Proof perhaps that AI and satcoms can have practical applications in everyday situations comes from Mexico where Google and Fester, a building material company, which have together launched a platform in Mexico that uses AI to help support efforts to make cities cooler.
The Latin American smartphone market recorded 34.8 million smartphone shipments in Q1 2026, representing 3% year-on-year growth, defying broader global declines driven by rising memory component costs.
The Southeast Asian smartphone market declined 9% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, as vendors raised device prices to protect margins amid rising memory chipset costs.
Chinese device OEM Honor announced on Thursday it is partnering with Netherlands-based digital mobile service provider OWN eSIM to enable smartphone users in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to access digital services internationally.
Smartphone financing is back in the news again – this time via a smartphone credit scheme launched across parts of Somalia.
Last week, we examined how Orange Group is building ecosystems across its MEA footprint through its Digital Centres initiative – but these training spaces are not the only pillar of Orange’s strategy in the region.
Nigerian finance firm Credit Direct says it has signed an MoU with Chinese handset maker Vivo Nigeria to make the company’s smartphones more affordable.
ZTE revealed on Monday it has signed a strategic cooperation MoU with Kazakh telco Kcell covering smartphones and fixed wireless access (FWA) terminals, which also marks a major push by the Chinese vendor into the Kazakhstan market.
ZTE Corporation, a global leading provider of integrated information and communication technology solutions, announced the debut of its groundbreaking Linkpro plus Wi-Fi 8 home networking solution at MWC Barcelona 2026.
nubia unveiled its nubia Neo 5 series at MWC Barcelona 2026, led by nubia Neo 5 GT - the only device in its class featuring a built-in fan and a completely flat design, alongside the more accessible nubia Neo 5 and nubia Neo 5 Max boasting a 7.5-inch large display.
The GSMA Handset Affordability Coalition signed an MoU with the Africa Group of Six (G6) operators on Tuesday to introduce US$40 entry-level 4G smartphones in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda this year.
Mobile connectivity solutions specialist SIMO has announced the expansion of its carrier enablement strategy to power resilient, multi-network enterprise fixed wireless access (FWA) deployments for both primary and backup applications.
Red Hat, a leading provider of open source solutions, has announced during MWC that operator Vodafone Oman is further advancing its digital transformation by standardising its IT infrastructure on Red Hat’s cloud-native platform.
Wind River, a leading name in software for the intelligent edge, has announced at WMC26 that it is collaborating with semiconductor company AMD on AI and RANs.
The global smartphone market is forecast to decline by 13% in 2026, as a prolonged memory chip shortage weighs heavily on production and margins, according to analyst house IDC.
New research from consulting group Omdia shows Africa’s smartphone market closed 2025 on a strong note. But will this trend continue into 2026? The news there is less positive.
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.
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