Whether it’s important, depressing or just entertaining, the telecoms industry is always one which attracts attention. Here are the stories we think are worth a second look at this week: Reports suggest the BT empire is beginning to crumble No-one in the UK should be in the same league as BT, but poorly executed strategy
Tech
Realme has launched the Narzo 10 and Narzo 10A smartphones to target young people, particularly those who value style and gaming performance above all else. The company wanted to create a new sub-brand to emphasise these features, and to create a separate personality for what would otherwise be simple low-cost phones. The Narzo 10 and Narzo
In a move which is more suited to an authoritarian state, the US Senate has voted to extend the powers of intelligence authorities to search browser history without a court warrant. Although the amended text still has to be agreed by the House of Representatives before heading to the Oval Office to be approved by
No-one in the UK should be in the same league as BT, but poorly executed strategy has kept rivals within touching distance and now the foundations are reportedly being sold off. Rumours have emerged in the Financial Times to suggest BT is in private talks to offload a portion of the Openreach business unit. Australian
Amazon has launched three new tablets – Fire HD 8 (2020), Fire HD 8 Plus, and Fire HD 8 Kids Edition (2020) expanding its portfolio. The new 8-inch tablets are touted to offer long battery life and give subscription-based access to a host of ebooks, movies, and TV shows. The Fire HD 8 (2020) tablet
The mobile industry’s default semiconductor manufacturer is building its next fab in the US, a move that could have major geopolitical implications. Rumours of the US incentivising big chip-makers to expand their presence on US soil circulated at the start of this week and now we know their provenance. Intel is a US company anyway,
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), the biggest contract chipmaker, said it plans to build a $12 billion (roughly Rs. 90,660 crores) factory in Arizona in an apparent win for the Trump administration’s efforts to wrestle global tech supply chains back from China. The plan, which will be one of the biggest inbound US investments on
Sony on Thursday said it would make its cash-cow image sensors smarter to broaden their application, as the Japanese electronics maker seeks to reduce reliance on a saturated smartphone market. The company said it has developed the world’s first image sensor with an integrated artificial intelligence (AI) processor, which can perform tasks such as determining
Amazon’s video game live-streaming platform Twitch is forming an advisory council of experienced users, online safety experts and anti-bullying advocates to help improve safety on the site, Twitch said in a blog post on Thursday. The council’s eight members will advise on product and policy changes, focusing on areas such as harassment and protection of
Intelsat has announced it will restructure its finances as it files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in the US Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Although it sounds very pessimistic, Chapter 11 Bankruptcy is not the end of the world. It is very expensive, thanks to hefty legal and administrative fees, but it allows
The Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL) on Friday announced the launch of ‘Cash at Home’ facility for senior and differently-abled citizens in the national capital region so that they do not need to step out during this COVID-19 pandemic. This new service will enable them to raise cash withdrawal requests on their Paytm Payments Bank
WhatsApp has a tonne of good features but one thing that’s still missing is the ability to schedule WhatsApp messages. If you want to remember to wish someone on their birthday or just want to send a message during working hours instead of pinging someone in the middle of the night, scheduling messages helps a
Xiaomi entered the television segment in India in early 2018 with the Mi TV 4 55, and has made a big impact on the industry since then. Its online-focused sales model and competitive pricing have made it among the top television brands in India, and the range now has options starting at under Rs. 15,000.
France will tax big digital businesses this year whether there is progress or not towards an international deal on a levy, its finance minister said on Thursday, adding such a tax had never been more legitimate or more necessary. Nearly 140 countries from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) are negotiating the first
Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn said Friday its first-quarter profit slumped by nearly 90 percent on year as the global pandemic disrupted operations and hammered demand, especially for smartphones. The results lay bare how the coronavirus is battering global supply chains and driven up costs for electronics makers. Also known by its official name Hon Hai
Airtel has doubled the data benefits on its Rs. 98 prepaid recharge plan. The plan now comes with 12GB of high-speed data for the customers with a validity of 28 days. Previously, the telecom service provider used to offer 6GB of high-speed data with the plan. This plan only comes with data benefits and doesn’t