Apple likely to unveil new iphone models on Sept 12

SAN FRANCISCO: Apple Inc. said it will host an event on September 12 at the Steve Jobs Theater in the company’s Cupertino, California, campus, where it is widely expected to unveil new iphone models. Analysts believe Apple plans to release three new smartphones this year, including one with a larger display than previous models.

WARREN BUFFETT’S BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY TO BUY STAKE IN PAYTM

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway is set to buy a small stake in One97 Communications Ltd, the parent of Paytm, making it the billionaire investor’s first investment in an Indian company, according to two people aware of the development.

Paytm, India’s largest payment services provider, has been in talks with Berkshire Hathaway since early February to raise about ₹2,200-2,500 crore ($300-350 million) at a valuation of about $10-12 billion, the two people cited above said on condition of anonymity.

An email to Berkshire Hathway did not elicit a response. A Paytm spokesperson did not respond to an email seeking comment. The deal, which is likely to be announced within the next two weeks, will be Berkshire Hathaway’s first investment in the country’s buzzing startup ecosystem. It will also be the company’s first investment in a privately-held technology company in the world.

APPLE PLANS IPHONE X DESIGN WITH BIGGER SCREENS, NEW COLOURS

Apple Inc. is not only doubling down on the iphone X, it’s tripling down. The world’s most valuable company plans to launch three new phones soon that keep the edge-to-edge screen design of last year’s flagship, according to people familiar with the matter. The devices will boast a wider range of prices, features and sizes to increase their appeal, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing unannounced products.

However, none of the three iphones will be wholly new designs like the iphone X was last year or the iphone 6 in 2014, with some inside Apple labelling the launch as an “S year,” a designation the company has given to new handsets that retain the previous design but add new internal features. The company is planning more significant changes for next year, they added.

TEZ IS NOW GOOGLE PAY, TEAMS UP WITH 4 BANKS TO GIVE INSTANT LOANS

Google India on Tuesday said it has rebranded its Indian payments app Tez as Google Pay and is partnering with four banks to provide instant loans for the app’s users.

In the coming weeks, Google Pay users will be able to access customised loans from HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Federal Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank with minimal paperwork, said Caesar Sengupta, vice-president of Google’s Next Billion Users Initiative and Payments at the Google for India event in New Delhi. Once users holding accounts with these banks accept the bank’s terms, the money will be transferred to their accounts.

“We have learnt that when we build for India, we build for the world, and we believe that many of the innovations and features we have pioneered with Tez will work globally,” Caesar Sengupta said.

ELON MUSK’S RANTS REKINDLE CONCERN ABOUT CEO’S TWEETING

Just days after hastily abandoning a short-lived exploration of taking Tesla Inc. private, Elon Musk returned to Twitter to showcase the impulsiveness that has raised the eyebrows of investors and regulators alike lately.

In a series of posts late on Tuesday, the unpredictable chief executive officer denied that he cried during a interview earlier this month.

The chief executive officer then couldn’t resist trading barbs with a follower who criticized him for calling a cave explorer in Thailand a pedophile back in July.