<ul><li><keyword id="3820" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani">Mukesh Ambani</keyword>, the 9th richest man in the world, and the mastermind behind Jio has big plans and there’s no stopping him.</li><li>Jio’s growth ambitions are being compared to Chinese giants <keyword id="212412" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tencent">Tencent</keyword> and <keyword id="302749" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Alibaba">Alibaba</keyword>.</li><li>Jio has raised over $20.3 billion in investments including the likes of Google and Facebook and they are sold on the promise of the next big tech company. </li><li>Jio, which was launched in 2016, in less than four years went on to become the largest telecom provider in India.</li></ul>Tencent and Alibaba are currently racing to be <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/24/tencent-and-alibaba-in-a-battle-for-title-of-asias-biggest-company.html">Asia’s biggest company</a> - the market capitalisation of both companies is over $600 billion each. Jio’s parent Reliance Industries (RIL)⁠, a conglomerate with businesses ranging from oil and petrochemicals to technology, retail and telecom⁠, is less than a fourth in size but the sheer expanse, and ambition, that Mukesh Ambani has displayed in recent months is causing people to compare. Now, some see Jio as the next Alibaba, and some see it as India’s Tencent. Or is it both rolled into one? “Similar to Alibaba or Tencent which created tech-based ecosystems in China, we find RIL best positioned to create a similar ecosystem in India. In the next two-three years, we expect RIL to have a captive mobile base of over 500 million users,” said a Bank of America report dated July 16. <div type="image" title="Alibaba-and-Jio" msid="77065214" hostid="261"></div> “Their idea is to get into a household and see that every activity is done through a Jio service. They are a tech company now and that is very clear,” Satish Meena, Senior Forecast Analyst at Forrester, told Business Insider, adding that Jio is clearly becoming “retail heavy” like Alibaba, one of the world’s largest e-commerce players. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="68422829" title="15 deals have given Mukesh Ambani’s ₹8.5 trillion Reliance Industries a distinct makeover" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Others see it differently. “They want to be the next Google or Tencent of India," said Wylie Fernyhough, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/20/tech/reliance-jio-ambani-intl-hnk/index.html">an analyst with PitchBook, told CNN.</a> Tencent is a Chinese multinational conglomerate with businesses across internet products, entertainment, fintech and many more. <div type="image" title="Jio Tencent" msid="77059749" hostid="261"></div> During the Reliance Annual General Meeting held on July 15, Ambani stressed on the importance of startups in Reliance’s ‘golden decade’ of growth. That’s also what Tencent did in China. “RIL announced potential integration with Indian startups, including helping them with distribution/marketing and access to capital. This could potentially be a step towards acquiring stakes in Indian startups and using WhatsApp traffic to monetize these through a commission model. We note that Tencent has taken a similar approach in China for WeChat, with stakes in platforms such as Meituan, JD, PDD, etc. We see such a move by RIL to be positive for the Indian internet ecosystem,” said a Goldman Sachs report dated July 16. Jio has already invested in over 20 startups since June 2017 and, as Ambani hinted at the shareholders’ meeting, there may be more in the coming weeks and months. “I believe that there is no better partner for Indian start-ups than JIO. We are well positioned to help Indian start-ups in a number of ways. Whether it be in technology development, product development, distribution, market access, or even scale-up capital,” he said on July 15. Some of Reliance’s big investments in startups <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Startup </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Sector </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Jio Saavn </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Music </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Embibe </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Edtech </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Haptik </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">AI </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Fynd </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Ecommerce </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Nowfloats </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">SaaS </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Radisys </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Open architecture business models </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Reverie </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Cloud based language as a service platform </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">SankhyaSutra Labs </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Software simulation services </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Netradyne </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Automotive AI </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Asteria Aerospace </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Robotics </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">FunToot </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Edtech </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">EasyGov </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">SaaS platform </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Kare Expert </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Healthtech </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Tesseract </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">AR/VR </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">NewJ </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Media </td></tr></tbody></table> With Facebook and Google on board with their big cheques, Jio has the push to go ahead with its super app ambitions. “Not many telecoms in the world have this kind of ecosystem control — right from content to music to movies as well as having all the different apps within that ecosystem. What was missing was the commerce piece of it,” Tarun Pathak, an associate director at research analytics firm Counterpoint, had told <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/mukesh-ambani-wants-to-be-alibaba-with-reliance-jio-super-app-and-investment-from-facebook/articleshow/75343540.cms">Business Insider earlier.</a> <div type="image" title="Super app" msid="77059796" hostid="261"></div> A giant in its own right There are those who think that comparing Jio with Tencent is an exaggeration. Meanwhile, Arvind Singhal, managing director of Technopak, thinks it's foolish to compare Ambani’s plans to those of Tencent or Alibaba. “Many many years ago, people used to say Reliance will be the Walmart of India or the Amazon of India… no Reliance is Reliance, it deserves that credit. Their thinking is very far ahead in all sectors. In this case, Jio along with Retail is one complex piece of a puzzle,” he said. Tencent is a big player in gaming but Jio is still planning to get started with Akash Ambani’s announcement of Jio Console in the 2019 AGM of the company. While making big investments in technology, Ambani is also going big on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/mukesh-ambani-next-goal-seems-to-be-the-retail-king-of-india/articleshow/76953716.cms">physical retail</a>, where Tencent is not a player, though Alibaba is. Refining and petrochemicals continues to contribute over 60% to the consolidated revenue of RIL⁠. Yet, Ambani has already disclosed his plan to spin out Jio and list it as a separate company. And when that happens, the sheer expanse of the company’s interest areas and their individual potential may be benchmarked to the value of similar businesses under the Alibaba and Tencent banners. India may be a smaller market compared to China, where Alibaba and Tencent are major players, but that also leaves a huge growth potential on the table for Jio. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/mukesh-ambani-next-goal-seems-to-be-the-retail-king-of-india/articleshow/76953716.cms">Mukesh Ambani’s next goal seems to be the ‘retail king of India’</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/mukesh-ambani-gave-google-and-facebook-a-discount-on-reliance-jio-stake-heres-why/articleshow/77032126.cms">Mukesh Ambani gave Google and Facebook a discount on Reliance Jio stake ⁠— here’s why</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/google-latest-offering-shoploop-is-similar-to-what-walmart-owned-flipkart-launched-a-week-ago/articleshow/77013646.cms">Google's latest offering Shoploop is similar to what Walmart-owned Flipkart launched a week ago</a>

If Alibaba and Tencent are rolled into one, it may look a lot like Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio ⁠— only much smaller for now

Just when you thought the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=net+neutrality&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">net neutrality</a> debate was settling down, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=TRAI&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">TRAI</a> has re-opened that chapter. After it banned differential pricing, its latest paper has mentions of TSP-agnostic zero-rating platforms. 
 This critical paper has raised some valid questions on what violates the ethics of <keyword id="6391709" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Net-neutrality">Net Neutrality</keyword>, and what doesn’t, and more importantly whether zero-platforms can be built within the principles of Net Neutrality. One of the apps that have been mentioned in <keyword id="6356988" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="TRAI">TRAI</keyword>’s proposal is <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Gigato&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Gigato</a>. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Gigato&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Gigato</a> is an app that offers free data to its users. It has partnerships with the likes of Faasos, Jabong and Saavn and run promotions on their behalf, and give out free data in return. 
 <keyword id="3191695" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Gigato">Gigato</keyword> is a subsidiary of <keyword id="3514100" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="us-based-mavin-co">US-based Mavin Co</keyword>. The company’s official website says that it supports Net Neutrality and believes in ‘unrestricted data for unrestricted Internet’ for all users. 
 How this works is that the company has tied up with brand partners to run promotions, and offer free data in exchange. Built on Mavin’s technology, Gigato is currently limited to <keyword id="6355645" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="android">Android</keyword> in India. 
 
Sample these deals - Use 20MB data for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=WhatsApp&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">WhatsApp</a> and get 10 MB data free, use 5MB for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Uber&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Uber</a> and get 10 MB data free and so on. Basically, the more data you use, the more you’re paid back. The app currently has over 100,000 downloads and claims to have returned over 150GB of data on peak days. 
 
“We run lots of different pilots: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Saavn&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Saavn</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Jabong&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Jabong</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=TrulyMadly&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">TrulyMadly</a>. In some cases data is given out for using the app for a certain amount of time, like say 20 minutes of usage will get you some data. We have 20 plus partners for promotions and the data is credited in MBs,” Shailesh Nalawadi, CEO and co-founder of Gigato explained in a <a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/trai-net-neutrality-paper-gigato-app-2892559/">recent interview</a>. 
 
He argues the app helps users in economizing data choices and is encouraging the usage of 3G networks. 
 
When asked if this model might run into the same risk as the current net neutrality debate where a handful of biggies can squash startups in the ‘free data’ promotions race, Nalawadi argues the app has no operator restrictions and thus in a way is not violating Net neutrality in India. 
 
This startup believes zero-rating apps on a TSP agnostic platform is what India needs. There will always be ones who disagree. 
 
<a href="http://www.gigato.co/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/My-Apps_GigatoHeader_021116.png">Image Source</a>

This app gives you free data every time you use it!

<ul><li>According to an ET report, <keyword id="3820" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani">Mukesh Ambani</keyword>’s Jio has slowed down its plans to acquire and produce original content for web series and films are pending management approval </li></ul><ul><li>Jio which also has plans to go public to raise money, is awaiting some fund flow before it can get into the business. </li></ul><ul><li>Jio’s content platform Jio Cinema is miles away in popularity from the reigning trio—Netflix, Amazon Prime and <keyword id="2739840" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hotstar">Hotstar</keyword>. </li></ul><keyword id="6354504" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance-jio">Reliance Jio</keyword>’s plan was never to just sell data, but to take over the entire content universe. In fact, long before it launched in the 4G services, <keyword id="6355199" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance-industries">Reliance Industries</keyword> was a part of a multi-layered deal between Network 18 and Enaadu TV, adding scores of movies, TV series along with news channels under its fold. Yet, it looks like its core telecom business has taken precedence over its plans to grow in the content space. According to an Economic Times report, Mukesh Ambani’s Jio has slowed down its plans to acquire and produce original content for web series and films are pending management approval. These plans are on hold until funds flow into this business. As content business is capital intensive, Jio which also has plans to go public to raise money, is awaiting some fund flow before it can get into the business. “The plans are ready and the teams are in place, but the hold-up is in the investments (into Jio) ,” sources told Economic Times. This is in spite of Mukesh Ambani’s statement at the annual general meeting last year. Their video consumption went up to 3.4 billion hours per month from 1.6 billion hours in 2018. “Doubling of these metrics at such scale is truly unparalleled. Our customers are actively engaged with us for more than 290 minutes per day on an average,” Ambani said at 2018 AGM. It is only natural that he brings this content viewership also home, into his own apps to create more value. But that dream is a bit far off. <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword>, Amazon &amp; Hotstar Jio has made few strides in the OTT space, after it acquired music app Saavn in 2018, and also saying that it would invest $100 million in it. The merged entity now has since been rebranded as JioSaavn, which claims to have 50 million songs in its kitty. Jio also has its own content platform, Jio Cinema which has movies along with TV series and clips. In spite of showcasing old TV series, movies and even new-age web series produced by AltBalaji, it is miles away in popularity from the reigning trio—Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hotstar. In addition, international content providers or OTT platforms are also going the extra mile to produce original India content, making it tougher for a newer Indian player to hold attention. These international players are putting money and star power behind their original content. While Netflix launched Leila starring Huma Quereshi in addition to ultra popular Saif Ali Khan-starrer Sacred Games and movies like Chopsticks which starred Abhay Deol, Amazon Prime too has spent millions on its new-age web show called Made in Heaven, Mirzapur after Four More Shots Please. Hotstar too launched its original series Hostages starring Tisca Chopra and Criminal Justice with actor Vikrant Massey. It is also doing an Indian version of popular US show The Office in Hindi. With this kind of money flowing into original content, delayed plans may affect Jio’s plans to have a lion’s share of digital offerings in the market.

Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Jio’s plan to take on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hotstar has to wait

<ul><li>The monthly data usage in <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> is 15 times more than what it was in 2014. </li><li>The direct reason for this is cheaper data and cheaper smart devices. </li><li>The indirect reason is due to increase in sources of content.</li></ul>It’s no secret that Internet penetration in India has boomed over the past couple of years. And to understand how much and how fast it has grown, here’s some data. In just the past three years data usage per month has gone up 15 times over what it was in 2014. What started as users consuming 0.26 GB data per month, has increased to 4GB per month according to figures from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (<keyword id="6356988" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="trai">TRAI</keyword>). The reasons why… The reason why India has experienced exponential growth in usage can be attributed to multiple factors, but TRAI identified two main factors. One, and the more obvious, is the fall in prices of fast 4G data. And the other reason is simply the increase in the sources of content for smartphones. What started with apps like Saavn and Gaana launching in India, steam rolled into <keyword id="2739840" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hotstar">Hotstar</keyword>, Netflix and Amazon Prime launching over the past two to three years. So much so that the global streaming sources have started creating original content that is localised for Indian audiences. These factors, combined with the catalyst of 4G speed, is essentially what has pushed data usage forward. And now, the how… The data presented by TRAI illustrates that it was Jio’s entry in 2016 that brought about a sharp drop in prices. The data price crash shows average data tariff dipping from ₹226 in 2015 down to ₹79 the next year. And, at that same time, data usage per user per month increased by 0.4 GB to 1.18 in just one year. This may be good news for consumers, but it doesn’t bode as well for the GSM players involved. Average revenue per user (ARPU), a key measure in assessing a company’s health according to TRAI, has taken a huge hit. It peaked in 2015 at ₹123, but has been falling since to rest at the current value of ₹81. TRAI’s estimates are actually quite humble. The report by Nokia MbIT that came out in February reported 11GB of average consumption per user in the month of December 2017.

Here’s why data usage in India increased 15-fold in the past 3 years

<ul><li>In an interview with Business Insider, Gaurav Verma, Chief Marketing Officer, Brand at <keyword id="830092" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Zomato">Zomato</keyword>, spills the beans on how they brew <keyword id="3952661" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="viral-posts">viral posts</keyword>. </li><li>Zomato with 1.4 million followers on Twitter (in just one handle), has been leading the social media game with its viral content.</li><li>Business Insider decodes what goes on behind the scenes of the virality.</li></ul>It was just another July afternoon, well until a tweet appeared on Zomato’s timeline – Guys, kabhi kabhi ghar ka khana bhi kha lena chahiye (Guys, sometimes you should have home food too). Coming from a foodtech unicorn – valued at $2.6 billion at last count – which takes in millions of orders for home delivery from restaurants, the tweet went viral and invited several other leading brands – YouTube India, Amazon Prime, Fox Star, Jio Saavn and many more – to join in. 
<div type="image" title="IMG-20190708-WA0117" msid="70697105" hostid="261"></div>

 The <a href="http://www.adageindia.in/digital/why-are-zomato-and-other-new-age-brands-anti-selling-on-twitter/articleshow/70132155.cms">‘anti-marketing’ post</a>, not only worked well – the sheer scale of its virality was surprising even for Zomato. “When we made that post, we were on our way to hit 500 cities with our food delivery services. And the order volumes were going through the roof. For us, the ‘ghar ka khana’ post was more of a pause to celebrate, and the tweet was just a reflection of what we felt was a good message to dwell on,” said Gaurav Verma, Chief Marketing Officer, Brand at Zomato. And that is exactly the secret of Zomato’s success on social media. There’s no one set formula or frequency that works on social media. The trick is to try relatable posts with an element of surprise. “In the last 6 months, their followers and engagement has doubled,” Verma said so much so that they had to change their internal metrics of evaluation. The food delivery service’s India handle now has 227K followers on Instagram, 1.4 million on Twitter, and 1.9 million on Facebook. In July 2019, Zomato tied up with Tiktok - an immensely popular platform for short videos, especially, in smaller cities and towns – to “<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/zomato-and-tiktok-come-together-to-spread-the-message-on-food-wastage/articleshow/70174539.cms">spread the message on food wastage</a>.”. With just 582 followers in a month, the TikTok influence has been tepid so far. Life as it happens A young team deliberates over social media posts everyday. There is no set pattern or strategy – just a bunch youngsters reflecting on life as it happens. “There’s no one brain churning out awesome ideas - it’s a small team of dedicated individuals who are keen on experimenting and close-knit enough to democratically work together,” said Verma. And it works. Almost every other week, a social media from Zomato post hits goes viral, whether it is a post about chai (tea) or memes on food. They are so effective even other brands, often, ride the wave. “This was an interesting development as brands wouldn't have proactively collaborated in such an unscripted or un-initiated banter, let’s say, two years ago. We did not expect other brands to join-in, but it was very warm of them to do so,” said Verma. Zomato’s building a case study for other brands to follow – everyday conversations can make a difference. “Our ideas tend to be relatable because they speak directly to the masses. So if you notice the language we use across our platforms, you’d find it very approachable. Our aim is to not always go viral but to stay relevant. And in most cases, this relatability factor drives the overall engagement,” shared Verma. Trigger happy trolls However, it’s not always fun. Zomato recently <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/zomato-just-shut-up-a-bigoted-customer-in-less-than-ten-words/articleshow/70462499.cms">shutdown a bigoted customer</a>, who refused to take an order from a delivery guy of a different religion. Zomato replied, “Food doesn’t have a religion. It is a religion”, while its co-founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal said he wasn’t sorry to let go of any business that comes in the way of their values. The team at Zomato decided to take a stand on the matter and strongly felt the need to respond in the way they did. The post got a slot in the primetime news television with debates on social media and even trolls making their way to Zomato’s social media. “If given a chance, would we have done things differently - absolutely not,” said Verma. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/some-of-zomatos-staff-are-protesting-saying-wont-deliver-beef-or-pork/articleshow/70636828.cms">Some of Zomato's staff are protesting saying "Won't deliver beef or pork"</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/zomato-ceo-deepinder-goyal-reveals-the-real-reason-for-the-howrah-protest/articleshow/70670087.cms">Zomato CEO reveals the real reason for the Howrah protest</a>

Zomato reveals its secret recipe that makes its social media posts go viral ever so often

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">ReutersMark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook.</div></div></div><ul><li>Facebook told US lawmakers that while it imposed new data-sharing restrictions on the majority of app developers in May 2015, 61 companies received a special "one-time" extension.</li><li>The list of companies includes Nike, Spotify, and UPS. It is unclear why these companies, in particular, received the extension.</li><li>In addition, Facebook found five companies which theoretically could have accessed restricted friends' data as a result of beta tests.</li><li>The revelation comes after the Cambridge Analytica scandal in which the data of 87 million Facebook users was compromised.</li></ul> Facebook has confessed to breaking its own rules to give 61 companies special access to user data.In a <a href="https://docs.house.gov/meetings/IF/IF00/20180411/108090/HHRG-115-IF00-Wstate-ZuckerbergM-20180411-SD003.pdf?mod=article_inline">747-page document handed to the US House of Representatives' Energy and Commerce Committee on Friday,</a> Facebook said app developers could request Facebook data including name, gender, birthdate, location, photos, and page likes.In April 2014, Facebook introduced a new, more restricted API (application program interface) which required that new apps go through a review and approval process, and prevented new apps from accessing friends' data without review. It also gave users more granular controls over what data an app operating on the new platform could access.Most already-existing apps on the platform had until May 2015 to comply with these changes before being migrated to the new API, and becoming subject to the new review and approval process. But 61 companies were given an extension of "less than six months" after the May deadline to come into compliance.Here is the full list of firms given special treatment:<ol><li>ABCSocial, ABC Television Network</li><li>Actiance</li><li>Adium</li><li>Anschutz Entertainment Group</li><li>AOL </li><li>Arktan / Janrain </li><li>Audi </li><li>biNu </li><li>Cerulean Studios </li><li>Coffee Meets Bagel </li><li>DataSift </li><li>Dingtone </li><li>Double Down Interactive </li><li>Endomondo </li><li>Flowics, Zauber Labs </li><li>Garena </li><li>Global Relay Communications </li><li>Hearsay Systems</li><li>Hinge </li><li>HiQ International AB</li><li>Hootsuite</li><li>Krush Technologies </li><li>LiveFyre / Adobe Systems</li><li>Mail.ru</li><li>MiggoChat </li><li>Monterosa Productions Limited </li><li>never.no AS </li><li>NIKE</li><li>Nimbuzz </li><li>NISSAN MOTOR CO / Airbiquity Inc. </li><li>Oracle </li><li>Panasonic</li><li>Playtika </li><li>Postano, TigerLogic Corporation</li><li>Raidcall </li><li>RealNetworks, Inc.</li><li>RegED / Stoneriver RegED </li><li>Reliance/Saavn </li><li>Rovi </li><li>Salesforce/Radian6 </li><li>SeaChange International </li><li>Serotek Corp.</li><li>Shape Services </li><li>Smarsh </li><li>Snap </li><li>Social SafeGuard </li><li>Socialeyes LLC </li><li>SocialNewsdesk </li><li>Socialware / Proofpoint </li><li>SoundayMusic </li><li>Spotify</li><li>Spredfast </li><li>Sprinklr / Sprinklr Japan </li><li>Storyful Limited / News Corp </li><li>Tagboard </li><li>Telescope </li><li>Tradable Bits, TradableBits Media Inc. </li><li>UPS </li><li>Vidpresso </li><li>Vizrt Group AS </li><li>Wayin </li></ol>Serotek, an accessibility app for blind and visually impaired people, received an eight-month extension.It is not clear in the document exactly why these companies received extra time to adapt to the new restrictions. Business Insider has contacted Facebook for comment.Facebook also admitted that it discovered five companies could have theoretically gained access to restricted friends' data as the result of a beta test. Those identified were:<ol><li>Activision / Bizarre Creations </li><li>Fun2Shoot</li><li>Golden Union Co. </li><li>IQ Zone / PicDial </li><li>PeekSocial</li></ol> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-people-get-wrong-about-superfoods-nutrition-health-acai-goji-turmeric-quinoa-2018-6">What people get wrong about superfoods</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

Facebook relaxed its own rules to give these 61 companies special access to user data

<keyword id="2210217" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="oneplus">OnePlus</keyword>, the Chinese handset start-up, has come up with its flagship smartphone in India. Called the <keyword id="2983550" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Oneplus-3">OnePlus 3</keyword>, the phone would be priced at Rs 27,999 and will be sold exclusively via Amazon India. 
 
Featuring a 5.5-inch 1080p Optic AMOLED display, it comes up with a 16MP rear camera, and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor along with company's custom OxygenOS. It would be available in two colour variants, Graphite and Soft Gold, and would feature 64GB of in-built storage and NFC connectivity. 
 
Sporting dual nano SIM card support, the smartphone also comes with an offer for its customers who are the subscribers of Idea cellular, offering them 'double data' for 12 months. Other than this, users will also get 12 months of ad-free Saavn pro subscription and accidental damage coverage through the 'OnePlus Care app' powered by Servify. 
 "India has always been a special market for us and we are thrilled to launch the OnePlus 3 for our Indian users simultaneously with the rest of the world. We are confident the phone will bode well with the expectations of the Indian fans, who will now have an easier time experiencing the OnePlus 3 since we have gone 'invite free'. We are also introducing a line up of attractive accessories and exclusive partner offers to make the user experience even more enriching," said <keyword id="2613562" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="OnePlus-India">OnePlus India</keyword> GM Vikas Agarwal. 
 
<a href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/digitaltrends-uploads-prod/2015/11/OnePlus-X-review_9342.jpg">Image source</a>

OnePlus
3 launched for Rs 27999 with double data offer for Idea customers

As the growth story of mobile internet in India is on the upsurge with the user count expected to reach a whopping 314 million in 2017, this platform has opened a world of new opportunities for entrepreneurs. With various companies across the world investing in building their apps, this new app culture has paved the way for what is called the ‘App economy’. 
 
Think about it. On a single tap, everything is available at your doorstep- from groceries, leisure and entertainment services, salon and home services to commuting options. 
 
As Indians are busy using and exploring newer apps, Gigato shows the apps Indians are using the most in various segments. Here’s what is making Indians ‘Appy’: 
 
<ul>
	<li>
		In music streaming apps that make you groove, almost 30% people use Saavn and 27% people use Gaana</li>
	<li> <keyword id="1666592" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Foodpanda">Foodpanda</keyword> is the favourite food delivery app with almost 57% using the app</li>
	<li> <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword> is the top choice in the ‘mobile shopping apps for great retail therapy segment’ followed by <keyword id="541988" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="SnapDeal">Snapdeal</keyword>, Amazon, ebay, Myntra, <keyword id="6388367" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jabong">Jabong</keyword> and others</li>
	<li>
		People use 3G/2G network for different apps where online shopping is the topmost priority followed by recharging apps, online music streaming apps and entertainment apps.</li>
	<li>
		Also, almost 80% of people use data packs over Wi-Fi when using smartphones at home.</li>
</ul>
Notably, Gigato is a mobile application and platform that allows app publishers to reward its users with recharge packs of unrestricted mobile data, based on the data usage incurred on the app. This allows consumers to experience their favorite apps without worrying about the cost of data. It boasts of over 200,000 registered users as of now.

Here's what is making Indians HAPPY, oops 'APPY'!

<keyword id="6354616" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword> considers India as an important market and is taking up several initiatives to connect lives, conversations, boost businesses and provide platforms to build innovations. 
 
One of the initiatives that Twitter has taken up is ‘Fabric’, which was launched in 2014, to provide all kinds of assistance to app developers to create some world-class apps to boost businesses and also monitor the stability. 
 
“India’s diverse demographics have enabled the discovery of hyperlocal delivery apps by young Indian startups that are serving the growing needs of consumers. The platform ‘Fabric’ has garnered a developer base of 225000 with its unique one-stop solution,” Twitter’s developer platform global head Rich Paret told Business Insider at SURGE in Bengaluru. 
 
Paret said over 60 per cent of Indian startups are focused on digital solutions, with a large base offering consumer and enterprise apps across categories. 
 Taking Twitter’s relationship to another level, the first of its kind <keyword id="3258224" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="HelloWorld">#HelloWorld</keyword> global developer tour is coming to India this April in Bengaluru. These events will focus on several aspects of the Twitter platform, including Fabric for mobile development, Gnip for data analysis, and the public Twitter APIs. 
 
“The Indian market is the second largest android developer market in the world and it will grow two times in two years,” he added. 
Meanwhile, Paret said Twitter is also helping several initiatives in connecting with the world and boosting businesses, especially under ‘Make in India’. 
 
“The thing that is exciting to me when I came here is the ‘Make in India’ initiative. And with all these people trying to build apps, we come in and provide tremendous assistance. This has provided immense opportunities for developers,” said Paret. 
 
Top apps that use Fabric in India include Times of India, NDTV, Cricbuzz, Hungama, Snapdeal, Zomato, Saavn, Paytm, Mobikwik, ICICI. 
 
(Image: Reuters)

Exclusive: Twitter is exciting Indian app developers with ‘Fabric’, is bringing #HelloWorld too

<ul><li><keyword id="6354576" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="facebook">Facebook</keyword> has bought a 9.9% stake in <keyword id="6354504" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance-jio">Reliance Jio</keyword> for $5.7 billion (Rs 43,574 crore). </li><li>The deal is expected to give Facebook a stronger foothold in India, which is seen as its largest market.</li><li><keyword id="3579446" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="arnab-mitra">Arnab Mitra</keyword>, Managing Director, <keyword id="3242601" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Liqvd-Asia">Liqvd Asia</keyword> tries to decode the meaning of the deal and its future implications.</li></ul>Facebook on April 21, 2020, made its largest single investment by putting $ 5.7 billion into Jio Platforms of India, an enormous bet on the developing market and a sign of how large tech companies are forging ahead in the pandemic. A way ahead for the digital transformation of India in a post-COVID world. Dig a little deeper and you'll know that Facebook has not been making as much money in Asia as in other markets; it’s banned in China and its largest user base resides in India (260mn+). Therefore, it makes sense for the company to try and grow within the country and get a stronger hold in its root to get more revenue. And the company’s new partnership could change that for them. While both Facebook and Reliance Jio are trying to peg the initiative as entirely philanthropic, maybe as consumers, we will need to take the news with a little pinch of salt. All said and done, Rs 44,000 crore is a little too much of an investment by anybody to try to increase its ARPU, to match their revenues simply to any other advanced market with a lot less user base. Facebook has globally restructured and enabled various features across the platforms it owns, that shows the progression the company has in mind, keeping the users closed within its environment. <keyword id="790242" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="WhatsApp">WhatsApp</keyword> has worked for years to build tools for small businesses and has dabbled in payment systems, while Facebook has also invested in creating digital storefronts for entrepreneurs to sell goods and services online. Bringing JioMart, Jio’s small-business initiative, together with WhatsApp, Jio will enable people to connect with businesses, shops and ultimately purchase products in a seamless mobile experience. And the new, additional revenue front will probably help keep the shareholders in their homeland happy. But is that all there is to this? Does everything end here? Maybe not. If we dig further, we will know that this is not Facebook’s first foray into the Indian market. Several years ago, it tried to offer free internet connectivity to Indian users in a program called Free Basics. But that initiative hit several snags until it was banned in the country in 2016. A lot of activists voiced their protest along with millions of Indians signing the petition to push regulators to decide that companies could not offer free internet services that favoured some companies over others. Jio, with its feature phone, will also help Facebook influence rural India digitally. More recently, Facebook has also been at loggerheads with the Indian government over WhatsApp. The government has demanded that WhatsApp change its encryption to trace messages back to their source, which WhatsApp has refused to do. At the same time, regulators have repeatedly stalled WhatsApp’s request to offer a payments service to its Indian users. With Jio payments bank already live and backed by the country's largest bank, it’s an easy gateway for WhatsApp payment as a UPI for the bank, that’s the obvious next play for an organization fighting for permission for the longest time. But through this deal with Reliance Jio, Facebook will probably be probably be able to bypass those government directives easily and make this move an intra-company decision that doesn’t need government approvals as the undertone is still about helping millions of Indians shop better. What it smartly covers up is how this will make the government relax its regulations owing to its relationship with the Indian giant. Zuckerberg has advocated Data Portability forever, which means when you share data with one service, you should be able to move it to another. With a 260 million user base of its own clubbed with the WhatsApp, Instagram and Jio user base, what’s next to come with data portability is going to be unprecedented, unless it’s stopped with a strong Privacy Policy by the government. And we all know that our government is far from being capable to curve out policies keeping in mind future possibilities and real challenges. And all of this will hurt other online players across categories badly, making Reliance Jio the only formidable player standing tall in a market where nobody else is allowed to play anymore. And we all know what that does to consumers at the end of the day. They are not left with choices and finally have to bear the price of a monopolistic market. Pretty much like our current government situation and choice of PMO. We don’t really have another formidable opponent to challenge the current one and so we can’t even compare whether we need this one or there are some better options outside. Now that’s a mistake that has already happened. The question is, would you like to make the same mistake twice over? If the answer to that is no, then here are my suggestions for you – <ol><li>Slowly start identifying another chatting app like WhatsApp. Start moving some of your conversations there. Build WhatsApp redundancy in your own network and life. For example - How about Line? Do you know Indonesians and Singaporeans love it? Don’t wait for a day where you are charged to use WhatsApp on your Jio connection or watch the video first before responding to your family.</li><li>Don’t always give into convenience. I didn’t connect Google Pay to my gmail inbox, and I am surviving just fine. Google has a lot of information about me – my payments, purchases aren’t something it has any visibility on. So you do the same too. Let WhatsApp come up with a WhatsApp Pay – you continue to use your banking UPI or something else. Don’t let them join the dots.</li><li>Try not to buy your mobile phone and sim-card from the same company. Keep an alternate number from a competition TSP. Spend just the lowest billing amount. But keep them in the business by keeping your second number on.</li><li>Don’t believe in a philanthropic approach by anybody who takes your data as a return gift. Remember, data is the new fuel (and clearly more expensive) and as long as you have your data secured and protected, you are of some importance to the biggest of the companies. With data being collected across platforms from e-commerce (Ajio), your entertainment (Saavn &amp; Jio TV) to a simple chat with a friend, there will be nothing much left for you to guard.</li><li>Consumerism is here to stay. But one can’t say that about loyalty. Remember that not everybody deserves your loyalty and maybe your politician, chat apps and payment UPIs are some of the examples of the same.</li></ol>Facebook’s investment may help turn India’s battered telecom sector into a duopoly for now and if this continues, we’ll soon see a monopoly in favour of Reliance Jio. A recent Supreme Court decision ordering older carriers to pay billions of dollars in back taxes has left the industry in dire financial shape, and one of the three major carriers, Vodafone Idea, is teetering on the edge of insolvency. Now while that’s for the telecom space, Jio has ambitions to take on Amazon in e-commerce, run data-centres, provide fiber internet to homes and businesses and set up new services like DTH, tele-health and distance learning. Hence, the Facebook share purchase is much more than an initiative to help small businesses, it’s an invasion of all your digital footprint on the heavily used cross functional platforms owned by the two giants. But don’t you think that’s too much to give to one company and as a result, kill competition completely? I conclude this article with this question and a thought - “There is a difference in the way you feel the moment you stop calling your representatives 'Political Leaders'; Start calling them 'politicians' and immediately you will know that there is no reason for you to be loyal to any of them. Same with your TSP, Chat apps, social networks, UPIs – You use them, Do not let them use you. Or your data in this case. The moment you see two of them getting questionably close – have your senses fired up. Look for a new muse.” Stay safe. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Advertising &amp; Media Insider.

Facebook buying into Reliance Jio - More to it than meets the eye?

<ul><li>PWC’s recently released report states that Indian monthly podcast listeners reached 40 million at the end of 2018, which was a 57.6% increase over 2017’s 25.4 million</li><li>Marketers are slowly experimenting with the medium, with the aim of presenting consumers with targeted content</li><li>The coming in of Spotify has helped increase the buzz around podcasts in India</li></ul>Over the past few years, the kind of content consumers are seeking out and accepting has seen a vast change. Today, it is all about engaging content that they can relate to. Content that can be consumed on-the-go has also seen a huge gain in popularity. It is perhaps this evolution that is making podcasts an increasingly favored content medium for consumers. While podcasts enjoy a huge popularity in markets like the US, India is also slowly waking up to it. Now almost all news publications have their own podcasts. Moreover, music streaming platforms that are witnessing a good growth in the country are also increasing their podcast offerings. Even the numbers are encouraging. Research by IAB and PwC stated that US advertisers spent an all-time high of $479 million on podcast ads in 2018, up 53% from $314 million the year prior. While the Indian market is still at a nascent stage in terms of its uptake of podcasts, PWC’s recently released report titled ‘Global Entertainment &amp; Media Outlook 2019-2023 India’, stated that Indian monthly listeners (defined as people who listened to at least one podcast in the last one month) reached a total of 40 million at the end of 2018, which was a 57.6% increase over 2017’s 25.4 million. In terms of consumption of podcasts, India ranks number three, following the US and China. Owing to the growing increase in audio-streaming services in the country, podcasts offer a massive opportunity for brands to reach out to its consumers, where they can target listeners with personalized content. The Story So Far It was in 2016 that Audioboom, a leading audio platform for hosting, distributing and monetizing content was launched in India. That was also the time when Jio had launched in the country and everybody got access to cheap, affordable data. However, that was when video content was seeing an explosion. “There was a lot of focus on video at that point in time and when we went to talk to people about focusing on audio as an on-demand platform, we were scoffed upon. People couldn’t see the opportunity that we could see in the model back then. However, things have become better since the second half of last year. Today, there is a lot more acceptance, people know what we are talking about and they want to hear us out,” says Aman Goklani, Head of India operations, AudioBoom. From 2016, when it received about 200,000 listens a month, the platform has seen a substantial increase in its monthly run rate. “From 200,000 listens in a month in 2016, we today stand at around 1.7 million listens each month. We ended June of this year with about 2.5 million listens. So, we have seen more than 10x growth since we launched,” adds Goklani. While in the larger scheme of things, Goklani maintains that 2.5 million listens is not a very big number, he adds, “A video can get these numbers in probably a few days. However, in our scheme of things, we are the largest, in terms of numbers, in India.” To put things in perspective, globally the UK-based audioBoom gets around 70 million listens in a month, with the US accounting for 60% of its listens. If one were to delve deeper into the reasons for this sudden increase in enthusiasm around podcasts, <keyword id="2904495" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sreeraman-Thiagarajan">Sreeraman Thiagarajan</keyword>, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), <keyword id="5557033" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Agrahyah-Technologies">Agrahyah Technologies</keyword> that owns and operates Hindi podcast platform, aawaz.com says that there are several. “India has been an audio-first country for a long time. The term podcast is new in India. However, all our radio stations have been coming up with audio content on their platforms for the longest time. Even in the past, shows like Purani Jeans have always been around. However, the sudden excitement around podcasts is because of multiple reasons. Firstly, global podcast companies are now looking at India. BBC, NPR, Audible, Google podcasts and Spotify have been operating in India for the past 6-7 months and have brought in some excitement,” he says. He also points to the fact that non-music content is picking up pretty well in India. “Imagine you’re in the mood to listen to some devotional content, or want to listen to a horror or romantic story. People consume a lot of content on video but if they are busy and don’t have the time to watch something, they could still listen to content. So that is what is giving us a lot of traction,” he adds. The increasing demand for smart speakers in the recent past has also been an important reason for the growing enthusiasm around audio content. The opportunities ahead Globally, Spotify has been talking a lot about the opportunities around podcasts. It has also been investing a lot on acquiring podcast companies. Closer home, music streaming platforms like Gaana and Saavn are also trying to promote the podcasts that they have to offer. So, what are the opportunities for brands here? Prashan Agarwal, CEO, Gaana says, “Podcasts are a great channel for brands to tap into a highly engaged niche audience. Most savvy marketers understand the difference between top-of-the-funnel and bottom-of-the-funnel campaigns, and appreciate the role for the top-of-mind recall. This is where this genre can serve as a great platform for brand building, with streaming players and publishers helping marketers navigate ways to seamlessly integrate their brands into the narrative.” Gaana runs some popular podcasts on its platform including Mirchi Murga by Naved, Kahanibaaz by Ashish Vidyarthi, Ek Rang Ishq Ka and others. Apart from this, they also source aggregated content from podcast platforms like IVM and Audioboom. Speaking about the opportunities he sees in the medium, Amarjit Batra, Managing Director India, Spotify says, “In India, podcasting is very young, but we see immense potential given the immersive and intimate nature of the medium. Factors such as increase in commute time, higher awareness around streaming, and India’s position as a knowledge economy establish that there is enough scope for podcasts to become mainstream in India. We believe that the future of audio is limitless and the potential growth of podcasts as a new form of audio storytelling is garnering steady popularity amongst the urban audio streamers in India. Our goal is to work with the ecosystem of creators, brands, and partners to address these challenges so that there is a wider understanding and acceptance of this new and relevant medium.” He further adds that while the podcast segment is still at a nascent stage in India, marketers have shown interest in experimenting with the medium. “We've had brands and advertisers show interest because they believe in the audio format for user engagement, and have seen how well podcast advertising works in our other markets.” Meanwhile, podcast network IVM, which is working on popularizing the medium among consumers and marketers, has already worked with brands like PayTM Money, Aditya Birla Mutual Fund, Motilal Oswal. Speaking about why brands are seeing value in podcasts, Amit Doshi, Founder &amp; CEO, IVM Podcasts says, “There are two primary opportunities for brands to work with podcasts - promotions on content that is being created and distributed by us and creating their own branded content. We have seen forward thinking brands like PayTM Money, Aditya Birla Mutual Fund, Motilal Oswal, Accenture, Storytel, Savaari etc. are already working with us. Increasingly, we are seeing interest from other brands as well in using this space to achieve their objectives.” <keyword id="3054169" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Varun-Duggirala">Varun Duggirala</keyword>, Content Chief and Co-founder, <keyword id="2951846" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-Glitch">The Glitch</keyword> hosts an IVM Show called ‘Advertising is Dead’ where he speaks to leaders, creators and experts from all ends of the media, entertainment and advertising space to understand the new media world order. On how brands can make the most out of the medium, he says, “Podcasts present a unique opportunity for brands to seamlessly integrate themselves into very focussed content pieces which can be developed and distributed at scale with a much lower cost barrier. Also, advertising within episodes themselves can very easily be blended into the storyline/narrative of the episodes themselves so the value chain of the content imbibes the value chain of the brand. Unlike video content, podcasts allow consumers to blend content into their daily schedule in a way that doesn’t demand 100% focus but still blends into your content consumption habit cycle especially during commutes, mornings/late nights as well as mid-day breaks.” According to industry estimates, currently the cost of podcasts could lie between Rs 4,000-6,000 per minute. So for a lot of marketers looking at reaching out to an engaged audience, podcasts could be a comparatively cost effective option, too. Storytel India has worked on multiple host read campaigns both on IVM and audioBoom. Speaking about the kind of value the brand saw from the partnership, Sukirti Sharma, Marketing Manager, Storytel India, says, “Podcasts hook the listening audience, people who are already in the habit of listening and are familiar with the format. Also, it is somewhat about personalised choices and therefore brings in different kinds of audience. With each genre or discussion type, you attract a different kind of audience ie those interested in history or those who want to listen to the topical issues of the changing culture among the urban Indian. With myriad topics, it attracts diverse listening communities. Podcasts have their own unique space. We are in the business of telling stories and we believe that audio is the future. Podcast is a part of that audio world and has its own unique space so we would certainly use podcasts again in the future.” For the longest time, lack of awareness was a big challenge for the podcast industry. However, with more and more people talking about it, both globally and in India, brands finally seem to be warming up to the medium.

Are Marketers Warming Up to Podcasts in India?

The media has been buzzing with news of leaked copies of '<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Udta+Punjab&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Udta Punjab</a>' and 'Great Grand Masti'. Both FCAT copies, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Rajinikanth&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Rajinikanth</a>'s blockbuster <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Kabali&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Kabali</a> met the same fate. Several websites had full links that could be used to view and download a pirate’s copy. India’s <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Bollywood&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Bollywood</a> film industry, the largest producer of films, is severely threatened by physical and <keyword id="577158" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="online-piracy">online piracy</keyword>. 
 
Believe it or not, 2015’s big release <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Baahubali&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Baahubali</a> took the maximum hit. With 1,485 active piracy links of the SS Rajamouli film available, the film has been downloaded illegally 24.76 lakh times. The total revenue loss in these 17 months to the Telugu film industry stands at a whopping Rs. 1,064 Crores. To expect these guys to face such losses and still tell us why Katappa killed <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Baahubali&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Baahubali</a> is crazy. 
 
The numbers are mind-boggling to say the least. "Some unofficial estimates show that the overall revenue loss to the Indian Media and Entertainment industry is close to $ 2.5 billion”, Rajkmar Akela, Chairman, Anti Video Piracy Cell, Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce said. 
 
In 2014, India was listed in the International Piracy Watch List by the US. This is a list of four countries where piracy is rampant. However, few seem to care. The number of piracy cases registered in India reduced by just 10% this year as compared to 16% in the Asia-Pacific region. 
 "India's film industry - the economic contribution of the creative economy and creative sectors in India is limited. Issues like copyright infringement, <keyword id="54502" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Film-piracy">film piracy</keyword>, cam cording and content leakage weaken the industry by hampering the deserved revenue production. Economies with supportive copyright protection are at least 30% more likely to have larger and more dynamic content and media sectors than are countries with less favorable IP regime", Mr. Patrick Kilbride, Executive Director, International IP, Global Intellectual Property Center, U S Chamber of Commerce said. 
 With increased penetration of technology and internet in India, piracy through online distribution is expected to continue to be a major source of revenue leakage if immediate steps are not taken to stem this flow of cash. Part of the issue is that legitimate means of digital viewing are still emerging in India. <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword> came in late, and with not many Tier II and Tier III enjoying quality 4G coverage, downloading it using torrents or buying from a local DVD seller just seems easier. 
 “How to grow movie-goer base in the face of growing satellite penetration and piracy remains the bigger and more fundamental challenge”, Ajit Andhare, COO, <keyword id="1194637" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Viacom18-Motion-Pictures">Viacom18 Motion Pictures</keyword> observes. 
 
This parallel black economy is also hampering innovation. Flipkart’s online music store, Flyte had to shut down a little more than a year of its launch due to music piracy. Another website Dhingana had to shut down after a long struggle. Music Store, a chain of over 100 stores in India was also shut this year due to the effects of piracy. 
 
Truth is, even with the improvements in technology, not many business models and payment mechanisms have evolved to compete effectively with the ‘free’ illegal option. The Indian film industry is waking up to the prospect of optimizing the release window only now, and making it available across platforms. Not to mention the laggard implementation of existing anti-piracy rules. 
 
“We acknowledge the National IPR Policy as a step in the right direction to protect copyright as it envisages a creative and innovative India. However, thousands of rogue websites threaten the lifeline of a film, as soon as it is released in theatres. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Film+piracy&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Film piracy</a> creates financial loss to our business and to the exchequer”, Mr. Uday Singh, Managing Director at Motion Picture Association said. 
 
While the economic impacts of piracy are difficult to quantify, a recent market study by FICCI looked at seven industry sectors most impacted by counterfeiting, piracy and smuggling, and found almost Rs. 73,000 Crores in lost sales in 2012 across just these seven sectors. 
 
As a saving grace, select Premium HD Channels are offering TV content to the Indian audience 24 hours of its US telecast, but are getting few takers. Hungama offers Indian film content to 47 countries through partnerships with other companies. Free online music streaming sites like Gaana and Saavn are trying their best with branding exercises. 
 
However, till expediting blocking rogue sites, tracing locations, owners, release groups involved in copyright theft and cracking down on criminal syndicates involving notorious camcorders are not considered ‘first-aid’ to any case of copyright violation, it’s difficult. 
Till then, it’s plain madness out there. 
 
<a href="http://www.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/all-the-piracy1.jpg">Image Source</a>

India loses $2.5 Bn to Online Movie Piracy every year

When Google had announced the details about the <keyword id="2373897" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Android-One">Android One</keyword> Program, honestly, we were a bit surprised to find <keyword id="145729" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Karbonn">Karbonn</keyword> and Spice also mentioned in the list. Karbonn has been in the Indian <keyword id="28168" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Smartphone">smartphone</keyword> market for quite some time now. During the initial days, banking on sports and cricket, the company had got a good headway in the Indian market, but as more handset brands came along, Karbonn found it hard to maintain its ground. 
 
However, Karbonn has a very strong distribution network and now, as one of the first partner for the Andorid One Device, there is a lot riding on Karbonn Sparkle V (the V here is Roman number five). 
 
Design Karbonn Sparkle V is a budget offering but the same is not reflected in the design of the smartphone. It has a nice build quality and rubberised back finish. On the back panel you can see the Karbonn logo in the middle and the <keyword id="6355645" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="android">Android</keyword> One logo at the bottom. 
 
The power and the volume rocker button are placed on the right panel. Apart from that, there are no physical buttons on the front. 
 
On the downside, Karbonn Sparkle V does seem to have broad bezels, which most smartphones have done away with. 
 
It has 4.5 inches IPS LCD display with a resolution of 854 X 480 Pixels. Overall, the screen display looks nice with decent viewing angles. The one thing that is missing in terms of the display is the Gorilla Glass Protection that the Moto E offers but the new Android one devices don’t. 
 
Software/ Interface 
Frankly, we have so far spent only been with this newbie from Karbonn for half an hour but the interface looks really smooth. It looks like Google has spent quite a lot of time fine tuning its operating system to make sure that things can be as pleasant as it can get for a stock Android device. 
 
Apps such as moneycontrol, Keep, Olx, Saavn and Snapdeal come pre-loaded on the Karbonn Sparkle V. 
 
Processor and RAM Karbonn Sparkle V comes with a 1.3 GHz <keyword id="6369515" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Mediatek">MediaTek</keyword> along with 1 GB of RAM and Mali 400 GPU. There is also 4GB of internal storage, which is expandable by up to 32GB via microSD card. 
 
Price: Rs 6,399. Also snapdeal is currently offering an 8 GB memory card free with this phone. Also the online retailer is giving Snapdeal coupons worth Rs 2,000 (which are valid up to two months). Along with this the buyers also get Free Recharge coupons Worth Rs 200 from FreeCharge (two codes worth Rs 100 each). 
 There is also an <keyword id="15491" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Airtel">Airtel</keyword> data bundle offer through which user of all Android one devices including Karbonn Sparkle V will get free software upgrades and app downloads per month up to six months. Under this scheme, there is a fair usage cap of 200 MB. 
 
 
Camera 
All the devices in the Android One series come with a 2MP front camera and 5MP rear camera. Though we could not take the device out to do some serious photography but from the looks of it the rear camera can click some decent shots under good lightening conditions. 
However, to click any pictures, you first need to add a microSD card, which we think is a little absurd. The camera should be in a position to save shots on internal storage as well or at least ask the user for his/her preference in regards to storing pictures. 
 
So far, we are mighty impressed for what this Karbonn smartphone under the Android One umbrella has to offer but we do have our reservations about the battery life. For that and more, don’t forget to come and read our review that we will posting shortly.

Karbonn Sparkle V Hands On: A Pretty Good Start

<keyword id="3658" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> is consistently being bandied as the next major growth market for all smartphone companies, but there is one company that’s really struggling to crack India. The company in question is the most valuable one in the world -- <keyword id="6354427" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="apple">Apple</keyword>. According to CounterPoint’s latest report, Apple’s market share has dropped to an all-time low in India, with its share of the smartphone market dropping to below 2%. The problem is a combination of the nature of the Indian smartphone consumer, Indian laws and Apple’s stubbornness. This quarter Xiaomi and Samsung have emerged as the defacto leaders with their combined market share in India pushing 30%. Samsung managed to regain its lead in India with a share of 29%, up from 24% in the previous quarter, as per a report by Canalys. Xiaomi also grew to 28% market share in the country. While Tim Cook has reiterated often that India is a key market for the Cupertino-based giant, Apple has hit a new low in India, which is clearly the most important smartphone market outside of China. Pricing doesn’t allow Apple to compete for market share in India The problem for the company is that India is primarily a sub Rs 15,000 market, while the cheapest <keyword id="6354606" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="iPhone">iPhone</keyword> – the iPhone SE costs Rs 26,000, and runs three-year-old hardware. Apple doesn’t make cheap products because it doesn’t want to be perceived as a mass market smartphone brand. The Indian market is wildly different from the one in the United States, Europe and even China, which is Apple’s favourite market off-late. These markets are dominated by the operators and their contracts, where users can get the latest and greatest iPhone for about the same Rs 15,000 amount, put in as down payment. The space for phones that cost more than Rs 30,000 is just 4% of the Indian smartphone market. And that is commanded by OnePlus, followed by Samsung. Even if Apple were to get 100% market share in the premium space, it would still only command 4% of the market. Even when competing on price, older iPhones like the 6S and 7 lose out to newer phones from companies like OnePlus on both marketing and also technical capability. Indians tend to buy phones on the basis of specifications and even some of the newer models lose out to brands like OnePlus in the premium segment as the iPhone 6S and 7 models are perceived to be inferior. Hardware disadvantage Apple’s hardware disadvantage swells up when one talks about the cheapest iPhone models in this country. Apple simply doesn’t have a product in that price bracket, the sub-Rs 20,000 zone, and that’s the price point where the market for new smartphones is exploding. While the cheapest iPhone, the SE, costs Rs 26,000, it’s not the best selling iPhone here. It is the iPhone 6, which first popped up in 2014...and here we are in 2018. There are two reasons for this -- first, the iPhone 6 has a bigger screen (4.7-inch) which is more to the liking of Indian users; and second, design-wise, it’s not too dissimilar from the iPhone 8 which came out at the fag end of 2017. With the entry of Reliance Jio in India in late 2016, Indians have developed a voracious appetite for consuming video on the go. The iPhone SE, which uses the design of the iPhone 5 and 5S, has a rather small 4-inch screen. Newer phones like the Redmi Note 5 have much larger 5.99-inch screens. That’s a difference of 2-inches and considering mobile video, it's a huge one. The iPhone SE and iPhone 6, which are the two cheapest iPhones in India also have dated cameras. Nowadays, phones like the Honor 9 Lite and Redmi Note 5 Pro also offer dual cameras with an iPhone X-like bokeh mode -- something these older, cheaper iPhones can’t hope to match. Network conditions in India are often quite poor, connectivity wise, which results in smartphones consuming more battery. Apple’s iPhones have never been known for battery life. The most affordable iPhone in India (iPhone SE) has a meagre 1,624mAh battery, while phones half its price are pushing battery packs that are more than double the size. iPhones also don’t offer hardware features that are popular in emerging markets like ours. For instance, there is no support for dual SIM cards, and there is no support for expandable memory. With newer models like the iPhone 7, iPhone 8 and iPhone X, there isn’t even a headphone jack -- something competitors like Samsung and OnePlus are providing to customers in the premium segment. Apple hasn’t been able to push its design as a premium advantage either, as Chinese smartphone manufacturers have aped iPhone-like designs on almost all their phones. In fact, the design of the iPhone X has been democratised by Chinese smartphone makers. For instance, the iPhone X-style notch display can be found even on new phones like the Honor 9N that starts at just Rs 13,999 while offering dual cameras on not only the back but also for selfies, and also providing a battery that’s almost twice as big as the iPhone SE. Even their software is designed in a way that Android looks more like iOS. Android modifications from vendors like <keyword id="6357456" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="huawei">Huawei</keyword>, Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo follow the same basic iOS-like design language. Software disadvantage It’s bad enough that many Android smartphone makers have designed their software to mimic the look and feel of iOS, but Apple’s problems are compounded by the fact that its own services perform poorly in India or are non-existent. Apple Maps is perhaps the biggest no-show. It doesn’t do turn-by-turn navigation in India and its mapping coverage is abysmal in the country. It is a matter of fact that Apple Maps can’t be used in India as a reliable tool for commuting. Apple Pay isn’t available in India at a time where digital payments are taking off in the country. Paytm and Google’s Tez payments systems are taking off in India massively. Samsung launched Samsung Pay in India last year. Apple Pay is dependent on NFC, while Samsung Pay uses a combination of NFC and magnetic secure transaction (MST), which mimics the magnetic signal a credit or debit card makes to a POS machine. Siri, on most days doesn’t understand the Indian accent as well as the Google Assistant, and nor can it do much. Heck, <keyword id="10387" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Microsoft">Microsoft</keyword>’s Cortana and Amazon’s Alexa do a better job and this is despite the fact that Apple was the first company to deploy a virtual assistant. While Apple’s services hobble on its own trophy -- the iPhone -- its competitors -- Google, Amazon and Microsoft have their services performing better on iOS. For mapping, most people use Google Maps. For search, Google Search becomes the default, and for productivity, Microsoft’s Office crushes Apple’s iWork apps. Rarely, you’re using Apple software on the iPhone in India. Even Apple Music, which is one of the rare examples of an Apple service doing well in the country, has been flanked by local competition like Ganna.com, Jio music, Wynk and Saavn. All of whom have a free tier. On older iPhones, Apple’s iOS updates have also crippled the experience of the iPhone. A couple of years ago, there used to be a strong argument in favour of the iPhone as it would perform well for over two years. Apple’s recent updates have made older iPhones inferior in comparison to newer Android phones that cost the same. Apple is addressing this issue in this year's iOS 12 update, which makes huge performance improvements to older iPhones, but it could be too little too late. The app store also doesn't make life easy for users as it demands a credit card for a user to even download free apps. That's not the case on the Google Play store. Apple has been late in localising services for India The larger issue here is that Apple isn’t localising its services for India in the way it has attempted to for China. This is indicative of the fact that Apple hasn’t taken the time or put enough resources behind localising its services for this country. Samsung and Huawei have R&amp;D centres in India customising services for the market. Xiaomi also prioritises and customises products for India. Apple opened an App Accelerator in Bangalore and a facility for Apple Maps in Hyderabad only in 2016. Google has had software and services being developed out of India since the mid-2000s, while Microsoft has been in India since the early 90’s. This has, in turn, inhibited Apple’s ability to quickly pivot. Its biggest competitor, Google, on a platform level, makes products for India. Google CEO Sundar Pichai said last year, “India shapes how we build products. If something works in India it will work globally.” And this philosophy can be seen in the customisations that Google has made to core services like Android, Maps, YouTube, Search and even payments. Its next billion division has made “Go” editions of Android, YouTube, Search and Maps, which are designed to work better on low power phones and poorer network conditions. They have even invested in KaiOS that powers feature phones like the Jio Phone creating its own versions of YouTube, Google Search and Assistant in India. For Apple to replicate its China success in India, it has to do a lot more than what it did in China. Even in China, Apple’s momentum has slowed so it has a steep slope to climb there as well. In China, Google and Amazon are almost non-existent. In India, they are big players. Apple isn’t able to compete with Google with regards to services. Most people use Google services which are part of all Android phones and one doesn’t need to buy a comparatively expensive iPhone to enjoy them. Apple and the Indian government: Frenemies? Apple hasn’t seen eye to eye with the Indian government for long. Apple expected concessions for manufacturing in India. It never made headway with that. While it lobbied for tax concessions -- brands like Xiaomi, Oppo and Huawei all got on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ programme which grants locally assembled phones some tax concessions. Only recently, Apple has started manufacturing both the iPhone SE and iPhone 6S in India. There are some reports that Apple has locked in a deal with one of its ODM vendors to manufacture even the iPhone X, but that’s not happening right now. The price variance between the iPhone X and the new Samsung Galaxy S9+ is quite startling. The iPhone X tops out at a whopping Rs 1,07,999 while the latest Galaxy S9+ tops out at Rs 69,000 for its top-end model in India. That’s almost a gap of Rs 40,000 which ironically is the cost of the 128GB model of the OnePlus 6 which is currently the best selling smartphone in the premium segment in this country. In the US, the iPhone X costs $1,149 which is around Rs 79,000 and the Galaxy S9+ costs $792 (around Rs 55,000). This points towards the fact that India is the most expensive place to purchase an iPhone and also the fact that Samsung’s phones have a huge price advantage in India that they don’t enjoy even in the US. And a lot of this is due to the fact that the S9+ is assembled in Samsung’s factory in Greater Noida (a satellite town outside New Delhi) which also happens to be the largest smartphone manufacturing plant in the world. The iPhone is further hobbled by the fact that it has an international warranty and India has a bubbling <keyword id="395545" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="grey-market">grey market</keyword>. It’s totally possible for someone to buy an imported iPhone for much lesser than the official price in India and still enjoy global warranty on the product. For years, Apple has been hoping to get permissions to set up its iconic Apple Stores in India. Indian law stipulates that single brand retail can only happen when products use 30% raw materials that are locally sourced -- that’s a hard problem to solve for Apple. That’s led to it selling its phones via resellers who often have discounted products to move inventory, thereby diluting Apple’s premium identity. In order to move more affordable iPhones, the Indian government has also rejected Apple’s plan for selling refurbished iPhones in India. More recently, Apple has been deadlocked in a stalemate with Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in India over the installation of its spam reporting app on the iPhone. The telecom regulator has been reported to be taking extreme steps which could result in the iPhone being blocked from telecom networks in India if Apple doesn’t play ball, but that seems to be changing. An update in iOS 12 could possibly pave the way for an extension in the iMessage app for the TRAI to push out its spam reporting feature. The big takeaway is that Apple’s brand positioning makes its life hard enough in a market where feature phone sales are still growing, however, it hasn’t helped its own cause by not investing in India in a timely manner and also not adopting and partaking quickly enough in initiatives of the Indian government which has put it at a disadvantage with regards to lobbying.

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