BENGALURU: Voice calls on Hike Messenger
Following WhatsApp’s footsteps, India’s Hike Messenger appears to be planning voice calling for its IM service as well, which will allow users to make app-to-app calls.
After photos of the app’s new call-in feature were leaked online, we can be fairly sure that communication on the app will basically be over VoIP and the service will most likely use the user’s mobile number to place calls. What’s most exciting about this news is that the app will even support voice calls over 2G connections, so users won’t have to worry over high data costs or upgrading their Internet plan. The service is also most likely going to be available globally at launch and not limited to any particular market.
Xiaomi Mi 4 set to launch in India
Xiaomi is all set to launch the Mi 4 flagship smartphone in India on January 28. At the sidelines of the Beijing event, Xiaomi’s Vice President of International Operations, Hugo Barra, announced an event in New Delhi on January 28, which ties in with India Head Manu Kumar Jain’s statement that the Xiaomi Mi 4 would launch by the end of the month. Considering that Xiaomi follows a customary Tuesday flash sale for its handsets in India, it is possible the Mi 4 will go on sale for the first time on February 3 via Flipkart. In his statement, Jain had also confirmed that Xiaomi’s first R&D (Research and Development) centre in Bengaluru would be ready by April this year.
Apple rumours
Rumours about Apple working on a large 12-inch iPad (the iPad Pro) have been doing the rounds, for more than a year now. According to AppleInsider, a new KGI report now reveals that working a new stylus is being modeled for all iPad products. If the report is anything to go by, the new iPad Pro along with the stylus will be launched sometime in the second quarter of 2015.