We take a weekly look at mobile and tech stories from around the world. Headlines include… Fraudsters steal more than £3m a day as cases rise, Meta Faces OSI’s Wrath Over Misleading “Open-Source” Claim for Llama AI, SpaceX Successfully Catches Booster Rocket with ‘Chopsticks and more… Alternatively listen On MEF Radio.
Fraudsters steal more than £3m a day as cases rise
BBC
Fraud cases in the UK have increased by 16%, with criminals stealing over £3 million daily, according to UK Finance. A common tactic involves tricking victims into giving away their one-time passcodes. Despite the rise in reported cases, total losses have slightly decreased, amounting to £572 million in the first half of the year. Banks have highlighted fraud as a major threat and called for more support in combating it. The news follows a BBC Panorama report on fraud cases involving e-money firm Revolut, including one victim who lost £165,000 in just an hour. Revolut has stated it has “robust controls” in place.
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Meta Faces OSI’s Wrath Over Misleading “Open-Source” Claim for Llama AI
FT
Meta has faced criticism from the Open Source Initiative (OSI) for labeling its Llama AI models as “open-source,” which OSI claims is misleading and dilutes the true meaning of the term. In an interview with the Financial Times, Stefano Maffulli, head of OSI, argued that Meta’s use of the term confuses users and could hinder the development of AI controlled by users rather than tech giants. While Meta maintains its commitment to open-source AI and emphasizes Llama’s role in innovation, OSI insists the models don’t meet traditional open-source standards, limiting experimentation and adaptation.
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Leadership Shakeup at Google: Raghavan Out, Fox In as Search Division Faces Challenges
On Friday, we reported that Prabhakar Raghavan, Google’s senior executive overseeing search and advertising, is stepping down after four years. He will be replaced by Nick Fox, a longtime search division executive, while Raghavan takes on the role of chief technologist. The shift comes as Google faces increasing pressure on its search business, with eMarketer forecasting a drop in U.S. search advertising market share below 50% next year for the first time in over a decade. Raghavan, who managed various products including Google Assistant and Maps, was once considered a potential successor to CEO Sundar Pichai, making Fox a likely candidate for future leadership as well.
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SpaceX Successfully Catches Booster Rocket with ‘Chopsticks
Spacex
Elon Musk’s SpaceX achieved a significant milestone on Sunday by catching a booster rocket with mechanical arms after a test flight.
The unmanned Starship, launched from Texas, separated from its “super heavy booster,” which then returned to the launch pad and was caught by metal arms, dubbed “chopsticks.” This marks a major step towards making Starship fully reusable, which SpaceX says will enable faster and cheaper space missions. The flight is part of SpaceX’s preparations for a manned moon orbit in 2025 and a lunar landing in 2026
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Google Orders Nuclear Reactors to Boost Clean Energy Transition for Data Centers
And another story of this week is expected to have crucial developments in the future, for the clean energy transition:
Google has ordered six to seven small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) from startup Kairos Power, becoming the first tech company to commission nuclear power plants for its data centers. The SMRs, with a total capacity of 500MW, will support Google’s clean energy goals. The first reactor is expected to be operational by 2030, with more by 2035. Google said nuclear energy is key to meeting its round-the-clock, low-carbon energy demands. While details of the agreement’s value and funding were not disclosed, this marks a significant move in the tech industry’s growing interest in nuclear power for sustainability.
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Ericsson Launches Academia Program to Cultivate 5G and AI Talent Across Southeast Asia
Ericsson
Ericsson has launched the EricssonEdge Academia Program to enhance early career talent development in telecommunications across Southeast Asia, Oceania, and India.
The initiative aims to equip pre-final year students from over 40 universities with essential skills in 5G, Cloud, and AI, responding to the growing demand for technology-related roles.
Over six months, participants will engage in comprehensive learning experiences to prepare for the evolving telecom landscape.
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FCC Launches Inquiry Into Broadband Data Caps, Citing Consumer and Competition Concerns
Delloro
Dell’Oro Group predicts a continued decline in the global Radio Access Network (RAN) market revenue until 2029, with 2024 marking a second consecutive year of steep drops, although the pace of decline is expected to slow afterward. This pessimistic outlook reflects sentiments from Ericsson and Nokia amid concerns about market stability. Spending on 6G is projected to approach $30 billion by 2033, with rollouts anticipated around 2030. The downturn is attributed to market fluctuations and skepticism regarding 5G’s impact, leading to reluctance in investing in new technologies.
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Three UK Launches Initiative to Combat Smartphone Addiction
3
Three UK has launched a nationwide initiative to assist adult smartphone users in managing their screen time, following a survey revealing that 58% of 2,006 respondents struggle to limit device interactions.
The survey by Censuswide highlighted that 33% of participants feel unsupported in managing their phone use.
Additionally, 32% find it hard to stop “doom-scrolling,” while 53% admitted to getting distracted by their phones during conversations.