Q2 growth for tablets and business smartphones was up slightly this year, as the market shows signs of a rebound, according to research by Strategy Analytics. Business smartphone shipments grew 14.8 percent year-on-year to reach 107.1 million units in Q2, up 6.1 percent sequentially from Q1. Tablets reached 17.3 million units in Q2, up 7.5 percent from Q1.
Alphabet-owned Google announced a definitive agreement with HTC on Sept. 21 under which HTC employees – many of whom are already working with Google to develop Pixel smartphones – will join Google. HTC will receive US$1.1 billion in cash from Google as part of the transaction. Separately, Google will receive a non-exclusive license for HTC intellectual property.
China Mobile is reportedly in talks with Brazil’s telecom regulator to purchase Brazilian telecom provider Oi SA’s mobile phone division. According to Exame magazine, China’s largest telecom company is interested in taking over the Brazilin telecom company, which is currently under bankruptcy protection.
Ericsson claims that Indian telecoms and media company Reliance Communications (RCom) and its subsidiaries owe it over INR11.56 billion ($180 million) and has subsequently filed a petition with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) against the company, the Swedish vendor said in a statement.
Singapore-based telecom provider Singtel announced that it will accelerate fibre-based service adoption for its business and residential customers. Currently, fibre-based networks deliver speeds of up to 100Gbps and provide the connectivity needed for Smart Nation envisioned by Singapore.
Go Ignite, an alliance of the world’s leading telcos including Orange, Deutsche Telekom, Singtel and Telefonica, announced the winners on Sept. 11 of the second global search for startups that offer the most innovative solutions for three key technologies including Consumer Experience Artificial Intelligence, Connected Homes, and Internet of Things (IoT) Cyber Security.
New Zealand-based Hawaiki Submarine Cable LP and TE SubCom, a TE Connectivity Ltd company, announced that the 14,000 km of undersea fiber-optic cable that comprise the Hawaiki transpacific cable system are in the final stages of being loaded aboard TE SubCom’s cable laying vessels ‘CS Global Sentinel’and‘CS Responder’. Installation of the system will commence in early October 2017.
South Korean smartphone colossus Samsung has announced that its pre-orders for its Galaxy Note 8 have surpassed the highest-ever for the Note Series. Samsung believes its latest premium smartphone which exceeded the pre-orders enjoyed by the Note 7 – will protect the market dominance it currently assumes as it faces a stiff battle with Apple to remain on the top spot.
Ooredoo was recognized for its commitment to reduce digital inequality in the UN Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development’s ‘The State of Broadband 2017: Broadband Catalyzing Sustainable Development’ report. Ooredoo’s commitment to reduce digital inequality stems from its core mission to make the internet accessible and enjoyable for everyone, the company said in a release.
Japanese conglomerate Toshiba is set to publicly announce that it will sell its prized memory chip unit to Western Digital after months of protracted negotiations, legal rows and rejected bids. Toshiba is desperately trying to offload its chip unit in order to generate funds to help pay off its debts for its bankrupt US nuclear unit Westinghouse.
