EU could force Apple to ditch iPhone charger January 17, 2020 Apple could be forced to abandon the Lightning connector, as the European Parliament mulls the introduction of a common charger to fit all devices Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will debate the issue on Monday, calling for a charger that will “fit all mobile phones, tablets, e-book readers and other portable devices”. According to [...]
Google it: Alphabet hits $1 trillion landmark amid ad growth optimism January 17, 2020 Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has hit a landmark stock market valuation of $1 trillion (£760bn) for the first time. The company’s shares rose by 0.76 per cent yesterday, enough to make it the fourth US-listed company to hit the milestone. Shares ended the day valued at $1,450.16. Alphabet hit the valuation 22 years [...]
Amazon says UK tech tax could hit small businesses January 16, 2020 Amazon’s UK boss has played down concerns about a new tech tax, but warned the move could raise costs for small businesses using its platform. The government’s 11 March Budget is expected to include a digital services tax, which will charge a two per cent levy on the UK revenue of technology companies. Douglas Gurr, [...]
Sky boss calls for ‘urgency’ over social media regulation January 16, 2020 The UK should “inject some urgency” into its plans for a new internet regulator due to the societal damage caused by unchecked internet platforms, the boss of Sky has said. Jeremy Darroch called for ministers to tackle so-called online harms, warning that the “promise of self-regulation hasn’t worked”. “We only need to look back to [...]
British spooks ‘unlawfully collected data’ from telecoms firms January 16, 2020 The collection of communications data from telecoms firms by the UK’s security agencies breached EU law, a top lawyer has concluded. National security laws allow bodies such as MI5, MI6 and GCHQ to force mobile firms such as Vodafone and O2 to hand over data on customers. But in a preliminary opinion Campos Sanchez Bordona, [...]
European Investment Bank backs Uber rival Bolt with €50m January 16, 2020 The European Investment Bank (EIB) is to provide Bolt with €50m (£43m) financing to the help ride-hailing app develop its technologies. The financing, supported by the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), is to boost Bolt’s product development in areas where technology can improve the safety, reliability and sustainability of its services. Read more: Bolt [...]
Hyundai and Kia inject €100m in London electric vehicle scaleup January 16, 2020 Car making giants Hyundai and Kia will today reveal a €100m (£85.6m) in London-headquartered electric vehicle firm Arrival. The move will mark the beginning of a strategic partnership between the trio which will see Hyundai and Kia use the scaleup’s technology to develop mobility solutions and electrify their vehicles. Arrival, which has more than 800 [...]
KKR raises $2.2bn for second next-gen technology growth fund January 15, 2020 Investment firm KKR has closed its second Next Generation Technology Growth fund at $2.2bn (£1.7bn) — over three times the size of its predecessor. The fund will be dedicated to technology growth equity investment opportunities in Europe, North America and Israel, KKR said. Read more: World’s largest hedge fund sees gold price rising 30 per [...]
UK ‘must not let fox into the hen house’ with Huawei decision January 15, 2020 Boris Johnson has been warned not to “let the fox into the hen house” by allowing Huawei to build the UK’s 5G network. Tom Tugendhat, who is running for reelection as chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, today said the embattled telecoms giant was “integrally” part of the Chinese state and could not be trusted. [...]
London investor in Peloton and Goop raises third fund at $300m January 15, 2020 Venture capital firm Felix Capital has today revealed its third fund at $300m (£230.3m), targeting startups at both early and growth stages across London and beyond. The firm has previously invested in the likes of Deliveroo, Peloton and Mejuri, as well as Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand Goop. The new fund is double that of its [...]