eNews
Samsung fires up IFA with Galaxy S25 FE and party-ready sound towers
BERLIN: Samsung used its IFA stage in Berlin to show it is not done with surprises. Alongside a fresh midrange smartphone, the Galaxy S25 FE, it rolled out two hulking new sound towers — the ST50F and ST40F — aimed squarely at back-garden DJs and living-room party fiends.
The Galaxy S25 FE, on sale now from $650, gives a lower-cost route into this year’s S25 line-up. It comes in four colours and runs on the firm’s new One UI 8 software — a step ahead of the S25, S25 Plus, S25 Ultra and ultra-slim S25 Edge, all of which debuted earlier in the year with One UI 7. The refresh brings a sleeker interface, smoother animations, tighter split-screen multitasking and more AI smarts baked in.
Under the bonnet sits Samsung’s in-house Exynos 2400 processor, which lacks the punch of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite used in the pricier S25 models, but should hold its own. The handset features a 6.7-inch Amoled screen peaking at 1,900 nits, and a camera array built around a 50MP main sensor, with 12MP ultra-wide and 8MP telephoto lenses, plus a 12MP selfie snapper. Despite its mid-tier engine, the phone still runs Samsung’s full suite of Galaxy AI tools — including its Generative Edit photo wizardry and on-device assistant — making it the cheapest ticket into the AI-laced Galaxy ecosystem.
If the phone is about keeping your life in order, the speakers are about blowing it apart. The flagship ST50F sound tower, priced around $700, delivers 240 watts of power, dual 165mm woofers with adjustable bass modes (Deep, Punchy or Gentle), and twin 25mm tweeters for crisp treble. It comes with four sound profiles — from “Standard” to “Stadium” — and can sync wirelessly with others for multi-speaker mayhem. Battery life stretches to 18 hours, the casing is splash-proof, and party lights — embedded in the tweeters, woofers, housing and even the handle — blink, pulse, or strobe in sync with the beat.
The smaller ST40F, expected at $500, is built for patios and garden barbecues. It pushes 160 watts, carries dual 133mm woofers and 20mm tweeters, and offers up to 12 hours’ battery life. Both models have karaoke modes, guitar inputs, Bluetooth, USB and AUX ports, and replaceable batteries for those who fear the lights going out before the party does.
With the S25 FE, Samsung is giving its smartphone base a cheaper AI-driven option. With the sound towers, it is giving them a reason never to sleep.
eNews
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
