India-based Voice AI Company Skit Raises $23M in Series B

Bengaluru, India-based Skit has announced that it has raised $23 million in its Series B funding round. The company had recently rebranded from Vernacular.ai. The round was led by WestBridge Capital with participation from Kalaari Capital and Exfinity Ventures, Angelist syndicate led by Aaryaman Vir Shah from Prophetic Ventures and Letsventure syndicate led by Sense AI.

The Series B funding will be used to fuel the "next level of growth and product evolution" of Skit. The company will use the funding to improve its sales and marketing, delivery capabilities, and R&D.

The leading voice AI company was founded in 2016 by IIT Roorkee alumnus.

Commenting on the capital raise, Sourabh Gupta, CEO and Co-founder of Skit said, "This investment comes when we are making strategic inroads into the US and Southeast Asian markets. Clients and investors alike have recognized the uniqueness and superiority of our product and continue to show confidence in our growth path.

The global voice customer service market is valued at about $300 million, and Skit will look to address this market through its Vernacular Intelligent Voice Assistant (VIVA), an AI-based voice assistant platform.

 

Microsoft might unveil Surface Duo 2 phone in its upcoming launch event

Tech giant Microsoft is all set to host a Surface hardware event this month on 22nd, and the community is looking forward to seeing the launch of new devices that are based on the new Windows 11 OS. The event is virtual, and it will be held less than two weeks from the official launch date of the new Windows version. The tech giant is yet to reveal the number of devices that are scheduled to be released, but several rumors suggest that The company will reveal the Surface Duo 2 smartphone.

The company is also expected to release Surface Book 3 and Surface pro with a fresher design. The event for Surface is scheduled to take place at 11 am ET, and the details regarding the same were added to the company’s events microsite. As reported by Verge, the tech giant has started to send out invites for the online-only event where it will talk about the latest Windows 11. Reports make it clear that the design language for the Surface Duo 2 will be the same as its predecessor, but major changes are expected at the software level for the new device. The successor of the Surface Book 3 is also reported to make its debut in the event.

 

Leaked user manual indicates that the new Galaxy S21 FE will not have microSD support

Samsung is gearing to launch its new Galaxy S21 FE on September 8. Just a few days ahead of the official launch, a user manual in regards to the new device has surfaced online, and it has revealed some vital information. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE doesn’t come with an SD card slot, and the manual also didn’t mention anything about it. The design language of the S21 FE will be similar to the S21, and the only key differentiator is the metal casing. SamMobile has reported that the S21 FE might not have microSD support because the user manual obtained by the publication makes no mention of it. However, the user manual confirms that the new device comes with an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, a high refresh rate display, an in-display fingerprint.

 

The S12 FE will also feature reverse wireless charging, Wireless DeX pay, and Dolby Atmos. A charger will not be included in the box, and users are expected to buy it separately if they don’t have a Type-C charger. A headphone jack is also missing from S21 FE. Users must buy an adapter in order to use a wired earphone, or they must opt for Bluetooth audio devices. The design printed on the manual makes it clear that the new phone will inherit the look of its preceder.

 

 

Minfy Announces Singapore Operations

After winning the AWS Consulting Partner of the Year in 2020, Minfy is all set to impact its customers by establishing its Singapore operations. IT leader and pioneer Stephen Rowley has been picked to head the company's Singapore business.

With a significant presence in India, Minfy is expanding its presence in the ASEAN, the U.S. and the UK. The company's move to start its operations in Singapore is in line with the Singaporean Government's Green initiative. Minfy will cater to the customers' requirements in the country by delivering cloud innovation. It will leverage its unique mix of competencies including AWS Premier Consulting Partner, Migration, DevOps and SAP, differentiating them from existing competition.

"Minfy’s rapid evolution as a bionic organization and with Steve leading Minfy’s local presence in Singapore, we are really excited to serve our customers in Singapore and the Asia Pacific Region. Minfy will help more customers accelerate their digital transformation journey and get one step closer to its core mission," said Vikram Manchanda, Minfy CEO.

Stephen Rowley brings his remarkable experience in technology leadership and SAP implementation such as a regional implementation across 13 countries in Asia. His leadership will be crucial to Minfy for a successful campaign in Singapore.

 

Equinix Acquires Two Data Centers in India for $161 Million

Global digital infrastructure company Equinix has announced that it has expanded into India by acquiring two data centers in the country for $161 million. For this, the company has acquired the India operations of GPX Global Systems, which includes a fiber-connected campus in Mumbai with two data centers.

"India presents enormous opportunities for digital leaders in Asia-Pacific. Bringing Platform Equinix to India not only solidifies Equinix's position as the leading digital infrastructure provider in Asia-Pacific, but also provides a new option to local enterprises and multinationals operating in India to interconnect and manage their digital infrastructure in Mumbai. We believe our global expertise and unique interconnection ecosystem will continue to empower businesses in India," said Jeremy Deutsch, President, Equinix Asia-Pacific.

Expansion into India will help it deliver services to Indian businesses. With the upcoming 5G rollout in India, Equinix can help businesses rapidly digitize and scale their infrastructure. Additionally, the GPX India customers will be able to access Platform Equinix capabilities worldwide.

IT and telecom infrastructure pioneer Manoj Paul has been appointed as the Managing Director of Equinix India.

 

Newly expected feature in iPhone 13 will allow users to make calls when network coverage is zero

Apple is gearing up to launch its latest iPhone 13 series this month, and several new deets about the same have surfaced online in the form of leaks and rumors. However, the latest rumor has come from a popular tipster called MacRumors, which suggests that the new iPhones come with (Low Earth Orbit) LEO satellite connectivity. The LEO allows users to send messages or make a call during an emergency where network coverage is nill. Ming-Chi Kuo, a popular analyst, has revealed that Apple is expected to add this feature to its devices from 2021 iPhones. The new devices will house technology that will allow users to connect easily with LEO satellites.

The new feature will allow users to make calls without the need for a 5G or 4G network. The new iPhone 13 will house a customized Qualcomm X60 baseband chip in order to be compatible with satellite communications. Globalstar is expected to be on board to execute this feature. In order to make this new feature successful, Apple is expecting network operators to collaborate with Globalstar. Only then users can directly reach the services of Globalstar. The new iPhone will also come with better cameras, a smaller notch, an A15 bionic chip, and bigger batteries.

 

 

Microsoft to Officially Roll Out Windows 11 on October 5

In a recent press meet, tech giant Microsoft has announced that it will officially be rolling out its most anticipated Windows 11 from October 5 this year. Windows 11 is currently available in the beta version and only to those a part of the Windows Insider program. But the all-new Windows 11 will have new changes with the latest updated version.

The latest version of Windows 11 will include several elements like the new center-aligned taskbar, and other additions include new sounds, Microsoft 365 integration, and much more. Microsoft has also announced the critical requirements for running Windows 11 on a PC. The users will require a processor with two or more cores and a clock speed of 1GHz or higher. The RAM size should be 4GB or more, and with storage up to 64GB storage. The PC will require a TPM 2.0 security version and SecureBootCapable support.

Microsoft has also said that there will be no new additions for AMD CPUs. It has carefully analyzed the newly built AMD Zen processors in partnership with AMD. The users can very soon use Microsoft's PC Health Check app to find out the compatibility of their PC with Windows 11.