Nothing May Launch Smartwatch
Carl Pei's consumer tech brand Nothing may foray into the smartwatch category, as the device has received BIS certification, the media has reported. According to the BIS certification, London-headquartered Nothing is working on a smartwatch with the model number D395. Tipster Mukul Sharma had first spotted a trademark, dubbed "CMF By Nothing" a couple of months ago. This comes amid the company gearing up to launch the Nothing Phone (2), the successor to last year's Nothing Phone (1).
Interestingly, earlier this year, Nothing CEO, Pei bought Samsung's flagship Galaxy Watch 5 Pro just to learn about smartwatches and he found the smartwatch to be “useless”.
iOS 16.5.1 Rolling Out Globally
Apple has started rolling out its latest software update, the iOS 16.5.1 for iPhone users. The iOS 16.51 brings in a number of features and also fixes two critical security flaws which may have been actively exploited. The security bugs that have been fixed in the latest update had been used to hack iPhones in Russia, says a report by The Washington Post. Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky had flagged off the security vulnerabilities and Apple thanked them for that.
The iOS 16.5.1 update brings a fix for a vulnerability that could allow an app to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. As per the iPhone maker's support page, the iOS 16.5.1 upgrade fixes a vulnerability in the Kernel tracked as CVE-2023-32434 that could allow an attacker to execute code with Kernel privileges.
Uber Laying Off 200 Employees
Ride-hailing giant Uber is laying off 200 jobs in its recruitment division as it implements cost-cutting measures and plans to keep the staff count flat through the year. The job cuts affect less than 1 per cent of Uber's 32,700 global staff and follow the ride-share company laying off 150 employees in its freight services division earlier this year, said a report by news agency Reuters.
Earlier in May, the company had announced it would maintain a flat workforce. Uber has expressed confidence in achieving operating income profitability by the end of this year. The latest job cuts target 35 per cent of Uber's recruiting team, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. The company has reduced its workforce by at least 17 per cent since the coronavirus pandemic began. In 2020, Uber laid off around 6,700 jobs in two big rounds of job cuts.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, Galaxy Watch 6 Prices Leaked
With Samsung set to host its Galaxy Unpacked event in its home turf, Seoul, South Korea for the first time, the price of the upcoming Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic have leaked online. Multiple leaks and rumours suggest that Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 series may be officially unveiled next month at the Galaxy Unpacked event alongside the next-gen Galaxy Z Fold smartphone. According to a report by Dealabs Magazine, the prices of the Galaxy Watch 6 series have been leaked in France.
The 40mm Bluetooth variant of the smartwatch is likely to start at EUR 319.99 which roughly translates into Rs 35,800. There may not be a Galaxy "Pro" variant this year. The regular Galaxy Watch 6 may also include a 44mm variant with Bluetooth and 4G for EUR 349.99, which roughly translates into Rs 31,400.
Spotify Echo Spotlights Indian Classical Instrumental Music
In a bid to highlight the rich cultural heritage of Indian classical music, music streaming giant Spotify has announced "Echo". Indian classical instrumental music is widely consumed in India and globally, by all age groups, data shows. In the last 24 months, for instance, India’s classical music consumption grew by close to 500 per cent on the platform, according to Spotify.
Also, data suggests that the trend is largely driven by younger listeners, with over 45 per cent of Indian classical music listeners being under the age of 25 on Spotify.