Category technology

BENGALURU, India, March 13, 2024 – Cisco, a global leader in technology, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Karnataka Innovation Technology Society (KITS), Department of Electronics, IT, Bt, Government of Karnataka, to train 40,000 individuals in cybersecurity skills and cyber awareness. Women will represent half of the trained workforce to help meet the growing need for cyber talent as organizations look to bolster defences against an evolving and complex threat landscape.

According to Cisco’s Cybersecurity Readiness Index, 90% of organizations in India expect a cybersecurity incident to disrupt their businesses in the next 12 to 24 months. Moreover, as stated by an Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) report, with 40% of cybersecurity teams in Indian organizations understaffed, the urgency for skill preparedness is clear. This collaboration underscores a collective commitment to equip students with job-ready cybersecurity skills required to meet the ever-growing security demands of tomorrow.

Moreover, the collaboration will include a ‘Train the Trainers’ program to empower college faculties with the knowledge and skills required to create a robust cyber ecosystem. This program will also focus on promoting cyber awareness among citizens to bolster their defences and empower them to be safer and more secure online.

“As the digital-first world evolves, placing cybersecurity at the forefront, the imperative to equip individuals with the knowledge and skills to identify and respond to cyber threats has become increasingly crucial. Our collaboration with the Karnataka Innovation Technology Society and the Government of Karnataka Centre of Excellence for Cybersecurity underscores our commitment to empowering disadvantaged sections of society, including students, teachers, and senior citizens, with critical cybersecurity skills and awareness to protect against threats and be safer online. As we navigate the new world, we remain steadfast in our mission to enable individuals to defend digital domains and create a secure and sustainable future for all.’’ said Harish Krishnan, Managing Director and Chief Policy Officer, Cisco India & SAARC.

Additionally, Cisco will collaborate with the Government of Karnataka Centre of Excellence for Cybersecurity, to promote cybersecurity awareness and skill-building among students and professionals. Cisco will contribute to curriculum development by providing cybersecurity courses through Cisco Networking Academy – one of the world’s longest-running IT skills-to-jobs programs – and conduct webinar sessions and knowledge workshops for students, covering a diverse range of courses, from foundational to advanced levels.

Commenting on the announcement, Dr Ekroop Caur, IAS, Department of Electronics, IT, Bt, Government of Karnataka said, “The need for a cyber-resilient workforce is integral. We look forward to working with Cisco, to empower young professionals across the state with essential skills and job-ready capabilities to safeguard themselves and organisations from risks in an increasingly digital-driven world. Through this engagement, we will be imparting cybersecurity skilling for 40,000 individuals, aiming for 50% of the beneficiaries to be women.’’

These strategic partnerships represent a significant step forward in Cisco’s mission to help bridge the gaps in digital skills and prepare India’s workforce for the jobs of the future.

Hikvision India has introduced Turbo HD Lamp Camera (DS 2CE18D0T-LFS) for a wide range of use in the market. This latest product in the Hikvision India product portfolio has been introduced to meet the customer requirements. These Turbo HD Lamp Cameras are applicable in various application scenarios.

 Prefer colorful imaging
As ColorVu-enabled cameras continue to gain popularity, people are becoming accustomed to the supplemental visible light that accompanies their use during nighttime.

  Require a product for two purposes: In poor infrastructure areas without street light and security cameras, they have strong demand for security monitoring and lighting.

 Require the function of deterrence: Some scenarios require security products with strong deterrence, such as large bullet, and bright light.

 Hikvision’s Lamp Camera meets the customers’ needs. It serves the dual purpose of Camera as well as light. The Smart Hybrid technology helps to meet various needs. It has low power consumption, max. 9 Watt.

 The Dual Use (2 –In-1 Camera) has the 2 MP camera with 60 meter IR , Buit in Camera and 9 white Lights.
It has 3 Supplemental lighting modes i.e IR Mode, Smart Mode and White light Mode.

•  Before a car or person enters the area, IR gets on
•  When a car or person appears, the white light turns on
•   The a car or person goes out, IR gets on

 Audio Over Coaxial: Built-in mic (up to 10 m) to record audio as an important
evidence.
IP67 Ingress Protection: This camera has the IP67 Ingress Protection, which means one does not need to worry about bad weather conditions for its indoor and outdoor use.
Low Power Consumption: The power supply requirement is maximum 9 watt for lamp camera, while 12 Volt 1 Amp power supply is enough.
Application Scenarios: The application scenes include the perimeter scenes. The bright light gives strong warnings and provides colorful key information. In the inadequate infrastructure scenes, it is used as both a security camera and a lamp.

Sangli, 6th March 2024: As a step towards strengthening the brand’s retail footprint across the country, ASUS India, Taiwanese tech giant today announced the launch of an exclusive store in Sangli. The new exclusive store is spread across 410 sq. ft. and is set to host an extensive range of electronics and computer hardware, including the ASUS flagship products such as Vivo book, ZenBook, Republic of Gamers (ROG) laptops, Gaming Desktops, All-in-One Desktops, and accessories. This is the brand’s 1 st exclusive store located in Sangli taking the total count of 21 AES stores in Pune Branch (West Region), 6 th  AES Store & 1 st Pegasus store in South Maharashtra region.

 Talking about the expansion, Jignesh Bhavsar, National Sales Manager – PC & Gaming Business, ASUS India, said, “We are delighted to announce the expansion of our retail footprint in India. West India being an important market for us, the inauguration of the new brand store in Sangli will play a pivotal step towards empowering consumers across different regions of the country with a unique experience of our latest innovation. With a strategic retail expansion approach, we will continue to create more interaction and new touchpoints for our users.”

New Delhi, March 1, 2024: OPPO India has launched the F25 Pro 5G in two storage variants—retailing at INR 23,999 (128GB) and INR 25,999 (256GB) respectively. This smartphone—available in a new Lava Red colour—features a 64MP rear triple-camera setup with 4K video recording on its front and rear shooters, a 6.7-inch borderless AMOLED display, the octa-core Dimensity 7050 SoC, and a 67W 5000mAh fast-charging battery. It carries an IP65 rating and sports a slim 7.54mm profile while tilting the scales at a mere 177g.

Commenting on the launch, Savio D’Souza, Director of Product Communications at OPPO India, said, “The OPPO F25 Pro 5G packs a punch with premium features like 4K video recording on both the front and rear cameras, a crisp, vivid borderless display, and smart AI technologies for segment-leading photography and efficiency. Add to that its slim, lightweight, durable build, and the F25 Pro 5G becomes the perfect choice for anyone who wants a powerful and stylish upgrade that is #BornToFlaunt.”

Borderless Design in a sleek and stylish frame

The F25 Pro 5G’s 120Hz AMOLED display comes with super-narrow bezels for a 93.4% screen-to-body ratio for an almost borderless viewing experience. Its 10-bit colour technology allows for over 1 billion hues and tones for natural gradients in visuals, while its peak brightness of 1100 nits ensures HDR content with vivid details.

The screen is protected by Panda Glass, which is doubly reinforced to enhance its durability and scratch resistance, and its body is fabricated out of PC-GF – a polycarbonate resin mixed with glass fibre as a reinforcement material. Its IP65 rating means it comes with the highest level of dust protection and withstands water jets from all directions. So, whether it’s a few splashes by the poolside or droplets of water in the rain, the F25 Pro 5G is built for endurance.

The F25 Pro 5G has also undergone rigorous tests and quality checks to ensure 1,00,000 volume key presses, 2,00,000 power button presses, and 20,000 instances of plugging and unplugging the USB-C cable for long-term reliability.

Besides the Lava Red colour that transitions from rich burgundy colour to deep sunset tones, the F25 5G is also available in Ocean Blue that looks like rippling waves in a clear and tranquil azure colour.

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Powerful Camera Setup with 4K capabilities

The Ultra-Clear Triple Camera on the device comprises a high-resolution 64MP OV64B 1/2” sensor, which provides exceptional clarity and detail in every shot, an 8MP Sony IMX355 112° ultra-wide camera for expansive landscape shots and group photos, as well as a 2MP OV02B10 macro camera that captures intricate details from as close as 4cm away.

It also sports a 32MP IMX615 camera sensor with a 21mm focal length—housed in a punch-hole display—for detailed selfies, group shots, and high-resolution portraits.

The device brings 4K video recording to both front and rear cameras for razor-sharp clarity. The 4K@30fps video output is detailed in well-lit daytime and static environments, making the F25 Pro 5G ideal for cinematic content, vlogging, and sharing on social media platforms.

AI & Photography

The OPPO F25 Pro 5G introduces AI Smart Image Matting—a segment-first feature—that enables one-tap extraction of subjects from photos and turns them into a transparent PNG that can be inserted into other images for effortless recreation and sharing as memes and photos. The AI can also handle multi-subject recognition within a single photo with precision and efficiency.

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The photography AI recognises the race, gender, and age of the subject to provide customised beauty effects, including brightened and smoothened skin, touch-up effects (lips and cheeks) and removal of facial imperfections. It adjusts the brightness in photos based on the environment to prevent overexposure and ensure natural skin tones and makeup colour.

Photography AI also removes facial imperfections in portraits by the 32MP front camera; it minimises pores for a polished skin effect while algorithms accurately identify and remove blemishes such as spots, acne, and acne marks.

Face clarity is optimised through OPPO’s AI portrait super-resolution algorithm, based on the aesthetic opinions of a global team of portrait experts. It is automatically activated in medium-lit/dark environments to reduce noise and improve face clarity in portraits.

The Performance Powerhouse

The OPPO F25 Pro 5G packs the octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 7050 SoC that comprises Arm Cortex-A78 cores clocked up to 2.6GHz for performance and Arm Cortex-A55 for efficiency.

Its Arm Mali-G68 MC4 GPU is optimised to provide smooth everyday gaming experiences and demanding tasks like 4K video recording without compromising battery efficiency.

The smartphone comes in storage capacities of up to 256GB based on the UFS 3.1 standard and 8GB LPDDR4X RAM, expandable up to 16GB through RAM Expansion to handle multiple apps and games without closing background processes prematurely.

All of this is supported by a 5000mAh battery with 67W SUPERVOOCTM Flash Charge that juices the smartphone to 30% with a 10-minute charge, while it reaches 100% in just 48 minutes. The battery is designed for approximately 1600 charge-discharge cycles with OPPO’s proprietary Battery Health Engine, which translates to around four years of use without considerable deterioration.

A person sitting at a table with a cell phone

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Smart Experiences Powered by ColorOS 14

The F25 Pro 5G runs on ColorOS 14 based on Android 14. It includes smart AI features, upgraded proprietary technology, and user-friendly tools for enhanced safety and privacy…

LinkBoost: OPPO’s LinkBoost ensures 100% faster transmission and 58.5% stronger reception, which provides a stable signal with minimal downtime. It combines AI network selection and a 360° surround antenna design to facilitate swift reconnection in scenarios such as exiting elevators and travelling in fast-moving vehicles.

Trinity Engine: ColorOS 14’s Trinity Engine optimises computing resources, memory, and storage efficiently with features like ROM Vitalization, RAM Vitalization, and CPU Vitalization. It ensures smooth operation with up to 28 apps running in the background without lag. ColorOS is recognised by third-party organisations such as ISO, ePrivacy, and TrustArc for safety and privacy.

File Dock: The new File Dock on the Smart Sidebar streamlines content-sharing across apps through split-screen, floating windows, or directly from the Dock. Content saved in the File Dock syncs across devices running ColorOS 14, boosting productivity.

Smart Touch: AI-powered Smart Touch allows users to select and organize text, images, and videos from the system and third-party apps effortlessly. Content can be stored in the File Dock or consolidated into a single note with simple gestures.

The OPPO F25 Pro 5G will get three years of OS updates with four years of security updates.

Offers:

Customers can avail the following offers for pre-order of OPPO F25 5G:

– Enjoy up to 10% instant cashback with leading bank cards, including SBI Cards and ICICI Bank.

– Avail of no-cost EMI for up to 9 months.

– Customers have the flexibility to choose their EMI installment and tenure at their convenience.

– Benefit from zero down payment schemes.

– Access low down payment options from top financiers like Bajaj Finserv, TVS Credit, Home Credit, HDB Financial Services, and IDFC First Bank

– Receive 180 days of screen damage protection for added peace of mind.

New Delhi, 01st March 2024: Infinix, a leading name in smartphone technology, today announced the launch of its latest masterpiece, the Smart 8 Plus. Featuring a massive 6000mAh battery with 18W Type C Fast Charging, the Smart 8 Plus stands as a powerhouse in the smartphone domain.The latest smartphone by Infinix offers a plethora of features that combine style, innovation, and performance.

Aesthetically Pleasing

Embodying elegance and sophistication, the Smart 8 Plus boasts a premium design featuring a timber texture finish, setting it apart as an attractive option that is both aesthetic and modern in the smartphone market. The Smart 8 Plus will be available in 3 colour variants- Galaxy White, Timber Black and Shiny Gold

Unleash Your Creativity with Superior Imaging

Capture life’s moments with breathtaking clarity and detail using the Smart 8 Plus’s 50 MP Dual AI Camera, complemented by a Quad-LED ring flash for professional-grade photography in any lighting condition. For stunning selfies, the 8 MP front camera with LED flash ensures users always look their best.

Mesmerising Display, Immersive Experience

Users enjoy an immersive experience in a world of vibrant visuals with the Smart 8 Plus’s smooth and hypnotic 90Hz Punch-Hole display. The innovative Magic Ring atop the screen adds a touch of magic, displaying essential information like battery percentage, charging status, and in-call time, ensuring you stay connected and informed at all times.

Secure, Seamless Performance

The Smart 8 Plus’s side-mounted fingerprint scanner and facial recognition technology ensure the highest level of safety and security for users’ data. Powered by the MediaTek Helio G36 2.2 Ghz Octa Core Processor, the Smart 8 Plus delivers lightning-fast performance and seamless multitasking capabilities.

Massive Storage, Immersive Sound

With 128 GB of internal storage, up to 8 GB RAM via MemFusion technology and support for up to 2TB Micro SD, the Smart 8 Plus ensures boundless space for your photos, videos, and apps. Delve deep into an unparalleled audio experience with DTS Sound Processing, delivering rich and immersive sound quality.

Experience the Future of Smartphones

The Smart 8 Plus runs on Android 13 Go (XOS 13), offering a seamless and intuitive user experience. With its blend of innovative features, premium design, and unmatched performance, the Smart 8 Plus redefines smartphone excellence and stands as a prime example of Infinix’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology to its customers.

Gurugram (India), February 29, 2024: Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”), one of India’s leading telecommunications service providers, in partnership with IDEMIA Secure Transactions, today announced that it has switched from virgin plastic to recycled PVC SIM cards. This is in line with the company’s commitment to encouraging the adoption of circular business practices. IDEMIA Secure Transactions, a division of the IDEMIA Group, is a leading provider of payment and connectivity solutions for financial institutions, mobile network operators and automotive manufacturers.

 An industry first in India, Airtel is the only telecommunications service provider to switch to recycled plastic SIM cards. With this migration, the generation of over 165 tonnes of virgin plastic will be limited which will further reduce the generation of over 690 tonnes of CO 2 equivalent in one year.

 This migration is in line with Airtel’s continued commitment to reducing greenhouse gases and promoting circularity with supplier partners and other stakeholders with the aim of encouraging them to reduce waste, recycle and reuse products.

 Pankaj Miglani, Director – Supply Chain, Bharti Airtel, said, “We are delighted to announce yet another first as we continue to lead the Indian telecom industry. As a brand we endeavour to align our efforts to adopt various sustainable measures and contribute significantly towards India’s ambition to achieve net zero. Our collaboration with Idemia underscores our shared commitment to contributing to a sustainable future.”

 Rahul Tandon, Senior VP – Connectivity Services, India, IDEMIA Secure Transactions, said, “We are proud of our long-standing partnership with Airtel. We congratulate Airtel for taking the lead in reducing the carbon footprint and providing green solutions to their subscribers in India. I would also like to thank all our R&D teams for making such innovations possible.”

 Airtel has committed to reducing absolute scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across its operations by 50.2% by FY 2030-31 with FY 2020-21 as the base year. The company has also committed to reducing its absolute scope 3 GHG emissions by 42% over the same time frame. In line with this commitment, some of the key initiatives at Airtel include promoting energy efficiency, utilising open- access green energy and adopting renewable energy across operations, as well as building a climate resilient network, resource efficiency and waste management.

 Carbon dioxide equivalent or CO 2 equivalent is a metric used to compare the emissions from various GHGs on the basis of their global-warming potential, converted to the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide.

Vadodara, February 26, 2024: Smart Node, a leading home automation brand, has proudly announced the launch of its latest innovation in the home automation space- the Wifi-based Curtain Motor “Curtain Flow”. With the new invention, the company aims to revolutionize how households interact with and manage their window curtains.

With the “Curtain Flow”, users can experience unparalleled convenience and control of their curtains. The motorized unit can be easily scheduled to open and close curtains at preferred times and speeds and provide real-time feedback on the position of the curtain. With customized scheduling capability, users can now easily determine the precise amount of closure, ensuring optimal privacy, light control, and aesthetic appeal. So, whether waking up to natural daylight in the morning or ensuring privacy in the evening, the Smart Node Wifi-based Curtain Motor can be personalized to suit every individual’s needs for a seamless and hassle-free experience.

Sharing his views on the latest launch, Parth Shah, the Co-founder of Smart Node said, “Our aim with Curtain Flow is to provide a uniquely effortless and customized home automation experience. With capabilities like receiving live curtain position updates and scheduled time openings and closings to match ambient lighting needs, families can personalize curtain functionality like never before. This unprecedented precision, convenience and control in managing curtains is just a glimpse of the comfort and lifestyle enhancements the Curtain Flow enables. We are confident it will greatly simplify daily living while retaining Smartnode’s hallmark user-friendly design.”

Controlling the Wifi-based Curtain Motor is effortless and intuitive, thanks to the SmartNode easy-to-use application. Through the app, users can operate their curtains remotely and save time and energy. The app offers a range of additional features, allowing users to create scenes, set preferences, and enjoy seamless integration with other smart home devices. Furthermore, the Smart Node “Curtain Flow” is compatible with popular voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Home, providing users with the ultimate hands-free experience. Users can effortlessly adjust their curtains to their preferred position without lifting a finger by simply giving voice commands.

The launch of Curtain Flow builds on Smart Node’s leadership in smart home technology. The Vadodara-based company focuses on intuitive, user-friendly products that enhance comfort, security, efficiency and more in residential and commercial spaces.

New Delhi, 27th February 2024 – iOPEX Technologies, a leader in innovative digital transformation solutions, proudly announces its latest offering: a Compliance and Governance add-on designed exclusively for ServiceNow’s Creator Workflows. This state-of-the-art add-on is specifically engineered to enhance the capabilities of ServiceNow by integrating comprehensive compliance and governance functionalities, including advanced integrated risk management strategies.

This add-on empowers organizations to proactively manage compliance and governance challenges within their ServiceNow environment. By automating compliance tasks, risk assessments, and reporting, the add-on ensures that businesses can adhere to regulatory requirements more efficiently and effectively. Features include streamlined compliance processes, enhanced risk visibility, and automated governance controls, all built on the flexible and powerful platform of ServiceNow Creator Workflows.

“Building custom apps and intelligent workflow automations that ensure all business procedures, operations and practices comply with legal standards, industry regulations, and internal policies is a growing requirement in the market as clients rush to digitally transform as much as possible. Because all organizations run and operate a bit differently, ServiceNow’s Creator Workflows has the flexibility required to build any solution for automating intelligent workflows, and custom applications for use cases we don’t have out of the box”, said Craig Steel, Global VP ServiceNow – Creator Workflow.

“Our Compliance and Governance add-on, enriched with integrated risk management capabilities, signifies our commitment to providing robust, innovative solutions that address the complex needs of modern enterprises,” said Shiva Ramani, CEO of iOPEX Technologies.

iOPEX’s experience with ServiceNow allows them to leverage Creator Workflows to build custom solutions unique to an organization and business on the ServiceNow platform. ServiceNow and iOPEX have a great partnership that customers can leverage to streamline operations, scale business, drive smart innovation at optimal cost to build and improve operational efficiencies.

February 27th, Mumbai: HMD has today revealed what life will look like as Human Mobile Devices. As part of its evolution, HMD is about making phones that are affordable, beautiful, desirable, and repairable. Or, to keep it simple, they help you get what you need without breaking the bank. That means creating devices that help tackle human tech challenges like e-waste and digital fatigue and make your life that little bit better.

In short, the makers of Nokia phones since 2016 will create new HMD original devices, continue to sell Nokia phones, and work with exciting partners you definitely know as part of a multi-brand vision.

“We are very excited to announce the new HMD multi brand strategy which opens infinite colab possibilities. Our global association with Mattel to launch a Barbie co-branded device is a prime example. HMD will have ‘easy repairability’ and ‘sustainability’ as part of its brand promise always. We are confident about a strong smart 5G portfolio for India and other markets which we will announce very soon.” Ravi Kunwar, Vice President – India & APAC at HMD

“In our seven-year journey, collaboration and support has allowed us to achieve so much. And we have plans to do so much more as we introduce the world to the new HMD. We want to be a catalyst for positive and profitable change by embracing a multi-brand strategy: crafting new HMD original devices, creating Nokia phones and collaborating with well- known global partners.”
Jean-Francois Baril, HMD Co-founder, Chairman and CEO

Transformation to profit

For the first time ever, the mobile market declined two years in a row in the face of challenging economic conditions, yet HMD bucked the trend thanks to its major transformation project allowing for a significant improvement in operational profitability YoY in 20231. This success is all thanks to fresh, energetic leadership, a sharp focus on strategy, staying nimble, and getting better at keeping costs down.

Repping repair-at-home devices this summer

E-waste is one of today’s most important issues for tech makers and tech users. HMD crafts phones that don’t just turn heads, but also aim to be kinder to the planet and your bank balance.

We make award winning repairable devices (we didn’t say it, TIME Magazine did2) and phones that last longer. HMD is pushing boundaries to make the repairability experience accessible to everyone.

Did you know on average 66% of people in the UK currently live with a smashed screen?3 In Europe and ANZ, repairable devices made up 1:4 of HMD smartphone sales in 20234. This year we expect that to grow to 3:4 devices in Europe and ANZ and we expect half of the smartphone devices we sell globally to be repairable.

This summer, HMD repairability goes to the next level, substantially reducing the number of steps it takes to fix the screen. You can say goodbye to phone separation due to a broken screen and get swept up in the ‘FIY’ (Fix it Yourself) movement.

“One year ago, we introduced our first repairable phone to a great response. 12 months on, we are determined to continue to push the boundaries to reimagine repairability. As more and more people seek out easy to repair devices so they can keep their phone longer – and save hassle or delays when fixes are needed – we’re excited to make that process as easy as possible, starting this summer.”

James Robinson, HMD VP Europe, Americas and Enterprise

Purposefully leaving a lot to the imagination

HMD is all about human innovation. That means making normally expensive digital tools globally accessible and affordable. Whether that’s introducing new payment options to feature phones or adding microfinancing capabilities to smartphones, HMD already has a tradition of human innovation with purpose.

This summer, we are launching a smartphone that is a platform for innovation, making technology more accessible to more communities around the world.

Today, we are releasing a first version toolkit for developers and businesses, which contains design files and information on software integration, that is available now on our website. We are embracing open innovation, making sure people and businesses can augment their phone to fit their needs.

We want to champion many people’s creativity- which is leaps and bounds beyond what we can achieve solo. The potential is endless.

These could be as simple as a fashionable outfit, an outfit with an extended battery, a payment terminal, barcode scanners, or even portable, connected medical equipment, it really is a blank canvas for creativity.

Multi-brand for the things you expect, and the things you don’t

As Human Mobile Devices, HMD aims to redefine screen time, champion repairability, and forge meaningful partnerships as part of a multi-brand vision.

You’ll continue to see Nokia phones and we will bring back an iconic phone this summer. You’ll also see a stellar line up of exciting new brands coming to you this year.

“Our commitment to human-centred innovation has spurred our expansion, unlocking new prospects for us and our collaborators, and has been a driving force behind our adoption of a multi-brand strategy. We take pride working with remarkable partners and are excited about extending our collaborative efforts with dynamic new partners like Mattel. Barbie and HMD are on a mission to shake things up with a new flip phone coming this summer”.

Lars Silberbauer, HMD CMO

Speaking of which…

Hi, Barbie!

As we venture into new partnerships, HMD will be guided by its core values, seeking collaborations that resonate with its mission. On that note, *drumroll please*, it is thrilled to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Mattel and with Barbie, highlighting our joint dedication to shake things up, empower connections and enable some quiet amidst digital noise and interruptions.

The Barbie Flip Phone will arrive this summer 2024. Promising style, nostalgia and a much-needed digital detox, this retro feature phone will flip the script on smartphone culture and will be this summer’s hottest accessory.

Head of Consumer Products, Publishing, and LBE, Mattel EMEA, Ruth Henriquez said “At the heart of Mattel is design and innovation, and this latest collaboration is another step forward in that direction. The Barbie x HMD launch promises to be an exciting moment for Barbie fans of all ages, we’re excited to flip the switch and unveil it to the world at Mobile World Congress.”

Barcelona, Spain, February 26, 2024: Huawei hosted the 5G Beyond Growth Summit at MWC Barcelona 2024 today. At the summit, Li Peng, Huawei’s Corporate Senior Vice President and President of ICT Sales & Service discussed how carriers can achieve business success in 5G and how 5.5G will further unlock the potential of networks and create new growth opportunities.

“5G is on the right path to business success,” said Li. 5G began commercialization in 2019, and over the past five years, it has already gained 1.5 billion 5G users around the world. It took nine years for 4G to make this happen. Currently, 20% of global mobile subscribers are using 5G. These users generate 30% of all mobile traffic and contribute to 40% of mobile service revenue.

Li explained, “5.5G is entering commercial use in 2024, and as 5.5G, AI, and cloud converge, carriers can unlock the potential of new applications and capabilities.”

He went on saying carriers around to the world should focus on high-quality networking, multi dimensional monetization, emerging services, and generative AI to grasp these opportunities.

High-quality networks are still the foundation of business success

Mobile users have proven willing to purchase experience upgrades for their mobile packages if their networks are of high enough quality. The traffic generated by these users is therefore expected to significantly increase, allowing carriers to maximize the value of traffic. This has led to more and more carriers proposing strategic goals that include the construction of high-quality 5G networks.

Some carriers in the Middle East, for example, have already deployed Massive MIMO networks, and the optimal experience delivered by these networks have made 5G FWA rollout a success. Currently, 5G FWA has connected nearly 3 million households, making it a powerful engine of revenue growth for carriers.

Multi-dimensional monetization maximizes the value of each bit

More than 20% of global 5G carriers have already adopted speed-tiered pricing models. One carrier in Thailand, for example, recently released a 5G Boost Mode add-on, which allows subscribers to select different speed tiers to best meet their usage needs. This model has helped the carrier increase its ARPU by about 23%. Another Chinese carrier has launched a guaranteed uplink package to provide livestreamers with smooth, high-definition livestreaming experiences. The package has become quite popular and helped the carrier increase its ARPU by more than 70%.

New emerging services enable long-term sustainable growth

New services like New Calling, cloud phones, and glasses-free 3D are getting more and more attention from consumers. For example, New Calling’s value-added functions like virtual avatars are becoming quite popular. Users are also willing to pay more for services that deliver real-time experience, such as one-stop car insurance claims.

5G has been also adopted among many industries. In China, more than 50,000 private 5G network use cases have entered commercial use in over 50 industries. The new capabilities of 5.5G, including deterministic latency, precise positioning, and passive IoT, are expected to create even more opportunities for carriers in the B2B market.

Generative AI will drive the mobile industry into the era of all intelligence

According to IDC, global AI mobile phone shipments will reach 170 million in 2024. This will account for 15% of all smartphone shipments. Next-generation AI phones will have more powerful storage, display, and imaging capabilities. The AIGC applications powered by these phones will generate hundreds of billions of GB data and create new opportunities for carriers.

Li closed out his remarks at the summit by promising, “Together with carriers, we will unlock the potential of 5G and 5.5G, and drive incredible new growth.”