Last July, Asus announced its ROG Phone 2 gaming smartphone and the Zenfone 6, which came to India as Asus 6Z. Tencent Games, the maker of PUBG Mobile has posted a new teaser on Weibo which says the ROG Phone 3 will be launched in July.

• Asus ROG Phone 3 and Zenfone 7 to launch by Q3
• Asus ROG Phone 2 finally returns to Flipkart

The ROG Phone 3 was recently spotted on TENAA and also a hands-on image was posted on Weibo. Looking at the on-paper rumoured specs, the Asus ROG Phone 3 will a beast.

Asus ROG Phone 2 rumoured specs

The details of the upcoming smartphone were recently spotted. For starters, the ROG Phone 3 is said to come with 6.59-inch Full HD+ with 120Hz or 144Hz refresh and OLED panel. It is expected to come with the latest Snapdragon 865 chipset with overclocked cores. 

On the camera front, the handset is said to feature a 64MP triple camera. The listing also suggests that the device could come with up to 16GB RAM. If this turns out to be true, this will be the first device to do so. We can also expect the device to come in other configurations with 6/8/12GB RAM. On the battery front, it is expected to pack in a massive 6,000mAh battery with 30W fast charging support. 

Along with the ROG Phone 3, the company is also expected to announce the Asus Zenfone 7 next month. The Zenfone 7 was recently spotted on Geekbench which revealed a few key features.

The device is expected to pack in the Snapdragon 865 chipset with eight cores and base clock speed of 1.8GHz. The device will also run on Android 10 out of the box. The listing says the device will also come with 16GB of RAM.

• Asus ROG Phone 2 review
• Best gaming phone

In a Twitter post, Pete Lau (the company’s CEO) shared an image of the OnePlus logo in a blue shade, along with the words “Who's ready for something new from @oneplus?” and “#NewBeginnings.”

It’s clear from this that the company is, well, working on something new, and that blue color could be a hint at the shade this new thing will be available in.

• The OnePlus 8T is also expected this year
• Read our full OnePlus 8 review
• Check out our full OnePlus 8 Pro review

That’s not all though. Carl Pei, the company’s co-founder, also recently tweeted “It’s time to rock the boat again…” with the same hashtag.

None of this necessarily refers to the OnePlus Z, but with that being the company’s most leaked product right now it’s likely. And beyond simply suggesting the phone exists, is coming soon, and might come in a snazzy blue shade, the word choices in the tweets could also provide clues about it.

For example, #NewBeginnings could be a hint that OnePlus is returning to its early days (its beginnings) with truly affordable phones that have high-end specs. That would link with the rumors that the OnePlus Z is a more affordable handset.

But it’s also a “new” beginning, suggesting a change in some way – which could perhaps refer to the potential Nord branding, as this is a change from the simple numbers and letters OnePlus typically uses. That’s all speculation for now, but with this many teasers we’d expect to learn the truth soon.

• Take a look at the best cheap phones

While the video resolutions of streaming platforms had stayed constant, Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Prime had reduced the amount of data they use per stream by about 25% following the orders from the federal government in anticipation of a surge in demand as people stayed home due to the Covid-19 lockdown. Reports had it that internet service providers in India were witnessing a 15% surge in the volume of daily traffic and data consumption.

The Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI) had written to the federal government requesting it to tell streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and others to initiate measures that will ease pressure on network infrastructure, whose use was needed in other critical areas.

Bitrate, in general, determines the size and quality of video and audio files. Higher bitrate indicates better quality.

Following the government's request, the OTT platforms started to lower the data consumption that streaming takes up on their platforms.

The platforms also suspended high definition and ultra high definition content on mobile networks in a move to decongest the mobile networks for smooth digital operations of essential services, including digital payments, online/digital education, digital banking and online healthcare.

• Top-5 Bollywood 1970s comedies to watch on Netflix
• Bollywood flick 'Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl' to premiere on Netflix
• Ten Bollywood flicks on Amazon Prime to clear lockdown blues
• Eight Malayalam films that you must definitely watch on Amazon Prime

Hope for sports action on OTT platforms in HD

Now, though the lockdown is being persisted with varying amounts of severity across the country, OTT platforms are said to be slowly restoring the suppressed bitrate to their original levels.

According to a report in Medianama, “bitrates seemed to be returning to normal across at least ACT Broadband and Reliance Jio, and perhaps for all internet users in India. 1080p video without HDR, which was mostly capped at around 4Mbps, is now streaming at the same bitrate as it does in the US." 

The report said it was not sure whether things have returned to normalcy on Amazon Prime.

But sources in the industry confirmed that all other OTT platforms would follow suit soon (if they have not already) as there is no compulsion any more to maintain a watch over their bitrate.

In any case, there is a small controversy going around that there was really no need in India to reduce the bitrate as there was no significant increase in Wifi usage across India. 

The  Director General of Cellular Operators Association of India, Rajan Mathews, has been quoted in the media as saying that streaming services can now figure out restrictions individually with networks.

With sports activity showing signs of picking up, the returning to higher quality of streaming would come in handy for fans to watch the action on some of these platforms as stadiums continue to be out of bounds for spectators in these social distancing times.

Via: Medianama

• Penguin on Amazon Prime, Bulbbul on Netflix  
• Anurag Kashyap's Choked releases on Netflix
• Amazon Prime Videos to premiere seven Indian movies

The release of Apple's iPhone 11 and its two more powerful models was a big reminder of the costly nature of Apple and just another reason the iPhone 7 could be the ideal phone for you.

Even now that iPhone SE deals are readily available, the iPhone 7 provides low prices you just can't get anywhere else. But of course, that super low price tag does come with a drop in specs.

But despite its age the iPhone 7 still rocks many of the specs we have come to expect from Apple. A mid-size battery, strong processor and the much loved iOS features Apple has made famous.

When it comes to choosing the tariff for you there is still a surprisingly large range of iPhone 7 deals. Big data remains affordable and brilliant cheap contracts under £20 are readily available.

On this page you'll find all of the best iPhone 7 deals you can get right now. Whether you're looking for unlimited data, a free phone or any other type of tariff, you can use our comparison chart below to choose the cheapest option out there. Scroll down to find the best deal for you.

And if you find yourself feeling like something just a little bit more powerful would be the best decision for you, consult our guide to the best mobile phone deals to see what else is out there right now.

• Didn't find anything you like? Try our best mobile phone deals page

The best iPhone 7 deal right now:

Trading in your old phone for money off the iPhone 7:

The iPhone 7 might be an extremely cheap iPhone but you can always save more money. one way to do that is by trading in your old phone. There is a plethora of sites that can do this but one of the best ones is Sellmymobile.

 It compares different recycling sites, listing their TrustPilot scores, how long it will take for you to get paid, how you send your phone and of course, how much you'll get.

In terms of what you can earn, taking the Samsung Galaxy S8 as an example, you can get up to £126 for a working device or £32 for a completely broken device. Or if you have an iPhone 8, you could earn up to £183.

How do I sell my phone? Use our guide to find out more

Head to Sellmymobile.com to see how much you can get for your old phone

The Apple iPhone 7 might now have fallen behind, becoming one of Apple's older devices and yet, the specs till hold up. The battery might not be market leading but for the price you pay for iPhone 7 deals, the water resistance, impressive camera and strong processor are a perfect combination.

Read TechRadar's full iPhone 7 review

Can iPhone 7 deals keep up with Apple's later releases?

Released way back in 2016, the iPhone 7 has a good few years behind it. With that in mind it is clearly no longer Apple's latest and greatest release. If you want the fancy camera specs, massive batteries, big screens and all that comes with new releases, iPhone 11 deals will be the way to go.

The exact area where the iPhone 7 really shines is as a very cheap iPhone. It offers some decent specs while holding on to the IOS features that many will be here for.

What other cheap iPhones are out there?

While iPhone 7 deals seem to be the most popular choice for people trying to land a cheap iPhone, there are a few other popular iPhones, now at lowered prices:

- iPhone 8 deals
- iPhone 7 Plus deals
- iPhone SE deals

Will the iPhone 7 get discontinued?

Despite the handset's age, iPhone 7 deals seem to be holding out well with a lot of retailers continuing to hold stock. While Apple itself no longer sells the iPhone 7, this is no surprise as Apple tends to remove handsets from their website pretty quickly.

The iPhone 7 should hold out for a while before its discontinued.

Is the iPhone 7 still a good phone?

By 2020's standards...not so much. With a range of impressive new smartphones out there, the iPhone 7 has fallen back a few years. However, iPhone 7 deals are all about affordability, considering the extremely low bills available, you are saving money by not getting 2020 specs.

You still get a good camera, decent battery, powerful processor and all of the essential features you would need from a phone.

Is the iPhone SE better than the iPhone 7?

The iPhone SE is probably the best comparison to the iPhone 7, offering a very similar design at a price that isn't all that much higher.

The big difference between the two devices though is that the iPhone SE has some better specs. Most importantly is the iPhone SE's A13 Bionic chip. This is the same as what's available on the iPhone 11.

Then there's 4K video, wireless charging and a number of other improvements. While it is slightly more expensive, it is going to be worth the upgrade for many.

Read more:

• Broadband deals: see the top internet plans currently available
• Amazon Prime Day: prepare for the big saving event
• Best Smartphones: see the top devices out there

When we reviewed the Fitbit Charge 3, we were impressed by its slim profile, lightweight design, and large touchscreen that displays a wide range of health and fitness stats with a swipe of your finger.

It's comfortable to wear all day and all night, which is good to know since it also features sleep tracking, monitoring your patterns of light, REM and deep sleep, which you can then check in the morning to see how well rested you are, and make lifestyle changes accordingly. Drinking less caffeine in the afternoon, for example, getting to bed earlier, or not working out so late.

The Fitbit app will also show changes in your heart rate throughout the day, and when you're exercising. It can then use these figures to calculate a 'fitness score', which will give you a good idea of your cardiovascular wellbeing. Improved workouts should improve this score over time, letting you see real benefits.

Battery life is impressive too, as the Fitbit Charge 3 should last six days or more between charges.

If you've been considering picking up a fitness tracker or looking for an entry-level running watch, this is the perfect opportunity. There's no on-board GPS (you'll need the newer Fitbit Charge 4 for that) so you'll need to carry your phone if you want to map your runs, but it otherwise has pretty much everything you could ask for in a fitness tracker.

• Check out our guide to the best home workout apps

The busy flow of Apple TV Plus shows hasn't ceased in 2020, either, with this year bringing the likes of Chris Evans drama Defending Jacob, and videogame-themed Mythic Quest from the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia co-creators. The future of movies on the platform is exciting, too: Apple is backing a $150 million+ movie from Martin Scorsese starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, according to reports. 

At WWDC 2020, Apple confirmed the Apple TV app was coming to Sony and Vizio TVs this summer, too, allowing more people to access its content. 

If you've picked up a new Apple device with a year's Apple TV Plus membership, or you're happy to sling another streamer a monthly fee to stay entertained in these days of social distancing, here we'll break down the Apple TV Plus price, the shows and movies available now, and what's on the way.

• Our Apple TV Plus review
• The best 2020 TV shows, including Mythic Quest
• The best streaming services compared

Apple TV Plus shows: what's coming up in 2020, including movies

Apple TV Plus shows are releasing at a regular pace throughout 2020. Here's what's coming up in the near-future for the service, as well as other projects that have been announced over the last few years. Check out the above trailer for Foundation, too, which Apple recently debuted at WWDC.

• Greatness Code (documentary): July 10
• Greyhound (movie): July 10
• Little Voice: July 10
• Foundation: 2021
• The Shrink Next Door: TBC
• Swan Song (movie): TBC
• Suspicion: TBC
• Boys State (documentary): TBC
• Masters of the Air: TBC
• Slow Horses: TBC
• Severance: TBC
• El Gato Negro: TBC
• Ted Lasso: TBC
• Swagger: TBC
• The Mosquito Coast: TBC
• Mr. Corman: TBC
• Prehistoric Planet (documentary): TBC
• My Glory Was I Had Such Friends: TBC
• Losing Earth: TBC
• Wolfwalkers: TBC
• Pachinko: TBC
• Calls: TBC
• You Think It, I'll Say It: TBC
• A Christmas Carol: TBC
• Killers of the Flower Moon: TBC
• Tehran: TBC
• Custom of the Country: TBC
• Physical: (TBC)
• Extrapolations: TBC
• Lisey's Story: TBC
• Sharper: TBC
• On the Rocks: TBC

Apple TV Plus has plenty shows and movies coming up, a lot of them featuring big-name stars. Take the Scorsese-directed Killers of the Flower Moon, for instance, a 'large-scale Western' starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro.

In terms of upcoming shows that are worth knowing about, here are a few highlights. The Shrink Next Door is based on the 2019 podcast of the same name, and it'll star Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd. Foundation is a sci-fi series based on the books by Isaac Asimov, and starring Chernobyl's Jared Harris and Lee Pace. Severance, directed and produced by Ben Stiller, is a dark workplace thriller featuring Adam Scott from Parks and Recreation. 

You can also expect second seasons in the future for existing Apple TV Plus shows like Mythic Quest, See, The Morning Show, For All Mankind, Truth Be Told, Home Before Dark, Little America, Dickinson, Servant and Trying. 

Apple TV shows: TV series, movies and documentaries you can stream now

Wondering which Apple TV Plus shows are available to stream now? Check out this quick list of what's available to watch:

• The Morning Show
• See
• Dickinson
• For All Mankind
• Helpsters
• Snoopy in Space
• Ghostwriter
• Oprah's Book Club (factual)
• The Elephant Queen
• Servant
• Truth Be Told (documentary)
• Little America
• Hala
• Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet
• Visible: Out on Television (documentary)
• Trying
• Amazing Stories
• Home
• Home Before Dark
• Beastie Boys Story (documentary)
• Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth (documentary)
• Oprah Talks Covid-19
• Fraggle Rock: Rock On
• The Banker (movie)
• Central Park
• Dear...
• Dads

The shows on Apple TV Plus are hit and miss, but Mythic Quest is the best Apple TV Plus series yet. Fans of sitcoms, videogames, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia will love Rob McElhenney's comedy about the fictional creators of a World of Warcraft-esque MMO. Some comedies take entire seasons to reach the characterization and humour Mythic Quest establishes in its opening episodes. As mentioned, season 2 is on the way. 

On the weaker side is See, beautiful visuals - and we're not just talking about Jason Momoa, here - and expensive set design fail to hide a lack of character development in this near future where a virus has annihilated mankind, leaving its survivors blind.

Little America, however, is a diverse anthology of American immigrant stories, all wildly different in time and place, but each heartfelt tale is united by its restless humanity and desire for a better, less-divided world. Don't miss that, Hailee Steinfeld in Dickinson, and M. Night Shyamalan's uncanny horror, Servant.

You'll also want to check out Beastie Boys Story, a recent documentary about the band that's worth subscribing for alone. 

Apple TV Plus cost: here's the price of the service

Apple TV Plus costs just $4.99 / £4.99 / AU$7.99 per month – and, if you buy an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or AppleTV, you'll get a year's subscription for free.

That's even cheaper than Netflix's cheapest subscription, which costs $9 (£5.99 / AU$9.99) per month, as well as cheaper than Disney Plus, which costs $6.99 / AU$8.99 (around £6) per month.

Apple TV Plus free trial: how to get one

Apple TV Plus has a seven-day free trial, and after that you'll be set to recurring billing for a monthly fee. It's easy to grab a trial. Just download Apple TV which contains all the Apple TV Plus content, and you'll be greeted with an ad for the service, as well as an invitation for a free trial. 

The free trial gets you everything on the service in that seven days, so make the most of it. You only get one free trial for Apple TV Plus. 

Apple TV Plus devices: here's where you can download the Apple TV app

Apple TV is available on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Make sure your firmware is updated so you can access it. The app is also available on Mac. It's also available on third-generation Apple TV devices, Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD. You can also download it on Samsung Smart TVs from 2018 onwards, Amazon Fire TV, LG Smart TVs and Roku devices.

It's coming to Vizio and Sony Smart TVs this summer, too. 

You can watch the service in browsers for PC.

Is Apple TV Plus on Android?

There is no Android app for Apple TV, but you can watch it in a supported web browser on Android devices

Is Apple TV Plus on PS4?

No, Apple TV Plus is not on PS4 right now. The lack of Apple TV Plus on PS4, Xbox One and other games consoles is still an enormous oversight. Apple, though, will bring the app to more devices in the future, which will hopefully include games consoles.

What are Apple TV channels?

In addition to Apple TV Plus, Apple introduced Apple TV Channels, which combines cable subscription services and streaming services like Amazon Prime Video into the Apple TV app. (Unfortunately, however, Apple TV Channels doesn't incorporate Netflix.) Availability varies depending on where you are. Read more about Apple TV Plus channels here. 

So Apple TV Plus is like Netflix?

This is where things get a little confusing. While on stage, Tim Cook made it very clear that Apple TV Plus isn't like Netflix – at least not yet. While the service will offer original content by the boatload, Apple TV Plus doesn't offer licensed content like Netflix or Amazon Prime does, which covers all syndicated shows, like The Big Bang Theory, Mr. Robot or Seinfeld. That, though, may change in future based on a Bloomberg report which points towards more licensed shows and films coming to the service. 

For now, you'll still have to buy those shows through iTunes or via your terrestrial cable app in Apple TV Channels and turn to Apple TV Plus for its library of originals.

The service really needs to be rolled out on more platforms, too, if Apple TV Plus wants a shot at taking on Netflix. For now, this suite of high-budget originals doesn't really compare. But Apple certainly has the money to mount a proper challenge against the king of streaming services in the long term. 

• Disney Plus: the Disney streaming service launched in November 2019

The Amazon Small Business Accelerator looks to help enterprises that may have seen their growth stymied by the global pandemic, and help them regain this momentum.

The scheme will test startups to see what stage of their growth they are at, and then offer advice and resources tailored to their progress.

• Amazon Prime Day 2020 UK: potential deals and postponed September date
• Amazon wants to make enterprise data search simpler than ever before
• Best cloud antivirus: top business security software to stop cyber attacks

Amazon UK startuos

Launched in partnership with small business support network Enterprise Nation, the accelerator will provide a free online training program for 200,000 smaller businesses, aiming to provide them with digital tools in order to recover lost income during the coronavirus crisis.

Amazon is also offering businesses that traditionally operate offline advice and guidance on the benefits of going digital through a week-long online bootcamp. The five-day event will give up to 1,000 companies access to experts and networking with other businesses, as well as 12 months of support from advisers on marketing, operations and managing finances.

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of the economy and by helping them we can help families, communities and the UK bounce back more quickly,” said Doug Gurr, Amazon UK country manager.

“Many businesses have found their way through the crisis by providing goods and services online. Now the Amazon Small Business Accelerator with Enterprise Nation will provide thousands of offline and online businesses with the skills, tools and support they need to succeed in the digital world, to reach customers through Amazon or any other service.”

Businesses signed up to the program will also be able to benefit from a range of discounts with Amazon Business, Amazon Web Services and other services provided by the company.

"Coronavirus has presented serious challenges for startups and SMEs, and never have more businesses called out for help, particularly with getting online," added Emma Jones, head of Enterprise Nation.

“This package of critical support will include tailored guidance for startups, recovery advice, and then tools for growth to help businesses weather the storm and come out stronger on the other side.”

• Start your own online store with the best ecommerce platform software around today

In a new report, Left asserts that Sonos has "quickly emerged as the leader of sound in the connected home", and that the company is beating the likes of Amazon, Google, and Apple at their own game "by dominating the connected home speaker category" with popular models like the Sonos One – AKA, the best smart speaker of 2020.

• Read our Sonos One review
• The best smart speaker of 2020
• Our top wireless speakers of the year

Sonos' domination of the smart speaker market is in stark contrast to Apple's performance with the Apple HomePod, which was met with underwhelming sales when it launched in 2018. 

The success of Sonos, Left argues, could make it a very attractive acquisition prospect for Apple, perhaps paving the way for a new legion of Apple smart speakers with Sonos tech built-in. 

Harnessing the smarts and audio fidelity of the Sonos One, Sonos Move, and Sonos Arc could certainly give the rumored Apple HomePod 2 an edge over the competition.

There are benefits for Sonos, too; since Left published his report, shares in the wireless speaker company have surged by 22%.

United ecosystems

The idea of a Sonos smart speaker that sits seamlessly within Apple's ever-expanding ecosystem sounds pretty great, particularly as the two companies share a similar outlook when it comes to marketing its products.

Like Apple, Sonos has a strong ecosystem that makes buying multiple speakers a far more attractive prospect for consumers. That's thanks to slick multi-room pairing, Wi-Fi-based wireless connectivity, and a rigid design aesthetic that means all of its products look like they're meant to be used together. Sound familiar? 

A Sonos-Apple partnership could be mutually beneficial – and we know that Apple has snapped up potential rivals in the past. 

Back in 2014, Apple acquired Beats in 2014 for an astonishing $3 billion – and that partnership has gone from strength to strength, with the success of the Beats Powerbeats Pro and Apple's own true wireless earbuds, the AirPods and the AirPods Pro. 

Whether Apple really does buy Sonos remains to be seen, but it's an exciting prospect – and we'd love to see a Sonos-powered HomePod on the market in 2021.

• Apple HomePod 2 release date, news, and rumors

Via Business Insider

In a post on the Android developer site, Google has explained that Wear OS watch faces can now make the most of 'hardware acceleration' - that is, they can utilize the processing power of smartwatches with good chipsets or lots of RAM.

• These are the best Wear OS smartwatches
• Check out our Moto 360 review
• What you need to know about watchOS 7

The benefit of this will be that frame rates will be boosted, so animations and transitions (including watch hands moving, or different menus shifting about) will look a lot smoother, and more pleasing to the eye.

This also likely means that ambitious designers will be able to start to make watch faces that are more dynamic and 'fun', dropping the classic watch face look for designs that are more complex and fun - at least for advanced smartwatches.

Wear OS changes, for better or worse

Since Wear OS developers can now implement this change in their software, it won't be long at all until you can start seeing these hardware-accelerated watch faces, and it's possible faces you already have will start being updated with this change soon too, even if it's just for smoother hand movements.

Another possible side effect of this change is that certain watch faces could be better for saving battery and extending your smartwatch's life, as certain Wear OS processors have battery-saving software that will now come into play on the watch face. However if you download a new watch face with a higher frame rate, this will likely have the opposite effect and reduce your watch's life.

Since battery life is a common problem on Wear OS smartwatches, with few lasting much longer than a day, this hardware acceleration trick could provide watch faces that go some way towards solving the problem, or make it even worse.

• Your Wear OS smartwatch has this musical Google Easter egg hidden inside

Via GSMArena

Realme India’s Madhav Sheth shared the new expansion strategy in a forum post. The new product strategy is “1+4+N” — One core product, four smart hubs and N AIoT and lifestyle products. These will act as the foundation for Realme’s expansion into more product categories. This is a common strategy adopted by tech brands for their horizontal expansion. 

1 Core

Smartphones will continue to be the core of Realme’s business, and going forward, will act as the centre of its AIoT ecosystem. The Realme Link app will act as a one-stop-shop to manage all connected products in its portfolio. 

4 Smart hubs

Smart products will see a lot of traction in the coming period. Realme looks at them as four distinct product categories:  smart TV, smart earphones, smartwatch and smart speaker. In fact, in 2020, we’ve already seen offerings such as the Realme TV, the Buds Air as well as the smartwatch. In the near future, expect an announcement around smart speakers, as well as more premium and high-end offerings such as a stylish smartwatch, bigger TVs and smarter headphones. Over time, there will be options at multiple price points to address the needs of the Indian market.

N AIoT Products

N refers to the many AIoT and lifestyle products that Realme is looking to bring to the market. Crudely divided across home, personal and travel, many new product categories will be explored. At the Realme X3 launch this week, a new Adventurer Backpack will also be unveiled. 

Some other future plans were also shared, such as employing over 10,000 Indians by the end of 2020 and expanding sales and distribution to Tier 4 and 5 areas. Local manufacturing of some of the upcoming smart products will also commence. As a part of the “Make in India” initiative, TV and component production lines will be set up for motherboards, which is a rare feat.

• Everything we know about the Realme X3 series
• Realme’s next smartphone to usher in a design overhaul
• Realme’s 2020 plans for India include a 108MP smartphone

An electronic invoice is the digital vision of a paper invoice. While most suppliers create their invoices in a digital format and most buyers approve the invoice in a digital format, there is often a gap in between where the invoices are either printed and mailed or saved as a PDF document and sent by email.

The key to improving efficiency is to keep the invoice in a machine-readable, digital format from start to finish throughout the invoice-to-cash process. Traditionally, the processing of paper or PDF invoices has been done manually by Accounts Payable (AP) professionals resulting in significant labor expenses, long approval cycles and costing the business money in lost early payments.

AP staff typically receive a paper invoice, review the data and manually input it into their accounting system. By choosing to implement an electronic invoicing solution into your business operations, you will revolutionize the way your AP team operates, providing improved transparency for your suppliers and optimizing your financial supply chain.

Benefits of invoice automation to your business

From increasing the opportunity for early payments to shrinking your operational costs, electronic invoicing is clearly a better option for invoice processing.

Reduce late payments - Adopting an electronic invoicing solution minimizes the possibility of paying your suppliers late. Getting rid of snail-mailed paper invoices means that the invoice won’t be lost in the mail or trapped in your processing queue, leading to delayed payments. Delayed payments jeopardize your critical supplier relationships and can lead to disruptions in your supply chain. Eliminating late payments improves cash flow for you and your suppliers and allows both parties to distribute that working capital into other areas, such as investment into future products, business process optimization projects, etc.

Creates the opportunity for early payments - Processing invoices faster accelerates the whole payment process and gives suppliers the ability to request early payments, should their business require it. With early payments, you can minimize cash flow gaps, increase payment predictability and drive working capital to the most effective points in your supply chain to help fuel your business growth.

Enhance productivity - Eliminating manual data entry processes will allow staff time to prioritize more meaningful tasks, such as building customer relationships, improving internal processes and ensuring invoices are paid on-time. Should there be any problems with an invoice, the supplier or buyer staff can quickly and easily locate the invoice within a portal and fix the issue. Through automation, many of the processes associated with creating and paying an invoice are accelerated and simplified, boosting employee morale and promoting better business operations.

Reduce cost - Research conducted by Ardent Partners revealed it costs $10 to process a single invoice, with the average invoice taking 8.3 days to fully process. Many companies are already implementing measures to reduce their invoice processing costs and time; those that aren’t should review why given the immediate value this can deliver to the business.

Be environmentally conscious - Banishing paper and adopting electronic invoices will help you to save your time and money but will also do plenty of good for the environment. Drawing a comparison to receipts, in America alone, paper receipts use up 10 million trees and create 12 billion pounds of CO2. Billentis claims that 495 billion paper invoices are processed globally, with this volume, it's likely that paper invoices will have a similar impact on the environment.

Increase visibility and control - Having total visibility into the invoice process will provide great benefits for all stakeholders. Electronic invoicing solutions enable senior management to have a more holistic view of corporate spending and help them make better decisions for the business. With a centralized location for electronic invoices, you never have to worry about losing an invoice, and you can quickly find an invoice to verify the payment. The ability to locate invoices in a portal helps all parties identify which invoices have been paid and which are outstanding, providing peace of mind for everyone.

Invoice automation to supercharge success

Businesses worldwide are looking for processes to help them become more efficient, drive growth and increase supply chain collaboration to propel success. Implementing an electronic invoicing solution can help your business accelerate growth and automate manual processes. The advantages of adopting electronic invoicing for accounting are too great to ignore. You should choose an electronic invoicing solution to help you save time, make more money, and increase business efficiency and productivity.

• We feature the best tax software.

Of course, the pandemic means we’re not dealing with “business as usual” and it’s right that the Government’s time is dedicated to this unprecedented issue. However, the need for climate strategy to avert the risks of irrevocable climate change aren’t stopping. 

Indeed, as Patricia Espinosa, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary commented, "COVID-19 is the most urgent threat facing humanity today, but we cannot forget that climate change is the biggest threat facing humanity over the long term".

The public wants climate action

Following extreme weather incidents in recent years and the growing visibility of climate activists such as Greta Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion, the public today are far more aware of the need for urgent action to halt the negative effects of global warming.

With the country in lockdown, car and flight emissions have dropped significantly, industry has paused, and the public can more clearly see the effects of carbon emissions and air pollution on their lives and the planet. This has only increased the sense of urgency the public feels in dealing with climate change. While emissions from electricity generation in the UK have almost halved on 1990 levels, there’s still a long way to go to meet net zero.

According to the Pace of Change report from Siemens Energy UK & Ireland, 71% of UK consumers believe the Government should be acting faster to develop clean energy. The public want to see the Government take even bolder steps to move the UK towards net zero carbon. They want to see more investment in wind and solar technology across the UK, and interestingly, there is also a call for investment in hydrogen too.

In the energy transition, there is no one silver bullet

The UK Government started in the right direction as one of the first countries to set a national target to reach zero carbon emissions by 2050. But, to reach this target, it means replacing the UK’s existing energy infrastructure, with something just as big and clean.

This isn’t to say the Government hasn’t done anything, small steps on the road to net zero have been taken such as the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) announcing £90 million for projects to tackle emissions from homes and heavy industry, including Europe’s first hydrogen plants.

But, if the UK is going to reach net zero by 2050, low carbon electricity generation will need to quadruple. This means we’re going to go further to create a market for new technologies such as hydrogen power and carbon capture use and storage (CCUS).

What we do know is there is no one silver bullet to answer the difficult question on climate change. Therefore, the Government must invest in all the tools open to the UK. That means embracing a balance of technology and energy sources to develop a flexible power mix.

As traditional power sources reduce in capacity, renewable generation continues to increase. Indeed, throughout the lockdown period in the UK, the solar power industry reported a record high of 11.5% of electricity generation in May. But as we move towards net zero and see more heat and transport move away from fossil power to electrification, we’re going to need to increase the sources of cleaner power generation to meet this demand.

Younger generations are leading the charge on cleaner energy

Unsurprisingly, the Pace of Change study found there is strong demand from young consumers for cleaner sources of energy, with 65% of millennials wanting to reduce their carbon footprint through renewable fuels. Notably, of all the sources, 15% of millennials and Generation Z think that the UK Government should invest more in the hydrogen energy network in order to reach net zero targets.

Hydrogen power offers enormous potential to decarbonise the whole energy chain as a zero-carbon fuel and a reliable energy carrier which can be easily stored and transported. It can be produced by using renewable energy, such as wind or solar to separate water (H2O) into its component elements of hydrogen and oxygen and could be used as an alternative to natural gas.

Across the UK there are already ongoing trials using hydrogen blended with the natural gas supply to decarbonise heat. And, when it comes to using gas to provide electricity generation, high-efficiency, combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plants will play an important role. CCGTs currently make some of the cleanest gas-fired power stations. But in the near future, gas stations such as these are also capable of being upgraded to decarbonise power generation through hydrogen power, or CCUS.

This evolution will help further deployment of renewable energy, so that eventually the country’s gas turbines can transition to run on hydrogen. The level of flexibility provided by gas-fired power will complement renewable energy generation on the grid, allowing natural gas to be phased out while significantly reducing carbon emissions from gas power generation on the path to net zero.

Taking this even further, by coupling hydrogen with wind power via an electrolyser we can use the power of wind to create hydrogen for use as a form of energy storage. Hydrogen can also be used to support electrification of the transport sector. As we showed at Goodwood Festival of Speed in summer 2019, a hydrogen fuel cell, produced using wind power can be used as an electricity generation source to charge electric vehicles.

By converting hydrogen to ammonia for storage or transportation, it is also a viable way to store excess renewable electricity generation between seasons – one of the four key scenarios laid out in the National Grid’s 2019 Future Energy Scenarios.

The demand for sustainable energy will only grow

Although the UK is taking its first steps with hydrogen power, our research shows the younger generation are already knowledgeable about it. Clean energy sources are clearly front of mind among the younger generation who will ultimately become tomorrow’s business decision makers. As we continue on the path to 2050, their demand for sustainability and renewable energy will only grow.

The Government must now address the market for all the low carbon energy sources of the future, including how to harness the power of wind to create hydrogen energy if they are to keep pace with consumer demand and ensure the UK meets its net zero targets.

In the future, our children will ask what we did to stop the rising tide of climate change. We must act now to make sure we don’t risk failure for generations to come.

• We've featured the best green web hosting.

As revealed during the WWDC 2020 keynote, macOS 11 Big Sur brings some big changes with it – not least the fact that future Macs built on Apple's own silicon will be able to run iOS mobile apps natively. Though it's designed to be a seamless porting transition, some tinkering may still be required – and Apple has new kit to help developers through the process.

The new Mac mini however is part of a 'Developer Transition Kit' that's shipping this week, but will not be available to the average consumer, only developers. In fact, even the developers won't own the kit – it'll be part of a $500 Universal App Quick Start Program, at the conclusion of which the test Mac Mini must be returned to Apple.

• iOS 14 release date, beta, features and supported iPhones
• iPadOS 14 release date, features and compatibility details
• WWDC 2020: everything Apple announced

ARM Mac mini specs

The mini Apple computer does give an indication of what to expect from future Macs powered by Apple Silicon however.

It uses Apple's A12Z chip, as can already be found in the 2020 iPad Pro, and comes complete with a 512GB SSD and 16GB of RAM. Beta versions of macOS Big Sur and Xcode come pre-installed, so that developers can test their apps across devices ahead of the consumer launch of the new machines.

The first Apple Silicon Macs should be ready by the end of 2020, but CEO Tim Cook stated that the complete Intel-to-Apple transition will take around two years.

• macOS 11 Big Sur: everything you need to know

In terms of specifications, the 32-inch model comes with a 1366x768 HD LED panel while the 43-inch model has a 1920x1080 Full-HD screen. And that’s pretty much the biggest difference between the two models. The displays also have Adaptive Lumia Control, PC and Game Mode, Digital MPEG Noise reduction, and Cricket Mode. The TVs are powered by a quad-core CPU and a dual-core GPU with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. 

• Upcoming OnePlus TV’s sizes confirmed by Bluetooth SIG
• TCL’s latest TVs in India can be controlled just by voice

The other shared features include Dolby Audio for the 40W soundbar, as well as Chromecast support for Apple AirPlay, and Screen Mirroring. In terms of connectivity, both the two models have WiFi 802.11, Bluetooth 5.0, three HDMI ports (two on the 32-inch), dual USB, Ethernet, AUX, and Optical Audio output. Both models come preloaded with Netflix, Prime Video, Hotstar, YouTube and Google Play. The remote has dedicated buttons for each of them. The voice assistant feature supports, apart from English, Hindi language as well. 

Coming to pricing, the 32-inch variant is tagged at Rs. 12,999, while the 43-inch model goes for Rs. 21,999. The new variants of the Vu Cinema TV will go on sale on June 23 on Flipkart. The Vu Cinema TV range was first launched in January this year, priced from Rs. 26,999 onwards and available in sizes of 43 inches, 50 inches, and 55 inches.

• Best 55-inch 4K TVs under Rs 50,000 in India for June 2020

Thankfully there are filters in place to deal with a lot of the garbage that floods our inboxes, but there's one area of our lives that's prone to nearly daily spam - SMS.

Yes, in the year 2020 it's apparently still a thing to send an SMS to people. And trust us, we've seen our fair share of SMS spam. Whether it's new property investments, a bank loan offer, 20% of your next food order, or just some other rubbish, it's often hard to deal with the constant flood of spam messages.

There are some apps that offer to help filter your SMS spam and automatically delete them for you, but the problem with these apps is that the SMS message is still delivered to your phone anyway - you just don't see it. That could be a problem if you're travelling and have your phone on roaming - you'll still be charged for the spam SMS reaching you.

If you're an Etisalat subscriber, you can block a particular SMS sender by texting B followed by the sender's ID, to 7726. But if you've got a long list of pesky SMS spam to block, this can really take a while to do, so thankfully there's an easier way to do this directly through Etisalat's website.

How to block SMS spam through the Etisalat website

To get started, log on to your Etisalat Self Care account on Etisalat.ae with your registered user ID and password. Once logged in, on the top right under your account ID, click 'My Etisalat'

Next, click 'My Account' and click the phone number that's registered to you.

You'll then be taken to your main account where you can look at your account usage, bill history, and other information related to your Etisalat account. Here, click the 'Service Details' tab,

There are two things you want to do on this page. The first is to click the toggle next to 'Etisalat Marketing Calls' - this stops Etisalat Customer Care from calling you with offers related to upgrading your phone package.

Below this, you'll find a list of all the SMS messages you've received in the past 7 days. For any sender that you want to block, simply find them on the list and click the 'Block' button. The system will prompt you to confirm the block, and once you select Yes, you'll get an SMS that the block has been applied.

If you ever want to unblock someone in the future, just scroll down the page and you'll see the list of numbers that have been blocked - just click 'unblock' to allow their messages to come through again.

Be cautious with your blocking

A word of caution however - it's not a good idea to block messages from important services such as your bank or utilities provider, as often the same message sender is used to send two-factor authentication codes for online transactions. So just be careful when you block certain numbers, or you might not be able to use these facilities online until you unblock them.

Now, besides the certification itself, the database also suggests that the Galaxy M31s has a 6,000mAh battery which is the same as the Galaxy M31. We didn’t expect any big changes there either. Furthermore, the battery will support 22.5W fast charging, up from 15W on the Galaxy M31. This should make charging the gargantuan battery slightly faster. Apart from that, there’s the TUV Rheinland certification itself which means the handset is well-built and can withstand a good amount of wear and tear. 

(Buy the Galaxy M31 right here)

• Samsung to bring wireless charging to the A series in 2021
• MediaTek-powered Samsung Galaxy A31 launched in India

A few days back, the Galaxy M31s was spotted on Geekbench and it suggested that the device is powered by the Exynos 9611 SoC and it may pack 6GB of RAM. This is the same CPU as its predecessor. This too isn’t surprising as we did not expect much upgrades in the new iteration besides some minimal changes in the hardware including the camera setup. In fact, as per reports, it will have the same 64MP camera as the Galaxy M31 and the Galaxy M51. 

Speaking of which, Samsung is also working on the Galaxy M51 and it could very well debut with the Galaxy M31s. Speculation is that the handset could be a slightly tweaked version of its Galaxy A51 counterpart. 

As far as the launch date expectations are concerned, it could be some time off considering the Galaxy M31 is still a fresh handset launched in February. This combined with a two-month lockdown would’ve very likely frozen the supply chain inventory leading to no sales. Hence, it could be weeks before we see a successor. 

• Best phones under Rs 15,000 in India

Set to arrive on the Apple TV Plus streaming service sometime in 2021, Foundation tells the epic story of a "band of exiles on their monumental journey to save humanity and rebuild civilization amid the fall of the Galactic Empire."

If that sounds familiar, it's probably because Asimov's books, first published in collected-form back in 1951, were a huge influence on the likes of Star Wars and countless other space adventure stories.

• Apple TV Plus may soon stream classic TV shows and movies
• Everything you need to know about Apple TV Plus
• Apple TV Plus shows: a complete guide

Apple brings in the heavy hitters

The show's cast is led by Jared Harris (Chernobyl) as Hari Seldon and Lee Pace (Halt and Catch Fire) as Brother Day, who star alongside Lou Llobell as Gaal, Leah Harvey as Salvor, Laura Birn as Demerzel, Terrence Mann as Brother Dusk and Cassian Bilton as play Brother Dawn.

The author's daughter, Robyn Asimov, takes on executive producer duties alongside Hollywood heavyweights David S. Goyer (The Dark Knight, Blade), Josh Friedman (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Locke & Key), Cameron Welsh (Ash vs Evil Dead, Krypton), David Ellison (Star Trek Beyond, Altered Carbon), Dana Goldberg (Annihilation, I Am Legend) and Marcy Ross (Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan).

Based on the trailer below, we can surmise that the series has absolutely nailed the epic scope and majesty of Asimov's novels. Between this and Denis Villeneuve's Dune adaptation, it looks like 2021 is going to be a special year for science fiction fanatics.

• Apple TV Plus signs content deal the man who brought us HBO's Game of Thrones

This could be your last chance to score a wide range of products at steeply discounted prices, and while lockdown restrictions are slowly being lifted, it’s still a good idea to shop online. 

After all, you’ll be able to shop from the comfort of your own home, and have more time to trawl the internet for the best offers. Or, you could let us do the hard work.

TechRadar’s Australian team is on hand to find the best bargains on electronics over the rest of the month, and we’ll list them all right here. There’s a possibility that a lot of the EOFY sales will end before June 30, so you’ll need to be quick to snag a great deal.

Retailers offering EOFY deals

• HP Australia: Bonus prepaid gift card worth up to AU$200
• The Good Guys
• Dell Australia: Up to 40% off on selected devices + extra 5% off on Vostro
• Microsoft Australia: 20% off Surface Laptop 3, Surface Pro 7 & Surface Pro X
• Kogan
• Dick Smith
• Catch.com.au
• Amazon Australia: Called the Mid-Year Sale, with plenty of discounted tech
• eBay Australia: eBay Plus Month, exclusive discounts for Plus subscribers

EOFY 2020 deals

EOFY 2020 sale: what and when is it?

Unlike the calendar year, Australia’s end of financial year is June 30. That means, from July 1 to the end of October, individuals and businesses will need to file their tax forms with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Prior to that retailers will be racing to shift old stock to make way for fresh ones, and they’ll be slashing prices on plenty of items, many of which will be tax deductible.

Australia’s EOFY sales traditionally begin June 1 and end on June 30, although many retailers tend to jump the gun, offering a few tempting morsels to lure shoppers in. However, the best EOFY offers are during the month of June, although not all retailers have month-long sales. Moreover, the offers also change through the month, so you will need to keep checking back to see if whatever you need is being discounted or not.

Australia's EOFY 2020 sale: what to expect

If you’re looking to save some money on electronics during Australia’s annual EOFY sale, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve had our finger on the pulse of tax-time deals for a few years now and can safely predict what you can get for a cheaper price.

So, what kind of tech can you find during EOFY sales Down Under? Plenty. From computers to gaming gear, the best flagship smartphones to personal audio. To get an idea of what to expect in 2020, let's take a look at what was on offer last year.

Laptops and PCs: Computing gear has always been some of the most popular items to purchase during EOFY. Manufacturers like Microsoft, Lenovo, Dell and HP will host their own sales on their sites, but you’ll also be able to grab laptops and desktop PCs from major retailers as well, with average discounts of about 15% to 20%. You’ll even be able to snag bargains on accessories as well, with printers, keyboards, SSDs and external hard drives all going on sale during this time.

• Keep your devices safe from cyber attacks and save money at the same time with our round-up of the best antivirus deals and discounts in Australia.

Gaming
From Nintendo to Sony and Microsoft – there were plenty of deep discounts on gaming gear last year and we’re expecting to see more of the same again in 2020. The best price we saw on the Switch during EOFY 2019 was AU$379, which isn’t quite as low as it’s gone during other big sales like Black Friday, but it’s still a darn good price. There’ll also be some blockbuster gaming titles available for cheap, if you’d like to expand your gaming library, but keep an eye out for console bundles.

Smartphones and tablets
While there’s usually not a lot of variety when it comes to smartphone discounts, there are always some very intriguing offers to consider during EOFY if you’re looking to upgrade your handset. Last year saw some great discounts on Samsung’s flagships, as well as the Google Pixel 3, so if you’re an Android user, you may be able to score a new phone without having to pay full retail price. 

It’s also a great time to see if you need a tablet as well, as more often than not they too are tax deductible if you use them for work.

Home entertainment and personal audio
There were plenty of TVs, sound bars and speakers on sale during the last couple of EOFY sales, and we don't expect that trend to change any time soon. And with some excellent 4K UHD smart TVs already seeing price drops outside of big sales, we're looking forward to seeing how much more affordable they'll be during the 2020 tax-time sale.

It's not just home entertainment setups that you'll be able to save on but portable Bluetooth speakers and the best wireless headphones as well. The premium audio products retail for about AU$500 a pop, but there's a good chance you'll see them drop well below the AU$400 mark. While discounted prices may not match Black Friday offers, tax-time deals still see a decent chunk of change saved on premium products.

Cameras
The EOFY sales are also a great time for photographers – beginners, pros or hobbyists – to grab the latest gear. Last year saw plenty of cameras go on sale, particularly from Fujifilm and Nikon. In 2018, we saw action cameras also drop in price, so keep your eyes peeled for some excellent bargains on DSLRs, compacts and more. If you’re happy with the camera body you already own but need some accessories, we’re also expecting lenses, tripods, filters, bags and SD cards to see some decent price drops as well.

Smart home devices
These nifty voice-activated products have been flooding the market – from internet-connected lights to smart security systems, and the speakers and displays to control them all. Amazon discounted its Echo range of smart speakers last year and we're quite sure that will happen again, along with the other smart devices the e-commerce giant stocks, such as Philips Hue smart lights. You'll also find plenty of retailers offering discounts on Google's range of smart speakers as well.

Home appliances
If you’re looking to renovate your home, the EOFY sales will help you save plenty on the new appliances you’ll need. You can expect to see bargains on not just Dyson vacuum cleaners, but also fridges, dishwashers, washing machines and plenty more.

In a bid to build the hype around the highly anticipated smartphone, OnePlus’ co-founders have posted a new teaser on Twitter. True to its characteristics, the teaser does not reveal much about the upcoming smartphone, instead just has a OnePlus logo in a Blue/Cyan colour.

• OnePlus 8 vs OnePlus 7T comparison: Worth saving up?
• OnePlus 8T charging speed could be more than twice as fast as the OnePlus 8
• OnePlus 8 vs OnePlus 8 Pro: what's the difference?

In the tweet, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has said, “Who's ready for something new from @oneplus? 😎 #NewBeginnings along with the new colourful logo which could either mean that the new device may come with a new colour variant or maybe a logo that the company may decide to use on the new OnePlus device’s packaging.

In parallel, OnePlus Director Carl Pei shared a tweet which though had nothing apart from “It’s time to rock the boat again… #NewBeginnings  @oneplus”, however, both the co-founders have used the hashtag without actually revealing much about the device.

Further, with most flagship smartphones breaching the $1000 mark, there has been a huge vacuum in the affordable flagship segment and hence manufacturers like Apple got going with the iPhone SE 2020, while Samsung has announced “Lite” and affordable smartphones.

Ever since OnePlus had decided to move towards the premium flagship range, users had been constantly demanding for a budget yet powerful smartphone that offers real value for money and comes with all good features of OnePlus like fast charging solution, fast and slick UI etc. With OnePlus Nord the company aims to answer these questions.

• Best value for money phones under Rs 20,000 

According to a report in Mint that quoted anonymous sources in the know of things, the appeal is likely to be filed with the CCI in a few days, even as the CCI itself is contemplating suo motu scrutiny of the deal.  The names of the startups filing the appeal were not given.

It may be recalled that in April  Jio announced Facebook’s $5.7 billion  (Rs 43,574 crore) investment for a 9.99% stake in the Mukesh Ambani-led telecom major. 

The news report had mentioned Naspers Ventures as being one of those likely to approach the antitrust watchdog. The South African internet giant has however denied this.

Apart from outside startups, the deal is also expected impact the companies that Jio Platforms and Facebook are already separately in ties up with.

Facebook has invested in social commerce firm Meesho and online learning firm Unacademy.

Jio, for its part, Jio has made more than ten investments in internet firms such as Fynd, EasyGov and Embibe.

Facebook, in its application to the CCI, had claimed that the deal does not alter the competitive landscape in any relevant market. 

Facebook has formed a separate subsidiary company "Jaadhu Holdings" for the deal, and in its filing with CCI, it said: “The Proposed Transaction and the Proposed Commercial Arrangement are pro-competitive, benefits consumers, Kirana (corner) stores and other small and micro local Indian businesses, and take forward the vision of digital India.”

• Over 1200 Kirana stores join hands with JioMart, Facebook pilot program
• Jio Mart to sell smartphones and electronics
• WhatsApp as an e-commerce platform gets unveiled

Questions over data privacy

Right from the day the deal between the two biggies was announced, data privacy warriors have raised a red flag as the two companies have access to vast amounts of data.

Facebook holds more than 328 million users in India, while Jio has around 380 million active users. Reliance Retail and Facebook-owned Whatsapp have also entered into a commercial partnership under which Reliance Retail's Jio Mart platform will support small businesses on Whatsapp. And WhatsApp now has over 400 million users in India.

Justice BN Srikrishna,  the chief architect of India's data privacy law, talked about the privacy concerns originating from Reliance Jio-Facebook deal.

He said:  "It is a strategic investment. A strategic investment by definition means it is an investment intended to further the business interest of the investee as well as the investor".

The deal was also seen as being discriminatory to competition in the ecommerce segment by monopolizing data. It was claimed that it will hit, in the long run, direct-to-home and over-the-top platforms. Overall, it will be a big blow to net neutrality was one of the arguments. 

Talking of net neutrality, Facebook has had a bitter experience once before in India. In 2015, Facebook and Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications forged a tie-up to offer Free Basics in India —a plan that promised free internet but bundled along with a slew of digital products and services.

India’s telecom regulator TRAI, however, found it to be “discriminatory" as it violated net neutrality norms, after which the service was discontinued in the country.

While the two companaies go ahead with the new deal, the ball is now in the courts of the CCI and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to investigate whether the deal is in violation of any law or norm.

Via: Mint

• Microsoft, Google, Amazon planning a major FB-like foray in India?