Speaking during a panel discussion titled “Building Sovereign AI for a Digital Economy” at the Global Fintech Fest 2026, Rahul Vatts, Group Chief Regulatory Officer and Director Corporate Affairs, Bharti Airtel, outlined the company’s perspective on what constitutes a truly sovereign cloud.

According to Vatts, cloud sovereignty is frequently interpreted only through the lens of data residency. However, ensuring that data is physically stored in India represents only one component of a much broader sovereign architecture.

“I think what is really happening on sovereignty is that we seem to have created sort of a mishmash that sovereignty is something in the data sense and is more about having data residency. So, if your data is in India, you tend to say, ‘I am sovereign.’ But I don’t think that’s the correct way to define sovereignty,” Vatts said.

Sovereignty Requires End-to-End Control

Vatts said true sovereignty depends on whether a country or organisation controls the complete technology stack supporting its AI and cloud workloads. This includes the infrastructure, control systems, operational environment and the jurisdiction under which the data is governed.

He outlined four principal elements that Airtel considers important when evaluating sovereignty.

The first is data residency, which requires data generated in India to be stored and protected within the country. The second is digital sovereignty, involving local control systems that manage data throughout the sovereign stack.

Operational sovereignty forms the third pillar. This determines who operates and controls the infrastructure, an issue that is becoming increasingly important amid geopolitical uncertainty and growing concerns over access to critical data.

The fourth element is jurisdictional sovereignty under this principle, locally generated data should remain protected by Indian laws and should not become subject to the laws or legal demands of another jurisdiction.

Vatts added that technological sovereignty is also sometimes considered a fifth component. Together, these elements go beyond the physical location of data and focus on who ultimately controls the infrastructure, operations and technology.

“For us, it’s not just about residency; it is really about having end-to-end control of this entire sovereign stack,” he said.

India’s Growing Data Economy

Explaining the need for a sovereign cloud ecosystem, Vatts highlighted the rapid increase in data consumption in India and the growing digitisation of financial services, healthcare, identity systems and other essential infrastructure.

He said customer data usage in India is currently around 38GB to 40GB per month and could rise to approximately 70GB to 75GB over the next three to four years. The expansion of digital payments and other online services is also resulting in the generation of large volumes of sensitive information.

Identity details, health records and financial information represent critical datasets that require strong safeguards, he noted. Therefore, India must have both the legal framework and the operational control necessary to protect such information.

Vatts said similar discussions are taking place internationally as countries respond to geopolitical developments and examine who controls their data and digital infrastructure.

Airtel Calls for a Consistent Policy Framework

Vatts also acknowledged the government’s work on cloud sovereignty, referring to guidelines issued in March and subsequent discussions on the country’s approach.

However, he called for greater consistency across sectors rather than a fragmented policy framework.

“For example, the government today says that critical government datasets should be under sovereign ground. But why not for the energy data of the country? Why not the health records of the country? Why not the identities of people?” he said.

According to Vatts, the framework must cover the complete universe of information considered critical to India. This would help strengthen safety, trust and the resilience of the country’s financial and digital systems.

Measuring Sovereign Cloud Success

Vatts proposed two broad measures for evaluating India’s progress. The first is whether sovereign cloud infrastructure is being deployed at scale. The second is the proportion of critical workloads that satisfy the different requirements of sovereignty, including residency, operational control and legal jurisdiction.

As sectoral regulators develop their own cloud guidelines, organisations handling critical information may consequently need to evaluate more than the location of their data centres. The larger question will be whether the selected cloud architecture provides end-to-end control under Indian law.

For sectors including banking, healthcare, energy, public finance and digital public infrastructure, sovereign cloud could therefore become an increasingly important foundation for India’s AI-driven economy.

It will have wider dimensions, similar to those of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 5G, launched in August 2026. Ahead of the launch, here are the top 5 features expected in the iPhone Duo 5G smartphone this year.

Also Read: Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max Launch: 5 Major Upgrades Expected

Apple iPhone Duo – Top 5 Major Features Expected

Apple iPhone Duo 5G will be the first foldable in the lineup, launching under new Apple CEO John Ternus, who took charge after Tim Cook on September 1, 2026.

At John’s first launch event, we will see a range of Apple products, including the next-generation iPhone 18 models: the standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Pro, and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Alongside the new foldable iPhone Duo, Apple will also offer the next-generation Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, and Home products like the new HomePod Mini.

The iPhone Duo will compete with other smartphone foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Motorola Razr foldables, and give customers an alternative to Apple’s OS; here are 5 major features expected to make their way to the iPhone Duo 5G.

Also Read: Apple iPhone 17 5G Price Cut: Buy Now or Wait for iPhone 18?

1. Liquid Metal Hinge

Other smartphone makers, like Samsung, took years to improve their internal folding display hinges, but Apple seems to have taken its time with research and development. Leaks suggest the Apple iPhone Duo 5G, which might be called the iPhone Ultra foldable, will get a Liquid Hinge.

This will offer an almost creaseless inner 7.8-inch display with an LTPO+ OLED panel and a 120Hz refresh rate. The outside will feature a 5.5-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate.

2. World’s Fastest Apple Processor with Upgraded Modem

Apple’s next-generation processor will power the iPhone Duo 2026 foldable. This A20 Pro chipset will use the latest 2nm TSMC manufacturing process, and leaks suggest it will follow the same 2+4 CPU design model with 2 Everest cores and 4 Sawtooth cores.

Apple will also likely upgrade the power-efficient cores to 8MP L2 cache from 6MP in the A19 Pro chipset, while the performance cores will keep the same 16MP L2 cache.

This year’s A20 Pro chipset will focus on performance and efficiency upgrades, so you’ll get power-packed performance with improved efficiency and longer battery life.

On the performance side, we speculate the A20 Pro chipset’s AnTuTu 11 score could exceed 3 million points, up from the current 2.5 million for the A19 Pro chipset.

For efficiency, the A20 Pro’s 2 nm manufacturing process, built in a Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module package, will offer better out-of-the-box efficiency than last year’s A19 Pro chipset, built on the 3nm N3p process.

Also Read: Apple September 9 Event: iPhone 18 Pro, Foldable iPhone Ultra and More Expected

3. Support for Apple Pencil

According to Apple tipster Mark Gumran at Bloomberg, reports suggest the Apple iPhone Duo Foldable will be among the first iPhones to support Apple Pencil outside Apple’s iPads. However, customers will likely have to buy the Apple Pencil separately.

4. Revamped iOS 27 for Foldable

Beyond the usual iOS updates, Apple might adjust the system for the iPhone Duo 5G or iPhone Fold 5G so that its apps support wider aspect ratios.

We can expect this change in Apple native apps from launch. For other apps, especially Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and WhatsApp, you should be able to use them without problems on the outer display. For the inner display, we will have to wait and see if Apple can support a wider version of these apps.

For foldable-related gestures, we can expect single-hand usage features with the iPhone Duo smartphone. We will have to wait for the Apple Surprise and Shine event to confirm.

Also Read: Apple Event Later Today: How to Watch iPhone 18 Pro Launch in India

5. Apple Might Skip Face ID Support

Rather than adding two Face ID sensors for the inner and outer displays, Apple is considering reducing the size of the dynamic islands on both displays and replacing the sensor with the older Touch ID sensor, which would be added to the power button. This will bring back the nostalgia of using Touch ID.

These are among the five major upgrades expected with the Apple iPhone Duo foldable phone launching today.

Apple iPhone Duo – Launch Price

Leaks suggest the upcoming iPhone Duo’s starting price for 256GB storage could be around $2,000 in the U.S., which is about Rs 2,00,000 in India.

The top-end model with 2TB storage could be priced at $3,000, roughly Rs 2,85,000 in India.

Leaks suggest that after today’s launch, the iPhone Duo 5G will likely go on sale starting in October. The iPhone 18 models and Apple Watch Series 12, including the Watch Ultra, will likely go on sale this week.

Are you excited for Apple’s Surprise and Shine Event?

Image Credits: Saurav, F9AIX, codez

Here’s what you need to know.

Nothing Phone (2): Why No Android 17

Pei, in a session on Reddit, explained that the Kernel is too old in the Phone (2) and the chipset vendor has said that this phone will not support Android 17. Nothing had originally promised three years of OS updates, but the brand has given four years of OS updates, one year extra. Further, the Phone (2) will keep getting security patch updates till 2027.

“So I think what we’ve done is pretty fair if we were clear about the support at the time of purchase, and then went above that,” said Pei. What is interesting here is that Phone (2) has not received four updates, it has only received three updates. The same was later edited by Pei and that means that Nothing delivered what it had promised.

Nothing Phone (2) will contiue to receive Android security patch updates till 2027. However, it will not receive any new versions of Android anymore. Users would have been happy to see Android 17 on their device. But if you want that, you can just upgrade to the Phone (3), or the other devices which Nothing launched recently. As for the next flagship from the company, which is Nothing Phone (4), you will have to wait till 2027. The brand has confirmed that it will not launch a new flagship in 2026 bceause of the rising components cost and thus, the Phone (3) will remain the top flagship from the brand. Keep reading TelecomTalk to stay updated with the developments.

ASUS New Vivobooks Launch Date

ASUS will launch the new Vivobooks in India on September 16, 2026, at 12 PM. ASUS has already made the microsite of these new laptops live. So you can now go and take a look at them. They will come with premium metallic design and would work for more than 38 hours in a single charge.

ASUS Vivbook S16 and S14 will be thin and come with several functionalities. Their design and first look can be seen on the microsite itself. There are older variants still available on the website of the company. The Vivobooks are premium laptops geared for professionals looking to maximise their productivity.

The new Vivobooks launching will come with Copilot + PC and will feature US military grade durability. There will be support for Type-C charging, with which the laptops will be able to charge up to 60% in just 49 minutes. There will be several options, and you can choose up to Qualcomm Snapdragon X with 45 TOPS. There will be also options from Intel (up Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 3 with 49 TOPS), and AMD (up to AMD Ryzen AI 7 400 series with 50 TOPS).

It will support face recognition and data security with Microsoft Pluton.

OPPO F35 5G Series: What to Expect

OPPO F35 5G series will have two phones namely OPPO F35 5G and the OPPO F35 Pro 5G. The rumour mill online suggests that the OPPO F35 Pro will likely be the rebranded version of the OPPO A7 Pro Max. Thus, it could feature a large 10000mAh battery. Brands are rushing to launch phones with larger and larger batteries. There are now multiple phones in the Indian market which feature a 10000mAh battery, and several more which have either 8000mAh battery or more.

The OPPO F35 5G Pro could be launched somewhere around Rs 40,000 to Rs 45,000. If it is indeed the rebranded version of the OPPO A7 Pro Max which has launched in China, then it could come with a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with support for up to 120Hz refresh rate. It could pack a 10000mAh battery with support for 80W wired charging and would likely run on Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 SoC, with up to 12GB of LPDDR5x RAM and 512GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage.

The OPPO F35 5G series will likely come with IP69k rating for dust and water resistance. Stay tuned for more details around the launch of these new devices from OPPO.

Apple Event: How to Watch in India, What Time will it Start

Apple Event will start in India at 10:30 PM IST. It will be livestreamed directly from the Apple Park in California. The live event will be streamed through the website of Apple as well as its social media channels. The best way to watch it would be to do it from the YouTube channel of the company. You will be able to watch the live stream. Do not worry if you miss out on it. Apple always publishes its launch event for the world to see later.

Of course, even at TelecomTalk we would be covering the launch event live. So stay tuned for the official product details, their price, and whatever is coming to the market which is new from Apple.

Apple is calling the upcoming new launch event “Surprise and Shine”. The surprise is definitely the foldable. If there is anything else as well, that would definitely be a big surprise. The A20 Pro chip is something we will have a keen focus on. It will be Apple’s first 2nm chip reportedly, and it could come with the best performance any Apple chip has ever produced. Of course, then there will also be the C2 modem from Apple which will boost the connectivity experience for the users.

Apple Event: What will Launch

Apple is expected to launch the iPhone Duo. Apart from this, two new iPhone models will be revealed. These will be reportedly the iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone 18 Pro Max. These iPhones will likely be the most sold iPhones in the coming year. It is always the Pro model which is in the most demand from Apple. Apart from this, we will also get to take the first look at the Apple Watch Series 12, which is expected to feature several upgrades.

Apple is also likely going to introduce the new generat C2 5G modem for its new iPhones. This chip will likely be inside every new iPhone which will be announced later today. Apple has reportedly optimised the apps to work really well inside the foldable iPhone. If Apple is known for something, it is or software optimisation and reliability. Thus we are definitely excited to see what Apple has in store for the market. However, even though the foldable iPhone will make a lot of noise, it is the iPhone 18 Pro models which the tech enthusiasts and the investors will be focused on.

Many expect minor upgrades on the iPhone 18 Pro, but in the right areas. Apple is expected to improve the battery life, and make the camera experience sweeter for the users. These are the two areas which definitely need improvement in every new generation of device. Further, of course, with the new A20 Pro processor, we could see the first 2nm chip from Apple, which could enhance the power and efficiency of the device to go through gaming and multi-tasking.

OnePlus N6 Lite: Powerfully Big

OnePlus has teased the phone already officially. There were rumours that this device is coming soon to the market, now it is confirmed that it is coming. The company said that the OnePlus N6 Lite is coming soon, and did not reveal an exact launch date. But the launch is expected before the end of September 2026.

This will be the third phone in the company’s N series. The microsite announcing the product is now live on Amazon India. The launch should happen in a few days, and thus, we will get to see the complete details then. Our expectations are that the OnePlus N6 Lite will be an affordable phone. Whether it will just be a 4G phone or if it will support 5G as well is something we will have to wait and see.

It is expected to be positioned even under the OnePlus N6x. To recall, the OnePlus N6x was launched in India for Rs 18,999 for the 4GB + 64GB variant. While the confirmation of specifications are not out yet, we do not see this phone supporting 5G. It will most likely be a 4G only phone.

Also Read: ChatGPT Ads Launched in India

Sam Altman’s OpenAI Launches Astra – A Major AI Upgrade – What Can It Do?

OpenAI’s new ChatGPT Astra is not limited to answering questions like a regular AI chatbot; it has received a major upgrade and is approaching AGI-level capabilities. For readers unfamiliar with the term, AGI is an AI system that can understand, learn, reason, and perform a wide range of tasks at a human level.

It doesn’t just repeat the same tasks or need human interference; it can learn on its own without a separate AI system.

Astra has received next-level upgrades. OpenAI announces that Astra can now perform various tasks humans usually do. Let’s look at what it can actually do.

1. Build a Complex Workflow, Making Prompt Engineering Easier.

For complex tasks, we can build an AI workflow in which each AI agent performs a specific task and passes its output to the next to achieve the overall goal.

If you are unsure which type of complex workflow to build, ChatGPT Astra can now create one for you based on your “Objective,” rather than just responding to and tweaking prompts. This makes prompt engineering easier.

With self-learning capabilities, Astra can also learn and improve the workflow.

So, ChatGPT Astra can not only do human-released tasks but also improve its AI system.

Also Read: OpenAI Retires ChatGPT Atlas to Focus on ChatGPT and Codex

2. Troubleshooting Software Problems

OpenAI’s ChatGPT Astra not only acts as an interface to interact with your computer and software but also serves as a “Technical Support” agent to help troubleshoot your computer problems.

Instead of the user explaining and writing a full description of the issue, Astra’s computer-use model detects what’s happening on screen and interacts with the software to find solutions. For hardware-related concerns, we still rely on a human hardware technician.

3. Integrate and Work With Your Professional Software

OpenAI Astra, with its desktop-use feature, offers capabilities far beyond filling out forms, creating workflows, or solving software problems. Astra’s AI model also lets it interact with the software you use for work—software usually used for computer-aided design, 3D creation, game development, and scientific work.

ChatGPT has already demonstrated how its Astra model can interact with software such as CAD, Blender, and Unreal Engine to build things in just a few minutes, something that usually takes humans hours.

4. Build and Test Websites – Reducing the Need for Web Developers and Web Testers

AI models like Emergent can already build websites and web apps. With the ChatGPT Astra model, you can build websites without writing prompts, just by sharing your objective. People with programming knowledge can use Astra to build better websites more efficiently.

Alongside development, ChatGPT Astra also supports testing for software and web apps. The Astra model can serve as a quality assurance tool that performs basic interactions to test websites.

This includes clicking buttons and menus, browsing the web, flagging problems and performance issues, and helping solve website issues on its own.

Also Read: Inside ChatGPT’s New Lockdown Mode: Is Your Data Safer?

5. Conduct Web Research and Fill Out Online Forms

ChatGPT-6 Astra can help reduce overall research time by helping with the reasoning. But how is it different from the other AI model? ChatGPT-6 Astra is capable of interacting with your computer and accessing websites and software, so instead of just answering your questions from its LLM model, the Astra model can do the research work for you.

This saves a lot of time, especially if you are doing research-heavy work, because Astra can access websites to research and even review publication papers if needed t

Beyond web research, ChatGPT can also fill out forms by understanding what needs to be entered, reducing the manual workload of repeatedly completing them.

Here are some major things you can do with OpenAI’s Astra. However, these are not the only things the Astra model can do. In fact, it can do much more, such as create presentations, documents, and spreadsheets, and help with complex tasks in applications across software engineering, science, mathematics, research, and cybersecurity.

Also Read: JioHotstar Brings ChatGPT-Powered Voice Discovery

How to Access GPT-6 Astra in ChatGPT

Want to try ChatGPT-6 Astra? Sign in to your ChatGPT account and select the GPT-6 Pro model, powered by the Astra AI model.

If you can’t find it in the “model picker,” Astra may not be rolled out to your account yet. You will have to wait for OpenAI to release it.

If you use the ChatGPT Desktop app, manually update it by navigating to Menu → Check for updates, then access ChatGPT Astra. According to the confirmation, ChatGPT Pro users can select the “GPT-6 Pro” model from the model picker, which is based on Astra.

While, the ChatGPT Plus subscribers can includes Astra in ChatGPT Work and Codex, and it wont’ appear on the chat list.

A press release confirms that developers can use the OpenAI API for Astra 6 with the model name gpt-6-astra. The standard price is $10 per million input tokens and $50 per million output tokens.

To make it easier for readers, tokens are the model’s building blocks for language. For example, in the phrase “ChatGPT Is Very Powerful,” the AI breaks the text into tokens: Chat + GPT + is + very + powerful + .

Each counts as an output token. There is a limit on the tokens you pay for, so after the limit is reached, you must pay more to get results. This applies to developers.

Image Credits: Polymarket Japan

Also Read: Apple iPhone 17 5G Price Cut: Buy Now or Wait for iPhone 18?

Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max – Top 5 Major Upgrades Expected

Apple is launching its new iPhone 18 Pro Max 5G today via its Surprise and Shine event, which will be led by the new Apple CEO, John Ternus, and for this event, we speculate various product ranges will be launching, including the iPhone 18 with the first-ever foldable, the iPhone Ultra/iPhone Duo Fold 5G, and the Apple Watch Series 12 with Apple Watch Ultra 4.

One phone that’s grabbing attention is the top-end iPhone 18 Pro Max 5G, which will get major upgrades; we have got you covered with the top 5 upgrades coming to the iPhone 18 Pro Max 5G.

1. Processor Upgrades with A20 Pro Chipset

Cupertino giant Apple will announce a major processor upgrade with the A20 Pro chipset, which, according to leaks, will be Apple’s first-ever 2nm-based mobile processor.

Leaks suggest Apple will stick with the same design: a 2+4 CPU model with 2 Everest cores and 4 Sawtooth cores.

The power-efficient cores will feature 8MB of L2 cache, up from 6MB on the A19 Pro, while the big performance core will retain the same 16MB L2 cache.

Leaks also reveal that this year’s A20 Pro will offer a good balance of peak performance and improved battery efficiency.

On the performance side, the AnTuTu 11 score could exceed 3 million points, up from the current 2.5 million.

The efficiency gains will come from its new 2nm process and the Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module Package, which brings the CPU and GPU cores closer to process data faster than the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s A19 Pro chipset.

Also Read: Apple September 9 Event: iPhone 18 Pro, Foldable iPhone Ultra and More Expected

2. Design Changes: Smaller Dynamic Island

On the design side, the latest leaks reveal major changes as Apple reshapes the iPhone 18 Pro with a redesigned Dynamic Island. Reports claim Apple might reduce its size by 30%.

The Face ID sensor will be hidden behind the display and scan through it to detect the face for unlocking.

With this smaller Dynamic Island, the screen-to-body ratio will increase from above 92% to 94%.

Also on the rear, we expect a completely new design: two distinct rectangular modules, with a triple-camera setup mounted on top of the upper rectangular module. At the same time, the bottom has another rectangular module to attach your Qi2/MagSafe power bank.

3. Battery Upgrade with a Bigger Capacity

The iPhone 18 Pro Max is also speculated to get a bigger battery.

Reports claim it might have a 5567 mAh battery, up from the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s 4832 mAh. Combined with the new A20 Pro chipset, screen-on time will be much higher.

4. Camera Upgrade: Aperture Lens Sensor

On the camera side, Apple is considering a major upgrade with dedicated aperture lens technology on the rear sensor.

Leaks report the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a triple-camera setup with a 48MP main sensor featuring variable aperture.

This will allow users to manually set the aperture for better low-light shots. Alongside the main sensor, there will be a 48MP ultrawide-angle sensor with OIS and a 48MP telephoto periscope lens with OIS support.

On the front, the iPhone 18 Pro Max will get a larger 24MP selfie shooter with Center Stage.

Also Read: Apple iPhone 18: Top 5 Reasons to Wait Before Buying iPhone 17

5. Upgraded Modem and Wireless Chipset

Cupertino giant Apple is also considering upgrading its modem and wireless chipset with its in-house-built Apple chipset.

According to reports, Apple’s N2 wireless chipset will be embedded in the iPhone 18 Pro Max, supporting Wi-Fi 7 connectivity.

For the modem, after the Apple C1X, which is already in the Apple iPhone Air, Apple will bring the next-generation modem, the Apple C2, powering the iPhone 18 Pro Max 5 G.

The Apple C2 modem is speculated to offer high-speed internet connectivity with satellite support and lower power consumption, which should also save battery life.

Leaks also suggest that the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max 5G will get two new color options, including Dark Cherry, Silver, Black, and Blue.

Here are the five major upgrades expected in the upcoming Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max 5G smartphone, set to launch today.

Leaks also suggest the iPhone 18 Pro Max could see a price hike due to the recent memory shortage. Leaks suggest the iPhone 18 Pro Max base model with 256GB could be priced at $ 1,299, around Rs 1,59,900 in India.

Image Credits: iReviewZones, exdazeofficial1

Reliance Jio Rs 500 Prepaid Plan

Reliance Jio offers the Rs 500 prepaid plan to the consumers with 28 days of service validity. The Rs 5oo prepaid plan from Jio comes with unlimited voice calling, 100 SMS/day, and 2GB of daily data. This means that the consumers get 56GB of total data. The OTT benefits bundled with the plan include the following – Amazon Prime Video Mobile Edition, SonyLIV, ZEE5 (sports excluded), SunNXT, Lionsgate Play, Discovery+, YouTube Premium, Kanchha Lannka, ETVWin, Chaupal, FanCode, Tarang Plus, Times Play, and Hoichoi via JioTV app. Users also get JioHotstar Mobile as a complimentary benefit from Jio. Further, the plan brings Google AI Pro subscription for 18 months for the users, which is worth Rs 35,100. Jio also promises 1000+ live TV channels which can be streamed through the JioTV mobile app and with that unlimited 5G data.

Reliance Jio Rs 550 Prepaid Plan

Reliance Jio Rs 550 prepaid plan comes with 90GB of high-speed data and the validity of this prepaid plan is 84 days. Note that this is not service validity, this is just validity, on top of a base plan. The Rs 550 plan is a data voucher which will require an active service beforehand to be used. The Rs 550 plan is meant for users who have either recharged with three months or yearly validity prepaid plans. It will offer OTT benefits access as well to the users. The OTT benefits bundled are YouTube Premium, Amazon Prime Lite, SonyLIV, ZEE5, SunNXT, Lionsgate Play, Discovery+, Kanccha Lannka, ETV Win, Chaupal, FanCode, Tarang Plus, Times Play, and Hoichoi. This plan also bundles 1000+ live TV channels for the users.

Which Plan is Better?

Both are different plans. But when it comes to value, just because of the Google AI Pro benefit with the Rs 500 plan, and the fact that it bundles service validity for the users with unlimited 5G and plenty of FUP (fair usage policy) data, the Rs 500 plan is better in our eyes.

India-US Talks Focus on 6G, AI and Semiconductors

Announcing India’s participation, the US Department of Commerce said in a post on X on September 8, 2026:

“Secretary Lutnick met with Indian Minister of State for Commerce Jitin Prasada on the sidelines of the G20 Innovation Ministerial to discuss the future of 6G.

Today, we are pleased to announce that India has joined the U.S. and 24 other countries in the effort to ensure that next generation networks reflect our shared security interests, strengthen our competitiveness, and drive innovation in 6G,” posted US Department of Commerce on X.

Prasada also welcomed the collaboration, highlighting its potential impact on the global digital landscape. In a post on X on the same day, he said:

“With U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick at the G20 Innovation Ministerial meeting held in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.

India’s joint effort with the United States and 24 other countries to promote innovation and competition in 6G technology will give a new direction to the global digital landscape.”

The development underscores India’s growing engagement in international efforts to shape the standards, security framework and technological ecosystem for next-generation wireless networks.

G20 Innovation Ministers Back Emerging Technology Cooperation

According to an official release issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on September 7, 2026, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology and Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada led the Indian delegation at the G20 Innovation Ministers’ Meeting, held on September 1–2, 2026, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. The meeting was hosted by the US Department of Commerce and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).

The MoS was accompanied by Ajit Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), senior officials from MeitY, Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), as well as officials of the Embassy of India in the US.

At the conclusion of the Ministerial, the G20 Ministers reportedly released the Innovation Ministerial Statement recognizing that “emerging technologies have the potential to unlock prosperity, enhance productivity, and expand opportunity for all our peoples.”

The consensus statement articulates shared broad agreement across six pillars: pro-innovation policy frameworks, technology for opportunity and prosperity, skilled technical workforce development, intellectual property policies for artificial intelligence (AI), AI for standards and standards for AI, and industrial innovation and investment in supply chains.

Ministers also reached consensus on the Carolina Principles for Emerging Technologies, which call on countries to invest in foundational research, strengthen commercialization pathways, and enable trusted technology adoption and deployment. Other deliverables of the Ministerial included the AI Prosperity Objectives and the AI Prosperity Compact, which will further technical workforce development across G20 nations and expand opportunities for private sector partnership, according to the Ministry.

On the sidelines of the G20 Ministerial, MoS reportedly held several bilateral discussions.

European Commission

In his bilateral meeting with Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, both discussed the importance of strengthening cooperation in innovation and building trusted digital ecosystems that enable technology-led growth and shared prosperity.

France

In the meeting with Anne Le Henanff, Minister Delegate for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Affairs of France, both sides discussed advancing cooperation in AI and digital technologies. India and France remain committed to strengthening technology-driven innovation and building partnerships for a trusted digital future.

Germany

During the meeting with Thomas Jarzombek and Dr. Silke Launert, Parliamentary State Secretaries, Germany, MoS explored opportunities to further deepen India–Germany collaboration in technology, innovation and research, driving shared progress and future-ready partnerships.

African Union

In discussions with Prof. Gaspard Banyankimbona, Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, African Union, the commitment to deepening partnership with Africa and creating new opportunities for shared growth and prosperity was highlighted by offering India Stack digital solutions including DPI to the African countries.

US Secretary of Commerce

In the bilateral discussion with Howard Lutnick, US Secretary of Commerce, both sides exchanged views on strengthening cooperation across Semiconductors, AI and Data Centres. During the meeting, MoS also encouraged the possibility of more US investments in ISM2.0, proposed strengthening AI technology partnership and shared mechanism for safeguards for AI.

MoS also engaged with Tom Brown, Co-founder of Anthropic, and discussed the rapidly evolving AI landscape and opportunities emerging from advances in AI. Some key discussions included the possibility of collaboration to develop benchmarks for the Indian context.

Following the G20 engagements, the MoS visited Duke University, where he interacted with the senior leadership and faculty to exchange views on areas of mutual interest, including technology, research, engineering, artificial intelligence, computer science and healthcare.

The visit also included a tour of the Robotics Laboratory at the Pratt School of Engineering, where the MoS engaged with leading researchers and experts working at the intersection of robotics, biomedical simulation, AI-enabled sensing and biomedical data, and machine learning.

The interactions underscored the significant potential for deepening academic and research collaboration between India and the United States in emerging and transformative technologies, according to the Ministry.

“The engagements during the visit underscored India’s growing role in shaping the global technology and innovation agenda and reaffirmed its commitment to building strategic partnerships that translate advances in AI, semiconductors, DPI, robotics and other emerging technologies into greater opportunities for innovation, economic growth and an improved quality of life for its citizens,” the Ministry said.

The latest development comes amid broader engagement between India and the US on trade, investment and economic cooperation. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met Finance Minister of India Nirmala Sitharaman on the sidelines of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) Meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, on September 1.

“Indian companies have invested $40 billion in the U.S. supporting more than 70,000 direct American jobs!” the official account of the US Embassy in India said in a post on X on September 2, 2026.

Bharat For 6G

“Bharat For 6G!

An absolute delight to announce India’s endorsement of the Call to Action for 6G Leadership and Security , joining 24 like-minded nations in advancing an open, interoperable, secure and resilient next-generation network.

This global partnership will help accelerate the development of secure 6G wireless networks and coordinate national strategies well ahead of 6G’s expected rollout in the 2030s. For Bharat, this complements our ongoing work in global standardisation and spectrum fora, as we strive to secure 10% of global 6G standards.

Special thanks to my Cabinet colleague, Shri Jitin Prasada ji, for representing India at the G20 Innovation Ministerial,” Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union Minister for Communications, shared in a post on X on September 9, 2026.

Also Read: Vivo and iQOO Raise Price of their Phones in India

iQOO Z11xa 5G Launched – Specifications and Features

After launching the iQOO Z11 5G last month, Vivo iQOO has added the Z11xa to its Z series, priced below Rs 30,000. The phone launched on September 7, 2026. Let’s look at the specifications and features.

Design

The Z11xa features a premium finish, giving the phone a premium look and feel. On the rear, there are dual-housed cameras with an LED flash and a circular ring, possibly for notifications, all inside a square module in the top-right corner.

On the front, a center-punch-hole selfie shooter has a small notch at the bottom, and the fingerprint scanner is on the side, above the power button. The iQOO Z11xa comes in two colour variants: Titan Black with a plain matte finish and Prismatic Green with a unique glossy prism design.

iQOO also promises a durable design. The Z11xa is officially military-grade and has passed the SGS Gold Label Five Star rating under several military standards. This makes the iQOO Z11xa resistant to multiple drops, including extreme drops from heights up to 1.7m.

Also, you get 400% audio-booster support with dual stereo speakers. iQOO Z11xa also gets IP68 and IP69+ water and dust resistance ratiing.

Also Read: Realme P4S 5G vs iQOO Z11 5G vs Vivo S2 5G: Which to Buy?

Display

The iQOO Z11xa 5G features a larger 6.76-inch FHD+ LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1,200 nits brightness in HBM. It is TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certified and offers Eye Comfort Mode to reduce eye strain during prolonged use.

This isn’t a great choice because Z11xa’s main competitors, such as the Poco X8, already offer larger, brighter AMOLED panels.

Processor, RAM and Storage

Under the hood, it has the latest MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Turbo chipset, a solid choice for the price. Launched in February 2025, it is built on a 4nm process with four high-performance cores (Cortex-A78) at 2.6 GHz and four energy-saving cores (Cortex-A55) at 2.0 GHz.15 MC2 GPU, clocked at 1.3 GHz, capable of handling most smartphone games.

According to the benchmark listing, the iQOO Z11xa’s MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Turbo chipset achieved a total score of 960,000 points on AnTuTu 11.

At the same time, Geekbench 6 reports a total score of 1060 points for single-core performance and 2826 points for multi-core performance.

This chipset comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, the only available memory variant. The iQOO Z11xa has UFS 3.1 storage, though the RAM type is not yet confirmed.

Camera

On the rear, you get dual vertically housed cameras: a 50MP main Sony IMX852 sensor with an f/2.45 aperture lens, plus a 2MP bokeh camera for depth sensing; on the front, you get a 32MP selfie shooter.

Also Read: iQOO Z11 5G VS Vivo S2 5G – Which Phone is Better?

Battery

Under the hood, it has a larger 7,200mAh silicon-carbon battery with 44W fast wired charging.

Software

On the software side, iQOO and Vivo share the same OS and skin. The iQOO Z11xa 5G runs the latest Origin OS based on Android 16.

Vivo and iQOO promise 2 years of OS upgrades and 4 years of security patch updates.

iQOO Z11xa also has new AI features, including the “Origin Island Feature,” which is inspired by Apple’s Dynamic Island on the iPhone. It also includes other AI features, such as Circle to Search and an AI creation tool.

iQOO has also got new Gaming features, including AI Game Voice Changer with 4D Game Vibration.

iQOO Z11xa 5G offers solid performance for the price. You get the power-packed Dimensity 7400 Turbo chipset and a bigger display; the only downside is that the smartphone uses an LCD panel.

At the same time, its competition, including the recently launched Poco X8, comes with an AMOLED Panel.

However, it also offers a strong software update policy: the iQOO Z11xa comes with up to 6 years of updates, and the battery is rated to retain 80% health after 1600 charge cycles. You also get Bypass Charging support.

Also Read: iQOO has a New Gaming Tablet Loading with the Most Powerful Qualcomm Chip

iQOO Z11xa 5G – India Price

iQOO Z11xa 5G phone is sold in only one variant, where you get 8GB RAM with 128GB storage, priced at Rs 28,999, and you can get it for as low as Rs 27,499 with ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank cards, and you can avail up to six months of no-cost EMI too.

iQOO Z11xa 5G: Is It the Best Phone Under Rs 30,000?

iQOO Z11xa 5G offers solid performance for the price. You get the power-packed Dimensity 7400 Turbo chipset and a bigger display; the only downside is that the smartphone uses an LCD panel.

Its competition, including the recently launched Poco X8, comes with an AMOLED panel. You also get a good software update policy: the iQOO Z11xa offers up to 6 years of updates, and the battery promises 80% health after 1600 charging cycles.

If you are okay with an LCD display and a decent camera, then the iQOO Z11xa is the right choice. Otherwise, we recommend another smartphone, such as the Poco X8 5G.

Image Credits: mymobileshop_rupamchowk

Redmi Note 17 Pro 5G Series India Launch Date

Redmi Note 17 Pro 5G and the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max 5G will launch in India on September 15, 2026. The Redmi Note 17 Pro 5G series will pack up to a 10000mAh battery. The Redmi Note 17 5G, the standard variant in this series has already launched in India and it is available in the market for users to purchase. The Redmi Note 17 5G also packs a large battery on the phone.

The Redmi Note 17 Pro 5G series will be able to deliver up to four days of usage in a single charge, the company claims. The two phones will be available in the market through Amazon India. The Redmi Note 17 Pro Max has been teased to come with a dual-rear camera sensor. The thing is, we do not expect anything different in terms of specifications for the Indian market than what we saw in the Chinese market.

The only thing we are excited or keen to see is the pricing and positioning of these phones. The Redmi Note 17 series will soon have three devices in the Indian market – Redmi Note 17, Redmi Note 17 Pro, and the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max. What is worth noting here is that Xiaomi also recently launched the Redmi 17 5G in India.

The government claimed that the tax for this sale has not been paid to the national exchequer. However, the Supreme Court (SC) did not amuse this request or claim by the central government.

Supreme Court Says Vodafone Idea Does Not Need to Pay Rs 363 Crore to Government

The Supreme Court bench led by Justice JB Pardiwala said that Vodafone Mobile Services has ceased to exist after the merger of Vodafone and Idea. And, since that entity does not exist, how can the government demand tax from it. This decision was also given by the Bombay High Court on April 29, 2026. However, the government did not agree and challenged it at the Supreme Court.

This ruling will certainly help Vodafone Idea’s cashflow situaton, which despite plenty of positives, has not improved much. Further, Vi has plenty of liabilities that will need to be paid in the coming months and years. So an additional Rs 363 crore would not have helped the case of the company. Vodafone Idea is currently focused on trying to raise funds from the banks via debt as well as investors. The telco needs to raise several thousand crores to fuel its capex plan of Rs 45,000 crore. The promoter Aditya Birla Group is backing the company to make a turnaround and now the eyes of the market will be on the performance in the coming quarters.

Xiaomi New Power Banks Price in India

Xiaomi UltraThin Magnetic Power Bank 5000 has launched in India for Rs 5,599 under an offer. It will be available from September 11, 2026. Then there is the Xiaomi Power Bank 20000 165W which is priced at Rs 4,999 under offer, and will also be available from September 11, 2026. Lastly, there is the Xiaomi Magnetic Power Bank 10000 45W priced at Rs 3,699 under the offer. It will be available from September 15, 2026. All three power banks will be sold through e-commerce platforms including Flipkart, Amazon.in, and the official website of Xiaomi along with the offline retail stores.

The fastest charging is supported by the Xiaomi Power Bank 20000 which also features 20000mAh capacity. The charging speed supported by this power bank is 165W. Then there is the Xiaomi Magnetic Power Bank 10000, which also has a decent capacity, and supports 145W fast-charging. The reason why the UltraThin Magnetic Power Bank is the most expensive here is the technology and the innovation. It is just out and out a premium product which will let users carry power in their pockets, or even their wallets. The company has launched these poweer banks in India now and if you are interested, just check them out on the official website of Xioami India.

Jio Planning a 1600 Satellite Constellation

Reliance Jio plans to deploy over 1600 satellites in total to complete its constellation. However, this will take plenty of time, almost a decade from now. By 2030, Jio plans to deploy around 400-450 satellites, an ET report said citing sources that did not want to be named. Jio has also received its approval from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe). This is the regulatory body for satcom (satellite communications) and other activites in space in India.

Through the satellites, Jio wants to connect the underserved regions with high-speed broadband access. As per the report, the satellites which Jio will send up to the space will be able to offer 100-150 Gbps throughput per satellite. Once the constellation is complete, it will mean a total throughput of 4-4.8 Tbps. This is higher in comparison to that of Starlink, which has applied for 600 Gbps throughput and Amazon Leo, which has applied for over 3 Tbps throughput constellation over India.

Further, Jio’s satellites will operate at a distance slightly higher than that of competitors such as Starlink. The reason citied by the company official to ET was that because this distance was not being targeted by any other company. For LEO (low-earth orbit) satellites, it is generally a good thing if they are closer to the land.

The company claims that it is the first in India to feature 11.2.4 channel setup, which envelops users to listen in a genuinely three-dimensional soundstage. So the feeling will be very much like what you get in a theatre. There are 11 high-performance drivers ensuring the sound delivered by the soundbar is top notch and high in quality. Zeb AcousticMax is also integrated in the new soundbar from the company which is its proprietary sound-processing engine that intelligently fine-tunes audio across every channel in real time.

Zebronics said that there are dual 20.32cm subwoofer drivers which can handle low-frequency duties immediately. It will help in adding depth and impact to every scene. There is built in support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. There is a wall-mountable profile and an LED display for quick and glanceable feedback. There is also magetic docking available with ambient lighting effects, adding a refined, modern touch to everyday control.

What is more is that the company also bundles a UHF wireless microphone for karaoke sessions and celebrations. In the connectivity side, Zebronics has confirmed that the new soundbar comes with support for Bluetooth v5.3, TV eARC, Optical IN, USB, and AUX.

Zebronics Juke Bar 11000 Price in India

Zebronics has confirmed that the Juke Bar 11000 has launched in India for Rs 69,999. It will be available through both Flipkart and Amazon India. This is one of the most powerful soundbar setups in this price range in the country. Stay tuned to TelecomTalk for more updates in the future.

Realme 16 Pro 5G Harry Edition: What Realme Said

Xu Qi, Vice President and CMO of Realme said, “This collaboration marks a significant step in our journey to make technology more joyful and meaningful. Working with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products on a product inspired by Harry Potter allows us to create experiences that empower young people to discover their own magic. We are thrilled to invite fans worldwide to embrace the magic of Hogwarts and make their dreams real.”

Realme has not yet announced the price and availability of the device. The phone had been teased via Flipkart, so it could be soon available there.

Realme 16 Pro 5G Specifications

Realme 16 Pro 5G comes with a 6.78-inch display with support for 1400nits of peak brightness, and high refersh rate support. It is powered by the 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Max chipset and comes with IP66 + IP68 + IP69 + IP69K ratings for dust and water resistance. The Realme 16 Pro series bundles a 200MP primary camera sensor paired with an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera. For selfies, there is a 50MP sensor at the front. The device packs a 7000mAh battery with support for 80W wired fast-charging.

Vivo X500 5G Series Launch Date

Vivo will launch the Vivo X500 5G, Vivo X500 Pro 5G, and Vivo X500 Pro Max 5G on September 21, 2026. The company has confirmed the launch date of these three new phones officially. The phones will launch at 7 PM local time in China, which would be around 4:30 PM in India.

In the past few days, Vivo has already confirmed many details about the Pro models. The two devices are said to support 4K video recording in HDR, and that too at 120fps. The Pro Max model will come with a 200MP telephoto sensor. The Vivo X500 Pro Max 5G is confirmed to come with a 6.85-inch BOE 2K Zeiss Master Color display with the latest Q11 luminescent material. Vivo is taking the display panel from BOE. It is reportedly the BOE Q10 panel which will make it to the new phones from Vivo.

Vivo X500 Pro Max, the most powerful phone in the series has been speculated to launch with the MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro chip. What is woth noting here is that MediaTek has not officially unveiled this chipset yet. The Vivo X500 5G series will be focused on camera, along with the design and power. The Vivo X500 Pro Max is said to feature the largest camera island at the rear. It will be so big, as per reports, that it will look just like a camera lens (in size). Vivo has not yet revealed the design of these devices. But very soon, we will get to see what these new phones from Vivo are all about. Keep reading TelecomTalk to stay tuned about the future developments around this phone.