iWorld
ZEE5 Global partners with the Patel brothers
Mumbai: ZEE5 Global has announced its partnership with the Patel Brothers, a US-based Indian grocery chain, to facilitate connecting with diaspora audiences on the occasion of the 75th year of Independence.
Commenting on the partnership, ZEE5 chief business officer global Archana Anand, said, “We’ve seen exponential growth in the US in our first year of launch, and we are happy to have been able to delight our audiences here with our rich content library. There’s no better way now to cement our leadership position in this market than with this partnership with the Patel Brothers, another iconic and much-loved South Asian brand, and we look forward to a long, wonderful relationship with them.”
Actor Sonali Bendre inaugurated the Patel Brothers shop on Oak Tree Road in Edison, New Jersey. Sonali discussed the collaboration and how it will help Indians living in the US.
Sonali recently made her comeback and a successful debut on ZEE5 Global with The Broken News.
Bendre added, “I’m very happy to be here to kick off this partnership between two deeply rooted South Asian brands, The Patel Brothers and ZEE5 Global. As the leading South Asian streaming service, ZEE5 Global has stepped out of the screens and is making an effort to bring together the diaspora audiences across the US through multiple community initiatives. Together with the Patel Brothers, who are America’s oldest, largest, and best-loved Indian chain in the US, we can expect many wonderful initiatives and experiences from this partnership.”
At the store, ZEE5 Global also held a competition where participants had to respond to inquiries about the platform and Patel Brothers. As part of the “Shop with the Stars” competition, the winner received the chance to shop for groceries worth $200 for free with Sonali.
Patel Brothers’ Kaushik Bhai Patel said, “We’re always looking for ways to cater to the needs of NRIs and South Asians in the US hungry for their home culture. We are very happy to partner with ZEE5 Global that shares this ethos.”
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.
