Weekly Tech Wrap: Cutting-Edge Tech At G20 Summit, iPhone 15 Price Gets Leaked, More Top Tech News

From China banning iPhones for its officials to PlayStation Plus prices getting hiked, here are the biggest tech news stories from the week that was.

G20 Summit is being held at the Bharat Mandapam complex.

Source : Twitter

As leading dignitaries from across the globe convene in New Delhi for the G20 Summit, all eyes will rest on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bilateral talks with member nations, especially the US and the UK on AI and cyber terrorism. Apart from that, the world of tech news was dominated by a handful of developments over the past week, from iPhone leaks to 

Cutting-Edge Tech Welcomes G20 Dignitaries

The G20 Summit is currently taking place at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. Distinguished delegates from member nations are being greeted with an exclusive technological experience centered around 'Digital India.' This immersive experience includes a virtual reality cycling exhibit, a digital tree installation, a mobile app inspired by the Bhagavad Gita, and more. This exhibition is meticulously organized by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and is presented in collaboration with the domestic experiential tech company, Tagbin. It spans across two expansive halls, specifically Hall 4 and Hall 14 at Pragati Maidan. The primary focus of this exhibition is to showcase the various global Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) initiatives that have been initiated in India since the inception of the Digital India Flagship Programme.

Visitors will be captivated by a remarkable inverted LED Cube display that guides them through the transformative journey of Digital India, highlighting significant milestones achieved since 2014. The VR cycling exhibit offers a distinctive opportunity for virtual exploration, allowing visitors to experience the evolution of Digital India through simulated virtual reality. The Digital Tree installation, resembling a tree with multiple screens, unveils the fundamental principles of DPI and showcases the achievements made through Digital India initiatives. Additionally, an interactive kiosk introduces the G.I.T.A. application, encouraging visitors to seek answers to life's questions in alignment with the revered Shrimad Bhagwad Gita.

iPhones Banned For China Officials

In a recent development that may negatively impact Apple's prospects in the Chinese market, officials in China have issued directives prohibiting the use of iPhones and foreign-branded devices for government-related work. This information was reported by The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, with sources familiar with the matter indicating that employees within various Chinese government entities have been instructed to refrain from utilising foreign-manufactured smartphones, specifically iPhones, for official purposes or bringing them into the workplace.

These directives have been relayed by higher-ranking authorities to their subordinates over the past few weeks, though the extent of their distribution remains uncertain. The list of proscribed foreign smartphone manufacturers appears to include only Apple, with no other names mentioned. Up to the time of reporting, there has been no response from China's State Council Information Office.

iPhone 15 Pro Models Could Be Notably Pricier

Apple has set a date of September 12 for the global launch of its iPhone 15 lineup, including the Indian market. This year, the company is expected to introduce four different iPhone models, with substantial upgrades rumoured in comparison to the previous iteration. Reports and speculations suggest that the standard iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Plus could potentially maintain last year's pricing or see a modest increase, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max is rumoured to undergo the most significant price hike compared to its predecessor.

Various leaks and rumours have circulated, indicating that the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models might experience a price bump of $100 to $200 in the United States. These price adjustments are likely in response to anticipated improvements, including a titanium body, enhanced chipset performance, and slimmer bezels.

In addition to these models, there are tentative leaks suggesting that Apple may unveil both an iPhone Pro Max and an Ultra model, although details remain sketchy at this stage.

PS Plus Annual Plans Become Dearer

Sony, the prominent Japanese gaming company, recently disclosed plans to increase the rates for its annual PlayStation Plus subscriptions, citing the intention to enhance the quality of games and offer additional benefits to subscribers. These revised prices have now been officially published on the PlayStation website in India, revealing an approximate increase of Rs 2,000. PlayStation Plus, Sony's counterpart to Xbox Game Pass, provides subscribers with complimentary game access for both PS4 and PS5, in addition to various trial opportunities and exclusive discounts in the PlayStation Store.

According to the PlayStation website, the pricing adjustments for the 12-month subscription plans are as follows:

• PS Plus Essential 12-month plan has been adjusted from Rs 2,999 to Rs 3,949
• PS Plus Extra 12-month plan has been adjusted from Rs 4,999 to Rs 6,699
• PS Plus Deluxe 12-month plan has been adjusted from Rs 5,749 to Rs 7,599

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ChatGPT Popularity Waning?

OpenAI's AI chatbot, ChatGPT, has witnessed a third consecutive monthly decrease in its website traffic for August. However, there are indications of a possible reversal in this trend, as Similarweb, an analytics company, has reported. Globally, the total number of visits to the ChatGPT website on both desktop and mobile platforms declined by 3.2 per cent in August, reaching a total of 1.43 billion visits. This decline followed two previous months of approximately 10% decreases in traffic. At the same time, the average time visitors spent on the site decreased from an average of 8.7 minutes in March to 7 minutes in August.

That’s it from the world of tech headlines this week. Stay tuned to this space for more top stories next week.

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