BSNL ‘Freedom Plan’ Offer: State-owned telecom company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has extended the deadline for its Freedom Plan by 15 days, until September 15, after receiving an overwhelming response from customers. The offer is launched on August 1, the plan offers complimentary 4G mobile services for 30 days at a token price of Re 1 for new activations. Originally, the scheme was valid only until August 31. The benefits of the plan include unlimited voice calls (as per terms and conditions), 2GB of high-speed 4G data per day, 100 SMS per day, and a free SIM card. Customers can avail the Freedom Plan by visiting the nearest BSNL customer service centre with valid KYC documents. How To Activate BSNL Freedom Plan SIM Add Zee News as a Preferred Source BSNL users can get the Freedom Plan SIM for just Rs 1 by completing a simple KYC process. After collecting and inserting the SIM, follow the activation steps provided. Once activated, you will enjoy 30 days of complimentary benefits starting from the date of activation.

New Delhi: The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, which was passed by the Parliament and has got the President’s assent, will be notified soon, Electronics and IT Secretary S. Krishnan said on Monday. Talking to the media at an ICEA event on semiconductors here, the Secretary informed that all the necessary steps are being taken to bring the law into force quickly. In the monsoon session, Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw introduced the Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which was passed by both houses. In addition to outright banning the offering, operation, facilitation, promotion, advertising, and participation in online money games, the law seeks to regulate and promote social, educational, and esports games. An online game that is played as a component of multi-sport events and involves organised competitive competitions between individuals or teams is referred to as “e-sport” under the Bill. The National Sports Governance Act of 2025 recognises these competitions, which are played in multiplayer formats with predetermined rules. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Following the government’s move, all online money gaming platforms, including Dream11, Pokerbazi, Rummy Circle and others, have discontinued their money gaming contests. The Electronics and IT Secretary also said that the semiconductor space is an important aspect for India and as “a matter of pride, the first commercial chip built in India is set to roll roll-out this year”. Union Minister Vaishnaw stated last week that the country is looking to build global-scale capabilities to support the markets with the best quality products. India will manufacture every component used in mobile phones, including chips, cover glasses, laptops, and servers, positioning the nation as a global player in electronics manufacturing. During the opening of India’s first tempered glass manufacturing facility for mobile devices in Noida, the minister stated that the country’s electronics manufacturing sector has expanded six times in the last eleven years, reaching a production value of Rs 11.5 lakh crore, exporting over Rs 3 lakh crore, and providing direct and indirect employment for 2.5 million people. He claimed that value addition is gradually being improved and that the nation’s entire electronics ecosystem is growing quickly. The US-based Corning Incorporated and Optiemus Electronics have partnered to establish the facility, which will manufacture premium tempered glass under the well-known “Engineered by Corning” brand.

Realme 15T 5G India Launch: Realme has announced the official launch date of the Realme 15T 5G smartphone in India. The company will launch the new midrange handset on September 2 at 12 PM IST. It will join the existing Realme 15 lineup, comprising the Realme 15 and Realme 15 Pro. The Realme 15T 5G smartphone will come in Flowing Silver, Silk Blue, and Suit Titanium colour options. The device will support AI-backed editing tools like AI Edit Genie, AI Snap Mode, and AI Landscape and comes with a textured design and a matte finish. The company claims that the upcoming Realme 15T 5G smartphone is the lightest smartphone with a battery of this capacity. It is far lighter than the Redmi 15 that measures 217g. The Realme 15T 5G is expected to come with Realme UI 6 based on Android 15. The company promises 3 OS updates and 4 years of security updates. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Realme 15T 5G Specifications (Expected) The smartphone is expected to feature a 6.7-inch 4R Comfort+ AMOLED display with up to 4,000 nits peak brightness, 2,160Hz PWM dimming, 10-bit colour depth, and a 93% screen-to-body ratio. The device may be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6400 Max chipset, an upgrade over the Dimensity 6300 found in the 14T. (Also Read: WhatsApp, Apple Fix Dangerous ‘Zero-Click’ Bug With New Security Update; Here’s How To Stay Protected) The smartphone will feature IP66, IP68, and IP69 ratings, making it highly durable against dust and water. It will be powered by a massive 7,000mAh battery with wired fast charging support and 10W reverse charging. Despite the large battery, the device will remain slim and lightweight at just 7.79mm thick and 181g in weight. On the camera front, the Realme 15T 5G may sport a dual rear setup with AI features, highlighted by a 50-megapixel primary sensor capable of 4K video recording, alongside a 50-megapixel selfie camera. Adding further, the device will feature a 6,050 sq mm AirFlow vapour chamber (VC) cooling system to ensure effective thermal management during heavy usage. (Also Read: Is TikTok Coming Back To India? ByteDance-Owned Company Starts Hiring for THESE Job Roles In Gurgaon – Details Here) Realme 15T 5G Price In India (Expectations) The company is expected to announce the official pricing of the device at launch. However, the Realme 15T 5G is rumoured to start at Rs 20,999 for the 8GB+128GB variant, while the 8GB+256GB and 12GB+256GB models could be priced at Rs 22,999 and Rs 24,999, respectively. The smartphone will reportedly be available via Flipkart, the Realme India e-store, and select offline retailers.

WhatsApp And Apple Security Update: WhatsApp and Apple have released an important security update to fix a ‘Zero-Click Vulnerability’ found on their platforms. This serious flaw allowed hackers to break into a user’s device without any action, such as clicking a link or opening a file. Unlike regular cyberattacks, this one could be carried out remotely, making it far more dangerous. However, WhatsApp has fixed a security bug in its app for iPhones and Macs that hackers used to access specific users’ devices. WhatsApp’s CVE-2025-43300 Bug According to a security advisory from WhatsApp, a bug identified as CVE-2025-43300 may have been used in sophisticated cyberattacks targeting specific users. This vulnerability was present in several versions of the platform, including WhatsApp for iOS before version 2.25.21.73, WhatsApp Business for iOS prior to version 2.25.21.78, and WhatsApp for Mac before version 2.25.21.78. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The flaw was part of a “zero-click” exploit, meaning attackers could compromise a device without any action from the user. This was achieved by combining the WhatsApp vulnerability with a separate flaw in Apple’s operating system. Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, confirmed that the bug was patched a few weeks ago and that fewer than 200 affected users were notified of the potential breach. (Also Read: Flipkart Big Billion Days Sale In India: Samsung Galaxy S24 And iPhone 16 May Get Major Price Cuts; Check Expected Discounts And Bank Offers) Apple’s CVE-2025-55177 Bug In a related development, Apple also addressed a critical vulnerability, identified as CVE-2025-43300. The company stated that this flaw could allow for memory corruption if a device processed a malicious image file. This bug was reportedly not exploited in isolation. Instead, it was chained with a separate WhatsApp vulnerability (CVE-2025-55177) to create a powerful “zero-click” exploit. This combined attack was used in sophisticated spyware campaigns targeting specific individuals, particularly iPhone users. Apple acknowledged being aware of reports that this vulnerability was actively used in “an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals” to install spyware and steal data from their devices. iPhone And Android Users Are Targeted According to Donncha O Cearbhaill, head of Amnesty International’s Security Lab, the recent exploit was part of an advanced spyware campaign. He revealed that initial investigations covering the last 90 days indicated that both iPhone and Android users were targeted. The victims of this campaign reportedly included a significant number of activists and members of civil society. Zero-click attacks are considered among the most dangerous threats in the cyber world because they require no user interaction to succeed. Unlike common phishing or malware attacks, where a person must click a link or open a file, a zero-click exploit allows hackers to infiltrate a system and steal data remotely. This makes them exceptionally difficult to defend against, as users have no preventive measures to take and are often completely unaware that their device has been compromised. Most Dangerous Threats in the Cyber World  To keep your devices safe, you need to act now. It’s important to immediately update both WhatsApp and your iPhone/iPad to the newest versions. These updates include the fixes for the security problems. Even though this specific bug is fixed, it’s still smart to be careful online. Don’t click on strange links or open files you don’t trust. A good habit is to always install security updates as soon as they are available to protect yourself from new threats.

Flipkart Big Billion Days Sale In India: Walmart-owned Flipkart has officially started teasing its Big Billion Days Sale in India, one of the country’s biggest online shopping events of the year. While the company has not yet announced the exact dates, a banner on its website and app confirms that the sale is “Coming Soon.” Shoppers can expect massive discounts on smartphones from leading brands such as Samsung, Apple, Motorola, and Realme. Adding further, the sale will feature significant price cuts on home appliances, including smart TVs, air conditioners, and refrigerators. Flipkart Big Billion Days Sale: Samsung Galaxy S24 And iPhone 16 Price Cut (Expected) Add Zee News as a Preferred Source According to the hints, the Samsung Galaxy S24 will see a big price cut, while the iPhone 16 may drop to its lowest price yet as the iPhone 17 launch nears. As far as discounts are concerned, Flipkart is likely to roll out offers across all major categories. Customers can expect deals on smartphones, laptops, kitchen and home appliances, TVs, clothing, footwear, and more. Flipkart Big Billion Days Sale: Discounts And Bank Offers (Expected) Flipkart regularly partners with leading banks to provide instant discounts and no-cost EMI options, enhancing the overall appeal of its sales. This year as well, the e-commerce giant is expected to roll out attractive bank offers and special card discounts. Notably, Flipkart’s Big Billion Days Sale is likely to coincide with Amazon’s Diwali sale, known as the Great Indian Festival. 

TikTok Job Hiring In India: ByteDance-owned TikTok India has opened recruitment for two positions at its Gurgaon office. After clarification regarding the glitch that briefly made TikTok accessible in India, it is now clear that the short-video app is not returning anytime soon. Indian authorities and ByteDance have confirmed that the app continues to remain banned in the country for now. In a surprising update, the job postings, which appeared on professional networking sites like LinkedIn, have led many to speculate that the government may be considering lifting the ban, which was imposed in 2020 amid escalating geopolitical tensions between India and China. TikTok’s New Job Roles In India Add Zee News as a Preferred Source As per LinkedIn data, TikTok is hiring for two roles at its Gurugram office. The first is for a ‘Content Moderator — Bengali Speaker (Trust and Safety),’ and the second is for a ‘Wellbeing Partnership and Operations Lead — Trust & Safety.’ The jobs were posted on 29 August 2025, and within three days, the second role received over 100 applications. TikTok Accessibility In India However, government sources have not confirmed any change in TikTok’s status. The company’s app is still unavailable for download on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store in India. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has clarified that reports suggesting TikTok’s accessibility in India are incorrect. (Also Read: Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max India Launch On September 9: Check Expected Specs, Pre-Order, Sale Date, And Prices In India, US, Dubai) TikTok Banned By Indian Government In June 2020 TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, was among the 59 mobile applications banned by the Indian government in June 2020. The ban was imposed amid escalating tensions between India and China after the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes in eastern Ladakh. Meanwhile, the apps on the list included UC Browser and WeChat. The ban was imposed over concerns related to India’s sovereignty, security, and public order. Before being banned, TikTok had an estimated 200 million users in India. At the end, the recent improvement in India-China relations has raised hopes for ByteDance to engage with local authorities and explore possibilities of re-entering the Indian market. 

Seoul: Samsung Electronics ranked first in the Indian TV market in the first half of 2025, data showed on Sunday, backed by robust sales of large-sized premium models. The South Korean tech giant accounted for 23.8 percent of the market during the January-June period, maintaining the top spot since 2017, according to data compiled by global market research firm Omdia. LG Electronics, Samsung’s smaller South Korean rival, ranked second with a 16.5 percent share, followed by China’s Xiaomi with 7.9 percent, reports Yonhap news agency. Industry watchers said Samsung was able to sustain strong sales in India with its cutting-edge large-screen models, including Neo QLED and OLED TVs. Educational content offered through Samsung’s smart TV platform, along with global entertainment titles, including programs from South Korea, also helped the company maintain its leading spot, they added. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The combined sales of TVs in India were estimated at 11.29 million units in 2024. Meanwhile, Samsung said it has adopted Microsoft’s Copilot, a generative artificial intelligence (AI) assistant program, for its latest TVs and monitors to offer customised interactivity to viewers. The Microsoft AI will be applied to Samsung’s latest TVs and monitors launched this year, including the premium Micro RGB TV. “With Copilot built into the display, users can access Microsoft’s powerful AI companion through a simple voice command or click of the remote, making it easier to search, learn and engage with content directly from their screens,” the company said. Samsung said users can experience natural voice interaction to receive personalised responses, such as music recommendations or weather information. “Through our open AI partnerships, Samsung is setting a new standard for AI-powered screens,” said Kevin Lee, executive vice president of Samsung’s display business. “Copilot makes it fun and easy to quickly get what you need through tailored experiences, whether you’re learning something new, enjoying entertainment, tackling everyday tasks or more,” Lee added.

New Delhi: India is looking at building global-scale capabilities to support the markets with best quality products and the country will manufacture each and every component used in mobile phones, including chips, cover glasses, laptop and server components, thereby positioning the country as a world player in electronics manufacturing, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday. The minister underlined that in the past 11 years, electronics manufacturing in India has grown six times to reach a production value of Rs 11.5 lakh crore, with exports of over Rs 3 lakh crore and direct and indirect employment for 2.5 million people. He said that the overall electronics ecosystem in the country is developing rapidly and value addition is being enhanced step by step. The minister inaugurated India’s first tempered glass manufacturing facility for mobile devices at Noida. The facility has been set up by Optiemus Electronics in collaboration with US-based Corning Incorporated, and will produce high-quality tempered glass under the globally recognised brand “Engineered by Corning”. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The products will be supplied to both domestic and international markets. Vaishnaw said tempered glass is an important accessory for mobile phones and its indigenous manufacturing is a major step forward in the success of ‘Make in India’ and the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The minister also informed that a Made in India chip is expected to roll out soon, marking another milestone in the country’s journey towards self-reliance. He also highlighted that India’s design strength is its biggest strength, and the government will continue to boost research and development capabilities. Citing examples, he said that an IIT Madras-incubated startup has designed India’s first microcontroller, which will soon be deployed in Indian products. In the Railways sector, Indian manufacturers are already exporting equipment of the highest global quality standards to European countries. Vaishnaw further said that India’s GDP growth of 7.8 per cent in the first quarter of financial year 2025-26 demonstrates that the country is a stable, vibrant and innovation-driven economy. He called upon the youth to work hard and contribute to the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047, stating that the world is looking towards India with great expectations. Pankaj Mahindroo, Chairman, India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA) said that “This product segment has a very high labour-intensive manufacturing process and presents a tremendous opportunity for India – not just to meet its own high domestic demand, but also to become a leading exporter.”

iPhone 17 Pro Max Price In India: Good news for iPhone users! Apple is set to launch the iPhone 17 Pro Max in India on September 9 at the Steve Jobs Theater on the Apple Park campus in Cupertino. The Cupertino-based company has scheduled the ‘Awe Dropping’ event for 10:30 PM IST. Alongside the Pro Max, Apple is also expected to unveil the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, and iPhone 17 Pro. The much-anticipated iPhone 17 Pro Max is likely to be available in four color options — black, white, grey, and dark blue. Pre-orders are expected to begin on September 12, with deliveries and in-store sales starting from September 19. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max Specifications (Expected) Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The new premium smartphone is expected to feature a large 6.9-inch display with ProMotion technology, offering a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling and video playback, a feature previously exclusive to the Pro models. The device is powered by the upgraded A19 Pro chipset, built on TSMC’s advanced 3nm process. On the photography front,  it is tipped to be the first iPhone to sport three 48-megapixel rear sensors, including a Wide, an Ultra Wide, and a Tetraprism Telephoto lens, with support for 8K video recording. The flagship model is also rumored to get a significant battery upgrade, moving up to a 5,000mAh unit from last year’s 4,676mAh, and may introduce reverse wireless charging at 7.5W for the first time. Adding further, upgraded RAM support is expected to enhance multitasking and enable smoother usage of Apple Intelligence features in iOS 26. (Also Read: Samsung Galaxy A17 5G Launched In India With AI Features Under Rs 25,000; Check Camera, Battery, Display And Other Features) The Cupertino-based tech giant is expected to introduce a vapor cooling system on the iPhone 17 Pro Max for improved heat dissipation. Unlike its predecessors, the upcoming Pro models may drop the titanium frame in favor of a return to aluminum frames. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max Price In India, Dubai And US (Expected) The iPhone 17 Pro Max is expected to be priced at Rs. 1,64,990 in India for the base 256GB model, marking a significant jump from the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s Rs. 1,44,990 launch price. In the US, the handset is likely to cost around $1,249, while in Dubai, the price is expected to range between AED 5,299 and AED 6,999.  

Seoul: South Korean chipmakers are facing growing concerns as the U.S. administration plans to introduce a stricter export control mechanism for Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, in addition to its hefty tariff scheme, according to industry watchers on Saturday. On Friday (US time), the U.S. Commerce Department announced a plan to strip the two Korean chipmakers, as well as Intel Semiconductor Ltd., of “validated end-user (VEU)” status, a move that will require them to secure individual export licenses for sending certain U.S. chipmaking equipment to their plants in China. Until now, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix could ship certain U.S. semiconductor equipment to pre-approved sites under a general authorization with their VEU status, reports Yonhap news agency. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source “We have been able to reduce business uncertainties even amid Washington’s export controls on China thanks to the VEU status, but with the planned revocation of the status, we will have to face short-term damage,” an industry official said on condition of anonymity. “The U.S. administration has been rolling out new or revised semiconductor regulations every two to three weeks and also revising existing ones,” the official said. “But since Washington has a clear direction of fostering the American semiconductor industry, we are reviewing various scenarios and working on mid- to long-term countermeasures,” the official added. The Korean chipmaking industry has been facing headwinds amid U.S. controls on tech exports to China, sparked by intensifying rivalry between the two countries over technological leadership and security issues. In April, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump expanded its export ban to cover the H20 graphic processing unit developed by artificial intelligence (AI) chip giant Nvidia specifically for China, though it changed its stance earlier this month to grant export licenses for the product. Also this month, Trump has said his administration will soon unveil tariffs of around 100 percent on semiconductor imports, raising concerns for Korean companies.