 "Tech Wrap Dec 9: Lava Play Max, POCO C85 5G, Apple Fitness Plus in India")
Lava has expanded its Play series lineup with the introduction of the Lava Play Max. The smartphone features a 6.72-inch fullHD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It is equipped with a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chipset and a 5,000mAh battery. According to Lava, this is the first smartphone in its segment to include a vapour chamber to help maintain stable thermal performance during intensive multitasking or gaming.
POCO has introduced the C85 5G smartphone in India. Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset, it packs a 6000mAh battery. The smartphone has a 6.9-inch HD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It is 7.99mm thick and sports a dual-tone design. The company said the POCO C85 is capable of delivering more than two days of usage on a single charge.
Apple has confirmed the rollout of its Fitness Plus service in India starting December 15. Fitness Plus is a subscription-based offering that includes guided workouts, meditation routines, and personalised fitness plans across Apple devices. With this expansion, users in 49 countries and regions, including India, will be able to access all 12 workout categories on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV.
Adobe has rolled out a dedicated YouTube Shorts creation section inside the Premiere Mobile app for iOS. According to Adobe, this space gives creators a streamlined workspace with access to templates, AI-powered tools, and a direct export option for YouTube, reducing the need to switch between different apps. With short-form content becoming a core part of online platforms, the update aims to simplify the workflow for creators who publish from their phones.
Samsung has announced the rollout of the One UI 8.5 beta program. The South Korean electronics maker said the update focuses on improving productivity, privacy, and performance across the Galaxy ecosystem. With the new beta, users can create new images seamlessly through the upgraded Photo Assist feature.
Google hosted “The Android Show: XR Edition” on December 8, announcing the launch timeline for XReal's Project Aura wired XR glasses, showcasing its own AI glasses developed with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster, and highlighting updates coming to Samsung’s Galaxy XR headset.
Google has introduced a repair program for the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL models launched in 2024. The program addresses display issues experienced by some users, such as a vertical line spanning the screen or instances of display flicker. The company is also extending a three-year warranty for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Google has outlined full details on its support pages.
Google and Apple are reportedly collaborating to simplify switching between Android and iPhones. As per a report by 9To5Google, Google has included new work in an Android Canary build showing efforts from both companies to make data transfer smoother during device setup. According to the report, the companies confirmed that they are working together on a system to enhance the transfer process between Android and iOS.
Xiaomi is reportedly preparing to introduce one of its Xiaomi 17 series models globally in January 2026. GSMArena reported that a Xiaomi device with the model number 25113PN0EC has surfaced on Geekbench and is believed to be the global Xiaomi 17 variant. The smartphone is also expected to arrive in India around the same time. The Xiaomi 17 series debuted in China in September, and the global model is expected to carry similar specifications.
OnePlus will unveil the OnePlus Pad Go 2 tablet in India on December 17, alongside the OnePlus 15R. Before the launch, the company has shared some specifications. The OnePlus Pad Go 2 will feature a 12.1-inch display with 900 nits of peak brightness and will be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300-Ultra chipset. OnePlus has confirmed that the tablet will go on sale starting December 18.
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLP has launched Tax Pragya, an AI-powered tax research and summarisation platform for tax professionals in India. The platform is designed to support research across income tax, GST, and transfer pricing from a unified interface. It is trained on more than 1.2 million tax cases and over 5,000 Deloitte-authored technical papers, solutions, and proprietary expert insights.
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