NewsBytes Briefing: Apple launching iPhone 12 on October-13, and more
Last night, Apple sent out invites for a 'Hi, Speed' event. The show is slated to take place on October 13 and mark the launch of the long-awaited iPhone 12 family of smartphones. The Cupertino giant could also launch its own audio hardware, given that rival audio products have been taken down from the Apple Store. Here are other developments.
G Suite becomes Google Workspace, Gmail gets a new logo
Google has rebranded its G Suite productivity suite to Google Workspace, added a new Business Plus pricing tier, and introduced features for tighter integration between the tools it has on offer, including Gmail, Docs, Meet, Sheets, and Calendar. The key Workspace apps are also getting new logos with Google-specific colors; Gmail's envelope icon has also now been ditched for just a multi-colored 'M'.
Reliance Retail secures Rs. 5,512.50 crore from ADIA
Reliance Retail, the unit of Reliance Industries that plans to take on Amazon and Walmart's Flipkart in the e-commerce category, has secured another major funding. This time, the company has picked up Rs. 5,512.50cr from the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. As part of the deal, ADIA will take a 1.20% equity stake in Reliance Retail on a fully diluted basis.
LinkedIn launches Stories in India
Professional network LinkedIn has now launched Stories in India, following the likes of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Snapchat. The feature was initially available in select countries, but since October 6, it has been live in India, letting users publish self-disappearing photos and videos up to 20 seconds long. LinkedIn has also integrated reactions and video chats (Zoom and Teams) in its messaging service.
Other important developments to note
Among other things, Twitter is testing a new way to suggest people to follow, while Facebook is starting to roll out Netflix support for Portal devices. Separately, Elon Musk's SpaceX has won a $150 million contract from the US government's Space Development Agency to develop a low-Earth orbit satellite that could track and warn about hypersonic missile launches.
Finally, some COVID-19-related updates
India reported over 71,000 fresh coronavirus infections on Tuesday, pushing the nationwide tally to 67.5 lakh cases. The death toll rose to 1,04,611 with nearly 1,000 more fatalities. For vaccine, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that a shot might be ready by the year-end, while the Union Health Ministry said that it was expecting COVID-19 vaccine supplies to be available from early 2021.
