Elon Musk has played down reports that Starlink is developing its own smartphone, pushing back on claims the satellite operator is seeking new revenue streams through a proprietary handset.
The Indian government has granted international companies, including Apple, a tax break allowing them to supply machinery to contract manufacturing partners without triggering tax liabilities at selected sites for up to five years.
Global smartphone revenues climbed to a record US$135 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025, rising 7% year-on-year as higher prices and strong demand for premium devices offset ongoing pressure on shipments.
Technology company Cassava Technologies and intelligent network platform company AXON Networks have announced a strategic partnership to co-develop, deploy and manage what is described as Africa’s first end-to-end operator-as-a-service (OaaS) platform.
India’s smartphone market contracted by 7% in the fourth quarter of 2025, shipping 34.5 million units, as rising prices and sluggish demand weighed on consumer purchases, according to analyst house Omdia.
Taiwanese vendor Asus has reportedly shelved plans to develop new smartphones in 2026 as it pivots resources towards emerging “Physical AI” projects spanning smart glasses and robotics.
China Mobile Pakistan (CMPak, a.k.a. Zong 4G) says it has signed an MoU with ZTE and its authorised local distributor Siccotel to deliver affordable 5G smartphones to Pakistan ahead of an anticipated 5G spectrum auction next month.
Huawei has regained the title of China’s leading smartphone manufacturer for the first time in five years, narrowly edging ahead in a competitive market, according to Omdia.
Global smartphone shipments rose 2.3% year on year to 336.6 million units in the fourth quarter of 2025, shrugging off ongoing chip supply constraints and buoyed by sustained demand for premium devices.
Chinese smartphone maker Oppo is set to bring Realme back under its core brand structure as a sub-brand, as parent company BKK Electronics looks to better integrate resources and align its brand strategy alongside OnePlus.
Ethiopian Airlines Group, a leading African airline, has signed a strategic agreement with Nucore Technologies to advance its digital transformation efforts – and in particular to strengthen the services it offers via the platform it calls the Ethiopian Airlines’ Agency Portal.
As part of what appears to have been an upbeat overview of the country’s ICT sector the Egyptian Minister of Communications and Information Technology recently highlighted some ambitious plans for local phone production.
Pan-African technology group, Cassava Technologies and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools provider, Gebeya have reportedly collaborated to launch Gebeya Dala, a suite of AI tools aimed at enabling Africans to create digital content using Cassava’s data centres and infrastructure.
India has reversed course on its plan to require smartphone makers to pre-install its Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity app on new devices, following resistance from major vendors and concerns from digital rights groups.
Smartphones are now so ingrained in our lifestyles that we see them as our gateway to connectivity. In developed markets, society is increasingly structured on the reasonably accurate premise that everyone has access to a 4G device, but in emerging markets, it becomes apparent that smartphones are more of a luxury.
Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has inaugurated Oppo’s new smartphone factory, marking another milestone in the country’s expanding electronics manufacturing sector.
Ethio Telecom launched a new line of low-cost cloud-based smartphones on Thursday to not only boost uptake of its 4G network, but also address the problem of smartphone affordability that’s keeping millions of people from accessing digital services.
Omani operator Omantel has partnered with Decoil, an Omani AI startup described as a graduate of Omantel Innovation Labs – the company’s innovation arm dedicated to nurturing startups and accelerating technological breakthroughs – to co-develop Enterprise Brain, an AI-powered knowledge platform designed to enhance enterprise intelligence.
Malaysian operator U Mobile launched Device Care, a subscription service that allows postpaid and business customers to swap their smartphones for a different model, brand, or colour from MYR4 ($1) per month.
Drone technology continues to make inroads into developing markets, as recent news stories from the African Development Bank (ADB) and Movistar Chile indicate.
Smartphone shipments in Africa climbed 7% to 19.2 million units in Q2, continuing an upward trend fuelled by easing inflation and currency stability in key markets.
Globally, smartphone sales have been declining for the past few years, with emerging markets one of the few growth drivers. However, the cost of smartphones is a major barrier to adoption in these regions, and this has resulted in thriving grey markets for devices that are resold outside of official channels.
India’s smartphone market rebounded in Q2 2025, with shipments rising 7% year-on-year to reach 39 million units, following a sluggish first quarter.
The global smartphone market declined by 1% year-on-year in Q2 2025, marking the first quarterly drop in six quarters, according to analyst firm Canalys. The modest fall reflects continued subdued consumer demand across key markets.
Curaçao-headquartered data centre operator Blue NAP Americas has partnered with Radian Arc, a global GPU-based infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) provider, and North American telecoms consultancy Emerging International, to launch the first artificial intelligence IaaS (AI IaaS) platform for the Caribbean and Central America.
Telecom Egypt, the country's main telecom services operator, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Indian healthcare technology company KareXpert to launch a comprehensive digital healthcare platform managed through a secure national cloud hosted within Egypt.
Thai operator AIS has teamed up with Samsung and insurance provider Bolttech to launch a new smartphone and tablet protection service aimed at offering comprehensive support for device users.
Indonesian telco Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison announced on Wednesday it has signed a strategic MoU with Chinese phone maker Transsion Holdings to make affordable smart devices available to Indonesians, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
IDC has cut its forecast for global smartphone shipments in 2025 to just 0.6% growth (1.25 billion units) down from a previous projection of 2.3%, due to persistent economic uncertainty and volatility across many regions as key factors behind the revision.
Samsung executives appeared in an Indian court seeking to overturn US$81 million in penalties, part of a larger US$601 million tax bill levied over alleged import tax evasion.
The African smartphone market recorded its eighth consecutive quarter of growth, with shipments rising 6% year-on-year in Q1 2025 to reach 19.4 million units.
Xiaomi reportedly revealed plans to invest CNY50 billion (US$6.9 billion) over the next 10 years to develop its own mobile processors, and is set to unveil such chips this week.
According to analyst firm Canalys, the Southeast Asian smartphone market declined in Q1 2025, marking the end of five consecutive quarters of growth due to economic headwinds.
MTN has announced that it will offer up to 1.2 million of its prepaid subscribers an option to buy a 4G smartphone for just ZAR99 ($5.42).
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