Share to lead the transformation

In a strategic move to expand its digital presence, Jio Platforms, the telecoms and digital arm of the Indian multinational Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has revamped its Jio web browser and given it a new identity called JioPages. The company says that the newly incarnated JioPages web browser has been designed and developed entirely in India.

Jio’s ‘Made In India’ JioPages web browser has been part of Jio’s aggressive push to transform itself into a digital services behemoth by tapping into India’s growing internet marketplace.

JioPages be downloaded from the Google play store and equipped with features such as eight Indian language support, customized news content creation, faster media streaming, incognito browsing, encrypted connection, among others.

Jio’s new web browser also supports India’s regional language content and provide access to display information cards. A user can find immediate info on topics such as stock market trends, commodity prices, and cricket score through these cards.

The Blink browser engine has powered JioPages web browser. This Blink technology was developed as part of the Chromium project in 2013, supported by Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Opera Software, Adobe Systems, Intel, IBM, Samsung, among other tech giants.

JioPages could change the Indian digital dynamics

Jio’s new web browser JioPages, can be a game-changing move for the company. One needs to be cognizant that the company had earlier launched its browser in 2019 with limited success. Many users had complained about its tedious interface and the browser’s letdown to support various internet sites effortlessly.

However, with a massive surge of investments from Facebook, Google, Qualcomm, and Intel, the Jio Platforms is in a better shape to fortify its digital offerings.

On its face, the JioPages web – browser appears fast, well designed, and capable of delivering a secure web browsing experience. The new network-browser will enable Jio Platforms to offer easy access to its dozen mobile applications spanning different e-service categories such as Jio Mart.

With 5G technology set to make its foray soon, JioPages, depending upon its success, can shake-up the digital apps market. Jio might collaborate with many Indian digital companies to give them a quick launchpad through integrated links and preferential custom widgets.

A tectonic shift in Jio’s strategy

Jio, which started as India’s only telecom operator, swiftly changed gears in recent times with an eagle’s eye on becoming India’s exclusive digital powerhouse.

Today, when most of the companies struggle to exist amidst the pandemic, Jio Platforms’ enterprise value has been approximated to be over US $70 billion, crossing the 400-million subscriber milestone.

Amidst the global downturn and massive increase in internet consumption due to the pandemic-enforced work-from-home environment, the recent investments have given Jio a strategic leapfrog. (See: The Jio ecosystem has begun to unfold, and Jio driving digital shifts in the economy)

Moreover, the growing outburst against China-based companies and the local government’s increased push toward self-reliant India is expected to give a great head-start to several of Jio’s upcoming initiatives. (See: Paytm Mini App Store: A threat to Google’s dominance?)

The Mukesh Ambani-owned company is preparing extensively to leverage forthcoming 5G technology for innovations across all verticals.

Jio Platform is working with several global tech players to develop exciting future internet of things (IoT) based solutions such as connected cars, drones, and smart-homes.

Climate Change: Javadekar takes charge

Prakash Javadekar today assumed charge as the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change here today. He was greeted at the office at Paryavaran Bhawan by Environment Secretary Shri C K Mishra and other senior officials of the ministry. Babul Supriyo also assumed charge as Minister of State.

Briefing the media after assuming the charge, the Union Minister said it is like a home coming for him as he already served in the ministry for two years in the first term of NDA government. He stressed that we will strongly reinforce that this ministry is seen as a facilitator and not merely as a regulator. “Economic growth and environment protection should go simultaneously, and we need to work with an increased impetus towards that”, said Javadekar.

After assuming the charge, the Minister also held a meeting with the senior officers of the Ministry where he was briefed on the key initiatives and policy issues of the Ministry.

Infosys Foundation Opens Aarohan Awards 2019

The awards would recognize solutions that could positively impact the underprivileged in India. (Representative image)

Infosys Foundation, the philanthropic and CSR arm of Infosys, has announced the launch of the second edition of the Aarohan Social Innovation Awards. The award is aimed at accelerating innovation in the social sector. The Aarohan Social Innovation Awards 2019 seek to recognize and reward individuals, teams or NGOs developing unique solutions that have the potential to positively impact the underprivileged in India, at scale.

Speaking at the launch of the second edition of the awards, Infosys Foundation Chairperson Sudha Murty said, “The Aarohan Social Innovation Awards 2018 was a huge success. Infosys Foundation witnessed a very good response from social innovators across the country and eventually, 12 leading innovators were recognised and awarded. The overwhelming response we got last year, has reaffirmed my belief that there are innumerable innovators across India who are looking up to this platform to give wings to their passion by scaling their innovation and impacting millions of lives. With the second edition of the awards, we hope to discover these hidden social innovators across the country and help them scale the power of their social innovations”

The awards will accept submissions across six categories, namely, Healthcare, Rural Development, Destitute Care, Women’s Safety & Empowerment, Education & Sports, and Sustainability.

The submission process for the second edition of these awards commences on July 15, 2019 and will continue till September 30, 2019. Participants can submit entries describing their work in the form of videos that can be uploaded on the Aarohan Social Innovation Awards website. The entries must be of a fully functioning prototype, not just a concept, idea or mock up. Additionally, the project must not be an established commercial venture.

Aarohan Social Innovation Awards will also offer winners an opportunity for residential technical mentorship at the IIT Hyderabad campus for up to 12 weeks to help them further develop and scale their solutions.

A panel of distinguished judges will evaluate and select the winners whose submissions will be assessed on five broad criteria – application to a social problem or need, innovative use of technology, originality of ideas, ease of use and the quality of presentation. The jury will comprise Prof. Trilochan Sastry, former Dean, IIM Bangalore; Padma Shree Arvind Gupta, an Indian toy inventor and science expert; Prof. Anil Gupta, visiting faculty member, IIM Ahmedabad, a globally renowned scholar of grassroots innovations and founder of the Honey Bee Network; Prof. GVV Sharma, Faculty member of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Coordinator, Teaching Learning Centre, IIT Hyderabad; Sumit Virmani, Senior Vice President and Global Head – Marketing, Infosys, and Infosys Foundation Chairperson, renowned author and philanthropist Sudha Murty.

Jio eyes more digital edge with JioPages web browser

Climate Change: Javadekar takes charge

Infosys Foundation Opens Aarohan Awards 2019

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