OPPO Plans to Strengthen Strategic Partnership with Qualcomm to Accelerate the Global Adoption of 5G

OPPO founder and CEO Tony Chen virtually attended the IFA 2020 Special Edition held in Berlin, Germany recently and gave a speech at the Qualcomm keynote session via videoconference. In his speech, Tony Chen reviewed the history of cooperation between OPPO and Qualcomm and emphasized that the two parties will continue to work together in promoting the global rollout of 5G products.

In the transition from 3G to 4G, OPPO and Qualcomm developed a strong partnership working on smartphones, successfully creating many smartphone products loved by users around the world. They also continued to expand their international markets, bringing the best products, services, and experiences to users in different countries and regions.

OPPO Plans to Strengthen Strategic Partnership with Qualcomm to Accelerate the Global Adoption of 5G

In 2018, with the start of 5G, OPPO was the first company to join Qualcomm’s "5G Pioneer Initiative". In May 2018, OPPO and Qualcomm successfully demoed the world's first 5G video call using 3D structured light technology. This call demonstrated the importance of 5G exploration.

In February 2019, OPPO partnered with Qualcomm during MWC 2019 to hold the world's first 5G smartphone Weibo video livestream using an actual 5G network, making highly reliable, high speed, low latency 5G communication a reality. In April 2019, OPPO officially launched the Reno 5G version equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 mobile platform in Europe, making it Europe’s first commercial 5G mobile phone. OPPO has successively launched several Find X and Reno series 5G mobile phones equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon mobile platform, providing users around the world with an ultimate 5G experience including video, photography, and games.

In 2020, the partnership between OPPO and Qualcomm expanded to include CPE products and smart watches. The partners also launched a variety of smart products equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon chips.

More than just innovation; OPPO works with Partners to Build a New Intelligent Connectivity Ecosystem

In his speech, Tony Chen underscored that “5G is the crucial direction of development on OPPO’s road to innovation.” As a pioneer and promoter of 5G, OPPO has a great technology base and advantages in the industry due to a forward-looking technical strategy and investment into R&D for 5G communication standards, industry patents, products, and the exploration of new 5G applications. OPPO will continue to maintain close ties with global industry partners, accelerate the rollout of 5G products across the globe, and continue to promote the development of 5G standards, technologies, and applications.

OPPO has already submitted over 3,000 standard-related proposals to 3GPP, making it one of the most influential smartphone manufacturers participating in the formulation of 5G standards. As of June 2020, OPPO has filed over 3,100 families of global patent applications and has declared more than 1000 families of 5G standard patents to the ETSI.

OPPO has launched 5G mobile phones including the Find X2 and Reno 4 series in different price ranges to meet global users’ diverse 5G product needs. Additionally, OPPO will use smartphones combined with knowledge in 5G, AR/VR, and IoT technology integration to actively explore more 5G product applications like VR/AR and 5G cloud games and to launch smart products like 5G CPE and OPPO Watch. OPPO will provide consumers with a completely integrated technology experience.

To further promote global commercialization and adoption of 5G, a total of 74 operators around the world are currently partnering with OPPO via the "OPPO 5G Landing project” for 5G technology, products, and markets. This cooperation will bring the best 5G experience to global consumers.

As the era of intelligent connectivity is emerging, OPPO will continue to increase investment in cutting-edge technology including 5G, AI, AR, and big data. Upholding “Benfen” as the core value, the company will always respect global market rules and norms in developing global business. Further, to achieve a win-win for everyone, OPPO will work alongside global industry chain partners with an open mind on 5G mobile technology innovations. In this way, OPPO and its partners aim to provide users with a quick, convenient, and exciting technology experience, and will collaborate towards building a new ecosystem of intelligent connectivity.

About OPPO

OPPO is a leading global smart device brand. Since the launch of its first mobile phone - “Smiley Face” - in 2008, OPPO has been in relentless pursuit of the perfect synergy of aesthetic satisfaction and innovative technology. Today, OPPO provides a wide range of smart devices spearheaded by the Find and Reno series. Beyond devices, OPPO provides its users with the ColorOS operating system and internet services like OPPO Cloud and OPPO+. OPPO operates in more than 40 countries and regions, with 6 Research Institutes and 4 R&D Centers worldwide, as well as an International Design Center in London. More than 40,000 of OPPO's employees are dedicated to creating a better life for customers around the world.

Ather 450X Electric Two Wheeler to Hit the Roads from November 2020

Ather Energy, one of India’s first smart electric two wheeler makers announced the deliveries of their flagship scooter Ather 450X, one of the quickest scooters in the 125cc category to begin from November 2020. Ather confirmed that by Q1 of 2021 the Ather 450X will be seen on roads across all the 10 cities announced earlier this year, i.e. in Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Kolkata and Coimbatore. The deliveries will begin in a phased manner beginning with Bengaluru and Chennai first and then the rest of the cities.

Consumer perception around the Ather 450X will change based on trials and the true performance of  the vehicle can be experienced. In order  to let people experience the vehicle, Ather will be aggressively promoting the vehicle on-ground and begin test rides starting October across all the markets. Ather Energy is also partnering with premium partners across key markets to set up the Ather experience centers. As for public charging, Ather will be setting up its fast-charging network - Ather Grid across each city before delivery so new owners have a hassle-free experience once the vehicle has been delivered. Ather plans to set up 10-15 fast charging points across each city in Phase 1.

Quote by Tarun Mehta, Co-founder & CEO, Ather Energy

“The pandemic did disrupt our timelines by a few months, but we have been able to get back on track with our plans. We used the time to refine our expansion plan and get the ball rolling on our go-to-market strategy. We have also been working very actively with our supplier partners to ensure minimal disruption in the supply chain. The excitement and the wait has been too long now we can’t wait to get started. We will soon share more information on our dealer network and Ather Grid points across each city. The demand has been phenomenal, and we are sure with different ownership and purchase models that we will introduce, it will help consumers make the shift to electric with ease. Exciting times ahead.”

About Ather Energy

Ather Energy, one of India’s first intelligent electric vehicle manufacturers was founded in 2013 by IIT Madras alumni, Tarun Mehta, and Swapnil Jain. It is backed by the founders of Flipkart -Sachin Bansal & Binny Bansal- Hero Motocorp and Tiger Global. Ather Energy launched India’s first truly intelligent, electric scooter - Ather 450 in 2018, followed by their new flagship offering Ather 450X in 2020. Ather has also installed a comprehensive public charging network, Ather Grid, designed and built in India. With 38 charging points in Bengaluru and 14 charging points in Chennai, Ather Grid is one of the largest fast-charging networks for electric vehicles in the country. The company’s product line has won 30 awards in design, automotive and technology categories. With over 51 patent applications, 113 trademarks and 123 design registrations to its name, Ather Energy aims to provide consumers with the best possible ownership experience. Ather Energy currently operates in Bengaluru and Chennai and in 2020 will expand to 8 more cities including Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune & Hyderabad.

Get Ready for Unlimited Adventure with ‘Into The Wild with Bear Grylls and Akshay Kumar’

* Watch the show on Discovery Plus App with a digital first premiere on 11th September at 8 pm

* 12 Discovery network of channels including Discovery Channel, Discovery HD, DTamil, Animal Planet, Animal Planet HD, TLC, TLC HD, Discovery ID, Discovery ID HD, Discovery Science, Discovery Turbo, and Discovery Kids to simulcast the show at 8:00 pm on September 14

Discovery, India’s leading real-life entertainment network, is back with yet another thrilling episode of ‘Into The Wild with Bear Grylls and Akshay Kumar’. The dynamic duo set off on an unexpected journey across Bandipur Tiger Reserve situated in the state of Karnataka.

Select excerpts from the show:

Akshay’s friends join him on the adventure:

Akshay’s friends have special messages for him which are shared by Bear Grylls at various stages of the show. The besties who wish him in the episode include Twinkle Khanna, Suniel Shetty and Katrina Kaif. You will have to watch the show to find out more about what these stars have to say.

Khiladi Kumar in Action:

Akshay Kumar is known for performing his own stunts in the movies. With this episode, the viewers will now get to see him perform some breath-taking stunts in the beautiful Indian wilderness.  The episode starts with a casual chat between Bear and Akshay as they travel to their starting point in a vehicle. Akshay shares intimate details about his family and his childhood, which included living together with 24 people in a small house in Old Delhi.

Walking into the bushes, Bear makes Akshay aware of the predators they are potentially surrounded by, like tigers, jackals and big elephants and advises him to be alert at all times. Akshay promises to follow his advice and says, “I'm going to just follow you, whatever you're going to say. I'm going to be a good student. Let's keep it like that.”

Impressed by Akshay’s life stories and his work, Bear does not go easy on Akshay Kumar and throws some unexpected challenges at him.

Learning survival tricks:

Making a harness out of rope

Beginning their adventure into the wild, Akshay and Bear need to find their route, leading them to a bridge by the river, which is their extraction point. With this comes Akshay’s first challenge, to find the safe path by climbing up a tall tree. Bear teaches Akshay to make a climbing harness by himself with just a rope, a trick that comes in very handy when one is battling for survival in the jungle. Akshay takes his first step while strapped in this DIY harness to reach to the top branch of a very tall tree, following instructions from Bear Grylls. However, it isn’t as easy as it looks. “It is very hard. Harder than what I do in my shoot. I actually enjoyed myself. And I have to learn this technique of making a harness with a rope,” said Akshay Kumar.

Drinking Elephant Poop Tea:

Akshay was surprised when Bear Grylls claimed of making tea out of elephant dung, “Can we drink it?” he asks incredulously. While it seemed undesirable at first, on tasting the elephant poop tea for the first time, Akshay seemed to be surprised by the fact that he actually liked it as he exclaimed, “That's really nice.”

A new technique of climbing a ladder:

The final task of this journey, for Akshay, is to climb a rope ladder up the bridge as quickly as possible and with a unique technique that he is completely unaware of. This one’s a first for Akshay as he says excited at the prospect of learning something new, “I've climbed a lot of ladders but never one foot ahead, one foot behind. This is going to be the first time I'm going to try doing this.”

A Superstar with a Purpose:

Through the episode, Akshay goes on to reveal the influence of his father on him, who was in the army. He says, “He's the only influence I have in my life and I've followed all his rules and all the things that he has taught me, and I hope my son gets that.”

Talking about a cause very close to his heart- ‘Bharat Ke Veer’, Akshay Kumar shared, “We started 'Bharat Ke Veer' where the martyrs' family get direct money from the public. It's a service given by the Government, but the money doesn't go to the Government, the money goes straight to the martyr's family and they also come to know who has given it.”

Premiere

Into The Wild with Bear Grylls is an innovative new format inspired by Man Vs Wild, which is one of the most watched wilderness survival television series in the world. Into The Wild with Bear Grylls is produced for Discovery Communications India by The Natural Studios and Banijay Asia, where Bear Grylls, Delbert Shoopman and Deepak Dhar are Producers. It will premiere on the Discovery Plus App on 11th September 2020 at 8 PM. The broadcast premiere of the show is scheduled for 8:00 PM on September 14 across 12 Discovery channels including Discovery Channel, Discovery HD, DTamil, Animal Planet, Animal Planet HD, TLC, TLC HD, Discovery ID, Discovery ID HD, Discovery Science, Discovery Turbo, and Discovery Kids. The premiere on Discovery Plus, Discovery and Discovery HD will be available in 7 languages including Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali and English.

Tata Motors Joins the Global #WorldEVDay Movement to Celebrate e-Mobility in Indian Market

Tata Motors proudly joins the global #WorldEVDay movement to celebrate the shift to sustainable road transport and a zero-emissions future. Scheduled to be inaugurated on September 9th, the #WorldEVDay will be celebrated every year to encourage current and prospective drivers of electric vehicles, local transport authorities and fleet operators to recognize the vital role they play in enabling a truly sustainable transport ecosystem. Launched in conjunction with the Swedish-Swiss firm ABB and sustainability media company Green.TV, Tata Motors is one of the founding partners for the #WorldEVDay.

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Shailesh Chandra, President, Passenger Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors said “India has seen a significant rise in the momentum towards EVs in the past several months and we at Tata Motors are proud to be one of the frontrunners in driving EVs adoption here. We are not only offering aspirational and accessible electric vehicles, but are also creating a holistic e-Mobility ecosystem that addresses barriers to EV adoption. We are delighted to join this global #WorldEVDay movement to propagate the dynamic role e-mobility plays in a sustainable and zero emission future”

Commenting on the partnership Ade Thomas, Founder of Green.TV said, “World EV Day is a global movement that will really turn the dial on sustainable mobility and we are delighted to be partnering with Tata Motors who has been at the forefront of this evolution in India. World EV Day aims to celebrate e-mobility solutions across the globe and will also look to address the wider role of climate change and air quality.”

Key elements of an EV ecosystem include charging solution, supplier base for EV components, vehicle financing, and mobility service providers. Tata Motors is one of the foremost players in India to have supported the development of EV ecosystem in India. The company recently launched “Tata uniEVerse” that closely leverages the strengths and expertise of other Tata Group companies to create a holistic and a viable environment to drive the adoption of electric vehicles in India. Recently, the company also launched the Tata Nexon EV – an aspirational SUV for personal car buyers looking for a thrilling, connected drive experience with zero emissions and attractive pricing.

81% of India Inc. Employers Sensitise their Workforce on Mental and Emotional Well-Being: TimesJobs Survey

In a TimesJobs survey, 59% HR managers said that they had set up a crisis management team to address employees’ well-being issues effectively

A majority (35%) of HR managers claimed to have introduced policies such as one-on-one counselling, staff mentoring, virtual mindfulness workshops, etc to help employees cope up with anxiety amid COVID-19

Around 50% of HR managers said that their employees reported facing stress or unease during the COVID-19 lockdown 

A majority (81%) of India Inc. employers sensitised their workforce on mental and emotional well-being to help them cope up with COVID-19 induced anxiety, reveals a new survey done by TimesJobs. Around 25% of HR managers said that 30-40% of their employees were availing the well-being measures introduced by their respective organisations.

TimesJobs survey titled ‘Employee well-being amid COVID-19’ captured the sentiments of 834 HR managers. The survey highlights how companies are addressing the agenda of employees’ mental and emotional well-being owing to COVID-19 work from home situation.

The key trends in the employee well-being space amid COVID-19 lockdown: 

* A majority (31%) of HR managers said that their employee well-being programs were ‘effective’ as compared to other industry players

* The HR managers working across diverse industry verticals rated their employee well-being program ‘5’ on the scale of 1-10

* As many as 59% of HR managers plan to set up a crisis management team to address employees’ well-being issues effectively.  

“The COVID-19 pandemic introduced remote work ecosystem en-mass, which was new to many in the workforce. Employers around the world are concerned about the well-being challenges presented by the present situation. In such extraordinary times, organisations must keep a tab on what their employees are going through mentally and emotionally. The current pandemic situation has led to faster adoption of #Workfromhome culture among employees and employers. This change that has come in the last six months would have taken 15 years without the COVID situation,” Sanjay Goyal, Business Head, TimesJobs and TechGig.

Other notable insights from this survey were -

Staff mentoring, virtual mindfulness workshops helping companies to ensure employee well-being amid lockdown

Around 35% of professionals stated that they had introduced policies such as one on one counselling, staff mentoring, etc. Next 29% of respondents said that they had started free health and fitness consultation for employees to tackle the current lockdown. While 20% of them said to help their workforce, they have implemented virtual mindfulness workshops as a part of their employee well-being programs.

Designing customised benefits for workforce emerge as one of the top challenges for HR leaders

A majority (38%) of the managers acknowledged failing to cater to maximum issues faced by employees. As many as 22% of the professionals recognise designing customised benefits for employees amid lockdown as one of the primary challenges. While 20% of the individuals find meeting the employees’ expectation in these uncertain times as the biggest roadblock. 

Airtel Changes Entertainment Forever; Launches the "Airtel Xstream Bundle" Across India

 

* Airtel Xstream Fiber with speeds upto 1 Gbps

* Includes the Airtel Xstream Box worth Rs 3999 that makes any TV a Smart TV

* Comes packed with 10,000 movies & shows from the Airtel Xstream app

* Complimentary subscription to Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video and ZEE5     

* Unlimited Data for Unlimited Entertainment   

To change entertainment forever, Airtel today announced the launch of its new Airtel Xstream Bundle. The Airtel Xstream Bundle combines the power of Airtel Xstream Fiber with speeds upto 1 Gbps, Unlimited Data, the first of its kind Airtel Xstream Android 4K TV Box and access to all OTT content. Entertainment in India will no longer be the same.

Unlimited Entertainment

* All Airtel Xstream Fiber plans now include the Airtel Xstream Box worth Rs 3999 that makes any TV a smart TV. Customers get access to all LIVE TV channels plus the best of video streaming apps effectively eliminating the need for multiple entertainment devices at home. This Android 9.0 powered smart box comes with an intelligent remote supported by Google Assistant voice search, access to thousands of apps on Playstore and also offers online gaming.

* Airtel Xstream Android 4K TV Box offers 550 TV channels and OTT content from the Airtel Xstream app that includes over 10,000 movies & shows aggregated across 7 OTT apps and 5 studios into one seamless experience.

* What is more, The Airtel Xstream bundle offers complimentary access to premier video streaming apps such as Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video and ZEE5, all accessible through the Airtel Xstream Box.

Unlimited Data to binge on Unlimited Entertainment

* All Airtel Xstream Fiber plans now come with Unlimited Data allowances. Customers no longer have to worry about running out of their data allowances, while bingeing on high quality digital content over the Airtel Xstream Box.

* To drive penetration of home broadband in India Airtel is today making broadband even more affordable. X stream Fiber plans will now start at just Rs 499 and will come with the proven network reliability, trust and superior customer support from Airtel.

Sunil Taldar, Director – Homes, Bharti Airtel said: “Customers are increasingly spending more time online be it education, work or entertainment. And Entertainment is the space where we see an exciting opportunity. Airtel Xstream is India’s premier entertainment platform that brings the best of entertainment along with unlimited high speed broadband connectivity into a single solution. To drive penetration of this exciting innovation we are today making our plans even more accessible for customers. ”

The Airtel Xstream bundle is available to customers starting September 7, 2020. Airtel is India’s largest private sector broadband player with 2.5 mn customers.

About Airtel

Headquartered in India, Airtel is a global telecommunications company with operations in 18 countries across South Asia and Africa. The company ranks amongst the top three mobile operators globally and its mobile network covers a population of over two billion people. Airtel is India’s largest integrated telecom provider and the second largest mobile operator in Africa. At the end of June 2020, Airtel had approx. 420 mn customers across its operations. Airtel’s portfolio includes high speed 4G/4.5G mobile broadband, Airtel Xstream Fiber that promises speeds upto 1Gbps, converged digital TV solutions through the Airtel Xstream 4K Hybrid Box, digital payments through Airtel Payments Bank as well as an integrated suite of services across connectivity, collaboration, cloud and security that serves over one million businesses.  

Airtel’s OTT services include Airtel Thanks app for self-care, Airtel Xstream app for video, Wynk Music for entertainment and Airtel BlueJeans for video conferencing. In addition, Airtel has forged strategic partnerships with hundreds of companies across the world to enable the Airtel platform to deliver an array of consumer and enterprise services.  

BR Shetty’s Controversy Ridden Jog Fall Project Scrapped by Karnataka Cabinet

The agreement had been in the eye of the storm ever since the Cabinet gave its nod to the project in 2016 

Shetty’s name also figured in a controversy in 2010 over alleged illegal denotification of government-acquired land 

In a big announcement, the Karnataka state cabinet scrapped an agreement with BR Shetty Ventures to develop Jog Falls, on the plea that there was no progress in the project. Owned by Dubai-based businessman BR Shetty, the agreement had been signed in 2016 at a cost of Rs 450 crore. This comes soon after debt-stricken BR Shetty, founder of Dubai based NMC healthcare has been alleged to have misrepresented his shareholdings in the company and is definitely a reflection of Shetty fast losing his credibility in the eyes of Indian government. 

The agreement had been in the eye of the storm ever since the Cabinet gave its nod to the project. With no financial commitment on the part of the state government, the state Cabinet decided to allow Shetty’s firm to invest on its own and facilitate tourist flow to the falls. While Shetty’s firm agreed to all the terms and conditions set by the state government such as getting the necessary clearances and not setting up a resort around it, what really whipped a controversy was the fact that despite promising such a huge investment, the businessman really did not ask for anything else in return.