e-commerce
Alibaba enters Indian internet space with investment in ticketing
NEW DELHI: The Chinese infotainment giant Alibaba Group’s entertainment arm Alibaba Pictures Group Limited has invested Rs 1.2 billion to acquire a majority stake in Chennai-based online ticketing platform TicketNew.
This will enable TicketNew to strengthen its position and expand its services across India.
This is Alibaba Pictures’s first acquisition outside China in internet ticketing industry.
TicketNews presently has around 3,000 screens in its network across India with an average ticket booking history of 100.000 per day, it is learnt.
With the partnership in place, the company hopes to take its network to cover 300,000 in the next eight months, the source added.
TicketNew Founder Ramkumar Nammalvar while TicketNew has a strong base in the South, especially in the neighbourhood theatres in tier-II and tier-III cities, it does not have much presence beyond that.
Nammalvar said the company wanted to reach wider audience and expand to other cities, which requires substantial financial and technological resources.
e-commerce
Samsung Galaxy S26 series now available for instant delivery on Instamart
AI powered flagship phones start at Rs 87,999 with launch offers up to Rs 9,000.
MUMBAI: In the age of quick commerce, even flagship smartphones are learning to arrive at your doorstep at lightning speed. Instamart has partnered with Samsung to make the newly launched Galaxy S26 series available for instant purchase on the quick commerce platform, expanding the category beyond groceries and daily essentials into premium consumer electronics.
The Galaxy S26 lineup, which includes the S26 Ultra, S26+ and S26, is now available across several major Indian cities including Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Pune, among others.
The flagship series introduces several new features, led by what Samsung describes as the world’s first built in Privacy Display on a smartphone, available exclusively on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. The display is designed to enhance privacy while unlocking a new class of screen experiences.
The devices also integrate agentic artificial intelligence designed to quietly manage routine tasks in the background, allowing users to focus on more meaningful interactions with their device.
Positioned as a major step forward in AI powered smartphones, the Galaxy S26 Ultra also introduces enhancements in areas such as nightography photography and Photo Assist tools, aimed at improving low light imaging and AI driven creative editing.
Through the partnership, Instamart is extending its quick commerce proposition to high value electronics, allowing customers to order the Galaxy S26 series and receive it almost instantly once sales go live.
The Galaxy S26 series will be available starting at Rs 87,999. As part of the launch offers on Instamart, customers can avail an instant discount of up to Rs 9,000 using an HDFC Bank credit card. Buyers can also opt for No Cost EMI options for up to 9 months.
The move reflects the growing overlap between quick commerce and consumer electronics, as platforms race to deliver not just groceries but also premium technology products with the same promise of speed and convenience.
