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Find out the week’s top mobile stories from around the world.

This week.. Apple’s Latest Privacy Announcement Could Be More Impactful than CCPA or GDPR, coronavirus contact tracing apps doomed to fail in America? Brazil suspends WhatsApp’s payments service and much more…

Apple’s Latest Privacy Announcement Could Be More Impactful than CCPA or GDPR

Adweek

Apple did not outright kill its key mobile advertising tool IDFA this week, meaning a $45 billion subsector of the media industry lives to see another day. But its new consent requirements present a significant hurdle.

At its Worldwide Developers Conference Monday, Apple announced a series of privacy updates to its iOS ecosystem that will place further barriers in the way of companies eager to cash in on in-app advertising.

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Are coronavirus contact tracing apps doomed to fail in America?

USA Today

Did you get the message? A friend forwarded a conspiracy theory last week that tells you all you need to know about why contact tracing apps don’t have a prayer of making a difference in the fight to contain COVID-19.

The accusation isn’t true – but it rings true, which is why it spread like the summer wildfires torching the arid West.

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Brazil suspends WhatsApp’s payments service

Tech Crunch

Brazil, the second largest market for WhatsApp,  has suspended the instant messaging app’s mobile payments service in the country a week after its rollout in what is the latest setback for Facebook.

In a statement, Brazil’s central bank said it was taking the decision to “preserve an adequate competitive environment” in the mobile payments space and to ensure “functioning of a payment system that’s interchangeable, fast, secure, transparent, open and cheap.”

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UN, telcos in Africa take on Covid-19 with AI and digital service

CNN

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa joined forces with a group of telecoms operating in Africa to reach over 600 million mobile subscribers with coronavirus health advice.

The Africa Communications Intelligence Platform will be deployed on mobile phones via text and voice messaging in at least 23 African countries in its first phase, UNECA said.

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Blog: Are we winning the war against 5G conspiracy?

Mobile World Live

Fears around new technologies are nothing new, everything from analogue televisions to microwaves have been the subject of some wild claims over the years, but recent arson attacks on phone masts signal a worrying trend for operators who seem to be the latest targets.

Campaigners against 5G technology did not start during Covid-19 (coronavirus) lockdowns. A small number of protesters were visible outside industry events in 2019 promoting their beliefs about health issues related to the new technology, though rather than burning down masts they were seemingly content with giving out leaflets.

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You’ve got money: Mobile payments help people during the pandemic

World Economic Forum

The practical challenge of quickly getting financial support in the hands of people who lost jobs amid the COVID-19 economic crisis has baffled advanced and developing economies alike. Economic lockdowns, physical distancing measures, patchy social protection systems and, especially for low-income countries, the high level of informality, complicate the task. Many governments are leveraging mobile technology to help their citizens.

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Mobile apps can help improve customer engagement

ITProPortal

Mobile applications have become a major source of profit for businesses of all sizes. Companies like Target, Wells Fargo, and Nike are using their mobile apps to reach new customers and increase sales from current consumers.

This trend is one of the primary reasons that mobile application revenue is predicted to reach nearly $189 billion in 2020. As a result of this growth, many businesses now believe that they must develop custom mobile applications in order to remain competitive in the future.

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HSBC Plans to Double Mobile Bank Users in Cost-Cutting Drive

Bloomberg

HSBC Holdings Plc is planning to shift services away from its branches in a push to make more of its customers migrate to its digital and mobile channels as it embarks on a massive cost and jobs cutting program.

The London-based bank, which is planning to cut 35,000 jobs to trim costs, is seeking to double the number of mobile users by 2022, which could generate more revenue per customer.

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Nintendo cools mobile ambitions after Animal Crossing success

Business Times

NINTENDO is retreating from the US$77 billion mobile gaming arena after disappointing results deflated once-lofty ambitions, ending a multiyear effort just as the market goes through an unprecedented Covid-era boom.

President Shuntaro Furukawa proclaimed two years ago that smartphone games would be a US$1 billion business with growth potential, building on his predecessor’s promise that Nintendo would release two to three mobile titles each year. That spurred hopes among investors that the gaming powerhouse could carve out a substantial slice of the market.

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MEF