European space giants unite; Africa leaders chart digital future

The Friday File: Mobile World Live brings you our top three picks of the week including blockbuster moves in the space sector, pledges to boost Africa’s digital prowess at MWC25 Kigali and a new extended reality headset from Samsung.

Big deals in the space sector

What happened: Airbus, Leonardo and Thales signed a memorandum of understanding to merge their satellite and space operations into a single European space entity, while Lynk Global and Omnispace announced a merger backed by SES.

Why it matters: The European space powerhouse involving Airbus, Leonardo and Thales is set to launch in 2027 pending regulatory approval and aims to combine manufacturing, services and R&D capabilities to strengthen Europe’s position in the global space market. The partners said the move supports European ambitions for greater “strategic autonomy” in space and will help meet both sovereign national space requirements and international commercial demand, competing with global players such as SpaceX. The venture aims to support critical infrastructure across sectors including telecommunications, global navigation, science and national security. Meanwhile, the new SES-backed entity will merge Lynk Global’s multi-spectrum platform and Omnispace’s globally coordinated S-band spectrum to strengthen direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity. The combination of Omnispace’s S-band spectrum and Lynk’s established relationships with more than 50 MNOs spanning more than 50 countries positions the venture to compete against rivals AST SpaceMobile and SpaceX. Indeed, Omnispace CEO Ram Viswanathan said the deal unlocks the peak potential of its S-band assets and “positions us at the forefront of D2D.”

GSMA, Africa heavyweights team in AI, device push

What happened: MWC Kigali 2025 was held this week with the GSMA unveiling two new initiatives to boost digital access across Africa, as the industry charted opportunities to accelerate the continent’s digital transformation.

Why it matters: Airtel, MTN, Orange, Vodacom, Ethio Telecom and Axian Telecom joined forces with the GSMA and its AI partners to build inclusive African AI language models trained on local data. The same operator groups also unveiled joint plans to define baseline specifications to ensure affordable 4G smartphones as part of a broader push to close Africa’s usage gap. As part of this accessibility push, the industry association urged governments to scrap taxes on sub-$100 handsets, warning that duties can inflate prices by more than 30 per cent. Telco chiefs also took to the stage to call for reform, as MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita urged governments to abandon “voice-era” rules that stifle digital growth, while Orange Group CEO Yasser Shaker called for a “level playing field” for all digital players to spur investment. However, alongside calls to action, content players including MTN, Canal+ and Wi-flix spotlighted Africa’s rapid emergence as a creator economy, not just a consumer market. “We believe there is a big opportunity that we can unlock as Africans for Africans,” noted MTN Group GM of digital services, marketing and strategy, Rolivhuwa Maluma.

Samsung releases Galaxy XR, preps AI glasses

What happened: Samsung unveiled its first extended reality headset, the Galaxy XR, powered by Google’s new Android XR platform.

Why it matters: With its latest launch, Samsung Electronics stepped up its challenge to Apple’s Vision Pro. First, the Galaxy XR carries a price tag of $1,799, roughly half of Apple’s $3,499 Vision Pro. Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip, the 545g headset is also more than 25 per cent lighter than its rival. Samsung said the device integrates Google’s Gemini AI at system level, enabling intuitive voice, vision and gesture controls. Alongside the launch, the company teased a wider XR roadmap, including lighter AI eyeglasses in partnerships with Warby Parker and luxury eyewear brand Gentle Monster. Counterpoint senior analyst Flora Tang told Reuters that the Galaxy XR’s “more competitive price point” could lead it to “emerge as a strong contender in the premium VR segment, particularly within the enterprise market”.  According to the news outlet, research company Gartner forecasted the global head-mounted display market to rise 2.6 per cent to $7.3 billion next year, with most growth driven by lighter eyeglass-type AI devices such as Meta’s Ray-Ban smartglasses.