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Vodafone brings two low-cost mobiles
MUMBAI: Just before its entry into the Indian market, Vodafone Group PLC has launched two low-cost handsets – Vodafone 125 model and 225 model priced at $25 to $45, aimed to boost sales in developing economies of Asia and Africa. The Vodafone 125 model, the less expensive of the two phones, has a black and white screen, while the more expensive 225 model offers a color screen. The phones, each offering up to three hours of talk time, will provide voice and text message service only. Future models will offer additional features, such as an integrated radio, according to a Vodafone spokeswoman. |
The 125 and 225 models are the first two ultra low-cost handsets to be manufactured by China‘s ZTE Corp. under an exclusive agreement reached at the end of last year. The new handsets use chipmaker Infineon Technologies. The handsets will be initially available in Egypt, Romania and South Africa next month. The official release added the new handsets are expected to sell over a million within a year. The new handsets will compete with entry-level phones from Nokia Corp. as it has already launched seven similar mobile phones for emerging markets, including two intended for shared use by families or entire villages. With mobile phone penetration rates nearing or already exceeding 90 percent in many of its European markets, Vodafone has embarked on a strategy to expand in emerging markets, like India, where mobile phone penetration is still low. Part of this strategy includes offering handsets that people in these markets can afford to buy — and Vodafone can afford to offer. For the past couple of years, Vodafone has been slapping its own name on handsets — to keep its brand in front of customers. |
In the course of this year, the Newbury, England, operator plans to launch ultra low-cost phones in 14 additional markets where the company this month received government approval to acquire a majority stake in Indian mobile services operator Hutchison Essar Ltd. However, it doesn‘t plan to offer the low-cost phones in any of its developed markets, according to a Vodafone spokeswoman. “The focus now is on quickly helping bring communications to people in developing markets,” she said. Texas Instruments Inc. is developing a broad range of chips for low-cost handsets aimed at developing countries. The company plays a big role in determining handset costs; it‘s the world‘s largest maker of the most expensive part of a mobile phone — the chips that run them. |
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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.
