In India, many players are in the throes of chaos and pain but at least one partnership -- Air Asia India -- that was fraying even before the pandemic now finds itself at breaking point, says Anjuli Bhargava.

India's telecom sector has been through dizzying peaks, troughs, policy U-turns, court battles, brutal competition, and daily controversies.India could go back to a private sector duopoly with just Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel surviving the mayhem. The third player, Vodafone Idea, could be history.

The company will, however, not bring its new 5G-enabled Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a (5G) to India and Singapore markets.

The compact segment where Sonet will be launched is crowded with the Maruti Vitara and Brezza, which top the sales' list, and a bevy of models from Mahindra & Mahindra apart from Hyundai's offering.But volumes in this are slightly higher than those in the mid-segment, making it attractive, says Surajeet Das Gupta.

On the highway, it pulls along with ease and offers smooth commuter ride and drive experience, and also has little competition, says Pavan Lall.

Chinese mobile brands are deeply entrenched in the Indian market. A move to bar them may send a bold diplomatic message. But its cost for the local industry is anybody's guess.In the event that Chinese brands face curbs, two handset makers - Samsung and Apple - squarely stand to gain.

Higher exports will also drive up volumes, as the company seeks to avail of the benefits under the government's recently announced production linked incentive scheme.

Mercedes-Benz India, BMW India and Audi India have lined up over 50 new model launches as they seek to recoup previous year's loss in volumes, reports Shally Seth Mohile.

Automaker Jeep India on Wednesday launched a locally assembled version of its premium SUV Wrangler in the country with introductory prices starting at Rs 53.9 lakh (ex-showroom).The company had started the production of the model at its Ranjangaon plant near Pune in February and is now ready for retail across the country.The locally-assembled Jeep Wrangler is available in two variants - the Unlimited and Rubicon, priced at Rs 53.9 lakh and Rs 57.9 lakh, respectively.Both variants come with a BS-VI compliant 2-litre turbo petrol powertrain, which produces 268 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque and comes mated with an 8-speed automatic gearbox.

Czech automaker Skoda on Thursday globally unveiled its all new SUV Kushaq which would take on the likes of Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos in the fastest growing mid-sized SUV segment in the domestic market.The model is the first production car as part of the company's India 2.0 project.Under the lead responsibility of Skoda Auto, Volkswagen Group is investing 1 billion euros in its model campaign in the Indian subcontinent to strengthen its presence.

What explains India's love affair with SUVs? They are not exactly "value for money" -- the watchword for brands across segments -- nor always practical.Is it for the badge value? Or the butch imagery associated with SUVs? Maybe both, says Alokananda Chakraborty.

As a tech services company, Ola has never been in hardcore manufacturing.And unlike in ride hailing, which is a two-player market (Uber is the only other competitor), in two-wheelers it faces many entrenched players.But most of all, rivals say Ola's targets are out of sync with most, even ambitious, projecti­ons.

India has the third highest number of billionaires in the world after the US and China, according to a new list by the prestigious Forbes magazine, which said Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani reclaimed his spot as Asia's richest person, dethroning Chinese business tycoon Jack Ma who was the richest person in the region a year ago.

The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India on Tuesday said its models Swift, Baleno, WagonR, Alto and Dzire have emerged as best selling cars in 2020-21 and the top five models have come from its stable for the fourth consecutive year.Swift with over 1.72 lakh units was at the number one position followed by Baleno with 1.63 lakh units, the company said in a statement.Maruti Suzuki India's (MSI) tall boy WagonR was in the third spot with 1.60 lakh units while Alto and Dzire were at fourth and fifth with 1.59 lakh units and 1.28 lakh units respectively, it added.

While the latest, fourth-generation Swift makes no pretence of being a performance car or the last word in luxury, what it does stand for is amply evident, notes Pavan Lall.

What will it take for Tesla to plug and play in India? Sector pundits say it's a mix of strategy, getting the price right, timing, the right talent, and above all, patience.

The new car market is estimated at around 30,000 units a year in sales in a good year, whereas the used car market for luxury vehicles is estimated at around 60,000 cars annually.

'It says, we are not just an overseas player -- we are Kia India and here for good'

Hyundai Motor India expects its SUV range to gain further traction in the domestic market with demand for personal mobility gaining momentum post the second wave of COVID-19, according to a senior company official.The company, which already leads the SUV space with models like Venue, Creta, Tucson and recently launched Alcazar, is looking to maintain its lead in the segment which is growing with each passing month.

The Tiago NRG is available in a single fully loaded variant that has all the features from a start-stop button to a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, says Rajesh Karkera.

The MG Motor India management is focused on scaling up and launching smaller cars to play the long game in the country, says Pavan Lall.

The wait for the new iPhone is over as the tech giant Apple officially launched its new iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro on September 14.

Four XUV700s entered the challenge and all four recorded over 4000 km in 24 hours, says Rajesh Karkera.

'The global semiconductor shortage has inadvertently provided an imm­ense fillip to the pre-owned car market'

Stylish, sleek, a coupe-like sedan with generous amount of space is what the Slavia is all about.

Suspension that has fully acclimatised to Indian roads and handles potholes and bumps with ease, plush interiors that feel premium beyond just surface level, and aggressive and imposing design cues give this SUV a presence and profile that has little competition, says Pavan Lall.

High ground clearance, a wide cabin and tall stance all mean that the Carens glides over bad roads with ease and comfort and an engine performance that is adequate in terms of the power of this vehicle, says Pavan Lall.

While the Slavia comes in eight different variants, it's the base model that starts at around Rs 10.7 lakh that is most likely to take a bite out of the market share of its competitors, says Pavan Lall.

Jeep India, a part of automotive group Stellantis, on Tuesday announced the opening of bookings for its upcoming SUV Meridian, the production of which has also commenced from its joint venture manufacturing facility at Ranjangaon, Maharashtra.Customers can book the Meridian either at Jeep India dealership network or through the company's website with a down payment of Rs 50,000.Deliveries of the vehicle will start in June, it said in a statement.

The Meridian feels comfortable and upright with the quality of gadgetry, interiors and plastics expected from an international brand car.However, it lacks the overall premium-ness that may come with a top-end Japanese car or even a mid-range German car, says Pavan Lall.

The Carens is a warning for cars such as the Tata Safari, Hyundai Alcazar, Maruti Ertiga, Toyota Innova Crista and Mahindra XUV 700, because Kia punches much harder than others in its weight category.

Tata Motors on Wednesday launched its Tiago EV with introductory prices for first 10,000 customers ranging between Rs 8.49-11.79 lakh

Google's premium smartphone series Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro will be around 15-21 per cent costlier in India compared to other countries, according to the prices revealed by the company.The company has started pre-booking the Pixel 7 at Rs 59,999 ($729.36) and Pixel 7 Pro at Rs 84,999 ($1033.27) on the e-commerce portal Flipkart.The devices would be available from October 13.

Internet major Google will make the Pixel series of smartphones in India and they will become available from 2024 onward, a senior company official said on Thursday.Google senior vice president for devices and services, Rick Osterloh, said the company will partner with international contract manufacturers to make the phones in India.

Making the Pixel 8 in India will not necessarily bring the price down -- witness iPhones made in India that are more expensive than those in the US and Dubai.

'The plan is to assemble most of the new phones in India within three years.'

It supports a range of devices including smartphones, tablets, laptops, wireless chargers and smartwatches

The mixed reality headset blends both the physical and digital worlds covering from augmented reality to virtual reality.

The newly launched Fēnix 7 Series and Epix support Multi-GNSS positioning

Echo Buds are available at ₹11,999 for the USB-C wired charging option, and at ₹13,999 for wireless charging case option

The device monitors heart rate and blood oxygen levels, and comes with a daily activity tracker along with 14 sports modes

The watch is built to military standard 810 for thermal and shock resistance

The smart TVs will be available in 32-inch and 43-inch variants for pre-booking from March 12-16