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Apple Sued By Japanese Software Company Over Animoji Trademark

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Apple Animoji Sued By Japanese Software Company,Startup Stories,Latest Business News 2017,Latest Technology News and Updates,Apple Owns Animoji Trademark,Animoji Feature in Apple,Emonster CEO Enrique Bonansea,Texting App Animoji,Apple iPhone X Animoji Feature,Emonster app Animoji,Apple Animoji Feature

Apple’s much hyped smartphone iPhone X is facing a lawsuit even before it’s launch. A Japanese software company emonster k.k., is suing the technology giant Apple over the trademark for the term “Animoji.” Tokyo based Emonster has filed the lawsuit alleging the US technology company stole the name to be used on a feature of its iPhoneX phone.

According to the lawsuit lodged with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Emonster’s Chief Executive Officer Enrique Bonansea registered a trademark for his texting app Animoji in 2014. The lawsuit also claims,“Apple decided to take the name and pretend to the world that ‘Animoji’ was original to Apple.”

Emonster’s app Animoji – Free Animated Texting (Patent Pending) is available on the iOS App Store for $ 0.99. The app is described as a “fast, free and easy to use tool to animate your text and email messages.” Calling it a willful and deliberate trademark infringement, Emonster alleges the company made the conscious decision to try to pilfer the name for itself. Enrique Bonansea was also reportedly approached by a series of companies to buy the trademark. The company also claims they were even “threatened to file a cancellation proceeding if Bonansea did not sell the mark.

Emonster Inc., however, did not exist at the time of the original trademark filing because Bonansea lived in Seattle prior to moving to Japan. But, the suit points out, when the mark was first filed, the now dissolved “emonster Inc.,” and current Japanese corporation, “emonster k.k.,” acted as a single commercial enterprise. Therefore, emonster k.k., has reapplied for the “Animoji” trademark on September 12, 2017, using the app’s 2014 launch data as a basis for registration.

Apple announced the latest tech which brought the emojis to life using the TrueDepth camera in the iPhoneX. Customers can record and send Animoji messages using the pre installed iMessage app. Apple’s animoji feature uses an A11 Bionic camera to analyze over 50 facial muscle movements to animate them to a dozen different “Animojis.” The iPhoneX, priced at $ 999, is scheduled to be released in November while prebooking will begin in the last week of October.

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Zoho Pay Debuts as India’s New UPI Challenger, Taking on PhonePe, Paytm, and Google Pay

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Zoho Payment

Zoho Corporation has expanded its fintech portfolio with the launch of Zoho Pay, a UPI-based payments app built to challenge India’s top digital payment giants such as PhonePe, Paytm, and Google Pay. The new app supports peer-to-peer transfers, bill payments, QR-based transactions, and merchant settlements in a streamlined interface. Available as both a standalone app and an integrated feature inside Zoho’s privacy-driven messenger Arattai, Zoho Pay enables users to handle chats and payments in one platform, emphasizing data privacy and Made-in-India innovation.​

Through seamless integration with Arattai, Zoho Pay allows users to send or request payments, split expenses, and conduct UPI-based transactions directly in their chat windows. Users can link bank accounts, scan dynamic QR codes, and receive audio confirmations of payments, ensuring speed and security. This design mirrors the simplicity of India’s leading UPI apps but is powered by Zoho’s non-advertising, privacy-first model. The integration aligns with Zoho’s mission to build a self-reliant digital ecosystem, where messaging and money management coexist securely.​

In the competitive digital payments market, Zoho Pay differentiates itself through its tight business software integration with apps like Zoho Books, Zoho Payroll, and Zoho Commerce, offering small businesses unified access to payments, billing, and accounting. The company is also expanding its reach with POS devices for merchants featuring UPI QR, card payments, and instant reconciliation tools. With founder Sridhar Vembu’s vision of a ‘Chat + Pay’ ecosystem, Zoho Pay reflects a bold step toward redefining India’s fintech scene with a secure, ad-free, and locally developed alternative to global payment platforms.

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Meta Expands AI-Powered Reels Translation to Hindi and Portuguese, Enhancing Global Creator Reach

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Meta has expanded its AI-powered translation feature for Reels to include Hindi and Portuguese, joining English and Spanish in empowering creators to reach a broader global audience on Instagram and Facebook. Originally launched in August 2025 with support for English and Spanish, this update now allows creators to seamlessly translate and dub their short videos, breaking language barriers across some of the largest Reels markets worldwide. The AI technology mimics the creator’s voice tone and even offers lip-syncing to ensure the translated videos feel natural and engaging for viewers.​

This enhancement is especially significant for India, the largest market for Facebook and Instagram, where over 600 million people speak Hindi. Content creators who are not fluent in Hindi can now easily access this vast audience, increasing their reach and engagement across diverse linguistic groups. To maintain transparency, all translated Reels are clearly labeled with “Translated with Meta AI,” and viewers can choose to switch translations on or off based on their preference.​

In addition to voice dubbing, Meta is developing features to translate captions and text stickers on Reels, making content more accessible even without sound. These AI translation tools are available free for eligible public Instagram accounts and Facebook creator profiles with over 1,000 followers. This innovation reinforces Meta’s commitment to fostering cross-cultural content sharing and enhancing creators’ ability to connect with audiences around the world through short-form videos.

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Dunzo’s Collapse: Reliance’s ₹1,645 Crore Loss Signals Challenges in India’s Hyperlocal Delivery Market

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Startup Stories

Reliance Industries has officially written off its $200 million investment in Dunzo, a once promising quick-commerce startup in India. Despite high-profile backing and the potential to disrupt the hyperlocal delivery sector, Dunzo faced insurmountable challenges including high operational costs, unsustainable cash burn, and stiff competition from larger players like Zepto and Blinkit. Reliance’s decision follows Dunzo’s operational suspension, leadership exits, and failed attempts at securing additional funding or acquisition partners, ultimately resulting in the company’s digital platforms going offline in early 2025.​

The downfall of Dunzo was accelerated by its inability to maintain a healthy balance between rapid expansion and revenue growth, with losses in FY23 reaching an alarming ₹1,800 crore. With monthly expenses crossing ₹100 crore and mounting pressure to scale, Dunzo resorted to layoffs and delayed payments before shutting down most services outside Bengaluru. Reliance’s significant stake, initially seen as a strategic advantage, ended up limiting the startup’s flexibility in making independent decisions during its final months.​

Reliance’s write-off sends a strong message to India’s startup ecosystem about the risks inherent in quick-commerce and hyperlocal delivery models. Investors are increasingly focused on sustainable growth, disciplined scaling, and profitability. For Reliance, lessons from Dunzo’s collapse are shaping future e-commerce strategies, driving greater emphasis on operational efficiency and prudent financial planning in an intensely competitive market.

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