Tech

Maranamass OTT Release Date Out: Know When and Where to Watch



One of the most loved Malayalam movies, Maranamass, is hitting digital screens on May 15, 2025. The dark comedy thriller that revolves around a killer who has threatened the entire city with his serial killings. However, Luke, played by Basil Joseph, has become a prime suspect. The movie features Basil Joseph and Anishma Anilkumar in the lead roles. The movie is also a directorial debut of Sivaprasad. Here’s what you neeed to know about the OTT release date of the Malayalam movie. 

When and Where to Watch Maranamass

Maranamass will premiere on May 15, 2025 only on Sony LIV. Viewers will need to subscribe to watch this Basil Joseph dark comedy thriller.

Official Trailer and Plot of Maranamass

Maranamass follows a serial killer who has threatened the city with his serial killings. This killer targets older men, which in turn has raised immense doubts and questions among the locals. Also, the killer stuffs the bananas in the mouths of the victims, and soon, is named a Banana Killer. Luke, on the other hand, is a troublemaker who becomes a prime suspect. But, is he the real serial killer? Will the police be able to find this mystery man?

Cast and Crew of Maranamass

Basil Joseph and Anishma Anilkumar are in the lead role of Maranamass, supported by the talented Tovino Thomas, Siju Sunny, Babu Antony, and other star cast. Maranamass is the directorial debut of Sivaprasad, which has been outstandingly supported by Binu Narayan (Direction) and Siju Sunny (Writer). The music of Maranamass has been composed by Jay Unnithan, while the cinematography has been crafted by Neeraj Revi.

Reception of Maranamass

Theatrically released on the day of Vishu, April 2025, this movie is certainly one of the biggest hits of the Malayalam industry. The IMDb rating of the movie is 8.0/10. It received extensive love from critics and the audience.

 



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iOS 18.5 Release Candidate Rolls Out to Beta Testers With Satellite Connectivity on iPhone 13



iOS 18.5 is expected to roll out to users in the coming days, and Apple began rolling out the iOS 18.5 release candidate to beta testers earlier this week. When the update rolls out to eligible iPhone models, customers will see a couple of notable changes to the Apple TV app on third party devices, and the Screen Time feature on iOS. Meanwhile, Apple has also added support for satellite features on the iPhone 13, via supported network providers.

iOS 18.5 Release Candidate New Features and Changes

Apple’s changelog for the iOS 18.5 release candidate that rolled out to testers on Monday gives us an idea of what to expect from the upcoming iOS update. The update adds a useful feature to Screen Time that alerts a parent whenever the passcode that manages controls is entered on their child’s device. This can keep parents informed when their child manages to guess the Screen Time passcode to bypass parental controls.

Satellite connectivity is also coming to some of Apple’s older iPhone 13 series of smartphones. Keep in mind that this is carrier-based satellite connectivity, which means that it’s not the same as the Globalstar-powered satellite connectivity offered on the iPhone 14 and newer models. For example, T-Mobile users in the US can access satellite connectivity via Starlink Direct (SpaceX).

The company is also making it somewhat easier to make purchases on the Apple TV app when using a third party device. Users can now choose a new Buy with iPhone option when purchasing content and complete the transaction using their handset.

iOS 18.4 brought a new Apple Vision Pro app for customers who purchased the Vision Pro spatial computer. The upcoming iOS 18.5 update will resolve a bug that resulted in a black screen being displayed when the app was being used, according to the company.

Apple will also include a new Pride Harmony wallpaper with the upcoming update to iOS 18.5, and it is a part of the latest iOS 18.5 release candidate. Users can expect to see these feature improvements and new additions when the stable version is released — this could be as early as next week, if Apple doesn’t roll out a second release candidate.



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A Pyramid in the Amazon? The Mystery of Cerro El Cono in Peru’s Sierra del Divisor


The mysterious peak of Cerro El Cono, standing isolated in the Sierra del Divisor, a mountainous border between Peru and Brazil, has drawn attention of researchers for its mysterious pyramidal shape, emerging from the plain and protruding from the virgin lowland forest. In the Andes mountain range, the structure is visible from a distance of up to 250 miles (400 kilometers) on clear days. Because of its remote location, Cerro El Cono’s origins have remained a mystery. Some reports suggest that “The cone hill” may just be a peculiar rock structure, while others speculate that it may be an extinct volcano. 

Origin Theories

According to research featured in La República, the 1310-foot-tall Corro El Cono is a spiritual entity for the local tribes. It is respected as an Andean Apu, a secret mountain believed to hold protective powers for the people living in its vicinity.

Some researchers speculate it as an extinct volcano due to its distinct shape, but this hypothesis remains unconfirmed due to limited research and accessibility issues in this area.
Another explanation — one for which there is no evidence — is that Cerro El Cono sits on the ruins of a pyramid built by ancient Indigenous tribes.

Conservation challenges

The surrounding jungle of Cerro El Cono is a home to several vulnerable species, including giant armadillos (Priodontes maximus), jaguars (Panthera onca) and various types of monkeys, according to The Guardian. This makes it environmentally significant and it is considered a Biodiversity hotspot.

To combat threats of environmental degradation due to illegal logging, gold mining, and poaching, Sierra del Divisor National Park was created in 2015. But recent surveys show, this protected park has failed to deliver the promised threat removal.

 

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Motorola Razr 60 Ultra With Snapdragon 8 Elite Chip, Moto AI Suite Confirmed to Launch in India Soon



iQOO Neo 10 Pro+ Moniker Surfaces Online; Launch Timeline, Key Features Tipped





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Hubble Captures Stunning Image of Peculiar Spiral Galaxy Arp 184 in Camelopardalis



NASA/ESA Hubble space telescope has captured a beautiful yet skewed-shaped spiral galaxy that resides about 190 million light-years away from Earth. This galaxy, named Arp 184 or NGC 1961, is a part of the Camelopardalis or the Giraffe constellation. Its vivid and dazzling image reveals its asymmetric shape, and a single spiral arm stretched towards the viewer make it an interesting prospect for studies. The occurrence of multiple supernovae has drawn the attention of researchers to be a valuable target for research into galactic interactions and stellar explosions.

Cataloguing the galaxy

According to the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies compiled by astronomer Halton, Arp in 1966, the galaxy is named Arp 184. This catalogues about 338 galaxies that tend to be neither entirely spiral nor entirely elliptical-shaped. Dwarf galaxies without particular structures and the galaxies interacting with one another are also catalogued here. Arp 184 has a bright spot radiating light as the centre. A thick, stormy disc of material surrounds this, with swirling strands of dark dust and bright spots of star formation strewn through the disc.

A large spiral, star-speckled arm extends from the disc towards the viewer, for which it has earned a spot in this Atlas. The far side of Arp 184 does not have this impressive stretched arm, but it sports a few wisps of gas and stars on that side.

Hubble snapshot observing programs

The Hubble image showcases data from three Snapshot observing programs, one of which focused on Arp 184 for its unique appearance. The program surveyed galaxies listed in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies and A Catalogue of Southern Peculiar Galaxies and Associations. The other two programs examined the aftermath of astronomical events like supernovae and tidal disruption events. Arp 184, having hosted four known supernovae in the past three decades, is a prime target for a supernova hunt.

 



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Oppo Reno 14 Series Launch Date Surfaces Online; Lineup May Include Base and Pro Variants


Oppo Reno 14 series is set to be unveiled in China soon. While the company has yet to officially announce the launch date for the phone, digital content creators in the country have started receiving invitations to the launch event that reveal the release date. The upcoming lineup is expected to include the base and Pro variants. The smartphones are expected to succeed the Oppo Reno 13 and the Reno 13 Pro, respectively. Previously, the design and expected key features of the purported handsets surfaced online, as well. Both smartphones are tipped to sport flat displays.

Oppo Reno 14 Series Launch

Chinese technology blogger Technology Jiachen (translated from Chinese) shared images of the Oppo Reno 14 launch event invitation he received from the company on Weibo. The letter reveals that the launch will take place on May 15 at 4pm local time (1:30pm IST). This suggests that the Oppo Reno 14 series, expected to include the base and Pro models, will be unveiled at the event.

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Oppo Reno 14 Series launch event invitation
Photo Credit: Weibo/Technology Jiachen

Oppo has yet to officially confirm this launch date, but we can expect that to happen soon, given that the event is next week. A pre-reservation page for the series on the official website is currently live, but it does not reveal any details about the handsets.

Previously, the Oppo Reno 14 appeared on Geekbench with a MediaTek Dimensity 8400 SoC and support for 12GB of RAM as well as Android 15. The handset is tipped to boast an iPhone-inspired design. The Reno 14 lineup is expected to get flat displays alongside thin and lightweight builds with metal middle frames. 

The Oppo Reno 14 Pro will likely carry a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto camera with 3.5x optical zoom alongside a 50-megapixel primary sensor and an 8-megapixel ultrawide shooter. Its rumoured flat OLED display is said to support a 120Hz refresh rate. It will likely be equipped with a customisable ‘Magic Cube’ button, which is said to be similar to Apple’s Action Button.

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Oppo Find X8 Ultra Review: So Good, Yet So Far


Another Ultra phone has made its way to our reviews. But I’m disappointed that this one won’t be available in India. Yes, the Find X8 Ultra is the successor to the Find X7 Ultra (which also never launched in India). This means that the Find X8 Pro and Find X8 (Review) will remain the ultimate flagship smartphone for people in India who want the absolute best from Oppo. So, compared to the X8s available in India, what does X8 Ultra bring to the table? Well, a lot.

The X8 Ultra gets a higher resolution screen than the X8 Pro and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite (8-Core) under the hood compared to MediaTek Dimensity 9400 on the X8 Pro. There’s also the primary 1-inch sensor, which isn’t on the X8 Pro. To top it off, there’s also faster-wired charging and a bigger battery. Well, on paper, the X8 Ultra definitely feels like a phone that should have made it to India and could have easily gone up against the likes of the iPhone 16 Pro Max (Review), Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, and Xiaomi 15 Ultra. Nevertheless, if you plan on getting the X8 Ultra, what should you expect? Well, read my review to find out.

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Oppo claims that the Find X8 Ultra is the slimmest camera flagship at 8.78mm

 

Oppo Find X8 Ultra Design and Display: Striking aesthetics and stunning visuals

  • Dimensions: 163.09×76.80×8.78mm
  • Weight: 226 grams
  • Display: 6.82-inch ProXDR AMOLED, 2500nits peak brightness
  • IP68 and IP69 rating

The Find X8 Ultra introduces an all-new design for the company’s Ultra line of devices. The Find X7 Ultra (Review) had a signature dual-tone finish that stood out, but Oppo chose a more muted option. It’s more in sync with the X8 Pro and X8 smartphones. Yes, the rear camera module looks nothing less than an ‘Ultra’ setup, which we have finally lived to accept lately. The Oppo Find X8 Ultra camera module has four 50-megapixel sensors and a True Chroma module, a multispectral system, and I will talk about that in the camera section.

oppo find x8 ultra rear3 Oppo-find-x8-ultra

The phone comes in Matte Black, Pure White, and Shell Pink (pictured above) colours

 

Oppo has been thumping its chest for the Find X8 Ultra to be the thinnest camera phone. At 8.78mm, the Find X8 Ultra convincingly beats the Find X7 Ultra (9.5mm) and Xiaomi 15 Ultra (9.48mm). Oppo claims that it achieved a significant feat by redesigning its internals. While using it every day, the 226 grams of weight felt distributed evenly throughout. It has a flat design, just like many flagships in the market. The contoured edges and matte glass back offer a great hand feel.

The company calls the camera module ring at the back the Cosmos Ring design. The good thing is that the cameras are arranged in symmetry with the legendary camera brand, Hasselblad, branding. Oppo has ensured attention to detail with an orange dot at the back signifying imaging capabilities and a nod to Hasselblad’s shutter button in its cameras. Oppo has nailed the attention to detail quotient.

oppo find x8 ultra camera placement13 Oppo-find-x8-ultra

The Find X8 Ultra rear camera housing comes with Hasselblad branding

 

Finally, another smartphone maker joined hands with Apple and entered the era of more physical buttons on a smartphone. The Find X8 Ultra gets a Shortcut Button and a Quick Button, which was also seen on the Find X8 Pro. The Quick Button is a shortcut to access the cameras on the device by double tapping and then swiping for zoom or even long pressing for burst shooting. The Shortcut Button is a more evolved Alert slider, activating sound and vibration modes by simply long pressing. You can also customise it to turn on a flashlight, record voice, turn on translation, or take screenshots.

The Find X8 Ultra sports a glass sandwich design, but the good thing is the rear is fingerprint-smudge-free. Oppo claims Corning Gorilla Glass is used on both sides but doesn’t mention whether it is the latest. The Cherry on the cake is that the phone gets SGS Five-Star drop resistance certification, so you can comfortably use this one without a case. Like some Android flagships, the Find X8 Ultra also gets IP68 and IP69 dust and water-resistant ratings.

oppo find x8 ultra homescreen12 Oppo-find-x8-ultra

It features a 6.82-inch LTPO OLED display with adaptive 120Hz refresh rate

 

The Find X8 Ultra is available in Matte Black, Pure White, and Shell Pink. For some reason, Oppo India sent me a Shell Pink, which initially wasn’t my best pick colour but has since grown on me. The muted colour and matte finish look classy and provide an understated presence. The phone also gets an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, which is snappy and always reliable.

Jumping to the display, the Find X8 Ultra features a 6.82-inch AMOLED LTPO display with 120Hz Adaptive refresh rate, 1440×3168 pixels screen resolution, 510PPI pixel density, and up to 2160Hz PWM dimming. It supports Dolby Vision and gets a peak brightness of 2500nits. Everything about the Find X8 Ultra display is flagship-grade except the peak brightness, which should have been at least 3000nits, if not more. For comparison, the Find X8 Pro and Find X7 Ultra sport 4500nits peak brightness.

oppo find x8 ultra toggle2 Oppo-find-x8-ultra

The peak brightness is capped at 1600nits, which is lower than what we see on some competition devices

 

Talking about raw performance, the Find X8 Ultra packs a stunning panel. I loved watching multimedia content on this one and also playing gaming titles. It can reproduce punchy colours and is bright enough in the outdoors. It gets Widevine L1 support, which means you can watch HDR content across OTT platforms. Like I said, everything about the display department on the Find X8 Ultra is flagship-grade except the peak brightness, which could have been better.

Oppo Find X8 Ultra Performance: Flagship standard

  • SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite (8-Core)
  • RAM: Up to 16GB LDDDR5X
  • Storage: Up to 1GB UFS 4.1
  • OS: ColorOS 15 based on Android 15

The Find X8 Ultra is powered by Qualcomm’s top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, and you can’t get a better chipset on an Android phone than this one (at least till 2025 H2). The unit we got has 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. In China, Oppo also sells a 1 TB variant.

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The smartphone comes with UFS 4.1 storage

 

In everyday usage, the Find X8 Ultra is snappy and can handle up to 35 apps in the background without sweat. I had a wonderful time playing games Call of Duty: Mobile and BGMI on the device, and the games at Medium graphics and Ultra frame rate were terrific. Even after 45 minutes of continuous COD Mobile, the phone didn’t overheat. Although it gets hot, once you stop playing the vapour chamber system, graphite and copper layers are super quick to bring temperatures down.

Talking about benchmarks, the Find X8 Ultra is a flagship device, and the table below shows how well it performed versus the competition.

 

Benchmark Oppo Find X8 Ultra iPhone 16 Pro Max Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Xiaomi 15 Ultra
Geekbench 6 Single 3,065 3,203 3,053 2,980
Geekbench 6 Multi 9,390 7,846 9,832 8,870
AnTuTu v10 27,38,647 15,87,059 21,23,303 25,19,481
PCMark Work 3.0 18,540 N/A 19,266 18,189
GFXB T-rex 60fps 59fps 120fps 120fps
GFXB Manhattan 3.1 326fps 59.7fps 115fps 306fps
GFXB Car Chase 60fps 59.4fps 94fps 120fps
3DM Slingshot Extreme OpenGL Maxed Out N/A Failed to run Maxed Out
3DM Slingshot Maxed Out N/A Failed to run Maxed Out
3DM Wild Life Maxed Out 8,942 Maxed Out Maxed Out
3DM Wild Life Extreme Stress  6,221 N/A 23,683 Failed to run

If there’s one department where the Find X8 Ultra really stands out, then it has to be the haptic motor (0916T). The flawless vibration motor enhances the gaming and typing experience to the next level. The Find X8 Ultra excels in the performance department with its raw credentials.

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The Find X8 Ultra runs ColorOS 15 based on Android 15

 

The phone runs on ColorOS 15, based on Android 15, and comes with the company’s promise of 5 years of OS updates and 6 years of security updates. The new coat of ColorOS brings a host of AI features, like other smartphone makers. AI is the buzzword, so why should Oppo miss out on cashing on it?

There are features like AI Photo Remaster, AI Clarity Enhancer, AI Reflection Remover, AI Unblur, AI Eraser, AI Perfect Shot, and AI Studio. Additionally, there are more AI features focused on productivity features, like AI Reply, which shows pre-typed texts, and you can just send them. There’s also AI Writer, AI Speak, AI Assistant for Notes, AI Recording Summary, and AI Summary for documents like PDF. Oppo claims the Trinity Engine features smart caching that optimises CPU and system performance. The new ColorOS 15 also introduces the O+ Connect app that lets you transfer files between Oppo devices and iPhone/iPad. There’s also a new Zen Mode-like Aqua Dynamics, which reduces interference.

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The smartphone is powered by 8-core Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC

 

Overall, the Find X8 Ultra is an excellent product from Oppo, and as I said in my intro to the review, I’m disappointed that this isn’t coming to India.

Oppo Find X8 Ultra Camera: Setting the benchmark

  • Camera setup: Quad camera setup
  • Primary: 50-megapixel Sony LYT900 1-inch sensor with f/1.8 aperture
  • Telephotos: 50-megapixel (3x) Sony LYT700 1/1.56-inch with f/2.1 aperture
  • 50-megapixel (6x) Sony LYT600 1/1/95-inch with f/3.1 aperture
  • Selfie: 32-megapixel sensor

The Find X8 Ultra’s biggest strength is its camera setup. If something makes it ultra-worthy, then it has to be the cameras. Jumping straight to the raw camera performance, the Find X8 Ultra can click some amazing daylight shots. The samples I clicked had plenty of details and, most importantly, vibrant and accurate colours. In most of the samples, the dynamic range is also excellent. I was carrying the Find X8 Ultra to one of my recent Spiti trips, and here are some fantastic samples from the amazing place.

oppo find x8 ultra cameraui5 Oppo-find-x8-ultra

The rear packs four 50-megapixel cameras

The results are amazing whether you are clicking with a 1x or 2x lens. I didn’t see much of a difference because of the switch of the lenses.





Oppo Find X8 Ultra primary camera samples (tap images to expand)

Portraits also come out well, and below is a sample captured in the middle of nowhere en route to Spiti. I really love how the phone manages to keep skin tone and facial details rendered well without oversharpening. The depth estimation is also accurate, and subject isolation is perfect.

The two telephoto cameras offer a big advantage to the Find X8 Ultra, especially when you compare them to the Find X8 Pro. The 3x telephoto sensor comes in handy for your macro shots as well as regular shots.

Oppo Find X8 Ultra portrait sample (tap image to expand)

The samples had great details, accurate exposure and colours. The best part is that the noise is well-managed across lighting conditions. The 6x lens is equally useful for zoom shots. It is great for reach, and I got some amazing 6x shots with plenty of details, excellent dynamic range, and crisp colours.

Oppo Find X8 Ultra 3x telephoto lens in action (tap image to expand)

The 50-megapixel ultrawide camera does well too. It managed to get some excellent shots in different lighting situations.

Oppo Find X8 Ultra ultrawide camera samples (tap image to expand)

Oppo Find X8 Ultra 6x telephoto lens in action (tap image to expand)

The low-light samples on the Find X8 Ultra came out really well. The two shots below have been clicked in pitch-dark conditions. See how well these are processed without overdoing anything. I like the point that noise is well-managed.

Oppo Find X8 Ultra low-light samples (tap images to expand)

The selfie camera is a 32-megapixel shooter but doesn’t get bells and whistles like the rear ones. The daylight shots come out really well, and the low-light shots are decent. But, nothing that blew me or I can write home about. For videos, all the cameras on Find X8 Ultra support up to 4K (60 fps) recording. The rear also gets 4K (120fps) support. The phone doesn’t support 8K recording but gets Dolby Vision support.

Oppo Find X8 Ultra zoom performance is solid (tap image to expand)

Overall, with Find X8 Ultra, Oppo again sets a benchmark for smartphone photography. I will repeat that this one is China-locked and may never reach India. The company introduced its all-new image processing engine, Lumo, which really works across lenses and focuses on portraits. But I hope the 1-inch sensor and the camera tech in any avatar make their way to India because the camera prowess is the best we have seen from Oppo so far.

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The Find X8 Ultra comes with IP68 and IP69 rating

 

Oppo Find X8 Ultra Battery: Your last man-standing phone

  • Capacity: 6100mAh battery
  • Fast-charging – 100W SUPERVOOC wired charging, 50W wireless charging
  • 10W reverse wireless charging

The Oppo Find X8 Ultra packs a large 6100mAh battery, a big bump from the Find X7 Ultra’s 5000mAh battery and the Find X8 Pro’s 5910mAh unit. It also has 100W SUPERVOOC wired charging, 50W AIRVOOC wireless, and 10W reverse wireless charging.

During my tests, the Find X8 Ultra could easily last over a day of heavy usage. My testing involved over 30 apps open in the background, including utility, chat, gaming, and office apps alongside other multimedia apps like YouTube, Netflix, ESPNCricinfo, and more. Considering the Find X8 Ultra is a camera-centric smartphone, I included a full hour of camera usage that heated the phone a bit but didn’t impact the battery drain much. The Find X8 Ultra can charge up to 60% (from scratch) in less than 20 minutes, thanks to fast charging.

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The Find X8 Ultra packs a 6100mAh battery

 

In our HD video loop test, the Find X8 Ultra lasted for roughly 23 hours and 35 minutes, which sets a benchmark for phones we tested lately. The Find X8 Ultra definitely sets a benchmark in the battery department.

Oppo Find X8 Ultra Verdict

The Find X8 Ultra is another superb phone from Oppo that you won’t be able to ­buy or, as an expert, I can’t recommend it to readers in India. Much like some other Ultras, the Find X8 Ultra comes with a 1-inch sensor that makes it super elite in the class of camera phones. Considering that the Find X8 Pro doesn’t get this, Oppo should have introduced the Ultra in India, maybe as a limited edition, and it would have been a package worth checking for camera smartphone enthusiasts despite the high price tag.

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Oppo Find X8 Ultra packs two physical buttons – Shortcut and Quick Button

 

The Find X8 Ultra ticks a lot of boxes, including solid design, display, performance, and battery. Of course, the cameras remain a highlight of the device. Especially the decision to cut down some weight in favour of bringing a sleek camera phone is a masterstroke. Imagine getting a 1-inch sensor without carrying a bulky phone, which is a shot worth taking. The addition of dedicated physical buttons may work for users who love quick access to features without the need to toggle multiple options on the screen.

If you’re reading this review in India and are still looking for a great camera smartphone, then the Xiaomi 15 Ultra (Review) is a phone you should look at. There’s also the Vivo X200 Pro (Review) that’s equally fantastic and capable. If budget is no bar, then the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (Review) is also a great package, though not limited to just cameras but overall.



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DoT Issues Norms for Satcom Services as Musk’s Starlink Looks to Enter Indian Market



The Department of Telecom on Monday issued stringent security norms mandating legal interception of satellite communication services and barred companies from linking connection of users in any form with any terminal or facility located outside the country’s border as well as processing of their data overseas.

The security rules also mandate service providers to indigenise at least 20 percent of their ground segment of the satellite network within years of their establishment in the country.

The move assumes significance as the government is, for the first time, gearing up to open satellite communication service for the general public and needs to put measures in place to avoid any misuse of the services by criminal elements, especially terrorists.

Key players like Elon Musk-led Starlink, Bharti Group-backed OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications are in fray to provide satcom services in India.

According to the instruction, the satcom service licence holder will require security clearances for specific gateway and hub locations in India and compliance to monitoring, interception facilities and equipment requirements.

“The Monitoring and Lawful Interception shall be provided as per the licensing condition(s) at the gateway/point of presence (PoP)/network control and monitoring centre (NCMC) /any equivalent facility. The LIS/LIM system shall be integrated with centralised monitoring system (CMS)/integrated monitoring system (IMS),” the guidelines said.

The rules mandate satcom firms to demonstrate system capabilities with respect to security aspects, including monitoring, to the Department of Telecom (DoT) or its authorised representatives before starting operations in India.

The satcom service provider will need to demarcate special monitoring zones within 50 kilometers of international border, along the territorial borders and along coastal borders covering EEZ (exclusive economic zone) for monitoring of user activities by law enforcement and security agencies like intelligence bureau, armed forces, police etc.

The norms mandate service providers to ensure that the location of its user terminals or satellite phones or any other sensitive information pertaining to the user should not be visible or accessible at any location abroad.

Like telecom operators, the satcom players will also need to block websites that are blocked in the country.

The satcom service providers have been mandated to ensure that “no user terminal shall be able to access the network from outside the geo-fenced coverage area or through gateway situated outside India”.

The satcom providers will need to submit an undertaking that it shall not copy and decrypt the Indian telecom data outside India, as per the rules.

“The licensee shall provide real time monitoring to ensure that no user traffic originating from, or destined for India is being routed through any gateway/ PoPs outside Indian territory. The Indian user traffic shall not be routed through any Gateway/PoP located abroad or any space system, which is not part of satellite/constellation used for providing service,” the rule said.

The devices registered in India will not be allowed to latch on to any other gateway located out of Indian territory.

The government has already issued licences to Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications while Starlink is yet to get final approval.

The satcom players will be able to start their services after allocation of radio waves frequencies.

The rules are largely expected to be approved by the government based on recommendation in works from telecom regulator TRAI.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)



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YouTube Testing Two-Person Premium Subscription Plans in India



YouTube is testing a two-person subscription plan for its Premium service. The company said that they are piloting the new tier in four countries, including India. The new plan is expected to roll out to all users eventually. The two-person Premium plan is being seen as a move to push YouTube’s subscription growth. Notably, individual, family and student subscription options were already available to users. Much like the Spotify Duo plan, the two-person YouTube Premium membership will allow two individuals to share a subscription. 

YouTube Testing Two-Person Premium Membership Plan

The video-streaming platform owned by Google is testing a two-person YouTube Premium membership plan. The new tier was initially spotted by MoneyControl. The new subscription offer is now listed on the YouTube India website.

However, the two-person YouTube Premium subscription is available to a select few people in the country currently, as it is a pilot program, the MoneyControl report noted. The new tier is being tested in France, Taiwan, and Hong Kong as well. It is expected to be available to all users eventually.

The report added that YouTube claims that it’s experimenting with new ways to offer more “flexibility and value” to YouTube Premium subscribers. The two-person plan is priced at Rs. 219 for a month, and is cheaper than the Family plan, which costs Rs. 299 a month.

The student and individual YouTube Premium plans are currently available at Rs. 89 and Rs. 149 per month, respectively. Notably, YouTube increased the pricing for Premium subscription in India last year in August. 

To access the new two-person YouTube Premium plan, both members are required to be aged 13 years or above. They need to have a Google Account and reside in the same household as well, YouTube clarifies

YouTube’s move to pilot the new two-person YouTube Premium subscription plan is being seen as one to boost its subscription revenue and reduce its reliance on advertising sales. This plan allows any two individuals sharing a household to share the Premium membership benefits at a lowered subscription cost, while also enjoying separate accounts.

YouTube Premium users can enjoy an ad-free experience, download videos for offline playback, and the ability to play videos in the background. Recently, the company introduced the Premium Lite plan in select countries like the US, Australia, Germany, and Thailand. It is a cheaper alternative to standard Premium plans and allows limited Premium benefits.



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OpenAI Drops For-Profit Plans, Will Transition to Non-Profit-Governed Public Benefit Corporation



OpenAI has dropped its plans to restructure as a for-profit company. On Monday, the San Francisco-based artificial intelligence (AI) firm announced that it would remain a non-profit entity following discussions with civic leaders and legal counsel from two US states. However, the company will transition its for-profit arm into a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), which will allow it to continue raising capital to fund the development of new technologies. OpenAI said the PBC will be structured to serve both its mission and shareholders.

OpenAI to Transition From For-Profit LLC to a PBC

In a blog post, OpenAI Chairman Bret Taylor said the decision to retain the non-profit structure came after conversations with civic leaders and the offices of the attorneys general of Delaware and California. The move also comes amid criticism from figures including Elon Musk and rival tech firms like Meta.

The post included a letter from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to employees and stakeholders outlining the company’s revised direction. Emphasising the current demand for its technology, he said: “We currently cannot supply nearly as much AI as the world wants, and we have to put usage limits on our systems and run them slowly.”

Under the new structure, OpenAI’s non-profit entity will govern the company as its largest shareholder, while the for-profit arm will be converted into a PBC that can generate returns for investors.

OpenAI first set up a for-profit limited liability company (LLC) in 2019 to attract outside investment. The new PBC will aim to balance revenue generation with the company’s stated mission. Notably, other AI firms such as Anthropic and xAI have also adopted a PBC model.

The company will also eliminate its existing capped-profit mechanism. Previously, investors in OpenAI’s commercial arm were subject to a 100x cap on returns, after which profits would be redirected to the non-profit. With the shift to a PBC, investors will instead hold standard equity, which can increase in value with the company’s growth. Altman said this change is intended to support ongoing fundraising efforts to build infrastructure and pursue artificial general intelligence (AGI), which remains the company’s long-term goal. “This is not a sale, but a change of structure to something simpler,” he added.

The non-profit will remain OpenAI’s highest governing body and become a significant shareholder in the new PBC. The size of its holding will be determined by independent financial advisors, Altman said. Any proceeds received by the non-profit will be used to support AI programmes that “benefit many different communities, consistent with the mission.”



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OnePlus 13s Design Fully Revealed in New Teaser; Confirmed to Debut in Two Colour Options



OnePlus India announced its plans to release OnePlus 13s in India last month. The brand has not yet shared the exact launch date, but it has posted a new teaser revealing the display design and colour options of the latest OnePlus 13 series phone. It appears to arrive as a rebranded version of the OnePlus 13T that went on sale in China last month. The OnePlus 13s will feature the same core specifications as the OnePlus 13T, including a 6.32-inch display and Snapdragon 8 Gen Elite chipset.

OnePlus shared a new video teaser of the OnePlus 13s on its social media channels on Monday. The teaser shows the phone in black and pink colourways. The marketing names of these shades are unknown at the moment. In China, the OnePlus 13T is available in Cloud Ink Black, Morning Mist Gray, and Powder Pink colour options.

The teaser shows the OnePlus 13s with a compact form factor. It has a hole punch display design at the front and a unique dual camera module at the rear. It has slim bezels around the screen. Like the OnePlus 13T, it has a squircle camera bump on the back, mirroring the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s rear camera layout. The rest of the OnePlus 13 series devices sport a large circular rear camera housing centred on the back.

Both the OnePlus India website and Amazon have created dedicated landing pages on their websites, showing details of the OnePlus 13s. It features a 6.32-inch display and runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. It boasts a Short Key that replaces the alert slider.

OnePlus 13T Price, Specifications 

The OnePlus 13T was launched in China last month with a price tag of CNY 3,399 (roughly Rs. 39,000) for the base model with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

The compact Android flagship runs on sports a 6.32-inch Full-HD+ (1,264×2,640 pixels) display with up to 1,600 nits global peak brightness and carries a 6,260mAh battery with support for 80W fast charging. It runs on a Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and up to 1TB of UFS 4.0 onboard storage.

The OnePlus 13T has a dual rear camera setup comprising two 50-megapixel sensors and a 16-megapixel selfie shooter.



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