The past week has been eventful in the world of technology, with big announcements from major companies like Apple, Meta, and Microsoft. Apple’s rise to the top five most valuable companies in India is a testament to the company’s growing influence. Meanwhile, Meta announced layoffs as part of its restructuring. In other news, Infosys announces upcoming pay hikes, Realme launches new smartphones and Noise introduces India’s first universal smart tag. Additionally, there were concerns about developments in visa policies and online security. TOI’s weekly tech wrap has all this and more
Meta-layoffs: Mark Zuckerberg announces 5% layoffs at Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. “We usually…”
Meta will lay off about 3,600 employees, or 5% of its workforce, as part of social media giant CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s initiative to “raise the bar on performance management” The plan was announced.
In an internal memo sent to staff, Mr. Zuckerberg emphasized the need to accelerate the approach to firing underperforming employees. “We typically spend a year managing people who don’t meet expectations, but we will now make broader performance-based cuts during this cycle,” he said. Click here to read more
Infosys will start rolling out price hikes from February. In line with CFO Jayesh Sanghrajka’s ‘anniversary’ schedule.
Infosys is set to begin annual salary hikes from February, as per CFO Jayesh Sanghrajka’s ‘anniversary’ schedule. Employees at job level 5 (JL5) will receive notice in February, and the pay increase will take effect retroactively from January 1, the Economic Times reports. Employees at JL6 and above will receive notice in March and the increase will take effect in February. April. A senior executive shared this information at a town hall in the Infosys Validation Services (IVS) division.
JL5 track leaders, including software engineers, senior engineers, systems engineers, and consultants, will be the first to benefit. Salary increases will be applied later to managers JL6 and above, senior managers, delivery managers, and senior delivery managers, excluding vice presidents. Read the full text here
Realme 14 Pro+, Realme 14 Pro with 6000 mAh battery and 50MP main camera launched: price, specifications and more
Realme 14 Pro+ and Realme 14 Pro smartphones are now official. Chinese smartphone maker Realme has expanded its affordable premium smartphone segment with the launch of Realme 14 Pro+ and Realme 14 Pro in India. This smartphone is equipped with the world’s first cold-sensitive color changing technology. When the temperature drops below 16°C, the back panel changes from a pearly white to a striking bright blue, returning to its original color as the temperature rises. The duo runs Android 15 operating system with the company’s proprietary Realme UI layer on top. Click here to read more
Noise launches India’s first general-purpose smart tag: price, specifications, and more
Homegrown wearable brand Noise has expanded its portfolio with the launch of India’s first universal smart tag – Noise Tag 1. Compatible with both Android and iPhone, this new smart tag aims to simplify daily life by allowing users to easily track their belongings. Noise Tag 1 uses Google Fast Pair and Apple’s Find My Device Network for Android users and Apple’s Find My Network for iPhone users to provide seamless integration and enhanced tracking capabilities. Read the full text here
Apple sets new record in India, joins Big 5 club
Apple has achieved a significant milestone by breaking into the top five smartphone brands for the first time since it started selling iPhones in India. This is especially noteworthy given India’s price-sensitive market. According to a report in the Economic Times, preliminary data from IDC and Counterpoint Research shows that Apple will see a 9% to 10% increase in sales in India during the crucial Christmas season from September to December 2024, the company’s historic high. The company says it has secured market share.
Part of this success is said to be due to Apple’s increased localization efforts. The company currently manufactures the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max in India through Foxconn and Pegatron. Additionally, the company is expanding production of AirPods components in Pune and plans to start full AirPods manufacturing in Telangana by 2025. India’s product line, which already includes iPads and MacBooks, continues to grow, even as some iPad production has moved to Vietnam. The Indian government is actively encouraging local iPad assembly. Click here to read more
Microsoft job cuts: ‘No, not in India,’ says Microsoft’s head of India and South Asia Puneet Chandhok
Puneet Chandhok, Microsoft’s head of India and South Asia, delivered “good news” to the company’s employees in India. The company’s India operations will not be affected by Microsoft’s latest job cuts. When asked about the reported job cuts at Microsoft, Microsoft India and South Asia president Puneet Chandhok told The Hindu BusinessLine, “No, not in India.” “We are working on so many projects. In fact, more jobs are being created across India,” Chandhok added.
CNBC recently reported that Microsoft is making more job cuts. “Microsoft is making a small number of job cuts across departments based on performance,” the report said. Microsoft has confirmed the layoffs. “At Microsoft, we are focused on great people,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in an email to CNBC on Wednesday. “We are always committed to helping people learn and grow. If people are not performing, we will take appropriate action.” Read the full story here
To Android co-founder Bill Gates: So, sorry Bill, Microsoft is more responsible for losing $400 billion than you think.
Bill Gates recently acknowledged Microsoft’s failure in the $400 billion mobile market. Android co-founder Rich Miner responded that Android’s loss in the smartphone war was largely due to Gates’ own decisions.
“I literally helped develop Android to prevent Microsoft from controlling cell phones and stifling innovation the same way they control PCs. That’s why Gates complains about mobile losing to Android. “It’s always interesting to hear,” Miner wrote in X (previously). Gates’ comments on Microsoft’s biggest mistake. Click here to read more
Zerodha warns you could lose all your bank savings if you hand over your phone to a stranger for ‘just one call’
Financial services company Zerodha recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to warn people about a new scam that exploits kindness. The company shared a post explaining how scammers approach individuals and ask them to borrow their phones to make an emergency call. “While the ‘simple act of kindness’ of lending your cell phone may seem harmless, it can cause serious harm,” the post reads.
Zerodha’s message aims to raise awareness about this scam and help people avoid falling victim to it. By sharing this information on social media, the company hopes to reach a wide audience and protect them from potential financial harm. Read the full text here
Microsoft’s search market share doubles, Google’s share falls just below 90% for the first time
Google’s dominance of the global search engine market has fallen below 90% for the first time in almost a decade. According to Statcounter, in the last three months of 2024, Google’s market share fell to 89.34% in October, 89.99% in November, and 89.74% in December. This marks a major shift in the search landscape, as Google has consistently held over 90% market share for almost a decade. The last time Google’s share fell below 90% was in early 2015.
However, due to this decline, Microsoft’s Bing search engine saw a significant increase in usage in the second half of 2024, almost doubling its market share to around 4%. This suggests that Bing’s popularity is gradually increasing, but it still lags far behind Google. Click here to read more
New H-1B and H-2 visa rules take effect: Details on changes and everything else
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has introduced new rules to modernize and improve the H-1B and H-2 nonimmigrant visa programs. These changes were published in the Federal Register on December 18, 2024 and became effective on January 17, 2025. The H-1B program allows American companies to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialized occupations that require a high level of specialized knowledge and at least a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent). The new H-1B rules are intended to streamline the approval process, give employers more flexibility in retaining talent, and strengthen program integrity and oversight. Although primarily focused on H-1B professional workers, some provisions include H-2, H-3, F-1, L-1, O, P, Q-1, R-1 , and other nonimmigrant classifications such as E-. 3, T.N. The current annual cap on H-1B visas is 65,000, with an additional 20,000 reserved for those with advanced degrees from U.S. institutions. Read the full text here
Google, Apple remove offline navigation app MAPS.Me following government order
Google and Apple have removed MAPS.Me – Offline Navigation app from the Play Store and App Store. According to a MoneyControl report, the app incorrectly depicted India’s external borders. In December 2024, MAPS.Me served a notice under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, 2000 from the Survey of India (SoI) to Google’s Node Director Priyadarshi Banerjee. The notice highlights inaccuracies in the depiction of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in the app.
The app’s Google Play Store landing page displays a message that says, “Sorry, the requested URL was not found on this server.” SoI reportedly sent a notification to Google, but it remains unclear whether Apple was also notified, as the app is also not available on Apple’s App Store for users in India. Click here to read more
