Growth story: 1 Cr installs and 2 Bn minutes
Until early 2020, Pocket FM had garnered 10,000-odd installs in 18 months. The pandemic-led lockdown brought about meteoric growth.

Pocket FM went from 10,000 to 1 crore downloads, and became the #1 app in the ‘Music & Audio’ category on Google Play Store in May. “[It is] a big testament to the potential and scale of Audio OTT in India,” Co-founder and CPO Nishanth Srinivas wrote on Twitter.

Prior to that in February, it hit a milestone of 1 billion minutes streamed per month, which has further increased to 2 billion in June. The average engagement time has also doubled from 50-60 minutes (pre-pandemic) to 110 minutes now.
Fiction is the top vertical on the Pocket FM app. Other popular content categories are self-help, motivation, education, and entertainment.

Pocket FM currently has over 100,000 hours of exclusive audio programming across genres such as crime, horror, romance, self-help, astrology, biography, etc.

It also streams radio stations, and allows listeners to record their own audio content, add voice effects, sound filters, and music, and share it with the community.

Rohan shares, “Initially, there was a classic chicken-and-egg problem. There was hardly any content in the audio ecosystem. We realised it was best to locate content creators who might already have a pre-existing audio audience. We found some creators on YouTube, who were repackaging their audio content as videos. We onboarded them, which helped us kickstart our platform.”

Download Pocket FM from here – https://www.pocketfm.com/

Platforms began experimenting with regional audio content about two to three years ago. Kuku FM, a platform that hosts audio books, podcasts and fictional content in Marathi, Bangla, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati and Malayalam, was launched in 2018. Aawaz.com hit the market in 2019 with 100 hours of original programming in Hindi.

In late 2019, Audible, the podcast and audiobook arm of Amazon, debuted with Audible Suno to cater specifically to the Indian audiences. Swedish audio streaming platform Spotify has been working on developing regional language content. In June this year, it added a Tamil podcast Nallanna Murukku hosted by RJ Balaji.

Lal Chand Bisu, co-founder and CEO, Kuku FM, says most of the 1.5 million users on the platform are students and young professionals. The platform is now actively promoting itself through digital influencers.

Sreeraman Thiagarajan, co-founder, Agrahyah Technologies, which runs Aawaz.com, says the platform now hosts content in Marathi and Urdu, in addition to Hindi. He says listeners of podcasts in English prefer to use the medium to learn new things and upskill; listeners of content in regional languages, however, seek out fictional content that is entertaining in nature.

Dasubhashitam, which began as a platform for audiobooks in Telugu, is now planning to add short-format audio content. “We are introducing podcasts and audio content to attract listeners who may not necessarily be book lovers,” says Kiran Kumar, CEO, Dasubhashitam.

Apple’s most up-to-date iPhone’s could be up for pre-orders beginning September 17 and could see standard availability on September 24. Ahead of the large launch, Indian outlets have already beginning selling gives on the brand new telephones which could internet you as much as Rs 6,000 in cashback.

As in keeping with a document with the aid of using India Today, Ingram Micro, the reliable reseller for Apple in India has unveiled a chain of gives for the brand new telephones. Apple’s telephones could be to be had throughout 3,2 hundred outlets withinside the country.

The iPhone thirteen and thirteen mini could be to be had beginning at Rs 79,990 and Rs 69,990 respectively. Apple has completed away with the 64GB variations of the telephones and garage alternatives now begin at 128GB with optionally available enhancements to 256GB and 512GB as different alternatives. The telephones could be to be had in 5 shade alternatives at launch – Pink, Blue, Midnight, Starlight and Product Red.

The iPhone thirteen Pro and Pro Max begin at Rs 1,19,990 and Rs 1,29,990. There could be 4 shade alternatives at launch – Sierra Blue, Silver, Gold and Graphite. Like the bottom iPhone thirteen models, there’s no 64GB version of the telephones. The garage alternatives begin at 128GB and cross as much as 1TB.

A cashback provide of as much as Rs 6,000 could be to be had at the iPhone thirteen and thirteen mini at launch. This provide is eligible on taking part HDFC credit score and debit cards. The provide will begin on September 24. The thirteen Pro and Pro Max even have a cashback provide in partnership with HDFC however simplest as much as Rs 5,000.

Apple has launched a repair to preserve those who are the use of its gadgets secure from adware Pegasus. The software program evolved through Israeli enterprise NSO Group used formerly unknown flaws in Apple’s software program to set upation Pegasus in users’ gadgets.

The new edition of the adware become observed through Canadian cyber protection researchers at Citizen Labs, who observed Pegasus implanted withinside the telecellsmartphone of a Saudi activist.

The weak spot in Apple’s software program allowed for the adware to be inserted silently while not having to idiot the sufferer into establishing suspicious hyperlinks or files.

So, how does 0 click on assault works? And can it’s stopped? Here’s the entirety you want to recognise.

What is a ‘0-click on’ hack?

Spying software program has historically depended on convincing the focused character to click on on a booby-trapped hyperlink or document which will deployation itself on their telecellsmartphone, pill or computer.

“Zero-click on takes that hazard to the subsequent level,” stated John Scott-Railton, senior researcher at Citizen Lab, the Toronto University cybersecurity centre which observed the Apple flaw.

Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat lately discovered she had disowned her father’s call as a revolt in opposition to patriarchy; subsequently, she followed her mother’s ultimate call.

In an interview with a main daily, Mallika discovered that she had confronted objections from her own circle of relatives whilst she determined to return back to Mumbai to pursue performing as her own circle of relatives become quite conservative.

Just approximately the whole thing has a darkish mode nowadays. But for lots human beings, Google.com is just like the gateway to the net, and shockingly, it’s simply getting a darkish mode that’s to be had to anyone now.

The jury is out on whether or not darkish modes provide any gain on your eyes, however there’s no debating that a few human beings choose the manner they look. As Google seek is the primary area many net customers head to for information, it continually regarded out of area with out a darkish mode.

To allow the darkish mode on Google.com, you want to click on on “Settings” at the bottom-proper of the screen. From there, click on “Search Options.” You’ll see an look phase on that web page in which you could flip Dark Mode on and off.

If you’re at the seek outcomes web page, you could click on at the tools on the pinnacle proper of the screen, and you’ll get the equal alternatives menu in which you could switch on darkish mode below the advent phase.

If you don’t see the advent phase yet, meaning darkish mode hasn’t rolled out for you simply yet, and you’ll should wait a bit longer earlier than you could flip it on. It looks like Google is doing a sluggish rollout with this update, so that you would possibly should be affected person here.

Jio and Google stated on September 10 that the JioPhone Next might be released in time for Diwali.

The cheap phone became to start with scheduled to be released on September 10 at the event of Ganesh Chaturthi.

Jio and Google stated the agencies have made “widespread progress” in the direction of launching the phone.

“Both agencies have all started checking out JioPhone Next with a restrained set of customers for similarly refinement and are actively running to make it to be had extra broadly in time for the Diwali festive season. This overtime can even assist mitigate the modern industry-wide, worldwide semiconductor shortages,” Jio and Google stated in a joint statement.

JioPhone Next could be powered via way of means of an optimised model of the Android Operating System, and consist of capabilities together with Google Assistant, automated read-aloud and language translation for any on-display text, a clever digital digicam with India-centric filters.

Rajinikanth is eagerly waiting for Annaatthe’s release on Deepavali (November 4). On Friday, September 10, the makers of the film unveiled the first-look poster of Rajinikanth. Dressed in a cream-coloured shirt and veshti, the Superstar is in a celebratory mood. Set against a rural backdrop, Annaatthe stars Nayanthara, Prakash Raj, Keerthy Suresh, Sathish, Khushbu, Meena, Soori and Robo Shankar in pivotal roles.

Yesterday, the makers of Rajinikanth’s Annaatthe promised that the Superstar’s first look and motion poster will be out on Vinayaka Chaturthi (September 10) at 11 am and 6 pm, respectively. As promised, the first-look poster sees Rajinikanth preparing for celebrations in his village. Directed by Siruthai Siva, fans have been waiting in anticipation for Rajinikanth’s first look.

TikTok is developing and it’s displaying no symptoms and symptoms of slowing down, however the app, wherein customers can create and add a 15-2d video, is beginning to expose a few susceptible points.

The Wall Street Journal performed a have a look at to check out the app’s characteristic called “for you,” and what it discovered need to placed all of us, specifically parents, on alert.

The characteristic directs customers to the form of motion pictures they prefer primarily based totally at the motion pictures they watch, like and remark on.

The WSJ examined out the brand new characteristic and created dozens of faux debts to apprehend what TikTok is displaying younger customers. The faux debts have been registered as customers from thirteen to fifteen years vintage.

According to this have a look at, TikTok can speedy pressure teenagers, who’re one in every of the largest customers of the app, right into a rabbit hollow of motion pictures displaying intercourse and drugs.

One account that changed into registered as a thirteen-year-vintage noticed 569 motion pictures approximately drug use, references to cocaine and meth addiction, and promotional motion pictures for on-line income of drugs.

The clinical drama isn’t always historically a sturdy style for Indian movies and television. None of the Sanjivani shows (2002 and 2019 iterations, plus a 2007 sequel/spin-off collection known as Dill Mill Gaye) turned into a whole lot to write down domestic about, despite the fact that the unique turned into a hit. Kuch Toh Log Kahenge had its moments with Mohnish Behl, however it fizzled out quickly, too.

Which is why I turned into carefully glad whilst Mumbai Diaries 26/eleven (co-directed via way of means of Nikkhil Advani and Nikhil Gonsalves) commenced on a promising note; maverick trauma medical professional Kaushik Oberoi (Mohit Raina) locking horns with seniors and regulation enforcement alike over his loss of admire for protocol. The very premise of trauma surgical treatment being floor 0 in your TV display makes it fantastically clean to conjure high-stakes drama out of nothing, one may want to argue. But the primary few scenes of Mumbai Diaries 26/11 are confident, nearly glib filmmaking: a chilly beginning at Leopold’s Café (mins earlier than the Mumbai terror assaults of 24-26 November, 2008), Aaron Sorkin-esque walk-and-talks at the ‘Bombay General Hospital,’ and masses of skillfully carried out monitoring shots.

And then, withinside the center of an emotionally heavy scene, Dr Sahil Aggarwal (Mishal Raheja) drops the age-vintage Bollywood chestnut: “Hum medical doctor hain, bhagwaan nahi.” (We are medical doctors, now no longer gods) This is the bigger sample Mumbai Diaries 26/eleven follows: it units up morally ambiguous and probably wealthy storylines, simplest to squander them with lazy writing, and paper the gaps with motion sequences (the reality that the tale is ready across the 26/eleven terror assault permits the makers to do that repeatedly).

It is a piece of a disgrace due to the fact the solid works pretty tough throughout: Raina is diligent and correctly brooding as Dr Oberoi, his predilection for the f-phrase has been used intelligently for each comedian and curmudgeonly effect. Mrunmayee Deshpande and Tina Desai are each good, gambling trainee medical doctors of contrasting backgrounds and temperaments. Adithi Kalkunthe as Nurse Vidya Paul and Balaji Gauri as Nuse Cherian are even better, actually.

Moreover, Konkona Sensharma is reliably wonderful as Chitra Das, a non-training medical doctor who’s the top of Social Services at Bombay General. Her person is traumatised, however additionally sturdy-willed and truely dedicated to her convictions. A PTSD scene in an elevator stood out for me, as did her clean canteen repartee with Raina, wherein they each form of slip into lighter, unencumbered, college-technology variations in their characters.