The Three UK mobile network is reportedly down impacting thousands of users and the customer service department of the cell company.

Subscribers across the Super Bowl weekend reported outages and a patchy service from the fourth-largest mobile network in the UK.

It couldn’t have come at a worse time with the biggest sporting event of the year being streamed in households and on devices across the world.

Three has posted on its social channels about the outages, the company said on x:

Some customers may be experiencing issues with our network this morning. Our engineers are working hard to fix it.
This issue is also impacting customer service, so please check back here for the latest updates (1/2)

— Three UK (@ThreeUK) February 12, 2024

The cell provider also has a network service checker which has a post apologizing for the sudden halt in services and the inability to check the current status of the network.

The post stated that “some customers may be experiencing issues with our network this morning. Our engineering teams are working hard to fix it. This issue is impacting our customer service channels and network status checker, so please check our social feeds for the latest updates.”

Recurring problems

Earlier this weekend the provider placed a message on its social channels stating that an outage was being looked into by engineers.

Three would then go on to post on X yesterday that the issue had been resolved in the early part of the day:

Following an issue with our network for a number of customers, services have now recovered. If any customer is still having an issue, they should fully restart their device to reconnect to our network. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused.

— Three UK (@ThreeUK) February 11, 2024

The problems persist, however, and sites like network outage reporter Down Detector have recorded over 12,850 outages across the past 24 hours.

The site mentions that 36% of users are having issues with mobile internet, 33% of users have no signal and 30% of users record a total blackout of the service.

Smarty, a UK mobile operator and user of the Three network had to apologise to customers on X this morning;

Some customers may be experiencing issues with our network this morning. Our engineering teams are working hard to fix it.

We are sorry for the issues with service over the past few days and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused. – Jodie

— SMARTY (@SMARTYMobileUK) February 12, 2024

In early December we reported that the Three network has gone down, impacting over 20,000 users.

It remains to be seen if this issue is related to the merger with Vodaphone that was announced in the middle of last year.

The press release on the merger stated that “from day one, millions of customers of Vodafone UK and Three UK will enjoy a better network experience with greater coverage and reliability at no extra cost, including through certain flexible, contract-free offers with no annual price increases, and social tariffs.”

Image: Yan Krukau, Pexels.

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WhatsApp is embarking on an initiative that will allow its vast user base of 2 billion to send messages across different messaging applications, according to a recent WIRED report. This effort, which has been in the works for around two years already, aims to facilitate seamless cross-app messaging while upholding WhatsApp’s commitment to end-to-end encryption. This marks a significant departure from WhatsApp’s previous stance, potentially enhancing competition among messaging apps.

This move toward interoperability is partly driven by regulatory pressures from the European Union. In September, the EU’s Digital Markets Act identified Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, as a key digital “gatekeeper,” mandating it to enable cross-platform messaging. As the deadline approaches, WhatsApp is revealing its plans for how this cross-app messaging could function, striving to maintain its high standards of privacy and security.

How cross-app messaging will work

WIRED reports that the initial phase of this interoperability will enable basic functionalities such as text, image, voice messages, video, and file sharing between individuals. More advanced features, including calls and group chats, are expected to be introduced later. Importantly, this feature will be opt-in, allowing users to decide if they want to engage in cross-app messaging, which is crucial for controlling spam and scam risks.

Opting in will introduce users to a new “third-party chats” section within their inbox, segregating messages from other apps. This setup acknowledges the different privacy and security levels across networks. For seamless integration, WhatsApp is advocating for the use of the Signal encryption protocol, which it already employs. Third-party apps will need to encrypt their messages using this protocol and meet specific technical standards to ensure secure communication.

While WhatsApp has laid the technical foundation for interoperability, the success of this feature hinges on the cooperation of other messaging platforms. Detailed plans are expected to be unveiled in March, followed by a period for implementation. This initiative paves the way for a more interconnected messaging environment but also presents challenges, including security concerns, privacy implications, and the user experience.

Interoperability raises several practical issues, such as managing spam and ensuring user identities remain secure across different platforms. Moreover, the integration of diverse messaging systems with varying security measures and identification methods poses significant challenges. As WhatsApp moves forward with this feature, the focus will be on maintaining user privacy and security while fostering a unified messaging experience.

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A new study has ranked the countries of Europe by the average speed of their mobile networks.

A recent report from internet insights firm Opensignal analyzed mobile download speeds across the continent in 2023. The results showed substantial improvements across most markets, with analysis looking at 34 countries including Denmark, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom.

Scandinavia leads the pack

The Scandinavian nations of Denmark, Finland, and Norway are leading the way in Europe’s mobile speed race. These countries witnessed massive gains over 2022, with Denmark’s mobile speeds jumping by 25.5 megabits per second (mbps) to reach 98.8mbps, Finland increasing by 17.7mbps to hit 71.6mbps, and Norway boosting speeds by 16.5mbps to achieve 102.3mbps. Their networks now deliver high-speed mobile connectivity.

Behind the front-running Scandinavians, other central European countries like Switzerland, Austria and Germany registered strong mobile download speed increases between 7-12mbps. Southern countries including Spain and Italy lagged top performers, posting more modest 3-4Mbps annual download speed gains.

UK falling behind

The United Kingdom may have the sixth largest economy in the world, but it remains a European mobile laggard, with average download speeds standing at just 33mbps at the end of 2023 – up only 3.2mbps from the prior year.

Compared to the major leaps achieved by Scandinavian and other central European countries, the UK’s networks are slowly improving.

According to the Opensignal analysis, gaps in European mobile speeds can be explained by factors like 5G rollout pacing and infrastructure investments. Leaders have prioritized advanced network deployments, while laggard countries have seen slower fiber and 5G builds.

The data reveals a continent of general mobile download speed improvements but also a growing digital divide. Forward-looking Scandinavian countries continue surging ahead with excellent speeds, while the UK risks falling further behind without accelerated network upgrades. For British mobile users weary of laggy connections, rapid relief remains unlikely.

Sam Fenwick, principal analyst at Opensignal explained to Readwrite.com some of the factors causing the UK to lag behind its Scandic neighbors.

” The requirement to remove Huawei hardware has consumed a lot of UK mobile operators’ time and resources while making it harder to focus on rolling out 5G,” Fenwick explained.

Fenwick also mentions slow 3G phaseouts in the UK as well as less effective use of the 5G spectrum, which makes it harder for the UK to compete on speed.

He adds: “Speaking more generally, a large factor in the Scandinavian and Nordic markets’ success is the close collaboration between operators and two of the main global radio equipment providers, Ericsson and Nokia, which are headquartered in these regions.

“Collaboration between them, together with regulators, has resulted in the high quality of the mobile experience enjoyed by Opensignal users.”

The European countries with the fastest average download speed on mobile networks (2023)

Norway – 102.3mbps
Denmark – 98.9mbps
Netherlands – 81.7mbps
Finland – 71.6mbps
Bulgaria – 71.1mbps
Croatia – 66.2mbps
Sweden – 66.2mbps
Switzerland – 60.3bps
North Macedonia – 58.2mbps
France – 53.5mbps
Lithuania – 52.6mbps
Estonia – 52.2mbps
Germany – 51.1mbps
Austria – 49.9mbps
Portugal – 47.5mbps
Serbia – 45.5mbps
Slovakia – 45.2mbps
Slovenia – 45.1mbps
Latvia – 43.9mbps
Belgium – 43.8mbps
Albania – 41.8mbps
Greece – 41.3mbps
Montenegro – 40.3mbps
Czech Republic – 39.5mbps
Hungary – 35.7mbps
Spain – 34.8mbps
Ireland – 33.5mbps
Romania – 33.1mbps
UK – 33.0mbps
Poland – 32.8mbps
Italy – 32.4mbps
Moldova – 28.9mbps
Bosnia and Herzegovina – 22.0mbps
Kosovo – 18.6mbps

Featured image: Dall-E

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Samsung has partnered with Baidu, one of the major artificial intelligence (AI) players in China, in a bid to win over Chinese consumers.

Baidu AI’s Ernie large language model (LLM) is seen as a straight swap for global partner Google Gemini AI on the Galaxy S24 series.

Google services are currently unavailable in the country and this collaboration, announced last week, was seen as the South Korean electronics titan’s best bet to have a wider share of the world’s largest smartphone market.

Microsoft is promoting Bing Chat in China, but no other U.S.-developed AI such as ChatGPT or Google Bard is officially available in mainland China or Hong Kong.

AI is at the heart of technological development in China as 40 LMMs were approved by the state in the second half of 2023, as we reported late last month.

Huawei to Oppo and Vivo are all domestic vendors in mainland China and are building their versions of AI chatbots and LLMs. This is something Samsung is keen to get ahead of with this partnership with Baidu.

What is Baidu’s Ernie LLM?

Ernie Bot was unveiled at Baidu World 2023 by co-founder and CEO Robin Li Yanhon, becoming the first significant generative AI released from the Chinese tech sector.

“Ernie Bot has completed a series of significant updates in its abilities of understanding, prompting, reasoning and memorizing,” Li said. “Its generalized abilities are by no means inferior compared to GPT-4.”

As reported via Reuters in December last year, Wang Haifeng, Chief Technology Officer for Baidu said that Ernie had reached over 100 million users since its release in August of 2023.

Baidu has also made efforts to expand its offerings in collaboration with the Chinese state-backed Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences (BAQIS). The search giant offered to donate a quantum computing lab, which is integral to developing more AI tools and technology.

China’s AI race

The U.S. has made significant efforts to stop or at least limit China’s access to advanced processors used for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) applications across the past year.

These attempts to stunt the development of AI’s based in China is down to tensions and White House security concerns, which had seen some validation in a recent landmark chip bust to the tune of $11.6 million last month.

Featured image: Omar Markhieh/Pexels

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Apple has steadily continued with its world domination ever since the first iPhone was released in 2007. And now, during the tech giant’s first earnings call of the year, CEO Tim Cook shared that the number of active Apple devices has crossed 2.2 billion worldwide.

To put that into context, it’s estimated that there are 2 billion children in the world. So technically, there are more iPhones, iPads, and Macs on this globe than there are literal children.

Tim Cook shared all during Apple’s latest earnings call

“We are pleased to announce that our installed base of active devices has now surpassed 2.2 billion, reaching an all-time high across all products and geographic segments,” Cook said in a press release.

“And as customers begin to experience the incredible Apple Vision Pro tomorrow, we are as committed as ever to the pursuit of groundbreaking innovation — in line with our values and on behalf of our customers.”

This is a 10% increase from the last time Apple recorded its amount of active devices in February 2023. According to Statista, Apple reached 1 billion devices in 2016, meaning that in just seven years, that number has almost doubled. But what’s next for Apple?

As they celebrate the release of the Apple Vision Pro, their new VR headset, there are plenty of rumors about the company’s eventual pivot to AI. At this point, such a pivot would be inevitable — especially since they’re reportedly working on their generative AI dubbed ‘Apple GPT.’

But despite gossip that iOS 18 might bring with it a host of AI-related updates, Cook and the rest of Apple have remained coy, saying only this in their press release:

“As we look ahead, we will continue to invest in these and other technologies that will shape the future. That includes artificial intelligence where we continue to spend a tremendous amount of time and effort, and we’re excited to share the details of our ongoing work in that space later this year.”

Featured Image: Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

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Three and Vodafone’s proposed merger is being called into question as the competition watchdog, the Computer and Markets Authority (CMA), begins its investigation into the possible repercussions of the merger for consumers.

Vodafone and Three are the third and fourth largest mobile network operators in the UK, respectively. Vodafone has 18.2 million subscribers as of November 2023, while Three has 10.3 million as of May 2023.

The Vodafone and Three merger is being investigated

The union was first announced back in June, with the two companies agreeing to invest £11 billion ($13.9 billion) into 5G infrastructure in the UK over the next decade. The agreement between Vodafone Group and CK Hutchinson Group (Three owner) was split with Vodafone owning 51% of the merged company and Three owning 49% of it.

“The merger is great for customers, great for the country, and great for competition,” Margherita Della Valle, Vodafone Group Chief Executive, said in a statement at the time. “It’s transformative as it will create a best-in-class – indeed best in Europe – 5G network, offering customers a superior experience.”

By 2030, the merger, tentatively called MergeCo, is expected to bring £5 billion per year ($6.35 billion) in economic benefit, according to representatives for Vodafone Group and CK Hutchinson Group.

Phase 1 of the CMA investigation into the merger will take 40 days. During this 40-day period, the CMA will aim to ascertain whether the merger of these two phone giants will lead to a “substantial lessening of competition.” If watchdog officials do indeed find this, they may commence Phase 2 of the investigation process.

Sarah Cardell, CEO of the CMA, said the following in a statement: “This deal would bring together two of the major players in the UK telecommunications market, which is critical to millions of everyday customers, businesses and the wider economy. The CMA will assess how the tie-up between rival networks could impact competition before deciding next steps.”

Featured image: Photo by John Michael Wilyat on Unsplash.

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Apple’s iPhone was confirmed as the best-selling smartphone in China last year, for the first time, despite tough competition locally as well as Beijing-led prohibitions on the American tech giant.

As reported by IDC, a global provider of market intelligence in IT and communications, the iPhone topped the bill for the fourth quarter and 2023 overall, following their tracker report. A slump in the fourth quarter last year was attributed to the latest generation of hardware installed in iPhones but that was not enough to prevent the landmark achievement.

It came despite a surge for Huawei but other local competitors also saw dips in sales which proved to be greater than Apple’s. Over the year, the US multinational slumped 2.2% but that was just a fraction compared to Honor and Vivo, who both suffered a double-digit reverse.

Last year was the slowest year for smartphone sales in a decade, attributed to weak consumer demand and economic factors by IDC.

Huawei bucked the trend with a significant spike in sales as its Mate 60 series catapulted the Shenzen-based brand back into prominence with a 36% increase in shipments. It also returned Huawei to the top five manufacturers in China for the fourth quarter.

2024 has seen Apple make the rare move to cut prices of its iPhone 15 models in China by around 5%.

Progress and preventative measures

IDC research analyst Arthur Gao commented in glowing terms on the results for Apple.

“Apple’s climb to the top spot in 2023, especially in light of renewed competition from Huawei and the soft spending sentiment, marks a tremendous success,” he said.

“They achieved this thanks to timely price promotions in its third-party channels, which stimulated demand.”

The breakthrough in China came as government agencies have led a crackdown against devices from outside its domestic market. Staff within those organizations were reportedly ordered to stop bringing iPhones and other foreign devices to work, extending the prohibition across various sensitive sectors, as reported by Bloomberg in December.

Apple’s success in 2023 wasn’t just confined to the Chinese market as it also secured the mantle of the world’s biggest smartphone seller, edging ahead of Samsung as iPhone sales fell less than the Korean firm’s Galaxy brand.

Image: Tuur Tisseghem/Pexels.

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Google Pixel just introduced its latest two handsets, packed with new updates from the first Feature Drop of 2024.

The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are available to pre-order today, starting at $699 and $999 respectively. The new design of the Pixel 8 is smaller than the 7, with a brighter screen and more powerful camera.

What new features are there for the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro?

1. New colour schemes

Most notably, there’s a new color available for both handsets, a mint green color alongside the more standard shades of Porcelain, Bay, Rose, Hazel, and Obsidian. Alongside those new colors, there are also various software updates to take in as well.

2. Upgraded ‘search on web’ feature

An upgrade to Google’s existing ‘Search on the web’ feature, the Pixel 8 phones will feature Circle to Search. Having already been seen in action on the Galaxy S24 series earlier this year, Circle to Search allows users to circle anything on their phone’s screen and do a Google Search for it. It’s activated by pressing and holding the home button/navigation bar.

3. Magic Compose is now powered by AI

Heading over to messages, Magic Compose is powered by Google’s AI and enables people to “rewrite a drafted message in different styles. Make sound more professional, concise, or even Shakespearean.” In the same way that you can copy a message into ChatGPT and ask for a rewrite, you’ll soon be able to do it directly from your phone.

4. Photomojis

Catching up to Apple’s long-standing Memoji feature, Google’s new Photomoji means you can select a photo of yourself, a pet, or any other picture on your phone and transform it into a sticker or emoji reaction to use in Google Messages. This feature won’t be exclusive to the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, but will also be available for any Pixel phone from the Google Pixel 3a and newer.

5. Body temperature sensor

Last but not least, the Pixel 8 Pro also features a temperature sensor that can be used to take your own (or someone else’s) body temperature, using the existing Thermometer app to do a body temperature scan. You can then save the results to the Fitbit app and other compatible health trackers.

Featured image: Google

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X is rolling out audio and video call capability to Android users, after it was introduced for iOS users in October 2023.

The news was let slip by an X engineer working on the project who relayed that the release would be available on Android after an app update.

Any user of Elon Musk’s social media platform can receive a call but only paid users can make a call. The new function on the app is one of a growing list only subscribers can utilize, although earlier this month X removed support for NFT profile images.

audio and video calls on X slowly rolling out for android users today! update your app and call your mother

— Enrique (@enriquebrgn) January 18, 2024

How to access the call function on X

Users should head to the settings selection to take control of the new call features.

Settings > Privacy and safety > Direct Messages > Enable audio and video calling.

The same menu options give you the option to manage who can call you, from different categories of people in your address book, people you follow, and verified users.

You can choose multiple options, or none, from these selections.

This development appears to signal another move toward X becoming a universal app, a one-stop shop similar to China’s WeChat. It has already set out its intentions for the coming year with AI, unsurprisingly, set to play a prominent role. It will be used to aid search and advertising capabilities whilst there are plans to launch peer-to-peer payments.

Musk also has Twitch in his sights, aiming to take on the Amazon-owned platform with monetized live streams on X.

It remains to be seen how successful this update will be for the social media entity formerly known as Twitter. It is playing catch-up with the likes of Whatsapp, Facebook, and Facetime in offering video and audio call functionality, but the new function will give users one more reason to stay on the X with more new features to follow.

Image: Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels.

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Samsung’s new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S24 will benefit from Google’s Gemini, its latest and most advanced AI model, following a joint announcement from the tech giants.

A Google press release detailed how the S24 range would specifically benefit from Gemini Pro, the median offering of the AI feature in addition to Gemini Ultra and Gemini Nano. The three models are designed for different uses, depending on the type of task required.

Gemini Pro will be the power behind Samsung’s Notes, Voice Recorder, and Keyboard apps, set to bring “better summarization features”, including the ability to record a lecture on Voice Recorder and later receive a summary of the key details.

Gemini Nano will also be deployed on the S24, in Google Messages, with the introduction of Magic Compose which will influence messages in styles such as “excited,” “formal”, and “lyrical” without the need to be connected to the internet.

Samsung and Google’s AI collaboration is only beginning

Samsung has been confirmed as one of the first partners to test Gemini Ultra before it is generally available to wider developers later this year, in what could be a further upgrade to follow for the new smartphone series.

AI advances have been credited for delivering other new features such as Circle to Search, which will enable searching for anything on your Android handset without having to toggle between apps. The innovative technology will let users select images, videos or text on their phone with a simple gesture to search for almost anything – a product, a phrase, or an item, – that is visible on the device.

Android Auto will be able to summarize long messages and suggest relevant replies to make it easier, and hopefully, less time-consuming, to communicate whilst you are on the road.

Google said it was “excited” about the possibilities of collaboration with Samsung for Android and the Galaxy S4 series with a pledge of more to follow.

Image credit, Google press release

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WhatsApp is set to enhance user engagement on its platform with significant upgrades to its broadcasting feature, Channels, according to TechCrunch. The popular messaging app is introducing new capabilities such as voice updates, polls, and the addition of more admins to each channel, aiming to boost interaction and convenience for its massive user base.

In a move to enrich the user experience, WhatsApp has announced that channel owners will now be able to send voice updates to their followers. This feature is particularly beneficial for podcasters and content creators who can share audio snippets or teasers directly with their audience. Considering WhatsApp’s staggering statistic of 7 billion voice messages sent daily by its 2 billion users, this update is poised to significantly enhance user engagement.

Furthermore, the introduction of polls to Channels marks a new era of interaction on the platform. Previously, the only way users could engage with channel posts was through emoji reactions. With polls, channel owners can now solicit opinions, conduct surveys, and interact more dynamically with their audience.

WhatsApp update: Expanding features and admin roles

Taking a cue from Instagram’s ability to share posts to Stories, WhatsApp is rolling out a similar feature for Channels. Channel admins can now share updates to their personal WhatsApp Status, the app’s version of Stories. This integration offers a seamless way for admins to inform their personal network about their Channel activities, fostering greater visibility and reach.

Initially launched in Singapore and Colombia in June 2023 and globally in September 2023, WhatsApp’s Channels feature initially allowed only one admin per channel. In a significant update, the Meta-owned company is now expanding this limit to up to 16 admins per channel. Channel owners can invite others to become admins through the “Invite admins” option on the channel description page, enhancing collaborative content management and distribution.

Since its inception, WhatsApp Channels have witnessed rapid growth, with over 500 million people using the feature monthly. This expansion reflects the platform’s commitment to evolving and adapting to user needs, providing tools that facilitate better communication and content sharing.

This latest update from WhatsApp comes on the heels of Telegram’s addition of channel discovery and customization features, including the ability to post channel updates to stories. As messaging apps continue to compete for user attention, these enhancements are crucial for platforms like WhatsApp to maintain their relevance and appeal in an increasingly crowded digital space.

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Vodafone has announced a 10-year deal with Microsoft in a bid to scale its generative AI, digital services and cloud platforms to more than 300 million businesses, public sector organizations, and consumers across Europe and Africa.

The British multinational telecommunications company said it plans to invest $1.5 billion in cloud and customer-focused AI services developed in conjunction with the tech giant, giving Microsoft access to Vodafone’s fixed and mobile connectivity services.

In exchange, Microsoft said it intends to become an equity investor in Vodafone’s managed Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity platform, which will become a separate, standalone business by April.

Vodafone reported better top-line growth in July, driven by higher prices in the UK and improvements in Germany, Italy and Spain, which marked a positive start for the new Chief Executive Margherita Della Valle’s turnaround plan.

We’ve announced a 10-year strategic partnership with @Microsoft to bring #GenerativeAI and the #Cloud to more than 300 million customers.

Read the full announcement below.

— Vodafone Group (@VodafoneGroup) January 16, 2024

Della Valle, aiming to return the company to growth, described the partnership as a “bold commitment” to the digital future of Europe and Africa. “This unique strategic partnership with Microsoft will accelerate the digital transformation of our business customers, particularly small and medium-sized companies, and step up the quality of customer experience for consumers,” she continued.

“This new generation of AI will unlock massive new opportunities for every organization and every industry around the world,” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, adding that they were “delighted” by the collaboration.

According to Reuters, Vodafone’s Chief Financial Officer Luka Mucic stated that Microsoft’s expertise in AI, bolstered by its partnership with OpenAI, is set to revolutionize the telecom company’s customer services.

He said, “That’s the part that is really going to catch each and every one of our customers,” adding that a TOBi chatbot, enhanced by Microsoft’s AI technology, will offer more coherent and intelligent responses to inquiries.

Which areas will Microsoft and Vodafone collaborate in?

The companies have pinpointed five primary areas for collaboration, one of which includes using generative AI to enhance customer satisfaction. This will involve leveraging Microsoft Azure OpenAI to provide real-time, personalized experiences for Vodafone customers.

Vodafone also intends to become part of the Azure ecosystem making the IoT platform available to developers and third-party communities using open APIs. Microsoft also hopes to help further scale M-Pesa, which is the telecoms company’s mobile money service in Africa, while enhancing digital literacy.

Aside from cloud transformation, the Berkshire-based company aims to distribute Microsoft services across businesses in Europe.

Featured Image: Mike Mozart / Canva / Vodafone

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Google is set to broaden the horizon for real-money gaming (RMG) apps on its Play Store, according to Tom’s Guide, marking a significant shift in its app policy. Starting June 2024, the tech giant plans to extend support for more types of RMG apps, including those from operators not currently covered by existing licensing frameworks. This expansion will initially roll out in countries like India, Mexico, and Brazil, with plans to extend to additional markets in the future.

Karan Gambhir, Google’s director of global trust and safety partnerships, expressed enthusiasm about the new approach, stating it will “provide new business opportunities to developers globally while continuing to prioritize user safety.”

This move follows Google Play Store’s initial steps in 2021 to allow certain RMG apps in 15 countries, including the U.S. The decision builds on successful test pilots conducted in India and Mexico in 2022, which saw the inclusion of daily fantasy sports gambling apps and rummy apps in India. Unlike the previous policy, which only permitted RMG apps within preexisting regulatory frameworks, the updated policy will open the Play Store to new RMG game types and operators that are legal but not under any existing licensing framework.

Developers, particularly those outside the U.S., have long lobbied Google to allow more diverse types of RMG games, including online versions of local card games that lack formal regulations. The eligible game types listed on Google’s RMG support page include online casino games, sports betting, horse racing, lotteries, and daily fantasy sports.

In addition to expanding the range of RMG apps, Google is also considering revising its service fee model for subscriptions and in-app purchases within these apps. While Google has yet to disclose any specific details of the new fee structure, Gambhir noted that the updated model would reflect the value provided by Google Play and support the sustainability of the Android and Play ecosystems.

Google plans to release more information on these policy changes in the coming months. The company assures that the updated policies will include necessary safeguards like age limits and geo-restrictions to protect consumers.

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For over 10 years Samsung has reigned supreme over the smartphone market as the world’s biggest brand, but that changed in 2023 as Apple overtook them to the top spot.  This is the first time the American giant has ever sold the most smartphones in a year, an achievement Samsung has laid claim to since 2010.

Apple, the maker of the iPhone, sold 234.6 million iPhones in 2023, which amounted to 20.1% of the market share in 2023, whereas South Korea’s most valuable company shipped 226.6 million Galaxy smartphones, which was 19.4% of the market, according to market research firm IDC, as reported by Business Wire. The data also shows that the global smartphone market was down in 2023 by 3.2%, though this still represents 1.17 billion smartphones being sold.

This number marks the lowest full-year volume in a decade, but despite this overall decline, data suggests that the market will recover into growth in 2024. Quarter four of 2023 showed 8.5% year-over-year growth, which was higher than forecasts of 7.3%.

Of the top five smartphone brands, only Apple and Chinese company Transsion saw growth in 2023, with gains of 3.7% and 30.8% respectively. Transsion is focused on developing markets such as Africa and South America. Samsung saw the largest losses year on year, ending 2023 at -13.6%. Xiaomi and OPPO were also down by -4.7% and -9.9% respectively.

What can Samsung do to regain its position as the largest smartphone brand?

Samsung won’t take this lying down and has much in the pipeline in 2024 which may help it recover the top spot. Unified Quick Share, unveiled at CES 2024, with Google, Samsung, and Windows computers will help bridge a gap created by Apple’s popular AirDrop feature.

In addition, leaks suggest that Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S24 range will be a doozy, with impressive specs and features. Samsung reportedly aims to sell over 35 million of its S24 range by the end of 2024, though issues with a recent update launch will not help consumer confidence.

Featured image: John Tekeridis/Pexels

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A group of scientists from Stanford University have designed an affordable robot with the ability to carry out intricate tasks autonomously by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI). Known as Mobile ALOHA, the robot was constructed using readily available components and 3D-printed hardware, with costs amounting to $32,000. The Mobile ALOHA project aims to revolutionize the robotics industry by providing a low-cost yet highly efficient solution for various applications, including manufacturing, healthcare, and research. By utilizing advanced AI algorithms and computer vision, the robot demonstrates exceptional precision and adaptability, proving that sophisticated robotic systems can be achieved without breaking the bank.

Training the AI-driven robot

The researchers trained the AI-driven robot to accomplish various tasks, such as preparing shrimp, tidying up spills, and managing elevators — all without human input. This autonomous robot utilizes advanced machine-learning algorithms, allowing it to adapt and improve its performance over time. Additionally, the AI system powering the robot is designed to understand and predict human behavior, ultimately leading to seamless and efficient collaboration with human workers in everyday environments.

To help Mobile ALOHA learn tasks swiftly, the team employed a “co-training” strategy, which blends new and old data. This technique enabled the robot to acquire skills quickly — instead of relying on thousands or millions of instances. By combining previously learned information with new data, Mobile ALOHA can constantly adapt and improve its efficiency in executing tasks. This co-training approach reduces the need for extensive training data sets, making it more practical for real-world applications where rapid learning is crucial.

Tackling complex issues with affordable robotics

The work conducted by the Stanford team on Mobile ALOHA highlights that cost-effective robotic hardware can tackle complex issues. Incorporating affordable components and cutting-edge algorithms, the researchers have demonstrated the potential of these innovative robotic systems in addressing real-world challenges. As technology advances, the accessibility and applications of cost-effective robots will inevitably expand, offering impactful and sustainable solutions across various industries.

The Mobile ALOHA project presents an innovative approach to creating affordable and adaptable robotic systems using AI algorithms. With a focus on co-training, efficient learning, and improving grasping and maneuvering abilities, this research has the potential to transform various industries and applications. As the team continues developing the robot and incorporating more advanced techniques, we expect to see even more practical and cost-effective robotic solutions.

Featured Image Credit: Pavel Danilyuk; Pexels

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Apple has made the rare move to cut prices of its iPhone 15 models in China by around 5%.

As reported by Reuters, the promotion on its Chinese website, which is being dubbed a ‘Lunar New Year Event,’ will last between January 18 and January 21 and comes after reports of a 30% drop in sales in China in the first week of 2024.

The US tech giant is under pressure to increase sales globally, particularly in China as competition from the likes of Huawei begins to regain market share in the region. It is the first time Apple has offered discounted prices in any of their markets for many years, while online retailers in the country have been cutting prices of iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models by as much as 16% since the turn of the year.

When the California-based company launched its iPhone 15 range in September last year, it surprised many by not raising prices. This is believed to be in response to an ongoing reluctance amongst iPhone users to upgrade their handsets as regularly as they used to. However, it appears that hasn’t had a positive effect on sales as Apple continues to see declining sales.

Senior vice president of market research business Canalys, Nicole Peng, told Reuters: “It is clear that Huawei is making a comeback.

“Some Chinese consumers may return to using Huawei as driven by patriotism.

Another blow for Apple in China?

While Apple is masking this as a holiday sale in China, it is hard not to see this as an attempt to arrest the slide of sales in the region to claw back lost market share to growing competitors.

It saw its share of the global smartphone market drop to 17.7% in the final quarter of 2023, which is well below its peak of 24.1% just 12 months earlier.

Canalys now expects Apple sales in 2024 to remain flat globally, while its decline in China will remain.

This also comes as Apple’s standing as the world’s most valuable company was put at risk last week as Microsoft’s market cap grew to within £100 billion of the tech giant.

Featured Image: Photo by Amanz on Unsplash

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British telecommunications giant BT is in talks with Elon Musk’s Starlink to bring broadband and mobile services to remote areas in the United Kingdom, according to a Telegraph report.

Successfully tested last week, SpaceX’s satellite-based network sent its first text messages between two mobile phones in a breakthrough moment for the space transport services company.

It was delivered using the T-Mobile network in the United States but up to now, no UK carrier has been in place to enable a rollout of services on the other side of the Atlantic. That could now change with news of work being carried out in England as BT is said to be testing Starlink equipment at its Adastral Park research centre, near Ipswich.

The British firm wants to be able to deliver connections to hard-to-reach locations, which is something that Startlink wants to replicate across the globe. At this stage, BT is exploring what the satellite system can do for broadband services whilst also considering the capability to improve mobile connectivity.

Business priority for the partnership

The BT Group operates EE, the second-largest mobile network operator in the UK but approval would be required from the regulator Ofcom if a direct-to-mobile deal was to be agreed with Starlink.

Whilst there is obvious potential for both consumer and business markets, initial talks between both parties are said to be concentrating on the latter.

BT wants to be able to deliver effective broadband and mobile services to sites such as oil rigs, mines, and secluded remote workplaces. It is expected that a consumer offering would follow, given the crossover in providing services that were previously out of reach.

The British government has worked with mobile operators in a £1 billion scheme to target rural “not spots” but Vodafone, Three, and Virgin Media O2 have tempered expectations with a warning that the first phase of the project will be delayed by around two years.

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Chinese authorities have claimed they now have access to a tool that enables them to identify users of Apple’s AirDrop feature, commonly used for sending encrypted messages to bypass government censorship.

China’s Judicial Bureau reported that Beijing’s Wangshendongjian Forensic Appraisal Institute had created a device that allowed them to break through “the technical difficulties of anonymous traceability through AirDrop,” adding that the move had enhanced the efficiency and accuracy of case detection, and helped prevent the further spread of inappropriate remarks and “potential bad influence.”

In a statement, it said that a video had been circulated with “inappropriate remarks,” using the AirDrop function and that others had begun sharing the same. “Therefore, it was necessary to find the source and determine their identity as soon as possible to avoid any negative impact,” officials added.

The bureau also claimed that the project was also targeted at people with “malicious purposes,” who would use the function to send “illegal pictures, videos, audio and […] illegally delivering and spreading bad information to nearby people in crowded places such as subways, buses and shopping malls.”

It was also suggested that since AirDrop does not need an internet connection for delivery, “this behavior cannot be effectively monitored through conventional network monitoring methods,” which is why they say they appointed the lab to assist with their security apparatus.

Why does China want to restrict AirDrop?

Government officials had previously sought to restrict the use of mobile file-sharing services, in order to stop activists from mobilizing. File-sharing services such as Bluetooth and AirDrop have become essential instruments in the country, where the so-called Great Firewall has led to one of the most tightly controlled internet environments.

In recent years, AirDrop has become a popular tool among anti-government protesters for organizing and communicating their political demands. For example, in 2022, activists used AirDrop to distribute anti-Xi Jinping posters on the Shanghai subway, coinciding with the Chinese president’s anticipation of a historic third term as the country’s leader.

Apple has faced criticism for reportedly appeasing Beijing after it released a new version of the feature that limits users to a 10-minute window for receiving files from non-contacts. After this period, users can only receive files from contacts. There was also widespread backlash during the COVID-19 pandemic when workers at an Apple supplier factory in Zhengzhou were forced to work under poor conditions.

Featured Image: Canva 

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The first week of 2024 has seen a steep decline in Apple iPhone sales in China, according to analysts.

The 30% drop has come despite ongoing discounting across iPhone’s range of models throughout the Chinese online marketplace. Reuters reports that there has been a 16% price drop on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models already this year, but that has done nothing to arrest an ongoing decline in sales in what is its third-largest market, behind the US and Europe.

This points towards ongoing competitive pressures from Android brands such as China-based Huawei, which launched a new range of Mate 60 phones last year.

For Apple, this latest decline comes off the back of a 3% year-on-year drop in sales in China in 2023. Jefferies researchers estimate that decline to equate to a 0.4% decrease in the tech giant’s market share. In comparison, Huwaei enjoyed a 6% increase in the Chinese smartphone market in the final quarter of 2023.

The investment bank now claim Apple is expected to face more competitive pressure from Chinese rivals throughout 2024, with shipment volumes decreasing steadily while Huawei’s market share continues to grow.

Huawei’s Mate 60 series is being described as the company’s route back into the high-end smartphone market, with an estimated 64 million handsets being shipped worldwide this year. That would be up significantly from its estimated 35 million shipped in 2023.

What is Apple’s global market share?

While the California-based tech giant remains the UK’s leading smartphone provider, with a reported market share of between 49.9% and 56.1% in 2022 and 2023, they are not currently the world’s leading smartphone manufacturer.

According to statista.com, Apple claimed 17.7% of the smartphone market in the third quarter of 2023, which was slightly lower than Samsung’s majority market share of 19.7%.

At its peak, iPhone’s largest market share – based on global shipment volumes – reached 24.1% back in the final quarter of 2022, which followed the much-anticipated release of their iPhone 14 range.

However, the fact the iPhone 15 release in 2023 does not yet appear to have had the same impact on the company’s market share may be of concern to some inside Apple HQ.

Featured Image: Photo by Daniel Romero on Unsplash

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Apple has started issuing payments as part of a $500 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit in the United States, according to the BBC. This lawsuit accused the tech giant of deliberately slowing down older iPhone models. Each claimant in the U.S. is set to receive approximately $92, a part of the settlement agreed upon in 2020.

The lawsuit dates back to December 2017 when Apple admitted to slowing down some older iPhone models. The company claimed this was to prolong the phone’s lifespan as batteries aged and performance decreased. However, this led to widespread criticism and accusations of Apple not being transparent with its customers, resulting in the legal action.

At the time of agreeing to the settlement, Apple denied any wrongdoing but expressed concerns about the costs of ongoing litigation. The actual payout per claimant turned out to be significantly higher than the initially estimated $25.

Parallel legal action in the U.K.

In the United Kingdom, a similar lawsuit is underway, spearheaded by Justin Gutmann, representing an estimated 24 million iPhone users and seeking £1.6 billion in compensation. This lawsuit extends beyond the iPhone 6 and 7 models included in the U.S. case, also covering iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X models. Apple has consistently denied the allegations, stating it would never intentionally shorten the life of its products.

Despite the developments in the U.S., the U.K. lawsuit remains unaffected. Gutmann noted that Apple’s settlement in the U.S. is a moral victory but does not directly impact the U.K. case. Apple is vigorously contesting the U.K. class action, which is expected to be heard at the Court of Appeal. The trial could potentially take place in late 2024 or early 2025.

The payout in the U.S. lawsuit marks a significant development in the ongoing saga of Apple’s alleged iPhone slowdown. While it represents a closure for U.S. claimants, the U.K. case continues to unfold. The outcome of the U.K. lawsuit could set a precedent for how tech companies manage device performance and communicate with their users about such practices. As the legal battles continue, they highlight the growing scrutiny of tech giants and their responsibility toward consumers.

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