Sales of some Apple Watch products will be discontinued in the US
Apple plans to stop selling smartwatches soon in order to comply with the US import ban. The ban was ordered by the federal trade agency after the company was found to be infringing on patents owned by competitors, The Wall Street Journal reported. Starting December 21, the tech giant will temporarily suspend online sales of Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the United States. Over-the-counter sales in the United States will end after December 24th. The move will see popular Christmas gifts disappear from the market days before the popular holiday season. Newer models listed on the company's website, the Series 9 and Ultra 2, are affected, but older Apple Watch SE models, which are not covered by the ruling, remain available. Apple Watches sold before the ban are not affected.
New telecommunications bill allocates satellite internet frequencies without auction
India has proposed adopting a licensing scheme for allocating frequencies for satellite internet services, eliminating the requirement for companies including Elon Musk-owned Starlink to participate in bids, and shifting to an auction-based approach. This is a victory for Starlink, which has been actively campaigning against the move. The proposal is part of the Telecom Bill, 2023, which aims to replace the archaic Indian Telegraph Act. The new bill, when introduced, will reshape the regulatory environment governing India's telecom sector.
Fuel-efficient directions in India with Google Maps
With most drivers in the country concerned about fuel efficiency, Google India on Tuesday introduced a fuel-efficient route guidance feature in Google Maps. The feature is estimated to have prevented more than 2.4 million tonnes of CO2e emissions worldwide since it was introduced in multiple countries from October 2021 to September 2023, which is approximately 50 million tonnes per year. The equivalent of removing 10,000 fuel vehicles from the road. Starting January next year, Google Maps users in India will have access to fuel-efficient directions for both four-wheelers and two-wheelers, offering more sustainable travel options. India and Indonesia will be the first countries where fuel-efficient routing will also support two-wheelers.
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OnePlus 12R will be released at the same time as OnePlus 12
OnePlus has officially announced that its next flagship OnePlus 12 will be launched globally and in India on January 23rd. Additionally, the phone maker has confirmed that OnePlus 11R's successor, OnePlus 12R, will also be released at the same time. As seen in the teaser image, the OnePlus 12R is likely to bring notable enhancements compared to the previous generation. According to the leak, the device will be powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. Additionally, the smartphone is expected to showcase significant design upgrades, possibly incorporating a glass sandwich design complemented by a curved display and metal midframe.
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Xiaomi to introduce HyperOS to more devices next year
In early October, mobile phone maker Xiaomi announced plans to replace its proprietary MIUI OS with the new HyperOS and retire the old OS skin. The new HyperOS UI will debut on the Xiaomi 14 lineup, and the company plans to extend the HyperOS developer version to several models of Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco in China. The global rollout of HyperOS developer version has been confirmed on some models of Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco.
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