iWorld
Vodafone urges customers to #LiveMore with India’s Data Strong Network
MUMBAI: Vodafone Idea Ltd., India’s leading telecommunications service provider, today announced the launch of a new campaign encouraging people to #LiveMore with Vodafone SuperNet 4G – India’s Data Strong Network™. With the #LiveMore campaign, Vodafone brings back familiar faces of the friendly & young at heart couple, Asha and Bala.
The campaign shows the affable elderly couple inaugurating a new restaurant, Asha’s Kitchen and captures the ease with which they use mobile technology and data to fulfil their dreams. It talks about the possibilities that Vodafone SuperNet 4G offers to the customers.
Commenting on the launch of the campaign, Kavita Nair, Chief Digital Transformation and Brand Officer, Vodafone Idea Limited, said, “The new campaign captures #LiveMore moments from the life of an old but young at heart couple who achieve their dream of owning a successful restaurant. Asha and Bala help us in bridging a technology divide and enable our aim of democratising technology. With this campaign, we hope viewers will love this journey of this affable couple and join the Vodafone SuperNet 4G bandwagon to fulfill their dreams.”
The new campaign celebrates the spirit of living life to the fullest and encourages everyone to live their dreams using fast 4G mobile data as an efficient tool. The 360-degree high decibel campaign will be extensively seen across diverse mediums like TV, Print, Digital and OOH during the next few months.
Featuring veteran Bharatanatyam dancers and Padma Bhushan awardees, C.P. Shanta and V.P. Dhananjayan, the campaign has four ads, conceptualised by Vodafone Idea’s creative agency, Ogilvy & Mather India. One of the ads also feature famous Indian pop and playback singer, Usha Uthup, enjoying a hearty meal at Asha’s Kitchen.
Speaking about the concept behind the new campaign, Kiran Antony, Executive Creative Director, Ogilvy & Mather Advertising Pvt. Ltd, said, “People today, are no longer afraid to step out of their comfort zone and try new things. Through the #LiveMore campaign, we wanted to capture this spirit of new India. The campaign follows Asha and Bala on their newest adventure. Thanks to Vodafone, they are able to laugh, learn and do more, almost instantly, to give wings to their dream.”
Gaming
Sony raises PS5 prices for second time in under a year
US disc edition jumps $100 to $649.99 as memory costs surge.
MUMBAI: Sony just hit the pause button on affordable gaming because when memory prices skyrocket, even the Playstation has to pay the premium. Sony has announced its second price increase for the Playstation 5 range in less than a year, citing pressures in the global economic landscape and a sharp rise in memory component costs driven by AI demand.
In the US, the PS5 disc edition will rise from $549.99 to $649.99, a $100 hike while the digital edition increases to $599.99. The more powerful PS5 Pro will jump $150 to $899.99. The Playstation Portal remote player will also rise by $50 to $249.99. The new prices take effect on 2 April 2026.
Similar increases have been applied in the UK (£90 per model), Europe and Japan. Sony last raised PS5 prices in the US in August 2025.
“We know that price changes impact our community, and after careful evaluation, we found this was a necessary step to ensure we can continue delivering innovative, high-quality gaming experiences to players worldwide,” Sony said in a blog post.
The hikes come amid an unprecedented surge in memory prices, as manufacturers prioritise supply for AI data centres. Analysts say Sony had likely secured price protections for components that have now expired, forcing the company to protect its hardware margins.
Ampere Analysis research director of games Piers Harding-Rolls told CNBC that further increases from Microsoft and Nintendo would not be surprising, though Nintendo may hesitate to raise the price of its recently launched Switch 2 while establishing the new platform.
The increases arrive eight months before the highly anticipated release of GTA 6, which is expected to drive strong console sales. However, early reactions online have been a mix of disappointment and resignation, with growing concern that premium gaming is increasingly becoming a hobby for higher-income players.
In a sector already grappling with tariffs, inflation and component shortages, Sony’s move underscores a tough reality: even the most popular consoles are not immune to the rising cost of keeping up with the latest technology.
