Samsung Records Tremendous Response From Customers For Galaxy AI Powered Galaxy Z Fold6, Z Flip6 In India

* Pre-orders for Galaxy Z Fold6, Z Flip6 jump 40% higher as compared to previous generation foldables

* Galaxy Z Fold6, Z Flip6 are being manufactured at Samsung’s Noida factory

Samsung, India’s largest consumer electronics brand, announced record pre-orders for its sixth-generation foldable smartphones – Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6. In the first 24 hours, pre-orders for Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip6 jumped 40% higher as compared to the previous generation foldables, making the new Z series the most successful in India.

Pre-orders for Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip6 opened on July 10 in India, along with the rest of the world. The new smartphones, along with the recently-launched ecosystem devices – Galaxy Watch Ultra, Galaxy Watch7, Galaxy Buds3 Pro and Galaxy Buds3 – will go on sale in India starting July 24, 2024.

“We are delighted with the consumer response for our new foldables - Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6 in India. The 1.4x growth in pre-orders for the new foldable smartphones shows that Indian consumers are among the fastest adopters of new technology. Our new foldable smartphones, now in their sixth generation, open the next chapter of Galaxy Al and elevate the user experience to new heights, enabling a range of unique mobile experiences across communications, productivity and creativity. The success of Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6 will help us consolidate our premium segment leadership in India,” said Raju Pullan, Senior Vice President, MX Business, Samsung India.

For Indian consumers, Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip6 are being manufactured at Samsung’s Noida factory. The new foldables are the slimmest and lightest Galaxy Z series devices ever, and come with perfectly symmetrical design with straight edges. The Galaxy Z series is also equipped with enhanced Armor Aluminum and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, making this the most durable Galaxy Z series yet.

Galaxy Z Fold6 and Flip6 are equipped with the Snapdragon® 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform for Galaxy, the most advanced Snapdragon mobile processor yet, combining best-in-class CPU, GPU, and NPU performance. The processor is optimized for AI processing and offers enhanced graphics along with improved overall performance.

The Galaxy Z Fold6 offers a range of AI-powered features and tools - Note Assist, Composer, Sketch to image, Interpreter, Photo Assist and Instant Slow-mo - to maximize the large screen and significantly enhance your productivity.

Galaxy Z Fold6 now comes with 1.6x larger vapor chamber for longer gaming sessions and ray tracing supports life-like graphics on its 7.6-inch screen that offers a brighter display of up to 2,600 nit to deliver more immersive gaming.

The Galaxy Z Flip6 now offers a range of new customization and creativity features so you can make the most of every moment. With the 3.4-inch Super AMOLED FlexWindow, you can use AI-assisted functions without even needing to open the device. You can reply to texts with suggested replies, which analyzes your latest messages to suggest a tailored response.

FlexCam now comes with the new Auto Zoom to compose the best framing for your shot by detecting the subject and zooming in and out before making any necessary adjustments. The new 50MP Wide and 12MP Ultra-wide sensors provide an upgraded camera experience with clear and crisp details in pictures. The new 50MP sensor supports 2x optical zoom for noise-free photos, while offering AI zoom for an advanced shooting experience with up to 10x zoom. Galaxy Z Flip6 now comes with enhanced battery life and gets a vapor chamber for the first time.

Samsung Knox, Samsung Galaxy’s defense-grade, multi-layer security platform built to safeguard critical information and protect against vulnerabilities with end-to-end hardware, real-time threat detection and collaborative protection, secures Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip6.

Price and Availability

Galaxy Z Fold6 starts at INR 164999 (12GB+256GB), while Galaxy Z Flip6 is available from INR 109999 (12GB+256GB).

In addition to the Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6, Samsung also introduced AI-infused Galaxy ecosystem products- Galaxy Watch Ultra, Galaxy Watch7 and Galaxy Buds3 series which also went on pre-orders on July 10 in India.

Galaxy Watch 7 starts at INR 29999 and Galaxy Watch Ultra is priced at 59999. Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds3 is priced at INR 14999 while Galaxy Buds3Pro is priced at INR 19999.

Customers who pre-order the Galaxy ZFold6 and Galaxy ZFlip6 will receive a cashback of INR 8000 on HDFC Bank cards along with 9 months no-cost bank EMI or an Upgrade Bonus of INR 8000 along with upto 9 months no-cost EMI. Existing Samsung flagship smartphone customers can choose to avail an upgrade bonus of INR 15000.

All customers who pre-order the Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip6 will get Galaxy Z Assurance wherein they will get an industry-first two screen/parts replacements at just INR 999. Additionally, Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6 customers can avail up to 35% off on the newly launched Galaxy Watch Ultra, Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Buds3 series.

Customers who pre-order the Galaxy Watch7 will get multi-bank cashback worth INR 8000 or upgrade bonus worth INR 8000, while customers who pre-order the Galaxy Watch Ultra will get multi-bank cashback worth INR 10000 or upgrade bonus worth INR 10000. Customers who pre-order the Buds3 will get multi bank cashback worth INR 4000 or upgrade bonus worth INR 4000. Customers who pre-order the Buds 3 Pro will get multi bank cashback worth INR 5000 or upgrade bonus worth INR 5000.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the world of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions. For latest news on Samsung India, please visit Samsung India Newsroom at http://news.samsung.com/in. For Hindi, log on to Samsung Newsroom Bharat at https://news.samsung.com/bharat. You can also follow us on Twitter @SamsungNewsIN

Pre-Launch Bookings Open: The All-New BMW CE 04 Across India

* #CE04 #TheSilentRevolution #PluggedToLife #MakeLifeARide #BMWMotorrad

BMW Motorrad India has opened pre-launch bookings for India’s first premium electric scooter: the all-new BMW CE 04. The first electric offering from BMW Motorrad India will be officially launched in the country on 24 July 2024.

The all-new BMW CE 04 offers a seamless blend of innovation and urban mobility. With its futuristic design, advanced technology, and eco-friendly performance, it redefines city commuting. This stylish scooter provides a modern, enjoyable riding experience, making it perfect for the urban environment.

Customers can contact their nearest authorised BMW Motorrad dealership to book the all-new BMW CE 04. To locate an authorised BMW Motorrad dealership, click here: https://bit.ly/4d4iWXv  

Godrej Properties Partners With Chikkaballapur City Municipal Council (CMC) And IIHS For The City-Farmer Partnership Project

* Converts more than 1300 tonnes of solid waste to organic compost to fuel sustainable farming and convert dry waste into recyclables.

Godrej Properties Limited, India’s leading real estate developer, partnered with the Chikkaballapur City Municipal Council (CMC) and the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) for the City-Farmer Partnership project in Chikkaballapur, Karnataka to address the city’s waste management challenges and to promote scientific management of solid waste.

Focused on converting organic wet waste into valuable compost for farmers, approximately 759 tonnes of legacy waste was semi-processed into organic compost and supplied to 109 farmers across 17 villages of Chikkaballapur. The compost, processed from 1,000 cubic meters of waste, was provided at no cost to encourage the adoption of organic farming practices. Additionally, more than 569 tonnes of segregated wet waste has been processed through collaboration with 81 farmers.

A key aspect of this initiative and Godrej Properties' focus is fostering a symbiotic relationship between urban and rural communities. To enhance and educate the farmer communities and stakeholders on the benefits of sustainable waste management practices, IIHS conducted multiple training sessions for more than 100 farmers on converting municipal waste into organic compost. Additionally, 45 CMC staff members were trained on key aspects of waste management. The training focused on the importance of segregated waste collection and transportation for the success of the city-farmer partnership project.

A series of ward-level and feedback meetings have been conducted as part of the City-Farmer Partnership for the Solid Waste Management (SWM) project to promote waste segregation at source. These meetings have been attended by CMC officials, the IIHS project team, Anganwadi workers, volunteers engaged in monitoring door-to-door collection of waste, and about 50 residents from each ward. To drive home the messaging and create awareness at the ground level, six street plays and a road show traversed key streets in Chikkaballapur, engaging citizens and commercial establishments with messages about the benefits of waste separation.

Mr. Rohit Mohan, Chief Design and Sustainability Officer, Godrej Properties Ltd., said “We recognize the substantial challenges posed for urban waste management, including growing volume of urban waste and improper waste segregation. Engaging communities through initiatives such as training farmers to convert municipal wet waste into organic compost is one of our important projects catering to our long-term environmental goals. This collaboration with Chikkaballapur farmers highlights our dedication to positively collaborate with multiple communities and contributing towards solid waste management across Urban local bodies. By enabling local communities to turn urban solid waste into valuable resources, we seek to drive enduring environmental improvements and support sustainable farming practices. As environmentally conscious developers, we remain committed to promoting sustainable waste management practices through public-private partnerships and engagement with local communities.”

Godrej Properties has been focusing on driving awareness and capacity building for the need for sustainable waste management across urban and rural communities in addition to sustainable waste management across all construction sites. In FY24 Godrej Properties successfully diverted more than 43,000 tonnes of waste from landfills achieving Net Zero Waste to landfill status. 

About Godrej Properties Limited:

Godrej Properties brings the Godrej Industries Group philosophy of innovation, sustainability, and excellence to the real estate industry. Each Godrej Properties development combines a 127-year legacy of excellence and trust with a commitment to cutting-edge design, technology, and sustainability. In FY 2021, Godrej Properties emerged as the largest developer in India by the value and volume of residential sales achieved.

Godrej Properties has deeply focused on sustainable development. In 2010, GPL committed that all of its developments would be third-party certified green buildings. In 2020 and again in 2021 and 2022, the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark ranked GPL #1 globally amongst listed residential developers for its sustainability and governance practices. In 2017, GPL was one of the founding partners of the Sustainable Housing Leadership Consortium (SHLC), whose mission is to spread sustainable development practices across the Indian real estate sector. In recent years, Godrej Properties has received over 400 awards and recognitions, including the Porter Prize 2019, The Most Trusted Real Estate Brand in the 2019 Brand Trust Report, Builder of the Year at the CNBC-Awaaz Real Estate Awards 2019, and The Economic Times Best Real Estate Brand 2018.

Kotak Mahindra Bank Announces Pranav Mishra As New Head Of Distribution

Aligned to its vision of keeping customer at the centre, Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited (“KMBL”/“Kotak”) today unveiled its new Distribution structure as part of its growth strategy. This is aimed at bringing together all the ways in which our customers interact with the Bank and to deliver an omni-channel seamless experience across all Group products and services, thereby elevating service standards and operational efficiency.

The Distribution structure integrates the Physical branch network, Digital Branch channel (encompassing Mobile Banking and Net Banking platforms) and the Voice channel. This strategic initiative aims to ensure a seamless experience for customers across all interaction channels by building synergy and improving service delivery.

To lead this significant transformation the Bank has appointed Pranav Mishra, as the Head of Distribution. Pranav has a distinguished background in Banking & Financial Services organizations with over 30 years of experience. He joins from ICICI Bank, where he most recently served as Head of Liabilities, Deposit, Customer 360, Branch Banking, Marketing & Alliances, ATM and Micro Market Strategy. Prior to ICICI Bank, Pranav headed distribution for ICICI Prudential Life Insurance.

"I am pleased to welcome Pranav to the Kotak family. Under his leadership, we are committed to strengthening our distribution and delivering a seamless omni-channel experience across all Group products and services," said Ashok Vaswani, MD & CEO, Kotak Mahindra Bank. "The new Distribution structure underscores our dedication to embedding banking services seamlessly into our customer journeys, ensuring convenience and reliability at every touchpoint. We are excited about this strategic move and confident that it will further strengthen our ability to deliver exceptional value to our customers.” 

Pranav Mishra, Head of Distribution, Kotak Mahindra Bank, expressed enthusiasm about the new role, stating, "I am honoured to lead Kotak Mahindra Bank's Distribution structure and am eager to leverage our capabilities to enhance customer engagement and operational efficiency." 

The teams responsible for Physical branch network, Digital channel and Voice will report to Pranav, streamlining operations and driving customer-centric initiatives forward.

About Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited  

Established in 1985, Kotak Mahindra Group is one of India's leading financial services conglomerates. In February 2003, Kotak Mahindra Finance Ltd. (KMFL), the Group's flagship company, received banking licence from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), becoming the first non-banking finance company in India to convert into a bank - Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited. The Bank has four Strategic Business Units – Consumer Banking, Corporate Banking, Commercial Banking, and Treasury, which cater to retail and corporate customers across urban and rural India. The premise of Kotak Mahindra Group’s business model is concentrated India, diversified financial services. The bold vision that underscores the Group’s growth is an inclusive one, with a host of products and services designed to address the needs of the unbanked and insufficiently banked. As on 31st March, 2024 , Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd has a national footprint of 1,948 branches and 3,291 ATMs (incl. cash recyclers), and branches in GIFT City and DIFC (Dubai).

For more information, visit the company’s website at https://www.kotak.com/. 

Bank of Baroda Launches “bob Monsoon Dhamaka Deposit Scheme” Offering Higher Interest Rates

* A special Domestic Retail Term Deposit scheme offering attractive interest rates of 7.25% p.a. for 399 days and 7.15% p.a. for 333 days

* Senior Citizens get additional interest rate of 0.50% p.a.; Plus, 0.15% extra for Non-Callable Deposits

* Offers a Maximum 7.90% p.a. for 399 Days

Bank of Baroda (Bank), one of India’s leading public sector banks announced the launch of the “bob Monsoon Dhamaka Deposit Scheme”, a special term deposit product offering higher interest rates. The bob Monsoon Dhamaka Deposit Scheme is available in two tenor buckets – offering interest rates of 7.25% p.a. for 399 days and 7.15% p.a. for 333 days. The scheme opens on 15th July, 2024 and is applicable on retail deposits below Rs 3 crore.

Senior citizens will earn an additional interest rate of 0.50% p.a. – 7.75% p.a. for 399 days and 7.65% p.a. for 333 days. Further, Non-Callable Deposits will get 0.15% extra (applicable on minimum deposits above Rs 1 crore to less than Rs 3 crore).

The bob Monsoon Dhamaka Deposit Scheme offers a maximum interest of 7.90% p.a for 399 Days, which includes 0.50% p.a. for senior citizens and 0.15% for non-callable deposits.

Shri Sanjay Mudaliar, Executive Director, Bank of Baroda said, “Bank of Baroda is pleased to announce the bob Monsoon Dhamaka Deposit Scheme, enabling customers to earn a higher rate of interest on their savings. It also offers the flexibility to choose from two tenures. This is an opportune time for people to lock in higher returns on their deposits.”

The bob Monsoon Dhamaka Deposit Scheme can be opened online or through any of the Bank’s branches.

For details on the bob Monsoon Dhamaka Deposit Scheme, click on:  https://www.bankofbaroda.in/interest-rate-and-service-charges/deposits-interest-rates 

FADA Release : Auto Retail Sales _ Q1 Retail Auto Sales Figures For FY 2025

On releasing Q1 figures, FADA President Mr Manish Raj Singhania said: "The Indian Auto Retail sector has demonstrated a commendable performance in Q1 of FY25, achieving a substantial overall growth of 9.40% YoY. This positive momentum was primarily driven by robust gains in the 2/3W segments. Two-Wheelers (2W) led the charge with an impressive 12.56% YoY increase, followed by Three-Wheelers (3W) with an 11.36% rise, Passenger Vehicles (PV) with a 2.53% growth and Commercial Vehicles (CV) growing by mere 0.7%. However, the Tractor (Trac) segment faced a decline of 12.44%.

This year, the monsoon's advancement up to Maharashtra was on track, but it lost momentum thereafter, delaying rains in key states such as West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. This situation exacerbated the severe heatwave in northwest India, leading to a prolonged dry spell. The intensified heatwave not only delayed the sowing operations of kharif crops in northern and north-western regions but also adversely impacted rural sales.

The recovery in the 2W segment is promising, largely due to the emerging performance in rural areas, although these are early trends. The segment also faced significant challenges from extreme heat and the election period, resulting in a 13% reduction in walk-ins during May and June. Conversely, the 3W segment continues to perform well, driven by notable electrification.

CV experienced a slowdown due to the electoral period and a pause in infrastructure projects. In April, elections dampened sentiment, causing delays in expansion plans. Additionally, limited financing options and regional challenges, such as water scarcity, further impacted performance.

PV already at an all-time high, is facing difficulties in maintaining high growth levels. We had anticipated that growth for this fiscal year would remain below 5%. Despite strong bookings and customer flow, high competition, excess supply and discounting presented challenges for sustained growth. Dealers reported significant impacts from elections, extreme heat and market liquidity issues. The extreme heat led to an 18% drop in showroom walk-ins in May, with inventory levels reaching an all-time high of 62 to 67 days by the end of June. Despite improved product availability and substantial discounts aimed at stimulating demand, market sentiment remains subdued due to the extreme heat and delayed monsoons, resulting in 15% fewer walk-ins.

At the end of Q1, the PV segment has shown resilience but continues to face headwinds from environmental and market challenges.

FADA remains committed to advocating for prudent inventory control, improved financing options and strategic planning to ensure the auto retail sector's resilience and sustained growth. Our focus is on elevating the customer experience and revitalizing dealer synergy as we continue to transform the future of auto retail in India.

BluSmart Raises $24 Million (INR 200 Crores) In Pre-Series B Funding To Power Its Expansion Plans

BluSmart, India and South Asia's first and largest vertically integrated EV RideHailing service and EV Charging Infrastructure network, today announced the successful completion of Pre-Series B funding round securing $24 million (INR 200 Crores) in investment. The fundraise saw participation from new investors comprising notable names, including responsAbility Investments AG (a leading impact asset manager), Sumant Sinha (iconic global leader in the Renewable Energy sector); MS Dhoni Family Office (Cricket icon and former Indian Captain); existing investors and BluSmart founders who all share the company’s vision of ‘Decarbonizing Mobility at Scale’. ? The latest funding round will support BluSmart in expanding its operations and building real EV charging infrastructure & assets in the mega cities of India.

BluSmart is leading the decarbonization and electrification of mobility in India at scale. BluSmart EV Fleet has scaled over 110x from 70 EVs (Jan 2019) to 7,500 BluSmart EVs across Delhi NCR and Bangalore. BluSmart has achieved a historic milestone of over half a billion (500+ million) electric kms and delivered over 16 million electric trips saving nearly 40 million kgs of CO2 emissions since launch. BluSmart is significantly elevating the customer experience with over 4 million app downloads and an overall 4.9/5 on iOS and Android, India’s highest rated RideHailing service. It has created equitable economic opportunities for over ~9,800 BluSmart driver partners in India for a better future.  Additionally, BluSmart Charge operates India's largest EV Charging Infrastructure with 50 EV Charging Hubs spread across 2 million sq. ft. - bedrock for accelerating the EV adoption in India. ‘BluSmart Charge app’ was recently launched for public access offering seamless & reliable charging experience. BluSmart has demonstrated phenomenal growth in the last one year and has recently crossed Rs. 550 Crores ARR ($65 million Annual Revenue Run-rate).

Punit Goyal, Co-Founder, BluSmart, said, “BluSmart is building an integrated energy-infrastructure, mobility and technology company to take the full advantage of the EV revolution. Our latest fundraise of $24 million is an important step in our journey to scale the eMobility fleet and EV Charging Infrastructure.”

Sameer Tirkar, Head of Climate Infrastructure Investments APAC at responsAbility Investments AG, said, “We are happy to continue our partnership with BluSmart through our second round of funding. BluSmart has been able to lead the way in building from the grounds up an entire EV ecosystem to disrupt the conventional modes of commute without compromising on reliability and convenience. We believe in their vision and capabilities in creating positive environmental and social impact by reducing carbon emissions in urban transportation.”

Sumant Sinha, founder of India’s leading decarbonisation solutions company, and an iconic global leader in the Renewable Energy sector, commented, “The future of mobility is electric, and eMobility is a crucial step in making the shift to cleaner, emissions-free transportation. India’s growing economy and favourable policies provide ample impetus to this transition. I am excited to partner with BluSmart in their growth journey.”

Expressing excitement about investing in BluSmart, Cricket icon and former Indian Captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (MS Dhoni Family Office), said, “Investing in BluSmart’s sustainable business model is not just about supporting a company; it's about being part of a movement that shapes the future of mobility. In a world where innovation drives sustainable choices, I am excited to back BluSmart's pioneering efforts in reshaping urban transportation."

BluSmart is decarbonizing, electrifying & revolutionizing mobility in India with the vision towards a 100% emission-free future in line with India’s ambitions to be a global leader in transitioning to cleaner transport.  It has secured long-term and sustainable EV asset financing of $200 million backed by leading Development Financial Institutions (DFIs).

About BluSmart

BluSmart is India and South Asia’s largest born-electric, full-stack and vertically integrated EV Ride Hailing service and EV Charging Infrastructure network. Founded in 2019, it is building an integrated energy, infrastructure, mobility & technology business to “Decarbonize Mobility at Scale”. BluSmart operates in Delhi NCR and Bengaluru and made its first international foray with the launch in Dubai in June 2024 as a premium all-electric limousine service.  Learn more about BluSmart on www.blu-smart.com / LinkedIn @BluSmart, Twitter @BluSmartIndia and Instagram @blusmartindia / For latest updates check out https://blu-smart.com/en-IN/newsroom