The Mobile Software Competition Act came into force today (18 December), targeting the provision of choices in browser, smartphone app distribution and related areas.

In Apple’s statement, it explained new options had been created for developers to distribute apps on alternative marketplaces and process payments outside of its own in-app purchasing system.

The smartphone vendor’s argument against apps being downloaded from outside of its own store frequently centres on safety and security fears.

In this case, it claimed the new requirements in Japan for “alternative app marketplaces and app payments open new avenues for malware, fraud and scams, and privacy and security risks”.

However, it noted its work with regulators to introduce protections including an authorisation process for app marketplaces to ensure iOS is the “most secure mobile platform available in Japan”.

For in-app payments, Apple stated it is sharing tools to open the way for developers to offer alternatives.

The company also updated its business terms related to iOS apps in the country.

Google moves
In an update on its rules in Japan, Google noted it is extending a policy already in place for alternative billing systems in non-gaming apps to cover any which offer digital content purchases.

It is also providing the means for developers to add an option for users to make purchases with either Google Play Billing or the developer’s website.

Along with noting changes making it easier to switch search engine or browser, Google stated it already complied with many other parts of Japan’s newly-enforced regulations, including the ability to install third-party app stores on Android devices.

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It noted the increased price of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) had upped the bill of manufacture for smartphones by around 25 per cent for low-end devices and 10 per cent for high-tier models since the beginning of the year.

Costs are expected to increase by another 10 per cent to 15 per cent in the first half of 2026.

Counterpoint Research senior analyst Shenghao Bai indicated some of those most affected were adopting strategies to mitigate these increases.

“In some models, we are seeing downgrades of components like camera modules and periscope solutions, displays, audio components and, of course, memory configurations,” he noted.

“Other tactics include reusing old components, streamlining the portfolio, and pushing consumers to higher-specification Pro variants and adopting new designs to stimulate upgrades.”

Decline
The comments came as Counterpoint Research joined fellow analyst house IDC in revising a previous prediction of growth in smartphone shipments in 2026 to a decline.

It expects a drop of 2.1 per cent year-on-year in 2026 compared with a previous expectation of a small rise.

Earlier this month IDC forecast a decline of almost 1 per cent in 2026.    

Counterpoint Research expects manufacturers in China to experience the greatest downturn in shipments, with the lowest-priced devices likely to be the hardest hit segment.

Average selling prices are expected to increase across the board.

Counterpoint Research senior analyst Yang Wang noted at the cheaper end of the market “steep price increases on smartphones are not sustainable” with manufacturers expected to “start pruning parts of their portfolios” as a result.

“Apple and Samsung are best positioned to weather the next few quarters,” Wang added. “But it will be tough for others that don’t have as much wiggle room to manage market share versus profit margins. We will see this play out especially with the Chinese OEMs as the year progresses.”

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Instagram, YouTube, Google Maps, Gmail, and Google’s Gemini trailed WhatsApp in the rankings of free apps.

Apple released its annual list of the most downloaded apps and games for the year yesterday (10 December). The list includes free and premium titles, as well as those included with an Apple Arcade subscription.

ChatGPT ranked fourth in 2024 while shopping app Temu held the top spot. The chatbot failed to crack the top ten in 2023, which is the year it launched.

Block Blast! was the most downloaded free game on iPhone while Minecraft took the top spot as the most purchased game.

YouTube was the number one free app on iPad while creativity app Procreate was the leading paid app. Roblox was the most downloaded free game for iPad.

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Under terms of the deal, WBD shareholders will receive $27.75 a share in cash and stock in Netflix for an enterprise value of approximately $82.7 billon.

The deal is slated to close following the separation of Warner Bros Discovery’s global networks division, Discovery Global, into a newly public company, which is projected for completion in Q3 2026.

Netflix stated Discovery Global will include entertainment, sports and news television brands around the world such as CNN, TNT Sports in the UD, and Discovery, free-to-air channels across Europe, as well as digital products such as Discovery+ and Bleacher Report.  

Netflix was founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph. It initially operated as a DVD-by-mail rental service before launching its streaming service in 2007. Netflix currently reaches 301.6 million global customers

If the deal passes regulatory muster, Netflix will also own WBD’s film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO.

Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters stated the WBD deal “will improve our offering and accelerate our business for decades to come”.

The transaction would unite two entertainment leaders, merging Netflix’s in-house movies and series with WBD shows such as The Big Bang Theory, The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, The Wizard of Oz, and the DC Universe.

The deal will need to gain regulatory approval from the administration of US President Donald Trump and other entities.

US Senator Mike Lee posted on X two days ago (3 December) the transaction will “raise serious competition questions”.

“Learning about Netflix’s ambition to buy its real competitive threat, WBD’s streaming business, should send alarm to antitrust enforcers around the world,” Less stated.

Various news sites reported Comcast and Paramount Skydance also attempted to buy WBD after it announced the sale in October.

Analyst viewpoints
Roger Entner, founder and analyst at Recon Analytics, told Mobile World Live (MWL) the deal will face regulatory scrutiny across the US and European Union because it “significantly increases horizontal SVOD concentration”.

“It could lead to vertical foreclosure of Warner or HBO no longer providing their content to Netflix rivals,” he explained. “There are issues around portfolio and gatekeeper power.”

He noted if the deal is completed, a single company becomes the dominant gateway for both production and distribution of premium filmed entertainment, “with spillover effects on adjoining markets” including theatrical, licensing and consumer devices.

“The Skydance deal would have been much easier to get through as it involves smaller players and not the market leader,” Entner stated. “I just think [WBD CEO David] Zaslav didn’t want to retire and he engineered this to remain a major figure in Hollywood instead of being a major figure on the golf course.”

Forrester research director Mike Proulx told MWL if the “deal makes it through regulatory approval, Netflix will cement itself as the Goliath of streaming services now with the combined weight of HBO Max and the content studios behind it all”.

“This deal changes the calculus of the streaming wars, representing a seismic shift in the entertainment industry,” he said.

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Samsung joins Huawei in multi-fold phone market

What happened: Samsung Electronics unveiled its first multi-fold smartphone, the Galaxy Z TriFold, featuring a 10-inch inner display that folds twice using two hinges and a 6.5-inch outer cover screen.

Why it matters: Samsung said the inner display “performs similarly to three 6.5-inch smartphones” for multitasking, while also enabling large-screen media use. The KRW3.6 million (around $2,500) device intensifies competition with rival Huawei in the emerging foldable device category. Amanda Newman, director of business development at Orbit, said the Galaxy Z TriFold “serves as a signal that Samsung intends to maintain its lead in flexible display engineering”. She added that while volumes will be limited, “the point is not scale but demonstrating multipanel folding technology before competition accelerates in 2026”. Foldables still account for only about 2.5 per cent of global smartphone shipments, but quarterly volumes recently hit a high, Newman noted. Although Huawei entered the category first with the Mate XT series, she argued that Samsung, which holds around 64 per cent of the segment, is betting on improved durability, better software and larger displays enabling multitasking through desktop-style DeX environments. “With Apple preparing its first foldable, the next year will test whether the category can finally expand beyond early adopters,” she concluded.

AT&T follows rivals in dropping DEI initiatives

What happened: AT&T joined rivals T-Mobile US and Verizon in committing to shutter its DEI initiatives, stating in a filing to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) it “will not have any roles focused on DEI” and would terminate related policies.

Why it matters: AT&T had already begun scaling back DEI in March through funding cuts and management restructuring but had not yet dismantled the programme entirely. The latest move comes as the operator seeks regulatory approval for a $1 billion deal to acquire spectrum licences from UScellular. FCC chair Brendan Carr welcomed the pull back in a post on X, underlining a growing link between regulatory approval and corporate policy under US President Donald Trump’s administration. The approach has already impacted major transactions; earlier this year, Verizon secured approval for its $20 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications a day after ending its DEI programmes, while T-Mobile took a similar approach ahead of its UScellular asset purchase in July.

India reverses mandate on state-owned security app

What happened: India’s government dropped a controversial mandate that would have required smartphone makers to preinstall its state-owned cybersecurity app, Sanchar Saathi, on all new devices.

Why it matters: The government’s reversal follows widespread criticism, including from Apple, which told authorities earlier this week it would not comply with the order over privacy and security concerns. Initially, the government defended the order, insisting it was necessary to help citizens verify device authenticity and report possible misuse. However, the Ministry of Communications has now said the reversal is due to improved uptake of the app, which was originally intended to reach “less aware citizens” faster. Communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia clarified that users “may deactivate or delete” the app, reversing an earlier mandate that made it unremovable, adding it “is not surveillance, it is a citizen safety tool”. Canalys senior analyst Sanyam Chaurasia told MWL that allowing users to delete the app cushioned the original mandate and improved the impact on device experience and OEM strategies. However, he warned that the long-term “inflection point” will depend on how effectively data privacy, user consent and transparency are addressed. “Until strong safeguards and legal clarity are in place, this is likely to remain a developing policy experiment rather than a hard, industry-wide operating requirement.”

The post Samsung multi folds; India app dispute; AT&T drops DEI appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Bloomberg reported Dye is being replaced by Stephen Lemay, who lists his title on LinkedIn as UI designer.

Prior to leaving, Dye was VP of human design at Apple. Dye took over Apple’s user interface design team in 2015 after former designer Jony Ive was named chief design officer.

Ive left Apple in 2019 before selling his AI-device company to OpenAI in May for $6.4 billion.

Dye worked on projects such as iPhone, iPad, Mac, Watch, TV, Vision Pro, and the recently introduced Liquid Glass, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Bloomberg stated Dye has also been helping Apple develop a range of smart home devices.

The news agency reported Meta Platforms is building a new studio with Dye in charge of design for hardware, software and AI integration of its interfaces.

Dye reports to CTO Andrew Bosworth, who leads Meta’s beleaguered Reality Labs division which develops wearables such as virtual reality headsets and smart glasses.

Dye will start his job as chief design officer on 31 December.

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The analyst house expects shipments for 2025 to come in at 1.25 billion units, a 1.5 per cent increase on 2024. However, for 2026 it predicts this will decline by almost 1 per cent, having previously projected a rise of around the same level.

Despite fewer units being shipped, it anticipates a record high value for the market of $579 billion, with average selling price (ASP) reaching $465.

IDC expects a shortage of memory components to constrain supply and increase prices, most significantly in the low-to-mid range Android segment. It noted this part of the market is most sensitive to rises.

The company also expects the top-line shipment figure to be affected by a decision by Apple to shift its “next base iPhone model from” late 2026 to early 2027.

IDC research director for its Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker Anthony Scarsella highlighted “as memory components become more limited and more expensive, manufacturers face increasing pressure to raise prices”.

“Vendors need to adopt different strategies to protect their market share. While some OEMs will inevitably be forced to raise prices, others will adjust their portfolio towards pricier models with higher margins”.

He added although 2026 would “be a challenging time for the industry”, IDC still believes the market “could see record ASPs”.

Apple gains
IDC’s predictions for 2026 came as it reported an expectation Apple would book a “record year” for 2025, with shipments expected to be up 6.1 per cent to more than 247 million units.

Senior research director Nabila Popal said Apple achieved “phenomenal success” with the iPhone 17 series, a statement backed-up by statistics and reports from other analysts.

The post Memory shortage tipped to cut smartphone shipments appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In a statement, India’s Ministry of Communications announced given increasing uptake of the Sanchar Saathi app, the decision had been made to not make installation by manufacturers mandatory.

“The number of users has been increasing rapidly and the mandate to install the app was meant to accelerate this process and make the app available to less aware citizens easily,” it explained.

Earlier in the week Apple said it did not plan to comply with the government directive to preinstall the app on all new handsets, Reuters reported.

Criticism
Reversal of the policy comes a day after communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia issued a statement on X clarifying use of the app was voluntary and users would be allowed to delete the app. This went against the original policy whereby the app was unremovable.

Scindia said it could be activated “at their convenience to access its benefits, and they may deactivate or delete it from their devices at any time”.

He insisted the app “is not surveillance, it is a citizen safety tool”, adding it is both an app and a portal that enables citizens to secure themselves through transparent, easy-to-use tools.

Canalys senior analyst Sanyam Chaurasia told Mobile World Live allowing users to delete the app significantly softened the original mandate and reduced the impact on device experience and OEM strategies.

More importantly, he suggested “the real inflection point” will depend on how convincingly data privacy, user consent and transparency are addressed.

“Until strong safeguards and legal clarity are in place, this is likely to remain a developing policy experiment rather than a hard, industry-wide operating requirement.”

Story updated on 3 December at 12.30 GMT to include the latest statement. Additional reporting by Chris Donkin.

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The device is set for release in South Korea on 12 December for KRW3.6 million ($2,444). China, Taiwan, Singapore and the UAE will be among the next batch of markets where it will be available. A US release is scheduled for Q1 2026.

Galaxy Z TriFold has an outer screen which looks similar to a standard smartphone but can fold out twice using two individual hinges.

Samsung noted the 10-inch inner screen “performs similarly to three 6.5-inch smartphones” in a row for multitasking and can also be used as one large screen for viewing documents or media.

The vendor stated the “immersive” large display would improve productivity and provide “cinematic viewing”, giving users a “best-in-class mobile experience never before seen in any other form factor”.

Other elements highlighted include a thin design of 3.9mm at its narrowest point; the largest battery Samsung has used in a foldable to date; a new generation of hinges; and fresh foldable display technology to bolster screen resilience.  

It also pointed to AI features and standard smartphone selling points of display and camera quality.

Samsung co-CEO and head of its Device eXperience division TM Roh said the handset “solves one of the mobile industry’s longest-standing challenges, delivering the perfect balance between portability, premium performance and productivity all in one device”.

It uses a customised Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile chipset and a 5600mAh battery, and has a 6.5-inch cover screen and triple rear camera set-up with the main unit 200MP.

The company’s entry into the multi-fold device market follows Huawei, which released its second generation using the form factor in September.

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Sources told the news agency Apple does not plan to comply with the order as it doesn’t follow “such mandates anywhere in the world” as they raise privacy and security issues for its iOS ecosystem.

The DoT sent letters to major smartphone makers requiring them to add the app to new devices in 90 days, Reuters stated.

The app, called Sanchar Saathi, or Communication Partner, cannot be removed by users. It is designed to track stolen phones, block the devices and prevent them from being used for fraud.

The government has defended the order, insisting it is necessary to help citizens verify the authenticity of a handset and report suspected misuse.

In August, Russia ordered all phones and tablets to come preinstalled with the state-backed MAX messenger app, developed by the largest social media company in the country VK.

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In a statement, Samsung explained the collaboration would enable the airline to improve case recovery for passengers who have used a Galaxy SmartTag and included a link to it in their lost luggage report.

Users can upload an image of their case onto an accompanying app to make it easier to identify should it be misplaced.

The Smart Tagged Baggage Service is based on SmartThings Find, a Samsung system used to track its range of connected devices. It uses Bluetooth Low Energy and ultra-wideband technology.

Turkish Airlines intends to extend use of the system to other customer services which could benefit from location tracking.

Samsung plans to launch similar services with other airlines alongside “partnerships across industries to help customers stay connected and at ease wherever they are”, EVP and head of SmartThings Jaeyeon Jung said.

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Apple’s sell-through volumes rose 12 per cent year-on-year and its share hit 24.2 per cent, its highest-ever in a single month.

Counterpoint Research noted sales of the iPhone 17 exceeded its predecessor over the first six weeks of availability. It stated weekly trackers showed particular strength in the US, China and Japan, and noted the base model is an attractive prospect due to incorporating formerly high-end features at a more affordable price point.

China was the fastest-growing market for Apple’s phones during October, it reported, though highlighted a lack of availability of the iPhone Air in the country resulted in muted sales across the board.

Counterpoint Research stated other drivers are the current upgrade cycle in mature markets and demand for premium-tier devices.

Senior analyst Varun Mishra said greater availability of legacy iPhone models is another factor.

Earlier this week, Counterpoint Research predicted Apple would topple Samsung as the world’s largest smartphone vendor when 2025 shipments are tallied.

If accurate, it would be the first time in 14 years the US vendor beat its South Korean rival, the company stated.

The post Apple hits monthly iPhone high appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The Quark AI Glasses, named after its Quark AI assistant, are offered in two models. The G1 is priced at CNY1,899 ($269) and the flagship S1 with dual micro-OLED displays for info overlays and weighing 51g going for CNY3,799.

The G1 weighs 40g, shares the S1 model’s core hardware, but doesn’t include the displays.

In a post of X, the company said glasses are its first self-developed smart eyewear, first unveiled in July.

The lenses act as screens, with a camera built into the frame.

Qwen is Alibaba’s version of ChatGPT.

Alibaba moves into the competitive VR headset segment, with the global market dominated by Meta, Google and Apple. The leaders in China are TCL-RayNeo, Xiaomi and Xreal.

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The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 mobile platform is designed to handle growing use of AI on smartphones, offering interfaces with the technology using device hardware including microphone and sensors.

Qualcomm stated its AI Engine optimises access to agentic assistant services, a set-up tipped to provide user experience benefits.

Chris Patrick, SVP and general manager of mobile handset, said the platform puts “users at the centre of their mobile experiences”.

OnePlus was highlighted as being close to launching devices using the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. Other vendors lined up include Honor, Meizu, Motorola, vivo and iQOO.

The platform runs a Qualcomm Hexagon NPU which it stated offers up to a 46 per cent improvement in AI performance compared with its previous-generation Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

Qualcomm’s Oryon CPU provides peak speeds of up to 3.8GHz and it recorded a 36 per cent improvement in performance along with a 76 per cent gain in web browsing responsiveness.

The platform employs Qualcomm’s Adreno GPU using a sliced architecture to up clock speeds, and boost gaming and graphics performance by 11 per cent.

Connectivity options include 5G and Bluetooth 6.0.

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The company filed a lawsuit against former SVP of corporate strategy development Lo Wei-jen with the Taiwanese Intellectual Property and Commercial Court, Reuters and others reported.

Prosecutors in the nation began investigating Lo last week, a probe TSMC indicated would guide its legal action.

Reuters reported TSMC’s lawsuit focuses on its employment contract with Lo, which included a non-compete clause.

The company also invoked trade secrets legislation, stating the chances of Lo having disclosed details to Intel are high.

Bloomberg reported last week Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan played down the reports of Lo’s actions and emphasised the US company’s adherence to IP regulations.

The news outlet noted Taiwanese government ministers expressed concern about Lo’s alleged actions, which they believe could constitute a national security matter.

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Last month, Liberty Global chair Malone pitched in $10 million into the equity funding round through his investment company Silver Spur Capital while Apollo Global Management kicked in $35 million and Citi Group laid out $15 million to bring Glow Services’ valuation to $325 million.

“That is a big vote of confidence,” Glow Services executive chair Andrew Cole (pictured) told Mobile World Live. “These companies believe we can help really drive change in the market.”

Cole said five members of the company’s board of advisors also took part in the funding. Glow’s advisory board includes industry heavyweights such as former Telefonica president and CEO Jose Maria Alvarez-Pallete, Ronan Dunne, Gavin Patterson, Glenn Lurie, Nick Jan Van Damme, Eelco Blok and Mats Granryd.

The company, founded in 2014 by Cole and CEO Christiaan Ross, provides three platforms for mobile operators.

The first, and biggest, is its FinTech platform which provides phone financing for telecoms companies such as BT Group, Samsung and Bell. Cole said in addition to Verizon last month, the company has several other deals pending with large operators.

Glow Services offers mobile operator customers loans at the point of sale through its financing platform.

“Our tech helps telcos sell more phones,” Cole said. “And if you sell more phones, you add more airtime, and therefore you have market share. So, it’s a really big deal.”

In phone sales, airtime refers to the service credit which allows a mobile phone user to make voice calls, send text messages and use mobile data on a wireless network.

The loans, which are backed by Apollo, provide mobile operator customers more financing options while reducing the amount of debt held by service providers.

The programme enables mobile operators to offer phone deals at a cheaper rate than their rivals, Cole said.

In addition, Cole stated mobile operators in some countries can only offer two-year loan programmes while Glow Services can do three-to-four years since it is an independent third party.

“In those cases, we offer a three or four-year loan and the loan becomes the churn reducer,” he explained. “It’s a beautiful user experience and NPS is 80 plus generally.”

The company’s GreenTech platform is a device trading and upgrade programme while InsureTech provides insurance.

All three platforms use APIs to tie into operators’ networks.

“Two APIs is the minimum,” Cole said. “And that’s what often was done, particularly out of the gate. It can go up to a maximum of eight APIs, depending on how much back and forth they want between us and them.”

Cole stated local insurance regulations are embedded across its platforms.

“We basically provide our tech to the telco with our insurance licence and that’s all they need. It means another 20 per cent to 30 per cent cost reduction and profit improvement.”

About Glow
Glow Services competes against companies such as Asurion, Assurance Wireless and SquareTrade, but unlike some of its rivals Cole noted it is a telecom industry focused tech company.

Cole stated the $65 million round is the first raise for Glow Services. He noted the company has grown 100 per cent over the past several years because “what we do affects the telco’s core business”.

The company has 200 employees, with plans to add another 100 as it expands into more European countries, Japan and South Korea. Currently, Glow Services’ footprint covers the UK, North America and Australia.

“We can add the tech, particularly with the AI enablement, which means we’ll probably add 100 more, but it’s not like we need massive amounts of people,” Cole said.

The post Glow Services rakes in $65M equity funding, adds Verizon appeared first on Mobile World Live.

On an earnings call, Xiaomi CFO Lu Weibing forecast cost pressures would increase in 2026 on smartphones, tablets and notebooks.

He added higher costs are part of a longer cycle spurred by increased demand for high bandwidth memory, with the company planning to “mitigate the hike by increasing product prices and optimising product structures”.

Smartphone revenue slipped 3.2 per cent year-on-year to CNY46 billion ($6.5 billion), with shipments mostly flat at 43.3 million units.

Overall smartphone ASP dropped 3.6 per cent to CNY1,063, but the figure increased in the domestic market due a higher contribution from premium devices.

Net profit in the period surged 130 per cent to CNY12.3 billion, with total revenue increasing 22.3 per cent to CNY113.1 billion.

The company’s IoT and lifestyle products business increased 5.6 per cent to CNY27.6 billion; internet service revenue grew 10.8 per cent to CNY9.4 billion.

Its EV business achieved positive quarterly income from operations for the first time, with revenue tripling to CNY29 billion.

R&D spending in the quarter rose 52.1 per cent to CNY9.1 billion, with the full-year outlay forecast to hit CNY30 billion, a 20 per cent increase. Capex in the first three quarters increased 87 per cent to CNY13 billion.

The post Xiaomi warns memory cost will drive device price rises appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The newspaper cited data from Samsung showing spending on application processors in the first nine months of 2025 jumped 25 per cent year-on-year to KRW10.9 trillion ($7.4 billion), noting the component can represent up to 30 per cent of the total production costs for a device.

A source said Samsung needs to increase the use of in-house chips “to ease cost pressures and to regain leverage and reinforce its position in chip design”.

In the past, the vendor generally followed a dual-sourcing strategy, using both Qualcomm and its in-house Exynos chipsets. But performance issues with the Exynos 2500 prompted it to use only Snapdragon chips for the Galaxy S25 series.

Last month, Yonhap News Service reported the company will use its in-house Exynos 2600 chip across the Galaxy S26 series in selected markets, the first use of its own processor in a flagship model in four years.

Despite the move back to its dual-sourcing strategy, The Korean Herald stated Qualcomm will likely supply the the majority of the application processors for its S26 line-up.

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The research outfit said the 25 per cent market share is a milestone hit only in 2022, when Apple had fewer rivals in the premium segment. Sales of iPhones increased 37 per cent year-on-year in October. A year earlier it had a 19 per cent share.

Senior analyst Ivan Lam noted Apple’s new iPhone 17 series accounted for more than 80 per cent of unit sales, suggesting “we’re likely to see growth amplified as rising ASPs push the top-line higher”.

Amid a trade war with China spurred by increased US tariffs and trade sanctions, Apple’s fiscal Q4 (ending 27 September) sales in China dipped 4 per cent to $14.4 billion.

Overall smartphone sales in the mainland last month grew 8 per cent, with second place Xiaomi and third ranked Vivo recording 7 per cent and 4 per cent growth, respectively, while Huawei booked a 19 per cent decline. Its share dropped to 13 per cent from 17 per cent a year earlier.

Oppo’s sales rose 19 per cent, boosting its share by 1 percentage point to 13 per cent and propelling it ahead of Honor into fifth place.

The post China iPhone sales surge in October appeared first on Mobile World Live.

South Korea confirmed a $350 billion investment commitment to the US on Friday (14 November), raising concerns the country’s top conglomerates could be preparing to cut back domestic investments.

Top executives from the country’s leading companies met with President Lee Jae Myung to discuss measures after finalising the trade deal.

SK Group, Hyundai Motor and ship builder Hanwha Ocean also announced major investment plans.

Samsung’s new production line is expected to start operations in 2028, the news agency wrote.

The company explained it forecasts mid- to long-term expansion in demand for memory chips and plans to secure production lines in advance to respond promptly to market changes.

SK Hynix will build four chip plants at its main Yongin campus, with SK Group planning to invest KRW128 trillion over the next three years, The Korean Herald stated.

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A Masimo spokesperson told Reuters a court in California had ruled the workout mode and heart rate notifications on Apple Watch are in breach of its patents.

The spokesperson hailed the win as significant in its efforts to protect its innovations and IP, with the company launching several lawsuits in multiple courts. The patent in this case expired in 2022, “and is specific to historic patent monitoring technology from decades ago”, added the spokesperson.

The legal dustup with Masimo is over the use of light-based pulse oximetry functionality, a feature which measures oxygen levels. 

Apple and Masimo have engaged in a long-standing dispute over light-based physiological measurement devices with the latter alleging the iPhone-maker has stolen its technology.

An Apple spokesperson said it disagreed with the fine and plans to appeal.

New proceeding
Separately, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) plans to hold a new proceeding to decide whether imports of some Apple smartwatches should be banned due, again, to patent disputes with Masimo.

In 2023, Apple announced it would stop selling two models of its Apple Watch, due to a patent ruling against the company by the ITC. The body blocked imports of Apple’s Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 devices in the US.

In August, the tech giant reintroduced the ability to monitor blood oxygen data in the US through a workaround.

At the time, Apple announced a redesigned feature would be available for customers who bought devices without the original version through software updates for the wearable and iPhone.

Apple won approval to sell the watches following a decision by US Customs and Border Protection.

Bloomberg reported Masimo is suing US Customs and Border Protection while Apple is contesting the ITC’s ban in a US federal appeals court.

*Additional reporting by Kavit Majithia

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The Mini Apps Partner Program is an initiative by the company designed to let developers deliver lightweight, web-based mini apps and games within native iOS or iPadOS apps.

These mini apps use standard web technologies such as HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, and are distributed through a host app on the App Store.

To qualify for the programme, Apple stated a mini app or game needs to be released by a person or entity “that’s not directly or indirectly controlled” by the developer of a dominant app.

Apple stated the scheme aims to expand developer reach, enable dynamic user experiences and provide the flexibility of web content with the benefits of native app distribution.

The programme supports qualifying in-app purchases (IAPs), which must use Apple’s official payment system.

Revenue from IAPs is shared between the developer, host app owner and Apple.

Developers are required to be registered members of the Apple Developer Program while the host app needs to be published on the Apple App Store.

Bloomberg reported Tencent Holdings, the parent company of WeChat, is widely regarded as one of the most successful developers of mini apps.

The news agency reported yesterday (13 November) Apple cut a deal with Tencent to take a 15 per cent cut of purchases from WeChat mini games and apps sold in its App Store.

Apple has faced scrutiny from the European Union (EU) over its App Store policies, which critics have contented makes it difficult for developers to accept alternative payments.

In June, Apple made changes to its App Store policies in a bid to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).

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• Will eSIM accelerate global IoT deployments, or are interoperability and provisioning challenges still limiting scale?
• Will the traditional SIM card business model become obsolete?
• Are current remote SIM provisioning platforms mature and secure enough for mass adoption across industries?
• Will eSIM adoption unlock new revenue models for operators, or simply reduce churn without driving real growth?
• How is RedCap powering new IoT products?

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The research outfit highlighted strong demand for entry-level as well as premium models, which spurred a 13.7 per cent increase in ASPs to $294. Shipments rose 4.3 per cent year-on-year to 48 million units.

Models in the $600 to $800 segment grew 43.3 per cent and accounted for 6 per cent of total shipments, up from 4 per cent a year earlier. Entry-level models, priced below $100, recorded 35.3 per cent growth and made up 16 per cent of the market. The $100 to $200 segment, however, declined 8.8 per cent, with its share dropping to 40 per cent from 45 per cent a year earlier.

Apple led with 25.6 per cent growth, shipping 5 million units as its share increased to 10.4 per cent from 8.6 per cent in Q3 2024, when it was in sixth place.

Vivo recorded 20.7 per cent growth, boosting its share by 2.5 per percentage points to 18.3 per cent. It maintained top spot.

Oppo and Samsung held their second and third positions, respectively, with 4.2 per cent and 6.3 per cent growth.

Realme dropped to fifth from fourth after shipping 10.9 per cent fewer units.

With demand focused on the premium market, Upasana Joshi, senior research manager for devices research at IDC Asia Pacific, noted the mass market is under pressure, resulting in a significant inventory build-up.

“This surplus has been further exacerbated by rising component costs, particularly in memory and currency fluctuations, prompting brands to raise prices,” Joshi added.

IDC forecasts a decline in shipments in Q4, leading to an overall annual drop, with shipments expected to fall below 150 million units.

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At 6.6mm thick and 208 grams light, the Mate 70 Air is slightly bulkier than Apple’s latest handset but includes a larger 7-inch OLED display, stereo speakers and a substantial 6,500mAh battery, making fewer trade-offs than the e-SIM only iPhone Air.

Powered by the company’s in-house Kirin 9020 chipset, the Mate 70 Air runs on HarmonyOS 5.1 and offers up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The camera system includes a 50MP main sensor, a 12MP telephoto lens and an 8MP ultra-wide macro lens, alongside a Red Maple primary colour camera for enhanced colour accuracy.

Available for preorder in China, the device is priced at CNY4,199 ($590), coming in well below Apple’s $999 model.

The release comes as Chinese manufacturers intensify efforts to challenge Apple in the high-end segment after the US company introduced the Air branding to its smartphones for the first time with the iPhone 17 series launch in September.

However, the iPhone Air faced regulatory delays in China, with sales beginning more than a month late after authorities approved eSIM trials for the country’s three major operators.

Earlier in July, Huawei reclaimed the top spot in China’s smartphone market for the first time in more than four years even as the overall market contracted.

Listen to our recent eSIM focussed Podcast here.

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The research outfit’s data showed sales dropped 2.7 per cent year-on-year in the July to September period, but noted a government subsidy programme continued to support ASPs.

Vivo led with an 18.5 per cent share after sales fell 5.9 per cent. Huawei was second with a steady 16.4 per cent share, despite a 2.6 per cent fall.

Third-place Xiaomi and fourth-ranked Oppo were the only vendors to book sales growth at 1.1 per cent and 2.1 per cent, respectively, and boost their shares.

Honor’s sales declined 8.1 per cent, with its share slipping to 14.4 per cent from 15.3 per cent a year earlier, dropping below Oppo, which was fifth in Q3 2024.

Apple ranked sixth, with sale decreasing 2 per cent, and its market share stable at 13.6 per cent.

Data from IDC showed smartphone shipments in Q2 fell 4 per cent to 69 million units.

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The findings reveal a significant increase in malware attacks targeting Android devices and IoT endpoints, with threat actors increasingly focusing on critical industries and environments supporting hybrid work

The Zscaler ThreatLabz 2025 mobile, IoT, and OT threat report stated the Google Play incidents targeted users searching for productivity and workflow apps. The malicious apps were mostly disguised as these types of tools.

Deepen Desai, EVP and CSO at Zscaler, stated “attackers are pivoting to where works gets done,” which includes phones and connected equipment.

The report also found threat actors are moving away from card-focused fraud to targeting mobile payments.

Manufacturing and transportation accounted for 40 per cent of all observed IoT malware attacks, indicating cybercriminals are diversifying their focus across high-dependency sectors.

The energy sector saw a dramatic 387 per cent increase in attacks compared to the previous year, signalling escalating risks to critical infrastructure.

India remains the top target for mobile attacks, with a 38 per cent increase in threats. It experienced 26 per cent of mobile attack traffic, followed by the United States (15 per cent) and Canada (14 per cent).

The US was the epicentre for IoT attacks, receiving 54.1 per cent of global IoT malware traffic.

Zscaler’s report covered more than 20 million threat-related mobile transactions from June 2024 to May 2025.

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The report looks at how MNOs, MVNOs, and OEMs evaluate and implement the root subscription manager discovery server (SM-DS), a standardised method for downloading subscriptions into eSIM-enabled devices, how this compares to other activation methods and the overall appetite is for simplified, frictionless eSIM activation at scale.

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For the period ending 27 September, Apple’s iPhone business brought in $49 billion in revenue, topping last year’s $46.2 billion. This was driven primarily by the iPhone 16 family of devices and a few weeks of iPhone 17 sales.

On a call with analysts Apple CEO Tim Cook stated the strong iPhone results were despite supply constraints the company faced for some iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 models.

Greater China revenue was below analysts’ expectations of $16.4 billion, coming in at $14.4 billion compared to $15 billion a year ago.

“The iPhone 17 family has been very well received there,” Cook said on the earnings call. “We do believe that we’ll return to growth in Q1. And that is largely based on the reception of the iPhone there.”

Revenue for the iPad segment was flat at $6.9 billion, while Mac revenue of $8.7 billion topped $7.7 billion from a year ago. Wearables revenue of $9 billion was down slightly.

The company had $27.4 billion in net income during the quarter, up year-on-year from $14.7 billion, though the latter figure had been impacted by a one-off charge.  

For Apple’s fiscal 2025 it booked $416 billion in total revenue, a 6 per cent increase.

Q1
Looking ahead, CFO Kevan Parekh expects revenue in the current quarter that includes the holiday season to grow between 10 per cent and 12 per cent.

“We expect iPhone revenue to grow double digits year-over-year, which would be our best iPhone quarter ever,” Parekh said.

The CFO said Apple is significantly increasing investments in AI and the company’s product roadmap. For the December quarter, Apple is expecting operating expenses to be between $18.1 billion and $18.5 billion.

PP Foresight CEO Paolo Pescatore told Mobile World Live the robust Q4 results combined with the upbeat guidance for the current quarter further reinforces user demand for the new iPhone 17 lineup.

“Services [revenue] is firing on all cylinders, a key engine for future growth as it represents recurring revenue,” he noted.

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Mobile eXperience (MX) VP Daniel Araujo stated on its Q3 earnings call the overall smartphone market is expected to be roughly flat in both value and volume in 2026, while tablets are experiencing a slowdown in replacement demand.

Although the division anticipates intensified competition and price increases in key components such as memory, he said it expects full-year revenue growth in 2025 and to maintain profitability through “flagship-focused sales and efficiency improvements”.

Araujo noted the smartphone market rebounded in Q3, as macroeconomic uncertainties were somewhat alleviated due to progress in tariff negotiations among major countries, together with expectations of interest rate cuts.

Growth in flagship sales as a portion of total smartphone revenue, along with improved sales of new tablet and wearable products enabled it to sustain double-digit profitability, he added.

Revenue from the MX and Networks unit increased 12 per cent year-on-year to KRW34.1 trillion ($23.9 billion) and operating profit 28.6 per cent to KRW3.6 trillion.

Smartphone shipments grew 5.2 per cent to 61 million units and tablet shipments remained at 7 million.

Its smartphone ASP increased 3.1 per cent to $304.

On a group level, Samsung’s net profit grew 20.8 per cent to KRW12.2 trillion, aided by a 79.5 per cent jump in operating profit of the Device Solution division covering all types of chips including memory to KRW7 trillion.

Revenue rose 8.8 per cent to KRW86.1 trillion. Chip unit sales rose 13 per cent to KRW33.1 trillion.

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