SoftBank-Backed Chip Firm Arm Said to Meet Investors Ahead of IPO: Details
Arm Holdings plans to launch its roadshow for investors after Labor Day, as the chip designer prepares for its much-anticipated initial public offering (IPO) in September, according to people familiar with the matter. Arm, owned by SoftBank Group, is expected to set a price range for its offering next week, the sources said, adding the company plans to price its shares on September 13, with stock trading to start the following day.
SoftBank plans to sell about 10 percent of Arm's shares in the IPO at a valuation of $60 billion (roughly Rs. 4,96,095 crore) to $70 billion (roughly Rs. 5,80,600 crore), Reuters has previously reported. SoftBank decided to sell fewer Arm shares in the IPO after buying the 25 percent stake in Arm it did not directly own from its Vision Fund unit.
Several customers of Arm have held talks about taking a piece of the IPO including Apple, Amazon.com, Intel, Nvidia, Alphabet, Microsoft, Samsung Electronics, and TSMC, Reuters has previously reported. Arm and SoftBank have set aside 10 percent of the shares to be sold in the IPO for its clients.
A successful IPO for Arm would be a boon for SoftBank, which in August reported its third consecutive quarterly loss, hit by declines in valuations of major holdings such as Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba Group, German telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom and US wireless carrier T-Mobile US.
Goldman Sachs Group, JPMorgan Chase, Barclays, and Mizuho Financial Group are the lead underwriters for the offering. Arm's shares will be listed on the Nasdaq and traded under the ticker symbol 'ARM'.
Bloomberg reported on Arm's IPO timeline earlier on Thursday.
Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Viacom18 Bags Indian Cricket Digital and TV Media Rights for Nearly Rs. 6,000 Crore
Viacom18 on Thursday created a near monopoly in Indian cricket broadcasting sphere by bagging both TV and digital rights of the national team's home series for the next five years with a cumulative bid of approximately Rs. 6000 crore, beating Star India and Sony in a three-way battle.
The BCCI had invited separate e-bids for both linear (TV) and digital for best price discovery.
"Viacom18 paid Rs. 3101 crore (approximately) for digital and Rs. 2862 crore for linear (TV). As has been the trend, digital has fetched more in Rs. 5963 crore (approximately) deal.
"With IPL digital rights being bought by Viacom for Rs. 26,000 crore plus, they now have almost all the high profile cricket properties save IPL linear (TV) and ICC events," a broadcasting industry source, tracking developments closely, told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
The rights will come into effect with India's three-match home series against Australia beginning September 22 and end on March 31, 2028.
India will be playing 88 international games across three formats including 25 Tests, 27 ODIs and 36 T20Is with per match value of the deal standing around Rs. 67.76 crore. This is nearly Rs. 7.76 crore more than last cycle's Rs. 60 crore per match value.
However, the BCCI is getting Rs. 175 crore less than Rs. 6138 crore it received during last cycle which had more games, specifically 102. If one looks at the prevailing market sentiments , it is not a bad price to fetch as the per match valuation has increased. One needs to factor in that only marquee Test matches and series versus England and Australia will fetch a decent advertisement revenue. For matches against other nations, it is only the T20 which is the cash cow.
India will play Australia in 21 games and will be pitted against England in 18 matches across three formats during the next five years.
The BCCI fell way short of the billion dollar mark (at least by Rs. 2300 crore) and one of the reasons forthat could be the declining popularity of the ODI format and there are 27 of them in the next cycle.
"One day bilateral series save World Cup year should be done away with as it doesn't bring requisite revenues. With so many T20 leagues also happening around the world, the viewers' fatigue should also be taken into account," a broadcasting industry veteran said.
He also provided an interesting take on how the potential bidders do their mathematics and arrive at a particular figure.
"In case of 25 Tests, you have 15 Tests against England and Australia at home. The kind of pitches that is being prepared for Test matches in India, the broadcaster has literally no chance on most of the occasions to commercially exploit the fifth day unless there is a flat deck.
"At times games finish during first session of fourth day. Just calculate how many potential seconds of ad revenue you can lose," he explained.
Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Google Fitbit Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Violation of EU's General Data Protection Regulation Privacy Regime
Advocacy group Noyb on Thursday filed complaints against Google-owned Fitbit in Austria, the Netherlands and Italy accusing the fitness tracking company of violating the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) privacy regime.
Vienna-based Noyb (None Of Your Business), the digital rights group founded by privacy activist Max Schrems, has already filed hundreds of complaints against big tech companies ranging from Alphabet's Google to Meta over privacy violations, some leading to big fines.
Fitbit forces its users to consent to data transfers outside the EU and does not provide the possibility to withdraw their consent, violating GDPR's requirements, Noyb said.
Fitbit sells watches that track activity, heart rate and sleep. It also offers a subscription service starting at $9.99 (nearly Rs. 830) a month.
"Given that the company collects the most sensitive health data, it's astonishing that it doesn't even try to explain its use of such data, as required by law," said Bernardo Armentano, data protection lawyer at Noyb.
Fines for violating GDPR rules can reach up to 4 percent of a firm's global annual revenue. Google's annual revenue was $280 billion (nearly Rs. 23,15,350 crore) in 2022.
The advocacy group wants Fitbit to be forced to share all mandatory information about the data transfers with its users and allow them to use its app without having to consent to the transfers.
While GDPR allows every person to withdraw their consent, Fitbit's privacy policy states that the only way to withdraw consent is to delete an account, which means losing their previously tracked workouts and health data, Noyb said.
Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 alongside the Galaxy Tab S9 series and Galaxy Watch 6 series at its first Galaxy Unpacked event in South Korea. We discuss the company's new devices and more on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Will Reportedly Be Powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: All Details
Samsung is reportedly planning to launch the next iteration of its flagship Galaxy S series smartphones in 2024. While there have been no official details available about the successor to the Galaxy S23 series, reports and rumours have hinted at the expected specifications and features of the Galaxy S24 lineup. A recent report has suggested that the Galaxy S24 Ultra could come with a Snapdragon chipset. Previously, the Galaxy S24 series, comprising the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra, was said to be equipped with Exynos 2400 SoC in the European market.
A new leak by Weibo user Instant Digital (translated from Chinese) says that the top-of-the-line Galaxy S24 Ultra will be equipped with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC in all markets, while the other two model, i.e., Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+ could be launched with Exynos 2400 SoC under the hood in select markets. The latest leak refutes with a previous report that suggested that the Galaxy S24 series, including the top-end Galaxy S24 Ultra, will ship in Europe with the Exynos 2400 SoC.
According to the report, the Exynos 2400 SoC will come with cores clocked at a speed of 3.16GHz, 2.9GHz, 2.6GHz, and 1.95GHz on the phones. Additionally, the Galaxy S24+ is said to sport a WQHD+ screen with 3120x1440 resolution and a peak brightness of 2,500 nits.
Other than these, the Galaxy S24 Ultra's storage options have also been leaked suggesting an inbuilt storage of up to 2TB. The phone is also said to available in 12GB + 256GB and 8GB+ 128GB RAM and storage configurations.
Furthermore, an earlier report, too, claimed that the Galaxy S24+ could come with Snapdragon chips in the US. The handset was also spotted on the Geekbench website, likely equipped with Qualcomm's yet-to-be-unveiled Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC.
Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
iQoo Z7 Pro 5G First Impressions: Style With Substance?
The iQoo Z7 Pro 5G is the latest addition to the company's Z series of smartphones in India. iQoo is pushing the processor and the design as some of the phone's unique selling points. Armed with a more stylish design than the iQoo Z7 5G, should you be considering the new Z7 Pro 5G as your next mid-range purchase? Here's our initial thoughts on the new 5G smartphone.
The Z7 Pro 5G comes with the typical bundled accessories, and this includes a 66W power adapter and a transparent case. The charging brick is pretty big and has a USB Type-A port. The phone is priced at Rs. 21,999 and Rs. 22,999, for the 128GB and 256GB variants respectively.
The iQoo Z7 Pro 5G looks very stylish in this Blue Lagoon colour. It's also available in a Graphite Matte colour. It's very light at just 175g and is only 7.36mm thick, giving it a very premium look and in-hand feel. Despite this slim size, iQoo has managed to pack a 4,600mAh battery inside. The body is also IP52 rated to withstand dust and water.
The iQoo Z7 Pro 5G ships with a charger and case in the box
The other highlight is the processor. The iQoo Z7 Pro 5G features a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 SoC which is built on a 4nm fabrication process and should be very power efficient. iQoo is touting that the Z7 Pro 5G can achieve an AnTuTu (v10) score of over 700K. The phone has 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and comes in two storage configurations of 128GB and 256GB, both adhering to the UFS 2.2 standard.
The display also feels premium. The iQoo Z7 Pro 5G sports a large 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a full-HD+ resolution, curved edges on two sides, and an in-display fingerprint sensor. The display is also claimed to have a touch sampling rate of 300Hz and a boosted rate of up to 1,200Hz. It also has a 120Hz refresh rate. As for scratch protection, the display also gets Schott's Xensation Up glass.
The iQoo Z7 Pro 5G has a curved-edge AMOLED display
The iQoo Z7 Pro 5G runs Funtouch OS 13 based on Android 13, and you get many preinstalled apps. Coming to the cameras, the phone features a 64-megapixel main camera and a 2-megapixel portrait camera, but sadly, misses out on an ultra-wide camera. iQoo has provided optical stabilisation or OIS for the main camera, and the sensor in use is the Samsung GW3. The selfie camera is a 16-megapixel sensor.
Overall, the iQoo Z7 Pro 5G could potentially be decent mid-range contender if design and performance are important to you. We'll have our final verdict on the phone very soon in the full review.
Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Crypto Price Today: Bitcoin’s Profit Run Remains Short-Lived, Losses Strike Most Cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin stepped into Thursday trading in losses. The most expensive cryptocurrency, that incurred a loss of 0.67 percent today, is trading at the price point of $27,190 (roughly Rs. 22.4 lakh). Bitcoin finally was able to break out of its $26,000 (roughly Rs. 21.5 lakh) spell a day ago. Despite today's minor loss, Bitcoin held onto its risen value. In the last 24 hours, BTC value slipped by $306 (roughly Rs. 25,292).
Ether joined Bitcoin on the loss-registering side of the crypto price chart on Thursday. Dipping by 1.15 percent, Ether is currently trading at the price point of $1,699 (roughly Rs. 1.40 lakh). Over the last 24 hours, losses reduced Ether's price by $19 (roughly Rs. 1,570).
“BTC seems to have lost the momentum it had gained after Grayscale's historic win against the SEC. However, analysts predict a 75 percent chance that Bitcoin ETFs will get approval this year. The SEC is also expected to rule on the ETF applications submitted by other players like BlackRock, Fidelity, Invesco, and WisdomTree, this week,” Shubham Hudda, Senior Manager, CoinSwitch Markets Desk, told Gadgets 360, hinting at an optimistic future for Bitcoin in the coming days.
Most major cryptocurrencies recorded price dips on Thursday alongside BTC and ETH.
The overall crypto market cap slipped by 0.89 percent in the last 24 hours to be at $1.08 trillion (roughly Rs. 89,20,972 crore) as of August 31, showed CoinMarketCap.
Investor sentiment, however, continued to climb and jumped three points since yesterday; currently in the neutral zone with a score of 52/100.
“The crypto market has traded sideways with downward pressure in the last 24 hours. Most of the top 10 cryptos by market capitalisation were trading in the red today,” Hudda added.
Meanwhile, a small number of cryptocurrencies did see profits today.
“In other news, Robinhood, one of the largest financial brokers in the US has been gaining significant traction in its wallet app after enabling wallet support for BTC and DOGE. Even though this seems like a late development in a crowded market segment, investors seem to be welcoming the move,” Hudda noted.
Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Cryptocurrency is an unregulated digital currency, not a legal tender and subject to market risks. The information provided in the article is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, trading advice or any other advice or recommendation of any sort offered or endorsed by NDTV. NDTV shall not be responsible for any loss arising from any investment based on any perceived recommendation, forecast or any other information contained in the article.
Apple Testing Use of 3D Printers in Production of Upcoming Apple Watch Series 9 Chassis
Apple is testing the use of 3D printers to produce the steel chassis used by some of its upcoming smartwatches, according to people with knowledge of the matter, heralding a major change to how the company manufactures products.
The technique would obviate the need to cut large slabs of metal into the product's shape. That would reduce the time it takes to build devices while also helping the environment by using less material, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the plan is private.
The new approach has the potential to streamline Apple's supply chain and kick off a broader shift. If the work with Apple Watch models goes to plan, the tech giant will look to expand the process to more products over the next several years, the people said. A spokeswoman for the Cupertino, California-based company declined to comment.
To date, Apple has used a more conventional manufacturing approach for its stainless-steel watches, which account for about 10 percent of the product line's total units. A process called forging is used to form bricks of material into a smaller block of metal close to the size of the device. A CNC, or computer numerical control, machine is then used to cut into the metal and create the exact design and button holes.
The new technique uses a type of 3D printing called binder jetting to create the device's general outline at close to its actual size, or what is known in manufacturing as the “near net shape.” The print is made with a powdered substance, which afterward goes through a process called sintering. That uses heat and pressure to squeeze the material into what feels like traditional steel. The exact design and cutouts are then milled like in the previous process.
The news gave a boost to 3D printing companies such as 3D Systems Corp. and Stratasys Ltd. The shares of 3D Systems soared as much as 10 percent, while Stratasys jumped 6.9 percent. The stocks later pared those gains. Apple was up 1.8 percent to $187.46 (roughly Rs. 15,492) as of 2:48pm in New York.
Apple and its suppliers have been quietly developing the technique for at least three years. Over the past several months, they've been testing the process with steel cases destined for the Apple Watch Series 9, which is set to be unveiled on September 12. The smartwatch will get a performance increase and new case colours, though its look will largely stay the same, Bloomberg has reported.
There's no guarantee the first consumer shipments of the new steel Apple Watches will be built with the revamped manufacturing technique, but the test run suggests the company is serious about the approach. Apple also plans to apply the process to its titanium Ultra watch, but such a shift isn't planned until 2024.
The approach benefits the environment because it only uses the approximate amount of metal necessary to create the device enclosures. In another move toward sustainability, Apple is planning to use new materials to replace leather in some of its new iPhone cases and other accessories, other people with knowledge of the matter said.
The 3D printing work is being led by Apple's manufacturing design team, which is overseen by Rob York, a company vice president, and reports up to operations head Sabih Khan. The move to 3D-printed watch cases has been an expensive endeavour for Apple and its suppliers, but it should prove to simplify production and potentially lower costs over time. For now, the cost per watch case with the new process is in line with that of the prior method.
The work is still nascent and, for the time being, will be reserved for lower-volume products. Most Apple Watch casings are aluminium, not stainless steel. The company hasn't made headway on mass-producing 3D-printed enclosures with that material, which is also used for Macs and iPads, as well as lower-end iPhones. But the company is discussing bringing materials that can be 3D-printed, like steel and titanium, to more devices.
The initiative is one of the first cases of using binder jetting to mass-produce a high-volume metal part. Making the Apple Watch a test case for new technology is part of a pattern for the company. For instance, Apple added steel frames to the iPhone two years after they appeared on the original Apple Watch. And this year's high-end iPhone models will use titanium a year after the material debuted on the Apple Watch Ultra.
Apple launched the iPad Pro (2022) and the iPad (2022) alongside the new Apple TV this week. We discuss the company's latest products, along with our review of the iPhone 14 Pro on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
iPhone 15 Pro to Apple Watch Series 9 and New AirPods Pro: What to Expect From Apple's 'Wonderlust' Event
Apple on Tuesday confirmed that it would host its next launch event, titled 'Wonderlust' on September 12. The company's rumoured iPhone 15 series of smartphones is expected to make its debut at the event. Apple is tipped to bring noteworthy hardware upgrades to the iPhone lineup this year such as a periscope camera to the Pro series and a new programmable 'Action' button. The Cupertino company could also launch the Apple Watch Series 9 and a second-generation Apple Watch Ultra, as well as a version of the second-generation AirPods Pro with a USB Type-C port, according to recent reports.
From Apple's announcement of its next launch event to the products expected to debut in the coming weeks, here's everything you need to know about the upcoming 'Wonderlust' event that will take place on September 12.
Apple 'Wonderlust' event and expected software updates
The next Apple event is titled 'Wonderlust' and will take place on September 12 at 10am PT (10:30pm IST). Earlier this month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman predicted the same launch date for the company's next smartphone series, which is expected to comprise of the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Like previous Apple events, you should be able to stream the 'Wonderlust' event live via the company's website, the Apple TV+ app, and YouTube.
We already know that Apple is going to update its smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, Mac computers, and Apple TV models with new operating system versions, thanks to the developer and public betas that have been rolling out to users. The company is expected to release iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10, tvOS 17, and macOS Sonoma a few days after the launch event.
iPhone 15 series
Apple is expected to launch four new smartphones this year as the successors to its iPhone 14 lineup, but the new models will reportedly feature notable hardware upgrades. Every model is expected to be equipped with a USB Type-C port with the possibility of Thunderbolt/ USB 4 support and faster charging at up to 35W, according to recent reports. All four models are also tipped to sport the Dynamic Island that arrived with last year's Pro models. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus is said to get an upgrade to the A16 Bionic chip, while the Pro models could be switched to a 3nm A17 Bionic processor.
Images of the purported cases for the iPhone 15 Pro with an Action button cutout Photo Credit: Weibo/ Uncle Pan
Meanwhile, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are tipped to feature a new Action button in place of the mute switch. This button could be programmable and may allow you launch apps, perform tasks, toggle on device and accessibility features, or even launch Shortcuts, according to a report. Meanwhile, the top-of-the-line model is expected to feature a periscope camera that is said to deliver improved optical zoom performance. Both models are tipped to arrive in a titanium chassis with new colour options.
Apple Watch Ultra (2nd Gen) and Apple Watch Series 9
Unlike the iPhone 15 series, details on Apple's plans to launch new smartwatch models are not readily available. According to previous reports, the second-generation Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Series 9 could be equipped with a new S9 chip which is the first major upgrade to the processor on the watch since the Series 6 model that was unveiled in 2020 — in terms of performance and battery efficiency.
If you're expecting major hardware upgrades, you might have to wait until Apple announces these rumoured products at the upcoming launch event. Even if these end up being iterative upgrades, Apple is reportedly working on a major Apple Watch X model for 2024 that could arrive in time for the 10th anniversary of the smartwatch next year.
AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) refresh
Last year, Apple unveiled the AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) alongside the iPhone 14 series of smartphones and the Apple Watch Series 8 and the Apple Watch Ultra. The second-generation AirPods Pro model offers improved battery life, better active noise cancellation, and support for tracking the case just like an AirTag. At its upcoming 'Wonderlust' event, Apple is tipped to launch the AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) with a USB Type-C port.
This isn't the first time that the company has refreshed an existing accessory — Apple launched an upgraded AirPods Pro (1st Gen) model with a MagSafe-compatible charging case. The previous report that claimed the company's flagship truly wireless stereo (TWS) earphones would support the modern charging port does not mention any plans to refresh other recent models such as the AirPods (3rd Gen) and the AirPods Max.
Stay tuned for more updates right here as we head closer to the event date.
Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Jawan, The Nun II, Friday Night Plan, and More: Movie Guide to Cinemas and Streaming in September 2023
What are the biggest movies releasing in September 2023? Shah Rukh Khan headlines the biggest treat in Indian cinema this month with Jawan, an action-thriller which sees him in the role of an emotional vigilante, on a mission to rectify the wrongs in society. Marking the first Hindi-language film for director Atlee, it drops September 7 in cinemas. A bit before that, prime yourself for a warm tale of brotherhood, as a pair of bickering siblings unite to attend a secret party, while their mother is out of town. Starring Babil Khan - the son of the late Irrfan Khan - in the lead, Friday Night Plan releases September 1 on Netflix.
On the Hollywood side, Denzel Washington is back to serve heavy-handed justice on behalf of the needy in The Equalizer 3, as he tests his odds against the Italian mafia. The final chapter co-stars Dakota Fanning, who reunites with the celebrated actor nearly 20 years after the 2004 film Man on Fire when she was a child. The film is out September 1 in theatres worldwide. You'd expect movie studios to schedule their upcoming horror movies for the Halloween season in October, but Warner Bros. is taking a head start by dropping The Nun II on September 8. The premise is a bit similar to the first film, in the sense that Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) is once again faced with the haunting of the demonic entity Valak (Bonnie Aarons). Considering these films are all part of the larger Conjuring universe, I'd expect some ties to other films as well.
This month is a bit dry in terms of major releases, which is why we've also included a short film in the list. Don't worry though, as it's not some random arthouse flick with grey colour grading, but rather Wes Anderson's next pastel-themed project, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. Yes, it's another adaptation of a Roald Dahl story, and it will be available to stream September 27 on Netflix. For your convenience, we have curated the biggest September 2023 releases coming to theatres, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix, which you can check out below. Also, feel free to browse our Entertainment hub to keep track of any other releases that might interest you.
The Equalizer 3
When: September 1
Where: Theatres
Having given up on his former life as a government assassin, ex-special agent Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) finds a strange homeliness in Southern Italy, where he's well-acquainted with its people and sees them as family. But upon realising his newfound friends have gotten into trouble with the local mafia, he must put his game face back on and hunt them down, piling up dead bodies at a Sicilian farm, despite the odd predicament he's in. Tied to a chair with a gun pointed at his head, McCall stays cool and collected as ever, offering the thugs nine seconds to let him loose, or else they get killed.
He doesn't seem to be out of practice either, slipping right back to his violent roots when the moment calls for it and maintaining a charming smile in the public eye to avoid suspicion. On his path of vengeance, he runs into Emma Collins (Dakota Fanning), who suspects him of being responsible for the murders. For now, it's unclear what her intentions are, but it's cool to see them reunite in the lead roles after nearly two decades — almost as if this is a spiritual sequel to Man on Fire (2004). Antoine Fuqua returns to direct The Equalizer 3, which also stars Gaia Scodellaro (Promises), David Denman (Brightburn), and Remo Girone (Ford v Ferrari).
Friday Night Plan
When: September 1
Where: Netflix
For the longest time, Siddharth (Babil Khan) was an unpopular, nerdy kid at school, spending time in the library and privately singing songs when showering. All that changed when he scored the winning goal at one of his football tournaments, instantly transforming his image among his peers, who invite him to a party during the weekend. Only one problem though - Siddharth has a mischievous younger brother (Amrith Jayan), who overhears those plans and wants in, hoping to hit it off with one of the girls from the senior batch. Opportunity comes knocking when their mom (Juhi Chawla) decides to leave on a business trip — meaning there's no need to ask for permission and everything will be fine, as long as they're back home before she returns.
Or so they think. Being siblings translates to a lot of unnecessary quarrels, and mixing it with alcohol is an unhealthy recipe for disaster. From getting their car towed to hurling eggs at poor strangers, their inconsiderate adventures put them in trouble with the local cops, during which they realise the value of brotherhood the moment they began falling apart, and embrace each other's flaws. The aptly titled Friday Night Plan is helmed by Vatsal Neelakantan (Dahaad), and it also features Aadhya Anand (Bombay Begums) as Sid's crush and Ninad Kamat (Scoop) as the police officer Suhad Pingale.
Jawan
When: September 7
Where: Theatres
After ruling the Indian box office with Pathaan earlier this year, Shah Rukh Khan returns as Vikram, a volatile commando looking to correct the wrongs in society, with some help from a group of women, well-trained in arms. In it, he'll be pitted against an outlaw, presumably his lookalike son Azaad — played by SRK himself — who's apparently hurt countless innocents in his path. Both Jawan's stars and its director Atlee are tight-lipped about the plot, but judging by the teaser, it appears that Vikram will cross paths with a hard-nosed lady officer (Nayanthara), and Vijay Sethupathi in an undisclosed role.
Remember the funny French guy from 2018's The Nun, who got possessed by the end of the film? Yeah, Maurice (Jonas Bloquet) and Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) are now in France — two years after the incident at the Romanian abbey where they faced the demon nun Valak. The odd death of a priest sets forth a chain of haunting events at the new church, with several students getting attacked late at night. And so, Sister Irene is once again pitted against the demonic entity, who is now revealed to be a former angel rejected by God. That probably explains why it's angry and hangs about in holy places — so it can somehow reclaim its lost power.
I hope The Nun II delves deeper into the origin of Valak, so we know how it ties to the larger Conjuring universe, before eventually showing up at paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren's desk in the form of a possessed Maurice, years later. Michael Chaves (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It) returns to direct the latest instalment of the James Wan-helmed horror franchise, which is poised to bring the films back to full circle. The sequel also features some new faces, starting with Storm Reid (Euphoria) as a young Nun-in-training, Anna Popplewell as a schoolteacher Marcells, and Katelyn Rose Downey as Sophie, one of the first students who detects the awful presence.
Jaane Jaan
When: September 21
Where: Netflix
Kareena Kapoor Khan makes her OTT debut in this latest Sujoy Ghosh (Lust Stories 2) project, portraying a single mother in Kalimpong, West Bengal, who tries to cover up the murder of her abusive ex-husband. If this premise seems familiar to you, it's because Jaane Jaan is an Indian adaptation of Keigo Higashino's renowned Japanese novel ‘The Devotion of Suspect X.' There isn't much to gather from the brief announcement trailer, but we can conclude that Jaideep Ahlawat (Paatal Lok) plays the local maths teacher who's in love with Khan's character and helps her cover up the crime, whereas Vijay Varma (Darlings) is the police detective hell-bent on solving the murder.
Expend4ables
When: September 22
Where: Theatres
As with every other entry in this action franchise, Expend4bles is quite light-handed on the plot side of things, posing the threat of World War III, thanks to a group of terrorists who have stolen some nuclear missiles. Our returning mercenary Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) is looking to part from the group, passing the baton to the knife expert Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), who will now lead the team with some new and familiar friends. First up is Easy Day (Curtis ‘50 Cent' Jackson) who is extremely wary of not wanting to get shot in the face, followed by Gina (Megan Fox), Christmas's ex-girlfriend who's gotten hold of some confidential government documents regarding the mission. Then there's Levy Tran (The Haunting of Hill House) as the aptly-named Lash, adept at chocking people to death with chains.
As for returning faces, the ensemble lineup brings back Dolph Lundgren as the seasoned sniper Gunner Jensen, and Randy Couture as the demolitions expert Toll Road. The full-stacked crew will go head-to-head against Rahmat, played by Iko Uwais (The Raid: Redemption), whose reputation as a real-life expert martial artist bleeds through in Expend4bles' high-octane combat sequences. Expect loads of vehicular combat and explosions, as our heroes prepare to bid an emotional farewell to their longtime leader Ross. As overtly daft as these movies are, I must admit it'll be hard to keep up with them without Stallone's involvement in the future.
Sylvester Stallone in a still from Expend4bles Photo Credit: Lionsgate
Cassandro
When: September 22
Where: Amazon Prime Video
When being a masked luchador always cast him to the side as a runt of a wrestler, the openly gay Saúl Armendáriz decided to put on some makeup and slip into the spandex of an Exótico. Gael García Bernal (Babel) now prepares to steal hearts in this biopic from Oscar-winning filmmaker Roger Ross Williams, flaunting his acrobatic yet feminine moves under the ring name ‘Cassandro' and slowly climbing the ranks of fame to evolve and upend the ultra-masculine world of wrestling. But with stardom, he starts to lose sight of what's important, causing his mother Yocasta (Perla De La Rosa) to worry about him, while his lover Gerardo (Raúl Castillo) tries hammering into his head that he's ‘pushing things too far' with his character's sassiness.
Not everyone is accepting of his sexuality, which is bound to form the inner conflict for Cassandro, as he navigates his new life of celebrity interviews, exotic parties, and loads of money. Guiding him on the path to success is Felipe (Bad Bunny) who discovers Saúl at a local bar, and Sabrina (Roberta Colindrez), the professional trainer and friend who helps him create his new in-ring persona. Cassandro also seems to have been filmed in a tighter aspect ratio with bars on either side, which I'm assuming is an artistic choice to best replicate the TV broadcasts from the 1990s.
Sukhee
When: September 22
Where: Theatres
Fed up with her mundane life of doing household chores and running after her husband, 38-year-old Punjabi Sukhpreet Kalra (Shilpa Shetty) decides to travel to Delhi to attend her school reunion. In doing so, she's hit with a wave of nostalgia, as she relives a younger version of herself and undergoes an enlightening transformation, that reinvigorates her identity as a woman which had been repressed for so long. Plot-wise, there isn't much to chew on for now, considering T-Series hasn't dropped a trailer, but we know Sukhee being helmed by Sonal Joshi, who previously worked on the Emraan Hashmi-led Bard of Blood. It also ropes in Smit Sadh (Breathe: Into the Shadows) and Kusha Kapila (Selfiee) in the lead roles.
Following Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wes Anderson is taking a stab at Roald Dahl once again in his latest short film The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. Running at just 37 minutes, it follows the titular wealthy gambler Henry (Benedict Cumberbatch), who learns about a strange guru who possesses the ability to see through thin objects without opening his eyes. What follows next is an almost spiritual journey, where he decides to master the skill through meditation and uses it to cheat and win big at casinos, before eventually losing interest in it because the thrill of winning is lost.
Besides Ralph Fiennes (The Grand Budapest Hotel) as the narrator Dahl, there are a bunch of newbies in this short film, namely Dev Patel (The Green Knight) as Dr. Chatterjee, Ben Kingsley (Gandhi) as Imdad Khan, Richard Ayoade (The Double) as Dr. Marshall, and Rupert Friend (Homeland). If it was up to Anderson, this short would've been released in theatres, marking his second project this year — the first being Asteroid City — though by the time he was ready to make the short, Netflix acquired the Roald Dahl Story Company. “Suddenly, in essence, there was nowhere else you could do it since they own it,” Anderson said in an interview while adding that the small runtime makes it the perfect place to show it, as well.
It is also rumoured that the filmmaker will be adapting other Dahl short stories such as ‘The Swan,' ‘Poison,' and ‘The Ratcatcher,' serving as an anthology that collectively runs for roughly 100 minutes.
Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, and Richard Ayoade in a still from The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar Photo Credit: Netflix
The Creator
When: September 29
Where: Theatres
Bash Rogue One: A Star Wars Story's writing all you want, but we can all agree that it was a well-directed film. Sure, a chunk of it can be credited to Greig Fraser's stunning cinematography, but it's director Gareth Edwards' choice of pacing that keeps its otherwise messy events pass by exhilaratingly. He's now back in the sci-fi business with The Creator, which is set in a fictional 2070, where the human race and AI are in a neverending war after the latter dropped a nuclear bomb onto Los Angeles years prior. In it, we largely follow an ex-special forces agent Joshua (John David Washington), who is summoned to hunt down the titular Creator, the elusive architect of the AI who has created a weapon of mass destruction.
Already grieving from the mysterious disappearance of his wife Maya (Gemma Chan), Joshua and his team of soldiers make their way into enemy territory, only to learn that the world-ending weapon he was ordered to destroy is an AI in the form of a child (Madeleine Yuna Voyles). Not knowing what to do, the pair decide to team up and journey across militia checkpoints and villages under attack, to find a way to stop the weapon — presumably, while keeping the kid alive. Despite breaking scientific themes, the film often seems to touch upon religious aspects as well — specifically, the notion of going to heaven, which is impossible for Joshua because of his terrible past, and the child because she isn't human.
The film features an ensemble cast lineup ranging from Ken Watanabe (Detective Pikachu), Allison Janney (Bombshell), Ralph Ineson (The Witch), and Sturgill Simpson (The Hunt). Funnily though, the working title for the film was True Love, which sounds like a romcom — I'm glad they changed it. It might also have been smart for Edwards to base The Creator in the year 2024, given how conflicted we are with the use of artificial intelligence these days. It's a decision that he himself regrets, as revealed in a recent interview.
The Chromecast with Google TV that runs on Android TV is here. When will Google learn how to name products? We discuss this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Crypto Price Today: Bitcoin Finally Trades Above $27,000 Mark, Most Altcoins Recover From Losses
Bitcoin, after weeks of trading at a stagnated price point of around $26,000 (roughly Rs. 21.5 lakh), finally has managed to break out of its resistance point. On Wednesday, Bitcoin reflected a substantial gain of 5.30 percent to trade at $27,496 (roughly Rs. 22.7 lakh). In the last 24 hours, the most expensive cryptocurrency jumped by $1,409 (roughly Rs. 1.16 lakh). As per experts, this price action for BTC has resulted from the liquidation of around $75 million (roughly Rs. 620 crore) across exchanges in short positions.
Ether price also rose notably by 3.81 percent stepping into Wednesday. At the time of writing, ETH was trading at $1,718 (roughly Rs. 1.41 lakh). The value of ETH rose by $65 (roughly Rs. 5,370) over the last day.
"This tremendous positive growth could be attributed to the US Court ruling with Grayscale in a lawsuit against the Securities and Exchange Commission about the company's application to convert the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust to an ETF. This development in the industry has resulted in positive sentiment among the market participants, driving the prices. With this ruling, we could likely see more giant companies applying for Bitcoin spot ETF licenses in the coming months," Edul Patel, CEO, Muder, told Gadgets 360.
Profits raining over both top cryptocurrencies, BTC and ETH, often bring gains back to the crypto price chart.
The overall crypto market valuation spiked by four percent in the last 24 hours to sit on the mark of $1.09 trillion (roughly Rs. 90,07,269 crore), showed CoinMarketCap.
The fear and greed index has jumped 10 points and has entered the neutral zone with the current score of 49/100.
"The crypto market has seen a positive price action in the last 24 hours. As per CoinGecko, global crypto market capitalisation added approx. $50 billion (roughly Rs. 4,13,758 crore)," Shubham Hudda, Senior Manager, CoinSwitch Markets Desk, told Gadgets 360.
Meanwhile, only a pinch of altcoins recorded losses today. These include Binance USD and Braintrust.
Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Cryptocurrency is an unregulated digital currency, not a legal tender and subject to market risks. The information provided in the article is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, trading advice or any other advice or recommendation of any sort offered or endorsed by NDTV. NDTV shall not be responsible for any loss arising from any investment based on any perceived recommendation, forecast or any other information contained in the article.
Chandrayaan-3's Pragyan Rover Confirms Presence of Sulphur on Moon, Search for Hydrogen Underway: ISRO
The Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope instrument onboard 'Pragyan' rover of Chandrayaan-3 has unambiguously confirmed the presence of sulphur on the lunar surface near south pole, through first-ever in-situ measurements, ISRO said on Tuesday.
It also said the instrument also detected aluminium, calcium, iron, chromium, titanium, manganese, silicon and oxygen, as expected.
"The Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) instrument onboard Chandrayaan-3 Rover has made the first-ever in-situ measurements on the elemental composition of the lunar surface near the south pole. These in-situ measurements confirm the presence of Sulphur (S) in the region unambiguously, something that was not feasible by the instruments onboard the orbiters," the space agency said in a statement.
According to ISRO, LIBS is a scientific technique that analyses the composition of materials by exposing them to intense laser pulses.
"A high-energy laser pulse is focused onto the surface of a material, such as a rock or soil. The laser pulse generates an extremely hot and localised plasma. The collected plasma light is spectrally resolved and detected by detectors such as Charge Coupled Devices. Since each element emits a characteristic set of wavelengths of light when it's in a plasma state, the elemental composition of the material is determined," it said.
Preliminary analyses have unveiled the presence of Aluminum (Al), Sulphur (S), Calcium (Ca), Iron (Fe), Chromium (Cr), and Titanium (Ti) on the lunar surface. Further measurements have revealed the presence of manganese (Mn), silicon (Si), and oxygen (O), it said.
"Thorough investigation regarding the presence of Hydrogen is underway," ISRO said.
LIBS instrument is developed at the Laboratory for Electro-Optics Systems at Peenya Industrial Estate, Bengaluru where the first India satellite was fabricated in 1975.
India on August 23 scripted history as ISRO's ambitious third Moon mission Chandrayaan-3's Lander Module (LM) touched down on the lunar surface, making it only the fourth country to accomplish the feat, and first to reach the uncharted south pole of Earth's only natural satellite.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced the decision to name the spot where Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander made soft landing as 'Shiv Shakti Point' and the site where the Chandrayaan-2 lander crash-landed on the Moon's surface in 2019 would be known as "Tiranga Point".
Also, August 23, the day the Chandrayaan-3 lander touched down on the lunar surface, would be celebrated as ‘National Space Day', Modi had said.
Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Xiaomi Says EV Plans Running Ahead of Schedule Amid Revenue Drop Report
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi reported a 4 percent revenue drop in the second quarter, tracking a shrinkage in China's handset market, but said its move into making electric vehicles was running ahead of schedule.
Sales dropped to CNY 67.4 billion (nearly Rs. 76,450 crore) from CNY 70.17 billion (nearly Rs. 80,650 crore) in the same quarter a year earlier, but beating analysts' estimates of CNY 65.13 billion (nearly Rs. 74,860 crore).
Net income rose to CNY 5.14 billion (nearly Rs. 5,830 crore) over the period, an increase of 147 percent from CNY 2.08 billion (nearly Rs. 2,390 crore) a year earlier, also beating expectations. The company put the increase down to cost cutting and efficiency improvements, particularly in its physical stores.
"Despite the macroeconomic headwinds in the global market we continue to expand our footprint," Xiaomi President Lu Weibing said on an earnings call.
"Several of our peers already exited from certain areas in this challenging environment, but no matter how hard it will be we will reinforce our presence across regions and markets," Lu said.
Consumer demand in China's smartphone market continued to shrink in the second quarter, dropping 5 percent to 64.3 million units, according to Canalys, a consultancy that tracks the smartphone industry.
Xiaomi's shipments declined by 19 percent to 8.6 million, while in major overseas market India, shipments fell 22 percent to 5.4 million units, Canalys said.
In light of declining handset sales, Xiaomi is planning to move into the manufacture of electric vehicles (EVs) and has received approval from China's state planner, Reuters reported this month.
The company has pledged a $10 billion (nearly Rs. 82,600 crore) investment over a decade in the automobile business.
Lu said the company's plans to start mass production of EVs in the first half of 2024 remains unchanged. "Our current progress is ahead of expectations and of the original production schedule," he said.
From the launch of the Infinix GT 10 Pro to Amazon's latest mega-sale, we discuss the most noteworthy technology news events of the week on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
iPhone 15 Series to Launch on September 12 at Apple 'Wonderlust' Event
iPhone 15 series has now got an official launch date as the California-based tech giant has announced its upcoming Apple 'Wonderlust' Event. The event is all set to be take place on September 12, and will be live streamed online. The company is expected to release a number of products at the fall launch event, including the iPhone 15 series, Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, along with the announcement for iOS 17 and watchOS 10 launch date. However, the company has not revealed the products that will launch on the Apple Event.
Apple has officially sent out invites for the fall launch event, named 'Wonderlust'. The event will take place at Apple Park on September 12, starting at 10 AM PT (10.30 PM IST). The launch will be live streamed online on apple.com and the Apple TV app.
The upcoming launch event will witness the launch of the iPhone 15 series, which will include iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. There have already been several rumours regarding the specifications, design as well as colour options for these variants. The most awaited update for the this iPhone series lineup would be the inclusion of USB Type-C charging port instead of Lightning port.
The company is also expected to release two new smartphones at the event — the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. The successor to Apple Watch Series 8, the Watch Series 9 is expected to five colour options for the aluminium body, and three colourways for the stainless steel model. The smartwatch is expected to be similar to its predictor in terms of design.
The second-generation Apple Watch Ultra model was previously reported to be manufactured using the 3D printing technology. The smartwatch is also said to bear a close resemblance to its predecessor.
The company is yet to confirm the products that will be launched or unveiled at the upcoming events. However, Apple analyst Mark Gurman has confirmed about the launch of iPhone 15 series at the Wonderlust event.
Apple unveiled its first mixed reality headset, the Apple Vision Pro, at its annual developer conference, along with new Mac models and upcoming software updates. We discuss all the most important announcements made by the company at WWDC 2023 on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Netflix Unveils December Release Date for Zoya Akhtar’s The Archies Movie
The Archies, the coming-of-age musical from Zoya Akhtar, just got a release date. The film is slated to drop December 7 on Netflix, drawing inspiration from the globally-loved Archie Comics characters and putting an Anglo-Indian spin on it. As part of the reveal, the cast got together at Mumbai's Western Express Highway to pose next to a billboard with a timer that counts down the days to its premiere. Filming on The Archies wrapped up in December last year, with Akhtar credited as the co-writer alongside Ayesha Devitre (Gehraiyaan) and Reema Kagti (Made in Heaven).
Akhtar reimagines the fictional town of Riverdale through an Anglo-Indian lens, setting it at a hill station in the swinging 1960s, as the film follows the lives of Archie and friends navigating friendship, heartbreak, rebellion, school protests, dance parties, and more. A teaser from the Netflix Tudum event showed instances of rock ‘n' roll, which didn't sit well with the local audience who found the adaptation to be heavily influenced by Western media. Even the cast and costume design were initially criticised for not seeming accurate to India in 1964. The director addressed those sentiments by simply noting that ‘it's fictional' and stressing that it's focused on the Anglo-Indian community. The Archies movie marks the fourth live-action universe project stripped from the comics, following The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Katy Keene, and the recently-ended Riverdale.
Hamari kahaani ka countdown shuru ho chuka hai ?
This is a daily reminder that The Archies arrive on December 7th.#100DaysToGo ✨ pic.twitter.com/xb5EhgHKbe
Netflix's The Archies stars Agastya Nanda as the charming Archie Andrews, torn between his feelings for Betty and Veronica. It is worth mentioning that because of the Anglo-Indian spin, some — or maybe all — of the characters might have different names when compared to the original comic book series. Khushi Kapoor plays the kind-hearted Betty, while Suhana Khan portrays the rich and pompous Veronica Lodge. Filling out the lineup are Vedang Raina as the self-obsessed Reggie Mantle, Aditi ‘Dot' Saigal as Riverdale's up-and-coming hair stylist Ethel Muggs, and Mihir Ahuja as the appetite-driven Jughead Jones. Oddly enough, his signature crown-shaped cap from the comics has been replaced with a flat cap, reminiscent of Peaky Blinders.
Akhtar is co-producing The Archies movie via her own Tiger Baby Films banner, with Sharad Devarajan's Graphics India. Earlier this month, the filmmaker dropped the second season of Made in Heaven on Amazon Prime Video, with our favourite wedding planners played by Sobhita Dhulipala and Arjun Mathur returning to orchestrate another slew of big fat Indian weddings. The new chapter is largely focused on a female perspective, with key points of conflict being abuse, mistrust, and divorce. All seven episodes of Made in Heaven season 2 are now up for streaming on the platform.
The Archies movie is out December 7 on Netflix.
The Chromecast with Google TV that runs on Android TV is here. When will Google learn how to name products? We discuss this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
The Idol Has Been Cancelled at HBO After Five-Episode-Long First Season
The Idol has been cancelled at HBO, after just one season. HBO has chosen not to renew the controversial series from Sam Levinson and Abel ‘The Weeknd' Tesfaye, which was subjected to poor reception from both critics and audiences alike. Season 1 ended after merely five episodes, despite initially mentioning six planned episodes. This caused many to wonder if the studio was pulling the plug on the show early on due to hate-watching, albeit it was claimed later that it was a communication error. When rumours about the cancellation of a second season began making rounds in June, HBO's PR team stepped in to say that a decision had not been made.
“The Idol was one of HBO's most provocative original programs, and we're pleased by the strong audience response,” an HBO spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter. “After much thought and consideration, HBO, as well as the creators and producers have decided not to move forward with a second season. We're grateful to the creators, cast, and crew for their incredible work.” While some actors signed on for the show thinking it was a limited series, star Da'Vine Joy Randolph claimed in an interview that The Idol was always planned to have a second season and that HBO was ‘happy' with how it turned out. Despite her comments, HBO stopped showing viewer data after the first two episodes.
The premiere drew 913,000 views across HBO cable and Max (formerly, HBO Max), which was 17 percent lower than co-creator Levinson's previous hit series Euphoria (1.1 million viewers). Episode 2 dipped slightly to 800,000 viewers, after which the studio stopped putting out data. At the time, HBO attributed the drop in view count to linear television viewers, which made sense considering The Idol is targeted at a younger demographic — most of whom would ideally prefer streaming platforms over the TV channel. In India, the show was made available to stream on JioCinema, though Viacom18 hasn't revealed any metrics yet. The Idol opened to a 19 percent average rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with key points of criticism being the overtly graphic sexual scenes and the lack of direction.
Dialogue from the show was heavily memed on the internet, specifically, the dirty talk uttered by The Weeknd, who played the cult leader Tedros who invaded pop star Jocelyn's (Lily-Rose Depp) life. Back in March, a Rolling Stone report touched upon The Idol's on-set turmoil, where its original director Amy Seimetz (Upstream Color) exited the project when 80 percent of the work was done. The focus was meant to be on the struggles and exploitation of a rising pop star in Los Angeles, before Levinson came on board and overwrote most of Seimetz's work to glorify the toxic relationship between Depp and Tesfaye's characters. He also ended up directing all episodes. It was also revealed that co-creator Tesfaye/ The Weeknd felt like the show was originally leaning ‘too much into a female perspective.'
All five episodes of The Idol are now available to stream on JioCinema in India, and Max wherever available.
The Chromecast with Google TV that runs on Android TV is here. When will Google learn how to name products? We discuss this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
