The UK government has secretly ordered Apple to create a backdoor enabling unrestricted access to encrypted iCloud backups worldwide, according to a Washington Post report. Issued under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (IPA), or “Snoopers’ Charter,” the demand compels Apple to bypass its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature, which uses end-to-end encryption to secure user data such as photos, messages, and device backups. The order, delivered via a “technical capability notice” in January 2025, applies to all users globally, not just UK citizens, and prohibits Apple from disclosing its existence.

Threat to Privacy and Security

ADP, an opt-in service launched in 2022, ensures that even Apple cannot access user data. The UK’s demand would undermine this encryption, creating vulnerabilities that cybersecurity experts warn could be exploited by hackers and authoritarian regimes. Privacy advocates, including Big Brother Watch, condemned the move as an “unprecedented attack” on civil liberties, arguing that backdoors erode trust in digital security and disproportionately harm law-abiding citizens.

Apple’s Dilemma and Potential Response

Apple has historically resisted such demands, citing privacy as a “fundamental human right.” The company may withdraw ADP from the UK market to avoid compliance, but this would not resolve the government’s demand for global access. Under the IPA, Apple cannot delay implementation during an appeal, which must be filed in a secret court. Critics note that the law’s extraterritorial scope allows the UK to target any tech firm operating in its market, regardless of headquarters.

Global Implications

The order risks diplomatic friction, particularly with the EU, which reviews UK data-sharing agreements this year. It also contradicts recent U.S. recommendations advocating stronger encryption to counter cyber threats. While UK officials claim the measure targets national security risks, experts warn criminals will simply migrate to other platforms, leaving ordinary users more exposed.

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(Source, via)

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Summer has finally arrived, and so have the discounts on popular smartphones in the UK. There have been exquisite discounts on popular smartphones, including the iPhone 15 Pro, Galaxy S23, and Nothing Phone (2). There is around a £130 discount on the Nothing Phone (2), which retails for £500 with 12GB RAM and 256GB of storage. Meanwhile, the Apple iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are £100 off, and the Samsung Galaxy S23 can be yours at £100 off with an extended warranty.

Alongside the Nothing Phone (2) £130 discount, users can also grab the Nothing Ear (a), which is currently retailing for £80. The Nothing Phone (2) features a 6.7-inch 120Hz 10-bit panel with Full HD+ resolution, 15W wireless charging (45W wired), and Glyph lights. The user gets a 50MP primary sensor and a 50MP ultra-wide camera in the cameras.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro 128GB variant is available at £900, while the 356GB model can be yours at £1000. However, with a similar £100 discount, users can get the iPhone 15 Pro Max 256GB for £1,100 via Amazon.

There’s an extensive discount of £100 applicable on the Samsung Galaxy S23 with 3 years of extended warranty. Running Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, the Galaxy S23 could be a better option than the Galaxy S23 FE, which is retailing at a similar price. The 128GB is available for £600 on Amazon UK, while the 256GB is on sale for £650 on Amazon UK.

Poco X6 Pro is also £60 off on Amazon, and interested folks can grab it for the price of £310 with 12GB RAM and 512GB storage.

Interested buyers can grab the deals and save some good money.

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Please Note: When you buy something using the links in our articles, we may earn a small commission at no cost to you.

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A day after its official arrival in India, the OnePlus Watch 2 is finally up for sale in North America, the UK, and Europe. The 46mm-sized smartwatch is available in two color options: radiant steel and Black Steel. The OnePlus Watch 2 registered massive pre-orders in comparison with its predecessor, i.e., the OnePlus Watch. Some good introductory offers are going on for the US, Canada, UK, and European markets.

OnePlus Watch 2 Offer Details in the US, Canada, UK, and Europe

Interested folks in the US can grab the OnePlus Watch 2 for $299, and an additional trade-in discount of $50 is applicable on any old device in any condition. On top of that, there’s an additional 10% discount for students. There’s also an exclusive 10% discount coupon in the OnePlus Store app. There’s an additional discount of 30% on any add-ons you buy along with the smartwatch. Potential buyers can also get the OnePlus Watch 2 from Amazon with similar offers.

A similar campaign is going on for the OnePlus Watch 2 in Canada at the price of $CAD 399. The users can get up to a $CAD 60 discount on the trade-in of any old device. Meanwhile, an increased discount is applicable if you have an old smartphone, smartwatch, tablet, or other digital device. Further, there are the same 10% student discounts, and a 10% coupon if you purchase via the OnePlus Store App.

For buying enthusiasts in the UK, the OnePlus Watch 2 costs around £269.00 for a limited time. OnePlus is offering a free OnePlus Nord Buds 2 along with the purchase. An additional 10% student discount is available for the applicable buyers. There’s an additional 10% discount on add-ons.

In the European continent, the OnePlsu Watch 2 retails for €299.00 and is 46mm in size with Bluetooth, and WiFi connectivity. Users in Germany and France are available for €299.00.

OnePlus Watch 2: Specs and Features

The Chinese electronics maker unveiled the OnePlus Watch 2 at MWC 2024 a week ago. It bundles a 1.43-inch AMOLED display offering 600 nits of peak brightness. Google’s Wear OS 4 running smartwatch is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 SoC and the BES 2700 MCU power efficiency chip. Further, the Watch couples a 500 mAh battery that can sustain for around 48 hours with heavy use. It can charge 7.5W VOOC in just 60 minutes.

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When we talk about Huawei, we often talk about its consumer electronics, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. But, the company is also one of the world’s largest telecommunication hardware manufacturers. Huawei produces communication infrastructure equipment for various countries, including China. However, the embargo limiting access to Google services also had an impact here. Several countries in North America and Europe prohibited the use of Huawei equipment in critical infrastructure, demanding their removal by a specific deadline. However, British Telecoms (BT Group) missed the deadline. Here are the details…

BT’s Huawei Kit Removal Delay Sparks Concern

BT Group or formerly known as British Telecom, is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the United Kingdom, with a market share of nearly 50%. However, the company is currently in trouble due to Huawei. Constructing a massive infrastructure, is not an easy task, especially when it involves billions of dollars’ worth of equipment. That’s why in 2020, the UK announced a deadline of December 31, 2023, for telecom companies in the country to remove Huawei kits. However, BT either couldn’t meet this deadline or intentionally chose not to do.

According to the latest reports from our colleague TechRadar, this isn’t actually a very important matter. Because the company claims that all Huawei’s 4G and 5G data equipment has been completely removed from the country, covering 99% of mobile data traffic. The remaining 1% handles 2G and 3G connections. The decision not to replace these components isn’t necessarily a defense of Huawei but primarily driven by commercial considerations.

In te UK, major mobile network companies are set to close their 3G networks by 2024-2025. Based on this, we can say that BT chose not to upgrade the infrastructure for these networks deliberately. The company might not have wanted to spend billions of dollars within just a few years on equipment that would become obsolete. Paying a penalty imposed by the UK is likely to be much cheaper instead. Unfortunately, whatever the reason Huawei will be completely erased from a market it once played a significant role in 1-2 years.

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Have you ever felt anxious when ordering something online? Many people do, especially when buying something expensive. There’s always the risk of receiving a low-quality product, having problems with shipping, or the item being delivered to the wrong person. Recently, a UK citizen who ordered the iPhone 15 Pro Max directly from Apple’s official website was shocked to find an Android phone in the box. Here are the details…

Customer Opens iPhone 15 Pro Max Box to Find Android Phone Inside

A person living in the UK wanted to buy Apple’s new flagship phone, the iPhone 15 Pro Max. To do this, they went to Apple’s official website, the safest option, and placed an order. After a while, when the customer received the package and opened the box, they immediately noticed something strange. Yes, the phone looked exactly like the iPhone 15 Pro Max, but it had a screen protector on it.

As you know, Apple does not apply such a practice to its products. The customer thought that they had received a device that had been sold and later returned, so they opened the phone. However, this only increased their suspicions. The iPhone 15 Pro Max came with pre-installed apps like YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok.

Apple users will know that the company has strict principles regarding pre-installed apps. They do not even insist on having someone else’s app pre-installed on their devices, let alone their own. Moreover, upon closer inspection, the customer noticed that the phone’s bezels were thicker than they should be. Of course, it didn’t take long for the customer to realize that they had a fake Android phone that looked similar but was not a genuine iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Fortunately, before noticing these issues, the customer did not log into any accounts, and the defrauded individual did not have their information stolen on top of everything else. The unfortunate customer shared the incident on Reddit, stating that they had reported the situation to Apple and were waiting for the company to resolve the issue. Clearly, the incident is quite unpleasant.

As mentioned earlier, we are aware that there is always a risk when buying something online. However, understanding how a purchase from Apple’s official website could end like this is perplexing. Nevertheless, if you have any doubts, it’s worth noting that the likelihood of Apple being responsible for this mistake is minimal. It’s probably a case of fraud during the shipping operation. Unfortunately, it’s unclear how the tech giant will react to the incident.

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As the launch of new Pixel devices is nearing, the frequency of leaks has increased too. Following the US pricing leak a few hours ago, the UK pricing is here for the Pixel 8, 8 Pro, and Pixel Watch 2. Famous tipster Roland Quandt posted the pricing details on X.com (formerly Twitter.com).

Must See: Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro price leaks via Official Promo Material

The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will retail for £699 and £999, respectively. The pricing is slightly on the higher side if we compare it with the Pixel 7 which debuted for £599 and Pixel 7 Pro which arrived with £849 price tag. Further, there’s a $100 price difference between the US and the UK retailing rates of the new Pixel 8 Series.

Pixel Watch 2 is said to retail for £349 in the UK, and it is £10 more than the maiden Pixel Watch price. Along with a similar price, the new Pixel Watch 2 will likely come in the same three case colors as the Pixel Watch which are Black, Silver, and Gold.

However, the pricing has not yet been officially confirmed by Google. So, take these as a salt of grain in the ocean.

Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, and Pixel Watch features (Expected)

Following some previous leaks, a recent promotional video has made almost every feature and specification of the new Pixel 8 Series public. The Pixel 8 will feature a dual-rear camera featuring a 50MP primary wide-angle lens and a 12MP ultra-wide angle lens. Meanwhile, the Pixel 8 Pro will pack an additional 48MP telephoto lens offering 5x optical zoom. Both smartphones will house the same 10.5MP selfie camera.

The Tensor G3 will surely enhance the performance and efficiency of both smartphones. Apart from the new hardware features, the Search giant is adding plenty of new software-based features to the new Pixel 8 series.

The smartphone is slated for launch at an event on October 4.

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The Pixel Superfan program is a loyalty program created by Google for fans of their Pixel line of smartphones. It offers exclusive benefits to its members, such as early access to new product releases, invitations to special events, and personalized support from Google’s customer service team. To join, customers must sign up through the Google One app or website, meet eligibility requirements, and earn points by participating in activities and challenges, which can be redeemed for rewards such as discounts on Pixel phones, accessories, and other Google products. Members also have the opportunity to provide feedback and suggestions to Google. For those who are part of the Pixel team in the UK, the Superfan program is now open for sign-ups again.

Google launched the Pixel Superfan program in the UK in March 2023, but the sign-up form was closed soon after. However, the form has now reopened, and UK-based enthusiasts can join the program once again. The Pixel Superfan program offers early access to new products and features, exclusive events, special offers and discounts, and the chance to win exclusive swag from the company. Members can also connect with other Pixel enthusiasts and meet the teams behind Google’s Pixel devices. Importantly, there is no cost to joining the Pixel Superfan program.

If you are a fan of Google’s devices and are located in the UK, the Superfan program is definitely worth considering. With a range of exclusive benefits and the chance to connect with like-minded individuals, joining the program can enhance your Pixel experience and provide you with exciting opportunities. The company’s smartphones are progressing really fast, and being a superfan at this point can be really beneficial in the long run as well.

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Huawei’s proposed £1 billion research campus in the UK has hit a roadblock as The Daily Telegraph reports that work has not yet begun on the site, despite the vendor setting a deadline to complete the first phase of construction two years ago. The newspaper alleges that the company has put its plans on hold due to a lack of progress and planning permission for the site expiring in August.

Huawei has declined to comment on whether it will begin work in the next five months and stated that it is still reviewing the campus in Cambridge. Furthermore, the UK newspaper reported that Cambridge council’s requests for an update on the project have been met with silence from the Chinese vendor.

In June 2020, Huawei had announced that it had received planning permission from the local authority to build the facility, with an investment of £1 billion on the first phase. The facility was expected to focus on research, developing and manufacturing optoelectronics products. However, the company’s position in the country deteriorated significantly after the UK government banned the use of Huawei 5G equipment in July 2020 due to ongoing security concerns about the vendor. Additionally, Huawei has been accused of tracking visitors via security access tags without their consent at the MWC 2023, recently held in Barcelona.

Local councillor Brian Milnes has expressed his disappointment, stating that the whole project seems to have ground to a halt. The lack of progress on the campus raises concerns about Huawei’s future investment plans in the UK.

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The post Huawei’s Plans for £1 Billion Cambridge Research Campus Hit Dead End appeared first on Gizmochina.

A few months ago, along with the regular Galaxy Watch 5 wearable device, Samsung also launched the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and the Galaxy Watch Golf Edition.

Now, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Golf Edition, which is already available for purchase in South Korea and United States, is finally made available in the United Kingdom.

The Golf Edition version of the wearable comes with a black-colored body and new straps, as well as some tailored features for golfers through the Smart Caddie app.

It comes in three versions — 40mm, 44mm, and 45mm and the major difference between the regular version and the Golf Edition is the software. It comes with the Smart Caddie application pre-installed which has a database of over 40,000 courses around the world.

The wearable device offers additional features like golf tracking, coaching, visual and audio cues for a better playing experience. It still offers all the features that the regular Galaxy Watch 5 offers. Apart from the software, there’s no difference in the wearable device.

As for the pricing in the UK, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Golf Edition 40mm model is priced at £319 (~$395), while the 44mm version costs £339 (~$420). On the other hand, the Galaxy Watch5 Pro Golf Edition 45mm model costs £479 (~$594). All three models are available for pre-order at Samsung’s website and the sale is set to start on 26th January.

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Netflix and every other video streaming platforms online have had their users indulge in the process of password sharing. But it seems like this practice might soon be turning illegal in the UK, as per recent piracy guidelines.

According to a new report, the act of sharing passwords for Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video might soon be considered illegal in the UK. The news arrives from an update piracy guidelines that were shared by the British Intellectual Property Office. These stated that the “password sharing on streaming services,” which includes a number of the popular platforms like Disney+, can legally be considered as an act that breaks the copyright law.

TorrentFreak reached out to the UPO for more details regarding the legality of password sharing, and got the following response: “There are a range of provisions in criminal and civil law which may be applicable in the case of password sharing where the intent is to allow a user to access copyright protected works without payment. These provisions may include breach of contractual terms, fraud or secondary copyright infringement depending on the circumstances”

In simpler terms, if you share your password for the account on Netflix, Disney+, and even Amazon Prime Video, you can be legally prosecuted for fraud or for breaching the copyright’s law. Although this actually occurring in reality appears to be quite unlikely. This is all the information we have regarding this matter so stick around for more updates regarding this matter.

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The post Netflix, Disney+, & Prime Video password sharing may soon be illegal in the UK appeared first on Gizmochina.

Nothing, a new consumer technology company founded by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, is just a couple of years old and has very limited products in the market. In fact, it has launched only two products so far — Ear (1) TWS earbuds and Phone (1) smartphone but that isn’t stopping the brand from making risky bets.

The company is all set to open its first Nothing Store in London in the coming weeks. The store will open “before Christmas” this year but no specific date is known yet.

The first Nothing Store will open on 4 Peter Street in London’s fashion-oriented Soho neighborhood. The company promises a boutique rather than a tech shop experience, with design flourishes inspired by classic chains like Olivetti.

The physical store will see the company’s own products, which include the Phone 1, Ear 1, and the upcoming Ear Stick. Those who visit the store on the first day will get free merchandise and can buy one of the 100 limited edition Ear Sticks.

It appears that instead of opening the physical store to sell its products, the company’s primary aim for the store is marketing. With the store in a high-traffic area and in one of the posh locations in London, Nothing is aiming for brand recognition and getting attention from people who wouldn’t actively browse technology. It is a bold strategy for a two-year-old startup with very limited products, that too in categories with very high competition.

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The post Nothing to open its first physical store in London in the coming weeks appeared first on Gizmochina.

Last month, the POCO F4 GT smartphone was officially announced for the global markets and now today, the company has introduced the device for the UK market.

The smartphone will be up for pre-order in the UK until 30th May and the company is offering a discounted price of £499 for those who pre-order the model that packs 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.

Once the introductory price period is over, the device will come back to its original cost of £699, a whooping £200 increase compared to the discounted price for those who pre-order.

The POCO F4 GT features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with Full-HD+ screen resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The device has Gorilla Glass Victus protection and 10-bit color depth with over 1 billion colors.

Under the hood, it is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, coupled with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. There’s also LiquidCool technology 3.0 and the device comes with dual vapor chambers with a total area of 4860mm².

In the camera department, there’s a triple-camera setup that includes a 64MP Sony IMX686 primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide lens (120-degree FOV), and an 8MP macro lens. On the front side, there’s a 20MP Sony IMX596 snapper for taking selfies and video calling.

The phone runs the Android 12 operating system with the company’s own MIUI 13 custom interface on top. It is powered by a 4,700mAh (2x 2350 dual-cell) battery with support for 120W HyperCharge fast charging support.

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Huawei has officially confirmed that the company’s flagship smartphone — Huawei P50 Pro and its wearable device named Huawei Watch GT Runner will be officially available for purchase in the United Kingdom from next month.

The company has revealed that the Huawei P50 Pro will go on sale in the UK from 22nd March in two color options — Cocoa Gold and Golden Black for the price of £1099.99. On the other hand, the Huawei Watch GT Runner will be available for £259 and will go on sale from 22nd March in Black and Grey color options.

As for the specifications, the Huawei P50 Pro flagship smartphone features a 6.6-inch OLED display with a screen resolution of 2700 x 1228 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, the device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC with support for only 4G connectivity and not 5G. It packs 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.

In the photography department, there’s a quad-camera setup which is co-developed with Leica. It consists of a 50-megapixel primary sensor, a 40-megapixel monochrome lens, a 13-megapixel ultra-wide sensor, and a 64-megapixel periscope telephoto lens. On the front side, it features a 13-megapixel snapper for taking selfies and video calling. The device is powered by a 4,360mAh battery and supports 66W wired and 50W wireless charging.

On the other hand, the Huawei Watch GT Runner features a 1.43-inch round AMOLED screen and runs HarmonyOS which brings support for a variety of third-party applications. It comes with Huawei’s TruSeen 5.0 Plus heart rate sensor, support for 100+ workout modes, all-day SpO2 monitoring, and an AI-driven running coach.

There are also Huawei TruSport analytics-powered features like the Running Ability Index (RAI) and Professional Running Programme. Coming to the battery life, the company promises up to 14 days with normal use and around 7 days of battery life with heavy use.

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After several leaks, rumors, and delays, the South Korean giant Samsung finally seems to be all set to launch the Galaxy S21 FE smartphone in January 2021. Almost everything related to the device has already leaked online.

Today, a new report via MySmartPrice has revealed the memory variants of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE as well as their pricing. The base model with 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage will cost EUR 920 while the 8GB RAM with 256GB of internal storage version will be priced at EUR 985. Note that the pricing is included the local value-added tax (VAT).

In the UK, the device’s 8GB RAM with 128GB storage variant will be launched for GBP 776 while the 8GB RAM with 256GB storage variant will be launched for GBP 831. If the reports are to be believed, then Samsung plans to launch the Galaxy S21 FE in select regions only, which means only in Europe and the UK.

As for the launch, the smartphone is expected to go official on 4th January and is said to be available in four color options — White, Lavender, Cream, and Black.

Coming to the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, the device features a 6.4-inch Full HD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate and will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 or the company’s own Exynos 2100 chipsets. Both of these chips are manufactured by Samsung using the 5nm process.

As mentioned above, the device will come in two memory variants — 8GB RAM with 128GB internal storage and 8GB RAM with 256GB of internal storage. It will be powered by a 4,380mAh battery and come with support for 25W fast charging technology.

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After rolling out the latest Samsung One UI 4 beta update for the Galaxy S21 series, Galaxy Z Fold3, Galaxy Z Flip3, and the Galaxy S20 series smartphones, now the Note-series phones are getting the new version update.

The South Korean giant has started to roll out the One UI 4 beta update to the Galaxy Note 20 smartphone users in the United Kingdom. Soon, it is expected to expand the program to those who live in the United States, Germany, China, India, South Korea, and others.

All the eligible users can log into the Samsung Members application and then tap on the One UI 4 beta enrollment button from the Notices page. After enrolling, the update should be available to download within a few minutes. You should be able to download the One UI 4.0 beta by going to Settings > Software update > Download and install.

If you are about to download this new One UI 4 beta update for your smartphone, then do keep in mind that it is not yet stable, and thus it could cause some issues while you’re using it. So, create a backup of your phone’s data that can be useful when something goes wrong and you need to restore data.

Samsung showed off its Material You implementation for One UI and has also demonstrated the ability to set health goals with others using Samsung Health Together, so groups can compete in completing training or exercise goals.

There’s a new feature named Quick Share that allows seamless transfer between Galaxy devices, and much more. Similar to Apple’s Lost Mode, the new One UI 4 update also expands SmartThings Find to stuff such as the Galaxy Buds and S Pens. It is leveraging up to 1.5 billion instances of data exchange between Samsung devices in a network to help pinpoint a lost accessory’s location.

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Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Britain’s spy agencies have signed a deal where AWS will be hosting classified material to boost the use of data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) for espionage.

The Financial Times report added that the GCHQ agency had supported the procurement of a high-security cloud system, which would be used by its sister services, MI5 and MI6. Other government departments such as the ministry of defence during joint operations will also be using the system during joint operations.

AWS is the cloud service unit of Amazon and the AI espionage agreement was signed this year. All data will be held in Britain itself though.

When asked, GCHQ said that it will not be commenting on reports concerning its relationships with its suppliers. AWS declined to comment on the report.

Earlier this year, Britain’s cyber spies at the GCHQ eavesdropping agency announced that it had fully embraced artificial intelligence to identify patterns in massive volumes of global data in order to combat hostile disinformation and apprehend child abusers.

GCHQ has been using basic forms of AI such as translation technology for years but is now ramping up its usage in an effort to compete with hostile governments’ use of AI and also because of the data explosion that makes it effective.

Jeremy Fleming, Director of GCHQ had also earlier on Monday told a conference the number of ransomware attacks had doubled across the UK in 2021, compared to last year.

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Social media giant Facebook has been fined £50 million ($70 million USD) by the Competition and Markets Authority in the UK for purposely concealing information about its Giphy acquisition. The company’s dealings with Giphy were called out by the UK regulators, leading to CMA launching an antitrust probe.

The Competition and Markets Authority had issued an initial enforcement order to Facebook in June last year as it began its investigation into the acquisition deal. The order was aimed to ensure that companies continue to compete as they would in the absence of a merger and it prevents them from integrating further.

As a part of the order, Facebook is legally required to provide regular updates to show that it is complying with the order. But, CMA says that Facebook “significantly limited the scope of those updates” despite repeated warnings.

The regulator also noted that this is the first time a company has been found to have breached an IEO by “consciously refusing” to report all the required information. Further, it added that Facebook’s failure to comply was “deliberate” as the social media company was given multiple warnings.

Joel Bamford, senior director of mergers at the CMA, said: “We warned Facebook that its refusal to provide us with important information was a breach of the order but, even after losing its appeal in two separate courts, Facebook continued to disregard its legal obligations. This should serve as a warning to any company that thinks it is above the law.”

Separately, the CMA has fined Facebook £500,000 for changing its Chief Compliance Officer on two separate occasions without seeking consent first.

A couple of months ago, the CMA said it had provisionally found Facebook’s purchase of Giphy would harm competition between social media platforms and remove a potential challenger in the display advertising market. It also said that Facebook could be required to unwind the deal, which is reportedly worth $400 million, and sell off Giphy if its concerns are ultimately confirmed.

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Huawei has just launched a new notebook in the UK. This laptop is the MateBook D 15, which arrives with Intel’s latest 11th Gen Core processors and is designed to be a thin and light notebook geared towards productivity.

On the front, the new laptop features a 15 inch FHD IPS anti glare panel, which arrives with the Chinese tech giant’s FullView design. This has it offer users an 87 percent screen to body ratio and a 16:9 aspect ratio as well. Furthermore, the display has also passed the TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certification and Flicker Free certifications that enable it to offer a more comfortable viewing experience to the user and reduce eye strain with long periods of use.

Under the hood, the MateBook D 15 arrives with an 11th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, which is based on the 10nm SuperFin technology. It is a quad core processor that arrives with Intel’s Iris Xe integrated graphics. For memory, it houses up to 16GB of dual channel DDR4 RAM paired with 512GB of NVMe SSD storage. The device also features Huawei’s Shark fin fan designs that let the laptop in better control its thermals during intensive workloads.

Other notable features include Wi-Fi 6 standard support, a fingerprint scanner on the Power Button, a recessed camera, and even support for SuperCharge fast charging as well. As of right now, the MateBook D 15 is available in the UK for a starting price of 749.99 Pounds (roughly 1040 US Dollars). The laptop is currently available on the company’s official Huawei UK Store website along with other authorized retailers as well.

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Nexperia, the Dutch semiconductor based company that is a subsidiary of China based firm Wingtech Technology, is apparently planning on buying Newport Wafer Fab, which is the largest chip maker in the US.

According to a SCMP report, Nexperia is planning on acquiring the UK chip maker for a 63 million Pounds (roughly 87 US Dollars). The report arrives from anonymous sources close to the matter last week. The news of the deal arrives amid Beijing’s push for technological self reliance. This move has led to the Chinese government pouring resources into the development of local semiconductor industry. The effort is primarily driven by US sanctions that have disrupted the supply chains of Chinese companies.

At the moment, experts in the UK have expressed their concerns regarding security about the Nexperia-Newport deal. A Nexperia spokesperson said the company is still in talks with the Newport Wafer Fab and the Welsh government but has declined to further comment on the matter. Notably, Wingtech had purchased stakes worth 4.14 billion US Dollars into Nexperia, acquiring 80 percent stake in the Dutch firm. This share has now increased to 98.2 percent last year, with the Chinese firm buying out stakes in Nexperia to expand into semiconductor technology.

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The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced an investigation into the “duopoly” of Apple and Google on mobile ecosystems. The development comes just one day after a similar investigation was initiated in Japan.

The CMA will look into Apple and Google’s “effective duopoly” on the supply of operating systems, including iOS and Android, the App Store and Google Play Store, and web browsers such as Safari and Chrome.

The department defines “mobile ecosystems” as “gateways through which consumers can access a variety of products, content and services,” meaning that the investigation will cover a range of services and products.

The investigation will be wide ranging, with the watchdog concerns about the nested gateways that are created as a result of the pair’s dominance of mobile ecosystem — intermediating how consumers can access a variety of products, content and services.

It beileves that consumers could be “losing out across a wide range of areas” as a result of the purported duopoly, leading to “reduced innovation” and “consumers paying higher prices.” Further, the investigation will also examine the effect of the companies’ market power on other businesses, including app developers and advertisers.

This new development comes at a time when UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is already investigating Apple’s ‌App Store‌ policies. Market investigations can make recommendations to the government or other bodies in the UK, issue guidance to businesses and consumers, and more.

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After the UK government banned the use of telecommunications equipment made by Huawei, the company faced a noticeable decline in its profits and revenue in the region.

For those unaware, equipment made from the Chinese tech giant was banned by the local government from being used in the country’s 5G networking infrastructure. This meant that local telecom operators can no longer source telecommunications equipment from the company. Furthermore, the government also mandated that carriers have to phase out any equipment from the Chinese brand completely by the year 2027. Meaning, Huawei is essentially cut off from the 5G network in the UK.

According to an FinancialTimes report, a source stated that the company’s sales in 2020 were down by 27 percent year on year, reaching just 913 million Pounds (roughly 1.28 billion US Dollars). On the other hand, the company’s operating profit was down to a quarter, amounting to just 36.4 million Pounds (roughly 51.3 million US Dollars) before tax. Although, the vendor’s profits did benefit from a 26 million Pounds in costs due to the reduction in employee and travel expenses during this time.

While the UK unit of Huawei is a relatively small division of the company, it is also a symbol of the struggles that the brand is facing in various countries. After placing various sanctions on the telecom equipment maker, the US government also pressured other nations, including the UK, to ban the company from supplying gear for core 5G networks. Initially, the company was allowed to supply 5G in a limited capacity, but has since been banned completely from the network.

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The UK government is planning on investigating Nvidia’s acquisition of ARM Holdings over national security concerns. The deal between the two firms is worth over 40 billion US Dollars.

According to a Reuters report, UK Digital minister Oliver Dowden stated that he has issued an intervention notice over the sale of ARM by Japan’s SoftBank Group to Nvidia. The official further added that “As a next step and to help me gather the relevant information, the UK’s independent competition authority will now prepare a report on the implications of the transaction, which will help inform any further decisions.” On the other hand, Nvidia has said that it believes that the deal will not pose any material threat to the UK’s national security issues.

Nvidia also added that “We will continue to work closely with the British authorities, as we have done since the announcement of this deal.” For those unaware, ARM is a chip designer and a major player in the semiconductor industry. Its designs and technologies have been used in nearly every smartphone and has even powered various other forms of devices as well. These semiconductors are a critical part of a nation’s infrastructure and even tie in with departments like Defense and communications.

Thus, it is a matter of national security, which is why the UK government is stepping in to intervene. Back in September 2020, Nvidia had pledged that, regardless of the deal, ARM will remain neutral and has even offered guarantees to retain its headquarters and staff in Cambridge. However, Nvidia owning ARM also implies that a single firm controls a key supplier that offers silicon designs to other chip makers.

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Huawei partners with Leica for the cameras on its premium smartphones. Similarly, the company has partnered with French audiophiles Devialet for its speakers, resulting in last year’s Huawei Sound X.

Now, the China-based company has launched Huawei Sound, which is smaller than the Sound X in size but packs a four-speaker acoustic design and also offers a 360-degree ‘surround’ sound experience.

The speaker packs three full-range 5W drivers and a 4-inch 40W woofer. With Devialet’s Push-Push configuration, two passive radiators reinforce each other to counteract back wave vibrations and reduce distortion.

As per Huawei’s claims, the high-volume sessions at up to 90dB should offer distortion-less sound. It also supports several different sound settings which can be accessed through the Huawei AI Life app, including spatial sound.

It comes with Bluetooth LDAC for hi-res audio and auxiliary connections are included. It also supports a tap-to-transfer feature for sending from phone to speaker in an instant. However, the company has removed the voice assistant, so this is not a smart speaker in a traditional sense. This means that users can’t control playback with voice commands and the device can’t be used to control smart home devices.

The Huawei Sound is now available for purchase in the UK for a price of £199. Those who buy the device by 13th April will get £50 off as an early bird offer. With this launch in the UK, the Huawei Sound is now available in over 15 countries across the globe including China, Australia, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, Spain, and Turkey.

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Huawei has opened the doors of its first ever physical retail store in the UK. The company called the region a “hugely important market” and believes that this will “open up more jobs” and “help support the British economy.”

The new store from the Chinese tech giant will sell a wide variety of products ranging from its flagship smartphones to its “extensive range” of wearable, hearables, tablets and PC products, as per a Charged report. As per the company’s official notes, Huawei has been trading in the UK for over two decades now, with the new store being just one of the three stores that it plans on opening in the arriving months. The new store alone brings 15 new jobs for the Westfield Stratford City and its locals.

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Notably, the store had originally been slated to open back in October 2020, with the second one being planned to open soon after in London. Apart from just offering its products, the Huawei store will also provide product training, technical support and even house a personalized consultation service for its customers. As per Huawei Technologies director Sir Andrew Cahn, “2020 has been a difficult year for all of us, not least the UK high street.”

He further added that, “Huawei has faced its own challenges in the UK, but we remain as committed as ever to serving the UK market and in particular our legions of customers who enjoy our retail products. This wonderful new store, and the opportunities it creates, is a great sign of that commitment, our faith in Westfield and business in the UK as a whole.” Similarly, Anson Zhang, Huawei Business Group’s chief executive stated that “The UK is a hugely important market for us, and we’re pleased to be able to offer customers the opportunity to pick up new technology in-store, in addition to a superior customer service experience.”

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Telecom operators in the UK can no longer install any new 5G equipment made from Huawei after September 2021. The government announced the new rule earlier today (30th November 2020) as a means to remove gear from the Chinese tech giant from its 5G infrastructure.

For those unaware, the UK has already ordered the removal of all Huawei telecommunications equipment from carriers and their systems by 2027. The reason for this rule was to remove the potential security risk from the nation’s networking infrastructure, as per the UK intelligence agencies. Notably, China has been against the decision has even criticized the UK government for following a similar path as the US.

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The announcement today arrives just before a debate, which will be over new telecom laws in the parliament that will map the timeline for the removal of Chinese equipment from the infrastructure. According to Digital Minister, Oliver Dowden, “I am setting out a clear path for the complete removal of high risk vendors from our 5G networks. This will be done through new and unprecedented powers to identify and ban telecoms equipment which poses a threat to our national security.”

The British government also unveiled its strategy to diversify the 5G supply chain. This will have the chain consist of an initial 250 million pound investment. The trials will have the government collaborate with NEC, a Japanese firm, to establish new research facilities as well, as per a Reuters report. At the moment, the UK has already banned buying new Huawei 5G gear after the end of this year and is still working out the finer details.

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Telecom operators in the UK could now face severe fines after a new law was announced by the Parliament earlier this week. Under the new law, telecos could be fined 10 percent of their revenues for using telecommunications equipment from Huawei.

The new proposed Telecommunications Security Bill was designed to improve the security in the country’s 5G networking and full fiber infrastructure. As per a CNBC report, the new bill will have telecom carriers ensure that the equipment and software being used at their mast sites and telephone exchanges will have to meet a certain standard. According to the UK Department of Culture, Media, and Sport, “This will be a significant step to protect the U.K. from hostile cyber activity by state actors or criminals. Over the past two years the government has attributed a range of cyber attacks to Russia and China, as well as North Korea and Iranian actors.”

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If the bill is approved, the government will be able plan fines on telecom operators that can have them pay 10 percent of turnover or 100,000 Pounds (roughly 133,000 US Dollars) a day if they fail to comply with the new regulations. Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden further added that the bill “will give the U.K. one of the toughest telecoms security regimes in the world and allow us to take the action necessary to protect our networks.”

In other words, the bill would also give the government the power to fine any operator found using equipment from blacklisted firms like Huawei in the nation’s 5G infrastructure. Just earlier this year, the UK government stated that carriers would no longer be able to buy telecommunication equipment from Chinese firms by the end of 2020, and will have to replace any existing technology by 2027. Although, a stricter law is also being considered that would force carriers to ban installation of Huawei 5G equipment by 2021.

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Earlier this year, the United Kingdom banned Chinese giant Huawei from participated in its 5G infrastructure development and asked telecom companies to remove Huawei’s equipment by 2027.

Now, the U.K. has revealed that it will be spending around 250 million pounds (approximately $333 million) to replace Huawei’s equipment from the telecom infrastructure in the country. It seems that about 50 million pounds will be spent next year to help build “a secure and resilient 5G network.”

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With Huawei out-of-the-picture, there will be just two suppliers to the phone carriers in the U.K. — Nokia and Ericsson. This duopoly could hurt security as well as boost prices in the market. So, the funds will also be used to start a task force, which is expected to reveal more information about the findings at the end of the year.

In July this year, Huawei was banned by the U.K. from taking part in its 5G infrastructure development. It is believed that this was a result of pressure from the United States, which had banned the company a year prior.

As more and more companies are banning the Chinese giant to work on their telecom network because of security concerns, companies like Nokia and Ericsson have benefited by getting major contracts from network carriers.

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The major consumer electronics makers are offering massive discounts, and the retailers are further making the deals even sweeter by bundling some products together. In such a similar deal, a major UK retailer – BT is offering Google Nest Home for free if the buyer grabs Pixel 4a/Pixel 4a 5G in a bundle for £319.

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The offer is applicable on both the Pixel 4a and Pixel 4a 5G edition which costs £319 and £459, respectively. However, the Pixel 4a 128GB is available only in Black color on BT and the offer is limited to the user residing in the UK. You can head over to the product page and can scroll down to the “Bundle” section to get the deal.

We suggest the interested buyers grab it as soon as possible, otherwise, it may get out of stock. Bringing Google Nest Home can be like icing on the cake along with the Google Pixel 4a smartphone. It will enhance the Google experience at your home or workplace.

Google Pixel 4a was launched earlier this year in two variants – 5G and non-5g variant. The smartphone carries a 5.8-inch OLED display with Full HD+ resolution. It offers powerful performance with Snapdragon 730G chipset which couples 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. As with other Pixel smartphones, Pixel 4a offers an excellent photography experience with its 12.2-rear camera lens.

Google Nest Hub, on the other hand, can be your entertainment console and also acts as a smart device manager. It’s a door to automation at your place with minimum investment.

Grab Now

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Huawei faces further troubles in the UK, which is now considering a ban on the installation of its 5G equipment in the region as early as next year, as per sources close to the matter.

A new report has revealed that the UK might take quicker actions and tighten regulations around the Chinese tech giant to appease lawmakers. According to a Bloomberg report, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party are demanding stricter rules on companies that are using 5G equipment from Huawei as part of the price for backing telecommunications security legislation, which are due in parliament next week.

Prior to this, it had been initially planned to allow firms to use Huawei equipment till 2027, a ban is enforced. At the moment, telecom operators had been stocking up on parts made by the Chinese company and sourcing alternatives as well. But the earlier ban might increase the cost at companies like BT Group and Vodafone that might now have accelerate the process of overhauling components from their networking infrastructure.

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If the new proposal goes through, a ban would take effect as soon as September 2021. Notably, the UK has previously set a limit on network carriers on the purchase of Huawei equipment, which is set to take effect after December. Initially, Huawei had been granted a limited role in the 5G building within the country, but opposition led to the decision being reversed.

The US has also been pressuring the UK to take stricter actions against the telecom equipment provider on grounds of national security risk and espionage by the Chinese government. With Huawei out of the 5G race in the UK, operators would have to turn towards its rivals Nokia and Ericsson. We will have to wait to see what decision the parliament makes on the matter, so stay tuned for more updates.

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The UK government has introduced The Telecommunications (Security) Bill which, it claims will boost the security standards of the country’s telecom networks. It is aimed at forcing companies to remove equipment from high-risk vendors.

As a part of this new law, reported by Reuters, telecom companies in Britain could be fined up to 10 percent of the company’s turnover or 100,000 pounds (approximately $133,140) per day if they contravene the ban on using equipment made by suppliers like Huawei.

Commenting on this, Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “This groundbreaking bill will give the UK one of the toughest telecoms security regimes in the world and allow us to take the action necessary to protect our networks.”

In response to this bill, Huawei Vice President Victor Zhang said that the “decision is politically motivated and not based on a fair evaluation of the risks. It does not serve anyone’s best interests as it would move Britain into the digital slow lane and put at risk the Government’s leveling up agenda.”

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The development comes just days after Huawei’s Vice President Victor Zhang had urged UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to reconsider the decision to ban Huawei from the 5G network development and said that it will worsen England’s north-south divide.

For those who are unaware, the United Kingdom banned Huawei, the world’s leading telecom equipment manufacturer, from taking part in the country’s 5G infrastructure development, bowing down to the pressure from the United States.

It has also asked all the telecom companies in the UK to get rid of Huawei’s equipment from their infrastructure by 2027. This is because there are concerns that Huawei’s equipment could be used by China for spying. However, Huawei has denied all such allegations related to its security.

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Last week, Sony officially started selling its latest gaming console — Sony PlayStation 5 in a few countries, including the United States and Japan. Now, the company is all set to start selling the PS5 in Europe from 19th November.

Now, ahead of the Sony PlayStation 5 going on sale in the European market on 19th November, Amazon has sent out emails to customers in the UK, Spain, and Italy and has confirmed that it will have more stock from 12PM GMT on 19th November.

It’s noteworthy that the units ordered on 19th November in Europe won’t arrive on the launch day. Instead, once the order is placed, the online retailer will send an email to the customer with an estimated delivery date.

As for its pricing in the European market, the Standard Model of PS5 is priced at £450 (€500, $500, AU$750) while the PS5 Digital Edition costs £360 (€400, $400, AU$599).

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For those who are unaware, the newly launched Sony PlayStation 5 comes powered by a custom octa-core AMD Zen 2 CPU and a custom AMD Radeon RDNA 2-based GPU which is promised to provide 10.28 teraflops of raw graphical power. Both of these gaming consoles have 16GB of GDDR6 RAM.

It comes packed with 825GB of SSD storage that has 5.5GB/s throughput. Users will be able to expand the storage using Sony-certified M.2 SSD, but the company has confirmed that it will be available sometime in the future but not at the time of launch.

The difference between the Standard Model and the Digital Edition is that the digital model lacks Disc Drive that supports 4K UHD Blu-ray. The Sony PS5 supports up to 8K output and promises 4K graphics at up to a 120Hz refresh rate.

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Earlier this year, bowing down to the pressure from the Trump administration, United Kingdom (UK) banned Chinese giant Huawei from participating in the country’s 5G infrastructure and ordered companies to remove Huawei equipment by 2027.

Now, Huawei’s Vice President Victor Zhang has urged UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to revisit the decision to ban Huawei from the 5G network development and claimed that it will worsen England’s north-south divide.

He also urged the UK to stay true to its roots as the birthplace of the first Industrial Revolution and added that the government could not afford to fall behind others in the 5G communication revolution.

Victor Zhang also added that this is worrying because the UK is more focused on the geopolitical conflict rather than focusing on improving the economy and making sure that the country grabs the opportunity to be a global leader post-Brexit.

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UK’s Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden had said in July that the decision to completely remove Huawei from the UK’s 5G network could delay the rollout of 5G by up to three years and cost around £2 billion.

There are concerns related to using Huawei’s equipment in 5G development because of the company’s alleged ties with the Chinese Communist Party. Critics of the company say that China could use Huawei as a backdoor to spy on communications. However, Huawei has denied all such allegations time and again.

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BT has just signed a new deal with Ericsson, which will have the former use the latter’s 5G radio antennas, base stations, and other equipment to upgrade its mobile network.

The move from the company will have it replace Huawei and not be solely reliant on Nokia for its other radio access network (Ran) equipment. This also arrives after the government imposed a ban on Chinese companies from the country’s 5G infrastructure, as per a BBC report. For those unaware, UK telecom operators are required to replace any core equipment from Huawei, or in other words, any Chinese component used in the most sensitive parts of its network.

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This includes the route data and voice calls take through multiple devices across computer servers. All such 5G equipment from Huawei will also be phased out within the country by 2027. The Chinese tech giant has stated that this ban would could the UK government thousands of jobs and billions of pounds in economic benefit and would even delay the roll out 5G networking.

Thus, the latest announcement from BT was still within expectations as carriers generally employ two Ran equipment makers, which lets them maintain service if a problem is developed in other provider’s systems. This also lets the telecom operators save on efficiency from not having to install and maintain a wide range of products as well.

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Back in June, Samsung launched Galaxy M11 in India alongside Galaxy M01. Last week, the company even slashed the offline price of this handset. Now, months after its initial debut, this budget smartphone from the South Korean tech finally makes its way to Europe.

The Galaxy M11 flaunts a 6.4-inch HD+ TFT LCD panel on the front with a punch-hole at the top right corner. Samsung calls this screen Infinity-O display.

Under the hood, this phone packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 chipset paired with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. Surprisingly, the company did not announce the 4GB + 64GB variant for this region, which is available in India. Anyway, it does come with microSD card support (up to 512GB).

As for optics, the device houses a triple-camera setup on its back consisting of a 13MP primary sensor, a 5MP sensor with an ultra-wide lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. Whereas, the front camera sitting in the punch-hole is of 8 megapixels.

Other features of this handset include a fingerprint sensor, 3.5mm headphone jack, USB Type-C, a 5,000mAh battery, 15W fast charging, One UI Core 2.0 based on Android 10.

As far as price is concerned, the Samsung Galaxy M11 starts at €159 in the EU nations and costs £149 in the UK. Consumers can buy it in either Black or Metallic Blue color option.

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(Source 1, 2 / Via)

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Ever since the pandemic became worse, people around the world have been staying indoors as much as possible. Even their shopping preferences have changed over the course of the last few months. A recent survey by Counterpoint Research on smartphone shopping in the UK, Germany, and Spain paints a similar picture.

UK

Talking about the UK first, the online smartphone sales currently sit at ~35% in the country. According to the research firm, the online sales has moderately increased since Q1 2020. Above all, they sustained even after the re-opening of brick and mortar stores.

The survey revealed that 90% of UK consumers preferred to make their purchase from either electronic stores or supermarkets. That’s because consumers in this country want to experience the device in a “more engaged manner”.

Even retailers like Carphone Warehouse and Currys PC World are aware that consumers prefer buying from large format stores rather than smaller standalone mobile shops

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That’s because these companies allow consumers to buy the latest phones without making an upfront full payment. They also provide options to bundle plan charges with phone instalments, in addition to direct debit options with offers and treats.

As per the UK consumers who participated in the survey, convenience was their top-most priority while shopping followed by probability of cheaper pricing.

That said, almost 60% of this survey respondents have a monthly income of less than £ 1600. More than 40% of individuals are planning to buy a phone from an operator are self-employed. Whereas, more than 50% of those willing to make an upfront payment are either homemakers or unemployed.

Germany and Spain

Unlike the consumers in the UK, those in Germany and Spain have changed their preference for buying smartphones to online by a high margin. 

For instance, the survey revealed that 35% and 30% of respondents from Germany and Spain respectively purchased their current phone online. Most importantly, a whopping 90% of Germans said that their next smartphone purchase will be online compared to 76% Spaniards, which is not a small number anyway.

Further, consumers in these two countries mostly prefer full up-front payment and retailers like Amazon, Media Markt, Saturn, Comtech, Fnac, Conectrol and Walmart.

As for numbers, 41% of Germans chose upfront payment in the survey and 42% of these respondents are salaried. The numbers for Spain is 53% and 61% respectively.

Last but not least, consumers who selected upfront payment earn less than €1,900 per month. They prefer this mode of buying because of cheaper deals and better offers.

Conclusion

Counterpoint Research says that ASPs (average selling prices) of smartphones will decrease as consumers are expected to reduce their budget. Also, going by their survey, most of the consumers will opt for a full upfront payment for their next phone to reduce a deferred liability.

Lastly, respondents from all the three countries said that they are not looking to reduce touchpoints despite they are concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic.

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With the UK government planning to remove all Huawei components from within their infrastructure by the year 2027, the country might face a delay of up to 3 years. This could cost the economy 18.2 billion Pounds (roughly 23.6 billion US Dollars), according to a report from Assembly Research.

For those unaware, Huawei had previously been banned from providing 5G networking equipment in the UK. This had arrived after the Chinese tech giant had initially received the green light although with a market cap, but pressure from within the Parliament and the US had the decision revoked soon after. As of right now, the country plans on removing all Huawei made technology from the country as well.

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The report also states that the year delay which the government is expecting at the moment for its 5G roll out may cost it’s economy a dire sum. 18.2 billion pounds is an estimate, with approximately 10 billion pounds of productivity benefits being missed out on. Similarly, even the mobile sector would lose out on the opportunity to generate about 4.7 billion pounds while related industries are likely to lose out on 2 billion pounds as well.

Furthermore, apart from just missing out on an estimated 173 billion pounds of incremental GDP over the course of 10 years (between 2020 to 2030), the delay in 5G roll out could also potentially impact innovation. Victor Zhang, Vice President of Huawei stated that “This new research shows how the US administration has directly impacted Britain’s economy, ending the UK’s leadership in 5G, holding the country back from realizing its full potential for years to come.”

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On Wednesday (26th August 2020), the UK Supreme Court unanimously dismissed appeals from Chinese tech giants, Huawei and ZTE. The appeals were regarding patent disputes over mobile data technology with Unwired Planet International and Conversant Wireless.

For those unaware, Unwired filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Huawei for 5 UK patents, that Unwired had acquired from Ericsson and were essential in mobile telecommunications. Previously, the English court found two of the patents valid and essential, and now, the following trial found that Unwired’s license terms were valid and were enforceable.

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Similarly, the second appeal was brought to court by Conversant against Huawei and ZTE. Allegedly, both Chinese vendors had infringed on four of its UK patents. These were acquired from Nokia and were related to LTE standards used in 4G smartphones for downloading and sending data. At the moment, Huawei and ZTE have argued that the UK courts did not have jurisdiction to determine the validity of foreign patents.

However, the trial judge has ruled against the two companies, stating that the court had jurisdiction under an international patent framework agreed by the mobile industry. Thus, both appeals were unanimously dismissed earlier this week by the Supreme Court. The move is said to “help level the playing field when small companies are trying to license SEP portfolios to global giants with seemingly limitless litigation resources.”

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Apple has apparently asked various landlords in the UK to lower the rent by 50 percent for its multiple retail stores, according to The Sunday Times report. 

In exchange for the rent being lowered or being offered a “rent-free period,” the Cupertino based giant will possibly extend its lease considerably. The period of this rent slash or extension is currently unknown, although, it is understood that several stores in the region still have many years left on their leases. Thus, the landlords do not have to make a prompt decision regarding the matter.

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According to the report, the move has already agitated the numerous property owners in the UK, as despite Apple stores being closed during the initial outbreak of the Coronavirus, the company has still managed a record 59.7 billion US Dollars increase in sales in the second quarter of 2020, since the demand for its products online was relatively high.

This tactic of proposing lowered rent is in line with other businesses that had benefitted from this. Landlords had to lower rent to keep the property in shopping centers occupied. Apple currently runs 38 retail stores in the UK, all of which had to close doors for a few months earlier this year. At the moment, these stores have now reopened and are one of the most profitable outlets in the industry.

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Jumper EZbook S5 is an ultra-affordable laptop having 14-inch FHD display, 6GB RAM and several other highly-anticipated features. The ultra-thin laptop houses a powerful Intel Celeron N3350 Dual-Core CPU which can easily handle power-intensive tasks. It is an exciting deal for the users who are looking to get an affordable laptop in this COVID-19 pandemic era.

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Jumper EZbook S5 14-inch laptop offers powerful specifications at an affordable price of $179.99. The powerful laptop houses a 14-inch Full HD display with 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution for better experience while watching videos, playing games and doing work. You can even connect it with TV or projectors using the HDMI output port.

Furthermore, Jumper EZbook S5 is powered with Intel Celeron N3350 SoC having clocking speed of 1.1GHz and can go up to 2.4GHz. The processor is based on the 14nm process and uses 6W Lithography power consumption. It houses a 6GB LPDDR4 RAM for advanced multitasking which enables you to run games, photos and video-editing applications without any issue. There’s a 64GB storage capacity and also features a SSD storage expansion M.2 port for fast operations.

A 0.3-megapixel camera is present for assisting video calls and even allows to capture memorable moments. The support for dual-band WiFi enables to surf fast internet connection without the need of any LAN wire. It weighs 1.24KG and bezels measure 8mm in size.

Jumper EZbook S5 is a fanless device with low power energy consumption design. The 9200mAh built-in lithium battery offers long standby and high performance. The laptop offers standard size keyboard and large size touch-pad with the same colour offering fast typing experience.

In port, the laptop offers a 3.5mm 2 in 1 audio jack, TF Card Slot, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, mini HDMI port and a DC input.

You can grab the Jumper EZbook for the price of $179.99 from the UK warehouse between July 20 to August 9. Head over to the Jumper Mall to grab the EZBook at a discounted price.

Related: Jumper EZbook X3 Pro 13.3-inch Laptop available at a limited time discount price of $239

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Chinese technology giant Huawei, which opened its flagship store in Shanghai, China last month, has now announced its plan to launch three new Experience Stores in the United Kingdom.

The company is planning to spend around £10 million to open three stores in London and Manchester. It will also create the first own-brand stores on the UK’s High Street. The company says that it will be creating over 100 jobs in the region.

As per Huawei’s plan, the first store will open in London’s Olympic Park, Stratford, in October 2020, and will be followed by a dedicated retail space and service center in Manchester, slated to open in February 2021.

There will be another experience store in London, slated to open next year. The company already has a Huawei Service Centre in Wembley, London, that opened in June this year.

The company says that the aim behind these new ‘Huawei Experience Stores’ is to allow consumers to interact with a range of Huawei products including smartphones, laptops, tablets, headphones, earbuds, smartwatches, fitness bands, speakers, etc.

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The announcement of opening three new stores with an investment of £10 million is a bold move from Huawei, which has been banned by the UK from participating in its 5G infrastructure development just a few days ago.

The UK government’s ban on Huawei will reportedly cost telecom operators in the country around £2 billion (roughly $2.52 billion). Furthermore, it will also delay the adoption of 5G by at least a couple of years.

The Chinese giant has been operating in the UK for the past 20 years and has urged the UK Government to reconsider its decision. The new announcement shows that the company is planning to stay and compete in the UK market, despite the government’s decision.

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