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• Weekly News Digest: Amazon Academy, Apple November 10 Event, Mi Smart Upgrade, and More [6th November]

 

Welcome to our weekly news digest! Every Friday, we bring the top news stories from the world of e-commerce. This week has been about the festive sales and the Diwali offers continue in the coming week as well.

Last week, we reported on the launch of Paytm New generation credit card which will be available soon. We also reported on the comeback plans of Micromax. The company has launched its two new smartphones in the IN Series. Amazon has also forayed into the edu-tech sector. Meanwhile, Apple is all set to host its fourth big event of the year. So let us take a look at the top headlines of the week. 

1. Apple's 'One More Thing' Event on 10th November

Apple has sent out invites for the November 10 event. The “One More Thing” event will focus on the arrival of much awaited Apple silicon Macs. The company could also announce a few new products including  AirTags and AirPods Studio.

Earlier this year, Apple announced its plans to replace the Intel chips from Macs with its own chips based on ARM. These chips can be found in the iPhone and iPad. These new devices may include the new 13-inch MacBook Air alongside the 13- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. All the three machines are speculated to come with the new SoC.

However, we need to wait until next week to see what Apple has to offer in its fourth big event of the year. The event will take place virtually from the Apple Park, Cupertino.

2. Amazon India forays into Online Education Space with Amazon Academy

Amazon has entered the online education space in India. The e-commerce giant has launched a test preparation platform Amazon Academy. It is a rebranded version of JEE ready App which was launched in December last year. The platform focuses on IIT-JEE engineering entrance exams for class 11 and 12 students. 

The demand for online education platforms has skyrocketed due to COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of students across the country have been forced to study online instead of the regular classes.The ed-tech startups have reported manifold growth in just a few months.

Currently, Amazon is providing the service for free. Users can enroll for free with their existing Amazon account. 

Amazon Academy provides handpicked JEE tests with detailed performance reports. Users can choose from full tests, chapter tests, part tests, and previous year papers. Amazon Academy will also provide daily JEE tips, shortcuts, mnemonics, and exam tips to help students solve questions faster. 

You can enroll for free from here

3. Airtel Offers Free YouTube Premium Subscription for 3 Months

Airtel is offering free access to YouTube Premium for three months. The offer is available through the Airtel Thanks app. YouTube Premium includes features such as ad-free, offline, and background playback. It also includes access to YouTube Music. The premium subscription is priced at Rs. 129 per month. 

Airtel YouTube Premium offer is valid until April 22, 2021. The offer is available to new YouTube Premium users only. Once the three months free trial ends, users will be automatically charged the standard subscription fee. However, users can cancel the trial before the validity ends at any time.

You can start your 3-month YouTube Premium subscription from the Airtel Thanks app. 

4. Flipkart to Boost Its Gaming Strategy

Flipkart has acquired gaming startup Mech Moha. Mech Mocha has developed popular games such as Ludo, Carrom, Snakes and Ladders, and Cricket over the past five years. The acquisition is intended to boost user engagement on Flipkart GameZone Platform. 

Social mobile gaming is seeing rapid growth in the last few months  as users look for fun ways to connect with family and friends over casual games. With gamezone, Flipkart provides users a chance to win exciting prizes and gift vouchers. Users can play casual games, contests and more. 

Gamezone is accessible on the Flipkart app. Users need to go to the Games section to participate and stand a chance to win exciting prizes. 

5. Micromax has launched two smartphones in the IN series

Micromax In Note 1 and In 1b prices and sale dates have been announced. The devices come with MediaTek Helio chipsets, stock Android 10, and a 5,000mAh battery. Micromax In Note 1 has a punch-hole display while the In 1b has a water drop notch. We had earlier reported on the launch of In Series Smartphones by Micromax. 

Micromax In Note 1 costs Rs 10,999 for the 4GB + 64GB variant and the 4GB + 128GB is priced at Rs 12,499. The first sale is scheduled for November 24th. It will be available through Flipkart and Micromax website. 

The Micromax In 1b costs Rs 6,999 for the 2GB + 32GB and Rs 7,999 for the 4GB + 64GB variant. The phone will be on sale via Flipkart and Micromax on November 26th. 

6. Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition

Xiaomi has refreshed its Mi Notebook laptop lineup in India. The company has come up with the new Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition. 

The affordable Mi laptop is powered by 10th Gen Intel Core i3 processor. Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition is aimed at "young professionals and students." 

The company had earlier launched Mi Notebook 14 Horizon and Mi Notebook 14 laptops powered by the 10th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU and the 10th Gen Intel Core i5 CPU.

It is currently available at an introductory price of Rs 34,999. Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition is available to buy from Mi Store, Amazon and partner offline retailers. Customers buying from Xiaomi website get a 10 percent instant discount with HDFC credit and debit cards. There is also no-cost EMI option with select banks. Moreover, customers get 10 percent off with an SBI credit card on purchase from Amazon.

The Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition has a metal body. It comes with a 720p HD webcam for video calling. The laptop weighs 1.5 kg for easy portability and runs Windows 10 Home out-of-the-box. The 46Wh battery can last up to 10 hours on a single charge. There is a 65W fast charger solution bundled with the laptop. 

For more details on Mi Notebook 14 e-Learning Edition Click Here

7. Xiaomi launches ‘Mi Smart Upgrade’ with up to 70% buyback value

Xiaomi has launched the "Mi Smart Upgrade" scheme for its Redmi and Mi devices. The buyback scheme will be available at Xiaomi authorized retail outlets. Users can get up to 70% of assured value on their old device. Mi Smart Upgrade will be available till 15 months of the purchase. 

The buyback value for devices exchanges within 4-6 months is 70%. Users get 60% buyback between 7-9 months. For devices between 10-12 months the buyback value is 50%. Xiaomi assures an 40% exchange value for 13-15 months. 

Customer has to opt for a buyback plan at the time of purchase to avail Mi Smart Upgrade scheme. The buyback plans are priced at Rs. 399 onwards. 

8. Jio Launches 3 New Annual Recharge plans For Feature Phone Users

Reliance Jio has launched three all-in-one prepaid plans for Jio Phone users. The three new prepaid plans are priced at Rs. 1,001, Rs. 1,301, and Rs. 1,501. These recharge plans are for Jio Phone users who want long term validity. 

The Rs. 1,001 plan comes with 49GB of data capped at 150MB per day. It includes unlimited Jio to Jio voice calls and 12,000 minutes on Jio to non-Jio voice calls. You also get 100 SMS per day. This plan is valid for 336 days.

The Rs. 1,301 annual plan offers 164GB of data with 500MB per day. It includes 12,000 minutes for non-Jio. The additional benefits include 100 SMS per day. The Rs. 1,501 annual plan gets 504GB of data with 1.5GB per day. The remaining benefits remain the same as the other two plans.

These were some of the latest happenings of the week from around the web. The biggest highlight of the week is the foray of Amazon in the online education space. Jio has launched new annual plans for Jio Phone users as well. The launch of two new smartphones from Micromax is also a key highlight of the week. Both the phones stand well against the likes of Realme and Redmi.Stay tuned for more updates and the best festive shopping offers. 

 

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