers

Besides announcing the new charging technologies, OPPO has also announced two new compact chargers, including a 110W mini flash charger and a 50W mini SuperVOOC charger. Both of these are GaN (Gallium Nitride) chargers and allow for more efficient current transmission and space utilization. The 50W mini charger measures only 1.05cm in thickness and supports USB-PD at 27W and USB-PPS at 50W. The 110W is only 1.2cm thick and occupies the same space as an 18W charging brick.

OPPO has not commented on the availability of these technologies, nor has it mentioned the device that will first receive support. But their preparedness in terms of accessory support and a comprehensive action plan may appear far more convincing to users as compared to other brands. We hope to see at least one OPPO smartphone with support for 125W or 110W flash charge technology in 2020.

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Google Maps can now use Live View AR to calibrate location and orientation

Google Maps turned 15 earlier this year in February, and the company celebrated its birthday by giving the app a new look and additional features. The app, both on iOS and Android, received a significant update that included a new icon, a redesign for the bottom navigation bar, new transit features, and updates to the AR-powered Live View feature. In case you aren’t familiar with Live View, it’s an augmented reality feature in Google Maps that lets you view your surroundings in real-time with overlays highlighting the directions to your destination.

In the anniversary update, Google added a new capability in Live View, which lets you search for a destination on the app and see exactly how far and in which direction the place is. Then, in a following update, Google introduced another change in Live View, which gave users faster access to the AR navigation feature. The company added a Live View floating action button (FAB) right at the forefront, allowing you to open AR navigation with a single tap easily. Now, according to a recent report from 9to5Google, the company is adding yet another feature in Live View, which will help you calibrate your location and orientation in the app.

Traditionally, Google Maps makes use of a GPS signal and compass to calibrate your location and orientation in the app. However, GPS has some limitations, especially in dense, urban environments where there is high interference from buildings around you. This is why Google is now making use of the Live View AR feature, in combination with years worth of Street View data, to determine your location and orientation visually. The new feature pops up when you launch Live View, and it asks you to point at buildings, street signs, and other surroundings. This helps Google Maps understand which direction you’re facing.

To calibrate your location and improve the accuracy of the blue dot on the map, Google has introduced a new Calibrate with Live View feature. You can use the feature by tapping on the blue dot and selecting the ‘Calibrate with Live View’ option from the following screen. This launches the same camera UI used by Live View, and you have to pan the camera for a few seconds to calibrate your location. Once the calibration is done, your position in Google Maps should be highly accurate, and it won’t jump around. Additionally, the beam which shows the direction you’re facing will be replaced by a solid arrow.

If the new Live View feature sounds interesting, you should check it out on your device by downloading the latest version of Google Maps from the Play Store link below. The feature appears to be live on several Google Play Services for AR supported devices running both the stable and beta versions of Google Maps. The feature is currently not available on the iOS version of the app.

Maps - Navigate & Explore (Free, Google Play) →

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Via: 9to5Google

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