The EU’s strategic push under the Digital Markets Act has resulted in mega-tech firms Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta and Microsoft being labelled ‘gatekeepers’. With this new classification, pivotal changes are expected in the realm of digital services for end-users and businesses. Crucial guidelines centering around data transparency, competitiveness, and platform interoperability must now be adhered to. On the other side of the coin, brands such as Samsung have evaded the ‘gatekeeper’ tag.
Apple’s stance on users’ right to repair their iPhones and Macs has shifted dramatically over the years. From opposing repair rights and warning against potential security risks, the tech giant is now endorsing California’s SB 244, a significant right-to-repair bill with far-reaching implications.
Top tech giants, including Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft, have recently been identified by the European Commission under the new Digital Markets Act (DMA) as potential digital ‘gatekeepers’. These firms, commanding vast economic and influential prowess, now sit waiting during a 45 day review period that could officially brand them as such. Following the conclusion of the evaluation process, each company will need to navigate a six-month transition to achieve full compliance with the DMA directives. These guidelines are aimed at fostering competition and safeguarding both end-user rights and the interests of small scale businesses.
According to Bloomberg analyst Mark Gurman, Apple has some exciting developments in the pipeline, including the potential release of an independent display and new features for the future AirPods. Gurman suggests that the upcoming monitor could serve as a smart home display when not actively used.
A recent study unveils a quietly progressing industrial metaverse revolution, with early adopters reporting capex and opex reductions surpassing expectations. Focused on enterprise and industrial applications, this shift aligns with Nokia’s Industry 4.0 strategy and emphasizes the importance of reliable, high-speed connectivity.
Apple enters the spatial computing realm with its Apple Vision Pro headset, featuring ultra-high-resolution displays and a new operating system, visionOS. Despite its potential to redefine the AR and VR sector, the device’s hefty price and limited battery life spark debate among enthusiasts.
Google and Apple have collaborated to develop an industry standard to prevent the use of Bluetooth devices for unwanted tracking. The idea seeks to achieve compatibility between the two leading mobile operating systems and the larger Bluetooth ecosystem. The objective is to develop unauthorized tracking detection and alarm systems for iOS and Android platforms that would recognize Bluetooth location tracking devices and flag them if it looks like someone is being monitored without their consent. The proposed standard seeks to identify and inform persons if a location tracker that has been detached from the owner’s device is traveling with them, as well as to give a method for locating and disabling the tracker. According to reports, Samsung, Tile, Chipolo, Eufy Security, and Pebblebee have shown support for the draft specification, which gives instructions for building the essential capabilities into their devices. The proposed protocol expands on the proactive features of…
US carriers to address airline safety concerns over C-band spectrum In an open letter, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile US and UScellular agreed to take voluntary steps to allay worries about aviation safety and allow these telecom companies to fully utilize their C-band spectrum. According to the letter, the steps are intended to minimize operational impact on C-Band operations and support full-power deployments across the C-Band spectrum. In the past, airlines have resisted the introduction of C-band spectrum for 5G services due to concerns over interference with aircraft altimeters. To assure the secure coexistence of C-band frequencies and radio altimeters, which are more than 220 MHz apart, the FCC has issued licensing and technical standards. Read the full article. Deutsche Telekom now owns a 50.2% stake in T-Mobile US According to CEO Tim Höttges, Deutsche Telekom now owns 50.2% of T-Mobile US, completing a long-term objective initially stated at the company’s 2021…
SK Telecom’s metaverse platform launched in 49 countries SK Telecom has expanded the reach of its “ifland” metaverse platform into 49 additional nations, thereby outstripping the reach of Meta’s Horizon Worlds. SKT says that 12.8 million people have used ifland in total. Currently, the platform is only available in English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. DoCoMo, a Japanese telecommunications company, is one of SKT’s local partners. Recently, the two businesses decided to work together on technology and content for the metaverse. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/2bt5a8kf CMA to investigate Apple and Google’s browser duopoly The CMA has begun a thorough market probe into Apple and Google’s market dominance in mobile browsers. Together, Apple’s Safari and Google Chrome support 97% of all mobile online traffic in the UK. The CMA worries that this duopoly discourages tech firms from investing in their browsers and stifles competition in the mobile browser market. Additionally, this dominance…
Cisco’s new features and capabilities for Webex CX portfolio The revamped Webex Customer Experience (CX) portfolio, which offers a fully integrated platform for collaboration, cloud contact centers, and cloud communications, has received additional features and capabilities from Cisco. The goal of Webex CX is to provide customers with intelligent, proactive, and tailored customer experience capabilities that encourage brand loyalty and adoption. The close integration of Webex Connect and Webex Contact Center to provide a linked customer experience enables a seamless omnichannel experience. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/2p9xjd2n DSTNY acquires easybell German cloud communications company easybell has been acquired by European corporate communications provider Dstny. Easybell offers Cloud PBX and VoIP communications to B2B customers. They are rapidly expanding and fiercely competitive in the German market because of their entirely digital strategy and well-distributed network of 2,000 partners. They are in a good position to handle the Dstny activities in Germany with…