EC hits Apple, Alphabet, Meta with DMA probes

Mobile World Live

The European Commission (EC) has launched investigations into Apple, Alphabet, and Meta Platforms over alleged violations of its Digital Markets Act (DMA). The probes focus on anti-steering rules imposed by Apple and Alphabet on their online marketplaces, as well as self-preferencing practices that favor their own offerings. The investigation against Alphabet will specifically examine whether Google search results lead to self-preferencing of its vertical search services over rival offerings. Examples include Google Shopping and Google Flights.

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Thousands of servers hacked in ongoing attack targeting Ray AI framework

Ars Technica

Thousands of servers hosting AI workloads and network credentials have fallen victim to a prolonged attack campaign, exploiting a vulnerability in the Ray computing framework used by major companies like OpenAI, Uber, and Amazon. Lasting at least seven months, the attacks have led to AI model tampering, compromise of network credentials, and installation of cryptocurrency miners on compromised infrastructure. Attackers also installed reverse shells for remote server control, affecting platforms such as OpenAI, Hugging Face, Stripe, and Azure.

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Samsung seeks to launch new super mobile banking app with a local bank

Korea Economic daily

Samsung Financial Networks, a consortium comprising four financial affiliates of Samsung Group, is collaborating with a major South Korean commercial bank to introduce a comprehensive mobile banking app. Spearheaded by Samsung Card Co., the union aims to launch the app in partnership with one of Korea’s top five banks: KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, Woori, or internet-only K Bank. The initiative seeks to leverage Samsung’s Monimo mobile app as the foundation for the super mobile banking app. Presentations from the five banks are scheduled for Tuesday, with Samsung expected to select a partner as early as Wednesday.

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Apple’s Big iMessage and Texting Update Needs to Happen Before iOS 18 Drops

Cnet

The US Department of Justice’s lawsuit filed Thursday targets Apple’s Messages app and iMessage texting service, alleging that the tech giant is leveraging its dominance in the US mobile industry to suppress competition. However, Apple has announced plans to introduce RCS, a modern messaging protocol with advanced features, to the iPhone this year. This move is significant as it aims to enhance the cross-platform messaging experience by supporting features such as typing indicators, higher quality media sharing, and message encryption, thereby bridging the gap between Android and iOS messaging capabilities.

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How Will Mobile IDs Shape Citizen Experiences?

Spiceworks

Lucas Stewart from ABI Research delves into the evolving landscape of Mobile Identity (mID), highlighting its transformative potential in reshaping the identity domain. With digital innovation at its core, mID offers users enhanced security and convenience. Stewart emphasizes the shift towards smartphone-based identity credentials, which are poised to become a new form factor for IDs. This transformation is set to revolutionize government issuance approaches and authentication use cases, marking a significant departure from reliance on physical ID cards and passports. As governments globally accelerate digitalization strategies, the ID landscape is witnessing active deployment and major developments on the horizon.

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Mobile advertising in Southeast Asia: 2024 trends and what they mean for marketers

The Drum

With a staggering smartphone penetration rate of 88.9% in Southeast Asia, marketers in the region are presented with abundant opportunities to engage digitally-savvy audiences. In 2024, the average time spent on mobile devices by Southeast Asians surpasses the global average by over an hour, totaling 4 hours and 42 minutes daily. Mobile devices have become indispensable for entertainment and daily activities, offering marketers a significant avenue to connect with “always-on” audiences. However, navigating the challenge of short attention spans poses a significant question for marketers: How can they keep Southeast Asians engaged effectively? Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as a potential solution to craft exceptional experiences, but doing so responsibly is paramount. This exploration delves into key trends and phenomena shaping the region’s digital landscape in 2024.

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Mobile Gaming Is Having a Moment—and Backbone Wants to Be in the Center of It All

Wired

Mobile gaming has long been underestimated compared to console and PC gaming, but its financial success tells a different story, generating over $90 billion in 2023 and comprising half of the global games market. Ranging from casual to AAA titles, mobile gaming’s popularity continues to rise, blurring the lines between mobile and traditional gaming. While many gamers still prioritize consoles or PCs for gaming, there’s a significant untapped market of smartphone users who could become avid gamers. Maneet Khaira, CEO and founder of Backbone, a popular mobile gaming controller manufacturer, believes that several factors are driving the growth of mobile gaming. Not only are there better native games available, but remote play and cloud gaming are also gaining traction, further propelling the mobile gaming industry forward.

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Cellular IoT module shipments saw their first decline in 2023

IoT News

Global shipments of cellular IoT modules experienced their first-ever annual decline in 2023, dropping by two percent compared to the previous year. Counterpoint Research’s report attributes this decline to inventory adjustments following supply chain disruptions and reduced demand in key verticals like industrial and enterprise. However, one bright spot was the rapid growth of 4G Cat 1 bis modules, capturing over 22 percent of shipments in 2023. In China, these modules have become the primary cellular standard for various applications due to their affordability and energy efficiency. The market is gradually transitioning from 4G Cat 1 and NB-IoT to the more efficient 4G Cat 1 bis. Mohit Agrawal, Associate Director at Counterpoint Research, highlighted positive growth in India and China driven by increasing demand in smart metering, point-of-sale systems, and asset tracking. Additionally, around 12 percent of modules shipped in 2023 were equipped with AI capabilities, gaining popularity in automotive, router/CPE, and PC markets to manage escalating data loads.

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