The desk
Short briefs, each with the one line that matters for your money and a link to the original source. Updated 19 September 2026.
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max went on sale on 18 September at ₹1,64,900 and ₹1,79,900. Apple left the regular iPhone 18 out of this year's launch; reports point to early 2027.
Why it matters: Launch cashback and "no-cost" EMI lower the price tag, not always the cost. Check the processing fee and the discount you give up by choosing EMI.
Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand go first: apps from participating stores must come from developers who have verified their identity with Google. The worldwide rollout follows in 2027.
Why it matters: An APK sent on WhatsApp "from your bank" is still a scam here. No bank sends its app as a file — install from the store or not at all.
Big Billion Days opens to everyone on 9 October, with member early access on 8 October. Flipkart has announced a 10% instant discount on two partner banks' cards. Amazon's Great Indian Festival had no official dates as of 18 September.
Why it matters: Bank discounts usually carry a per-order cap, and card and EMI payments can get different terms. Read the offer before you pick how to pay.
NPCI announced a 0.4% merchant discount rate, capped at ₹300, on specified person-to-merchant payments above ₹2,000. Transfers between people and payments up to ₹2,000 stay free, and small merchants within ₹1 lakh a month stay at zero.
Why it matters: The fee is the merchant's. The Finance Ministry says banks have been told to make sure merchants don't pass it on — a "UPI charge" on your bill is not part of the rule.
One version only at launch — 8GB RAM with 256GB storage — on sale from 18 September. The launch offers (card cashback, an exchange bonus, or up to 18 months of no-cost EMI) can't be combined.
Why it matters: Seven years of security updates matters for a phone you bank on. When offers are either-or, set the cashback against what the EMI route really costs.
The draft covers holds a bank places on its own suspicion, on flagged transactions of ₹1,000 or more. Comments close on 2 October; it is proposed to apply from 1 April 2027.
Why it matters: It does not cover freezes ordered by police after a cyber complaint. Those follow the Home Ministry's grievance route, which starts at your branch.
Source: RBI press release, via TaxGuru ↗Frozen account? Who can unfreeze it →
How this page works: every brief is written here, in our own words, from the source linked under it — follow that link for the full story. Nothing on this page is investment, legal or tax advice.
Explainers
Long reads from the desk on the changes that need the full story.
Three real changes, each checked against the document that made it, and the UPI, FD, Windows and Android claims you can ignore.
Read →The three kinds of freeze, the Home Ministry's grievance route with its 7- and 15-day clocks, and what RBI's mule-account draft does and doesn't change.
Read →