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India Today
3 days ago
- India Today
Vivo T4 Lite is launching soon in India and here is everything we know about it
Vivo has been keeping quite busy lately, with new rumours suggesting that the Chinese smartphone giant is planning to launch one more smartphone soon in its T-series, dubbed the Vivo T4 Lite. Alongside that, we already have confirmed news about the Vivo Y400 Pro launching on June 20. There's also the rumoured launch of the Vivo X200 FE and the X Fold 5 foldable in July. Then, as of writing this article, the recently launched T4 Ultra is going on sale. See, we told you — Vivo has been quite busy lately, and it doesn't seem like the company is planning to slow down anytime back to the Vivo T4 Lite, the phone has appeared on the Google Play Console listing, Bluetooth SIG, and Google Play Supported Devices list, revealing some of its key to rumours, the Vivo T4 Lite is expected to be a big upgrade over the Vivo T3 Lite, and it's also said to share many similarities with the upcoming iQOO Z10 Lite. As per the listings, the Vivo T4 Lite is said to feature an HD+ display, with 1,000 nits brightness support in High Brightness Mode. The rear is said to house a dual-camera setup, probably comprising a 50-megapixel primary sensor — just like the iQOO Z10 Lite — along with an LED flash. The phone is also expected to boot Funtouch OS 15 atop Android 15 out of the box, and will likely be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset, featuring a peak clock speed of 2.2GHz and a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU. Probably the biggest rumoured upgrade is the 6,000mAh battery, versus the 5,000mAh battery that's found on the Vivo T3 Looking at the specs — and also considering the fact that this phone is being positioned as a budget smartphone — the Vivo T4 Lite could be priced at around Rs 10,000 in India. For context, the base model of the Vivo T3 Lite with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage was priced at Rs 10,499, while the 6GB RAM + 128GB storage version was priced at Rs 11,499. Expect to see a similar sort of pricing with the Vivo T4 Lite as that said — and we'll again drag the iQOO Z10 Lite into the picture — iQOO's offering also comes in an 8GB RAM version, and considering the T4 Lite shares a lot of similarities with it, there's a chance we may also see a version with 8GB RAM and 256GB tuned to India Today Tech for all the latest on the Vivo T4 Lite 5G.
India Today
3 days ago
- India Today
Sonos Arc Ultra and Sub 4 review: A match made in home theatre heaven
The word 'ultra' stands for something that goes way beyond what many perceive as usual or ordinary. Regardless of whether you use it as a prefix or a suffix, it is widely understood, what we're dealing with is something extraordinary. Especially in consumer tech circles – where it gets thrown around a lot these days – the word ultra represents the latest and absolute greatest thing a brand can here's the thing: sometimes, it can get tricky. What if someone made an ultra-capable thing, but did not call it ultra? Marketing would say they missed an opportunity. But what if that thing was so far ahead of its time, it didn't matter what they called it? What's in a name, right? But here's another thing: what if the same company goes and launches a follow-up model? Only this time, it names it could say that this brand – which is called Sonos – chooses its words with extreme caution. You could also say it has a crack marketing team, which decided to hold off 'overselling' its product – the Sonos Arc – with fancy naming knowing full well, its engineers could pull off something even more impressive, something truly worthy of the title ultra, even if it takes another five years to get unbelievable as it might seem, it is business as usual at Sonos, where a lot of these decisions are in fact being taken by the very people who are making these products. So, despite what you may hear about it – based on recent events – this is a company with a great culture. We don't know where it will go from here, but that is a subject for another day and another discussion. For now, what's fascinating to me is how on earth Sonos managed to make an already ultra-class product, even more ultra. We'll try and find out in this India Today Tech review of the Sonos Arc Ultra premium soundbar, and its companion piece (but completely optional), the Sonos Sub 4 Arc Ultra and Sub 4: Design and buildSonos, like Apple, is known – and revered – for minimalist design. Everything from the box to its contents and the device inside mirror the sentiment as if it were a ground rule. The Arc Ultra and Sub 4 are no exception. Unboxing is an experience and Sonos wants you to feel and enjoy it. Strange that a piece of tech brings joy like this, but in a world that is full of complexities, anything that makes your life simple is priceless. But I Arc Ultra retains the sleek, elongated, and gracefully curved silhouette that made its predecessor – Sonos Arc – an instant design icon. Available in stand-alone white and black, it is designed to sit elegantly beneath large televisions, or you can mount it on your wall. Either way, it has a general propensity to blend well with the dcor if you have a large room setup. I won't go into the specifics, but the soundbar is 117.3 cm in width, 8 cm in height, and 11 cm in depth. It weighs 5.9 kg. So, you can go It is not huge per se, but it is not small, like say, the Ray or Beam, other soundbars that Sonos makes. But – and this is the real kicker – it is noticeably more compact than the Arc, meaning that Sonos was able to shrink a lot of things, add more things, and yet, make a relatively smaller product. A newly included back panel now provides more convenient access to controls and ports. Surely, people who've had no prior access won't be able to relate, which is why, if possible, you should visit a Sonos store near you. The difference – and the spec upgrade – will blow your Sub 4, with its unique central opening, doesn't stray very far from the Sub 3 in look and feel. It is still striking to look at, yet very tasteful and functional. You can put it vertically or horizontally, much like the PlayStation Arc Ultra and Sub 4: SetupThe simplicity extends, or rather, it blends into the setup process as if it were one entity. You start by plugging in the Arc Ultra to power and connecting it to your TV's HDMI eARC port. The Sub 4 needs to be plugged into a separate power outlet wherever you feel it is convenient (you don't need to connect it to the TV or even the soundbar). Once ready, open the Sonos app on your phone or tablet, at which point, it will detect new Sonos devices nearby. Follow the on-screen prompts to add the Arc Ultra to your existing Sonos system or create a new the soundbar is set up, the app will prompt you to add the Sub 4. With a few taps, it pairs wirelessly with the Arc Ultra. The setup is now complete. You can choose to start using it at this point or, enable Trueplay, which is basically Sonos' version of Apple's Colour Balance, but for audio. It basically lets you calibrate the soundbar to the shape and confines of your room so it can deliver – per Sonos – the best possible sound stage and tonal is all technical jargon and there is an off chance, most people would simply skip it much in the same way they do with instruction manuals. But it doesn't take up a lot of your time and doesn't require you to jump through multiple hoops to call it a menial and cumbersome task, so I'd say you should go ahead with it. Watching, or rather listening to your soundbar firing invisible beams of sound in the air like in Sci-Fi movies, was definitely not something that I had signed up for. But I am glad it exists and with Sonos finally opening the platform to Android, more people can access it now. Previously, Trueplay was an Apple-exclusive feature, meaning that only people with iPhones could use Arc Ultra and Sub 4: Sound performanceWe've established that the original Sonos Arc was a strong performer, so, what does the Arc Ultra do, its predecessor couldn't? The devil, apparently, lies in the details. This starts with the hardware set itself. The Arc Ultra simply has more powerful hardware. Despite its tighter dimensions, Sonos was able to put 15 Class-D digital amplifiers and 14 drivers inside it while the Arc had 11 of each. That's four more amps and three additional upwards and sideways-firing drivers. Sonos even says the design was modified internally for better acoustics. What you might be more interested to know is, the Arc Ultra has a 9.1.4 Dolby Atmos surround sound profile. The 5.0.2 Arc, even though it sounded amazing, was technically less immersive even by Sonos's own spec Arc Ultra is also getting the first dibs at its new Sound Motion technology, which is basically a new – and proprietary – type of transducer that takes up less space and yet, theoretically delivers double the bass response. The idea is to let the soundbar itself do more of the heavy lifting even before the subwoofer kicks in. In the real world, what this means is that the Arc Ultra delivers a surprisingly and substantially more robust low-end while freeing up the other drivers to focus on mid-range and high-frequency clarity. Speech enhancement is also getting an upgrade with more fine-tuning options that work silently in the background to enhance dialogue, which is often a pain point for soundbars. Maybe you're getting the sense that this is a very thought-out product, the work of scientists and engineers who worked day in and day out to perfect the internal structuring, so everything has a distinct purpose. Good, we're on the same the Arc Ultra holds its own, pairing it with the Sub 4 – unsurprisingly – unlocks greater immersion (provided you're willing to loosen your wallet). Compared to the Arc Ultra, the upgrades here are less headline-grabbing. In fact, they are incremental at best, but frankly speaking, that is okay. There was nothing wrong with the Sub 3. It is still a compelling system, but the newer generation brings promise of more polish and refinement. Also, from pure marketing speak, your mind would say, it should work better with the Arc Ultra even if your heart says, there's merit in saving some hard-earned cash. Both are right, which is why it helps to know that the Sub 4 is an optional purchase, not a necessity. You can pick and choose your poison. Whatever works for the Sub 4 has dual 5- x 8-inch elliptical woofers. While they do deliver deep and impactful bass, what stands out more is how they do it with full and total control. Subwoofers often tend to run around like headless chickens but the Sub 4 walks into a room and owns it. Its force-cancelling design, of course, plays a key role in this, its two inward-facing woofers virtually eliminating cabinet vibration, meaning you get pure, unadulterated bass without any annoying distortions, even when you crank up the volume. But truth be told, this was mostly expected. What's surprising is how quickly it can plunge down to something like 25 Hz, letting you feel every explosion, every rumble of thunder, and every beat of a bass drum as if you were right there. Not many subwoofers can brag about a wide soundstage like the Arc Ultra and Sub 4 work like a dynamic duo. They work to each other's strengths. They lift each other up when the going gets rough. More specifically, the Sub 4 takes over the demanding low-frequency duties, allowing the Arc Ultra to focus its substantial power and drivers on rendering the mid-range and high frequencies with even greater precision and openness. The synergy creates a wider, deeper, and more open Arc Ultra and Sub 4: ConnectivityThe Sonos Arc Ultra also brings a much-needed connectivity upgrade. While Wi-Fi 6 lets it stream high-resolution audio, with Bluetooth 5.3 support, you can now also stream directly from mobile devices. It might seem small, but this quality-of-life feature was missing from the original Arc for some curious reason. Then there are the usual suspects: HDMI eARC, AirPlay 2, and voice control, though this is still limited to Amazon Alexa and Sonos's own voice control offering. While not a deal-breaker, the absence of DTS:X support might be a minor concern for a very niche audience with extensive DTS:X media Arc Ultra and Sub 4: Should you buy?The Sonos Arc Ultra at Rs 99,999 and the Sonos Sub 4 at Rs 84,999 offer an amazing home theatre experience. The Arc Ultra is a big step up from the original, with more powerful insides and a fuller Dolby Atmos sound that really pulls you into the content. Even on its own, it delivers impressive if you want the absolute best sound, adding the Sub 4 makes a huge difference. It handles the deep bass perfectly, letting the Arc Ultra focus on clear voices and detailed sounds. Together, they create a wider, richer sound that fills the room. Plus, with Bluetooth and better sound tuning for Android phones, these Sonos products are a smart buy for anyone serious about great home audio despite their premium price tags. It is truly a match made in home theatre heaven.
India Today
4 days ago
- India Today
Poco F7 launching in India on June 24, design and key specs revealed
The Poco F7 will officially arrive in India on June 24, Poco announced today. The Xiaomi spin-off took to social media channels to make the announcement while simultaneously revealing the design and specs of the phone. Naturally, the Poco F7 is a gaming phone, aligning with the storied history of the Poco F-series. But while the Poco F6 was a bit modest look-wise, with the Poco F7, Poco is going all in once F7 designOne of the models being teased, as a limited-edition no less, has a dual-tone chassis with the top-half featuring prominent screws and vents. Whether they are cosmetic or have any real-world use case remains to be seen. There's also some RGB lighting around the cameras to accentuate the look. We don't know yet if Poco is putting this across all the variants or if more modest stuff is also planned for those seeking something less obvious. Leaks suggest at least one more regular white/silver option is in the works, but we'll F7 confirmed specsPoco is in the habit of launching Poco F-series devices with high-end chips, usually before any other company. The Poco F6 marked the India debut of the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3. While not explicitly confirmed, the F7 could similarly debut the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, as seen on the Redmi Turbo 4 Pro available in China and expected to be the blueprint for the upcoming Poco phone. The design reveal confirms dual cameras headlined by a 50-megapixel primary, which is also the case with the Redmi Turbo. The other could be an 8-megapixel ultrawide based on what's there on the Turbo. advertisement The India-bound Poco F7 is confirmed to pack a massive 7,550mAh battery, which, given the current market statistics, is the biggest on any smartphone in the country today. Moreover, the phone supports fast 90W wired and even fast reverse charging at F7 India launch, expected pricing detailsThe Poco F7 India launch is set for June 24, 2025. Poco says specifically it will launch at 5:30 PM IST. The Poco F6 was launched at a starting price of Rs 29,999 for a version with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. The Poco F7 pricing is expected to be broadly on the same lines. We will let you know if there are any changes. For all the latest updates on Poco F7 including a full review, be sure to follow India Today Tech.
India Today
11-06-2025
- India Today
Noise Buds F1 review: Priced at Rs 1,099, these budget-friendly earphones are light and long-lasting
India's budget smart audio market is booming. While previously, you would have to spend a good amount of money to get a decent pair of wireless earphones, now you can get them for as low as Rs 1,000. Case in point: the new Noise Buds F1, a pair of affordable earphones with compact design and powerful 11mm drivers – all for Rs 1,099. advertisementThere is a lot to like about Noise's entry-level showing which, given its low pricing, would seem unbelievable to some. But these earphones are indeed real. So, the question is, as good as they appear on paper, do the Noise Buds F1 also deliver in the real world? We will try and find the answer to this question in this India Today Tech review. Noise F1 Buds: Beautiful and light-weight designBefore we step into the audio performance, it is worth mentioning that the Noise F1 Buds have an eye-catching design. The buds and case combo is light and compact and so, the buds remain mostly comfortable in the ears even on extended use while the charging case they come in slips easily in your pocket. Noise also offers a good selection of colours that should attract many people, particularly the youth. We have the mint green variant, it looks cool and fresh (no pun intended). advertisement The case has other conveniences apart from pocketability. It has a USB Type-C port and an LED pairing indicator, the latter isn't very common even among some of the pricier options so it's nice that Noise thought of that. This LED serves several purposes, indicating low battery, pairing status, charging and lid of the case is quite sturdy for the price and stays put in day-to-day use without much trouble. The buds remain securely in place unless you drop them hard. Having said that, it is prone to smudging easily. Inside, you have the buds and a reset earbuds are also lightweight, so much so that I often forgot I was even wearing them. They come with three sizes of ear tips: small, medium, and large, with the medium tips fitted by default. I found the Noise F1 Buds to be exceptionally comfortable. I was able to wear them for hours without any significant discomfort. The buds also sport touch sensors on the stem area. They work as follows:Single tap on right to increase the volume and same on left to decreaseDouble tap to play and pause the song or videoTriple tap to change the songLong press to switch on the gaming mode (we will come to this in a while)Noise F1 Buds: Decent acoustics, but no ANCadvertisementThe sound quality of the Noise F1 Buds is decent, especially considering their budget-friendly price of Rs 1,099. Equipped with 11mm drivers, the earbuds manage to capture most of the beats and rhythm, but the bass performance leaves you asking for more. Tracks ranging from Imagine Dragons' 'Believer' to Ali Zafar's 'Vo Dekhnay Mein' tend to sound a bit flat, lacking the depth and richness that strong bass usually brings. Hence, if you are looking for a decent TWS and do not care much about immaculate sound – which is what you won't find at this price anyway - the Noise F1 Buds are worth a look. The lack of active noise cancellation is a missed opportunity, but again, it is understandable at this on, the Noise F1 Buds feature a quad-mic system with ENC. Phone calls made through them are good, not life and connectivityNow, the best part about the Noise F1 Buds is their battery life. The company claims that the TWS can run 50 hours on a single charge. At first it seems to be a little far-fetched, but after using the buds I can say that it is close. I used the buds for a week, and I have only charged it once. Specifically, I use the earbuds for at least 6 hours every day, and even longer, say 7 hours, on the weekends. These earbuds are fast and easy to connect to any device. Noise says it uses proprietary technology called HyperSync to pull this off. I tried connecting them to an iPhone and a laptop, and switching was quick and F1 Buds: Should you buy?Priced at Rs 1,099, the Noise F1 Buds offer decent sound quality, impressive battery life, and a comfortable fit. While the audio may feel somewhat flat and the absence of Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is sorely missed, compared to other TWS options, they still manage to stand out as a fine choice for everyday use.
India Today
11-06-2025
- Business
- India Today
Amazon explains how Apple is driving India's premium boom and why nonstop sales still make sense
Not long ago, we at India Today Tech wrote an opinion piece about the rise of online sales in India and how most of them appear to be a Netflix show with far too many spin-offs. The idea was to understand – as a user – if they were 'a bit much' given how frequently e-commerce players are hosting them. Amazon is obviously one of them. But there are always two sides to a story, which is why, when we got a chance to speak directly to Amazon, we decided to talk about this aspect at length to try and understand the merits of some of these sales decisions and why they conversation – with Zeba Khan, Director of Consumer Electronics at Amazon India – was insightful and, frankly speaking, an eye-opener. With online sales as a focal point, we delved into India's – and invariably Amazon's – larger growth story expedited by growing premiumisation across quarters – and particularly consumer electronics – and reasons why more and more people want to buy premium products – and how Amazon is working round-the-clock to ensure they Amazon approach to consumer engagementHaving previously helmed Amazon India's fashion and beauty business, Khan offers a unique perspective on the similarities and differences in engaging consumers across diverse categories. 'One thing that works for Amazon India across categories is our focus on customer inputs,' Khan explains. 'Providing the latest and widest selection, along with offering strong value – which isn't just about price, but overall affordability – resonates universally.'advertisement However, the high-consideration nature of consumer electronics presents a unique challenge. Unlike fashion, where customers often desire to 'touch and feel,' tech purchases demand a different kind of assurance. 'In consumer electronics, it's more about providing the best information and helping customers make informed, assisted purchases,' Khan elaborates. "Simplifying the customer's experience is something they truly value."Amazon has invested heavily in making the often-overwhelming world of consumer electronics accessible to everyone. Rufus, the Gen AI shopping assistant, available on the Amazon app, is proving particularly impactful in consumer electronics. 'Customers can share the use case they're looking for, and Rufus will compare products to recommend which ones might be better suited for them,' Khan says, noting its high interaction rate within the category. While a global product, Rufus has been trained on Indian shopping habits and customer customers overwhelmed by choice, Smart Choice offers a curated, simplified selection of laptops and tablets at competitive prices. 'The selection is further divided based on different use cases such as work laptops, gaming, and more,' Khan adds, ensuring a more intuitive shopping experience. This program, too, benefits from extensive local research into how Indian customers approach laptop purchases, whether through price bands or specific use is always a combination of global technology and local customisation, and these always work in tandem,' Khan rise of premiumisation in IndiaThe data shows a clear trend: India is increasingly embracing premium products and Amazon seems to be one of the go-to destinations for many buyers. Despite a muted overall market, premium devices (INR 30,000 and above) are experiencing strong double-digit growth, with Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities accounting for almost 70 percent of this demand, Khan the PC industry has faced headwinds, Amazon is observing good growth, particularly in the premium category in metros (double-digit growth) and the ultra-premium segment (INR 1,00,000 and above), which is soaring at over 30 percent year-on-year. The tablet segment is also rapidly expanding, with premium tablets (INR 30,000 and above) growing at a remarkable 60 percent year-on-year. Notably, 75 percent of premium tablet buyers are first-time purchasers, she adds. Moreover, premium smartwatches (INR 10,000 and above) are seeing a robust 40 percent year-on-year growth after a period of stagnation.'It indicates that our efforts in educating customers about premium selections and improving affordability are moving in the right direction,' Khan says, attributing this success to Amazon's focus on democratising access to the latest technology and making it affordable through various options. Value-added services like phone and laptop setup, installation, and extended warranties, consistently rated 4.85 stars and above across 300 cities, further bolster customer confidence in these high-value India's potentialAmazon's success in this premiumisation wave is not just about product availability but also about reach. Khan credits the operational prowess of Amazon's teams for servicing '100 percent of serviceable PIN codes in India – which, in a country of this scale, is no small feat.' This extensive network, coupled with continuous efforts to improve delivery speeds and seamless inventory management with vendor and seller partners, ensures that aspirational products are accessible even in the farthest corners of the country.'All of this is driving aspirations upward. For example, a person in a Tier 3 town today wants access to the latest technology,' Khan explains. 'This is where Amazon plays a very critical role because we make it available not only to the last PIN code in India but also make it as affordable as possible.'Apple driving the premium smartphone boomWhen asked specifically about Apple's influence, Khan acknowledges its significant contribution to the premium smartphone segment. 'Apple is a premium smartphone brand that is growing very well. On our platform as well, the premium smartphone segment is the fastest growing for us, and Apple is one of the key brands driving that growth,' she highlights that customers often approach smartphone purchases with a specific brand in mind, and Amazon's role is to facilitate that journey. 'Our role as a retailer is to ensure that we're providing them with the most transparent, complete, and accurate information on our product detail pages,' she says. By offering detailed visuals, videos, expert recommendations, and customer reviews, Amazon empowers consumers to confidently make premium smartphone purchases sale season never endsClearly, the consumer's appetite for premium products is growing – and so are online sales. While it might seem like 'too many sales,' Khan says there is a method to this madness. 'As retailers, our attempt is to create demand moments and meaningful shopping experiences for our customers – across different needs and customer cohorts,' she the major events like Diwali and Prime Day, Amazon has found tremendous value in creating topical and seasonal sales. Khan cites the example of the 'Electronics Premier League' in March 2025, which timed strategically with the IPL season. 'It was an experimental event for us, and we went in with a learning mindset. But we were pleasantly surprised by how well it performed.' The theme of 'streaming and screening' brought together relevant categories like smartphones, TVs, laptops, and speakers, contextualising the need for upgrades around a popular cultural customers who may not have been actively thinking about upgrading their devices suddenly considered it because we contextualised it for them,' Khan notes. Similarly, 'Back to School' events for laptops and tablets, and 'Gaming Days' catering to a niche, engaged audience, have proven highly successful. 'While it may appear that there are many sales happening, the reality is that each of them serves a distinct purpose and audience,' Khan concludes. 'As long as we can continue to curate experiences that are relevant and meaningful to each cohort, I believe that's the recipe for success.'The first half of the year was strong. Khan remains optimistic about the other half. 'We're now working towards Prime Day, especially in consumer electronics, which is typically a very new-launch-heavy category. We're partnering with a lot of brands for some exciting launches,' she reveals. 'The big moments – Prime Day and the festive season – are yet to come.'Defining success through internal growth milestones and broader industry performance, Khan expresses satisfaction with Amazon's performance so far and hopes that with the right initiatives, including strong partnerships and a nuanced approach to sales, it will continue to reap the benefits, lapping up customers as India ramps up its premiumisation drive.
