Instagram New Feature Friends: Instagram is constantly working on new features to keep users engaged. Now, the Meta-owned platform is reportedly developing a feature that could let you remove yourself from someone’s Close Friends list. However, the feature is still in its early stages and is not publicly available for testing yet. Introduced in 2018, the Close Friends feature allows users to share Stories and Reels only with a selected group of people. If you choose to remove yourself from someone’s Close Friends list, you will no longer be able to view their exclusive Stories and Reels unless they add you again. The feature was spotted by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi. He also noticed signs of possible subscription-based tools, including unlimited audience lists, the ability to see who doesn’t follow you back, and options to view Stories without the creator being notified. Notably, Snapchat, one of Instagram’s biggest competitors, already has a similar feature that lets users remove themselves from someone’s private Story.  Add Zee News as a Preferred Source #Instagram is working on a feature that lets users remove themselves from another user’s Close Friends list  pic.twitter.com/ftgDSfxE7p — Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) January 29, 2026 Adding to this, Instagram is testing several premium features. These could include unlimited audience lists, the ability to see which followers don’t follow back, and options to view Stories without being noticed. According to Meta, these paid tools are meant to give users more control, while the basic features will remain free. The updates don’t stop there. Earlier this week, Meta said it plans to test new subscription plans that will offer exclusive features across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. While the company did not reveal exact details, reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi noted that an Instagram premium subscription may allow users to create unlimited audience lists, check who doesn’t follow them back, and view Stories without alerting the creator. The upcoming subscriptions is expected to offer advanced tools and greater control over sharing and connections, without changing the free core experience for users.  How to Keep Your Instagram Account Secure Pointer 1: Create a unique password with letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid using your name or date of birth.  Pointer 2: Turn on 2FA to add an extra layer of security to your account.  Pointer 3: Never click on unknown links or share your login details in DMs or emails.  Pointer 4: Check where your account is logged in and remove any unfamiliar devices.  Pointer 5: Remove apps you no longer use to keep your account secure 

Gaming Phones Under Rs 30,000: If you want a gaming smartphone without spending too much, there are plenty of good options available today. Many phones under Rs 30,000 now offer strong performance, suitable for gaming. Below are some options one can consider: OnePlus Nord CE 5 (Rs 24,999-Rs 28,999) This gaming-focused smartphone comes with a MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Apex chipset and an Arm G615 MC6 GPU. It features a 6.77-inch display with a 2392×1080 resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 1430 nits peak brightness. It is available in three variants: 8GB+128GB, 8GB+256GB, and 12GB+256GB. It comes with a 7100mAh lithium-ion polymer battery that supports 80W SUPERVOOC charging. Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G (Rs 26,999 onwards) Powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7400-Ultra chipset with a Mali-G615 GPU, the Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G is available in two variants: 8GB+256GB and 12GB+256GB. It gets a 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED display with a 2772×1280 resolution and a refresh rate up to 120Hz. It offers up to 3200 nits peak brightness, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. The 6580mAh battery supports 45W turbo charging. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source iQoo Neo 10R (Rs 26,999-Rs 30,999) It comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor and an Adreno 735 GPU. Available in three variants – 8GB+128GB, 8GB+256GB, and 12GB+256GB – the smartphone gets a 6043mm² canopy VC liquid cooling system. The 6.78-inch 1.5K AMOLED display has a 2800×1260 pixel resolution, a 144Hz refresh rate and 4500 nits peak brightness. It houses a 6400mAh battery that supports 80W fast charging. Oppo F31 Pro 5G (Rs 26,999-Rs 30,999) The Oppo F31 Pro 5G features a 6.5-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by a MediaTek processor and comes in three variants: 8GB+128GB, 8GB+256GB, and 12GB+256GB. It features a Dual-Engine Smoothness System with 72-month Fluency Certification and a vapour chamber up to 5,219 mm² for thermal management. It comes with a 7000mAh battery with 80W SUPERVOOC charging.  Other options under Rs 30,000 for a gaming include Vivo T4 Pro, Realme 15T and CMF Phone 2 Pro by Nothing.

Samsung Galaxy F70 Details: Samsung announced the launch of the all-new Galaxy F70 series in India. The first smartphone from the Galaxy F70 series will launch in February in the 10-15K segment, marking the beginning of a new chapter for Samsung’s Galaxy F series portfolio. Samsung claimed that the Galaxy F70 series is designed for young consumers who want to express themselves.  The company, in an official statement, said, “For today’s generation, content is not just communication; it shapes how people remember them. Every photo, story and post carries an intent-whether to express a mood, capture a moment or make a statement. The Galaxy F70 series places the camera at the centre of the smartphone experience.” “The smartphone camera has evolved into the creative voice for young users to communicate, connect and build digital presence,” it said, adding “The Galaxy F70 series will bring a combination of strong hardware specs and innovative AI-powered features.” The Galaxy F70 series will cater to the mid/affordable segment (<INR 30K). Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Apart from the Galaxy F70 series, Samsung will also launch the new Galaxy A07 5G in the first week of February. The smartphone features a 6.7-inch HD+ display with a 120Hz refresh. The screen is also protected by a 2-step tempered glass for added durability.  The Galaxy A07 5G gets a dual-camera setup on the back, comprising a 50MP main camera with an F1.8 aperture for high-quality images and a 2MP camera for depth perception. On the front, it has an 8MP camera. The Galaxy A07 5G features a 6000mAh battery, 20% larger than its predecessor, providing a day-long use. It supports 25W fast charging.

New Delhi: Apple CEO Tim Cook has said that the company set a quarterly revenue record during the October-December period in India, a market that has seen Apple production and exports touching new highs with each quarter.  For the December quarter, Apple set all-time revenue records in the Americas, Europe, Japan, and rest of Asia Pacific, and grew in the vast majority of markets we track. “We continued to gain momentum in emerging markets, which includes India, where we saw strong double-digit revenue growth,” said Cook during the earnings call late on Thursday (US time). Add Zee News as a Preferred Source “In retail, we continue to bring a magical experience to our customers all around the world, and we were thrilled to have our best-ever results in retail during the quarter. We were excited to open our fifth store in India in December and have plans to open another store in Mumbai soon,” said Cook. Responding to an analyst, the Apple CEO said they did set a quarterly revenue record during the December quarter in India. “To go a little further down, we set quarterly revenue records on iPhone and Mac and iPad, and an all-time revenue record on Services. So it was a terrific quarter in India. We really like what we see there. It’s the second-largest smartphone market in the world and the fourth largest PC market,” he explained. Cook further stated that “we still have, despite very nice growth history, we have modest share there, and so we think there’s a huge opportunity for us there, and we could not be more excited about it,” he mentioned. “The other thing that I would point out is that the majority of customers that are buying iPhone and Mac and iPad and Watch are all new to that product and so it speaks very well to opportunity there.that are buying iPhone and Mac and iPad and Watch are all new to that product and so it speaks very well to opportunity there,” Cook further said. Kevan Parekh, Apple’s CFO, said iPhone revenue was $85.3 billion, up 23 per cent year-over-year, driven by the iPhone 17 family. “iPhone saw strength around the world, reaching all-time revenue records in many of the markets we track, including the U.S., Greater China, Latin America, Western Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and South Asia, as well as a December quarter record in India,” he mentioned. Mac revenue was $8.4 billion, down 7 percent year over year. As we described in the last call, we faced a very difficult compare against the M4 MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, and iMac launches in the year-ago quarter, he said. “Despite this, we continued to see growth in several emerging markets, including Brazil, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, and more. And, as Tim mentioned earlier, the Mac installed base reached another all-time high, with nearly half of the customers who purchased a Mac being new to the product,” said Parekh.

Redmi Note 15 Pro series price in India: Xiaomi has launched the Redmi Note 15 Pro series in India, following the debut of the standard Redmi Note 15 5G a few weeks ago. The lineup includes the Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G and Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G. Both smartphones run on HyperOS 2, based on Android 15 out of the box. The Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G is available in Silver Ash, Mirage Blue, and Carbon Black colour options. Meanwhile, the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G comes in Coffee Mocha, Mirage Blue, and Carbon Black finishes. Redmi Note 15 Pro Series specifications  The Redmi Note 15 Pro and Note Pro+ feature a  6.83-inch 1.5K quad-curved AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection. They sport a flat-frame design and are available with either a glass back or a textured leather-like finish. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The Redmi Note 15 Pro is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Ultra, while the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset. In terms of battery, the Note 15 Pro packs a 6,580mAh unit, slightly larger than the 6,500mAh battery on the Pro+. Both smartphones support 100W fast charging. We didn’t just build a smartphone; we engineered a legend. Introducing #REDMINote15ProPlus 5G.#200MasterPixelCamera, IP69K Durability and Snapdragon® 7s Gen 4. Now that’s #SimplySuperb. Starting at ₹34,999* | First sale on 4th Feb Pre-Book Now: https://t.co/Z6Ctvfdly9 pic.twitter.com/WDcWeNd42f — Redmi India (@RedmiIndia) January 29, 2026 On the camera front, both devices feature a 200-megapixel primary sensor with OIS, along with an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera. For selfies, the Note 15 Pro+ gets a 32-megapixel front camera, while the Note 15 Pro features a 20-megapixel shooter. The smartphones also offer IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K ratings, ensuring strong resistance against dust and water. Redmi Note 15 Pro series price in India and pre-booking benefits The Redmi Note 15 Pro is priced at Rs 29,999 for the 8GB + 128GB variant, while the 8GB + 256GB model costs Rs 31,999. The Redmi Note 15 Pro+ starts at Rs 37,999 for the 8GB + 256GB version. Its 12GB + 256GB variant is priced at Rs 39,999, and the top-end 12GB + 512GB model costs Rs 43,999. Xiaomi is also offering bank discounts of up to Rs 3,000. The Redmi Note 15 Pro series will go on sale from February 4, 2026. Buyers who pre-book the devices will get a one-year screen replacement offer.

Seoul: Samsung Electronics on Thursday said it has posted record operating profit and sales in the fourth quarter of 2025 on strong sales of premium semiconductor products, including high bandwidth memory (HBM), amid the global artificial intelligence (AI) boom.  The company said in a regulatory filing that it posted 20.07 trillion won ($13.9 billion) in operating profit for the quarter, compared with 6.49 trillion won a year ago. Revenue rose 23.8 percent on-year to 93.83 trillion won. Net profit came to 19.64 trillion won, up 153.3 percent from the same period in 2024. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The earnings beat market expectations. The average estimate of net profit by analysts stood at 18.6 trillion won, according to a survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data firm of Yonhap News Agency. The device solutions division (DS), which covers chips, also posted a record operating profit of 16.4 trillion won in the October-December period on the back of strong sales of general DRAM and HBM products, compared with 2.9 trillion won posted a year earlier. Samsung Electronics said a hike in global memory prices, along with robust demand for premium products, including corporate-bound solid-state drives (SSDs), also led to the record performance. The device experience (DX) division, which includes mobile and TV businesses, posted a combined operating profit of 1.3 trillion won. In detail, the mobile business posted an operating profit of 1.9 trillion won, down from 2.1 trillion won a year earlier. The home appliances business posted an operating loss of 600 billion won, compared with an operating profit of 200 billion won in the fourth quarter of 2024, due mainly to global tariff issues, the company said. In the fourth quarter, Samsung Electronics said it spent 10.9 trillion won on its research activities, leading to record annual spending of 37.7 trillion won to secure future growth engines. The amount of facility investment for the October–December period reached 20.4 trillion won. The total spending for 2025 came to 52.7 trillion won, with the DS division accounting for 47.5 trillion won. For all of 2025, Samsung Electronics posted a net income of 45.2 trillion won, up 31.2 percent from a year earlier. Operating profit for the year was 43.6 trillion won, up 33.2 percent from the previous year, the company said. Annual sales rose 10.9 percent to 333.6 trillion won. Samsung Electronics’ annual operating profit across its entire business portfolio fell behind that of its chip rival SK hynix Inc. at 47.2 trillion won for the first time. Looking ahead, Samsung Electronics said it expects to maintain growth led by the semiconductor business amid growing demand from the AI and server sectors. The South Korean tech giant said it plans to proactively respond to strong demand for premium memory chips for AI solutions. In terms of the mobile division, Samsung Electronics said it aims to take leadership in the smartphone sector with AI-related features, along with the new Galaxy S26 models set to be showcased next month. The company said it will seek to bolster sales of home appliances by applying AI technology and focusing on premium lineups. Samsung Electronics added it will offer special dividends worth 1.3 trillion won, bringing total payouts for the fourth quarter to 3.7 trillion won. Total dividends for fiscal 2025 amounted to 11.1 trillion won.

New Delhi: As the government prepares for India AI Impact Summit 2026, the Economic Survey 2025–26, tabled in Parliament on Thursday, presents artificial intelligence (AI) as a practical economic tool rather than a race for technological prestige.   The Survey explains how AI is reshaping the global economy and lays out a realistic and development-focused strategy for India in a time of fast technological change and global uncertainty. “AI adoption in India should be rooted in economic needs and social responsibility,” it said. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source “Instead of relying on large, centralised systems, it supports a bottom-up approach where different sectors develop AI solutions suited to their specific problems,” as per the survey tabled by Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman. The Survey highlights the importance of open and interoperable systems that encourage collaboration and shared innovation. “This approach aligns well with India’s strengths, including its large pool of skilled workers, diverse data, and strong institutional networks,” it said. The Survey notes that India’s growing demand for AI is driven by real-world challenges rather than experimental or luxury technologies. It points to practical uses of AI in healthcare, agriculture, education, urban planning, disaster management, and public services. Examples include early disease detection, better water management, improved access to markets for farmers, classroom performance analysis, and AI tools in regional languages. “These solutions are designed to work on low-cost hardware and in limited-resource settings, making them affordable and scalable,” according to the Survey. “Such application-focused AI can lower costs and help overcome long-standing structural issues,” it added. Keeping in mind India’s realities such as limited capital, energy constraints, and varying institutional capacity, the Survey emphasises that AI choices must support long-term growth and avoid creating new dependencies. It also recognises that global AI development is uneven, with some countries having greater access to computing power, finance, data, and influence over global standards. Rather than seeing this as a disadvantage, the Survey uses it to shape a more realistic policy direction for India.

Flight safety rules: One of the most common instructions you are given while travelling on a flight is, “Everyone, please switch on airplane mode on your phone.” Airlines across the world ask passengers to switch their mobile phones to airplane mode before take-off and during the flight. While many travellers see this as a routine instruction, aviation experts say the rule is linked to safety, communication clarity, and network management, rather than fear of an immediate crash. Airplane mode turns off a phone’s cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connections, preventing it from sending or receiving signals from mobile towers on the ground. At high altitudes, phones constantly search for networks and may try to connect to multiple cell towers at once, which creates interference. According to aviation authorities, a single phone may not cause a problem, but multiple active devices can create signal noise that may interfere with aircraft communication systems, especially during take-off and landing, which are the most critical phases of a flight. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Does it affect aircraft systems? Modern aircraft are well shielded, and experts say phones are unlikely to cause serious damage to navigation or control systems. However, pilots have reported audio interference in headsets when several passengers forget to enable airplane mode. This interference can distort communication between pilots and air traffic control. Even minor disruptions are taken seriously in aviation, where clear communication is essential for safety. (Also Read: Redmi Note 15 Pro, Note 15 Pro+ launched in India; Check display, camera, battery, processor, pre-booking offer and other specs) Impact on mobile networks Leaving airplane mode off also affects ground mobile networks. At high speeds and at altitude, a phone can overload cell towers by switching rapidly between them. This can reduce service quality for users on the ground. To prevent this, aviation regulators and telecom authorities recommend disabling cellular signals during flights. Are there penalties for not following this? In most cases, passengers are reminded by cabin crew to switch on airplane mode. Repeated refusal to follow crew instructions can be treated as non-compliance with safety rules, which may lead to warnings or, in rare cases, legal action after landing. Flight wi-fi Many airlines offer in-flight Wi-Fi, which works through satellite systems and is approved for use during cruising altitude. Passengers can use Wi-Fi and Bluetooth while keeping cellular networks turned off. Not turning on airplane mode may not cause an accident, but it can interfere with communication, strain mobile networks, and violate aviation safety rules. That is why airlines continue to enforce this important instruction for passengers.

New Delhi: India and the European Union have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening strategic cooperation in next-generation digital technologies, including 6G telecommunications, with a focus on security, trust, and resilient global supply chains, a Communications Ministry statement said on Wednesday.  The joint statement issued after the India-EU summit welcomed the collaboration between the Bharat 6G Alliance and the 6G SNS IA, aimed at aligning research and innovation priorities for secure, trusted, and future-ready 6G networks. This industry-led engagement is expected to contribute to the development of resilient and diversified telecom supply chains, while promoting openness, interoperability, and security-by-design in next-generation communication systems. Both sides emphasised the importance of cooperation in research and development, testing, and standardisation of 6G technologies, and reiterated their shared objective of shaping globally interoperable standards that support innovation, competitiveness, and inclusive digital growth. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source This collaboration aligns with India’s national 6G vision steered by the Department of Telecommunications and seeks to position India as a global contributor and leader in 6G technology development, while ensuring secure, affordable, and sustainable digital infrastructure. The strengthened India–EU partnership in advanced telecommunications reflects a shared commitment to building a trusted, secure, and resilient global digital ecosystem, benefiting citizens, industry, and the wider international community, the statement said. In this broader strategic context, ‘Towards 2030: A Joint India–EU Comprehensive Strategic Agenda’, endorsed at the 16th India–EU Summit held on January 27, aims to strengthen mutual experience-sharing on universal, meaningful, robust, and secure digital infrastructure. The agenda also envisages closer collaboration to develop and promote secure and trusted telecommunications ecosystems, including under the Memorandum of Understanding between India’s Bharat 6G Alliance and the European Union’s 6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association, the statement said. Bharat 6G Alliance, an alliance of domestic industry, academia, national research institutions, and standards organisations, is supported by the Indian government to drive innovation and collaboration in next-generation 6G technologies. Its MoU with the 6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association (6G SNS IA) of the European Union is to explore collaboration opportunities across the 6G ecosystem.  The MoU provides a framework for cooperation on 6G vision and requirements, network architecture and use cases, identification of common areas of interest, consensus building, and joint efforts towards the development of globally harmonised standards for Beyond-5G and 6G technologies. It also aims to promote cooperation among Indian and European research and development organisations and industry stakeholders, the statement added.

Google on Wednesday launched a new artificial intelligence-powered photo editing feature in India, allowing users to edit images in Google Photos by simply describing the changes they want. The feature works through voice or text commands, making photo editing easier and more accessible for users. The company announced the rollout through an official blog post, stating that the feature is powered by advanced Gemini AI capabilities. According to Google, the new tool is designed to help users bring their ideas to life without manually adjusting editing tools. How it works? Add Zee News as a Preferred Source To use the feature, users need to open a photo in Google Photos and tap on the option “Help me edit.” After this, they can describe the changes they want, such as removing an object, adjusting colours, or changing facial expressions. The AI then automatically applies the requested edits. Google said users can now ask Photos to remove accessories like sunglasses, open closed eyes, or make a person smile. For these edits, the feature uses images from a user’s private face groups, allowing the AI to generate more accurate and personalised results. (Also Read: WhatsApp launches new strict account settings amid Meta privacy lawsuit; check features and how it works) Language support The AI editing feature is available in English, Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, Telugu, Bengali, and Gujarati. It works on Android devices with at least 4GB of RAM and requires Android 8.0 or later. Google has not yet confirmed when the feature will be expanded to other platforms or devices. New editing tools Along with the main feature, Google has also introduced conversational editing, which allows users to switch between editing tools by simply giving instructions like “make the background blurry” or “remove glare.” Another addition is personalised edits, where users can ask Gemini to modify specific people in photos by name. Google has also introduced Nano Banana, a feature that allows users to transform images into new styles by describing the desired look. To improve transparency, Google is adding support for C2PA content credentials in Google Photos. This will attach a digital label to edited images, showing their origin and edit history, which will help users identify AI-modified content.