2022 Renault Kiger launched in India: What's new?

Renault has given their much-loved Kiger sub-four-metre compact SUV an update. It's now priced from Rs 5.84 lakh (ex-showroom), which translates to a hike of roughly Rs 5,000 over the previous iteration. The biggest change comes in terms of features, with the updated Kiger now boasting of a wireless charger and climate control. From a design standpoint, there's now a new front skid plate finished in silver along with a chrome strip just above the rear bumper.

The 16-inch alloy wheels now come with red accents and the French automaker has added a 'Metal Mustard with Mystery Black roof' (dual-tone) colour option, similar to the one on the Triber. That's not all though, the SUV also gets 'Turbo' decals on the doors, on the turbo-petrol variants. On the inside, the 2022 Kiger gets the PM2.5 air filter standard across all variants. There are also red accents on the dashboard along with red contrast stitching and new quilted seats upholstery.

The recently launched RXT (O) variant, which only came with the non-turbo engine, is now available with the turbo-petrol variant (MT & CVT). Other than these changes, the Kiger remains pretty much the same as before. It still boasts of a four-star Global NCAP crash test rating. The powertrains options remain the same as earlier with the 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, naturally aspirated petrol engine which produces 71bhp and 96Nm; and comes mated to five-speed manual or five-speed AMT gearbox.

The 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine, on the other hand, produces 99bhp and 160Nm of torque; and comes mated to a five-speed manual or CVT gearbox. The reason for this update for the Kiger for the Renault is because the Maruti Suzuki Brezza and Toyota Urban Cruiser are scheduled to get a major facelift real soon. Apart from these two sub-four-metre SUVs, the Kiger also competes with the Tata Nexon, Nissan Magnite and Mahindra XUV300.

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Volkswagen Virtus production commences in India

Volkswagen has announced the start of production of the upcoming Virtus sedan, recently. The latest entrant in the premium midsize sedan segment will be manufactured at the Chakan facility in Pune, India. The Virtus falls under VW's India 2.0 project and is the second offering developed on the MQB A0 IN platform with up to 95 percent localization levels. The first, of course, was the Taigun. Volkswagen India has already opened pre-bookings for the Virtus. Furthermore, it will come in six exterior colour options such as Wild Cherry Red, Carbon Steel Grey, Reflex Silver, Curcuma Yellow, Candy White and Rising Blue.

“The New Volkswagen Virtus is an unparalleled offering that brings in the newness and excitement in the premium midsize sedan segment. The overwhelming response received at the World Premiere has further driven our confidence. The New Virtus is built to perfection for aspirational Indian customers and with the start of production, we are eager to introduce the striking, exhilarating and German-engineered sedan at the earliest for the Indian market.” said Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India.

Once it does arrive, the Virtus will be available with two TSI engine options - 1.5-litre, four-cylinder, turbo petrol and the 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, turbo-petrol. Just like the Slavia, the gearbox options will also remain the same. A six-speed manual, common between both engines; and a seven-speed DSG (1.5-litre TSI) and six-speed torque converter unit (1.0-litre TSI). Both engines will come equipped with an idle start/stop system along with 40+ active and passive safety features. Moreover, the bigger TSI motor will get Active Cylinder Management Technology (ACT), as well.

The brand new Virtus is said to be the longest car (4,561 mm) in the premium midsize sedan segment and offers 521-litres of boot space, too. The Volkswagen Virtus is expected to arrive in India during the month of May and will compete with the Skoda Slavia, Honda City, Hyundai Verna and Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, on its arrival. We expect it to priced at a slight premium, in comparison to it's sibling - Skoda Slavia.

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Toyota Hilux launched in India, Priced from Rs 33.99 lakh

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has finally announced the price for Hilux in India. The rugged pick-up has been priced between Rs 33.99 lakh and Rs 36.80 lakh (all prices are ex-showroom). There are a total of three variants to choose from - 4x4 (MT) Standard, 4x4 (MT) High and 4x4 (AT) High. In case you're wondering, the middle variant is priced at Rs 35.80 lakh (ex-showroom).

Commenting on the announcement of the price of Toyota Hilux, Tadashi Asazuma, Executive Vice President of Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “Today, we are happy to announce the price of the Hilux. Ever since its launch, the sophisticated Hilux has managed to win the admiration and hearts of the customers with good response. With our ‘customer first’ approach, drawing inspirations from the lifestyles of the people, our offering in the whole new lifestyle segment with Hilux is a step ahead to deliver ‘mass happiness to all’. We are grateful to our valued customers for placing their confidence in our brand."

Globally, the Hilux has crossed the sales milestone of 20 million units in over 180 countries. Through more than five decades and eight generations, the Toyota Hilux has created quite a name for itself in the rugged world of off-roading. It's also known to be one of the most reliable cars in Toyota's vast stable. Furthermore, off-road enthusiasts will be happy to know that that Hilux comes with a water wading capability of 700mm.

This latest iteration is based on the Innovative Multi-purpose Vehicle (IMV) platform and is powered by the same 2.8-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine as the Fortuner. It can be had with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. The MT variants produce 204hp and 420Nm of torque, while the AT variant produces 80Nm of more torque, taking the figure to 500Nm.

Further to facilitate an awesome digital experience, the Toyota virtual showroom enables customers to enjoy the Hilux from the comfort of their homes. Customers can now get a 360-degree external and internal view, check out all the available variants and colours, experience the key features and get a variant-wise comparison, as well.

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Why is Nitin Gadkari using a hydrogen-powered car as a daily driver?

It seems the push for alternative fuels has gone a step further with the Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari recently arriving at the Parliament House in a Toyota Mirai. What's so special about the Mirai? It's a hydrogen-based Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV), much like the Hyundai Nexo and Honda Clarity. This certainly shows the commitment of the government, and indeed, the Transport Ministry when it comes to the shift to more environmentally-friendly fuels.

Is the Toyota Mirai an electric vehicle?

Essentially, yes. It's powered by a 1.24kWh battery pack which is capable of producing a respectable 182PS and 406Nm of torque. What's more, it has a claimed range of 646 kilometres, which is quite excellent when compared to some bigger EVs with bigger battery packs. But, the major difference lies in the way the Mirai stores its electricity. There's also an essential difference in the way the power is delivered.

How is an FCEV different from BEV?

This is the important bit. The main difference lies in the way that energy is stored. Sure, the FCEV, too, has a battery pack, but a relatively smaller one and is paired to a hydrogen fuel cell. These fuel cells then use the electricity generated by the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen and even store it in a sealed tank, sort of like petrol, diesel or CNG-powered car. However, what makes the FCEV particularly interesting is the fact that the hydrogen gas can be restored in under five minutes.

Will it catch on in India?

It's certainly an avenue of alternative fuels that should be explored in greater detail. Not too long ago, Gadkari had launched this green hydrogen-based advanced fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), Toyota Mirai, and said this is the first-of-its-kind project in India that aims to create an ecosystem for such vehicles in the country. Although it is more expensive than some of the battery electric vehicles out there, it could prove to be a cleaner way forward thanks to the fact that the tailpipes only emit water vapours as emissions. In fact, Gadkari put out a tweet saying India will soon become a 'Green Hydrogen' exporting country.

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Six airbags to be made mandatory for cars from October 1

Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari told the Rajya Sabha that Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Programme, also known as the Bharat NCAP, has already been notified by his Ministry.

Responding to the question by Congress MP KTS Tulsi about the safety norms in vehicle manufacturing, as the deaths in vehicle accidents have gone up in the country, Gadkari said that all over the world, the major car manufacturing companies have the safety standards and this is also need of the hour in India.

"Every year, over five lakh of accidents happen in India, reporting over 1.5 lakh deaths in these accidents, therefore, we took a decision and made six airbags mandatory for all cars," he said. Just recently, Gadkarihad confirmed that all new cars manufactured from October 1, 2022, will come equipped with six airbags.

The Minister also said that compulsory airbags are very important from a road safety point of view and that is why we made them mandatory for all cars including in the economic models too.

Citing the figure of the road accidents, he said that in the year 2020, a total of 25,289 accidents happened out of which 30 per cent of lives could have been saved with by the airbags in case of front collision while 31 per cent of lives could have been saved in side collision by the use of side airbags.

He also said that under the Bharat NCAP, the structural safety of the vehicle, adult occupants, stiffness of the vehicle structure, crash tests safety of child occupants, assessment of the car from the pedestrian's safety point of view and the bonnet design, active safety assistance technology, six airbags norms, 3.5 seat belts and seat belt alert system, have been included as the new features.

"We want to protect the lives of the people and this is the reason, we are also going to start the 'rating system' for the manufacturing companies. This will create more employment opportunities in the vehicle manufacturing sector and boost exports as well," Gadkari said.

The Bharat NCAP will envisage the cars sold in the country will be assigned by star ratings based on their safety performance. It will be implemented in phases, according to the plans being drawn up by the National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project.

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Hero MotoCorp to raise prices from April 5

Two-wheeler major Hero MotoCorp recently announced it will make an upward revision in the ex-showroom prices of its motorcycles and scooters, with effect from April 5. According to the company, the upward revision has been necessitated to partially offset the impact of increasing commodity prices.

"The price revision will be up to Rs 2,000 and the exact quantum of increase will be subject to specific model and the market," the company said in a statement.

On Saturday, automaker Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) said it will realign the prices of its models, by up to 4 per cent effective from April 1. The company said this hike has resulted due to the rising input cost, including that of raw materials.

"As a committed and customer-centric company, TKM has made all conscious efforts to minimise the impact of rising costs on consumers," a TKM spokesperson has said in a statement.

Luxury automobile manufacturer BMW India said it will increase prices by up to 3.5 per cent across its model range effective from April 1.

The price increase will be brought into effect to adjust the material and logistics costs, impact of current geo-political situation and exchange rates, the company had said.

Earlier, another luxury carmaker, Mercedes-Benz India had announced an upward revision in price of its entire model range effective from April 1. As per Mercedes-Benz India, the imminent price correction would be in the range of 3 per cent across the entire model range. It said that the constant increase in input prices in addition to an increase in logistics rates have been exerting significant pressure on the overall costs of the company.

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Swapping for a cleaner future

by Pawan Mulukutla

Leveraging the impetus for electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the country, the Centre announced its intention of drafting a battery swapping policy to further accelerate the uptake of cleaner vehicles in February. When presenting the Union Budget for the year 2022-23, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman encouraged private players to develop sustainable and innovative business models for 'Battery or Energy as a Service'.

The initial hurdles faced by the EV sector were smoothened through schemes and policies such as Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid and) Electric vehicles in India (FAME) and several other initiatives by state governments. These have helped ensure that the EV sector continues to grow, despite the global lockdown putting brakes across industries. With encouraging signs, India has committed to ensuring that 30% of vehicle sales are electric by the end of the decade.

Any conversation around EVs quickly turns to technological and logistical hurdles in re-energizing their battery packs. This can be done in two ways: setting up charging points in private and public spaces, and installing battery swapping booths. While the former requires more land and higher capacity charging equipment, the latter does not. The convenience of battery swapping is akin to that of fuel refilling, as the battery in the EV can be swapped with a fully charged battery as quickly as refuelling an internal combustion engine vehicle.

Charging stations are often equipped with direct current (DC) fast chargers using to minimize the waiting period for the consumer. This has a few downsides. Fast charging lowers the battery's charging cycles, especially in an uncontrolled environment, exposed to the vagaries of India's weather conditions. They also require more space, a scarcity in urban areas, to accommodate vehicles as they charge. Even the fastest chargers take at least half an hour for scooters. Another disadvantage with fast charging stations is their high power demand which burdens the electricity grid. Increasing the capacity of substations and their density is a capital-intensive process. Moreover, high power charging stations can destabilize comparatively low power residential grids owing to the voltage fluctutations that EV charging can cause, thereby making there deployment less than ideal for residential areas.

On the other hand, charging points could be cheaper to set up if land costs are excluded. Battery swapping stations can also stack multiple batteries on top of each other, further reducing land requirements. This allows swapping stations to be built within fuel stations as well.

Battery swapping stations, while requiring lesser land, have to pay the price of having more batteries than on-road EVs to ensure constant availability. This is a cost that needs to be borne by fleet operators in the commercial segment. Soon after the Union Budget called for private players to invest in battery swapping, several business leaders lent their support. Some also asked subsidies for 'floating' batteries or extra batteries required for battery swapping logistics, something the current FAME scheme does not support. For their part, private players need to come together and ensure cross-compatibility of batteries and EVs to ensure the infrastructure built is used to its full potential.

Operators also prefer investing in battery swapping stations rather than fast charging points as the former gives more control in maintaining electricity demand and supply. For example, local discom agencies are promoting a 'Time-of-Day' (ToD) tariff regime according to the power demand profile for the service area of the discom. ToD also helps stagger the demand across the day, thereby keeping it below the substation's capacity providing the energy. On the other hand, fast charging requires expensive infrastructure and high capacity substations to meet its energy demands. Battery swapping also allows operators to charge batteries separately from the swapping station. This gives them more flexibility in setting up swapping stations in an urban area.

For battery-swapping stations to become financially sustainable, standardization of battery and terminal points plays a significant role. However, with the competition heating up to capture the nascent market at the earliest, vehicle manufacturers are investing a significant portion of their resources in researching and developing more sophisticated batteries.

The Centre has already taken the first steps towards this end goal. In August 2020, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH) allowed EVs to be sold without pre-fitted batteries. This drastically reduces the price of the vehicle (batteries can make up to 50% of an EVs cost) while giving the consumer the freedom to lease batteries without having to worry about its long-term maintenance and associated costs. It also allows consumers to use battery swapping stations and the option of detaching batteries to charge them at home. While a controlled charging environment helps increase battery life, the consumer also stands to benefit by keeping up with the rapidly developing battery technologies. In current times, most electric vehicles come fitted with Lithium-ion batteries, but they are expected to be replaced with Lithium-graphene, which have higher capacities while being smaller in size.

For individuals who do not have access to charging points at their residence or workspaces, battery swapping points is a welcome convenience. Also, for commercial operators – especially those performing last-mile deliveries as battery swapping allows for minimum downtime for their vehicles. Having a fully charged battery in the vehicle in two to five minutes is a major advantage of battery swapping.

Around the world, especially in the global north, battery charging points have gained significant traction compared to swapping stations. This is mainly because EVs in western countries are either cars for personal use or buses in commercial operations. Swapping is not a convenient option for heavier vehicles as it requires the heavy lifting of bigger batteries. However, the situation in India is very different – nearly 70% of vehicles on the roads are two-wheelers. Commercial operations of two-wheelers have also seen a marked increase, especially since the pandemic-induced lockdowns. And batteries that are found in electric two-wheelers can easily be swapped manually, owing to low weight. As automated battery swapping infrastructure is not required for moving two-wheeler batteries, there exists significant potential in the segment as far as battery swapping goes.

WRI India's analysis shows the total cost of operation of electric two-wheelers for commercial operators reaches parity with petrol bikes within a year of usage, without using FAME subsidies. Sensing the market for this, electric two-wheeler manufacturers, operators and aggregators have already begun collaborating with e-commerce, cloud kitchens, and grocery shops to reduce the cost of hyperlocal deliveries. In addition, one vehicle manufacturer recently announced their commitment to battery swapping stations, even for personal use. Given the segment's high usage and lack of time to charge their batteries, a dense battery-swapping network in urban areas would go a long way to accelerate the EV sector.

Disclaimer: Pawan Mulukutla is the director for energy technology and green mobility at World Resources Institute India. Views expressed are personal.

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Best phones under Rs 75,000 (Mar 2022): Samsung Galaxy S22 5G, Apple iPhone 13 Mini to OnePlus 9 Pro

We cap our quarterly lists with the best smartphones you can buy in India under Rs 75,000 or less than 1000 USD as some may like to put it. You generally don’t see a big shuffle in this segment every quarter, and understandably some of the phones from our previous list have held onto their spots. Some of them have become more affordable though, which is great news if you were considering them. We also have a couple of new additions that offer some exceptional features and power. Time to look at who made the cut this month.

Best phones to buy under Rs 75,000 in India

Apple iPhone 12

The Apple iPhone 12 price continues to get more attractive every passing quarter. While its mid variant with 128 GB storage was available in this budget last quarter, you can now purchase its 256 GB storage variant well under 70K. The phone is just the perfect size to be used with one hand. You get a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display that is compliant with HDR10 and Dolby Vision. A ceramic glass with oleophobic coating protects it against scratches and smudges. It also has IP68 rated ingress protection.

The phone is powered by Apple’s previous flagship A14 Bionic chip that is still amply powerful with a good headroom for the future. Photography department consists of two 12MP cameras at the back with the primary lens offering OIS (optical image stabilisation), while the secondary is capable of capturing ultra-wide shots. The performance in photography and videography is top notch, as you have come to expect from iPhones. The Apple iPhone 12 launched with iOS 14, and is upgradeable to iOS 15.

Apple iPhone 12 price in India: Rs 67,999 for 256 GB storage

Apple iPhone 13 Mini

If you want a more recent Apple device, you can purchase the smallest of the latest Apple iPhones comfortably in this budget, and again, its 256 GB storage variant. The Apple iPhone 13 Mini is refreshingly compact, and arguably the smallest flagship smartphone around. The availability of a proper flagship device in this form factor without skipping any key feature is a great choice to have for those who like compact phones without compromising on power. It runs the latest iOS 15, and one can expect newer OS updates for another half a decade.

The Apple iPhone 13 Mini is pretty much the iPhone 13 in terms of design, processing power and most of the features, just smaller. It has a sharper 5.4-inch Full HD+ Super Retina XDR OLED screen, compliant with HDR10 and Dolby Vision. At its core is the latest A15 Bionic chip that powers the entire iPhone 13 series. The two 12MP cameras at the back are similar to those found on the iPhone 12 with just a different alignment. The photography performance is at least as good, or slightly better maybe.

Apple iPhone 13 Mini price in India: Rs 69,990 for 256 GB storage

Samsung Galaxy S22 5G

Continuing on our theme of compact flagship phones, we have one more to offer from another popular brand. Just like the iPhones above, the new Samsung Galaxy S22 5G too has IP68 rated ingress protection. Speaking of protection, the phone sports an aluminium frame and has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ at the front and back. It has a 6.1-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a peak brightness of 1300 nits, HDR10+ compliance and 120 Hz refresh rate. It is powered by Qualcomm’s fastest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, and you get 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage. The phone runs Android 12 with Samsung’s One UI 4.1.

Photography department on the Samsung Galaxy S22 5G has a combination of three cameras at the back starting with a 50MP primary camera with dual pixel PDAF and OIS, 12MP ultra-wide camera with Super Steady video support and a 10MP telephoto camera with OIS for 3X Optical zoom. The camera performance is expectedly flagship grade. Like all Android phones in this list, this phone too can record videos up to 8K resolution. A 3700 mAh battery keeps the phone running for a day of moderate use and supports 25W fast charging as well as 15W fast wireless charging.

Samsung Galaxy S22 5G price in India: From Rs 72,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

OnePlus 9 Pro

The OnePlus 10 Pro is just days away from release, and that explains the discounts on their current flagship with the right credit/debit cards, making the OnePlus 9 Pro a welcome addition to this list. It has a 6.7-inch LTPO Fluid AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate, and a higher resolution of 3216 x 1440 pixels. The HDR10+ compliant screen can display a billion colours and get up to 1300 nits bright. The phone has an elegant design courtesy of a metal frame and a glass body protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 at the front and back.

The rear camera department is quite versatile with a combination of 48MP primary camera with OIS, a 50MP ultrawide camera with auto-focus, 8MP telephoto camera with OIS for 3.3X optical zoom and a 2MP mono camera. The Hasselblad colour tuning improves the colour accuracy and makes the photos look closer to natural. The cameras manage to capture some impressive images in different lighting and modes. The 16MP front camera is adept at handling selfies and video calls.

The OnePlus 9 Pro is powered by Qualcomm’s flagship grade Snapdragon 888 SoC, and you can get the top variant of this phone with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage comfortably in this budget even without the discount. Its 4500 mAh battery lasts over a day of moderate use, and the bundled 65W Warp charger takes it from 0 to 100% briskly. The phone also supports fast wireless charging. It has IP68 rated ingress protection and runs OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11. OxygenOS 12 update based on Android 12 is already available for this phone.

OnePlus 9 Pro price in India: Rs 64,999 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

iQOO 9 Pro 5G

Here’s another fully loaded device from the Vivo sub-brand. The new iQOO 9 Pro 5G is powered by Qualcomm’s top of the line Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, and you get 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage to go with it. It has a high quality 6.78-inch HDR10+ compliant AMOLED display with 3200 x 1440 resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate and can display over a billion colour shades. The phone runs Android 12 with FunTouch OS 12 out of the box. Did I mention the rear camera department here is absolutely loaded?

You get a 50MP primary camera with Gimbal OIS, accompanied by another 50MP ultra-wide camera with auto-focus and 150-degrees FOV. There’s also a 16MP telephoto camera with OIS that facilitates 2.5X optical zoom. Not to forget the 16MP front camera for selfies and video calls. The iQOO 9 Pro 5G has a 4700 mAh battery that lasts for over a day of moderate use. And here comes the best part, the bundled 120W fast charger claims to charge it fully in just 20 minutes! It also supports 50W fast wireless charging.

iQOO 9 Pro 5G price in India: Rs 64,990 for 8 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

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Lamborghini crosses 400 cumulative sales milestone in India

Italian luxury sports car maker Automobili Lamborghini said it has crossed the 400 cumulative sales mark in India since initiating full-scale operations in 2007. Moreover, the folks at Lamborghini state that 86 percent of that growth was recorded in India just last year.

Commenting on this occasion, Sharad Agarwal, Head of Lamborghini India said, "We are pleased to announce the achievement of 400 Lamborghini in India and mark the Lamborghini Day experience with this milestone achievement along with our customers who have supported us in this journey. We will continue to offer unique platforms that our existing and prospective customers are able to experience the values that define the Lamborghini brand in India.”

The company offers unique platforms where existing and prospective customers can experience the values that define the Lamborghini brand in India, he added. To mark the sales milestone and showcase its leadership position in the super-luxury car segment, Lamborghini India curated its third edition of 'Lamborghini Day' in Goa.

(With inputs from PTI)

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Daler Mehndi buys ‘Balle Balle Land’ in Metaverse: Understanding what are virtual lands and why they are selling at a premium

Singer Daler Mehndi made news just a few days back when he became the first Indian to purchase land in the Metaverse. This comes just a week after he earned the title of being the first Indian celebrity to perform in the Metaverse.

According to reported information, the singer named his virtual property as named 'Balle Balle Land' and acquired it through Metaverse platform PartyNite.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Daler Mehndi (@thedalermehndiofficial)

According to an NDTV report, the singer will host films and music concerts in Balle Balle Land. Moreover, the virtual land will soon have a Daler Mehndi Store, which will sell merchandise as Non-Fungible Tokens or NFTs.

A Business Today report had Mehndi quoted as saying, “I went with an open mind on PartyNite Metaverse and it was a very rewarding experience. Audiences have moved online and I believe it is going to stay. The physical world has its own charm but with Metaverse, sky’s the limit. I really enjoyed performing on PartyNite and I wanted a permanent presence & hence created Balle Balle Land.”

As Mehndi enjoys his new acquisition, we try to break it down for you: What it means to buy land on Metaverse, how does one do it, its benefits and other celebrities and their virtual land purchases.

What are virtual lands?

Virtual lands are digital spaces or land plots that you can buy, sell, build upon, and explore in a virtual world.

The metaverse describes a vision of a connected 3D virtual world, where real and digital worlds are integrated using technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). This immersive environment will be accessible through the likes of VR headsets, AR glasses and smartphone apps.

Users will meet and communicate as digital avatars, explore new areas and create content. The idea is the metaverse will develop to become a collaborative virtual space where we can socialise, play, work and learn.

Once a person buys this virtual land, the possibilities are endless.

An individual or an organisation could hire architects to design a building of some sort and then hire a 3D game developer to build it for them. It can be anything they desire, a virtual mall, amusement park, or even a stadium.

And unlike real-life structures, they can create any designs they could think of without the hindrance of the laws of physics.

Benefits of buying virtual land

Like real estate in the real world, the reason to buy virtual land — either for entertainment or business reasons — one can't deny that it is an investment for the future.

Metaverse real estate gives users a place to connect online with other people. Individuals can use their digitised land to play games and socialise. Creators can monetise the content of their property by charging for access or trading their NFTs. Brands can use their virtual properties to advertise services, organise virtual product launches, and provide unique customer experiences.

A recent report by crypto asset manager Grayscale estimates the digital world may grow into a $1 trillion business in the near future.

Janine Yorio, whose virtual real estate development company, Republic Realm, spent a record $4.3 million on a parcel of virtual land, however, in a CNBC report warned that investing in digital real estate is risky business.

“It’s highly, highly risky. You should only invest capital that you’re prepared to lose,” Yorio tells CNBC. “It’s highly speculative. It’s also blockchain-based. And as we all know, crypto is highly volatile. But it can also be massively rewarding.”

How to buy virtual land

Once a person or organisation finalises their virtual land, there are some steps they will need to keep in mind to go through the process.

Firstly, one will have to set up a digital wallet that will store your cryptocurrency, as virtual land cannot be bought with traditional currency. One will also have to sign up with a metaverse platform, like Decentraland, The Sandbox, Axie Infinity, among others.

Like real-world properties, you can also purchase metaverse land through brokers and property managers. Unlike in the real world though, metaverse brokers don’t need licences and are under no regulations. So one has to make sure that they transact with reliable ones.

Famous and expensive virtual lands

Even though it sounds absurd to spend thousands and millions on ‘fictitious’ land, there are people who are doing it.

Last November, a patch of virtual real estate in the online world Decentraland sold for a record $2.4 million worth of cryptocurrency.

A patch of virtual real estate sold for a record $2.4 million worth of cryptocurrency. The plot exists in the online environment 'Decentraland,' where users can buy land, visit buildings and meet people as avatars https://t.co/NoDHHhVBrY pic.twitter.com/V8B9KWJOEq

— Reuters (@Reuters) November 24, 2021

One of the world’s largest producers of electronic gadgets, Samsung made its debut in the metaverse by opening its shop in Decentraland. Samsung announced that they’ve built a replica of their flagship store located in New York and that people can visit them through the Decentraland’s platform.

Nike and Adidas, two giant sneaker brands, also made a big splash on the metaverse. According to reports, Adidas has purchased virtual land on The Sandbox's platform.

Nike has their virtual land as well. They’ve partnered up with Roblox and opened their land called NIKELAND. platform.

International celebrities such as Snoop Dogg and Paris Hilton have also jumped on to the virtual land bandwagon.

Snoop Dogg's 'Snoopverse' exists on The Sandbox and is being advertised as a place for virtual concerts, art and car exhibits, pool parties, shopping, and a digital replica of his massive California mansion.

I’m entering the #metaverse with @TheSandboxGame !! #TSBxSnoopDogg #NFT https://t.co/DZvSV4NNSc pic.twitter.com/zoa87iDhRl

— Snoop Dogg (@SnoopDogg) September 23, 2021

There is also Paris Hilton's virtual island built within Roblox, dubbed Paris World, complete with digital copies of her California home and closet where users can raid her wardrobe and purchase outfits.

Artists such as Travis Scott, Justin Bieber, Marshmallow, and Ariana Grande have also given performances in the Metaverse.

With inputs from agencies

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Top 5 upcoming car launches in April 2022 - Buy now or wait for the right car?

The month of March saw quite a number of car launches in the country. We got the Skoda Slavia, Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Toyota Glanza, BMW X4, Lexus NX and a whole lot more. In that regard, the month of April also promises to come with quite a number of launches, as the Indian auto industry slowly climbs its way back to normalcy. So, is it wise to buy a new car right now or wait for the right car? Well, that's the reason we've compiled a list of the top five most exciting car launches coming up next month. Hopefully, these upcoming top new car launches should help in answering that question!

Maruti Suzuki XL6

A number of spy shots have already surfaced on the internet, which points to a number of design-based updates to the updated XL6 MPV. We could also see a revision of the features list, just like the Baleno, with a whole host of segment-first features, to combat the threat posed by the Kia Carens. Although it won't be as heavy an update as the Baleno, there will certainly be a number of distinguishing features. One major change expected on the XL6 has to be the addition of the six-speed torque converter unit instead of the outdated four-speed one.

Maruti Suzuki Ertiga

Just like the XL6, the Ertiga, too, will come with a number of cosmetic changes. Again, the six-speed torque converter could make its way to the Ertiga as well. In terms of differences between the upcoming XL6 and Ertiga, there's the usual body cladding on the former, that should be carried forward, while the rear-end could be pretty much the same on both models. However, the front-end, like the current-generation models, could be unique to each. One other area where the Ertiga will set itself apart is the CNG department.

Volvo XC40 Recharge

Trusted online sources report that the XC40 Recharge as already been listed on Volvo's India website. In case you're wondering, it's priced at Rs 75 lakh, which is quite a tidy sum of money, given that this the all-electric version of Volvo's entry-level SUV. However, do note that these prices have not been confirmed yet by the Swedish automaker. It's expected to come with a 78kWh battery pack, 400-odd kilometres of range and 408hp of peak power.

Toyota Hilux

After halting the booking process not too long ago, Toyota will reportedly get it back online in the month of April. This will be a welcome decision for all those eagerly waiting to get their hands on the utterly reliable and robust Hilux pick-up in India. The pricing is expected to be around the Rs 30 lakh mark, and once it does arrive, it will square off against the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross. Since the Fortuner and Hilux are extremely similar, expect it to share features, powertrains and components with the SUV.

Honda City Hybrid

The Honda City has been around in India for quite a while and has been constant on roads all around the country. It's come in four different generations and then Honda launched the fifth-generation model in India last year. Now, there are reports that suggest that the Japanese automaker could be bringing a hybrid model capable of returning an astonishing 27.7 km/l (claimed), which should make things quite interesting. Although, the Honda City Hybrid will command a premium over the standard version.

Apart from these cars, there could also be a number of other launches, as well. Online reports suggest that the updated BMW X6 could also be launched in the month of April. There are also rumours that suggest that the CNG-equipped Baleno could also make its way to the market. In all honesty, it's rather hard to pinpoint exactly which models will arrive. But, there can be calculated guesses made on information put out by trusted sources. Some of the most exciting launches post April have to be the Volkswagen Virtus and Jeep Meridian.

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Lexus India launches new Buyback Promise program for ES 300h

Lexus India has announced the launch of its new 'Buyback Promise' program starting with the locally assembled ES 300h. There's also a loyalty program under the ‘Lexus Life’, umbrella. Lexus had commenced operations in India, back in 2017, and is celebrating five years of operations in the country. The buyback program for ES 300h claims to be amongst the highest buyback price in the luxury car market with up to 60 percent residual value. Under this program, the Japanese luxury carmaker will offer its guests the industry’s best low-cost finance options and residual value for its cars. The loyalty program will benefit existing Lexus customers for their next Lexus purchase with a whole host of offers and packages.

Commenting on this occasion, Naveen Soni, President of Lexus India said, “Firstly, I would like to sincerely thank all our guests for their constant patronage, trust & confidence on the Lexus brand over these 5 years which has made this journey a memorable one. Celebrating 5 years of Lexus in India with introduction of the Buyback Promise scheme for the Lexus ES 300h as well as the Lexus Loyalty scheme, we would like to strengthen our guest’s faith in Lexus, at the same time show our confidence on the Lexus cars and our strong commitment to the Indian market. In this new era, consumers are more mindful about their purchases, and we are crafting the best for them. Staying true to the Lexus belief of “Omotenashi” we ensure to deliver exceptional experiences to our guests. We look forward to offering more such experiences to our guests and enriching their lifestyles.”

Lexus India had launched the ‘Lexus Life’ program in 2021, an exclusive ownership program for Lexus buyers who at Lexus, are treated like ‘guests at home’. Under this program, Lexus brings in new ownership benefits through ‘Lexus Ownership Portfolio’ which includes a variety of crafted plans for finance, service, warranty, insurance & roadside assistance. Additionally, Lexus also introduced ‘Lexus Pre-Owned’, a new platform for customers to trade-in and upgrade their Lexus cars with ease.

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Tata Altroz DCA launched in India; Priced from Rs 8.10 lakh

After a number of teasers over the past month, Tata Motors has finally launched the automatic version of the Altroz in India. It's called the Altroz DCA (Dual-Clutch Automatic), and prices start at Rs 8.10 lakh and go up to Rs 9.90 lakh (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi). All in all, the Altroz DCA is available in seven variants, two of which are the beloved #Dark editions. There's also a new colour option called 'Opera Blue', which basically looks like a darker version of the already existing 'Harbour Blue'. In total, there are six colour options. But, what about that automatic transmission?

As mentioned earlier, it is a dual-clutch automatic and uses the same technology that a dual-clutch transmission does, conventionally speaking. However, Tata Motors has made some changes to the gearbox to make it more user friendly in a country like India. For example, usually, a DCT has nearly 20 gears within the transmission system for conducting the shifting process. Tata's six-speed DCA uses only 13 gears, which should make things a little more efficient thanks to lesser moving parts. Tata also claims that the DCA has 35 percent lesser components than the conventional DCT. Do note that the automatic version is about 20 kilograms heavier than the manual variants.

The DCA gearbox also comes with a separation between the wet clutches, which should mean a cooler transmission. Speaking of which, there's also an active cooling technology for the wet clutch, which is monitored 100 times per second. It basically ensures that the gearbox responds well in hot or cold conditions. That's not all, Tata Motors has also added a unique 'Auto Park Lock' feature that ensures that given a certain number of parameters, the Altroz DCA will automatically shift into 'Park' mode. These include if the engine is on, the pedals are inactive, the driver's side door is open and if the seatbelt is unbuckled.

This works as a fail-safe if someone forgets to put their Altroz in 'P'. The DCA uses shift-by-wire technology, which Tata claims further improves the shift quality. Furthermore, Altroz automatic also boasts of machine learning, which basically learns the driving style of a certain driver and adapts the gearbox accordingly. There's even self-healing technology that uses a self-diagnosis system to clear out any dust from within the transmission. There's also a greater concentration on keeping dust out in the first place to prolong the life of the DCA.

Sadly though, this transmission is only available in the 1.2-litre, three-cylinder, naturally aspirated petrol engine which produces 86PS of peak power and 113Nm of torque. Hopefully, we could see this gearbox become a standard feature on the Nexon in the near future. Interestingly, the premium hatchback segment in India comes with quite a number of automatic gearboxes. For example, the Honda Jazz uses a CVT, while the Hyundai i20 uses a CVT as well as DCT and iMT. The Volkswagen Polo uses a torque converter unit, while the recently launched Glanza and Baleno uses an AMT.

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Mercedes-Benz India announces price hike on all models from April 1

Mercedes-Benz India has announced an upward revision in price of its entire model range effective April 1, 2022. The German automaker says that the price correction will be in the range of 3 percent, across the entire model range. The constant increase in input costs in addition to an increase in logistics costs have been exerting significant pressure on the overall costs of the company.

Martin Schwenk, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India said, “At Mercedes-Benz we continue to offer the most technologically advanced products for an unmatched product experience. However, to run a sustainable business a price correction is necessary to offset the continuous rise in input and operational costs. The new price range of our vehicles will ensure the brand’s premium price positioning, enabling seamless continuation of best-in-segment ownership experiences for our discerning customers.”

From April 1st, the following will be the starting prices for all the models across the range (all prices are ex-showroom).

A 200 limousine - Rs 42 lakh
GLA 200 - Rs 45 lakh
GLC 200 - Rs 62 lakh
GLE 300 d 4M - Rs 86 lakh
GLS 400d 4M - Rs 1.16 crore
LWB E-Class 200 - Rs 71 lakh
S-Class 350 d - Rs 1.60 crore
AMG E 63 S 4MATIC (CBU) - Rs 1.77 crore
AMG- GT 63 S 4 Door Coupe (CBU) - Rs 2.70 crore

The rising input costs also led to a significant increase in the company’s operational costs, prompting Mercedes-Benz to revise the ex-showroom price of the entire model range.

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2022 Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports launched in India

Honda has launched the updated version of the Africa Twin Adventure Sports in India, which comes with a few changes in comparison to the older generation model. Apart from a new paint job, there's the readjusted console screen, updated touchscreen TFT display with Android Auto compatibility, redesigned windscreen and a slightly updated DCT transmission. Speaking of which, the Africa Twin Adventure Sports still comes with two transmission options - a six-speed manual and a dual-clutch automatic. As was the case before, this latest version also makes its way to India via the Completely Knock Down (CKD) route.

It continues to be powered by the same 1082.96cc, parallel-twin engine which produces 99hp and 103Nm of torque, from before. It comes with a 24.5-litre fuel tank along with LED headlamps with a cornering function. While the manual version costs Rs 40,000 more than before, the automatic variant still retails at the same price. To put it simply, the MT costs Rs 16.01 lakh, while the AT costs Rs 17.55 lakh (all prices ex-showroom, Haryana). Also, the MT version can only be had with the Pearl Glare White Tricolor paint scheme, while the latter is available with just the Mat Ballistic Black Metallic colour.

Other than that, the bike pretty much remains the same as before. That includes various features like six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), 2-Channel ABS, HSTC (Honda Selectable Torque Control) and Bluetooth Connectivity feature. Both MT and DCT variants get four default riding mode settings: Tour, Urban, Gravel and Off-Road plus two customizable - User 1 and 2 settings. Moreover, the windscreen can now be adjusted (five-step) without the help of any tools, just like the seat. Although it has become more expensive, there's no denying the fact that there will be quite a number of takes for Honda's ultimate off-roader in India.

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Maruti Suzuki Baleno vs Toyota Glanza - What are the key differences between the two?

To be honest, there isn't much difference between the Maruti Suzuki Baleno and the recently launched Toyota Glanza. But crucially, there are a few more distinguishing factors from the previous-generation models, which should make things interesting for buyers. First off, they share the same engine, transmissions and features and are based on the same Heartect platform. The Glanza, too, gets the same 1.2-litre, four-cylinder, K12N engine which produces 90hp and 113Nm of torque; and comes mated to a five-speed manual transmission along with a five-speed AMT, as well. This makes it the first Toyota product in India to adorn that automatic gearbox.

The most noticeable change comes in the form of design. Upfront, the Glanza premium hatchback sports a more Toyota-ish grille and bumper, along with simpler Daytime Running Headlamps (DRLs) in comparison to Maruti Suzuki Baleno. Then there's the slightly different design to the 16-inch alloy wheels and the Toyota badges all around the car. On the inside, things remain pretty much the same as well. However, the only difference is the fact that the Glanza comes with a beige and black dual-tone interior. The Baleno, on that front, comes with a navy blue and black dual-tone scheme.

Just like the Baleno, the Glanza comes with a heads-up display, nine-inch touchscreen infotainment system, flat-bottom steering wheel, 360-degree camera and six airbags on select variants. Speaking of which, Toyota's latest product in India is sold in E, S, G and V trim levels, while the Baleno is sold in Sigma, Delta, Zeta and Alpha variants. Most importantly though, the Glanza is priced between Rs 6.39 lakh - 9.69 lakh, which makes it between Rs 4,000 and Rs 20,000 more expensive than the Baleno, depending upon the variant.

Another key difference is the fact that the Baleno is sold a two-year/40,000-kilometre warranty, while the Glanza comes with a much better three-year/one lakh kilometre standard warranty. Apart from all that, the fuel efficiency figures remain identical too. The manual version as claimed figure of 22.35kpl, while the AMT-fitted variants return an impressive 22.94kpl. Both the Baleno and Glanza go up against the likes of the Volkswagen Polo, Honda Jazz and Hyundai i20 in India.

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Jeep Merdian SUV global unveil slated for March 29 - Here's all you need to know

Jeep India has already given us a glimpse of the upcoming Meridian, and now there's a date for the complete unveil as well. On March 29, the seven-seater SUV will be revealed in India, and reports suggest that, like the Compass, it will be made in India and exported from here to certain countries. The Merdian is based on the Jeep Commander, which is already sold in the South American market. However, the right-hand-drive version to be sold in India will come with a number of distinctive features to set it apart. For instance, the Jeep Merdian is likely to come with a six-seat version alongside the aforementioned seven-seat variant.

Furthermore, it will share its underpinnings with the Compass and will come with the Fiat-sourced 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel motor which will come mated to a nine-speed automatic gearbox. However, it is unlikely that Jeep will use the 1.4-litre, turbo-petrol engine for the Merdian, and could employ the use of a different engine down the line. Since it will come with a three-row cabin, Jeep's upcoming SUV will be longer than the Compass. From a design standpoint, the Merdian is likely to share several styling cues with the Grand Cherokee, which incidentally, will also make its way to India in 2022.

On the inside, Jeep is expected to fit the Merdian with many distinctive features like a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, 10.25-inch instrument cluster, ventilated seats, panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charger and a whole lot more. Online reports suggest there could also be safety features like Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), emergency braking system and seven airbags as standard fitment. Once it does arrive in India, the Jeep Meridian will take on the likes of the MG Gloster, Toyota Fortuner and Skoda Kodiaq. The Meridan SUV is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated launches in the country.

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How different is the Royal Enfield Scram 411 from the Himalayan?

Royal Enfield just recently launched the Scram 411 in India, for a price of Rs 2.03 Lakh (ex-showroom). But, the question lingering in the minds of most buyers will be how different is it really from the Himalayan ADV? For starters, the name suggests that it is a 'scrambler' category of motorcycle, which is slightly different from the adventurer-tourer style of the Himalayan. Secondly, the Scram is Rs 11,000 cheaper than Himalayan, and there are a number of reasons for that as well.

First and foremost is the fact that Scram only comes with a single, offset-mounted, instrument cluster. The Tripper navigation system is an optional extra, and it has to be said, looks a lot simpler than the Himalayan's instrument panel. The Scram also comes with seven different colour options, as compared to the Himalayan's six. On the whole, Royal Enfield has used brighter and more youthful colours for the Scram. The Himalayan, though, has a more understated and functional look, overall.

The Scram also has a 5mm lower seat height and is, in fact, lighter than the Himalayan as well (5 kilograms). RE has also reduced the ground clearance by 20mm in comparison to the Himalayan. Then there's the updated handlebar, which now sits closer and lower to the rider, making for a much more urban-friendly motorcycle. In terms of suspension setup, the Scram is pretty much identical to the Himalayan. Except for the fact that the front suspension travel has been lowered by 10mm. The Scram also gets a smaller wheel at the front; a 19-inch one, to be exact.

That makes the Scram a little more agile in city conditions and results in a shorter wheelbase as well. Visually, the windscreen at the front has been omitted and the headlight now sits lower, and there are two side panels on either side of the fuel tank. There's a new single-piece seat, too, along with a new grab handle at the back and indicators. One thing that remains exactly the same though is the 411cc, single-cylinder engine which produces 24.3hp and 32Nm of torque; and comes mated to the same five-speed transmission.

It's clear that Royal Enfield's idea with the Scram 411 is to provide a more user-friendly motorcycle for the city and occasional off-road pursuits. What remains to be seen, however, is the popularity the Scram will garner with the company's loyal user base.

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Best phones under Rs 60,000 (Mar 2022): Apple iPhone 12, Asus ROG Phone 5s to OnePlus 9 Pro

Some of the handsets from our list of phones under Rs 60,000 from last quarter have retained their place in this list too. However, in most cases, you now get a higher capacity variant or a more lucrative deal, which is great if you were dreaming about owning those phones. Powerusers, gamers, photography enthusiasts, all have a lot to look forward to in this list. Check it out.

Best phones to buy under Rs 60,000 in India

Apple iPhone 12

The iPhone 12 was available for a Rupee under Rs 60,000 last quarter too, but now you get its 128 GB storage variant for the same price as opposed to 64 GB. The iPhone 12 has just the perfect size for single handed operation. Its 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED screen is compliant with HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and protected against scratches and smudges with a ceramic glass and oleophobic coating respectively.

 

Powering it is Apple’s previous flagship A14 Bionic chip that is still quite a powerful processor for any task you intend to perform on this phone. You get the two trusted 12MP cameras at the back with the primary lens offering OIS, and the secondary capable of capturing ultra-wide shots. You already know that the performance is top notch in different lighting, and it can shoot some excellent videos too. The Apple iPhone 12 launched with iOS 14, and is easily upgradable to iOS 15.

Apple iPhone 12 price in India: Rs 59,999 for 128 GB storage

Samsung Galaxy S21 5G

We are fond of compact flagship phones, and hence we added one more to this list from an equally premium brand. Just like the iPhone 12, the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G too has IP68 ingress protection. It has a 6.2-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED display with a peak brightness of 1300 nits, HDR10+ compliance and 120 Hz refresh rate. It is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 2100 chip which can be found in most of their high-end phones in recent times. You get 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage here. The phone runs Android 11 with Samsung’s One UI 3.x.

Photography department on the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G has a combination of three cameras at the back starting with a 12MP primary camera with OIS, 12MP ultra-wide camera and a 64MP telephoto camera with OIS that provides up to 3X Hybrid zoom. The camera performance is impressive with excellent detail, close to natural colours and wide dynamic range. Its low light performance is commendable too. This phone can also record videos up to 8K resolution. A 4000 mAh battery keeps the phone running for over a day of moderate use and supports wireless charging too.

Samsung Galaxy S21 5G price in India: Rs 51,900 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

OnePlus 9 Pro

The OnePlus 9 Pro is another great option under 60K, and you can save as much as another Rs 10,000 on Amazon India if you have the right credit card. It is a pretty good buy even without the offer. A metal frame and a glass body protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 at the front and back makes the phone elegant and sturdy. It has a 6.7-inch LTPO Fluid AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and a higher than usual resolution of 3216 x 1440 pixels. The HDR10+ compliant screen can display a billion colours and get up to 1300 nits bright.

The photography department is highly versatile with a combination of 48MP primary camera with OIS, a 50MP ultrawide camera with auto-focus, 8MP telephoto camera with OIS for 3.3X optical zoom and a 2MP mono camera. Hasselblad’s colour tuning lends a natural tone to the colours as compared to its predecessors. The cameras manage to capture impressive shots in different lighting and modes. The 16MP front camera located in a tiny punch-hole at the top of the screen is more than decent for selfies and video calls.

The 5G ready OnePlus 9 Pro is powered by Qualcomm’s flagship grade Snapdragon 888 SoC, and you get the 8 GB RAM and 128 GB UFS 3.1 storage variant in this budget. Its 4500 mAh battery lasts over a day of moderate use, and the bundled 65W Warp charger juices it up in just about half an hour. The phone also supports fast wireless charging and has IP68 rated ingress protection. It runs OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11. Android 12 update with a lot of bug fixes is already available for this phone.

OnePlus 9 Pro price in India: Rs 59,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

Asus ROG Phone 5s

While the top variant of the Asus ROG Phone 5 was hard to find, there are no such issues with the 5s, at least for now. You can get the 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage variant comfortably in this budget. Needless to say it is a great option for gamers in this segment. You may also consider its 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant. Except for the memory numbers, the rest of the stuff remains the same, and you can save a good Rs 8,000 too. The phone offers several optimisations and enhancements to give the gamers a superior gaming experience.

The Asus ROG Phone 5s is powered by Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 888+ SoC, and has a 6.78-inch Full HD+, HDR10+ compliant, 10-bit AMOLED display with 144 Hz refresh rate. The rear camera department consists of a 64MP primary camera, 13MP ultra-wide snapper and a 5MP macro camera. It has a large 6000 mAh battery that facilitates longer gaming sessions, and the bundled 65W fast charger can charge it fully in less than an hour. This phone runs Android 11 with ROG UI.

Asus ROG Phone 5s price in India: Rs 57,999 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage; Rs 49,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

Motorola Edge 30 Pro

The new Motorola Edge 30 Pro actually sells in the sub-50K bracket, but the phone is good enough to give the phones in this budget a run for their money, courtesy of its processing muscle and some premium features. This phone is powered by Qualcomm’s fastest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip and comes with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage. It has a 6.7-inch Full HD+ OLED display that flaunts 144 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ compliance and capability to display over a billion colour shades. There is Corning Gorilla Glass protection against scratches at the front and back.

The photography department consists of a 50MP primary camera with OIS. You get another 50MP camera for ultra-wide photography and a 2MP depth sensor. The selfie enthusiasts are in for a treat too thanks to its 60MP front camera. Its 4800 mAh battery lasts for over a day of moderate use and supports 68W fast charging as well as 15W fast wireless charging. It runs Android 12 out of the box, and like most Motorola phones, the Motorola Edge 30 Pro has a clean and near-stock user interface; another big plus.

Motorola Edge 30 Pro price in India: Rs 49,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

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Best phones under Rs 50,000 (Mar 2022): Apple iPhone 12 Mini, Asus ROG Phone 5s to iQOO 9 5G

Our list of phones under Rs 50,000 this month is loaded with handsets with top of the line processors, premium designs and high quality cameras — basically pretty much everything one expects from a flagship smartphone. There are quite a few new entrants in this list as compared to the one from last quarter. Time to meet them.

Best phones to buy under Rs 50,000 in India

Apple iPhone 12 Mini

The smallest of Apple’s iPhone 12 series phones is still available under Rs 50,000; its 64 GB storage variant. The Apple iPhone 12 Mini is great for single-handed operation. And it’s not just about a smaller size but the availability of a proper flagship device in a compact form factor without skipping any key feature from its larger sibling is what makes it special. It is powered by the A14 Bionic chip that powers the entire iPhone 12 series.

The Apple iPhone 12 Mini is pretty much the iPhone 12 in a smaller body. In fact, its display is even sharper than the 12 in terms of pixel density, thanks to its compact Full HD+ 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR OLED screen. Two 12MP cameras (primary with OIS and an ultrawide shooter) at the back offer top notch performance in different lighting, and can shoot some excellent videos too. It launched with iOS 14, and is easily upgradeable to the latest iOS 15.

Apple iPhone 12 Mini price in India: Rs 49,999 for 64 GB storage

Asus ROG Phone 5s

The Asus ROG Phone 5s is pretty much the ROG Phone 5 with an even faster processor, and sells for the exact price. Other than a powerful processing hardware, the phone has several optimisations and enhancements to give the gamers a premium gaming experience. The phone is powered by Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 888+ SoC, and you get the 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant in this budget. This phone runs Android 11 with ROG UI.

Its large 6.78-inch Full HD+ 10-bit AMOLED display has a 144 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ compliance and can get up to 1200 nits bright. Though this phone is targeted primarily at mobiler gamers, the rear camera department is more than decent. It consists of a 64MP primary camera, 13MP ultra-wide shooter and a 5MP macro camera. The Asus ROG Phone 5s retains the large 6000 mAh battery for long, uninterrupted gaming sessions, and even better, the bundled 65W fast charger can juice it up fully in under an hour.

Asus ROG Phone 5s price in India: Rs 49,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

Motorola Edge 30 Pro

The newly launched Motorola Edge 30 Pro is another mighty impressive option in this budget that offers some top features. This phone is powered by Qualcomm’s fastest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip and comes with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage. Its 6.7-inch Full HD+ OLED display flaunts a 144 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ compliance and capability to display over a billion colour shades. There is Corning Gorilla Glass protection against scratches at the front and back.

The photography department on the Motorola Edge 30 Pro is helmed by a 50MP primary camera with OIS. You get another 50MP camera for ultra-wide photography and a 2MP depth sensor. If that wasn’t enough, Motorola has opted for a 60MP front camera to woo the selfie crowd. Its 4800 mAh battery lasts for over a day of moderate use and supports 68W fast charging as well as 15W fast wireless charging. This phone runs Android 12 out of the box, and like most Motorola phones, you get a clean and near-stock user interface.

Motorola Edge 30 Pro price in India: Rs 49,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

OnePlus 9

The price of the OnePlus 9 has dropped significantly and you can score even its top variant with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage within our budget. This phone is powered by Qualcomm’s flagship grade Snapdragon 888 chip. It has a 6.55-inch Full HD+ Fluid AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ compliance. The phone has an elegant design with a glass body protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 at the front and back.

The rear camera department isn’t as versatile as its Pro variant, but you do get Hasselblad colour calibration here too that does make a difference. Photography is handled by a 48MP primary camera, a 50MP ultrawide camera with auto-focus -- one of the best ultrawide cameras on phones, and a 2MP mono camera. The cameras manage to shoot some impressive images in different lighting conditions with natural colours.

A 16MP front camera located in a tiny punch-hole at the top of the screen does a good job with selfies and video calls. Its 4500 mAh battery lasts over a day of moderate use comfortably, and the bundled 65W Warp charger juices it up in just about half an hour. The phone launched with OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11, and the Android 12 update with OxygenOS 12 is already available.

OnePlus 9 price in India: Rs 44,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage; Rs 49,999 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

iQOO 9 5G

Here’s another fully loaded device from the Vivo sub-brand. The new iQOO 9 5G too is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888+ chip, and you get either 8 GB or 12 GB RAM and 128 GB or 256 GB internal storage to go with it. Its 6.56-inch HDR10+ compliant Full HD+ AMOLED display has 120 Hz refresh rate and can display a billion colour shades. The phone runs Android 12 with FunTouch OS 12.

The rear camera department here is quite interesting. You get a 48MP primary camera with Gimbal stabilisation, accompanied by a 13MP ultra-wide camera and a 13MP 50 mm professional portrait camera, which is particularly interesting. You get a handy 16MP front camera for selfies and video calls. The iQOO 9 5G has a 4350 mAh battery that lasts for a day of moderate use, and the bundled 120W fast charger claims to charge it fully in just 18 minutes. Yes, you read that right!

iQOO 9 5G price in India: Rs 42,990 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage; Rs 46,990 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

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Oppo Enco M32 Review: A decent wireless neckband with a wrong model number

What’s in the name, you ask? In this case, probably everything if you happen to know its predecessor well. The Oppo Enco M31 wireless neckband was a cult classic courtesy of its detailed and balanced sound output. The audio quality was exceptional for its selling price close to Rs 2,000, unlike its bass heavy competitors. And it’s not like it completely ignored those who preferred extra bass (a vast majority of users in the segment) either.

The neckband had two sound profiles built in, and one could switch between balanced output and bass boost at the click of a button. A smart way to appeal to a broader audience. On top of that, the neckband supported Sony’s LDAC codecs for better throughput and flaunted a Hi-Res certification too. The only real drawback was its average battery backup south of 10 hours. All that Oppo needed to do with its successor was fit the Enco M31 with a larger battery and leave everything else untouched.

When the Oppo Enco M32 was announced with 28 hours of battery backup, we thought the company was looking to do exactly that. M31 with almost thrice the battery life was a tempting proposition indeed. Unfortunately, that is not what the company had in mind. Now there are two ways of looking at the Oppo Enco M32, one as a successor to the M31 and other as a completely non-related product saddled with a wrong model number. We will explore both routes in this review.

Price: Rs 1,499 to 1,799

Rating: 3.5/5

Oppo Enco M32: Design and Comfort (8/10)

The build quality of the Oppo Enco M32 is pretty good. The earbud shells, battery pods and the rubberised neckband are made of quality materials. It has a nice even matte finish across with just a hint of gloss at the back of the earbud shells. We received the new green variant for review, which looks quite elegant, and is good enough even for someone like me who generally prefers black.

The Oppo Enco M32 weighs less than 27 grams, and the flexible neckband causes no discomfort around the neck even after hours of use. The angled silicone ear tips sit well in the ear canals and the U-shaped wings at the back of the buds provide a more reassuring fit, especially during a jog or a workout. Speaking of exercising, the Enco M32 is IP55 rated dust and splash resistant, and should easily survive a bit of sweat or a light drizzle.

Other than the preinstalled medium sized silicone eartips, the company bundles two more pairs to choose from to achieve good passive noise isolation. A volume rocker and a multifunction button located on the right module let you access all the key functions of this neckband, ranging from playback to calling. A USB-C port is placed under a protective flap for charging this neckband. A tiny multicoloured LED indicates the pairing status of these earphones and also gives you a rough idea about its battery level.

Oppo Enco M32: Features and Specifications (7/10)

‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix’, but who’s listening! Oppo made far too many changes to the product to a point where it barely feels like M31’s successor. The support for Bluetooth codecs is now limited to SBC and AAC; no LDAC support here. Oppo hasn’t even bothered to upgrade the Bluetooth version from 5.0 with several brands now offering version 5.1 or 5.2.

The dual sound profiles have been given a skip too, and you have to make do with the default sound signature which isn’t as good as the M31’s. There is no companion app to tweak it either. The size of the dynamic drivers has increased, which is fine. Each earbud is now fitted with a 10 mm unit. The back of the buds have magnetic tips that hold the earbuds in place when not in use, and also act as an on/off switch, just like its predecessor. The magnets are powerful enough to hold them in place and avoid accidental separation with minimal force.

Battery backup is the only area where it shines brighter than the M31, much brighter. Battery capacity has been increased significantly from the measly 88 mAh on its predecessor to 220 mAh on the M32. Even better, this significant increase in battery reserves has led to only a 5 grams weight gain, that is not even noticeable. The neckband doesn’t look bloated either. So a job well done on this front.

Oppo Enco M32: Performance (6.5/10)

Pairing the Oppo Enco M32 is a standard process. All you need to do is separate the buds to enter pairing mode, find the neckband in the list of Bluetooth devices and pair. Wireless range is perfectly fine with the neckband retaining a strong connection up to 10 metres with a clear line of sight, and half of that with a concrete wall in between the source device and the listener.

Moving on to the sound quality, gone is the balanced sound signature of the Oppo Enco M31. It is now replaced with the typical V-shaped sound on the M32 to please the masses. And even that is a little imbalanced on either side of 40 to 60% volume level. Chances are you won’t even notice the issue as more often than not you will play the audio in that loudness range. But let me explain.

The earphones get sufficiently loud at 45 to 50% volume, and even outdoors, I didn’t have to go beyond 60% often. When you listen to music on these earphones below 40% loudness, the sound is largely bass dominated. The excess bass overshadows the midrange frequencies and lower midrange frequencies get majorly impacted. Even vocals feel recessed in bass-heavy tracks. Closer to the halfway mark, there is a lot more balance between the lows and highs with a good amount of sparkle.

As you go beyond 60% volume, the highs start to dominate and the bass feels inadequate. Beyond 70%, these earphones sound sibilant and far from pleasant. Hence, it is advisable to play the Oppo Enco M32 in the 40 to 60% loudness range for best results. The imaging is decent but the soundstage feels more centred than broad here; passable for the segment.

Oppo Enco M32: Call quality (6/10)

Calling is not one of the strong points of the Oppo Enco M32. The call quality is average, especially when outdoors. It is perfectly fine when indoors with both people on the call perfectly audible to each other. But outside in a noisy area, the environmental noise cancellation circuitry (if any) barely works. The omni-directional microphone picks up a lot of ambient noise that impacts the conversation.

Oppo Enco M32: Battery life (9/10)

The battery backup is supposed to be the most striking feature of this neckband and it delivers in abundance. The company claims a battery backup of 28 hours. During my testing, at 50 to 60% loudness, the neckband went on for close to 24 hours with roughly 3 hours of daily usage, mainly music playback and movies and very little calling. These are excellent numbers, and way higher than those of the Oppo Enco M31.

As I mentioned earlier, the M32 has a USB-C port for charging. What’s more, it supports fast charging and the numbers are mighty impressive. A mere 10 minutes of charging gave me over 15 hours of play time, which is topnotch. This neckband can be charged fully in about 35 to 40 minutes, which is quite brisk. All in all, Oppo has managed to do a great job in the battery department on every front.

Oppo Enco M32: Price and verdict

The Oppo Enco M32 was launched at an introductory price of Rs 1,499 with a one year warranty, but later bumped it up to Rs 1,799. But it often sells for its launch price even now, which is fair for what it offers. Close to 2K, it would run into competition it won’t be able to handle. By now we know that the M32 is not the ideal successor for the M31. The company could have called it anything else and the complaints would have been far fewer.

If you keep the model number aside for a moment, you get a wireless neckband with good finish and build, decent sound output in the right loudness band, excellent battery backup and even better fast charging. And let’s not forget, it is a good 25% cheaper than its predecessor, which is almost impossible to find these days. The Oppo Enco M32 also has other competitors under Rs 1,500 to contend with; Boat Rockerz 330 and Realme Buds Wireless 2 Neo to name a couple.

The Boat Rockerz 330 offers comparable audio quality and battery backup, and much better call quality. However, the finish and build aren’t as good, and it also lacks features like a magnetic power switch. The Realme Buds Wireless 2 Neo matches the Oppo in terms of features and build quality, and also offers a more pleasant sound output and further customizations through the companion Realme Link app. However, the battery backup is significantly lower, and fast charging is not at the same level as that of the M32.

One thing Oppo can still do (and I hope they do) is take the battery department of the M32 and plug it into the M31 with all its features intact, add a bit of premium to the selling price and call it Oppo Enco M32 Pro. Worth a shot, no?

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ISS leaves internet users in awe with magnificent pictures of orbital sunrise; check photos here

The International Space Station (ISS) has often shown us some magnificent pictures of outer space and this time, ISS shared some stunning images showing an orbital sunrise captured from the space station. The images were shared by ISS on their official Instagram account on Friday, 18 March, 2022.

In the set of mesmerizing images shared, the first two slides shows the first rays of an orbital sunrise  illuminating the Earth’s atmosphere while the third slide is a picture of the Sun rising above the Earth’s horizon.

The fourth picture of ISS’ post consists of the most heavenly image, where the Sun shines on the Earth while the planet glows beauteously with the Sun’s light.

The final image gives us a large and clear picture of the Earth being illuminated shortly after an orbital sunrise.

Take a look at the pictures here -

 

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A post shared by International Space Station (@iss)

International Space Station shared the post with the caption, “An orbital sunrise is seen from the International Space Station as it orbited 262 miles above the Pacific Ocean on 22 February, 2022.”

According to the space station, the first two pictures of the orbital sunrise were taken when it was orbiting above the Pacific Ocean south of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula while the others was clicked when the ISS was in orbit above the Pacific Ocean south of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.

Since the post from International Space Station was shared, it has gained more than 66,000 likes on Instagram and has also garnered a variety of reactions from users. A user wrote that this was the most beautiful sunrise they had ever seen while another said that the images were magnificent. Someone also commented hilariously that the pictures reminded them of the Universal Studio's presentation.

The International Space Station is a modular space station which is a collaboration of 15 nations working together to operate a world-class, state-of-the-art orbiting laboratory.

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Stephen Hawking death anniversary: Here are some of his groundbreaking theories

British physicist Stephen Hawking passed away on this day, 14 March, in the year 2018. His death at the age of 76 left his admirers, as well as people in the scientific community, in deep shock.

Hawking, who battled amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) for over five decades, was told he had less than three years to live when he was first diagnosed. However, he did not let the disease stop him from becoming an icon in the scientific community.

The physicist connected quantum mechanics (which focuses on how electrons and positrons work) with the theory of relativity, according to The Verge. This remains one of his biggest achievements.

Hawking’s book A Brief History of Time, was an international bestseller and remains influential since it was first published in the 1980s. The book was much-loved among readers for simplifying complex theories related to the origin of the universe, black holes and other topics.

Apart from immense contributions to physics, Hawking was also a pop culture icon and made appearances in several shows including The Big Bang Theory and The Simpsons.

Stephen Hawking’s contribution to the scientific community, will always remain valuable. On his death anniversary, here are some of his ground-breaking theories:

• In the 1960s, Hawking, along with Roger Penrose, applied Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity to the origin of the cosmos. The theory implied that space and time began with the Big Bang, and would end with black holes.
• According to Hawking, if the universe began from a singularity or a just one infinitely small point, questions about what was before the Big Bang, were useless.
• He also gave more solid mathematical backing to the idea of black holes, which  had first been theorised by Albert Einstein in 1916.
• Hawking also demonstrated that black holes actually emit radiation. The phenomenon was later named the Hawking radiation in his honour. The physicist also discovered that black holes can explode and die. His ideas also led to the discovery that black holes were not actually black , but “white-hot”.
• Hawking theorised that the event horizons of black holes, “the boundary beyond which nothing can ever escape", could never shrink. This was later known Hawking’s area theorem. In 2021, physicists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology confirmed the theory.
• Hawking also postulated that when a star dies, its mass collapses into a singularity, which then leads to the formation of a black hole.

His work has made black holes more understandable to both the scientific community and the general public.
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OnePlus Nord CE 2 Review: Better than the Nord CE, but could have been even better

Price: Rs 24,999

Rating: 3.8/5

We ended our OnePlus Nord CE review wondering if there would be a successor for the same or if the Core Edition was just a one-off experiment. Guess what? The OnePlus Nord CE 2 is here and sooner than we expected. The first Nord CE did not impress us much as we believe the company cut a corner too many and seemed like a generic phone with OnePlus branding and OxygenOS. The company has made a few amends in its successor without inflating the price.

Are those enhancements enough to justify its existence? We will answer that and more in our OnePlus Nord CE 2 review. We will take a quick look at what’s good or otherwise, and how it is different in comparison to its predecessor in half a dozen key areas. Let’s get the ball rolling.

OnePlus Nord CE 2: Design

The rear profile of the Nord CE 2 is completely different from its predecessor, and in some ways is quite unique and cool. The plastic back on the Nord CE is replaced with scratch resistant glass; the first of many improvements. A single glass block covers the entire back and also encompasses the camera module that has a bit of a protrusion. The camera layout is a lot more like the Nord 2 than the CE. The company has stuck to a single front camera located in a punch-hole.

The back does attract a few smudge marks but they aren’t too conspicuous on the Bahama Blue variant. The frame is still made of plastic though and has a glossy finish. Despite the glass back, the Nord CE 2 is just 3 grams heavier than the CE and weighs a comfortable 173 grams. It is slightly slimmer too at 7.8 mm in thickness. A popular OnePlus feature, the alert slider continues to be absent on the second Nord CE phone too.

However, the 3.5 mm headphone jack has been retained. You also get a USB-C port and a solitary speaker next to it along the bottom edge. OnePlus has also added a MicroSD card slot in addition to dual SIM trays; a pleasant surprise. The placement of the volume rocker along the left edge and the power button on the right is spot on, and you don’t have to stretch your fingers much to access them. One design element that can improve further is the chin or the bottom bezel, which is quite prominent on the Nord CE 2.

OnePlus Nord CE 2: Display

Just like every other Nord phone, the Nord CE 2 sports a 6.43-inch AMOLED display with 2400 x 1080 resolution and 90 Hz refresh rate. But unlike the Nord CE, the display here is HDR10+ compliant. It is protected against scratches by a layer for Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The colour reproduction and sharpness are pretty good for the segment, and you get two colour profiles - Vivid and Gentle. While the former is more vibrant, the latter is a lot more easier on the eyes and closer to natural once you increase the colour temperature a little.

OnePlus Nord CE 2: Hardware and performance

This is one area where the Nord CE felt a little underpowered. OnePlus has opted for a Mediatek Dimensity 900 5G SoC on the Nord CE 2. While it doesn’t exactly set our benchmarks on fire, it is definitely a step up from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G on the Nord CE, but understandably not in the same league as the Dimensity 1200 that powers the Nord 2. The Nord CE 2 does feel smoother in day to day operations as compared to its predecessor. We got its 8 GB RAM variant for review.

Moving on to benchmarks and performance in numbers, the Nord CE 2 slots in between the Nord CE and Nord 2, but closer to the former. It scored 726 and 2160 in Geekbench single core and multi-core benchmarks respectively. In comparison, the Nord CE managed scores of 641 and 1835, while the Nord 2 scored 815 and 2762 in the same tests. It returned a score of 7886 in PCMark Work 3.0 benchmark, which was surprisingly lower than the 8366 that the Nord CE scored.

In 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme - Vulkan benchmark, the Nord CE 2 got an overall score of 3666 – over a thousand points higher than 2590 that its predecessor could manage. Even in the 3DMark Wild Life benchmark, the Nord CE 2 stays comfortably ahead with 2032 points as opposed to 1113 on the CE. The Nord 2 is a different kettle of fish scoring more than double (4218 point) in the same benchmark. The difference in average frame rates is also significant (12.2 vs 6.7 vs 25.3 -- CE 2 vs CE vs Nord 2).

Both the Core Edition phones are not so great at serious gaming but can handle less graphics intensive games reasonably well at medium settings. Having said that, the Mali-G68 MC4 GPU on the OnePlus Nord CE 2 performs noticeably better in this department than the Adreno 619 on the CE. The single speaker on the phone doesn’t make things particularly enjoyable though, and it’s best to use earphones or headphones. The Nord CE 2 is Bluetooth 5.2 compliant and has a 3.5 mm headphone jack too.

OnePlus Nord CE 2: Camera performance

The camera department of the Nord CE wasn’t very impressive and they have pretty much carried forward the same on the CE 2 with minor enhancements. You get the same 64MP main camera and it still lacks optical image stabilisation (OIS). The 8MP ultra-wide camera is also common to both. The only difference being the 2MP depth sensor is replaced by a 2MP macro camera, which isn’t any great like most 2MP macro cameras.

The output is pretty decent in good lighting but starts to lose detail in fading light. The dynamic range is good and photos have better detail as compared to the Nord CE but they still appear a bit on the softer side. There are some AI enhancements but they mess up the colours, so best to avoid them. There is no telephoto camera here and the shots are digitally zoomed, and usable upto 2X tops. Lack of OIS doesn’t help either and you need a steady hand to get usable clicks. The 8MP ultra-wide camera is average at best but does a decent job in well lit conditions.

Low light photography on the Nord CE 2 can be a hit or miss. Some images exhibit a good amount of detail while others look flat. The noise is kept in check but the noise reduction algorithm seems a bit aggressive. There is a Night mode that improves things significantly when the light is too low, but it takes longer to capture and process the images. The objects look brighter than they are but have noticeably less detail. Best to stick to the main camera in low light in normal mode. Ultra-wide mode or zoom in low light produce below par results.

The 16MP front camera does a good job with selfies. They come out sharp and with natural colours. The front camera also has a portrait mode which works well when there is sufficient foreground and background separation. The rear cameras can shoot 4K videos at 30 fps and 1080p videos at up to 120 fps. However, EIS works only when recording 1080p videos at 30 fps; best to stick to that for best results. The output is acceptable for the segment. The front camera can record videos in Full HD resolution at 30 or 60 fps.

OnePlus Nord CE 2: Battery backup

OnePlus has retained the 4500 mAh battery on the Nord CE 2, but fast charging has been bumped up to 65W from 30W. The battery lasts for a day and a half of moderate use which is quite good. The bundled 65W ‘SuperVOOC’ charger (yes, OnePlus is openly using Oppo nomenclature now) manages to charge it from 1 to 100% in about 40 minutes. It may be 4 to 5 minutes slower than the Nord 2, but a solid 25 minutes faster than the Nord CE, which is mighty impressive.

OnePlus Nord CE 2: OS and User interface

The Nord CE 2 runs Android 11 with OxygenOS 11.3. OnePlus promises two major Android updates and three years of security updates for this phone, which is good, but there’s a small catch. Android 12 has been out for several months now, and a phone debuting in 2022 should ideally launch with that version of the OS. Despite the company committing to two Android updates, it may only go as far as Android 13, which feels like a raw deal but not a deal breaker.

Due to the code unification, the ColorOS influence can be seen in certain places like the camera app (which is straight out of Oppo’s playbook) but it still largely feels like OxygenOS here, which is great. There is hardly any bloatware either and the overall experience is smooth and pleasant. The OnePlus Nord CE 2 should get the OxygenOS 12 update in a few months, and I am not sure how things will pan out then. Going by my experience of the same on Nord 2, it feels a lot less like OxygenOS.

OnePlus Nord CE 2: Price and competition

The Nord CE starts at Rs 23,999 for the 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant and just a thousand more for the 8 GB RAM variant with the same internal storage. OnePlus hasn’t bothered with a 12 GB RAM variant here, and it’s a sensible decision. Nor is there a 256 GB variant, but you can always use a MicroSD card to increase the storage in case 128 GB feels insufficient. All in all, you get a much improved version of the Nord CE (barring cameras) at the same price. However, the competition in the sub-Rs 25,000 segment is cutthroat.

Some of the top options in the segment would be Samsung M52 5G and iQOO Z5 5G. Both phones have a faster Snapdragon 778 chip, higher capacity batteries and 120 Hz refresh rate displays. While the Samsung has a Super AMOLED screen, the iQOO has a regular IPS display. Another couple of options I would like to mention are Xiaomi 11i 5G and Realme 9 Pro Plus. Both are powered by Mediatek Dimensity 920 chip (more powerful than 900) and have impressive cameras. While the former boasts of an 108MP main camera, the latter has one with OIS.

The more powerful and impressive OnePlus Nord 2 isn’t out or reach either if one is willing to stretch the budget a little. So while the OnePlus Nord CE 2 does bring in a handful of enhancements over its predecessor, the company will need to do a bit more to stand out from the crowd in this highly competitive segment of smartphones. Let’s see if OnePlus gets third time lucky with the Nord CE 3.

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