In Brief: Edtech startup FrontRow raises $3 mn; TikTok ratings plummet

Online learning platform FrontRow has raised $3 million in a funding round from venture capital firm Lightspeed Venture Partners and multi-stage investor SAIF Partners, according to an Entrackr report. Registered as Splashstar Technologies, the Bengaluru-based firm offers courses in areas such as creative arts and sports. The platform is expected to be launched in the next few months, the report said. 

Read: Ola co-founder, Milkbasket exec back AI-based edtech startup Winuall

TikTok ratings fall to 2 stars from 4.6 a week ago 

User ratings of short video app TikTok fell to 2 stars from 4.6 last week on the Google Play Store, The Economic Times reported. The development comes on the heels of an online argument between a YouTube influencer and a TikTok creator in India, the report said. TikTok user Amir Siddiqui reportedly posted a video on Facebook-owned Instagram, calling out YouTubers for plagiarising content from the ByteDance-run platform. India was the biggest driver of the app, which saw two billion downloads globally, a Sensor Tower report showed last month.

Read: India leads Zoom, TikTok downloads in April: Sensor Tower

Aeris to provide IoT expertise to 5G Open Innovation Lab   

San Jose headquartered technology firm Aeris Communication has partnered with Seattle-based 5G Open Innovation Lab to develop internet of things (IoT)-based applications and use cases employing 5G technology. Founded by semiconductor maker Intel, telecom company T-Mobile and NASA, 5G Open Innovation Lab is an ecosystem for developers, enterprises, carriers and technology leaders. It helps startups use 5G to develop new capabilities, use cases and market categories.  

TechM, ChampTrax partner to bring stadium-like sports experience home

Information technology (IT) services company Tech Mahindra has inked a deal with Toronto-based sports firm ChampTrax Technologies to build a solution that provides stadium-like experience at home for global sports fans. The companies will also work on 5G-related use cases to introduce holographic virtual fans in a stadium during matches, as per a statement. Tech Mahindra will help ChampTrax’s HearMeCheer solution reach wider markets, it said. The solution aggregates crowd noises from at-home spectators in real time to be played during live games in fan-free stadiums.

Truecaller adds new features for Android, iOS users

Stockholm headquartered caller identification app Truecaller has rolled out a new version of its application for Android and iOS users. The company has streamlined call history, SMS and instant messages to a single tab, according to a statement. The app will also include a colour-coded caller ID, which will sort calls by displaying them in different background colours, such as purple for priority calls and red for spam. Also, the Smart SMS feature will help categorise SMSes under sections such as personal and spam, it said.