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India sticks to cheap feature phones as brands struggle to attract new smartphone buyers

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India, the world’s second largest smartphone market after China, with approx. 750 million usersis struggling to attract new smartphone buyers because the typical citizen of the country cannot afford to buy a new smartphone.

Instead of switching to a new smartphone, hundreds of thousands of Indian consumers prefer to keep on with their current feature phones or simply upgrade to a new feature phone. The latter has led to a surge in feature phone shipments within the country, though these phones are quite old-fashioned and have only a number of features compared to smartphones, which helps solve many of the mobile computing requirements for the standard buyer.

According to data shared by market intelligence firm Counterpoint, shipments of entry-level feature phones in India registered a ten per cent year-on-year growth last yr, compared to -31 per cent in 2022. This growth is due to the reluctance of existing feature phone buyers to buy a new smartphone.

Compared to the general entry-level phone market, entry-level 4G phone sales in India rose to 25% in 2023 from 9% in 2022. However, entry-level 2G phones proceed to dominate the Indian market with a 75% share, according to data from Counterpoint.

Image sources: TechCrunch / Counterpoint

Indian telecom giant Reliance Jio leads the 4G feature phone market with a 27% share, followed by Transsion Holdings-owned Itel and Indian phone maker Lava with 24% and 18%, respectively, according to Counterpoint. The telco offers a spread of models on this segment with dedicated tariff plans and access to digital services, including the country’s real-time payments system Unified Payments Interface and apps like JioCinema, JioTV and WhatsApp, to appeal to the masses.

However, Tarun Pathak, director of device and ecosystem research at Counterpoint, told TechCrunch that Jio’s 4G-enabled handsets have somewhat hindered smartphone adoption within the country “as consumers are now able to download basic apps on their own on their 4G-enabled handsets.”

Jio is considering launching a 5G-enabled phone to capitalize on this trend.

Jio, India’s largest telecom player by subscribers and revenue, is quietly planning to launch a 5G-enabled phone as brands face the challenge of attracting new smartphone buyers to the South Asian market, TechCrunch has exclusively learned.

The telecom operator, owned by Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries, has been selling feature phones for years and progressively moved into Google-powered smartphones in 2021. However, its first smartphone was too expensive for its average specs and didn’t help it achieve success. Jio now sees feature phones as essentially the most potent weapon it has to bring phones to as many individuals in India as possible.

Jio’s 5G phone will run on Linux-based KaiOS software, which already powers the telecom company’s existing range of feature phones. Contract manufacturers Dixon Technologies and Neolync are currently constructing prototypes of the phone, the sources said.

The phone might be announced at Reliance’s upcoming AGM, which is predicted in August, although sources say it’s unlikely to be ready for the mass market anytime soon. The phone’s price can also be one in all the problems that Jio is yet to determine.

Sources conversant in the matter told TechCrunch that the Mumbai-based telecom company is in preliminary talks with Qualcomm for an early version of its 5G-capable phone. However, the ultimate device could involve other chipmakers as discussions on its development are still ongoing.

Qualcomm denied its involvement in talks with Jio when contacted by TechCrunch this week. A Reliance Industries spokesman declined to comment.

In addition to the new 5G phone, Jio plans to launch a 5G Android tablet and a 5G smartphone this yr, two people conversant in the carrier’s plans told TechCrunch.

Dixon Technologies and Neolync didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Till now, Jio has been offering a line of 4G devices that included JioPhone Next as its first Android smartphone. However, the telco is looking to expand its portfolio with 5G devices as it looks to increase revenue from telecom services and is working on monetizing 5G connectivity. Jio, together with competitors Airtel and Vi, recently raised tariffs within the country to boost subscription revenue. The operator can also be expected to spin off from Reliance and list as a public company on Indian stock exchanges at a valuation of $112 billion as early as next yr.

Jio Mobile Phones History So Far

In August 2017, Jio unveiled its first 4G-enabled phone, JioPhonebased on KaiOS. Soon after the launch of JioPhone became the best-selling cell phone within the countryThe candybar phone later also received support for popular apps like Facebook, WhatsApp, and YouTube, allowing for its wider use.

JioPhone
Image sources: Jio

In 2018, Jio launched a phone with a new generation QWERTY keyboard. However, JioPhone 2 failed to replicate the success of JioPhone due to its limited availability and appeal.

Last yr, the telecom company launched Jio Bharat as a $12 series of feature phones to revive its presence within the feature phone market. It also updated the unique JioPhone with a facelift called JioPhone PrimeThe launch of new models helped grow the 4G phone market in India.

Why are hundreds of thousands of Indians not buying new smartphones?

Smartphone Market in India a year-on-year increase of over 11% was recorded in the primary quarter, the third consecutive quarter of shipment growth, with 34 million smartphones shipped throughout the quarter, according to IDC. However, unlike the budget price segments (between under $100 and $200), the super-premium segment (above $800) saw the best growth of 44%, seeing its share increase to 7%. It was dominated by the most recent and last-generation iPhone models, followed by the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S23 families.

However, the entry-level segment (sub-$100) share of the Indian smartphone market fell 14% year-on-year to 15%, from 20% a yr ago, according to IDC. In 2020, it accounted for 26% of the overall smartphone market and 20% in 2021.

Market experts consider that the major reason for the sharp decline in sales of entry-level smartphones is the reluctance of users of phones with basic features to switch to cheaper smartphones.

Navkendar Singh, associate vice chairman of device research at IDC, told TechCrunch that about 350 million people in India still use feature phones, and 50% of them have a model that costs lower than $18. “Since they can’t buy a smartphone, they are replacing their feature phones,” he said.

Singh also noted that smartphone penetration in India is lower than 50% and has remained unchanged for the past few years, though the market has seen some growth in smartphone shipments post-COVID.

“The switch from feature phones to smartphones is not easy for some consumers,” said Counterpoint’s Pathak, adding that within the country, older people, low-income earners and people doing manual labour will not be choosing smartphones.

“The price gap between smartphones and feature phones is still large enough to limit users’ ability to easily switch to smartphones,” he said.

According to IDC, the typical selling price (ASP) of a smartphone in India is $255. It has increased by over 54% from $165 in 2020. The average selling price of a smartphone in India is barely about 31% compared to $826 within the U.S.

Image sources: TechCrunch / IDC

Yet, hundreds of thousands of individuals in India find it difficult to buy a smartphone due to low disposable income.

“Although India has one of the cheapest smartphones in the world, as a percentage of user income, it is less affordable than in the US and the UK,” said the report, titled State of India’s Digital Economy by the Indian Council of Research on International Economic Relations and Prosus.

Smartphone brands are offering financing options to attract customers. However, Singh told TechCrunch that the move has to this point only helped existing smartphone consumers upgrade their models.

 

This article was originally published on : techcrunch.com
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Tyreek Hill breaks silence after disturbing footage shows him attacked by Miami police ahead of explosive season opener

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Tyreek Hill

 

On Sunday, Sept. 8, just hours after being aggressively detained by Miami-Dade police, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill scored his first points of the 2024 NFL season, catching an 80-yard touchdown within the third quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

After running 54 yards after the catch, what ESPN reports that it’s the longest point scored in his NFL profession, Hill’s touchdown pass caused as much confusion because the career-defining rating. After the play, Hill, with the assistance of wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, stood in the long run zone along with his hands behind his back, allowing Waddle to carry them back as if Hill was “under arrest.”

Tyreek Hill's touchdown celebration sends Miami-Dade police into a tailspin after being busted just hours before the season opener (Photo: Getty Images)
Tyreek Hill’s touchdown celebration sends an enormous “fuck you” to Miami-Dade police after he was detained hours before the season opener. (Photo: Getty Images)

@TheBestCelly the report called the moment “probably the best celebration I’ve ever seen,” One said user He said, “He will definitely be fined for that.”

One X user supported Hill’s big “FU” towards the police.

Hill’s eventful day began earlier that morning when he was stopped by Miami-Dade police as he headed to Hard Rock Stadium hours before the sport.

Footage circulated on social media showing the NFL star being forcibly placed face down on the sidewalk and aggressively handcuffed by members of the Miami-Dade Police Department near the stadium. One officer was seen along with his knee in Hill’s back, angering many fans who watched the disturbing clip.

Video courtesy of @AdamSchefter

Another photo shows officers punching Hill before he falls to the curb.

“This officer apparently hit a handcuffed (and compliant) Tyreek Hill multiple times. On a busy Miami street in the middle of the day. Unacceptable. Fire this idiot,” user X wrote, sharing the video clip.

“This is absolutely DISGUSTING behavior by @MiamiPD” he said one other fan. “This cop decides to KICK and HURT #Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill while he was cooperating and just sitting on the ground.”

USA today reported that the daddy of 10 was initially detained in reference to a “road accident.” Later, ESPN Jeff Darlington posted on X, stating that his sources cited dangerous driving as the explanation police pulled Hill over. Hill then got right into a verbal altercation with police, was handcuffed and beaten before he was eventually released with a ticket.

Many other athletes and celebrities also expressed their support via social media.

Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III shared his thoughts on the situation. “Tyreek Hill should not have been forcibly taken to the ground, handcuffed and treated so aggressively for a minor traffic violation before entering the stadium before the game. Period.”

Sports Analyst and Host Stephen A. Smith called the aggressive force on Hill in comparison with what happened to golfer Scottie Scheffler during his arrest in May. “Check it out for yourself. It’s bullshit. It’s completely unnecessary. And by the way… I know the Scottie Scheffler incident happened in Georgia — not Florida — and he was arrested, detained, booked. And I know we don’t know all the details, blah… blah… blah! But he wasn’t lying face down in handcuffs? And then he was forcibly placed in the seat by the officers a second time. No! This story won’t go away — and it doesn’t have to go away.”

During a post-game press conference, Hill shared his recollection of the events. When asked what led as much as the incident, Hill told the press, “I really don’t know. I’m still trying to piece it all together right now.”

He added: “I wasn’t naughty because my mom didn’t raise me that way, she didn’t swear, she didn’t do anything like that. Like I said, I’m still trying to figure it out.”

According to Hill, it was necessary to make use of his platform to make clear the horrific incident because not everyone seems to be as fortunate. “I want to use my platform to say, what if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill? Worst-case scenario,” he said, before calling the officers who beat him “black sheep.”

Miami defensive end Calais Campbell, who was also on the scene, revealed that he was detained while attempting to deescalate the situation between police and Hill.

“I saw Tyreek in handcuffs. Excessive force. The officer felt the need to put handcuffs on me. They said I disobeyed a direct order,” Campbell told the Palm Beach Post Joe Schad.

Campbell told NFL Network that he was just as confused as Hill when the incident occurred. “They handcuffed me too, and I was like, ‘What’s going on?’ I didn’t understand what was going on,” he said. “The fact that he handcuffed me made me feel weird.”

CNN reports that the Miami-Dade police officer who stopped Hill has since been placed on administrative leave pending further investigation into the matter. Miami-Dade Police Department Director Stephanie V. Daniels said an investigation has been opened into the matter

“Following the incident involving Tyreek Hill, I initiated an internal affairs investigation to ensure a thorough investigation. One of the officers involved in the incident has been placed in an administrative position while the investigation continues,” Miami-Dade Police Department Director Stephanie V. Daniels said in an announcement Sunday. “I am committed to transparency and accountability to the community in every situation involving my officers.”

This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Discover the inspiring journey of Robert Alexander, CEO of 360Wise Media

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Discover Robert Alexander's inspiring journey from the tough streets of Washington D.C. to CEO of 360Wise Media. Learn how he overcame challenges to lead in brand marketing and public relations
Opinions expressed by Digital Journal contributors are their own.

By Published June 26, 2024

Discover the inspiring journey of Robert Alexander, CEO of 360Wise Media, from the tough streets of Washington D.C. to leading a prominent brand marketing and public relations agency. Learn how he turned personal challenges into opportunities for himself and his clients, driving success through perseverance and innovation.
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Mississippi officials say there is not enough time to select majority-black districts

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JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Redrawing some Mississippi state House districts before the November election is unimaginable due to tight deadlines for preparing ballots, state officials say in latest court documents.

Attorneys for the state’s all-Republican Board of Election Commissioners filed arguments Wednesday in response to a July 2 ruling by three federal judges that ordered the Mississippi House and Senate to reconfigure some voting districts. The judges said the present districts dilute the facility of black voters in three parts of the state.

The ruling got here in a 2022 lawsuit filed by the Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP and several other black residents. The justices said they wanted the brand new districts to be drawn before the subsequent regular legislative session begins in January.

Mississippi has House and Senate elections in 2023. Redrawing some district boundaries would require special elections to fill the remaining four-year terms.

Election Commission attorneys said Republican Gov. Tate Reeves would have to call lawmakers right into a special session and latest districts would have to be adopted by Aug. 2 so other deadlines may very well be met so the special election may very well be held on the identical day because the November general elections for federal and state judicial offices.

“The state took a long time to develop the current maps,” Electoral Commission lawyers said.

Mississippi state senators Rod Hickman, Democrat of Macon, left, Michael McLendon, Republican of Hernando, second from left, Albert Butler, Democrat of Port Gibson, and David Jordan, Democrat of Greenwood, review an alternate map of Senate districts on the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, Mississippi, March 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

The justices ordered lawmakers to draw majority-black districts in DeSoto County, within the state’s northwest corner, and Hattiesburg County and its surrounding southern corner, and to create a brand new majority-black district in Chickasaw and Monroe counties within the northeastern a part of the state.

The order does not create additional districts. Instead, it requires lawmakers to adjust the boundaries of existing districts. That could affect multiple districts, and Election Commission attorneys have said drawing latest boundaries “is not realistically achievable” by Aug. 2.

Legislative and congressional districts are updated after each census to reflect population changes from the previous decade. Mississippi’s population is about 59% white and 38% black.

In the redistricting plan adopted in 2022 and utilized in the 2023 elections, 15 of 52 Senate districts and 42 of 122 House districts have a black majority. That’s 29% of Senate districts and 34% of House districts.

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Jarvis Dortch, a former state lawmaker who is now executive director of the ACLU of Mississippi, said federal judges were right to order the redrawing of House and Senate district maps.

“These voting districts deny black Mississippians an equal voice in state government,” Dortch said.

Historical voting patterns in Mississippi show that precincts with more white residents are more likely to go Republican, and precincts with more black residents are more likely to go Democratic.

Lawsuits are underway in several states difficult the composition of congressional or state legislature districts drawn after the 2020 census.

 

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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