Apple gambles on new iPhone with AI features at lower cost

BBC

Apple has introduced the iPhone 16e, a more affordable alternative to its flagship models, featuring advanced AI capabilities at a lower cost. The device shares the same processor as the larger iPhone 16 and offers similar storage options, but comes with a lower camera count and other downgraded specifications.

The launch comes as Apple seeks to revive iPhone sales, which declined at the end of last year. By integrating AI-powered features into a more budget-friendly phone, Apple hopes to attract more consumers, though analysts remain uncertain about how much AI alone can drive sales.

The iPhone 16e’s branding draws comparisons to Apple’s iPhone SE series, which provided cost-effective alternatives between 2016 and 2022. The new model will be available for pre-order starting February 21 in 59 countries.

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Russia-aligned hackers are targeting Signal users with device-linking QR codes

Ars Technica

Signal, the encrypted messaging app, remains a secure platform, but its growing use as a tool to evade surveillance has made it a target for Russian-affiliated threat actors. According to Google’s Threat Intelligence Group, these actors are attempting to manipulate Signal users into unknowingly linking their devices, rather than exploiting any actual vulnerability in the app.

Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine is believed to be a key driver behind these efforts, but Google anticipates that these tactics will spread beyond Ukraine to other regions and threat actors.

While social engineering remains one of the most effective ways to compromise secure platforms, Signal’s latest versions have introduced new security features to counter these phishing campaigns. Google also pointed out that Microsoft 365 accounts have recently been targeted by Russia-linked OAuth phishing attacks using a “device code flow” method.

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PIN AI launches mobile app letting you make your own personalized, private DeepSeek or Llama-powered AI model on your phone

Venture Beat

A new startup, PIN AI, has emerged from stealth to introduce a privacy-first, on-device AI assistant that adapts to individual users without relying on corporate servers. Unlike existing AI tools like CharacterAI or ChatGPT’s memory feature, which process user data externally, PIN AI runs locally on smartphones—supporting both iOS and Android—ensuring data privacy and personalization.

By leveraging open-source AI models, users can choose and fine-tune their assistant to develop a completely unique, retrained AI that understands their hobbies, preferences, and daily needs. Unlike many AI tools today, PIN AI is designed for full autonomy, including secure third-party transactions, meaning users can potentially make purchases or manage tasks through their AI assistant.

This stands in stark contrast to the AI Pin by Humane, a hardware device that received poor reviews. With PIN AI’s software-driven approach, users can enjoy a fully personalized AI experience without sacrificing privacy or control over their data.

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Financial inclusion in Africa: Progress, challenges, and the road ahead

World Bank Blogs

The World Bank’s Global Findex 2021 highlights the transformative impact of mobile money in Sub-Saharan Africa, driving financial inclusion across the region. However, despite these gains, cash transactions still dominate, particularly among women and the 400 million young people (ages 15-35) who remain financially underserved.

A key driver of financial inclusion is the ability to send and receive payments digitally, yet mobile money usage for purchases and bill payments remains low. In Southern Africa, 50% of account holders made digital merchant payments in the year before the survey, often influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in other African sub-regions, this figure drops to below 15%.

When it comes to utility payments, cash remains the dominant method. Only East and Southern Africa see around half of utility payments made digitally, while North Africa lags significantly with adoption rates under 5%. These insights emphasize the need for greater efforts in digitizing financial transactions to expand economic opportunities, particularly for marginalized groups.

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IoT cybersecurity market poised for boom

MWL

A new study from Juniper Research predicts that the number of IoT devices protected by cybersecurity solutions will double to 28 billion by 2028, up from 14 billion in 2024. This rapid increase highlights the growing security challenges posed by expanding IoT networks.

The IoT cybersecurity market is expected to reach $51 billion by 2028, fueled in part by small-to-medium enterprise (SME) adoption. While IoT ecosystems have enhanced business efficiency and connectivity, their increased complexity has also expanded potential attack surfaces. Weak IoT security can lead to data breaches, financial losses, and regulatory non-compliance.

The study highlights Zero-Trust Architecture (ZTA) as a crucial cybersecurity strategy for securing IoT networks, particularly for digitizing SMEs. As the IoT landscape continues to grow, robust security frameworks will be essential to mitigate risks and protect sensitive data.

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Google Messages just flipped the switch on self-RCS messaging

Android Police

Many popular messaging apps now allow users to send messages to themselves, providing a quick and accessible way to jot down notes, save links, or store media. While WhatsApp introduced self-messaging with end-to-end encryption in 2022, Google Messages has historically only supported self-SMS messaging—until now.

Within the last month, Google has silently enabled self-messaging via RCS (Rich Communication Services). This upgrade allows users to send high-resolution images, videos, GIFs, and other media with no character limit, all over Wi-Fi and cellular networks.

This enhancement makes Google Messages a more viable alternative to dedicated note-taking apps like Google Keep, offering a seamless and feature-rich personal messaging experience.

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Sonatel, Netgem Launch West Africa’s First Cloud Gaming Service

The Fast Mode

Sonatel, a member of the Orange Group, has partnered with Netgem to launch Wido Games, West Africa’s first cloud gaming platform powered by Pleio. Set to debut in February 2025, the service will be available to all Sonatel customers, highlighting the growing demand for video gaming and high-speed connectivity in the region. Through this collaboration, Sonatel benefits from Netgem’s advanced cloud gaming technology, offering a seamless and intuitive gaming experience. Wido Games allows users to enjoy console-style gaming on smartphones and, soon, on PCs without the need for expensive hardware. Leveraging Sonatel’s robust network, including 5G, the platform ensures smooth gameplay and access to a premium game catalog. This initiative reflects Sonatel’s commitment to providing innovative digital entertainment solutions for its customers.

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Ofcom publishes proposals for sharing 6GHz spectrum between mobile and Wi-Fi services

CommsBusiness

Ofcom has proposed making the upper 6GHz spectrum available for shared use between mobile and Wi-Fi services, aiming to enhance connectivity and drive economic benefits in the UK. This additional spectrum would significantly increase capacity, supporting data-intensive technologies like virtual and augmented reality, as well as AI. By enabling both mobile and Wi-Fi providers to improve service quality, particularly in high-demand areas, the move would enhance connectivity for homes, businesses, and public spaces. The shared approach is expected to boost innovation, growth, and investment while helping networks manage rising traffic volumes more efficiently.

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Estonia makes digital transformation deals with Saudi Arabia, including e-residency

Biometric Update

An Estonian company, B.EST Solutions, has partnered with Saudi Arabia’s Professional Solutions to develop the Saudi mResidency program, a government-verified digital identity initiative aimed at facilitating secure cross-border services and attracting global talent and investment. This collaboration is part of a growing digital governance exchange between Estonia and Saudi Arabia. The program is inspired by Estonia’s E-Residency, which has provided remote access to its digital infrastructure since 2014. B.EST Solutions previously implemented a similar m-Residency program in Azerbaijan in 2020.

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