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In iOS 18, Apple is introducing a new feature called "messages via satellite" for iPhone 14 and later models. This functionality will allow users to send and receive messages, emojis, and tapbacks with end-to-end encryption, even when they are off the grid and without WiFi or cellular connectivity. The service will also support SMS messaging. This expansion builds on the emergency messaging feature introduced with the iPhone 14, which allows users to contact first responders via satellite. Initially launched as a free service, Apple extended the free period for another year, indicating they might charge for it in the future. Last week at the WWDC, Ronak Shah, Apple's head of internet-technologies product marketing, announced the non-emergency version of this satellite messaging service. Now, users can connect to satellites to stay in touch with friends and family when they are out of the range of traditional networks. While the emergency service remains free, the non-emergency satellite messaging could become a new revenue stream for Apple. This is especially significant as the company reported a decline in iPhone sales by 10% from the previous year but saw record revenue from its services sector. For now, this new feature might encourage owners of older iPhone models to upgrade to newer ones. If Apple decides to charge for the satellite messaging service, it could further boost its service revenue, much like its other offerings such as Apple Music, News+, and TV+.

Yahoo News has just rolled out a major update to its app, including advanced AI features to enhance user experience. Here’s everything you need to know: What’s New? GIF source Yahoo Inc. AI-Powered Personalization: Yahoo has integrated AI technology from Artifact, a news app it acquired earlier this year. This update allows users to create a highly customizable news feed. You can now easily tailor your content preferences, selecting topics and preferred publishers, and the app will deliver personalized news recommendations. Key Takeaways Feature: One of the standout features is the ‘Key Takeaways’ tool. It provides concise summaries of news articles at the top, offering a quick overview of the main points. This makes it easy for users to stay informed efficiently. Image source Gadgets 360 Top Stories Section: The app now includes a ‘Top Stories’ section, highlighting the most trending news topics globally. This ensures users are always up-to-date with the latest developments. Enhanced Social Sharing: Yahoo has added social sharing tools, making it simple to share articles across various platforms. This feature aims to boost user engagement by facilitating easy sharing of interesting stories. Keyword Blocking: Users can now block specific keywords they prefer not to see in their feed, further customizing their browsing experience to suit their preferences. Image source VPNRanks Future Plans Yahoo plans to introduce gamification elements into the app, such as streaks and badges for consistent readership. These features encourage regular interaction with the platform, rewarding users for staying engaged and informed. Availability The updated Yahoo News app is now available for download on both Android and iOS devices, though it’s currently accessible only in select regions. Why It Matters This overhaul signifies Yahoo’s strategic move to deliver a more personalized and engaging news experience to its global audience. By integrating advanced AI technology, Yahoo aims to make staying informed easier and more enjoyable for its users.

WhatsApp is working on a new feature to transcribe voice messages on devices using advanced speech WhatsApp is introducing a new feature that allows users to transcribe their voice messages directly on their devices. Image source News24 The feature will use advanced speech recognition technology and will work locally on the user's device while maintaining end-to-end encryption. To use this feature, users will need to download a 150MB data package. Users will be able to choose from 5 languages for transcription, including Hindi, English, Russian, Portuguese, and Spanish. GIF source The Verge Additionally, WhatsApp is working on further refining the feature by allowing users to select their preferred language for voice transcripts. Once the language is selected, users will be prompted to download an additional data package to enable the transcription process. This feature could be particularly useful in situations where it's difficult to play the voice recording. In addition to this feature, WhatsApp has announced an update aimed at enhancing g audio and video call quality, especially in low or poor network areas. With the introduction of the MLow codec technology, call reliability will be enhanced, and calls made on mobile phones will benefit from improved noise and echo cancellation. Video calls will have higher resolution in areas with fast internet connections, and overall audio quality will be improved even in poor network conditions.

The latest Windows 11 beta update for Windows Insiders introduces the "My Phone" feature, which allows for easy file sharing between Windows PCs and Android devices. Users can pair their Android device with their PC using specific apps, enabling quick transfer within the Windows Share interface. This update simplifies the process of transferring content from Windows PCs to Android devices, consequently reducing typical complications associated with cross-platform file transfers. To utilize this feature, users need to pair their Android device with their Windows PC by downloading the Link to Windows app on their Android device and the Phone Link application on their PC. Once paired, the "My Phone" icon will appear in the Windows Share window, providing a quick and easy file transfer option. Microsoft's announcement emphasizes that this feature directly integrates the file-sharing process into the Windows ecosystem, making it more convenient and seamless for Windows Insiders. This innovative feature is currently available exclusively to members of the Windows Insiders program, allowing them to try out and provide feedback before it becomes widely available. In addition to the new feature, the update addresses various issues, including a fix for the taskbar failing to appear for some users and improvements to the screen reader functionality. These improvements ensure that the screen reader correctly announces the navigation of items in various flyouts within the open or save dialogue and in File Explorer’s column header flyout.

Google has introduced a new feature called " Listen to this page" for Android users. Image source LatestLY This new exciting feature is available on the latest version of Google Chrome and can be accessed through the three dots menu. It allows users to listen to web pages with customization options. Tap on the new option to start playback speed and voice selection in a podcast-like layout with the ability to play, pause, rewind, fast forward or skip 10 seconds and even change the preferred voice. Image source SamMobile For now, there are 4 voices to choose from, including Ruby ( mid-pitch, warm), River ( mid-pitch, bright), Field ( low-pitch, bright) and Moss ( low-pitch, peaceful). In addition to English, the new feature is available in other languages including Hindi, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. Image source 9to5Google Before this, Android users could only use Google Assistant to read web pages, which took them out of the Chrome application and offered limited customization options. To use the "Listen to this page" feature on Google Chrome: 1) Update the Chrome app to the latest version 2) Open a web page 3) Click on the three dots menu in the top right corner 4) Tap on the 'Listen to this page' option 5) Choose the playback speed and preferred voice.

At WWDC 2024, Apple revealed Apple Intelligence, its new AI service. However, most features will not be available until later this summer. The service will debut with iOS 18 in September as a preview for a subset of users, with a staggered rollout plan over several months. Image source elblog.pl - Decoding AI AI Features Won't Available According the recent reports, the larger number of the showcased Apple Intelligence features won't be available for users to try later this summer. When the service officially launches with the stable build of iOS 18 in September, it will be available as a preview and only be accessible to a subset of Apple users in American English. Additionally, users may have to join a waitlist to access some of the features available on iPhone 16. Image source 9to5Mac It's expected that due to the delayed availability of many new AI features, Apple may roll them out in a phased manner over several months following the release of iOS 18. Siri 2.0 won't arrive till next year Image source Macworld Noticeably, most of the revamped Siri features showcased at WWDC 2024 won't be arriving until the following year. This new version of Siri, expected to be introduced with iOS 18 on iPhone 16, is reported to include a new interface, type-to-Siri functionality, improved natural conversation skills, and a broader understanding of Apple products. Moreover, the integration of Apple Intelligence with ChatGPT may not roll out until next year. In the meantime, Apple is reportedly exploring collaborations with Google and Anthropic to bring their chatbots to iPhones. Similar deals could also be established with Baidu and Alibaba Group in China.

This year, four Indian companies have made it to the list of the 100 most valuable global brands. Apple has secured the top spot in the Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable Global Brands report. Image source afaqs! Among the Indian entries, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), HDFC Bank, Airtel, and Infosys have notably appeared on the list. TCS is ranked as the 46th most valuable global brand, with a valuation of about $44.8 billion, followed closely by HDFC Bank at the 47th position with a brand value of around $43.3 billion. Image source Storyboard18 Airtel, secured the 73rd position with a valuation of approximately $25.3 billion, while Infosys followed closely at the 74th spot with a brand value of around $24.7 billion. The combined brand value of all Indian brands on the Top 100 surpasses $103 billion. Additionally, there are new10 among the Top 100, including Lululemon at the 92nd position and Corona at the 100th position. The top 10 rank holders are as follows: Images source Marketplace.org 1. Apple 2. Google 3. Microsoft 4. Amazon 5. McDonald's 6. NVIDIA 7. Visa 8. Facebook 9. Oracle 10. Tencent The report also sheds light on the rapid growth of the business technology and services platforms category, which witnessed a 45% increase in total value, partly due to excitement surrounding advanced artificial intelligence (AI).

WhatsApp is set to introduce several new features in the coming weeks, including screen sharing with audio and video capabilities across phones and laptops. What this new feature is all about on WhatsApp? Users will be able to host video calls with up to 32 participants, with a focus on the current speaker. The platform also promises improved audio and video call quality, even in areas with poor network connectivity, through the use of new technology such as the MLow codec. These enhancements aim to enhance the user experience, particularly in regions like India, where the platform is rapidly expanding. In addition, WhatsApp is introducing various business-oriented services, including authentication for businesses and AI integration for customer interactions. These changes are leading to fostering meaninful conversations between consumers and businesses.

Zomato recently achieved a remarkable feat by setting the Guinness World Record for the largest first aid lesson at a single venue, with a staggering 4,300 delivery partners receiving comprehensive training. The founder of Zomato, Deepinder Goyal proudly shared this achievement on the social media platform X, celebrating the company's unexpected criticism from comedian Kunal Kamra, who raised issues about the company's treatment of its Delivery partners, pointing out such as low pay and long working hours. In his social media post, Goyal not only highlights the Guinness World Record achievement but also focuses on nearly 30,000 Zomato delivery partners who are now equipped with professional training to provide essential medical assistance during critical roadside emergencies. It describes the event in Mumbai where the record was set, Goyal expressed gratitude and admiration for the 4,300 delivery partners who participated, referring to them as the "Emergency Heroes of India."

According to the Gallup Workplace report, there has been a global decline in employee wellbeing, dropping from 35% to 34% in 2023. This is noticeable among workers under 35 years old, despite being the second-largest group of "thriving" workers in South Asia, a staggering 86% of Indians expressed feelings of struggle or suffering, well above the global average, as per the 2024 Gallup State of the Global Workplace report. Only 14% of Indian employees reported thriving, significantly lower than the global average of 34%. Globally, the percentage of employees feeling that they were thriving decreased to 34% from 35% in 2023. South Asia had the lowest percentage of growing employees at their workplace at 15%, while 60% of employees in Australia and New Zealand felt they were thriving. The American analytics firm assessed the 'Life Evaluation Index' based on various factors, categorizing employees as thriving, struggling, or suffering with their mental peace. In terms of workplace issues, the report highlighted that 48% of India's workforce was not engaged or interested, which is lower than the regional average of 56%. While 32% of Indian employees were enjoying their work, higher than the global average of 23%, 20% were actively disengaged. Employee engagement is crucial for boosting productivity and satisfaction at work. Those people are less drained and more active to work better. Actively disengaged employees feel unhappy and disloyal due to unmet workplace needs, actively opposing their employer's goals. Regarding mental health challenges, Indian employees reported high levels of negative emotions similar to regional averages. In South Asia, 29% of workers felt lonely, 34% were angry, and 42% were unhappy. Remote work might be going through these challenges, with 25% of remote workers experiencing loneliness compared to 16% of on-site workers. The report highlighted that this percentage was higher for employees under 35 and lower for those over 35. This report also mentioned that 57% of Indian employees viewed the job market favourably, although this represented a 2% decline from last year. This percentage was higher than the South Asian average of 48%. However, 52% of India's employed workforce was actively seeking new jobs, which, although lower than the South Asian average, remained a concern for companies, employers, and employees themselves. The director of Gallup's global research Rajesh Srinivasan focused on the need for employers to engage and support their workforce effectively to address the high rate of employees looking to switch jobs. Gallup suggested the importance of employers focusing on building productive teams and providing benefits and flexibility to support employee wellbeing. Addressing workplace dissatisfaction can reduce stress and negative emotions, ultimately enhancing overall workforce satisfaction and productivity. Employers should offer suitable benefits and flexibility to support employee well-being while prioritizing the creation of productivity, and high-performing teams and creating a workplace environment healthy and active so that employers can work productively with engagement.

Starbucks Introduces Breakfast Combo Deals To boost sales, Starbucks has launched two new breakfast combo deals, offering customers a coffee or tea paired with a croissant or breakfast sandwich at a discounted price. This marks a significant shift for the coffee giant, which has traditionally focused on the quality and variety of its offerings rather than bundling and deals. The New Deals Starting Tuesday, customers can choose from two combo deals: A 12-ounce iced or hot coffee or tea with a butter croissant for $5. The same drink options are paired with a breakfast sandwich for $6. Only a limited selection of drinks is included, but customers can pay extra to customize their orders. Why the Change? Starbucks' move to introduce these deals comes as the company faces slumping US sales. In the first three months of 2024, Starbucks reported a 3% decline in comparable US sales and a 7% drop in comparable transactions year-over-year. CEO Laxman Narasimhan attributed these disappointing results to more cautious consumer spending, with many customers choosing to eat at home to save money. The Costs and Customizations While these combo deals can offer significant savings, the costs can add up quickly with customizations. For example, adding sauce and cold foam to a tall iced coffee in Manhattan increased the price from $5 to $7.45. Upgrading the drink size also impacts the overall discount, making it less beneficial in some cases. Starbucks' breakfast sandwich range includes six items, with some, like the double-smoked bacon, cheddar, and egg sandwich, costing an additional $1, bringing the total to $7. Availability and Duration The new breakfast combos are available for a limited time, although Starbucks has not specified how long the promotions will last. The offers are available all day, giving customers flexibility in their breakfast choices. In summary, Starbucks' new breakfast combo deals aim to attract more customers by offering affordable meal options, a strategy typically seen in fast-food chains. While these deals provide savings, customizations can quickly increase the overall cost.

Netflix's foray into video games has been marked by changes and challenges, culminating in the departure of Mike Verdu, the executive leading its gaming division. Netflix launched its gaming venture in 2021, aiming to emulate the success of Apple's Apple Arcade, which offers ad-free, easy-to-play games for mobile users. Verdu, a veteran in the gaming industry, is stepping down to take on a new role within Netflix, yet to be specified. In his own words, he expressed pride in their achievements and excitement for his next venture, which aligns with his passion for innovative game development technologies. What's The Netflix Gaming Strategy? The move comes amidst mixed results and puzzlement over Netflix's gaming strategy. While Netflix dominates in streaming movies and TV shows, its competence in games remains uncertain. Initially, the idea was to capitalize on the fact that many Netflix users also enjoy playing video games. However, the value of offering casual games for free, without ads or in-app purchases, has been questioned. Netflix executives have compared their initial lack of experience in TV show production to their current situation with games, suggesting confidence in their ability to succeed over time. Nevertheless, the strategy has faced internal debate, with some executives reportedly considering integrating ads into the games to generate revenue. Overall, while Netflix continues to assert the importance of gaming for its future, Verdu's departure highlights ongoing uncertainty about how gaming fits into Netflix's broader business model and customer value proposition.