iWorld
TECNO Mobile and Skyesports present BGMI’s Skyesports champions series
Mumbai: Brace yourselves for the ultimate clash of the titans as TECNO Mobile, the global premium smartphone brand, has joined forces with Skyesports, India’s leading esports tournament organiser, as the title sponsor for the Skyesports Champions Series (SCS). This epic ten-day Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) tournament is set to captivate gaming enthusiasts nationwide, featuring the crème de la crème of Indian esports teams vying for glory and a share of the staggering Rs 25,00,000 prize pool.
The SCS pits fan-favourite esports teams including GodLike, Team Soul, Blind Esports, and more in an intense showdown. The tournament is the biggest esports event for BGMI ever since India’s beloved battle royale title was relaunched last month. TECNO POVA, with its impressive lineup of smartphones, will be directly touching the Zillennial gamers of the country through this tournament.
TECNO Mobile India CEO Arijeet Talapatra commented, “As a smartphone brand driven by consumer insights, we strive to cater to the diverse needs of smartphone consumers from all walks of life. In line with the rapid growth of the gaming sector in India, where a significant portion of Zillennials now view gaming as both a leisure activity and a means of livelihood, we are dedicated to further enhancing our POVA lineup through upcoming launches. Our phased releases are aimed at empowering the unwavering determination of Zillenials who refuse to settle for mediocrity. By partnering with Skyesports, we take a significant leap forward in accomplishing this shared objective. This collaboration promises to foster a more thrilling online gaming ecosystem, and we eagerly anticipate a valuable partnership that will bring excitement and innovation to gamers across the country”.
The Skyesports Champions Series BGMI has currently wrapped up with its intense five-day semifinals stage, which saw 24 teams compete for the 16 spots in the finals. Top squads like Orangutan, Blind Esports, and GodLike Esports have all booked their berths in the finals. Fan-favorite Team Soul also managed to push through into the finals after an impressive chicken dinner in the final game of the Semifinals. Only 30 matches separate the 16 teams to ultimate BGMI glory.
The 16 Grand Finalists are Team Soul, GodLike Esports, Revenant Esports, Orangutan Gaming, Blind Esports, Obey Esports, Insane Esports, Gladiators Esports, Medal Esports, OR Esports, Team Misfits, 7Sea Esports, Velocity Gaming, Gods Reign, Reckoning Esports, and Team VST.
From June 14 to 18, fans can tune into all the nail-biting action live on the official Skyesports Loco channel from 1 PM onwards. Additionally, the top teams of the Skyesports Champions Series (SCS) BGMI will be felicitated in an award ceremony fit for champions in Bangalore on 27 Aug.
Skyesports founder and CEO Shiva Nandy said, “We are thrilled to partner with TECNO POVA for the Skyesports Champions Series, as we embark on a journey to bring a structured roadmap for BGMI esports with the return of the game through our original IPs. This collaboration signifies our commitment to providing a platform for the country’s top esports teams, while TECNO POVA’s cutting-edge technology resonates with the aspirations of gen z gamers. With our 16 finalists locked in, I wish them the best of luck as they vie for the coveted title of champions”.
iWorld
WhatsApp may soon let users to pick who sees their status updates
The messaging giant is borrowing a page from Instagram’s playbook as it pushes to give users finer control over their social circles.
CALIFORNIA: WhatsApp is quietly working on a feature that could make its Status function considerably smarter and considerably more private.
According to reports from beta tracking platforms, the app is testing a tool called Status lists, which would allow users to create named groups such as close friends, family and colleagues, and control precisely which group sees each update. It is a meaningful step up from the platform’s current blunt instruments, which offer only three options: share with all contacts, exclude specific people, or manually select individuals each time.
The new feature draws an obvious comparison with Instagram’s Close Friends function, and the resemblance is unlikely to be accidental. Both platforms sit within Meta’s family, and the company has been nudging them toward a common logic of audience segmentation for some time.
The move also fits neatly into WhatsApp’s broader privacy push. The platform has been rolling out enhanced chat protections and is exploring the introduction of usernames, which would allow users to connect without exchanging phone numbers. Status lists extend that philosophy from messaging into broadcasting.
Meanwhile, Status itself has been evolving well beyond its origins as a simple photo-and-text slideshow. The feature now supports music stickers, collages, longer videos and interactive elements, pushing it closer to the social-media-style story format pioneered by Snapchat and refined by Instagram. In that context, finer audience controls are not merely a privacy feature. They are a precondition for people sharing more.
The feature remains in development and has not been confirmed for release. WhatsApp routinely tests tools that are later modified or quietly shelved. But the direction of travel is clear: the app wants Status to be a destination, not an afterthought. Letting users decide exactly who is in the audience is how it gets there.
