Applications
Microsoft launches Windows Mobile 6 in India
BANGALORE: Microsoft Corporation India Pvt. Ltd. today announced the launch of Windows Mobile 6, the latest version of its mobile software platform. According to an official release, the new platform delivers enhanced communications, productivity, security and device management capabilities, enabling users to work and play when they are on the move. By improving usability and added support for Microsoft Office features previously available only on PCs, Windows Mobile 6 delivers to the small screen. Hewett Packard (HP), Hi Tech Computers (HTC), O2, iMate and Motorola are Microsoft’s device partners in India. The release quotes IDC Worldwide Converged Mobile Device 2006-2011 Forecast and Analysis, May 2007 – Windows Mobile will see a CAGR of 57.0 per cent, the highest rate of growth among the top 5 platforms through 2011. In India Windows Mobile leads the messaging segment with a 30.5 per cent market share in Q1 2007 (source: IDC quarterly tracker). Windows Mobile with its new look and feel offers the following key benefits to the users which include first platform to offer the ability to read HTML mail, direct push technology for up-to-date e-mail delivery and automatic synchronization of Outlook calendars, tasks and contacts through Microsoft Exchange Server. It also offers chat with multiple contacts at one time, express more through emoticons, quickly send a file or image, as well as record and send voice notes through a new instant messaging application. Another feature is ‘Day Glance‘ that helps manage calendar tasks, seamless integration with SharePoint and active links, support for storage card encryption and storage card wipe, a rich set of Windows Live services including mail, messenger, search, contacts and spaces, ease of viewing and editing of Office system documents. The platform offers a variety of security options, giving IT departments ways to help secure a device, including new Exchange Server policies and certificate options, storage card encryption, and continued support for remote and local device wipe. It also has protected content features wherein organizations using Information Rights Management (IRM) technology are assisted to control the viewing, storing and printing of confidential information on PCs and the same can be extended to Windows Mobile 6 powered devices, a feature not available on any other mobile phone platform. .NET Compact Framework and Microsoft SQL Server are built into Windows Mobile 6, making it even easier to create and access sales tools, inventory tracking and many other applications from a Windows Mobile 6 powered smartphone. A new built-in application makes using a Windows Mobile 6 powered smartphone as a laptop’s high-speed modem “one-click easy” with either a Bluetooth wireless or cable connection. Windows Mobile 6 makes it easier for operators and device-makers to integrate a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) solution into devices they are building. Windows Mobile provides people with more choice of operators and phone styles for nearly any business or personal need. In India Windows Mobile is available on a diverse range of 30 form factors including both stylus and PDA phones which is the widest range of smart phones available in the country.
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.
