Samsung has unveiled their Galaxy Note 8 with dual camera and Bixby voice assistant in a return for the high end smartphone brand. The successor to the ill fated Note 7 will have the biggest screen yet with a 6.3-inch screen and 6GB RAM.
Undeterred by the total recall of their Note 7 due to a battery catastrophe, Samsung unveiled their brand new phone with the signature stylus, hoping to recover the reputation of the Note model. Speaking at the unveiling event held in Park Avenue Armory in New York, President of Mobile Communication, D.J. Koh kick started the event by thanking all those faithful users of Samsung for sticking with them through their tough times. He went on to introduce their latest device which will be released in stores on September 15th.
The Note 8 is built on the highly successful S8 and S8+ with slightly larger features including a bigger display with corners that are more squared off and less curvature to the front side edges.
Although this phone is slightly heftier than the S8 Plus, it will pack a Snapdragon 835 processor, 64GB of storage and 6GB of RAM. Similar to the recently unveiled OnePlus 5, the Note 8 will also carry two 12 megapixel cameras with a regular, wide angle with an aperture of f/1.7 while the telephoto lens will have an aperture of f/2.4. Both sensors will offer optical image stabilization, which Samsung claims is a first in the industry. Note 8 users will be able to utilize the telephoto camera more often instead of defaulting to the regular camera in low light conditions. The dual cameras allow the phone to have its own take on iPhone 7’s portrait mode and a “Dual Capture” mode which stitches together photos from both cameras and saves them individually.
Note 8 also showcases the challenger to Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant, Samsung’s Bixby voice assistant. Bixby, activated through voice control, responds to the phrase ‘Hi Bixby’ and the phone will also have the dedicated physical button for Samsung’s digital assistant. Note 8 will also have DeX which will allows users to connect their phones to a monitor, keyboard and mouse for a desktop experience powered by the phone. The company has also stuck with their stylus S Pen which can now take up to 100 pages of notes in the Screen Off Memo mode. Samsung’s director of product strategy, Suzanne De Silva demonstrated the capabilities of the S Pen which will be able to highlight and translate text into 71 languages, will be available for use in messaging apps and allow users to create art. The new Live Message feature allows users to handwrite a message or picture with the S Pen, send it to someone in a message and play it back as an animation. The Live Messages will be saved as GIFs that can be shared easily across all social media.
The price for this latest smartphone has been revealed yet but President D.J. Koh did confirm that a speaker powered by the Samsung assistant may be coming soon. Samsung’s smart speaker will enter a crowded market, dominated by the Amazon Echo and Google Home, while the Note 8 will be competing against the iPhone 8 set to be revealed very soon.
PhonePe’s PINCODE app has launched a 24×7 online medicine delivery service in Bangalore, Mumbai, and Pune, promising delivery of both prescription and over-the-counter medicines within 10 minutes from nearby local medical shops. Unlike conventional e-pharmacies that use dark stores, PINCODE partners exclusively with neighborhood pharmacies, enabling faster deliveries and supporting local businesses in the digital economy.
Customers without prescriptions can select a “no prescription” option when ordering; a qualified doctor then provides a free teleconsultation and issues a digital prescription compliant with telemedicine guidelines, ensuring seamless access to medicines. The app offers competitive pricing by passing discounts from local pharmacies directly to customers and charges no delivery fees.
PINCODE’s hyperlocal model enhances healthcare accessibility and convenience while empowering local pharmacies, helping them remain integral to their communities and stimulating local economic growth. Launched in 2023, the app focuses on quick commerce with an emphasis on speed, reliability, and supporting local sellers.
In summary, PhonePe’s PINCODE app is transforming medicine delivery in major Indian cities by combining ultra-fast 10-minute delivery, free doctor consultations, and a hyperlocal sourcing model that benefits both consumers and neighborhood pharmacies.
Cashfree Payments has appointed Piyush Anchliya as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective April 15, 2025. Anchliya brings over 15 years of experience in investment banking, corporate finance, strategy, and mergers and acquisitions, with senior roles at Barclays, Bandhan Group, and most recently as CFO of Bandhan AMC. He holds an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad and a B.Tech. from IIT Kharagpur.
In his new role, Anchliya will lead Cashfree’s financial strategy, optimize operations, and support the company’s next growth phase. He will report to CEO and Co-founder Akash Sinha, who highlighted Anchliya’s expertise as vital for sustainable scaling and strengthening the company’s financial foundation. Anchliya succeeds outgoing CFO Vikas Guru, who will assist during the transition.
Founded in 2015, Cashfree Payments processes over $80 billion annually for more than 800,000 businesses. The company recently raised $53 million in funding led by KRAFTON and Apis Growth Fund II and secured key RBI licenses, positioning it for accelerated growth in India’s fintech sector. Anchliya’s appointment comes at a pivotal time as Cashfree aims to expand its leadership in digital payments.
Jeyandran Venugopal, the outgoing Chief Product and Technology Officer of Flipkart, is set to become the CEO of Reliance Retail Ventures (RRV), the retail arm of Reliance Industries. His appointment, expected to be finalized in May after his exit from Flipkart, signals Reliance’s push to strengthen its retail business with a technology-first approach.
Venugopal brings extensive experience from leading roles at Flipkart, Myntra, Yahoo, Snapdeal, and Amazon, where he focused on scaling technology platforms and driving innovation. At Flipkart, he managed product, engineering, data science, and more, helping build robust systems and improve user experience.
His move comes as Reliance Retail undergoes transformation, including cost-cutting and a renewed focus on digital growth. Venugopal’s leadership is expected to accelerate Reliance’s ambitions in omnichannel and tech-driven retail, positioning the company for continued dominance in India’s evolving market.