Here are the top trending news from the world of technology. News that we feel every tech enthusiast should keep a tab on.
1)
Instagram rolls back TikTok like features after massive backlash
After facing mounting criticisms including celebrity influencers Kim Kardashian, Instagram has said that it is rolling back at least a few of the TikTok features. Thanks to this decision, Instagram users will now see less video suggestions from accounts that they don’t follow. Instagram, which has more than 1 billion active users, has been facing massive backlash from users. These users have accused the Meta owned platform of blindly coping TikTok features that is supposedly hindering their user experience. Turns out, the Chinese video sharing platform is giving tough competition to both Facebook and Instagram, forcing them to embrace short videos in a big way.
2)
Chinese companies banned in India’s 5G network rollout
India’s two major telecom companies Reliance Jio and Airtel have reportedly zeroed on 5G equipment partners, which will reportedly help them in rolling out 5G network across the country. According to reports, Jio and Airtel have been specifically told by the Indian government not to partner with Chinese telecom companies like Huawei and ZTE due to security reasons. As a result, Indian telecom companies have selected non-Chinese companies like Nokia and Samsung as their 5G equipment partners. The recent border tensions have increased the hostility between India and Chinese. Two years back, India had even banned Chinese mobile app TikTok due to security reasons.
3)
Russia fines WhatsApp & Snapchat for Data Storage Violation
The Russian government has fined both WhatsApp and Snapchat for refusing to store the Russian data on the local server. According to reports, the Vladmir Putin government has leveled a fine of 18 Mn roubles on WhatsApp and 1 Mn roubles on Snapchat. Just a few days back, the Russian government had levelled a hefty fine on YouTube for abusing its dominant position. The tension between Russia and big social media companies have escalated in the aftermath of the Russia and Ukraine war. The Putin government has constantly accused these American social media companies of blindly promoting anti-Russian propaganda.
4)
China’s BYD triumphs Tesla in car sales in 2022
A little known Chinese electric car manufacturer called BYD has managed to dethrone Tesla and become the world’s top electric car seller in the first-half of 2022. According to reports, BYD sold nearly 6,41,000 cars, 80,000 more than what Elon Musk’s company sold in 2022. What’s really interesting, BYD is hardly recognized as a major brand outside China and its neighboring countries. In fact, many critics including Elon Musk himself had often criticized BYD for its cheap quality and safety issues. However, as things stand today, this little-known Chinese company is giving Tesla a run for its money.
5)
India bans PUBG Alternative BGMI App
Nearly two years after banning the famous mobile game PUBG, the Indian government has also apparently banned PUBG’s alternative game called Battlegrounds Mobile India or BGMI. Although the Indian government hasn’t given any official statement about the ban, BGMI’s parent company Krafton has confirmed that its app has been removed from the Play store and Apple’s app store. Krafton, which is also the maker of PUBG, had launched PUBG’s alternative just months after PUBG’s ban. PUBG and TikTok were among the many Chinese apps that were banned by the Indian government in 2020 on security grounds.