If you’re using a Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO phone running HyperOS, you might notice ads showing up inside many system apps, from the Downloads and Mi Browser to Music, Security and Themes. Fortunately, while Xiaomi doesn’t remove all advertising by default, you can turn most of it off with a few simple settings changes. So here’s how to clean up your phone and cut down on ads across the OS.

Disable the MSA System Ad Service

Many of the ads you see originate from a service called MSA (MIUI System Ads), which is a telemetry-linked background app responsible for displaying recommendations and ads system-wide. Turning this off is one of the most important first steps:

1. Open Settings
2. Go to Fingerprints, face data & screen lock (or Passwords & security on some Xiaomi phones)
3. Tap Authorization & revocation
4. Toggle MSA off and tap Revoke to confirm

Doing this stops the system from serving many ads, though you’ll still need to disable certain app-specific ads separately.

Turn Off Personalized Ads

You can also disable targeted ads that use your data:

1. Open Settings and then head to Privacy
2. Select Ad services or Advertising services
3. Turn off Personalized ad recommendations

Once again, this wouldn’t remove all advertisements, but it prevents the system from tailoring these to your behavior.

Disable Ads Inside Individual System Apps

HyperOS places ad toggles inside many pre-installed apps. While you’ll likely never interact with most of them, you’ll need to turn these off one app at a time to get a true ad-free experience. The exact labels may differ slightly by region or build, but they’re usually easy to spot:

• Downloads: Open the app > menu (three dots) > Settings > turn off Show ads.
• Mi Browser: Profile icon > Settings > Advanced > disable Show ads.
• Mi Video Player: Profile > gear icon > disable Personalized recommendations (note: in some builds, this only lasts 90 days).
• Music: Profile > Settings > disable Allow permanent notifications, then in Advanced settings turn off Show ads and Personalized recommendations.
• Security: Settings > disable Show recommendations, also turn off under the Cleaner section.
• Themes: Account > gear > disable Show ads and Personalized recommendations.
• App Vault: Open App Vault > menu > Manage services > turn off App suggestions and Ads.

Disable Ads in Other Places

While HyperOS doesn’t offer a universal one-click switch for all ads (although such a toggle has been spotted in leaked test builds), you can also reduce other ad-feed interruptions:

• Some devices include an “Ads in System Apps” toggle inside Mi Account > About Xiaomi Account
• For persistent ads or notifications from the msa daemon, you can disable its notifications: go to Settings > Apps > Manage apps > View all apps > msa > Notifications and turn off Show notifications.
• Advanced users sometimes set up private DNS ad-blockers (e.g., using AdGuard DNS) to block ad servers at the network level.

Why It’s Worth Doing

HyperOS is still evolving, and despite the various improvements over time, ads remain a controversial part of the experience. This is especially frustrating when they appear inside system apps or notifications. While a completely ad-free operation may require patience and thorough cleanup, going through these settings drastically reduces the amount of unwanted content you’ll see and improves both privacy and battery life. Keep in mind that after system updates, some settings may reset, so revisiting them occasionally helps maintain your preferred, ad-free configuration.

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WhatsApp may soon push ads deeper into multiple regions across the globe, and users who want a clean, ad-free experience could have to pay for it.

Code spotted in WhatsApp’s Android beta version 2.26.3.9 (via Wabetainfo) suggests the company is testing a paid subscription that removes ads entirely. The plan is aimed at users in Europe and the UK and is priced at around €4 per month, according to early beta screenshots. While Meta has not confirmed the final cost, the move signals a clear shift in how WhatsApp plans to monetize its massive user base.

Ads currently appear in WhatsApp’s Updates tab, where users view Status posts and browse Channels. These include Status Ads that show up after updates and Promoted Channels pushed as recommendations. Under the new subscription, these ads would disappear. Subscribers would no longer see promoted content after status updates, nor would they receive sponsored channel suggestions. Core features such as private messaging, voice calls, and video calls would remain free for all users.

Meta first introduced ads in WhatsApp’s Updates tab in the United States last year and later expanded them to other regions. The company says these ads do not use data from private chats. Instead, ad targeting is based on language, general location, and user activity within the Updates tab. Meta has promoted this system as a way for businesses to reach more than 1.5 billion WhatsApp users.

The paid option aligns with European and UK regulations, which require platforms to give users a choice between ad-supported and paid experiences. Similar subscription models already exist on Facebook and Instagram in these regions.

Subscriptions would be managed through Google Play in-app purchases. Once activated, changes may take up to 15 minutes to apply. It is still unclear whether this will be a standalone WhatsApp subscription or part of a broader Meta Accounts Center plan that could cover multiple apps.

For now, the subscription is optional. Users who stay on the free tier will continue to see ads in the Updates tab. WhatsApp has not shared a launch timeline, saying the feature is still under development and must meet regulatory requirements before release.

In related news, WhatsApp is preparing to replace Tenor with Klipy as a default GIF provider after Tenor announced it will shut down its API on June 30, 2026. The transition, spotted in a recent iOS beta, will happen automatically for users, with Klipy-branded GIFs appearing in chats.

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X, previously known as Twitter, is once again under scrutiny for not labeling ads on its platform. Users have spotted ads that don’t carry the typical “Ad” label, blurring the line between paid and organic content. This issue not only frustrates users but could also attract the attention of regulatory bodies like the FTC.

The company is going through a rough phase already, and this can further add to it

The silence from X has led to speculation about whether this is an intentional act or a technical glitch. Either way, the oversight raises questions about the platform’s commitment to transparency and could add to its ongoing challenges. Elon Musk, who now helms the platform, has already announced a 60% drop in ad revenue, blaming activist campaigns for the decline.

Transparency advocate Nandini Jammi, co-founder of the watchdog group Check My Ads, has been sharing examples of these unlabeled ads. Her group is encouraging users to report similar cases, emphasizing the need for accountability.

The lack of clear labeling could have a domino effect. It’s not just a user experience issue but could also dent advertiser trust. This comes at a time when the company has lost two key executives responsible for brand safety.

As X navigates these waters, the absence of a clear response on the unlabeled ads issue could be a telling sign of larger problems within the company. With dwindling ad revenue and a shaky executive team, this latest controversy could be a tipping point, forcing X to address its governance and operational issues more seriously.

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Netflix is known for its ad-free streaming experience, but that might soon change for some subscribers. According to reports from FT.com, the streaming giant has been in talks with prominent ad executives to explore new ways to deliver targeted advertisements. The discussions took place at this year’s Cannes Lions festival in the picturesque South of France. It seems that Netflix is considering adopting an “episodic” approach to advertising. Instead of bombarding viewers with repetitive ads, campaigns could be divided into multiple episodes. Netflix would keep track of which episodes viewers have already seen and deliver the next one when it’s time for another ad.

The ads would be tailored to the genre being watched by the user

This innovation would address a common complaint among viewers who often find themselves watching the same ad repeatedly across different streaming services. With episodic ads, the monotony would be broken (just a little bit), offering a more engaging and dynamic experience.

Furthermore, these ads could be specifically tailored to certain shows. If you’re watching a popular Netflix movie or show, say, Bojack Horseman, you might encounter the episodic ads during breaks, but they wouldn’t appear during a different genre such as a gritty thriller series. This approach aligns with traditional broadcasting, where ads are strategically placed to target specific audiences. However, online platforms like Netflix have the advantage of more precise targeting, ensuring that advertisers reach their intended audience effectively.

The prospect of episodic ads has garnered excitement among advertising professionals. The ability to track viewers’ ad exposure allows advertisers to craft a series of ads and guarantee that viewers see them in the desired order. This level of targeting offers endless possibilities for creative storytelling within the advertising sector.

Advertising is now becoming an increasingly important revenue stream for the company. In fact, according to an advertising boss quoted by FT, Netflix is now generating more revenue per user from its ad-supported tier than from the standard subscription tier. This indicates a shift in the company’s revenue model and emphasizes the significance of targeted advertising.

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Google’s email service, Gmail, is reportedly starting to show more ads, including in the middle of email lists, which is causing concern among users. The company’s decision to inject more ads into the service has been met with criticism, with some users finding it difficult to navigate around the advertisements.

Gmail users frustrated over intrusive ad placement

According to reports, the increase in ads has been rolled out over the past week on both the web and mobile app versions of Gmail. While the service has always had ads, they were previously positioned at the top of the email list, making them easy to navigate around. However, with ads now interspersed through email lists, users are finding it harder to navigate around them.

The mobile app experience has also been affected, with ads now appearing in the Updates filter inbox, an area that was previously free from advertisements. The addition of two ads at the top of the email list has made the space look cluttered and has caused concern among users.

It is important to note that not all users are experiencing this change, as Google has been known to run targeted tests with features, service changes, and even its ads that never fully roll out to the public. However, for those affected by the increased ads, this could be a major inconvenience.

As always, it is important for users to keep an eye on any changes to the services they use and to provide feedback to the companies that provide them. Gmail is also taking a proactive approach with the new blue checkmark feature to combat email scams and improve the safety and security of its users.

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TikTok is a social media platform where users can create and share short videos set to music or other sounds. It was launched in 2016 by a Chinese tech company, Bytedance and has since become a global phenomenon, particularly popular among young people. TikTok uses an algorithm to curate content for users, which has led to viral trends and challenges. The platform pays its top content creators through its Creator Fund program, which is a $1 billion fund set up to support eligible creators who meet certain criteria, including having at least 100,000 followers and being 18 years or older. The amount each creator is paid is determined by a formula that takes into account factors such as views, engagement, and overall popularity of their content. However, this was never a source of reliable income for creators on the platform, until now.

Creators can now earn 50% of the Ad Revenue

TikTok has dropped a bombshell on the advertising industry with the launch of Pulse Premiere, a product that enables advertisers to showcase their ads alongside premium content from big-name publishers, including Buzzfeed, DotDash Meredith, NBCUniversal, UFC, and WWE. The latest offering from the social media giant will allow creators to earn 50% of the revenue generated from ads placed behind their content, taking TikTok’s Pulse project to the next level. Until now, Pulse only allowed marketers to place ads alongside the top 4% of the highest-quality content. However, Pulse Premiere is now more inclusive, enabling participating publishers to place ads after all posts.

The company recently introduced the ability to generate AI avatars for its users. TikTok is hoping to support publishers and create new business opportunities for the platform with this new initiative. With monthly active users in the US already exceeding 150 million, Pulse Premiere has all the ingredients to become a major force in the advertising space. Creators on the platform will see a new era of creative possibilities with TikTok’s new initiative.

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On Sunday, May 1, 2023, Facebook‘s advertising system went out of control, overcharging advertisers and wasting money on ads that didn’t work. The social media giant’s parent company, Meta, confirmed the bug and promised to follow its “normal refund process.” However, the company shared very little about what went wrong, leaving millions of advertisers in the dark about the cause of the problem.

Reports suggest that Meta charged some advertisers more than double what they agreed to pay, ranging from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars. In some cases, the system ate up entire advertising budgets in a matter of hours. Worse, the ad campaigns weren’t performing better, even though Meta was pulling more money from people’s accounts. The glitch primarily affected ad delivery on Facebook but also hit Instagram to a lesser extent.

The Incident Highlighted Lack of Transparency in Big Tech

As the article notes, the company’s advertising system is already opaque, with advertisers having limited visibility into how their campaigns are being executed. When something goes wrong, this lack of transparency can be frustrating and even damaging for businesses that rely on Meta’s ad network.

Moreover, this lack of transparency is part of a larger trend in the tech industry, where companies often prioritize secrecy over openness. While there are certainly valid reasons for tech companies to keep certain information private (such as protecting user data), the lack of transparency can create a sense of mistrust between these companies and their users.

It’s also worth noting that the refund process for affected advertisers may not be as straightforward as Meta makes it sound. As the article points out, it can take months for advertisers to receive their refunds, and even then, it may not fully compensate them for the losses they incurred. For small businesses that operate on tight budgets, this delay can be particularly damaging.

In general, this incident highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in the tech industry. As companies like Meta continue to dominate the digital advertising space, they must prioritize the needs and concerns of their users, particularly those who rely on their platforms for their livelihoods.

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We’ve all had that one experience where we had been talking about something that we wished to buy (it could be a new laptop, a smartphone, or whatever), and not long after, we see advertisements of the products that were in the conversation. This has led to many to believe that our electronic products like smartphones, tablets, or smart speakers could be spying on us. But is that really the case? Let’s find out.

This phenomenon isn’t just exclusive to gadgets and could even include certain medicines, furniture, and much more. Thus, when you see an ad online talking about a certain product (which you need) going on discount at a store near you, one would naturally assume that your very own smartphone is spying on you. However, a recent test from the UK’s Daily Mail has suggested that this might not be the case.

The test was conducted by setting up a new Google account on a Samsung Galaxy smartphone that was factory reset to ensure that this is how the device would function straight out of the box. For the test, a 22 year old named Robin was created and a fake Facebook account was also made for this fictitious persona. Following this, daily Mail talked about the names of products nearby for two days straight to see if this impacted the advertisement that were being displayed online through the Galaxy handset.

However, the test found that the smartphone wasn’t eavesdropping on any of the conversation around its vicinity since it did not receive any online ads that were related to said products. In other words, your device is probably not listening to your conversations and is likely tracking your activity based on the products you search for or click on online. Jordan Schroeder, the person that head’s the firm’s network security , also added that OEMs don’t need to listen in on your conversation since there are plenty of other ways of collecting the data that they need from your smartphone.

To further prove this point, Daily Mail used the fake Robin’s account on Google to search for ‘luxury car’ and ‘expensive bed’ using Google Assistant and even Google Search. Follow this, the ads targeted online were all related to cars from high end brands as well as bed companies. Google took it a step further and also created a webpage with brands that Robin want to potentially check out.

For those interested, you can find your personalized page by going to myadcenter.google.com. This is the webpage that basically compiles all the topics and brands that you have been interested in. Keep in mind that this feature won’t work for those who have their personalized ads switched off. One can even customize the settings to receive lesser or even more advertisements related to particular topics or specific brands from the My Ad Center website.

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Microsoft’s latest optional update for Windows 11 has caused controversy with its inclusion of prompts for users to back up their files on OneDrive, which some view as intrusive advertisements. The update, which brings the operating system to 22621.1485, includes “notifications for Microsoft accounts in the Start menu,” which Microsoft insists are not ads but useful prompts for features that integrate with Windows 11. However, the prompts have already sparked debate among users about what constitutes an ad.

The update is currently available to a small audience through the Windows 11 Settings app and the Microsoft Update Catalog. Assuming all goes well with the preview build, the update will roll out more broadly next month as part of Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday updates. Along with the controversial prompts, the update also includes several bug fixes and improvements, including a lighter search box on the taskbar when Windows is set to a custom color mode.

The inclusion of prompts to use OneDrive within the Start menu has divided opinions, with some users feeling that Microsoft is being too pushy in promoting its cloud storage service. Others argue that as the maker and maintainer of Windows 11, Microsoft has the right to promote services that it feels benefit users. The debate over what constitutes an ad is likely to continue, as Microsoft continues to integrate its services more deeply into Windows 11.

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Instagram ads are quite a popular form of social media advertising that allows businesses and individuals to promote their products or services to a large audience, given Instagram’s massive user base. These ads appear in users’ feeds or stories and can be targeted based on factors such as demographics, interests, and behaviours. Instagram ads can be created and managed through Facebook Ads Manager, which provides a variety of ad formats, including photos, videos, carousels, and stories. Instagram is expanding its advertising options in a move that could benefit businesses seeking greater visibility. As part of its latest testing phase, the app has introduced a couple of new ad placements that could transform the way brands are discovered on the platform. One such placement involves sponsored ads appearing in search results when users enter specific terms, such as “makeup”, or “shoes”. These ads will be marked as sponsored and will show up in users’ feeds alongside the actual search results. The company has said it intends to make this placement available globally in the coming months.

The app is also partnering with selected brands to trial a new format known as “reminder ads”, which could provide businesses with a more direct way to notify users of upcoming events or launches. Once users opt into these reminders, they will receive notifications from Instagram one day before the event, 15 minutes prior, and when it commences. These notifications will appear like any other Instagram notification and will display on users’ lock screens.

The introduction of these new advertising options is hardly surprising given the importance of ads to Meta, the parent company of Instagram. Meta‘s advertising revenue dropped for the first time in 2022, so it is actively looking for new ways to monetize its platforms. Despite this setback, the company still earned $31.25 billion in advertising revenue in the fourth quarter of 2022.

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YouTube, the video-sharing social media platform wholly owned by Google, has recently silently implemented a new ad format starting this September 2022. YouTube users who are not subscribed to YouTube Premium, will now receive up to 5 advertisements to be watched, before your video starts.

The news broke out when several YouTube Free users started complaining on Twitter and Reddit that they have been receiving 5 ads instead of 2, before they could watch their YouTube video. 

So @YouTube 2 ads weren’t enough now y’all wanna play 5 ads that no one cares for AND I CANT SKIP ?

— Mermaidvee (@BadGyalVeeVee) September 7, 2022

youtube just gave me 5 long unskipable ads pic.twitter.com/FgUUrzZvoB

— The Ricked One (@LoganC01962550) September 8, 2022

For several YouTube Free users, they reported that they have received 5 unskippable advertisements as opposed to skippable advertisements before a video-watching session, and this caused dissent and upset among the users.

Regarding the matter, YouTube has issued an official reply on Twitter acknowledging the situation and stated that the new 5-ad phenomenon could happen to YouTube users with the company’s certain type of ad format called bumper ads. As explained by YouTube, these bumper ads are short-form ads on the platform that are typically 6 seconds long, and unfortunately unskippable.

hmm…this may happen with a certain type of ad format called bumper ads, since they're only up to 6 seconds long. if you'd like, you can send feedback directly from YouTube via the send feedback tool

— TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) September 7, 2022

Currently not all YouTube Free users are experiencing the “5 ads before your video starts” situation, so it seems like YouTube is currently testing out the waters among selected YouTube Free users. As of now, most users of YouTube Free are only receiving up to 2 ads before their video starts, but it is not known whether the “5-ad format” change will be rolled out to all YouTube Free users soon.

Lastly, YouTube reiterates that if both Free and Premium users have any feedback regarding YouTube’s ad policy, users can always send feedback directly to the company via the “Send Feedback” tool on the company’s video-sharing platform.

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Last week, South Korean technology giant Samsung, which is also the world’s leading smartphone manufacturer, confirmed that it will remove advertisements from its own applications on its devices.

Now, just days after that announcement, the company has started taking steps towards that promise. In its first move, Samsung has now stopped showing advertisements in its stock Weather application, as reported by Twitter user @FrontTron.

Finally! No more banner ads in the Samsung stock Weather app! pic.twitter.com/RrXHdSDN7g

— Tron ❂ (@FrontTron) August 23, 2021

This is just a start and all the other applications developed by Samsung for its smartphones will soon stop showing ads. While the Weather has stopped show ads, they are still present in the Samsung Pay and Samsung Themes apps.

With the introduction of its revamped custom user interface One UI, the South Korean giant had started showing ads in some of the most used applications. But after user complaints as well as complaints from the Samsung employees, the company announced that it will be removing ads from its smartphones via future One UI software updates.

The South Korean firm was seeking new growth opportunities in the fields of content and advertising services, aiming to provide useful information that customers need through search and recommendation in the content service or Galaxy Store. This led to showing advertisements in Samsung smartphones.

Samsung has said that the update should be ready by the end of this year but there’s no exact timeline available. The rough estimate from the company hints that the upcoming One UI 4.0 which is based on the latest Android 12 operating system won’t have advertisements for the company’s own apps.

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Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, apparently has new plans that would take advertising out of this world, quite literally. Musk will be partnering up with a Canada based startup to launch a satellite that will act as a billboard for advertisements in space.

The billionaire’s latest endeavor will have SpaceX join launch a satellite into low Earth orbit by next year. The company’s team seeks on sending the satellite into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which will enable advertisements to be sent up from Earth. Talking about the satellite itself, it is called CubeSat and will feature a pixelated display screen that will showcase the contents that it receives from Earth.

Geometric Energy Corp, the startup SpaceX is working with, added that apart from just advertisements, the screen can also be used to display logos and even art. Samuel Reid, CEO and Co Founder of GEC also told BusinessInsider that the rocket that will carry CubeSat into orbit will release it before the rocket reaches the moon. While to some it might sound a bit intrusive as looking up at the sky and seeing an ad isn’t really that attractive, you can rest assured considering this space billboard will not be visible from Earth.

Rather than being outright visible, the content on the satellite’s display will be streamed live to various online platforms like YouTube or Twitch via a camera. In other words, a selfie stick will capture and send the contents/advertisements on the satellite to streaming sites. In practice, this means that anyone with access to the internet and such websites can see the satellite’s screen.

Reid further added that “There might be companies that want to depict their logo… or it might end up being a bit more personal and artistic. I’m trying to achieve something that can democratize access to space and allow for decentralized participation. Hopefully, people don’t waste money on something inappropriate, insulting or offensive.”

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It is not uncommon for smartphone brands to take a jab at one another from time to time. Samsung has done so in the past as well, especially against its rival Apple. Now, the company has mocked the latter’s high end iPhone 12 Pro Max‘s camera in new TV ads.

Recently, the South Korean tech giant released new TV ads in the US, and even shared these ads on their official YouTube channel as well. In these ads, the brand can be seen comparing its current high end flagship, the Galaxy S21 Ultra, with the highest offering from the Cupertino based giant, the iPhone 12 Pro Max. The former carefully chose scenarios and highlighted camera features that would embarass the iPhone.

The new punch line from Samsung was that “Your phone upgrade shouldn’t be a downgrade” and the company clearly showcased that in the ads. The first ad compares the two devices in a scene where they are capturing a cheese sandwich. Here, the Galaxy S21 Ultra retains a much higher degree of detail compared to the iPhone 12 Pro Max thanks to its higher 108 megapixel resolution sensor.

The second ad went even further to humiliate the Apple iPhone as it was a zoom test. For those unaware, the Galaxy S21 Ultra features a 100x zoom lens on the rear camera module. This was compared to the simple 12x magnification offered by the iPhone, making it seem terrible in regards to detail. While the comparisons are strictly tailored to favor the Galaxy S21 Ultra, it does highlight the slower pace at which Apple adopts newer technology, with its current high end model still not offering any form of a dedicated zoom lens even in 2020/2021.

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Apple is apparently planning on expanding its advertising business just prior to rolling out its new privacy rules for iPhones that will hurt the ads offered by its competitors, like Facebook, and other social media platforms.

According to a FinancialTimes report, the Cupertino based giant will be opening up new advertising slots by the end of this month. The news arrives from two sources close to the matter who believe that the company will be adding a second advertising slow in the “suggested” apps section in its App Store search page. This new slot will arrive later this month and will also allow advertisers to promote their apps across the the network, rather than in certain specific searches.

Unfortunately, Apple has declined to comment on this matter. But this news highlights the fact that the iPhone maker is seeking to bolster its own advertising business while simultaneously crippling the 350 billion US Dollar worth digital ads industry that is led by tech giants like Facebook and Google. For those unaware, the upcoming iOS 14.5 will ban applications and advertisers from collecting data from iPhone users without their explicit consent. Thus, most users are expected to decline to being tracked, which could have a severe impact on the mobile advertising industry.

While Apple claims that this change will improve user privacy for its customers, many believe that this is just an attempt to boost its own advertising business. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg added that “Apple may say they’re doing this to help people, but the moves clearly track with their competitive interests.” So stay tuned for more updates, as we will be covering any interesting new developments regarding this matter.

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Earlier this week, Facebook announced that it would send out notifications for iPhone users across the globe regarding how data is used to provide personalized ads. This arrived just prior to incoming privacy policy changes from Apple.

According to a Reuters report, the social media giant is rolling out these notifications before Apple, due to the potential harm that the new privacy updates might bring to Facebook’s advertising business. The new notification will arrive in the form of a full screen prompt that would ask both Facebook and Instagram users to allow their apps and website to be used for personalized ads. The platform will even ask users to “support businesses that rely on ads to reach customers.”

For those unaware, the company is already fighting a public battle against the Cupertino based giant’s plan to ask its userbase whether they wish to allow apps to track their activity across other websites or even applications. Facebook has warned users that Apple’s notifications “suggest there is a tradeoff between personalized advertising and privacy.” Further adding that this move would hurt small businesses that rely on ads from their platform.

At the moment, it is unknown when exactly the new prompt will pop up on the two social media platforms, although, Apple is expected to roll out its privacy notifications soon. The brand stated that these prompts will start appearing on most iPhone models within the next few months. So stay tuned for more, as we will be providing more updates when additional information is available regarding the matter.

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Facebook has been long reported to introduce ads in WhatsApp. According to the latest report by The Information, the company is still looking into ways, although it has failed multiple times over the past few months.

WhatsApp is a free to use instant messaging service used by billions of users worldwide. However, it did not start as free since initially, the app had a subscription fee, which was later reduced to $1/year with a free trial for a year. But that begun to change as the company started to cancel subscriptions for random regular users. And at last, it became fully free for all the existing as well as new users in early 2016

Between all this, Facebook bought WhatsApp in 2014 for $16 billion. Since then, there have been speculations on how the social giant will monetise the newly acquired platform. It became even more intense when the app went completely free.

Then, a report emerged in late 2018 regarding Facebook to bring ads in the then newly introduced status section in WhatsApp. Followed by that, another report in 2019 suggested ads will come to WhatsApp only after the unification of Facebook’s all messaging platforms including Instagram and Messenger.

But that may not happen anytime soon as the US FTC (Federal Trade Commission) is investigating an antitrust probe into Facebook. So only after passing that hurdle, ads on WhatsApp may become a reality. Until then, the most used instant messaging platform on the planet will remain ad-free.

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(Via)

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In a recent interview, CEO of OnePlus Pete Lau talked about the development of OnePlus as a brand, their product vision and how they design their devices. We get some pretty interesting insight into the CEO’s views on his own company, as well as their principles and philosophies when it comes to their future products.

According to Pete Lau, OnePlus carries over all their best features to their next devices because they add value. “A lot of the differences between high-end mobile phones and ordinary mobile phones are in the details. If you use 90Hz, you can’t go back to 60Hz.” He said that when you buy a $1,000,000 car, the main concern isn’t how powerful the engine is, but rather the details and workmanship.

EDITOR’S PICK: Top Upcoming Smartphones in 2020

When asked why OnePlus doesn’t push ads in their OS like other manufacturers, Pete claims that the company makes decisions based on user experience. If an addition doesn’t add anything to the user experience, then the company won’t add it to the device. They also decided to remove the headphone jack from the OnePlus 7T Pro however, so yeah.

The interviewer goes on to ask if this would seriously effect their revenue, Pete Lau claims otherwise. He believes that if a product is well-made, it will naturally make money. “I have no ads, but I can make money by selling my devices a little more expensive.” He also addresses the increasing OnePlus prices, claiming that the company doesn’t strive towards making cheaper devices, but rather devices that represent a good value for money.

Finally, Pete Lau also tells us that the OnePlus TV is set for a China release sometime next year. He had earlier hinted that the company was working hard to launch OnePlus TV in North America, Europe and China regions as soon as partnerships are established with most of the local and regional content providers.

UP NEXT: Realme will bring 108MP smartphone & IoT products in 2020; Doubles Down on Offline strategy too

(Source)

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Beginning today, a handful of brands that sell their products directly on Instagram will be able to add a new AR try-on feature to product pages. Initially, the new AR feature will be limited to cosmetics (Mac and Nars are early partners) and eyewear (Warby Parker and Ray-Ban), but Instagram plans to make it available for more products over time.

The feature is essentially an extension of Facebook’s version of the same, which was also launched with selected brands last year. Instagram’s version, built on Facebook’s Spark AR platform, looks a bit more refined, which likely comes from the extra time in development, but is also probably more of a requirement to fit into Instagram’s aesthetic focus.

EDITOR’S PICK: OnePlus 8 3D renders reveal punch-hole display; will have wireless charging too

There’s a few ways Instagram users might encounter the new shopping feature. The first is while checking out specific products a brand has tagged in a post. You’ll have the option to try out the product via an augmented reality filter before adding it to your cart, but Instagram is also hoping users will be inspired to share these AR experiences in Stories, which will also link back to the original product.

It’s an interesting addition, particularly on Instagram, given the audience’s interest in Stories and the heavier focus on visual tools. That could make it a great option for Instagram campaigns. It will require additional platform expertise to create such experiences, but they’re quite interesting and brimming with potential.

“Instagram is such an important platform for product discovery, particularly in beauty,” says Dina Fierro, VP of Global Digital Strategy at Nars Cosmetics, one of Instagram’s initial shopping partners. “It is very clear that Instagram impacts purchases whether that’s happening online or offline.”

UP NEXT: Huawei P30 Pro units are failing SafetyNet, Huawei confirms

(Via)

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Xiaomi’s custom user interface — MIUI had received a lot of praise from the users in the past but now the user interface is facing a lot of criticism from the users since past several months, mainly because of the company’s strategy to put advertisements in MIUI.

The company had recently announced that it will be optimising and monitoring the advertisements on the MIUI platform. This confirmed that the ads on MIUI aren’t going anywhere, despite users being furious about it.

Xiaomi Product Director and MIUI Experience Head has confirmed that the company will be rolling out a switch which will disable advertisements in MIUI. The feature is currently under development and is being tested. He has also confirmed that the feature will be rolled out to all the supported smartphone models in the next major stable update, which is likely to be MIUI 11.

He has also talked about the lighter mode in the company’s browser app which will offer a minimalist user interface to the users. Last month, he had said that the company will reduce the advertisements in the user interface as soon as possible and will further improve the stability of the system.

Xiaomi’s CEO and co-founder had also said that along with reducing advertisement spots from the user interface, the company will also remove inappropriate ads that ruin the user experience. The company is also going to introduce an easy switch in the MIUI system tools to disable advertisements. So, in the next couple of months, Xiaomi aims to provide a lighter and fresher MIUI.

The China-based company had also said that it is planning to make use of algorithms which can improve the advertisement reach rate and also make sure that the ad that users see are relevant to their interests.

While the biggest source of revenue for the company continues to be the smartphone business, the software and internet services segment of the company accounted for just 9.7 percent of total revenue. This represents a marginal growth for the company compared to 9.1 percent a year before.

As per the reports, the MIUI 11 could get unveiled on 24th September in China along with the Mi MIX 4 smartphone. It seems like the MIUI 11 is currently under testing phase and the user interface is based on the latest Android 10.

(Via)

Up Next: Lin Bin proves that the Redmi Note 8 Pro battery can last up to 2 days with 20% juice left

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Last week, many Huawei smartphone users reported that they are seeing advertisements on the phone’s lock screen. The ad is for Booking.com and if the user clicks on it, they are redirected to the travel portal.

The advertisement was reportedly being shown on several smartphone models from the company, including P20, P20 Lite, P20 Pro as well as a couple of Honor devices such as Honor 10 and Honor 20. Users from countries including the UK, Ireland, South Africa, Netherlands, Germany, and Norway complained about the ads.

After complaints from the user, the company has now removed advertisements from the lock screen. In a statement, the company said that the ads shouldn’t have been showing up on devices in the first place.

The company noted that choosing to implement this idea was a mistake and acknowledged that it was having a negative effect on people’s experiences with using their devices. It apologized for inconveniencing users and has stated that it is committed to bringing them a user experience that they will enjoy by continuing to improve the services.

Huawei has said that the ads which were showing up for people who had the built-in landscapes set as their lock screen wallpaper option have been removed from the company’s servers. This means that the users shouldn’t be showing back up for anyone else in the future.

It noted that some users may have downloaded some or all of those ad images to their devices. They simply need to delete those images from the phones. If those images happen to pop back up, users need to drag up on the lock screen from the bottom edge. It will show a delete option followed by a confirmation box confirming that the user wants the image to be deleted from the device.

Huawei isn’t the first brand to show ads on its devices. Amazon is also doing the same for the smartphones sold through its Prime Exclusive program. But Amazon clarifies that Prime Exclusive phones, which offers a significant discount on the retail price, will be showing ads and deals on the lock screen.

Another China-based smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi is also showing ads on the devices running MIUI OS. The company has confirmed that the ads are here to stay but is now optimizing the implementation of the advertisements.

(Via)

Up Next: Huawei Mate 30 Pro rumored to come with a 90Hz display, concept renders show quad rear cameras

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Xiaomi’s custom user interface — MIUI, which had earlier received a lot of praise from the users, has been a major source of criticism for the company since past several months. The major reason behind that is the company’s strategy to put advertisements in MIUI.

Many users have complained about the annoyance of advertisements in MIUI and how it interferes with the usage of the smartphone. However, the company’s response made it clear that ads in MIUI are here to stay but the company could optimize how it works.

Well, that’s what the company is saying now. Xiaomi’s CEO and co-founder said that the company will remove the inappropriate ads and the advertisements that ruin the user experience. Now, General Manager for the Internet Services for Xiaomi says that the company plans to reduce the number of advertisements in MIUI.

The China-based company is planning to do so using algorithms which can improve the advertisement reach rate and also make sure that the ad that users see are relevant to their interests. It now aims to reduce and optimize advertisements on the platform and improve user experience.

This news comes just after the China-based technology company revealed its financial data for the first quarter of 2019. It reported adjusted net profit growth by 22.4 percent year-over-year compared to 2.1 billion yuan (approximately $300 million). It also stated that its total revenue climbed 27.2 percent to 43.8 billion yuan (approximately $6.33 billion). The biggest source of revenue for the company continues to be the smartphone business.

Read More: Check out the Luxury 24K Gold-plated Xiaomi Mi 9 Limited Edition with love from Sweden

On the other hand, the software and internet services segment accounted for just 9.7 percent of the company’s total revenue, which saw very minor growth compared to 9.1 percent a year before.

(Via)

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The major complaint with respect to the OS is the presence of ads baked into the system. Testers of MIUI 8 have complained that the new version still has ads in most of the default system applications such as the file explorer. While the advertising isn’t bad, it’s annoying when an advert pops up when doing serious work. Although, you can just manually close the ads, there is no place within the system where you can turn off ads completely.

RELATED: Lei Jun Responds To Criticism about MIUI’s Annoying Ads

MIUI 8 is expected to bring a ton of new features such as split screen multitasking, a new call screen, redesigned notification menu and fonts, and a more colourful overall UI. But before then, Xiaomi is pushing out a MIUI 7.5 update that started with the Chinese variant of the ROM last week. The 7.5 update is expected to feature some of the new additions expected in version 8.

Are you currently testing MIUI 8? We sure do want to know what the experience is like, so please share with us in the comment box below.

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