Page 2 - Smartphone Use

A new way to measure digital capability: Tracking tech progress globally

Developing countries are moving from the margins to the mainstream of digital innovation. They account for the global majority of internet and smartphone users

Brazil restricts smartphone use in schools amid concern over its impact

Brazilian students returned to class this week with a new task: staying away from their smartphones as a new law restricting their use in schools takes effect. President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva signed a bill in January limiting smartphone access at schools, in line with a trend seen in the U.S. and Europe. It applies to public and private schools, and applies to classrooms and the halls. Phones are still allowed for educational purposes, with the teacher's permission, and when needed for the student's accessibility and health. Schools have the autonomy to set their own guidelines, such as whether students can keep phones in backpacks or store them in lockers or designated baskets. Before the federal law, most of Brazil's 26 states - including Rio de Janeiro, Maranhao and Goias - had already passed measures applying some restrictions to phone use in schools. As of 2023, nearly two-thirds of Brazilian schools had some limitations, with 28 per cent banning them entirely, according to

Samsung rolls out One UI 7 beta with AI, security upgrades in India

Korean smartphone maker Samsung has rolled out a new version of its mobile interface, One UI 7 beta, in select countries including India with AI, security and privacy upgrades, the company said on Thursday. The new version of One UI 7 will be first available for Galaxy S24 series devices and will be made available in upcoming Galaxy S Series devices. The company will also roll out the update across other Galaxy devices gradually. "The official One UI 7 release will commence with upcoming Galaxy S series devices, featuring additional AI capabilities including enhanced on-device AI functions, starting from the first quarter of 2025. The One UI 7 beta programme will be first available for Galaxy S24 series devices in Germany, India, Korea, Poland, the UK, and the US, from December 5," the Samsung statement said. AI applications are considered to be one of the major use cases for high speed 5G networks as it requires high bandwidth to offer services. The statement said that One UI 7 ..

Is your phone at risk? CERT-In reveals vulnerabilities in Android & Chrome

CERT-In has reported serious security issues affecting older versions of Google Chrome, which make users vulnerable to attacks if they visit malicious websites

Smartphones overtake diamonds in India's exports to US, shows data

Nearly 50% of India's FY24 outbound iPhone shipments went to US

When old is new: Refurbished premium phones a favourite this festive season

iPhones, Samsung drive demand in recommerce space

1 in 4 countries have banned phones in schools due to negative impacts: UN

Large-scale international assessment data suggests a negative link between excessive use of technology and student performance, yet less than one in four countries have banned smartphone use in schools, according to the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) report. The report on "Technology in education" published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has flagged that assessment data has found that mere proximity to a mobile device distracts students and has a negative impact on learning. An expert from the UN's Education team told PTI that too much attention on technology in education usually comes at a high cost, and technology, including smartphones, should only be used in class when it supports learning outcomes. "The adoption of digital technology has resulted in many changes in education and learning. The set of basic skills that young people are expected to learn in school, at least in richer countries, has expanded to include a broad ..

Global smartphone market grows 6% as AI and discounts boost demand

Global smartphone shipments rose 6.5 per cent, according to IDC, while sales to consumers jumped 6 per cent, per Counterpoint Research figures

Dip in Xiaomi orders hit Foxconn's Bharat FIH, affect operations, IPO plans

According to a source aware of the development, the unit stopped its level 10 operations on June 30, and some of its operations are being shifted to Sriperumbudur near Chennai

Why does the American Surgeon General want warning labels on social media?

Banning phones in schools to limited screen times at home: Vivek Murthy is advocating for proactive steps by all to safeguard mental health of the youth on social media platforms

Smartphone makers pin hopes on new launches after tepid March quarter

Slowdown in the decline of 2G subscribers hurting smart phone sales

50% Indian users unintentionally reach out for their smartphones: BCG study

The report also found that a typical smartphone user picks up their phone almost 70 to 80 times a day

Indians spent 12.84 bn hours on shopping apps in 2023, next only to China

The time spent by shoppers on these apps in 2023 was far higher than in the US (2.8 billion hours), Brazil (3.020 billion hours), but it was less than that in China where it was 49.60 billion hours

Govt issues warning for some Samsung phones, advises urgent update

Alert states vulnerabilities can allow an attacker to bypass security restrictions and access sensitive info

Govt concerned about Chinese firms' low share in smartphone exports

Companies like Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and Realme together account for a dominating 74% share of the Indian mobile phone market in terms of volumes. However, their share of exports stands at only 14%

Smartphone sales may contract this year again, improved quality to blame

Quality phones available at affordable prices have resulted in people using their phones for a longer period of time

Apple's latest iOS 16.5.1 update fixes critical security flaw in iPhones

Apple has fixed security flaws that may have been actively exploited in the iOS 16.5.1 update for iPhone users. Some flaws permitted code execution with kernel privileges and Webkit

Talking over mobile for over 30 minutes linked to developing hypertension

Researchers have found talking on a mobile phone for 30 minutes or longer per week to be linked with a 12 per cent increased risk of developing high blood pressure or hypertension. Almost three-quarters of the global population aged 10 and over own a mobile phone. Mobile phones emit low levels of radiofrequency energy, which has been linked with rises in blood pressure after short-term exposure, the study said. Hypertension is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke and a leading cause of premature death globally. "It's the number of minutes people spend talking on a mobile that matter for heart health, with more minutes meaning greater risk," said study author Xianhui Qin of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. "Years of use or employing a hands-free set-up had no influence on the likelihood of developing high blood pressure. More studies are needed to confirm the findings," said Qin. The study is published in the European Heart Journal - Digital Health. Using

Keep Your Phone Cool: Step-by-step Guide to prevent explosions this Summer

A telephone's battery contains individual cells that need an appropriate degree of charging, which produces heat to send the charging status and causes phone explosion

Why is premium smartphone segment witnessing growth in Indian market

While the overall market witnessed a shipment decline, the premium market showcased impressive growth in 2022