Applications
TimesPoynt now available on Nokia smartphones
MUMBAI: The latest Nokia smartphones Nokia Lumia 710 and Lumia 800 will now come preloaded with the timesPoynt application, which helps locate nightlife, events, movie theaters and weather information.
The application has been developed by Times Internet Limited (TIL) a mobile and internet venture, and Poynt Corporation, a provider of mobile local search and advertising services. A free application powered by data from Timescity.com, timesPoynt features the ability to allow users to click-to-call businesses, get directions, browse listing websites, send details to a friend or add listings to their device calendar or address book.
TIL CEO Rishi Khiani said, “Preburning timesPoynt on Nokia Smartphones augments our reach in the savvy-mobile audiences. With this, we hope to see significant uptakes in our search queries and consequently more contextual and location-based advertising.”
TimesPoynt SVP – Business Development and Global Distribution Marco Hunstad said, “We have seen tremendous uptake and retention with the Poynt Platform with each preload we have launched to date and we anticipate that the Indian market will be no different. The partnership is continuing to pursue additional preload opportunities for timesPoynt with carriers and OEM‘s in India, in order to continue strong user growth and retention.”
As part of its initial plans at the time of launch, the partnership between TIL and Poynt Corp. will leverage TIL‘s relationships in India with advertisers, agencies and merchants in order to monetize the app. It plans to market and promote timesPoynt through all its media vehicles such as radio, television, magazines and newsprint.
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
