Tech Nuggets with the Technology

Tuesday, October 6, 2020

US lawmakers detail Big Tech's market abuses and press for strict reform

The antitrust subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee recommended that Alphabet's Google, Apple, Amazon and Facebook - with a combined market value of over $5 trillion - should not both control and compete in related businesses. https://ift.tt/2FbNkF0

India approves 16 companies, including top Apple suppliers, for Rs 10.5 lakh crore smartphone plan

Government has cleared 16 proposals from domestic & international cos entailing investment of Rs 11,000 crore under the production linked incentive (PLI) scheme to manufacture mobile phones worth Rs 10.5 lakh crore in next five years. The companies include Apple's contract manufacturers Foxconn Hon Hai, Wistron and Pegatron, apart from Samsung and Rising Star. https://ift.tt/33Bvq7M

Samsung likely to post 35% surge in third-quarter profit as smartphone sales recover: Analysts

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's September-quarter profit likely surged more than a third, fuelled by strong smartphone sales and a rush order of memory chips from Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, analysts said. https://ift.tt/3d9sUZU

Twitter tests reddish-magenta colour for misinformation labels to make them more obvious, direct

Twitter is exploring changes to the small blue notices that it attaches to certain false or misleading tweets, to make these signals more 'overt' and be more 'direct' in giving users information. The company is working out whether to flag users who consistently post false information. https://ift.tt/36GLabQ

Sharp signs licensing deal with Daimler after winning patent lawsuit

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Facebook, Twitter Take Action Over Trump's Misleading COVID-19 Posts

Facebook and Twitter took action on posts from US President Donald Trump on Tuesday for violating their rules against coronavirus misinformation by suggesting that COVID-19 was just like the flu. https://ift.tt/3jylGkm

India Approves 16 Companies Including Apple Suppliers for Smartphone Plan

India on Tuesday said it was approving incentives under a federal plan to boost domestic smartphone production to 16 companies, including top Apple suppliers Foxconn, Wistron and Pegatron. https://ift.tt/3lkj5ej

Apple announces 'speed' event next week, new iPhones expected

This year, however, Apple executives had warned investors that new iPhones were not likely to ship until October. Apple held an event in September to introduce new Apple Watch and iPad models. https://ift.tt/2SLI3at https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Google changes logos of GMail, Hangouts, GMeet and more: Here's how they look now

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Limited data sharing in Jio deal: Facebook to CCI

CCI had approved the acquisition of a 9.99% stake in Reliance Industries Ltd-owned Jio Platforms by Facebook entity Jaadhu for ₹43,574 crore in June. https://ift.tt/33zotnY https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

JEECUP Result 2020 – UP Joint Entrance Examination (Polytechnic) Allotment Result Released

Joint Entrance Examination Council Uttar Pradesh has released allotment result for UP Joint Entrance Examination (Polytechnic) 2020.

India approves Apple partners and Samsung for $143 billion smartphone manufacturing plan

Samsung and three major contract manufacturing partners of Apple are among 16 firms to win $6.65 billion incentives under India’s federal plan to boost domestic smartphone production over the next five years. These companies had applied for the incentive program in August.

In a statement Tuesday evening, Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said these companies will be producing smartphones and other electronics components worth more than $143 billion over the next five years. In return, India will offer them an incentive of 4% to 6% on additional sales of goods produced locally over five years, with 2019-2020 set as the base year.

New Delhi’s move is aimed at significantly improving India’s manufacturing and exporting capacities and generating more local jobs. Around 60% of the locally produced products will be exported, the Indian ministry said. The companies will generate more than 200,000 direct employment opportunities in next five years and as many as 600,000 indirect employment opportunities during the same period, the ministry said.

The move is also a precursor to how the dynamics among major smartphone makers might change in India, the world’s second largest market, over the next few years. The inclusion of Foxconn, Wistron and Pegatron underscores how rapidly Apple plans to expand its local manufacturing capabilities in India. Wistron began assembling a handful of iPhone models in India three years ago, followed by Foxconn. Pegatron has yet to start production in India.

“Apple and Samsung together account for nearly 60% of global sales revenue of mobile phones and this scheme is expected to increase their manufacturing base manifold in the country,” the ministry said.

“Industry has reposed its faith in India’s stellar progress as a world class manufacturing destination and this resonates strongly with Prime Minister’s clarion call of AtmaNirbhar Bharat – a self-reliant India,” the ministry added.

Indian firms Lava, Bhagwati (Micromax), Padget Electronics, UTL Neolyncs and Optiemus Electronics have also received the approval. But missing from the list are Chinese smartphone makers Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus and Realme that had not applied for the program. Chinese smartphone vendors currently command about 80% of the Indian market. Samsung, which once led the Indian smartphone market, has faced intense competition from Xiaomi and Vivo in recent years.