Find out the week’s top mobile stories from around the world. Headlines this week include… Apple Offers $2M To Hackers Who Can Break Its New Lockdown Mode, Canadian Privacy Regulators Clarify Requirements for Mobile Apps, Meta EU, US data transfers face regulatory threat and much more…
Apple Offers $2M To Hackers Who Can Break Its New Lockdown Mode
Forbes
Apple announced a new Lockdown Mode today which will be available in iOS 16, scheduled to launch later this year. Lockdown mode is intended for those who are high-value targets for hacking, and makes iPhone one of the most secure phones available.
To ensure it stays that way, Apple is offering up to $2,000,000 prizes for hackers who can find Lockdown Mode bypasses and break in.
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Canadian Privacy Regulators Clarify Requirements for Mobile Apps
Lexology
On June 1, 2022, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and its provincial counterparts (the “Privacy Regulators”), released a joint investigation report (the “Report”) which clarified the compliance expectations for mobile apps that collect location data from their users, and process that data through third-party service providers.[1]
The Report clarified that the collection of location data must be done for an appropriate purpose, after obtaining valid consent. The Report also clarified what contractual terms with service providers are sufficient and necessary to safeguard such location data. The Report further highlights the sensitivity of location data and the need for companies handling personal information to have a robust privacy management program in place.
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Meta EU, US data transfers face regulatory threat
Mobile World Live
The Republic of Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) continued to press its European counterparts to block Meta Platforms transferring users’ data to the US, updating a provisional ban issued in 2020 due to security concerns, Reuters reported.
If adopted, the DPC’s move would prevent Meta Platforms employing a legal tool which enables data flows from the European Union (EU) to its domestic US market.
Meta Platforms’ European headquarters are in Dublin, meaning it falls under the DPC’s influence.
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Ads are coming to Android lock screens in the US: the industry reacts
The Drum
It’s a trend that’s already gained steam in Asian markets. Now, US Android users could soon be staring at lock screens populated by ads. What would such a reality mean for brands? And would users stand for it? Industry experts offer their two cents.
Android users will soon see their mobile home screens inundated with ads, according to reports. Glance, an India-based mobile ad company owned by InMobi, plans to roll out its lock screen platform to Android devices in the US this summer.
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China squashes thousands of malicious mobile apps in anti-fraud drive
Tech Radar
China’s internet watchdog, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), has moved to shut down thousands of malicious apps found to be impersonating major brands and government agencies and defrauding users.
“Since the beginning of this year, the Anti-Fraud Center of the CAC has investigated and cracked down on 42,000 counterfeit apps,” the organization said in its announcement.
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Mobile banking on the rise worldwide
The Niche
Mobile banking surged last year, driven by the pandemic, according to World Bank Global Findex 2021 database just released.
Nigeria and other Sub Sahara Africa (SSA) countries saw continued rise in mobile money adoption, with 33 per cent of adults now having mobile money accounts – three times the 10 per cent global average.
World Bank Group President David Malpass said digital revolution has catalysed increases in access to and use of financial services across the world, and transformed ways people make and receive payments, borrow, and save.
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Dignitas Slammed After “Mobile Gaming Is Not Gaming” Comment and iFerg Responds
Real sport 101
The esports team Dignitas have caused controversy after their comments about mobile gaming.
Dignitas are a well-respected esports team. They compete in games including, CS:GO Valorant, and League of Legends. Despite their prestige in the esports community, they have caused outrage among fans of mobile gaming.
Mobile gaming has always been contested with its rights to the gaming industry. However, in recent years, mobile gaming has become just as valid as PC and console games. But what did Dignitas say to cause such a scene and how do people feel about it?
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Nothing can’t resist the NFT hype, and its fans are questioning
Tech Crunch
Nothing, the consumer tech company started by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei and known for its aggressive marketing, unveiled a non-fungible token project called Black Dot. Its fans are skeptical.
Black Dot is a video clip featuring a rotating, transparent cube with a black dot bouncing off the walls inside and making a crisp, metallic sound. The visual is cool and aligns with the earbud and smartphone maker’s minimalist aesthetic — kudos on that. The question is: why NFT?
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Nike attributes digital revenue growth to demand across mobile apps
Retail Dive
Nike saw the highest traffic for its commerce app to date with a campaign celebrating the sportswear giant’s 50th anniversary, President and CEO John Donahoe said this week during a quarterly earnings call. The campaign featured a short film titled “Seen It All” directed by and starring Spike Lee.
Nike attributed the 18% annual revenue growth in its digital business to consumer demand across its mobile apps, which include its Nike shopping app, the Nike SNKRS app for sneaker collectors and the Nike Training Club app for at-home workouts and wellness tips. Nike Digital’s growth helped to fuel an 11% gain from a year earlier to $4.8 billion for Nike Direct. That increase contrasted with a 1% decline in total revenue to $12.2 billion.
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