Space-Based Phones: AST SpaceMobile Targets U.S. Launch Late 2025

AST SpaceMobile has secured funding to deploy 45 to 60 satellites by 2026, aiming to bring space-based cellular broadband to the U.S. later this year and expand to Europe, Japan, and Canada. The company currently has six satellites in orbit, with five fully operational.

CEO Abel Avellan said phased array assembly for eight Block 2 BlueBird satellites is complete, with full production on track to support voice, data, and video services by early 2026. Intermittent services in the U.S. will begin late 2025, followed by planned launches every one to two months through 2026.

The move positions AST SpaceMobile alongside global satellite internet efforts, reflecting the intensifying competition in providing broadband from low Earth orbit.

Project Kuiper Accelerates as Amazon Races Starlink

Amazon has expanded its Project Kuiper satellite constellation to 102 satellites after SpaceX launched its fourth batch of 24 into low Earth orbit. The company is racing to meet a U.S. FCC mandate to deploy half of its 3,236 planned satellites by mid-2026.

Kuiper is designed to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink, EchoStar, and other global providers, targeting faster, wider broadband coverage for underserved regions. With just four months to deploy over 100 satellites, Amazon is accelerating its push to dominate the next-generation broadband ecosystem—bringing connectivity from space closer to homes and businesses worldwide.

Eutelsat and Nelco Team Up to Bring LEO Internet to India

Eutelsat and Tata-owned Nelco are joining forces to provide low Earth orbit satellite connectivity across India via OneWeb India Communications. The partnership targets land, maritime, and aviation users, with services covering both civilian and critical government applications.

Regulatory approval is already in place, and commercial services could launch soon. The initiative aims to expand reliable broadband in remote regions, joining rivals such as Starlink and Jio Satellite Communications in India’s fast-growing satellite internet market.

Starlink Brings Smartphones Online, Even in War Zones

Ukraine has successfully trialed Starlink’s direct-to-cell satellite technology, the first such field test in Eastern Europe.

Conducted by Kyivstar in the Zhytomyr region, the trial allowed ordinary smartphones to exchange messages via satellites, bypassing damaged or disrupted terrestrial networks.

Commercial messaging services are expected by Q4 2025, with full mobile broadband planned for early 2026. Kyivstar’s parent company, VEON, is exploring partnerships with additional satellite providers, including Amazon’s Project Kuiper, to extend coverage beyond Ukraine.

The test demonstrates the growing strategic importance of satellite networks in conflict zones and highlights innovations bridging traditional cellular infrastructure with space-based connectivity.

Verizon: AI Can’t Replace the Human Touch

Verizon is warning that AI alone may not deliver the customer service experience consumers want.

The company’s annual Insights report found that while AI improves efficiency, 88 percent of consumers are more satisfied with human interactions, compared with just 60 percent for AI-driven support.

Nearly half of customers are frustrated when they can’t reach a human agent, and data privacy concerns remain high.

Verizon says the key is combining AI with human agents to boost empathy and trust, rather than replacing people outright.

New UK Law Sends Adult Sites Into Freefall

Traffic to major adult websites in the UK has plunged since new age verification rules came into force. Pornhub, the country’s most-visited adult site, lost nearly 1 million visitors in just two weeks, a 47 percent drop.

XVideos and xHamster saw similar declines.

The new rules, enforced by Ofcom under the Online Safety Act, require users to prove they are over 18 using ID documents, credit cards, or facial scans.

VPN usage has surged as users try to bypass the checks.

The law aims to protect children from online pornography and harmful content, though privacy and free speech concerns have sparked debate.

From AI to Browsers: Perplexity’s $34.5B Chrome Play

Top story of the week: AI startup Perplexity has offered $34.5 billion to buy Google’s Chrome browser, aiming to capitalize on a potential US antitrust requirement for Google to divest the web platform.

Chrome isn’t just a desktop browser—it’s central to the mobile ecosystem, powering default search and web access on Android phones worldwide.

Perplexity says it would invest $3 billion in Chrome and retain its staff, but analysts warn the bid undervalues the browser, which they estimate closer to $100 billion.

If approved, the move could reshape how millions of users access apps, search, and cloud services across both mobile and desktop.

U.S. Eyes 15% Cut on AI Chip Sales to China

The Trump administration’s plan to claim a 15% cut from AI chip sales to China could generate significant revenue but challenges constitutional limits on export taxes.

Officials are exploring new licensing models focused on chips like Nvidia’s H20, designed to comply with export restrictions.

Despite being labeled “obsolete,” these chips remain critical to China’s mobile and cloud AI infrastructure.

The outcome of this policy struggle will influence who controls the core silicon behind 5G networks, smartphones, and AI-powered services—a decisive factor in the future of global mobile technology and security.

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan Avoids Resignation After White House Meeting

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan has won a presidential reprieve after President Trump called for his immediate resignation, following a White House meeting with Tan and cabinet officials.

The meeting, described as “candid and constructive,” focused on Intel’s role in strengthening U.S. technology and semiconductor manufacturing leadership.

Tan, who became CEO in March after Pat Gelsinger’s departure, had faced scrutiny over his prior role at Cadence and ties to China.

Intel says it looks forward to working with the administration to restore its position in the global chip ecosystem—a critical step for American tech competitiveness.

China Pushes Open-Source AI Models as Global Standard, Raising U.S. Concerns

China’s race to make its open-source artificial intelligence models a global standard is raising alarms in Washington and Silicon Valley — the Wall Street Journal reports.

The country has launched several models this year, including DeepSeek’s R1, Alibaba’s Qwen, Moonshot, Z.ai, and MiniMax, all freely downloadable and modifiable.

U.S. AI companies, which traditionally kept their models proprietary, are feeling the pressure.

OpenAI recently released its first open-source model, gpt-oss, to compete.

Analysts interviewed by the Journal warn that in technology, dominance often goes to solutions that are easiest to adopt, not necessarily the most advanced.

Open-source AI allows businesses to run models in-house and adapt them to their needs.

Singapore’s OCBC bank, for example, uses a mix of open models, including Qwen and DeepSeek, for internal tools while avoiding dependence on a single provider.

Experts also note a strategic angle: China’s push for open-source AI provides a fallback in case of geopolitical friction, while U.S. officials worry global dominance by Chinese models could give Beijing leverage in trade and tech disputes. 

Performance comparisons show China’s Qwen3 currently outpaces OpenAI’s gpt-oss in some benchmarks, though it requires more computing power for simpler task

Apple Prepares AI-Powered Robot and Smart-Home Devices

Apple is plotting a major comeback in artificial intelligence with a slate of new devices, including a tabletop robot, a smart speaker with a display, and home-security cameras — Bloomberg reports citing people familiar with the matter.

The centerpiece, a 2027 tabletop robot, will feature a lifelike Siri capable of interacting throughout the day, joining FaceTime calls, and helping manage daily tasks.

Apple is also overhauling Siri with new AI models, aiming for more conversational, personalized experiences.

The smart-home push includes security cameras and a stripped-down display arriving next year, designed to automate household functions and integrate seamlessly with Apple’s ecosystem.

These moves mark Apple’s push into robotics, AI, and home technology, challenging rivals like Samsung, Meta, Amazon, and Google.

DeepSeek Delays AI Model Launch Amid Huawei Chip Issues

Chinese AI company DeepSeek has delayed the launch of its new model, R2, after running into technical issues using Huawei’s Ascend chips.

The start-up was encouraged by authorities to rely on Huawei hardware instead of US-made Nvidia chips, but persistent problems during training forced DeepSeek to use Nvidia for training and Huawei for inference.

The delay highlights the ongoing limitations of China’s push for tech self-sufficiency, with domestic chips still lagging behind US rivals in performance and stability. E

xperts say the issues show China’s AI ambitions face practical challenges, though Huawei is expected to improve its chips over time.