Enterprise

Apple is buying Intel’s 5G modem business

For a billion dollars

Published

July 24, 2019

Luigi Leonardo

When are Apple’s iPhones getting 5G modems? For such a simple question, Apple has notoriously barreled through controversial hoops just for a conclusive deal. Notably, Qualcomm, a known modem supplier, kept barring the company from fulfilling its 5G dreams. The two companies buried the hatchet only a few months ago. The newfound peace treaty awakened a new multiyear deal, supposedly bringing Qualcomm’s 5G chips to the iPhone.

Despite the good news, the deal still carries a modicum of controversy and uncertainty. For one, Qualcomm is still a volatile business partner. The chipmaker infamously goes for quirky tactics to gain an upper hand. Just this week, the European Commission brought the hammer down against Qualcomm’s unfair pricing schemes.

Secondly, because of the deal, Qualcomm’s competitors suffered a huge blow in the 5G race. For example, Intel surrendered its efforts after the new deal’s inking. Before the deal, Apple was a steadfast customer of Intel’s chips. Even with uncertainty, Qualcomm is forging a subtle oligopoly in the modem race. (Samsung is still in the race.)

Unsurprisingly, some companies refuse to submit to the impending monopoly. However, Qualcomm’s newest defector comes as a huge surprise: Apple itself. Reported by The Wall Street Journal, Apple is finalizing a deal to acquire Intel’s modem business. For a staggering US$ 1 billion, the iPhone maker will acquire Intel’s slew of patents, resources, and staff. The deal will reportedly close as early as next week.

Naturally, Apple’s purchase will allow an eventual independence from its third-party suppliers. In the future, Apple might make its own 5G chips in-house rather than relying on Qualcomm. Right now, a 5G-capable iPhone is still in the works. Apple is eyeing a potential 2020 release date.

Enterprise

China starts banning AMD, Intel, and Windows

Only from government devices for now

Published

March 26, 2024

Luigi Leonardo

The ongoing trade war between the United States and China is putting a lot of companies out of business in one country. While all eyes are currently on America’s crusade against TikTok, China has launched a salvo of its own. The country has started banning AMD and Intel, starting with government devices.

Recently, as reported by the Financial Times, China has introduced a new rule that bans American chipsets and servers from government agencies. The new ban includes AMD, Intel, and Microsoft Windows.

In lieu of the now-banned brands, Chinese government agencies must use approved brands from a list of 18 Chinese manufacturers. Unsurprisingly, the list includes Huawei, another brand involved in the ongoing trade war. (Huawei is still banned on American soil.)

As with bans from America, China’s latest rules stem from a desire to implement national security. Both countries allege that using brands from the opposing side will open a potential avenue for transferring classified information.

Currently, the ban against the American chipsets are only affecting government devices. However, if it follows the same trajectory as Huawei and TikTok in the United States, a government-only ban might soon lead to an all-out ban on consumer devices. As TikTok is currently hanging in the balance, it’s unlikely that the trade wars will cool down anytime soon.

Enterprise

US sues Apple

For creating an illegal monopoly on smartphones

Published

March 22, 2024

Luigi Leonardo

So far, Apple’s greatest enemy has been the European Union. Months and months of claiming that the company engages in anti-competitive practices, the region has successfully caused Apple to drastically change a lot of things about the iPhone including the Lightning cable. Now, a new challenger wants Apple to answer for its supposed grip on the industry: the United States government.

Today, the Department of Justice is officially suing Apple for supposedly monopolizing the smartphone industry and stifling competition. The lawsuit alleges that Apple’s lineup of products prevent users from trying out other brands. For example, Apple limits how well a third-party smartwatch works on an iPhone, pushing users to go for an Apple Watch instead.

The lawsuit also includes an important pain point in Apple’s fight in Europe. It says that the company makes it difficult for iPhone users to communicate with Android users (and vice versa). Late last year, the company already committed to supporting RCS as a messaging standard, finally easing communication between the two systems. Their adoption has yet to arrive, though.

Though not as stringent as Europe, the American government is no slouch when it comes to questioning its own companies for pursuing anti-competitive practices. In the past, it went through Google and Spotify to protect the interests of its citizens. The lawsuit against Apple is no different, gathering signatures from sixteen states.

For Apple’s part, the company aims to get the case dismissed, alleging the lawsuit’s unfair scope of just the American people when it targets the entire world.

Enterprise

Google launches Gemini 1.5

Less than two months since Gemini 1.0

Published

February 16, 2024

Luigi Leonardo

With how technology is these days, it’s no surprise that the next big thing is always just over the horizon. However, these developments often happen year after year. Today, artificial intelligence is strapping a rocket to this already fast trend. Only a few months since the launch of Gemini, Google has already launched its successor, Gemini 1.5.

Launched only recently, Gemini is a marvel in itself. Prior to the model, Google was already a force in the AI world with Bard. Gemini takes the former model and improves an already impressive service. Currently, users — both in business and for personal use — can subscribe to the service.

Today, Google has confirmed that Gemini 1.5 is official. The company is touting how much more impressive the new version is, compared to its predecessor. For one, Gemini 1.5 Pro is just as powerful as the current Gemini Ultra, beating the latter on 87 percent of tests. The new version is reportedly more efficient in allocating only the necessary resources for queries, rather than the entire model.

Despite allocating resources, Gemini 1.5 can handle a million tokens at a time. For reference, Gemini Pro can only handle 32,000 tokens at a time. Basically, the new version can parse through a humungous chunk of data all at once without batting a digital eye. (Google is claiming that capabilities for 10 million tokens is nearing, too.)

If you want to see what a million tokens in the palm of your hand feels like, Gemini 1.5 is already available for developers and business users. However, a wider rollout is still coming soon.