Microsoft opens flagship London store on Oxford Circus July 11, 2019 Microsoft opened its flagship store on Oxford Circus today, marking the US tech giant’s first major retail location in Europe. The new store offers a string of hands-on customer experiences, including a McLaren Senna racing car experience, a gaming lounge and a digital learning hub offering coding lessons for children. Read more: Microsoft and Oracle [...]
BBC appoints new Radio 4 controller as it doubles down on Sounds July 9, 2019 The BBC has appointed Mohit Bakaya as the new controller of Radio 4, as the current boss of 5 Live takes over the broadcaster’s troubled on-demand service BBC Sounds. Bakaya, who currently serves as commissioning editor for factual at Radio 4, will take over from Gwyneth Williams, who has led the corporation’s flagship station since [...]
Inheritance tax faces a shake-up with number of proposed changes July 6, 2019 Under proposed changes to the inheritance tax, the current rules on gift-giving could be cut down from seven years to five. A review of the system ordered by chancellor Philip Hammond claimed the period in which executors are required to account for gifts given within seven years of death should be reduced to five. Read [...]
Fintech champions face an uphill climb if they want to expand into America July 4, 2019 When did you last pay with a cheque? I’d be willing to bet that many of you don’t even know where your cheque book is, and if you do, that it’s probably gathering dust. If you’re living and working in a UK city, you’re totally accustomed to new ways of banking – from Apple Pay [...]
Saudi Aramco holds talks to restart IPO plans July 2, 2019 Saudi Arabia has restarted plans to float its biggest asset, it has been reported, after the Saudi Aramco IPO was put on hold last year. The company, which is the world’s most profitable, has discussed a potential initial public offering (IPO) with bankers, according to Bloomberg. Read more: Saudi Aramco beats records as investors bid [...]
Apple boss Tim Cook brands reports he fell out with designer Jony Ive ‘absurd’ July 2, 2019 Apple chief executive Tim Cook has hit out at reports he fell out with departing design chief Sir Jony Ive, calling the claims “absurd”. Ive, the British designer behind the iPhone, iPod and iMac, announced last week he was leaving Apple to set up an independent design company. A report in the Wall Street Journal [...]
China wants to create a tech landscape where the US can no longer hurt it July 2, 2019 Global markets have rallied on the reignition of trade talks between the US and China, after the meeting between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping at the weekend. But analysts say China is already adapting to the changing business landscape, and that trade – and particularly, technological – relations will never be the same again. Meeting [...]
Boris is a disruptive dreamer – and that’s what Britain needs July 1, 2019 The feel good factor is to politicians what the lost ark was to Indiana Jones. Much coveted, difficult to find, and once found, very tricky to keep hold of. The latest politician to don the fedora and crack the bullwhip is Boris Johnson, the man who, back in 2012, achieved the ultimate in feel good [...]
Apple’s tax bill slashed by more than half June 30, 2019 Apple’s tax bill for its chain of 38 stores across the UK more than halved last year, despite an EU mandate to pay back taxes and interest amounting to €14bn (£12.5bn). The Californian tech giant’s retail arm paid just £3.8m in tax in the 12 months to the end of September last year, falling from [...]
Apple loses $10bn as iPhone designer Sir Jony Ive steps down June 28, 2019 The British designer behind the iPhone, iPod and iMac is set to leave Apple after nearly three decades, wiping roughly $10bn (£7.9bn) off the company’s value. Chief design officer Sir Jony Ive, who played a key role in turning Apple into the world’s most valuable company, will step down later this year to start an [...]