Find out the week’s top mobile stories from around the world.
This week.. Coronavirus: Banks and mobile firms collaborate to block text scams, contact tracing app plans raise privacy concerns, HTC looks to set trend with the crypto mining function on new phone and much more…
Coronavirus: Banks and mobile firms collaborate to block text scams
SKY News
The banking and mobile phone industries are claiming progress in the face of a surge in so-called spoofing scams aimed at exploiting the coronavirus crisis.
Lobby groups say collaboration, also involving the National Cyber Security Centre, has led to 400 sender IDs being blocked from sending scam text messages mimicking trusted organisations, including government departments and lenders.
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Contact tracing app plans raise privacy concerns
Mobile World Live
Scientists and researchers from 27 countries expressed concerns over privacy in using contact tracing apps to monitor the Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak and urged governments to avoid misuse by ensuring decentralisation of collected data.
In an open letter, nearly 300 academics expressed concerns some technology innovations “may, via mission creep, result in systems which would allow unprecedented surveillance of society at large”.
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Facebook still plans to put ads in WhatsApp
Engadget
Facebook hasn’t abandoned its plans to put ads in WhatsApp. The Information reports that Facebook will push ahead with ads in WhatsApp in the future, once it’s completed its plan to unify its messaging apps. The new details come after the Wall Street Journal reported in January that the company had put WhatsApp advertising “on ice,” after announcing in 2018 that it would bring advertising to Status, its version of Stories.
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The IoT industry is broken, but can it be fixed?
Telecoms
A new book co-authored by wireless expert Dr William Webb takes a look at what went wrong with the Internet of Things.
The Internet of Things Myth was co-written with veteran tech Analyst Matt Hatton. It starts a decade ago, when the first effusive predictions about IoT being the next big thing started in earnest. Those predictions proved to be well short of the mark and the book attempts to explain why, while seeking to learn from the many mistakes made to suggest how to get IoT back on track.
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HTC is looking to set the trend with the crypto mining function on Exodus smartphone
Coin Announce
Taiwan-base smartphone company HTC has added a line a crypto-mining function to its Exodus to let users validate transactions on a 270-plus GB blockchain. The company looks to set the trend with this smartphone.
Taiwanese smartphone company HTC launched Exodus 1 model back in 2018. Exodus 1 was a blockchain-focused phone designed for cryptocurrency trading. But the smartphone did not catch on with people and failed the Taiwanese company to compete with Android giants like Samsung.
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Huawei wins big at home as restrictions close in
Mobile World Live
Huawei’s revenue growth grinded to a halt in Q1 due to the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and US trade restrictions, but the embattled company is the big winner as China’s mobile operators boost capex to accelerate the rollout of 5G.
Since the start of 2020, the vendor won contracts valued at CNY28.4 billion ($4.01 billion) from China Mobile, the world’s largest operator, Bloomberg reported.
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GSMA Report Indicates Mobile Money Accounts now Exceed One Billion Worldwide
Chimp Reports
The GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) Association last Week unveiled the annual State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money, offering a view of the mobile money landscape and highlighting the impact that greater financial inclusion has on lives, economies, and innovation, especially in emerging markets.
This year’s report looks at what one billion registered accounts means for the mobile money industry, mobile money users and the future of the mobile money ecosystem. It provides a comprehensive picture of adoption and usage around the globe.
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Coronavirus Gives 60% Boost to Mobile Streaming in South East Asia
Variety
Online video weekly minutes on mobile devices leaped by 60% in aggregate across in Southeast Asia, as the coronavirus pandemic sparked lockdowns and stay at home orders.
According to a survey conducted by consultancy and research firm Media Partners Asia weekly consumption grew from 36.4 billion minutes in mid-January to 58 billion minutes per week by April 11. (The methodology combines passively observed digital behavior and empirical survey data, and covers online video and gaming.)
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