iWorld
Jio announces new unlimited plans, hikes prepaid mobile tariffs by 21 per cent
Mumbai: After Bharti Airtel and Vodafone India, Reliance Jio on Sunday has announced upto 21 per cent hike in its prepaid tariffs effective next month. The new unlimited plans will go-live on 1 December.
“In line with its commitment to further strengthen a sustainable telecom industry, where every Indian is empowered with a true digital life, Jio has announced its new unlimited plans,” the largest mobile operator said in a statement. “These plans will provide the best value in the industry. Jio customers will continue to be the biggest beneficiaries.”
The tariff hikes cover the Jio Phone plan, unlimited plans, as well as data add ons.
Despite the increase in rates, Jio has kept the price of plans lower than its competitors Airtel and Vodafone Idea, who had hiked up their prepaid plans by upto 25 per cent last week. The company has kept its lowest rate for 28 days’ validity plan at Rs 91 for Jio phone users which is the lowest among private telecom operators. Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea have hiked the entry-level plan with 28 days validity to Rs 99.
The tariff hikes were announced across 15 plans, which include one for Jio phone users, 11 in unlimited category and three in data top up category. The popular unlimited category plan offering 1.5 GB daily data usage plan with 84 days’ validity will go up by about 20 per cent to Rs 666 from Rs 555 at present.
While the annual unlimited category plan offering 2 GB daily usage at 4G speed will be priced at Rs 2,879 instead of Rs 2,399 at present.
e-commerce
Google rolls out new AI shopping tools for Indian users
Gemini, AI Mode in Search, and Circle to Search get smarter upgrades to simplify online buying.
MUMBAI: Google is making online shopping in India a lot less “add to cart” and a lot more “ask and discover”. The tech giant has announced a fresh set of artificial intelligence-powered updates designed to make finding and buying products more intuitive and efficient. By integrating its Gemini models with the Shopping Graph, a massive dataset of over 50 billion product listings that sees nearly 2 billion updates every hour, Google is bringing smarter, more conversational shopping experiences across its platforms.
Users can now move seamlessly from idea generation to product discovery within the Gemini app. Whether planning a festive outfit or building a gift list, shoppers can receive product listings, comparison tables, pricing from across the web, and direct purchase links, all through natural conversation. The feature is currently available in English and Hindi.
Google has upgraded its AI Mode in Search, turning it into a more natural shopping assistant. Instead of relying on traditional filters and keywords, users can ask questions in plain language and receive structured responses with visuals, pricing, reviews, and inventory details. Comparison tables highlighting key differences are also included. While currently available in English, a Hindi version is expected soon.
The popular Circle to Search feature has been enhanced on devices such as the Pixel 10 and Samsung Galaxy S26 series. Users can now identify and explore multiple objects in a single image at once. In fashion-related queries, the tool can break down entire outfits and suggest similar products, making style replication or discovery much easier.
Google stated that these updates build on last year’s successful rollout of the Virtual Try-On tool in India, which helped users visualise apparel before purchase.
In a market where shopping decisions often happen in seconds, Google is betting that smarter AI will turn casual browsing into confident buying. From festive shopping lists to spotting the perfect outfit in a photo, these new tools aim to make every scroll feel a little more rewarding and a lot less overwhelming.
