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Free Fire by Garena to relaunch in India on September 5
Almost a year and a half after being removed from Indian app stores due to national security concerns, Garena’s Free Fire is making its anticipated return on September 5, promising an amazing gaming experience with new features and iconic sports personalities.
Singaporean game developer Garena made the announcement on Thursday, revealing a strategic collaboration with Yotta, a subsidiary of Hiranandani Group, to offer localized cloud hosting and storage solutions for the Indian version of the game. This partnership also aims to ensure gameplay is aligned with local norms by introducing features like parental control, gameplay time limits, and reminders encouraging players to take breaks.
MS Dhoni in Free Fire’s Relaunch
Garena took the excitement up a notch by announcing that former Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni will be the game’s brand ambassador. As if that weren’t enough, Dhoni will also be integrated into the game as a playable character named “Thala.” He will be in good company, joined by a gallery of Indian sports stars like Sunil Chhetri, Saina Nehwal, Leander Paes, and Rahul Chaudhari.
Before it was banned in February of last year, Free Fire had been making waves globally. According to Sensor Tower, a research and consultancy firm specializing in the internet economy, the game had accumulated 24 million downloads in January 2022 alone, marking an increase of 51.6% from the same month in the previous year.
Esports on the Rise: Free Fire India Championship
In a move that signifies the growing importance of esports in India, Garena has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Uttar Pradesh government to launch the Free Fire India Championship (FFIC). This competition will be open to teams across India and serve as a qualifying event for the Free Fire World Series slated for this November in Thailand.
The announcement comes on the heels of another popular battle royale game, BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India), making its return in May, following its ban under Section 69A of the IT Act 2000. The government had given BGMI a three-month trial approval, emphasizing the need for continual assessment of any potential risks to users, including addiction and other forms of harm, during this period.
The Road Ahead
Free Fire’s relaunch in India comes with significant implications for the gaming industry and the regulatory landscape. The game’s three-month trial approval is conditioned upon meeting stringent data security norms, demonstrating that authorities are taking an increasingly proactive approach to both user safety and national security.
With such a star-studded lineup, technological alliances, and government support for its esports endeavors, Garena’s Free Fire is well-positioned to reclaim its title as one of the most downloaded mobile games in India, if not the world. As we count down the days to its relaunch, one thing is clear: the game has levelled up, both in features and in star power.
Nothing has officially started teasing its next smartphone, the Nothing Phone (3), on social media. The company has now confirmed that the phone will launch in July 2025.
On their social handles, Nothing posted a short 6-second video showing the number 3, followed by the message:
“3. It’s a magic number.”
This teaser confirms both the name and the launch month of the upcoming phone.
Now remains the actual date of the launch event. So it could be in the first week or the second week of July.
What to Expect from Nothing Phone (3)
Recently, Carl Pei, the founder of Nothing, shared some exciting details. He said that the Phone (3) will feature premium materials, major performance upgrades, and better software. He called it “our true flagship smartphone.”
Carl also mentioned that technology should feel exciting again—not just in terms of design, but also with a user-first operating system.
So now, let’s see what the specs of the upcoming phone will be. It will surely have top-notch features, but the major question is about the chipset—will they go with the latest one, or take a step back?
Akis Evangelidis , co-founder of Nothing, also said: ‘Two years in the making. Our first true flagship. Over the past four years, we’ve been steadily building our product capabilities, and Phone (3) is the culmination of it all. I’m buzzing about it, just like when we launched Phone (1). Can’t wait!’
Expected Price of Nothing Phone (3)
Carl Pei hinted that the Phone (3) could be priced around £800 (about USD 1,064 or Rs. 90,850). For comparison, the Nothing Phone (2) with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage was launched at £629 (around USD 836 or Rs. 71,429) and was priced at Rs. 54,999 in India.
Based on this, the Nothing Phone (3) could launch in India at over Rs. 64,999, especially if the 12GB + 256GB model is the base variant. The phone is also expected to include advanced AI features, which could impact the pricing.
OnePlus has officially announced the launch date for its upcoming smartphone, the OnePlus 13s. The phone will be launched in India on June 5, 2025, at 12 PM.
The OnePlus 13s is a rebranded version of the OnePlus 13T, which was recently launched in China. This new device is exciting for OnePlus fans, especially because the company hasn’t released a compact flagship phone in a long time.
The OnePlus 13s is expected to be one of the most affordable smartphones powered by the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. This makes it a strong option for users looking for performance at a lower price.
Colour Options for India
In China, the OnePlus 13T was launched in Pink and Black. These two colours will also be available in India. In addition, a new Green colour option will be launched in India, which is expected to be exclusive to the country.
I also feel that the green color will be the best buy for everyone. But let’s wait for the actual in-hand feel.
Features of OnePlus 13s
The phone will feature a special 4400mm² Cryo-Velocity Vapor Chamber for cooling. This is an industry-first technology built into the back cover to keep the phone cool during long gaming sessions. It will be 8.15mm thin and weigh just 185 grams.
The Plus Key will debut with this device in India, although details on its function will be shared during the launch.
It includes an advanced antenna system with 11 antennas and comes with the G1 Wi-Fi chipset. The phone will also support 5.5G connectivity, offering faster and more stable network performance.
More information about the price, specifications, and features will be revealed during the official event.
OnePlus 13s Launch Date:
June 5, 2025, at 12 PM (IST)
Stay tuned for updates as OnePlus gets ready to launch what could be one of the most exciting compact flagship phones of the year.
A new leak has revealed photos comparing the upcoming iPhone 17 Air to the iPhone 16 Plus, the model it is expected to replace. The iPhone 17 Air is rumored to launch this September alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Apple is believed to be replacing the iPhone 16 Plus with the new Air model because the Plus versions have not sold well in recent years. The company is hoping that the slimmer design of the iPhone 17 Air will attract more buyers.
The iPhone 17 Air is said to be extremely thin—just 5.5mm or 5.65mm, depending on which leak you believe. However, to achieve this slim design, it may come with a small 2,800 mAh battery, which is even smaller than the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge’s 3,900 mAh battery.
While the smaller battery may be a concern, Apple is expected to offer a battery case that adds extra power—though it might take away from the slim and light feel of the device.
The iPhone 17 Air will reportedly weigh 145 grams, lighter than Samsung’s 163g Galaxy S25 Edge. However, it will have only one rear camera, compared to the two cameras on the Samsung model.
The leaked images give us a first look at how different the iPhone 17 Air will be compared to the model it’s replacing. More details are expected to come out closer to the official launch.