Twitter is now bringing videos to the main feed and the internet is not happy

Reels and shorts are all that we are seeing these days on multiple platforms whether it be reels on Facebook and Instagram or Shorts on YouTube and now it looks like Twitter is jumping on the bandwagon as well.

Twitter recently brought Instagram-like reels to its feed and users are not happy. The unlimited scrolling that can be done on Instagram in the form of reels now can be done on Twitter as well but for iOS only. This feature could be found in the explore section of the app like it is in Insta.

But, that has become a thing of the past because according to Taylor Lorenz who writes tech columns for the Washington Post, Twitter is now forcing reel-like videos to the main feed. She posted a screenshot that featured reel-like videos on the main feed like one of the people and topics that one follows under the heading of Suggested Videos.

Now this move of Twitter was very unappreciated because it felt like the feature was being forced upon the users and it was taking away the authenticity of the app and its uniqueness by being a blatant copy of TikTok who started this whole full-screen video trend.

The app which blew up in 2020 when everything was on lockdown, TikTok offered its users a way to create short videos and put them in a place with a super easy user interface. When it started to get the attention of users of all ages, other apps saw its main purpose as a feature that could help boost their revenues and that is how we have Reels on Instagram and Facebook and Shorts on YouTube.

Read next: Twitter Rolls Out Innovative Icons That Give Its Web, iOS, And Android Interfaces A New Look
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

YouTube’s iOS App Is Getting A Major Revamp Including A Darker Theme And Smart TV Apps

You may have heard about YouTube stepping up its game and now, we’re hearing about how the platform’s iOS app is getting transformed.

Think along the lines of a darker theme, smart TV apps, and a wonderful online experience. Before that, the company also unveiled how it plans on adding new gestures that allow users to pinch and swipe in one go too.

The news comes after plenty of trials and experiments and we agree, they weren’t all too successful. But now, the company is on a mission to promote its redesign in a manner that users can view the service.

As of now, the look is already out and up for grabs and the firm says users can gain benefits through it from both iOS and Android.

The company recently went public with the news and published how they were super excited about the revamp that entails a bunch of features offering the most modern and wonderful viewing experience out there. Moreover, we’ve also seen them speak about how they’re working on bettering viewership too.

YouTube says that despite all of these changes coming people’s way, the same old YouTube that fans love and have been adoring from day one would still be at the core of it all.

But if we had to pick out one change that was really making a huge difference on the platform, it would certainly have to be the new Ambient Mode. This makes use of dynamic colors and adds a subtle effect. This way, the background seen on the app would adapt so much more better and seamlessly to the video.

These new features would now be including the likes of converting links seen in video descriptions into buttons. Similarly, you can benefit from sharing and downloads which get formatted to prevent distractions. And if that was not enough, the button for subscriptions is also being redesigned to make it so much easier to search for.

Users would now be given the chance to pinch to zoom on various iOS devices using the landscape mode and this way, images continually stay in the zoomed-in model.

Similarly, the app has spoken about a new functionality called ‘precision seeking’ that allows both desktop and mobile app users the chance to drag and swipe while seeking the display via a new row for thumbnails seen inside video players.

You can also be given the chance to make fine-tuned adjustments that enable you to reach a certain part of a video.

These updates for iOS will be rolling out soon for all globally but it will certainly take some time. So you really need to keep a lookout for that.

Meanwhile, the company has yet to speak in detail about if it counts the hardware found on Apple TV as a leading platform that would represent its new theme.

Read next: TikTok And Facebook Approve Ads Filled With Political Misinformation, Claims New Study
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

As ASP rises, 50% of Indian smartphone consumers may upgrade within a year

The yearly smartphone consumer study carried out by Counterpoint Research for India has finally been released. According to the report, almost 50% of smartphone users in India are planning to get their hands on a new handset in less than a year.

Furthermore, the report also says that the average selling price, aka ASP, may also go up as smartphone users need a higher price band on their future handsets. While talking about smartphone manufacturers, giants including Samsung, OnePlus, and Apple may see tough competition among themselves. And lastly, 5G-supported phones will be preferred this year as the world is getting ready to welcome the 5G service.

The main idea behind this study was to learn more about the current trends that will be kept in mind by smartphone users while buying their new handset. With ASP going up, the price range has shifted from INR 10,000-INR 15,000 to INR 15,000-INR 20,000, and, based on this trend, the future range may further go up to INR 20,000-INR 30,000.

According to Arushi Chawla, a research analyst, owners prefer that the next purchase they make is more advanced than their previous one. 1/3 of the owners tend to keep their previous device with them while they get their hands on a new one, whereas 1/4 of them use the old device to exchange it with a new one.

While Apple, Samsung, and One Plus are among the favorite ones, based on loyalty Samsung is way above the other two, as almost fifty-one percent of those who were Samsung users are still using the mobile phones of the same company.

Chawla further talked about the spot Samsung holds in the Indian market. The reason why Samsung is preferred by the majority of users is because of the different price ranges offered by the company and the features it offers on its new devices. Chawla continued that other factors such as brand image, features, and the UI offered by them are also kept in mind by the users.

The Counterpoints study was based on the responses gathered from 1075 smartphone consumers and was conducted through an online panel.

Read next: New Research Finds Americans Are Grumpier Thanks To The Pandemic
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Researchers Ring Alarm Bells As Android Adware Apps Were Installed Over 20 Million Times On Google Play

A team of security researchers from McAfee is ringing the alarm bells about a new set of malware apps that have been installed more than 20 million times through the Google Play Store.

A total of 16 different apps were highlighted as being extremely dangerous and given the label of clicker apps, which includes, High-Speed Camera (10,000,000+ downloads), Smart Task Manager (5,000,000+ downloads), Flashlight+ (1,000,000+ downloads), K-Dictionary (1,000,000+ downloads), BusanBus (1,000,000+ downloads), Quick Note (500,000+ downloads), Currency Converter (500,000+ downloads), Joycode (100,000+ downloads), Instagram Profile Downloader (100,000+ downloads) and more. These manage to make their way into the Google Play Store which most people consider to be the safest out there in terms of their Android devices. But this new report is proving otherwise.

So what are Clicker apps and are they really that dangerous? Well, you might be surprised to learn that the answer to such questions is yes!

These apps are outlined to be a type of adware that is responsible for loading all types of ads located inside invisible frames. They’re situated in the background and entail plenty of clicks that assist in making money through operators.

This ends up causing serious changes to a user’s device like poor performance, extra battery consumption and even overheating. Let’s not forget the great charges that come with mobile data too.

While all the apps highlighted by the McAfee team may have been removed from the Google Play Store after this particular report was published, the news is definitely concerning. And that has to do with the great figures attached that comprise over 20 million.

One of the worst ones outlined is called DxClean. It’s been downloaded more than 5 million times before it was labeled malicious. But overall, you’ll be amazed at the great ratings it received on the store as one of the most popular cleaners for systems out there, including a great optimizer too.

It promised to detect all sorts of slowdowns taking place on your system and even halt annoying ads that pop up. But it’s interesting to note how it was doing just the same in disguise or behind the scenes.

So how exactly do these clicker app function? Once they’re installed, these apps download their respective configurations through remote locations and need to register FCMs to get respective push texts. These entail instructions for clickers like the parameters being used and functions for calls

McAfee then went on to explain in its report how the FCM would receive a message and then meet the same condition, this caused the malicious app to begin functioning. So the main goal is to visit those web pages that get delivered through FCM means.

They will respectively scan these while trying to copy the user’s actions, as explained by researchers out there. Security experts also revealed how the app’s live posting SDKS may function alone and create ad impressions but newer versions for such apps actually entail both types of libraries.

No victim gets the chance to directly engage with the website that’s opened so it’s not likely that they’ll end up noticing any underground processes that take place such as how it makes profits for the respective remote operators.

Another strategy that it uses to avoid being caught is not starting off the activity during the first hour after app installation. So with a delayed start, users are unlikely to notice and hence carry on with their usual activity.

Experts claim that one way to figure out if you’ve got this app installed is to keep a check on battery consumption. If your system is not being used for a while and still your battery is getting drained and your data is being consumed, something is definitely fishy.

Read next: New Study Highlights The Skills Gap In The Cybersecurity Industry Due To Shortage Of Qualified Professionals
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Apple Watch Credited For Early Detection Of Young Girl’s Cancer Through Its Heart Rate Alerts

The Apple Watch is certainly on a roll and today, we’ve got another miraculous story that hints at its lifesaving features.

In the past, we’ve heard about its innovative snore alerts and crash detection features that have really brought about miraculous changes in people's lives. But today, we’ve got another inspiring story linked to the Apple Watch and its heart rate notifications.

The watch has been hailed for detecting heart disease and for saving lives after the device noticed a 12-year-old’s irregular heartbeat. That may have otherwise gone unnoticed for obvious reasons because let’s face it, not everyone monitors their heart rate on a usual basis.

After notifying the young girl, the parents were able to take immediate notice and rushed for medical attention. This is when she was diagnosed with an early stage of cancer that allowed her to undergo treatment on time.

The report was recently published in Hour Detriot where the patient was identified as 12-year-old Jessica Kitchen. Now, her family and others in the community are hailing the device as not only a modern gadget that’s fancy to look at and wear but extremely useful too.

The device from Apple began to alert the young girl about the abnormally high heart rate. And she says that it never happened before. Hence, she knew that something was wrong.

Her mom continued by mentioning how the device continued to go off on a routine basis and that is what prompted her for a checkup at the doctor’s office.

Doctors found a tumor inside the appendix and it was a rare sighting found in kids her age. But more bad news followed as cancer started to follow to other parts of the body. Hence, she was forced to undergo surgery twice and get it removed. She is lucky and super grateful that everything turned out well.

The young girl’s mom says that the Apple watch was a savior because she kept delaying her visits to the hospital. But the constant beeping was an alarm to visit soon and if they had waited much longer, it may have been super fatal.

Meanwhile, another top influencer in the world of digital health says these fancy wearables are not only great to look at but so helpful. They’re literally helping to build people’s health and are assisting them to understand normal from abnormal behavior of their body.

It’s true that wearables aren’t a miracle but this combined with human efforts can really enhance your well-being.

This is one of the many miraculous stories we’re hearing about the Cupertino firm saving lives through its Apple Watch.

During this past month, a 34-year-old woman found out she was expecting when her heart rate during the resting phase increased. On the other hand, an elderly citizen unknowingly had his watch call up emergency services after he had fainted and slammed his body hard on the ground. This got Apple’s sensors in full detection mode.

Read next: LinkedIn Cracks Down On Fake Profiles As 600,000 Employees Falsely Enlist Apple As Their Employer
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Report reveals that Alibaba has the most Gross Merchandise Value out of all the C2C websites

After Covid hit 3 years ago it confined everyone to their homes and shopping alongside every other thing that moved online. That led to the rise of online retailing apps and websites like Alibaba and Amazon. These websites are those that give C2C or Consumer to Consumer opportunities to people. On these websites, users can upload items for sale and buy them as well. Now, if we talk about the most popular C2C business website then, eBay might just be on the top but according to a new survey conducted by GroupM Alibaba has taken that stop.

The above-mentioned survey was conducted by GroupM and was revealed to the public in September. The report was titled “This year, Next year: E-commerce and Retail Media Forecast” and was based on Retail Ecommerce Gross Merchandise Value (GMV).

For those who don’t know GMV OR Gross Merchandise Value is the amount of merchandise that has been sold through C2C or on e-commerce platforms. According to the data shared by GroupM Alibaba has taken first place based on GMV with 1,249 billion dollars worth of goods that had been sold on the website in 2021.

The Second place was taken by Amazon. The app is used by the majority of people in the US and Canada and the regions surrounding them. In the East, however, apps like Alibaba and Amazon are preferred. The Commerce giant does not only have an online website but there are physical stores too under the same name. Well coming on to the point, Amazon had a second place with 602.0 billion dollars. The third and fourth places were held by JD.com ($505.3 billion) and Pinduoduo ($383.0 billion) respectively.

eBay was surprisingly in fifth place with a meager amount of 85 billion dollars spent on the app. And not so surprisingly Walmart was in fifth place with a total amount of 73.2 billion dollars.

Read next: 33% Of US Teenagers and Adults Reportedly to Be Scammed Recently
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

How to Get the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes

It is no secret that car insurance can be quite expensive. However, there are a few things that you can do in order to get the cheapest car insurance quotes.

First of all, it is important that you shop around and compare different companies. Shopping around and comparing car insurance quotes will enable you to see which company offers the best rates.

It is also important to keep in mind that the cheapest car insurance quote might not always be the best deal. Sometimes, it might be worth it to pay a little bit more in order to get better coverage.

Lastly, make sure to take advantage of any discounts that you might be eligible for. For example, many companies offer discounts for good drivers or for people who have taken a defensive driving course.

What are the different types of car insurance coverage?

There are four types of car insurance: liability, collision, comprehensive, and personal injury protection (PIP).

Liability insurance covers damage to other people or property in an accident for which you are at fault. It does not cover your own vehicle.

Collision insurance covers damage to your own vehicle in an accident, regardless of who is at fault.

Comprehensive insurance covers damage to your own vehicle from events other than accidents, such as theft, fire, or weather damage.

Personal injury protection (PIP) insurance covers medical expenses and lost wages for you and your passengers if you are injured in an accident, regardless of who is at fault.

There are also some optional types of car insurance coverage, such as gap insurance, which covers the difference between what you owe on your vehicle and its actual cash value if it is totaled in an accident, and rental car reimbursement, which covers the cost of renting a car if your vehicle is damaged or stolen.

What factors affect car insurance quotes

There are a few factors that affect car insurance quotes. One is the type of car you drive. Sports cars and luxury vehicles tend to be more expensive to insure than economy or mid-sized cars. This is because they're more likely to be involved in accidents, and they're also more expensive to repair.

Another factor that affects car insurance quotes is your driving record. If you have a clean record, you'll probably pay less for insurance than someone who has had accidents or traffic violations. Insurance companies also consider where you live when determining your rates. If you live in an urban area, you'll probably pay more for insurance than someone who lives in a rural area. This is because there's more traffic and congestion in cities, which increases the chances of accidents.

How do car insurance quotes work?

Car insurance quotes are estimates of what a company will charge to insure your car. Quotes are generated based on information you provide about yourself, your car, and your driving history. The quote will also be based on the company's assessment of your risk.

To get a quote, you'll need to provide the following information:

• Your name, address, and date of birth
• The make, model, and year of your car
• Your driving history (including any accidents or violations)

After you provide this information, the insurance company will use it to generate a quote. The quote will be an estimate of what the company thinks it will cost to insure your car.

It's important to remember that quotes are just estimates. The final cost of your insurance policy may be different from the quote, depending on other factors such as your age, gender, and credit history.

How to negotiate a lower car insurance quote

There are a few things you can do to try to lower your car insurance quote. One is to shop around and compare rates from different companies. Another is to ask about discounts. Some companies offer discounts for good drivers, students, or people who have taken a defensive driving course. You can also try to negotiate a lower rate with your current company.

If you have a clean driving record, you may be able to get a lower rate by switching to a company that offers discounts for good drivers. You can also try to negotiate a lower rate with your current company. Some companies offer discounts for students or people who have taken a defensive driving course. You may be able to get a lower rate if you are willing to pay a higher deductible.

You can also try to get a lower rate by switching to a company that offers discounts for good drivers, students, or people who have taken a defensive driving course. You may be able to get a lower rate if you are willing to pay a higher deductible.

When it comes to car insurance, the best way to get the cheapest quote is to shop around and compare rates from different companies. You can do this by using an online comparison tool, or by contacting each company directly.
by Web Desk via Digital Information World