Hyundai Motor and Kia are revolutionizing the amalgamation of mobility and living spaces by proposing the consolidation of home and car services. Assisting in this groundbreaking initiative is Samsung Electronics, providing the potential to transform our relationship between home and car via ‘Car-to-Home’ and ‘Home-to-Car’ services. This change promises remote control over various appliances through voice commands, as well as the ability to monitor and manipulate vehicle functions from home.
In a strategic move to gain a foothold in India’s expanding telecommunications market, Elon Musk’s satellite communications constellation, Starlink, is reportedly considering a stake in Vodafone Idea (Vi). As of 2024, Starlink boasts a constellation of over 5,500 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, providing commercial services in more than 60 countries to approximately 1.5 million subscribers.
The fate of Altice Portugal, a leading player in Portugal’s telecom industry, is trending thanks to its substantial market stronghold. Now on the sales block, its potential buyers include Saudi Telecom Company amongst others. Its divestment strategy is part of a broader aim to alleviate the significant debt of Altice Group. However, recent scandals encircling Altice’s co-founder have added layers of complexity to the unfolding story.
Amid challenging market conditions, Nokia emphasizes preserving patent portfolio value over timelines. Despite an optimistic outlook, their declining Q3 net sales and plans to curtail costs speak volumes. Nokia’s pivotal contracts loss to Ericsson hits hard, showcasing the constant flux in the telcos sphere.
In a collaborative effort, UNESCO and Huawei have contributed to the advancement of education in Ethiopia through the Technology-enabled Open School Systems for All project (TeOSS). This initiative, part of Huawei’s TECH4ALL program, has been operational in Ethiopia, Egypt, and Ghana since 2020, with a recent donation ceremony held at the Ethiopian Ministry of Education.
In a significant development, Google has confirmed a $700 million settlement, allocating $630 million to U.S. consumers and $70 million to a fund for U.S. states. The settlement, initially reached in September and related to a class-action lawsuit filed in 2021, addresses concerns about Google’s monopoly on app distribution through the Play Store.
In a testament to its global popularity, Truecaller has secured a coveted spot in Apple’s prestigious list of Top Apps for 2023. The communication platform, traditionally dominant on Android, has surged in popularity since the launch of its revamped iOS version in 2022.
SpaceX’s Starlink project faced a setback this week as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted 3-2 to maintain its decision to deny funding from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF). The initial award in late 2020 aimed to extend broadband coverage to nearly 643,000 premises in 35 states.
Chinese tech juggernaut, Huawei aims to bolster its global partnerships, despite facing recent US sanctions. Pivoting to the automotive sector, Huawei’s Intelligent Automotive Solution (IAS) is poised to become a driving force in smart electric vehicles software and parts. Interestingly, while Mercedes Benz declined an investment offer to retain its software independence, a collaborative opportunity with Audi for autonomous drive technology is reportedly in play.
As the interest in AI accelerates globally, a resurgence is noticed in a related sector: data center investment. AI-integrated solutions demand higher processing capability, marking data centers as attractive long-term investments. Recently, a $7 billion data center joint venture was announced by Blackstone and Digital Realty, promising additional data centers and enhanced IT capacity.
