COMPANY NEWS IN BRIEF

Starlink expanding direct-to-phone satellite offeringStarlink, the SpaceX subsidiary that uses low-Earth orbit satellites to provide broadband internet services globally, is intensifying efforts to offer direct-to-smartphone connectivity.According to a report by Techopedia, 13 of the 20 new satellites Starlink launched into orbit last week have direct-to-mobile capability.“Direct-to-mobile is a new and experimental concept that ... still faces a long road ahead for it to become fully viable,” the report said.Ten days prior to last week’s launch, on 8 June, Starlink sent another 20 satellites into orbit, with 13 of them also capable of direct-to-mobile connectivity.The drive by the Elon Musk-led company is to use its advanced launch capacity to establish dominance over other competitors in the direct-to-mobile market, which includes frontrunner Lynk Global, Amazon’s Project Kuiper and AST SpaceMobile, a Texas, US-based satellite provider that is 5% owned by Vodacom Group parent, the UK’s Vodafone Group.Most companies launching low-Earth orbit satellites – with Project Kuiper as a notable exception – use SpaceX as their launch partner.-TECHCENTRAL- Apple charged with breaching EU tech rules, faces another probeEuropean Union antitrust regulators charged on Monday that Apple breached the bloc's tech rules, a charge that could result in a hefty fine for the iPhone maker which also faces another investigation into new fees imposed on app developers.The European Commission, which is also the EU's antitrust and technology regulator, said it had sent its preliminary findings to Apple following an investigation launched in March.The charge against Apple is the first by the Commission under its landmark Digital Markets Act which seeks to rein in the power of Big Tech and ensure a level playing field for smaller rivals. It has until March next year to issue a final decision.DMA violations could result in a fine of as much as 10% of a company's global annual turnover.EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager cited issues with Apple's new terms, saying that they fell short of complying with the DMA. Apple can avoid a fine if it can address the concerns by modifying its business terms.The EU executive said it was also opening an investigation into the iPhone maker over its new contractual requirements for third-party app developers and app stores and whether these were necessary and proportionate.At issue is its core technology fee, the multi-step user journey to download and install alternative app stores on iPhones and the eligibility requirements for developers to offer alternative app stores or directly distribute apps from the web on iPhones.Apple rolled out the new fees in March in the EU, which include the core technology fee to major app developers even if they do not use any of its payment services, prompting criticism from "Fortnite" creator Epic Games and others.Vestager also criticised Apple's announcement last week that it would delay the launch of its AI-powered features of its AI-powered features in the EU which the company blamed on the DMA. Vestager said that it seemed that Apple suggested that its AI integration may be anti-competitive.-REUTERS Prosus writes off its 9.6% stake in India's Byju’sTech investor Prosus NV said it has written off the fair value of its 9.6% stake in Indian edtech firm Byju's during the financial year 2024, making the Dutch firm the first to fully write-off its investment in the troubled startup.Prosus cites the write off to "the significant decrease in value for equity investors".Byju's was once India's most promising startup, valued at $22 billion in 2022. However, financial, legal and operational problems has eroded almost all of its valuation.Earlier this year, a group of shareholders in the company, including Prosus, called to oust the company's founders and force a change of leadership, quoting concern about the "future stability" of the company.A fair value loss of $493 million was recognized in other comprehensive income during the year, Prosus added in its annual report.Prosus had cut its valuation in Byju's in November to under $3 billion, 86% less than its peak valuation of $22 billion, after the company struggled with governance and cash-flow problems.-REUTERS-China's ByteDance working with Broadcom to develop advanced AI chipChina's ByteDance is working with U.S. chip designer Broadcom on developing an advanced AI processor, two sources familiar with the matter said, a move that would help TikTok's owner secure sufficient supply of high-end chips amid U.S.-Sino tensions.The 5 nanometre chip - a customised product known as an application-specific integrated chip (ASIC) - would be compliant with U.S. export restrictions and manufacturing work would be outsourced to Taiwan's TSMC, the sources added.There have been no publicly announced chip development collaborations between Chinese and U.S. companies involving 5nm or more advanced technology since Washington introduced export controls for cutting-edge semiconductors in 2022. U.S.-China deals in the sector generally concern much less sophisticated tech.ByteDance's tie-up with Broadcom, an existing business partner, would help slash procurement costs and ensure a stable supply of higher-end chips, said the sources, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of semiconductor issues in China.ByteDance and Broadcom have been business partners since at least 2022. The Chinese firm has purchased the U.S. company's Tomahawk 5nm high-performance switch chip as well as its Bailly switch for AI computer clusters, Broadcom has said in public statements.To support its AI push, ByteDance has stockpiled Nvidia chips, according to a separate person who was briefed on the matter.This includes A100 and H100 chips available before the first round of U.S. sanctions kicked in as well as A800 and H800 chips that Nvidia made for the China market but were also later restricted, the person said, adding that ByteDance allocated $2 billion for purchases of Nvidia chips last year.ByteDance also purchased Huawei's Ascend 910B chips last year, two separate sources with knowledge of the matter said.Bytedance currently has hundreds of semiconductor-related job openings posted, including 15 for ASIC chip designers, according to checks of its website.It has also been poaching top people from other Chinese AI chip firms, according to one of the sources who has direct knowledge of this issue.-REUTERS- -REUTERS-

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