Tag: smartphones

  • Pakistan’s mobile phone imports skyrocket, surpassing $987 million in first half of FY 23-24

    Pakistan’s mobile phone imports skyrocket, surpassing $987 million in first half of FY 23-24

    Pakistan has witnessed a remarkable surge in mobile phone imports, reaching $987.539 million during the first half (July–January) of the fiscal year 2023–24. 

    This marks a substantial growth of 138.08 per cent compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year, where imports totaled $414.800 million.

    The data, released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), underscores the country’s increasing reliance on imported mobile devices.

    In January 2024 alone, Pakistan’s mobile phone imports rose by 10.70 per cent on a month-on-month basis, totaling $194.928 million, compared to $176.093 million in December 2023. 

    Year-on-year comparisons reveal an even more staggering growth of 275.15 per cent in January 2024, compared to $51.960 million in January 2023.

    The overall telecom imports into Pakistan during July–January 2023–24 amounted to $1.243 billion, showcasing a robust 93.06 per cent growth compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year. 

    Year-on-year, the growth in overall telecom imports stood at an impressive 197.07 per cent, reaching $232.709 million in January 2024, compared to $78.336 million in January 2023.

    Despite challenges faced by the local manufacturing sector, including a decline of around four per cent in local manufacturing and assembling of mobile handsets during the calendar year 2023, commercial imports of mobile handsets increased. 

    Official data revealed that local manufacturing plants produced 21.28 million mobile handsets in 2023, compared to 21.94 million in 2022 and 24.66 million in 2021. However, commercial imports rose from 1.53 million in 2022 to 1.58 million in 2023.

    Moreover, of the locally manufactured and assembled mobile handsets in 2023, 13 million were 2G devices, and 8.28 million were smartphones. 

    According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), 59 per cent of mobile devices in Pakistan are smartphones, while 41 per cent are 2G devices.

    Despite the challenges faced by the local manufacturing sector, the significant growth in mobile phone imports underscores Pakistan’s increasing reliance on imported devices, contributing to the country’s evolving telecom landscape.

  • IT minister promises 5G launch, easy smartphone installment plans

    IT minister promises 5G launch, easy smartphone installment plans

    Caretaker Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication, Dr Umar Saif, emphasised on Wednesday that the government’s foremost commitment is to deliver high-quality telecom services to the public.

    During a meeting with the Group Chief Executive Officer of VEON, alongside CEO Jazz, Aamir Ibrahim, Dr Umar Saif highlighted that the government is actively taking measures to enhance connectivity across the country.

    A news release stated that various aspects of the telecom sector of mutual interest were discussed in the meeting.

    Dr Umar Saif, in discussions with the VEON delegation, revealed plans to auction the tech-neutral spectrum soon, aiming to elevate telecom services for the public.

    He pledged full support for the launch of 5G, assuring that the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication would collaborate closely with the telecom industry. Furthermore, he announced the forthcoming availability of smart mobile phones in convenient installments.

    Addressing the delegation, Dr Umar Saif conveyed that Pakistan offers a favourable investment environment and encouraged Jazz to invest in the e-agriculture, e-education, and e-health sectors.

    He praised the VEON Group for its noteworthy contributions to the technology sector and the provision of smartphones.

    Aamir Ibrahim, CEO of VEON, emphasised the importance of stable telecom systems as a foundation for the digital ecosystem and the economic stability of the country.

    The meeting was attended by senior officers of the IT Ministry, adding depth to the discussions on matters crucial to the development of the telecom sector.

  • Nearly 1,000 smartphones and high-tech gadgets seized by Customs at Faisalabad Airport

    Nearly 1,000 smartphones and high-tech gadgets seized by Customs at Faisalabad Airport

    According to reliable sources, customs officials at Faisalabad Airport recently intercepted a significant shipment of smuggled smartphones, drone cameras, and related accessories valued at millions of currency units. This operation led to the arrest of three suspected smugglers upon their arrival from Sharjah to Faisalabad.

    During the inspection of the passengers’ luggage, the customs officials discovered and seized 971 smartphones, 78 iPods, a drone camera, and gaming hardware concealed cleverly within their bags and shoppers.

    In a separate incident at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) apprehended a passenger named Abdul Razzaq, who had just returned from the UAE. The FIA spokesperson disclosed that the accused, Abdul Razzaq, was a wanted criminal in Punjab, specifically in connection with a murder case. Subsequently, the FIA handed over the suspect to the local police for further legal proceedings.

    Moreover, a few days prior to this incident, customs officials successfully thwarted an attempt to smuggle iPhones at Sialkot Airport. The authorities seized 30 smuggled iPhones worth nearly Rs100 million from a passenger named Adeel, who had arrived from Sharjah on flight number PK-210. Notably, the accused, Adeel, was identified as an employee of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). Investigations revealed that he was involved in the distribution of smuggled smartphones to Karachi and Lahore.

    Additionally, the customs officials disclosed that the accused PIA flight steward, Adeel, had an accomplice named Ali Ahmed, who was also part of the smartphone smuggling operation. Both individuals were employed by PIA.

    These actions by customs officials and law enforcement agencies demonstrate their commitment to curbing smuggling activities and ensuring the safety and security of the nation.

  • Restaurant bans customers from using smartphones while dining

    A Japanese ramen restaurant has announced that it will not allow customers to use their phones while dining.

    The restaurant’s owner, Kota Kai, put the ban in place last month after observing that patrons who were using their phones to view videos took the longest to begin eating.

    He claims that the thin, millimetre-wide noodles in his restaurant can rapidly turn mushy. According to Kai, even a quick film could cause a discernible impact in the ramen’s flavour.

    “It’s painful for me to see the ramen that I put my soul into making get ruined right before my eyes,” he said.

    Kai stated that he likes to deal with the clients directly as opposed to displaying posters about the phone restriction.

    “When the seats are full and I see people stopping eating while staring at their smartphones, I tell them (to stop),” he added.

  • Here’s how to pay PTA approval fees in installments with 0% markup

    Bank Alfalah’s e-marketplace, Alfa Mall, has recently launched a new service that offers interest-free installments for Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) approvals on some of the most popular and expensive smartphones. The smartphones that qualify for this service include the Samsung Galaxy S22, S22 Ultra, iPhone 13, and all iPhone 14 series phones.

    According to the Alfa Mall website, the total PTA charges for these phones range between Rs130,000 to Rs190,000, which can be paid in 3 to 6 monthly installments with 0 per cent markup. The process is simple: customers need to select an installment plan, enter their CNIC number, and also provide the IMEI code of their phone.

    It is important to note that the PTA approval process may take up to 3 to 5 working days, and customers will be notified of their approval through a confirmation call from the merchant.

    With this new service, Alfa Mall aims to provide customers with a more affordable and convenient way to purchase high-end smartphones without the burden of upfront payment for PTA approvals.

    You can visit this link for more details: How to pay PTA fees in installments

  • One in 10 people cannot remember own phone numbers, new study reveals

    One in 10 people cannot remember own phone numbers, new study reveals

    A recent survey conducted by WhistleOut, a consumer-focused website, has revealed that one in 10 people cannot remember their own phone numbers.

    The study reported that about 80 per cent of survey respondents had only a handful of phone numbers that they had memorised.

    The research revealed that one in 10 people could not remember their own phone numbers, 16 per cent do not have their parents’ numbers memorised and 17 per cent do not have their partner’s number memorised. Only 49 per cent have memorised between two to five numbers.  

    The reliance on mobile devices keeps people from retaining important information. A 2020 Panda Security survey termed it as “Digital Amnesia”, the effects of technology dependence that leads to an inability to remember things.

    A previous study said that six in 10 people simply “couldn’t cope” without their cell phones for more than a day and one in eight suffer anxiety when their phone battery is low.

  • Bag full of expensive smartphones found at Peshawar airport

    A bag full of expensive mobile phones was found at Peshawar’s Bacha Khan Airport on Sunday, ARY News reported.

    An unidentified passenger who arrived at the airport from Dubai via Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight, PK-284, left the bag and escaped.

    It is reported that the man left the bag out of fear of getting arrested for bringing a large number of smartphones into the country, they said.

    Read More: Teenager sells young wife to 55-year-old man to buy smartphone

    Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) officials took the bag into their custody and later handed it over to customs officials. The bag contains 141 mobile phones.

    ARY’s sources said a search operation has been launched to trace the passenger with the help of CCTV footage.

  • Pakistani doctor develops COVID-19 diagnostic test using smartphone

    A Pakistani doctor based in Toronto has launched an instant COVID-19 diagnostic test using a smartphone.

    Pakistan High Commissioner to Canada Raza Bashir Tarar has congratulated Dr Naqeeb Khalid for his achievement.

    Dr Naqeeb Khalid has graduated from King Edward Medical University in 1983 and has experience in the invention of medical devices and systems. The doctor told High Commissioner for Pakistan to Canada Raza Bashir Tarar that his invention will be used with the help of a digital platform that shows the result promptly on any smartphone. It can also communicate or save the results along with time and GPS information.

    He said that instant, precise and low-cost testing that does not rely on laboratory is vital in handling the pandemic. “Together with vaccines, we can control the COVID-19 outbreak and bring our lives and economies to normal.”

    In a video conversation with Dr Khalid, the high commissioner said the idea of a Covid test being displayed and communicated by the smartphone is admirable.

    He hoped such a quick, hassle-free, accessible and affordable invention would be of huge help to humanity in overcoming the current pandemic.

    Tarar says that clinical trials of the innovation would prove its efficacy for the COVID-19 test and make the way for necessary approvals before put to use at the mass level.

    The smartphone application would soon be available to download from the AppStore.

  • All about the new, upcoming OnePlus 8T

    All about the new, upcoming OnePlus 8T

    The OnePlus has finally launched 8T variant with features like improved 65W fast charging, 120 Hz refresh rate of the display and improved design. 

    Design and Display

    The 8T has a flat display panel unlike the base OnePlus 8 and has thinner surrounding bezels as well. It has a 6.55-inch AMOLED panel with FHD+ resolution, but increased refresh rate to 120Hz akin to the 8 Pro. The cornered punch-hole and the in-display fingerprint sensor is still there.

    The back now has a large L shaped camera set up in a rectangular housing similar to Huawei’s P40 series.

    Storage and processing power

    OnePlus 8T has installed its flagship Snapdragon 865 with the same storage configurations going up to 12GB RAM and 256GB. 

    There is no memory card slot for storage expansion. The device will boot Andriod 11 with Oxygen OS 11 which will let you upgrade to newer Android versions for the next 3-4 years. It is commendable because many smartphones get slower after three to four android updates. 

    Camera

    The installed camera setup is virtually the same, but they have added 2 megapixels (MP) depth sensor. Rest of the cameras are the same: 48MP primary lens, a 16 MP ultrawide lens, and a 5MP macro lens. An ultra-zoom lens is still missing in this variant. 

    The finest improvement is 4,500 mAh power cell that can be charged from 0 to 100% in just 40 minutes. This is one of the biggest improvements that the 8T brings is fast charging. It has a 4,500 mAh power cell that can be charged from 0 to 100% in just 40 minutes thanks to 65W fast charging.

    The OnePlus 8T will be available in Aquamarine Green and Lunar Silver colour options once it goes for sale on October 23 for $750.

  • Huawei overtakes Samsung, Apple as top smartphone seller

    Huawei overtakes Samsung, Apple as top smartphone seller

    Chinese phone maker Huawei has overtaken Samsung and Apple to become the top smartphone seller worldwide in the second quarter of 2020 due to strong domestic demand.

    Canalys, a global technology analysis firm, revealed that Huawei shipped 55.8 million devices and they have overtaken Samsung for the first time. Samsung has shipped 53.7 million units in comparison to Huawei.

    The findings marked the first quarter in nine years that a company other than Samsung or Apple has led the market, Canalys said. According to their latest report, Huawei sold over 5,000 more smartphones than Apple in the second quarter of the financial year.

    According to sales data, Huawei is most popular in Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain as well as Colombia, Egypt and South Africa.

    Although the sanctions from the United States (US) has choked Huawei business outside mainland China, yet it has grown to dominate its substantial home market.

    Huawei said in a statement it is a sign of “exceptional resilience”. However, overseas shipment fell nearly a third in the second quarter and Canalys analyst Mo Jia warned that strength in China alone “will not be enough to sustain Huawei at the top once the global economy starts to recover”.

    “Its major channel partners in key regions, such as Europe, are increasingly wary of ranging Huawei devices, taking on fewer models, and bringing in new brands to reduce risk,” Mo said.