Apple Hikes the Price of Its Product Lineup by Upto 20%

Memory crisis is real! After the evolution of AI and the increasing usage and adoption of AI, tech giants are heavily investing and developing data centers that need highly efficient computers, which is now resulting in a complete shortage of RAM and storage devices.

All these times, tech giants were absorbing the cost, but now the Cupertino giant has to pass the cost to the customers, and guess what? This has resulted in a price hike of whooping 20% from its selling price.

Apple has shared a statement regarding the price hike, sharing it as an “unprecedented challenge” in dealing with increasing memory prices. Apple also stated,

“The rapid expansion of AI data centres has created an extraordinary surge in demand for memory and storage. We know this is not welcome news, and we are working tirelessly to find solutions.”

Right after increasing the prices of the Apple products, the Cupertino giant’s shares fell by around 5%. Luckily, the price hike doesn’t impact hte prices of Apple’s iPhones globally.

Also Read: Apple iPhone Air Hits Its Lowest-Ever Price: Should You Buy?

Will Apple’s Price Hike Affect India?

As it’s a global hike, Apple India has also hiked the prices of its products. Luckily, even for Indian markets, Apple has kept the same price tag for its latest as well as the previous iPhone lineup. Readers who are looking to upgrade to the latest MacBook, iPads, Macs, or even thinking of getting a new HomePod device will have to pay a higher price tag.

Talking about the revised prices, the iPad lineup has seen a price hike between Rs 15,000 all the upto whooking Rs 70,000 hike. Here is the detailed overview:

iPad (base version): Rs 34,900 hiked to Rs 49,900 – Around Rs 15,000 hike.
iPad mini: Rs 49,900 hiked to Rs 69,900 – Around Rs 20,000 hike.
iPad Air M4 11-inch model: Rs 64,900 hiked to Rs 89,900 – Around Rs 25,000 hike.
iPad Air M4 13-inch model: Rs 89,900 hiked to Rs 1,19,900 – Around Rs 30,000 hike.
iPad Pro M5 11-inch model: Rs 99,990 hiked to Rs 1,39,900 – Around ₹40,000 hike.
iPad Pro M5 13-inch: Rs 1,29,900 hiked to Rs 1,99,000 – Around Rs 70,000 hike.

Also Read: Apple iPhone 18 Release Could Challenge Android Rivals

Talking about the MacBooks, the price hike is between Rs 30,000 and goes the way upto whooping Rs 1,00,000. Here is the detailed overview:

MacBook Air M5: Rs 1,19,900 hiked to Rs 1,49,900 – Around Rs 30,000 hike.
MacBook Pro M5: Rs 1,69,900 hiked to Rs 2,39,900 – Around Rs 70,000 hike.
MacBook Pro M5 Max: Rs 3,99,900 hiked to Rs 4,99,900 – Around Rs 1,00,000 hike.
MacBook Neo: Rs 69,900 hiked to Rs 79,900 – Around Rs 10,000 hike.

The price hike is also extended to Macs and HomePods. Here is the detailed overview for both.

Mac mini M4: Rs 59,900 hiked to Rs 94,900 – Around Rs 35,000 hike.
Mac Studio M4 Max: Rs 2,14,900 hiked to Rs 2,79,900 – Around Rs 65,000 hike.
Mac Studio M3 Ultra: Rs 4,29,900 hiked to Rs 5,99,900 – Around Rs 1,70,000 hike.
iMac M4: Rs 1,34,900 hiked to Rs 1,74,900 – Around Rs 40,000 hike.
HomePod: Rs 32,900 hiked to Rs 44,900 – Around Rs 12,000 hike.
HomePod mini: Rs 10,900 hiked to Rs 15,900 – Around Rs 5,000 hike.
Apple TV 4K (64GB): Rs 14,900 hiked to Rs 25,900 – Around Rs 11,000 hike.
Apple TV 4K (128GB + Ethernet): Rs 16,900 hiked to Rs 31,900 – Around Rs 15,000 hike.

Also Read: Apple iPhone Fold/Ultra Might Face Shipment Delays Till 2027

Can I still buy Apple products at any discounts?

The current revised price is already updated on Apple sites, a few online retailers like Flipkart, Amazon are still selling the Apple products for their previous price, so this will be a good chance to go ahead and make a purchase at its previous price.

FWA Subscribers — 5G and UBR Breakdown

Total wireless 5G FWA subscribers increased from 12.55 million at the end of April 2026 to 12.73 million at the end of May 2026, with 6.35 million (49.84 percent) in urban areas and 6.39 million (50.16 percent) in rural areas.

As of May 2026, Bharti Airtel reported a 5G FWA subscriber base of 3,764,262 (an addition of 7,773), while Reliance Jio reported 8,968,567 (an addition of 174,817) 5G FWA users, bringing the total to 12,732,829.

Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, the only operator reporting UBR FWA subscribers, increased its UBR FWA base from 4,505,055 at the end of April 2026 to 4,732,703 at the end of May 2026, adding 227,648 users.

“The number of total wireless FWA subscribers using UBR technology (UBR FWA) stood at 4.73 million at the end of May 2026 with subscriptions in urban and rural areas of 3.38 million and 1.36 million respectively. The shares of urban and rural wireless (UBR FWA) subscribers in total wireless (UBR FWA) subscribers were 71.35 percent and 28.65 percent respectively, at the end of May 2026.”

Gain and Loss of Wireless Subscribers

Bharti Airtel added 2,926,907 wireless (mobile) subscribers during May 2026, while Reliance Jio added 2,154,468 subscribers. Vodafone Idea added 121,289 subscribers during the month. BSNL, however, lost 104,660 wireless (mobile) subscribers, while MTNL lost 3,803 subscribers. Overall, the wireless (mobile) subscriber base increased by 5.09 million subscribers during the month.

All Licensed Service Areas (LSAs) except Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Mumbai, and Haryana showed growth in wireless (mobile) subscribers during May 2026.

Wireless Market Share of Operators

As of the end of May 2026, private access service providers held 92.71 percent of the wireless (mobile) market, while BSNL and MTNL accounted for 7.29 percent.

This translates to Reliance Jio holding a 39.27 percent market share with 501.44 million wireless subscribers; Bharti Airtel with a 37.89 percent market share and 483.81 million wireless subscribers; Vodafone Idea with a 15.56 percent market share and 198.66 million wireless subscribers; BSNL with a 7.28 percent market share and 92.91 million wireless subscribers; and MTNL with a 0.01 percent market share and 177,761 wireless subscribers.

Wireless (Fixed Wireless and Mobile) Access Broadband Subscribers

As of the end of May 2026, Reliance Jio reported 515.14 million wireless broadband subscribers—the highest number—followed by Bharti Airtel with 365.13 million, Vodafone Idea with 129.21 million, and BSNL with 23.02 million subscribers.

Wireline Telephone Subscriber Base

Wireline subscribers increased from 48.58 million at the end of April 2026 to 48.64 million at the end of May 2026. The net increase in the wireline subscriber base was 0.06 million with a monthly growth rate of 0.12 percent.

In the wireline segment:

• Reliance Jio held a 31.83 percent market share with 15,481,285 subscribers, adding 101,425 subscribers during the month.
• Bharti Airtel accounted for a 24.30 percent share with 11,816,770 subscribers, adding 53,809 subscribers during the month.
• Vodafone Idea held a market share of 1.74 percent with 846,690 subscribers, losing 13,865 subscribers during the month.
• BSNL held a 15.28 percent market share with 7,433,813 subscribers, losing 31,338 subscribers during the month.

M2M Cellular Connections

The number of M2M (Machine-to-Machine) cellular mobile connections increased from 127.48 million at the end of April 2026 to 131.11 million at the end of May 2026.

Bharti Airtel led with 80.83 million M2M connections (61.65 percent market share), followed by Reliance Jio with 25.10 million (19.14 percent), Vodafone Idea with 21.00 million (16.02 percent), and BSNL with 4.18 million (3.19 percent).

Active Wireless Subscribers

Out of the total 1,277.00 million wireless (mobile) subscribers, 1,195.74 million were active on the date of peak VLR in May 2026. The proportion of active wireless (mobile) subscribers was approximately 93.64 percent of the total wireless (mobile) subscriber base.

Bharti Airtel reported a peak VLR of 99.28 percent during the month, BSNL 55.85 percent, Vodafone Idea 84.41 percent, MTNL 151.85 percent, and Reliance Jio 98.83 percent.

Also in TRAI Subscriber Series:

Apr 2026: Airtel Tops April 2026 Wireless Subscriber Gains, Jio Follows Closely: TRAI Report

Mar 2026: Bharti Airtel Adds Over 5 Million Wireless Subscribers in March 2026: TRAI Data

Feb 2026: Vodafone Idea Gains 21,927 Wireless Subscribers, TRAI February 2026 Data

Jan 2026: Vodafone Idea Starts 2026 with Subscriber Loss: TRAI January 2026 Data

Dec 2025: Airtel Crosses 463 Million Wireless Subscribers; Gap With Jio Shrinks: TRAI December 2025 Data

Nov 2025: Airtel, BSNL, and Jio Gain Wireless Users in November 2025; Vodafone Idea Loses Over 1 Million Subscribers

That approach worked when employees operated primarily from corporate offices and applications lived inside company-owned data centers.

Today, that reality has changed.

Applications run across public clouds, employees work from multiple locations, contractors access systems remotely, and business operations increasingly depend on third-party integrations. The traditional network perimeter has become difficult to define, making identity the most important security boundary for modern enterprises.

Every interaction with a business application, cloud service or collaboration platform begins with authentication. Whether it is a user account, service account, API key or security token, identity is now where trust is established and where many security incidents originate.

The Growing Challenge of Identity Debt

Many organizations accumulate what can be described as “identity debt” over time.

Employees join departments, change roles, receive access to additional applications and eventually leave the company. Yet access privileges often remain behind. Service accounts created for temporary projects continue operating long after their original purpose has ended. Legacy permissions accumulate without regular review.

These dormant accounts and unnecessary privileges can create opportunities for attackers.

Addressing this challenge requires a structured identity security strategy rather than isolated security controls.

Pillar 1: Centralized Identity Lifecycle Management

The foundation of identity security begins with ensuring that access rights accurately reflect employment status and job responsibilities.

A modern approach treats the HR system as the authoritative source of employee information. When an employee joins, changes roles or leaves the organization, identity systems automatically update access rights across connected applications.

This reduces reliance on manual processes and helps eliminate orphaned accounts that often remain active after employees depart.

Single Sign-On (SSO) further strengthens security by reducing the number of credentials employees must manage, lowering the risk of password reuse across applications.

Automated account hygiene processes can also identify stale accounts and disable credentials that remain unused or unmanaged for extended periods.

Pillar 2: Adaptive Authentication and Conditional Access

Passwords alone are no longer sufficient to protect enterprise systems.

Modern identity security increasingly relies on phishing-resistant authentication methods such as authenticator applications and FIDO2 security keys. These technologies significantly reduce the effectiveness of credential theft attacks.

Conditional Access introduces another layer of protection by evaluating contextual signals before granting access.

Factors such as device compliance, geographic location, user behavior and risk scores can be assessed in real time. A login attempt from an unmanaged device or an unusual location can be blocked even when valid credentials are presented.

For many organizations, these controls can help prevent large numbers of credential-based attacks each year.

Pillar 3: Privileged Access Governance

Administrative accounts represent some of the highest-value targets for cybercriminals.

A compromised administrator account can provide access to email systems, cloud services, security configurations and critical business applications.

Many organizations continue to rely on permanent administrative privileges because they simplify operational tasks. However, standing privileged access significantly increases security risk.

A Just-In-Time (JIT) access model provides an alternative approach. Administrative privileges are granted only when required and automatically removed once the task is completed.

This minimizes the exposure window and reduces the likelihood of privileged credentials being exploited by attackers.

Continuous monitoring of service accounts, application credentials and privileged identities further strengthens security posture.

Pillar 4: Protecting Domain Identity

Identity security extends beyond employee accounts.

Corporate domains themselves possess digital identities that can be abused through impersonation and email spoofing attacks.

Technologies such as SPF, DKIM and DMARC help verify the legitimacy of email communications and reduce the likelihood of attackers successfully impersonating trusted organizations.

As supply chains become increasingly interconnected, enterprises are also beginning to evaluate the identity security practices of third-party vendors and partners.

Ensuring that external organizations follow similar authentication standards can help reduce broader ecosystem risks.

Pillar 5: Operational Resiliency and User Empowerment

Security controls must balance protection with usability.

If security processes create excessive friction, users often seek workarounds that weaken overall security.

Secure Self-Service Password Reset capabilities allow employees to recover access without helpdesk intervention while maintaining strong verification requirements.

Similarly, restricting access to corporate data from managed and compliant devices helps ensure that sensitive information remains protected regardless of where employees work.

By linking user identities to trusted devices, organizations can strengthen both security and operational efficiency.

Why Identity Security Matters More Than Ever

The rapid adoption of cloud computing, AI-powered applications, remote work models and digital collaboration platforms has fundamentally changed enterprise security requirements.

Attackers increasingly target identities because identities provide direct access to valuable systems and data.

As organizations continue modernizing their digital infrastructure, identity security is becoming a foundational component of Zero Trust architectures and broader cybersecurity strategies.

While identity controls alone do not replace endpoint security, network protection or incident response capabilities, they provide a critical first line of defense against many of today’s most common attack methods.

Conclusion

The future of enterprise security is increasingly centered on identity rather than traditional network boundaries.

Organizations that invest in automated identity lifecycle management, phishing-resistant authentication, privileged access governance and domain protection can significantly reduce their attack surface while supporting modern ways of working.

In a world where employees, applications and data operate far beyond the confines of a traditional corporate network, identity has become the new perimeter.

Also Read: Apple MacBook Air M5 Best Offer, Should You Get Now

Apple iPhone Air – What do you get for the price?

Launched back in September 2025, the iPhone Air is the first-ever slimmest phone released by the Cupertino giant, offering a slim-light weight phone for the users.

Apple iPhone Air was released as part of a rising trend in “minimal, lightweight phones” alongside the Galaxy S25 Edge phone. The phone offers a 6.5-inch Super-Retina XDR all OLED screen on the front with peak resolution 736 x 1260 pixels and 120Hz refresh rate.

The display can get brighter up to upto 3000 nits and comes with features like Always-On display, True Tone, Wide color (P3).

On the rear side, the phone comes with a single 48MP camera offering 4K Dolby Vision supported video recording and 12MP optical zoom.

Apple iPhone Air’s design, build, and chipset are the main USP, where the phone comes with a Grade-five titanium chassis within the slimmest 5.64mm body, and protection of Ceramic Shield 2 on the front and back.

Apple iPhone Air is IP68 rated, giving it resistance against water and dust. The phone comes in 4 colours, including Sky Blue, Light Gold, Cloud White, and Space Black.

Also Read: iPhone Air 2 Prototype Reveals Duo-Camera: Launch in 2027

Apple iPhone Air – Best Offers and Deals

One of the prominent Indian electronic retailers, Vijay Sales, is selling the Apple iPhone Air for the all-time lowest price, bringing its price from Rs 1,19,900 to Rs 96,990 for the 256GB storage variant.

Vijay Sales is also offering additional discounts through its “Extra Deal” addon, where ICICI Bank, SBI Bank, Axis Bank, and HDFC Bank credit card holders can get an extra Rs 4,000 off, bringing the price further down to just Rs 92,990 only.

Also Read: Apple iPhone 17 Price Down, Check the Offer

Should You Buy the Apple iPhone Air?

For this price, you get the slimmest phone with the power of the currently most powerful mobile SoC, the A19 Pro chipset. Although there are many factors in which the iPhone Air lags behind.

Despite having the A19 Pro SoC but no extra space for a bigger battery, the iPhone Air offers very low Screen-on-time compared to its competitors. Over and above, the iPhone Air only comes with a single 48MP rear camera on the back, which does a quite decent job.

iPhone Air also faced criticism over its specifications and features, where, despite being the slimmest phone, the iPhone Air lacked a lot of required specs, including a good battery, decent camera, and many users felt iPhone Air was overpriced for the specs it offered!

So, should you buy the iPhone Air? If you are someone who is looking for a sleek, lightweight secondary iPhone and you really don’t care much about the camera and the battery, then the iPhone Air should be a good choice to go with!

If you are looking for an Android competitor, Samsung is also selling its Galaxy S25 Edge for as low as Rs 79,000, which is also among the sleekest Android phones you can buy.

The customers will have to pay for the subscription, however, there will be no installation charges for BSNL customers. This aligns with the strategy most companies in India already have. Internet service providers (ISPs) such as Airtel and Jio anyway offer free installation and services along with the Wi-Fi router if the customer is going for a long-term plan (at least three months).

BSNL Creates Employment for Citizens in Rural India

The rural youth of India can now get employment with the help of BSNL. The rural youth can partner up with BSNL by registering as the BharatNet Udyamis (BNUs) and earn an income by providing internet services in villages. BSNL said that members of the public, who are interested in obtaining a free internet connection or registering as a BharatNet entrepreneur may contact their nearest BSNL Customer Service Center.

BSNL has been running one of the largest internet business in the country for more than a decade. However, over the years, the company has seen a decline in market share. This is due to the growth of the private ISPs including Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio. Vodafone Idea (Vi) has been trying to get into this segment as well with its broadband arm You Broadband, but has not been able to make a large business for itself. There’s a new broadband plan as well introduced by BSNL, which is priced at Rs 249. If you want more details on this plan, just read TelecomTalk.

Rockstar Games Starts GTA VI Pre-Orders, Reveals Pricing

GTA VI is now officially confirmed! Previously, Rockstar Games took over the internet with the announcement of the pre-orders, and starting from June 25, 2026, interested buyers can pre-order their favourite game.

Over and above announcing the pre-orders, Rockstar Games also confirms the pricing, where GTA VI will be priced at $80 for the standard edition, and the Ultimate Edition will be sold for $100.

Also Read: Rubrik Launches Annapurna API Service for Generative AI Applications

What Do You Get with a GTA VI Pre-Order?

As per the press release shared by Rockstar Games, users who have pre-ordered the GTA VI game will get a chance to pre-load the game to their gaming console, be it Xbox or Sony’s PlayStation.

Rockstar Games confirmed that digital editions can be pre-loaded starting from November 12, 2026. However, the restriction to play the game will only be removed after the launch date, which is on November 19, 2026.

For the gamers who want to get the physical edition can use a “download code” inside the box, but this code is set to activate after the launch.

Rockstar Games promises that the Ultimate edition will have extra weapons, cars, clothing, and even tattoos. Gamers will be able to change the appearance of the characters.

For the readers who pre-order the game before launch, they will also get a Vintage Vice City Pack, which includes new vintage cars, garages, and even 80’s outfits and hairstyles.

Also Read: Netflix to Bring 40 New Game Titles this Year

How to Pre-Order GTA 6?

For the readers who want a digital copy, Rockstar Games has already started taking pre-orders directly through the PlayStation Store, Xbox, and the Rockstar Games store.

Physical edition copies with the download codes will be distributed among the authorized retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, and GameStop.

GTA VI is an open-world action adventure games which follows the story of a modern criminal couple, Lucia and Jason, who stay in a fictional state called Leonida, based in Florida, USA.

The story starts with the couple’s small bank heist failure, which took a serious turn, and ends with Lucia and Jason caught up in a massive statewide conspiracy.

Lava Smart 4 Plus India Launch Price

Lava Smart 4 Plus has launched in India for a sole 4GB + 64GB variant priced at Rs 9,999. The device is available in two colours – Nilgiri Blue and Himalayan Silver. It will be available in retail outlets across India very soon. The device will also get door-step after-sales service from Lava across India.

Lava Smart 4 Plus Specifications in India

Lava Smart 4 Plus will run on Android 15 Go out of the box. The device has a 6.75-inch HD+ display with support for 90Hz refresh rate. The phone is powered by the octa-core Unisoc 9863 SoC coupled with up to 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The device has built-in virtual RAM and has built-in memory which can be expanded up to 8GB with the help of unused storage.

The device has a 13MP rear primary camaera sensor along with a second auxiliary lens. For selfies and video calling, there’s a 5MP sensor at the front. The Lava Smart 4 Plus comes with IP64 durability rating only. There is a 5000mAh battery with support for 10W fast-charging via USB Type-C port on the phone.

The DoT has invited applications for the post of BSNL chairman. The position is open for private sector people as well. BSNL has been trying to make a comeback. The position of CMD is super important and needs to go to someone who can operate the telecom operator under stress. There are mountains of losses, and the speed of 4G rollout is super slow. So anyone going for this role will have to go in with an understanding that things will not be a smooth.

BSNL has been losing customers to private telcos. While the relief packages have helped to a certain extent, things will not improve till the time 4G is spread everywhere and the network quality of service (QoS) is at par with what the private telecom service providers (TSPs) are offering. BSNL is expected to soon get a new leader, and we will have to wait some time to see who that will be.

This does leave us with a question if whether this is the best time to upgrade to the latest MacBook Air M5 or if you should wait for more time. Here we have got you covered with everything you should know.

Also Read: Apple MacBook Neo 2 Could Feature A19 Pro Chip

Apple MacBook Air M5 – What do you get for the price?

Launched in March 2026, the new MacBook Air M5 offers a pretty good spec bump compared to its predecessor models, where the M5’s starting storage was doubled to 512GB, combined with improved connectivity features with the new Apple N1 chip, which offers Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.

To improve portability, the MacBook Air M5 is built within the aluminum chassis, offering a better portability and durability combination. MacBook Air M5 comes in two display variants, a 13.6 and 15.3-inch liquid retina display, which offers 500 nits of peak brightness and supports 1 billion colours, making it among the most vivid displays in the market.

Despite being thin, there is no compromise on the battery, thanks to its powerful M5 chipset. Apple claims its MacBook Air M5 offers up to 18 hours of battery backup. On the front, we get a center-stage supported 12MP camera with the three-mic array helping in improving voice clarity. The MacBook Air offers 4 Thunderbolt ports, out of which two of them support connecting to an external display.

Also Read: Apple iPhone 17 Price Down, Check the Offer

Apple MacBook Air M5 – Best Offers and Deals

A Prominent retailer, Vijay Sales, is selling Apple MacBook Air M5 for a real steal deal where the 13.1-inch variant coupled with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage is now selling for just Rs 1,07,990.

Over and above, Vijay Sales is offering additional discounts as part of “Extra Deal” where ICICI bank, HDFC, and SBI Card holders get a direct slash of Rs 9,000, bringing the price to just Rs 98,990!

Also Read: Apple iPhone Fold/Ultra Might Face Shipment Delays Till 2027

Opinion – Is It Worth Buying the Apple MacBook Air M5 Now?

If you are still stuck with these questions, let us clarify this! Apple MacBook Air M5 is among the best-selling laptops even today; however, after launch, it did face some unacceptance from tech enthusiasts for its price hike, as the previous model, MacBook Air M4, was just launched at Rs 99,900, where the M5 started for Rs 1,19,900.

Although the price hike was justified as Apple doubled the starting storage and coupled with it the latest chipset, despite the situation where chipset prices are skyrocketing.

Right after a few months, seeing the Apple MacBook Air M5 for such a low price does make this a real steal deal, so it’s worth it to buy a new Apple MacBook Air M5 in 2026.

OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Price in India

OnePlus Nord Buds 4 are priced at Rs 3,299 in India. The earbuds are priced at Rs 3,099 for a limited period. The sale of the earbuds will begin on June 29, 2026.

OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Specifications in India

The OnePlus Nord Buds 4 come with ANC which delivers up to 52 dB of real-time ANC. There are six microphones in the earbuds, and they are working together with the advanced AI algorithms to deliver crystal clear calls, even in winds of up to 25km per hour. Each of the earbuds feature a 12mm titanium-coated dynamic driver engineered to deliver powerful bass and immersive sound, complemented by an ergonomic ultra-light 4.3 gram design for lasting comfort.

These will sit below the Nord Buds 4 Pro in India. The Nord Buds 4 also support 3D Spatial Audio and Game Sound Spatial Audio, creating richer entertainment experiences. Users will be able to improve their listening experience through Master Tuning modes and customisable EQ settings. The Nord Buds 4 will come with support for different connectivity technologies including Bluetooth 6.1, Dual Device Connection, Google Fast Pair, and Microsoft Swift Pair.

The Nord Buds 4 have recevied TUV Rheinland Battery Health Certification, offering additional confidence in its long-term reliability. They also come with IP55 rating for dust and water resistance rating for the users.

Considering Jio’s huge active cellular customer base of around 524 million, this is indeed one of the most ambitious projects the telecom giant has built.

During the Annual General meeting, Akash Ambani shared that the native AI agent will be integrated into its cellular networks by the end of this year, so here we have got you covered with everything you need to know:

Also Read: Jio to Use Up to Rs 27500 Crore for Clearing Debt from IPO Money

Jio Call Agent: Key Features and Is It Free?

To trigger or to start the agent, the user needs to say “Hey Jio” and also has to first give permission to the agent to be added to the call.

Talking about the features, the Jio AI Call agent will have access to interact with the users directly and is also trained to interact in any native Indian language.

Jio Call Agent has the ability to transcribe voice calls and can identify up to 10 unique speakers in a single conference call, helping to transcribe office team meetings.

The call agent can also summarize the call conversation and has the ability to perform action tasks, including setting reminders, booking a cab, ordering food, and even reserving a table in a restaurant. However, the user has to give consent first to the Jio AI agent.

Unlike other LLM providers like Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which often require a subscription plan to use their services, Jio is using its home-grown Reliance intelligence system, which is purely an “Indian-made AI system” where development to processing is done in India only.

Also Read: Jio Crosses 268 Million 5G Users, Targets Full 5G Migration by 2030

Reliance and Jio Enter a New AI Era: What’s Next?

The previous year, Jio’s parent company , Reliance Industries (NSE: RELIANCE), shared its plans to shift to the AI world with its home-built Reliance Intelligence.

As part of rapidly expanding its AI footprint, Reliance Industries is developing India’s sovereign AI backbone in Gujarat, Jamnagar.

This new cutting-edge infrastructure’s operations will be based on clean energy from Reliance’s own solar generation plant located in Kutch.

As per the press release, the first 120 megawatts will be commissioned by the end of 2026.

Apart from AI, Jio is also working on other ambitious projects like Satellite communications, helping to Jio to connect with every user across the country, be it rural or urban areas.

Also Read: Jio New Phone Under Rs 800 with 4G

Opinion: Is AI the Next Revolution for the Telecom Industry?

Telecom giant Jio has a really ambitious plan and is aiming to make AI accessible to every Indian, just like how they made internet accessible to every Indian back in 2016.

The telecom industry will definitely see a huge shift in the coming years with AI. Jio is already preparing to lead the AI race for real with its Jio Call Agent announcement.

To keep things fast and smooth, the device comes paired with an LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.1 internal storage. One of the best things about the Redmi Turbo 5 is that it runs on HyperOS 3 out of the box. Before we talk about the performance in general, I think it would be right to address HyperOS 3.

Xiaomi HyperOS 3 on the Redmi Turbo 5

The HyperOS 3 is based on Android 16. The best thing that I felt about this OS is that it allows you to use the phone without signing in with Google. This is not the case with the other Android devices. While booting, you need to enter your Google ID, but not with the HyperOS 3. The Redmi Turbo 5 feels super smooth with the HyperOS 3. It brings plenty of AI (artificial intelliegence) features access for the users, and also has a beautiful UI. But one thing that I feel like could be changed in the future is the pre-installation of the Indus App Store. There are many apps pre-installed, and you can delete them, but not the Indus App Store.

Apart from that, I love what Xiaomi has done with the HyperOS 3. I also really feel good about the IR remote functionality this phone supports. Most flagships today don’t come with it, and it really bums me.

Redmi Turbo 5: Gaming and Other Things

Look, let me be honest, I am not much of a gamer. So I don’t really test the most demanding games, but the kind of games I play, are flight simulators, airport management, and more. They also require a good processor to operate smoothly, and while playing for more than an hour, I need the device to be cool. The Redmi Turbo 5 mostly stays that way. The glass back also helps to be honest.

If gaming is what you are after, this is a perfect device for you. It has a great design, decent camera, and a super fast processor capable of handling long gaming sessions. Even the fingerprint sensor is super fast in response and opens the device instantly. I genuinely love the display of the Redmi Turbo 5. The bezels are thin, and thus, it feels like I am looking at a ultra-premium segment phone.

I my opinion, no phone is perfect. But this one gets as close to it as possible. I would rate Redmi Turbo 5 a solid 8.5/10 in performance and gaming. Over the long run, my opinions could be different, but for now, this is what I feel about this device.

BSNL Rs 259 Broadband Plan Benefits Explained

BSNL Rs 259 broadband plan is likely only available in select cities or regions of the country. The Rs 259 broadband plan comes with only 700GB of data. Along with that, users get 25 Mbps of speed only. There is unlimited voice calls and access to free TV channels on Prasar Bharti TV, Waves App, and BSNL Skypro IFTV bundled as well for the users.

This is a special rural broadband plan from the company. Note that it may not be available in all rural towns. This is affordable, but there is less data and less speed for the users. But it still makes sense for people who have limited budgets for an internet connection at their home or office. BSNL Rs 449 broadband plan is also a great option for consumers, if they can spend a little more. Comparatively, this plan is also in the right budget for most Indians.

However, the Rs 449 plan is is not everyone’s cup of tea. The benefits with the plan are 3.3TB of monthly data, 50 Mbps of speed, and unlimited voice calling, but sadly, there are no entertainment benefits. For a limited time, BSNL is offering free broadband installation to the consumers.

Nothing said that the Phone 4b combines the refined unibody design of Phone 4a Pro with the expressive Glyph Bar introduced on Phone 4a. This makes the device feel both familiar and distinctly new. Nothing said that the phone has been designed with a soft, skin friendly finish so that it is comfortable to hold throughout the day.

Nothing Phone 4b Chipset

Nothing said that the Phone 4b chipset has been confirmed via a Geekbench listing. The platform listing suggests that the phone will feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 SoC. It will be priced under the Nothing Phone 4a series. The Phone 4b is meant for the users who want a modern and clean design smartphone with a clean software experience. Nothing has truly focused a lot on its software to make it as good and unique as its hardware. The company will launch this phone under Rs 30,000 most likely.

The Geekbench scores showed a single-core score of 1088 and multi-score of 3155. The phone is confirmed to be available through the Flipkart platform in India. The Nothing Phone 4a was launched in India for a base 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage for Rs 31,999. The Phone 4b will be a device to watch out for.

Also Read: Breaking: Airtel Insider Program Goes Live With LinkedIn Premium and EazyDiner Prime Offers

Bharti Airtel Becomes India’s Third Most-Valued Company; IT Firms Post Biggest Losses

As per the reports shared by the Burgundy Private Harun India 500 report, other technology giants like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, and Wipro have together posted a net loss of around Rs 8.5 trillion, reflecting Rs 8,50,000 Crore, making IT the biggest value-losing sector.

On the other hand, Bharti Airtel sees huge growth through its annual earnings. This also comes alongside S&P Global upgrading Bharti Airtel’s global issuer rating from BBB- to BBB+.

The report shows the Reliance industry as the most valuable company for the fifth consecutive year, with a total valuation of Rs 19.36 trillion in wealth.

Also Read: Airtel Now Owns 79% of Airtel Africa

After Reliance Industries, the position is followed by HDFC Bank with a total wealth of Rs 11.88 trillion, and the telecommunication giant is at the third position with Rs 11.50 trillion in wealth.

After showcasing their findings, the founder and chief researcher of Hurun India, Anas Rahman, stated:

“The companies in the 2025 Burgundy Private Hurun India 500 form the backbone of India’s private sector, wielding significant economic influence. Together, they have a cumulative valuation of $3.4 trillion — higher than the gross domestic product (GDP) of Canada and the combined GDPs of Indonesia and Spain.”

The fifth report, shared by Burgundy Private in partnership with Axis Bank’s Private Banking Business and Hurun India, showcased that the value of India’s 500 most valuable non-state-run companies stood at around Rs 3.23 trillion in taxes. Reports also show Rs 13,433 crores on the corporate social responsibility initiative.

Also Read: Airtel 5G Expansion in 2026: New Sites, Wider Coverage and Faster Speeds

Hurun India 500 Report Shows Valuations Doubling Across Key Industries

The reports show that 12 companies in the past five years have seen doubled valuation growth.

These companies are associated with financial, real estate, electric vehicles, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, and manufacturing, including Ather Energy, Groww, Adani Properties, Ather Energy, Lenskart, Paharpur Cooling Towers, and Adani Power.

BSNL Rs 997 Prepaid Plan Benefits

The Rs 997 prepaid plan from BSNL comes with 2GB of daily data. Along with this, it comes with 150 days of service validity. Further, there is one time bonus of 5GB data which the users will get credited into their account. There is, of course, unlimited voice calling and 100 SMS/day. The benefits stay applicable for the entire 150 days. Note that this is a limited time offer, and will expire on June 30, 2026. To get the bonus data and the benefits, you need to recharge with this plan before June 30.

BSNL has been promoting this plan as part of its Fathers Day campaign for 2026. The Fathers Day was on June 21, 2026. However, the offer will stay there for a few more days (until the end of the month). This plan should be ideally available in every telecom circle of the country. If you want to recharge with it, just go to the BSNL Self Care app or the official website of BSNL India. Alternatively, you can also use third-party online payment apps which lets users recharge their prepaid SIM card, or you can pay a visit to the nearest BSNL office or retail partner for getting help with the plan recharge.

Bharti Airtel Earns BBB+ Credit Rating Upgrade from S&P Global

Bharti Airtels one of the top-three biggest telecom operations in the world and in India. Getting such a massive credit upgrade for such a corporation comes up as a major milestone, as the company gets a global stamp of approval, giving investors confidence to look at Bharti Airtel as a stable, rapidly growing, and debt-responsible company.

S&P Global has recognized Bharti Airtel as a “stable outlook” company, which means that they predict a strong financial health to continue for the next 12-24 months from now.

Also Read: Airtel 5G Expansion in 2026: New Sites, Wider Coverage and Faster Speeds

S&P Global Highlights Bharti Airtel’s Key Growth Factors and Potential Risks

Bharti Airtel’s current focus on twin growing markets, India and Africa, has changed the financials completely.

The Twin Growth Engines: India and Africa

According to S&P Global analysis, Bharti Airtel’s Indian subscriber base is expected to see growth by 3% to 4% over the next year.

It was also found that the users subscribed to Airtel are spending more money on “higher-tier data plans” because of the growing Average Revenue per unit (ARPU) so far. For the coming year, S&P Global expects growth by 5% to 7%. It was also noted that Bharti Airtel’s increasing market share compared to its competitors. Apart from India, Bharti Airtel has a strong base in 14 African countries, which are performing even better, surpassing the expected number!

As per S&P Global, Bharti Airtel has massive growth in the African customer base for the current year, and by March 2028, S&P Global is expecting staggering 9% to 11% growth. The analysis also shares that Africa might see an increase in ARPU by 5% to 7% annaully, resulting in customers possibly opting for “higher-tier data plan,” resulting in increasing the cash flow to the company.

Bharti Airtel’s African performance outpaces India’s earnings growth too. S&P Global expects that earnings from Africa will bring in 25% to 27% of Airtel’s total core earnings (EBITDA), up from previous estimates of 20%

Strong Earnings and Balance Sheet Discipline

S&P Global also pointed out Airtel’s strong earnings with better debt management. As per the estimates, Bharti Airtel sees a massive a 28% jump in core earnings (EBITDA) for the fiscal year 2026 and forecasts that Bharti Airtel’s EBITDA will rise by 8% to 10% annually for the next two years.

S&P tracks a safety metric called the “Funds From Operations (FFO) to Debt” ratio, which shows a company’s ability to cover its total debt commitments with the cash generated from its core operations. For Bharti Airtel, this stood at 43.8%, translating to Airtel’s strong cash flow with lower debt and higher earnings.

The estimates say that this project is expected to climb to up to 50-52% by 2027 and may even cross 60% by 2028.

Also Read: Bharti Airtel Turns Recharge Gifting Into a Father’s Day Surprise

Funding Future Growth

S&P Global also pointed out that Bharti Airtel is not only earning through its operations and paying off its debt, but also it’s focusing on funding its future growth, where it was noted that Airtel’s rising cash flow can easily cover the major future expansion expenses.

A few of the future projects include building its business data center (Nxtra Data Ltd.), cloud computing services, and investing in African network expansion. Bharti Airtel has also rewarded higher dividend payout to its investors.

Potential Risks S&P is Watching

Bharti Airtel holds a strong position in the market today; however, S&P Global issued a few internal and external factors they will be monitoring, which include the company’s debt, which stands at INR 465 billion, translating to around Rs 46,700 Crore.

Telefónica Germany and Tech Mahindra’s partnership is intended not only to perform a planned upgrade of its existing digital network but also to shift the focus towards building a scalable, open, and future-ready digital infrastructure to grow its business services across Germany.

Also Read: West Texas Verizon Outage Fixed After 12 Hours

Tech Mahindra, Telefónica Germany Announce Strategic Telecom Partnership

Over the past few years, the telecom industry has seen rapid changes and has kept on evolving, and to take things forward to be future-ready, Telefónica Germany chose Tech Mahindra for their digital and cloud transformation.

Under the Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), the Indian IT giant will not only build a private cloud but will also offer their end-to-end platform engineering services alongside the AI-first operations in order to modernize the existing infrastructure.

The agreement also shares that Tech Mahindra will be oferring modernizing tools for the telecom giant to carter it needs of managing data storage, protecting against digital threats like ransomware, and also seamlessly integrate and run advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) operations to enhance efficiency.

The partnership is all about establishing a new digital system and using AI to enhance its operations by reducing most of the manual and repetative operations.

Also Read: UK Government Will Block Any Move by India’s Bharti to Raise Stake in BT: Reports

Telefónica Germany’s move towards a digital cloud transformation will set an example for other telecom providers wishing to transform to a cloud-based setup and integrate AI for efficiency.

Talking more about the partnership, during the press briefing, Harshul Asnani, President and Head of Europe Business, Tech Mahindra, said.

“Telcos are looking for open, scalable, and cloud-native infrastructure environments that support evolving digital service demands while optimizing operational efficiency. Our partnership with Telefónica Germany reflects a shared commitment to building a solution that combines Automation, flexibility, and resilience. By leveraging platform engineering, cloud-native technologies, and AI-driven automation, we are creating a strong foundation for next-generation telecom infrastructure and enabling enterprise and business-to-business (B2B) growth.”

Telefónica Germany’s Head of Infrastructure Platforms & Services, Markus Ruwisch, shared,

“This partnership supports our strategy to modernize infrastructure through a more open, flexible, and resilient Platform-as-a-Service architecture. Together with Tech Mahindra, we will establish a platform foundation capable of supporting future AI-native digital services, enterprise workloads, and evolving B2B requirements in Germany, while strengthening operational control, digital sovereignty, and long-term infrastructure resilience.”

As of date, Telefónica Germany is ranked as one of the world’s biggest telecommunications providers serving over 35 million active connections under one of its core brands called O2. Having over 100,000 employees, the telecommunications giant announced its Q1 revenue for 2026, which stood at €8.127 billion, which translates to Rs 87,481.47 crores.

Tech Mahindra (NSE: TECHM) is an Indian based IT provider focusing on technology consulting and digital solutions to enterprises at a global scale.

The company has over 147,000 employees in total and is spread across 90+ countries around the world with more than 1100+ clients. Tech Mahindra’s latest financial results for Q4 2026 stood at Rs 56,815 crores with a 7.2% YoY increase.

As per the announcement, the net profit stands at Rs 1354 crores per quarter, totalling around Rs 4811 crores profit for a full year.

Nothing Phone 4b Chipset in India

Nothing Phone 4b will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 SoC. Note that the listing does not directly provide the name of the chipset. However, looking at the scores, one can take a guess. The chipset mentioned on the Geekbench platform is Qualcomm SM6650 and is clocked at 1.80 GHz base frequency and the prime core is clocked at 2.30 GHz. The phone is shown to come with 8GB of RAM and Andreno 810 GPU, and Android 16 out of the box.

The single core score of Nothing Phone 4b on the Geekbench platform is 1088 and the multi-core score is 3155. The phone will likely feature a Glyph interface as well with LED lighting. It is expected to only sport a single camera at the back, and have a flat panel. Nothing has confirmed that this phone will go on sale in India via Flipkart. There are expectations that the Nothing Phone 4b will be priced Rs 3000 to Rs 5000 lower than the Nothing Phone 4a.

The Nothing Phone 4a was launched in India earlier this year, with a base 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, and it is available only for Rs 31,999 online.

Xiaomi has revealed the Space Silver variant of the phone. The Redmi K90 Ultra has a dual-camera setup at the rear with a flash. The camera island is exactly the same as what Apple did with the iPhone 18 Pro models. The design is also similar to the Redmi K90 Max.

In a picture released by the brand, it can be seen that the Redmi K90 Ultra has a built-in cooling fan integrated into the device. It is right under the camera module. The phone will have active cooling to keep the system operating efficiently without much stress, or affecting the battery capacity.

The phone will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and thus will be able to deliver a powerful experience. Xiaomi said that the phone can maintain a stable frame rate for up to 60 minutes in a graphically intensive 3D turn-based mobile game running at the highest visual settings, without frequency throttling. According to reports online, the Redmi K90 Ultra could feature a battery larger than 8500mAh in size and it could be paired with 100W wired fast-charging.

The phone will launch in China first on June 30, 2026. More details about the phone should come out in the following days as the device is set to launch just next week. Stay tuned to TelecomTalk for more information on the device as it is about to launch.