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

This week.. China’s internet regulator takes aim at forced data collection, Cyber-warning for festive shoppers, SMS still in the game 28 years later and much more…

China’s internet regulator takes aim at forced data collection

Tech Crunch

China is a step closer to cracking down on unscrupulous data collection by app developers. This week, the country’s cybersecurity watchdog began seeking comment on the range of user information that apps from instant messengers to ride-hailing services are allowed to collect.

The move follows in the footstep of a proposed data protection law that was released in October and is currently under review. The comprehensive data privacy law is set to be a “milestone” if passed and implemented, wrote the editorial of China Daily, the Chinese Communist Party’s official mouthpiece. The law is set to restrict data practices not just by private firms but also among government departments.

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Cyber-warning for festive shoppers

BBC News

Online shoppers are being warned of the risks of cyber-fraud during the festive season. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – part of GCHQ – is launching a major campaign called Cyber Aware with its first ever TV ads.

It says over last year’s Christmas shopping period there was an average loss of £775 per incident from online shopping fraud.

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China Mobile set to launch 5G messaging by year-end

Light Reading

RCS-based platform 5G messaging, developed by the three big Chinese operators, looks set to make its commercial debut.

China Mobile is ready to go to market. It began trials in 15 provinces last month and will go live by year-end, People’s Daily has reported.

One of its early applications, a weather service in Zhejiang province, already has 5 million followers.

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FTC: Robocallers are now pretending to be Apple and Amazon

Engadget

There’s a new robocall scheme that uses Apple’s and Amazon’s name to rip people off, and the Federal Trade Commission has issued a warning to raise awareness about it. The FTC has posted two versions of the scam on its website, so people would know what to expect. First of the two versions is a recorded message telling recipients about a suspicious purchase made through their Amazon account, or that the retailer lost or can’t fulfill one of their current orders.

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Here Comes Mobile Gaming Domination

Martech Series

For marketers, the mobile gaming industry offers a plethora of opportunities. However, some businesses are still hesitant to jump on the gaming train. This is set to change in 2021 as mobile gaming platforms make strategic advances. With more than 80% of consumers now playing digital games, we expect even the most reluctant brands will embrace exciting new ways to engage gaming audiences in the year ahead.

A key driving force for greater adoption has been the COVID-19 pandemic, which created a surge of growth in digital applications, particularly e-commerce and mobile apps.

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Facebook to begin paying UK publishers for news stories

Mobile Marketing Magazine

Facebook has made a commitment to invest more in journalism within the UK, with the promise of helping publishers reach new audiences and more monetisation opportunities.

The launch of Facebook News, a dedicated hub for national and local news, in the UK builds on the launch of the platform in the US, which it first began rolling out in October last year.

The News offering, which launches in January 2021, provides Facebook users with a mix of curated and personalised stories, delivering readers the top headlines and stories of the day alongside news personalised to their interests. Facebook says it will also provide timely news digests to highlight ‘original and authoritative’ reporting during major news cycles.

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SMS still in the game 28 years later

IT Web

Today marks 28 years since the world’s first short message service – or the SMS – was sent with a message that simply read “Merry Christmas”.

On 3 December 1992, the first SMS was sent via Vodafone UK’s GSM network by computer programmer Neil Papworth.

A test engineer, he sent the message as an experiment from his PC to his friend and Vodafone employee Richard Jarvis’s phone.

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GlobalData Enterprise IoT connection forecast shows solid growth, but connection is only part of the story

Verdict

According to new forecasts from GlobalData, the global number of Enterprise-related Internet of Things (IoT) connections will reach 11.2 billion by 2024, dominated by short-range and cellular connections, but with strong growth (starting from a much smaller base) for Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWANs).

The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for the six-year period for all IoT connectivity types is moderate, at 15%. The 2020 forecast was tamped down slightly to account for the effect of Covid-19 on technology spending; however, from 2021 onwards, growth is expected to continue at a higher rate.

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Google brings enterprise-grade Android security to SMBs

IT PRO

Google has launched a new suite of mobile device management (MDM) tools for Android-based devices aimed at extending enterprise-grade mobile security to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

Called Android Enterprise Essentials, Google claims the suite of tools will offer the same security features larger enterprises have to businesses of all sizes. The features are enabled by default on compatible handsets.

Among the core features of the suite include a requirement for a lock screen and encryption on devices to prevent unauthorised access to company data; mandatory malware protection by ensuring Google Play Protect is always on and that employees can’t download apps outside of the Google Play Store; and providing the ability to wipe all company data from a device in case it’s lost or stolen.

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Japanese airline turns to mobile payments to boost revenues during Covid-19

NFCW

Frequent flyers with All Nippon Airways (ANA) will soon be able to make in-store purchases and accumulate air miles by using a QR code-enabled mobile payments service that the Japanese airline is to launch “amid shrinking travel demand due to the coronavirus outbreak,” Japan Today reports.

“ANA will join a growing number of companies in Japan entering cashless payment services via smartphones,” the publication states, citing “sources close to the matter”.

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MEF