<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/3-russians-1-ukrainian-behind-mh17-flight-crash-over-ukraine-in-2014-investigators-228694">3 Russians, 1 Ukrainian behind MH17 flight crash over Ukraine in 2014: Investigators</a>

Investigators today named three Russian suspects and one Ukranian behind the MH17 flight which crashed over Ukraine in July, 2014.

All 298 passengers on board the Malaysia Airlines plane were killed which included 15 crew members.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-indias-shikhar-dhawan-ruled-out-due-to-thumb-fracture-228686">World Cup: India's Shikhar Dhawan ruled out due to thumb fracture</a>

India's first choice opener Shikhar Dhawan has been ruled out of the Cricket World Cup 2019 after failing to recover from a hairline fracture on his left thumb.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/apple-explores-moving-15-30-of-production-capacity-from-china-to-southeast-asia-report-228703">Apple explores moving 15-30% production from China; India, Vietnam to benefit: Report</a>

Apple Inc has asked its major suppliers to assess the cost implications of moving 15%-30% of their production capacity from China to Southeast Asia as it prepares for a restructuring of its supply chain, according to a Nikkei Asian Review report on Wednesday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-not-give-europe-more-time-to-save-nuclear-deal-iran-228674">Will not give Europe more time to save nuclear deal: Iran</a>

Iran said on Wednesday it would not give European powers more time beyond July 8 to save its nuclear deal by shielding it from US sanctions.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/evidence-suggests-saudi-crown-prince-is-liable-for-khashoggi-murder-un-expert-228685">Evidence suggests Saudi Crown Prince is liable for Khashoggi murder: UN expert</a>

Evidence suggests Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other senior Saudi officials are liable for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a UN rights investigator said on Wednesday.

&nbsp;

3 Russians, 1 Ukrainian behind MH17 flight crash over Ukraine in 2014: Investigators Investigators today named three Russian suspects and one Ukranian behind the MH17 flight which crashed over Ukraine in July, 2014.

3 Russians, 1 Ukrainian behind MH17 flight crash over Ukraine in 2014: Investigators Investigators today named three Russian suspects and one Ukranian behind the MH17 flight which crashed over Ukraine in July, 2014. All 298 passengers on board the Malaysia Airlines plane were killed which included 15 crew members. World Cup: India's Shikhar Dhawan ruled out due to thumb fracture India's first choice opener Shikhar Dhawan has been ruled out of the Cricket World Cup 2019 after failing to recover from a hairline fracture on his left thumb. Apple explores moving 15-30% production from China; India, Vietnam to benefit: Report Apple Inc has asked its major suppliers to assess the cost implications of moving 15%-30% of their production capacity from China to Southeast Asia as it prepares for a restructuring of its supply chain, according to a Nikkei Asian Review report on Wednesday. Will not give Europe more time to save nuclear deal: Iran Iran said on Wednesday it would not give European powers more time beyond July 8 to save its nuclear deal by shielding it from US sanctions. Evidence suggests Saudi Crown Prince is liable for Khashoggi murder: UN expert Evidence suggests Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other senior Saudi officials are liable for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a UN rights investigator said on Wednesday.

News brief: Big stories of the day

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/game-of-tech-apple-google-facebook-who-will-win-392">Apple</a> Inc has asked its major suppliers to assess the cost implications of moving 15%-30% of their production capacity from China to Southeast Asia as it prepares for a restructuring of its supply chain, according to a Nikkei Asian Review report on Wednesday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/will-apples-roots-in-china-hold-fast-amid-political-storm-222619">Apple</a>'s request was a result of the extended <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explaining-the-us-china-trade-war-which-grabbed-spotlight-in-2018-185043">Sino-US trade dispute</a>, but a trade resolution will not lead to a change in the company's decision, Nikkei said, citing multiple sources.

The iPhone maker has decided the risks of depending heavily on manufacturing in China are too great and even rising, it said.

Key iPhone assemblers Foxconn, Pegatron Corp, Wistron Corp, major MacBook maker Quanta Computer Inc, iPad maker Compal Electronics Inc, and AirPods makers Inventec Corp, Luxshare-ICT and Goertek have been asked to evaluate options outside of China, Nikkei reported.

The countries being considered include Mexico, India, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia. India and Vietnam are among the favourites for smartphones, Nikkei said, citing sources who did not want to be identified as the discussions are private.

Last week, Foxconn said it had enough capacity outside China to meet Apple's demand in the American market if the company needed to adjust its production lines, as US President Donald Trump threatened to slap further $300 billion tariffs on Chinese goods.

China is a key market for Apple as well as a major production center for its devices.

A group of more than 30 people from Apple's capital expense studies team have been negotiating production plans with suppliers and governments over monetary incentives that could be offered to lure Apple manufacturing, the report said.

A deadline has not been set for the suppliers to finalise their business proposals, Nikkei said, adding that it would take at least 18 months to begin production after choosing a location.

Apple and Foxconn did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.

Apple Inc has asked its major suppliers to assess the cost implications of moving 15%-30% of their production capacity from China to Southeast Asia as it prepares for a restructuring of its supply chain, according to a Nikkei Asian Review report on Wednesday.

Apple Inc has asked its major suppliers to assess the cost implications of moving 15%-30% of their production capacity from China to Southeast Asia as it prepares for a restructuring of its supply chain, according to a Nikkei Asian Review report on Wednesday. Apple's request was a result of the extended Sino-US trade dispute, but a trade resolution will not lead to a change in the company's decision, Nikkei said, citing multiple sources. The iPhone maker has decided the risks of depending heavily on manufacturing in China are too great and even rising, it said. Key iPhone assemblers Foxconn, Pegatron Corp, Wistron Corp, major MacBook maker Quanta Computer Inc, iPad maker Compal Electronics Inc, and AirPods makers Inventec Corp, Luxshare-ICT and Goertek have been asked to evaluate options outside of China, Nikkei reported. The countries being considered include Mexico, India, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia. India and Vietnam are among the favourites for smartphones, Nikkei said, citing sources who did not want to be identified as the discussions are private. Last week, Foxconn said it had enough capacity outside China to meet Apple's demand in the American market if the company needed to adjust its production lines, as US President Donald Trump threatened to slap further $300 billion tariffs on Chinese goods. China is a key market for Apple as well as a major production center for its devices. A group of more than 30 people from Apple's capital expense studies team have been negotiating production plans with suppliers and governments over monetary incentives that could be offered to lure Apple manufacturing, the report said. A deadline has not been set for the suppliers to finalise their business proposals, Nikkei said, adding that it would take at least 18 months to begin production after choosing a location. Apple and Foxconn did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.

Apple explores moving 15-30% production from China; India, Vietnam to benefit: Report

Apple on Monday announced enhanced privacy features as it harmonised software across its lineup of devices while dropping its groundbreaking iTunes store as it gears up for new kinds of digital content.

Apple chief Tim Cook and other executives focused on privacy features as they unveiled software improvements for iPhones, iPads, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Mac computers at the technology giant's annual gathering of developers in Silicon Valley.

The company also revealed the demise of the iTunes online shop that changed the music industry.

"The future of iTunes is not one app, it's three," said Apple senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi.

"Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and Apple TV."

Launched in 2001, iTunes was the online shop to buy and download digital songs for Apple iPod players.

Lifestyles have since shifted to streaming music, video, podcasts, and more from the internet cloud as online data centres and high-bandwidth connections have given rise to on-demand entertainment expectations.

Apple has made a priority of selling digital content and services to the vast, global audience of people who use its devices as it seeks to wean itself off iPhone sales in a cooling smartphone market.

The audience at the Worldwide Developers Conference audience cheered for executives and improvements that promised to make it easier to make apps for Apple devices.

Next-generation iOS software powering iPhones coming out later this year was reworked "top to bottom" to be faster, according to Federighi.

Privacy protections being added to iOS mobile operating software included providing the option of giving apps permission to access location just once, instead of all the time, and letting users know when apps are tracking their whereabouts.

A new "Sign In With Apple" feature will be launched as an alternative to logging in using Facebook or Google accounts.

"This can be convenient, but it can also come at the cost of your privacy," Federighi said.

"These log-ins can be used to track you."

The iOS log-in feature will let people sign into apps using AppleID information, but provides the option of masking user names or email addresses with randomly generated information.

"The entire experience is meant to help you have control over your data," Federighi said, to applause.

"A lot of love for random addresses here."

Apple also announced changes that will make iPads easier to use as auxiliary screens for Mac computers, and even perform a bit more like laptops themselves with capabilities like multiple windows operating simultaneously.

Apple also unveiled a new Mac Pro high-performance desktop computer aimed at professions, with a starting price of $5,999.

"It has a truly gorgeous design and remarkable performance to match," Cook said of Mac Pro.

Apple previewed its iOS 13 for its mobile devices, which includes a "dark mode," an upgraded maps application and faster access through its facial recognition sign-on.

Apple on Monday announced enhanced privacy features as it harmonised software across its lineup of devices while dropping its groundbreaking iTunes store as it gears up for new kinds of digital content.

Apple on Monday announced enhanced privacy features as it harmonised software across its lineup of devices while dropping its groundbreaking iTunes store as it gears up for new kinds of digital content. Apple chief Tim Cook and other executives focused on privacy features as they unveiled software improvements for iPhones, iPads, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Mac computers at the technology giant's annual gathering of developers in Silicon Valley. The company also revealed the demise of the iTunes online shop that changed the music industry. "The future of iTunes is not one app, it's three," said Apple senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi. "Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and Apple TV." Launched in 2001, iTunes was the online shop to buy and download digital songs for Apple iPod players. Lifestyles have since shifted to streaming music, video, podcasts, and more from the internet cloud as online data centres and high-bandwidth connections have given rise to on-demand entertainment expectations. Apple has made a priority of selling digital content and services to the vast, global audience of people who use its devices as it seeks to wean itself off iPhone sales in a cooling smartphone market. The audience at the Worldwide Developers Conference audience cheered for executives and improvements that promised to make it easier to make apps for Apple devices. Next-generation iOS software powering iPhones coming out later this year was reworked "top to bottom" to be faster, according to Federighi. Privacy protections being added to iOS mobile operating software included providing the option of giving apps permission to access location just once, instead of all the time, and letting users know when apps are tracking their whereabouts. A new "Sign In With Apple" feature will be launched as an alternative to logging in using Facebook or Google accounts. "This can be convenient, but it can also come at the cost of your privacy," Federighi said. "These log-ins can be used to track you." The iOS log-in feature will let people sign into apps using AppleID information, but provides the option of masking user names or email addresses with randomly generated information. "The entire experience is meant to help you have control over your data," Federighi said, to applause. "A lot of love for random addresses here." Apple also announced changes that will make iPads easier to use as auxiliary screens for Mac computers, and even perform a bit more like laptops themselves with capabilities like multiple windows operating simultaneously. Apple also unveiled a new Mac Pro high-performance desktop computer aimed at professions, with a starting price of $5,999. "It has a truly gorgeous design and remarkable performance to match," Cook said of Mac Pro. Apple previewed its iOS 13 for its mobile devices, which includes a "dark mode," an upgraded maps application and faster access through its facial recognition sign-on.

Apple drops iTunes, previews iOS 13 'dark mode' for mobile devices in developers conference

More than 200 of the world's largest listed companies forecast that climate change could cost them a combined total of almost $1 trillion, with much of the pain due in the next five years, according to a report published on Tuesday.

Even so, the findings by charity CDP suggested many companies still underestimated the dangers as scientists warn that earth's climate system is on course to hit catastrophic tipping points without rapid cuts in carbon emissions.

"Most companies still have a long way to go in terms of properly assessing climate risk," said Nicolette Bartlett, CDP's director of climate change, who authored the report.

Founded in the early 2000s, CDP - formerly known as Carbon Disclosure Project - is a respected voice in a growing coalition of pressure groups, fund managers, central bankers and politicians who believe global warming poses a systemic risk to the financial system.

By pushing chief executives to confront risks to their operations, advocates of greater disclosure hope to spur enough investment in cleaner industries to cut carbon emissions in time to meet global climate goals.

In its latest study, CDP analysed survey data from 215 of the largest companies, ranging from Apple and Microsoft to Unilever, UBS, Nestle, China Mobile, Infosys, Sony and BHP.

The companies anticipated a total of $970 billion in extra costs due to factors including hotter temperatures, chaotic weather, and pricing of greenhouse gas emissions. About half of these costs were seen as "likely to virtually certain."

Many companies also saw a huge potential upside if the world can de-carbonise in time to avert the bleakest climate scenarios, which scientists see as an existential risk to industrial civilisation.

The companies in the CDP study, which have a combined market capitalisation of roughly $17 trillion, saw potential opportunities worth $2.1 trillion, spanning faster-than-expected demand for electric vehicles to investments in renewables.

The great transition

Investor concerns over climate risk have risen sharply in parallel with an upsurge in climate activism in many countries as the heat waves, droughts, wildfires and super-storms fuelled by climate change have become harder to ignore.

In April, Bank of England Governor Mark Carney and Francois Villeroy de Galhau, head of the French central bank, warned of the risk of a climate-driven "Minsky moment" – a sudden collapse in asset prices - unless business embraced greater disclosure.

The CDP aligns its questionnaires with the reporting requirements of the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, a voluntary initiative launched by the G20 in 2015, which is due to publish a status report on Wednesday.

British-based CDP acknowledges its research cannot provide a perfect snapshot of companies' thinking since a lack of mandatory reporting requirements on climate risk means it has to rely on whatever figures executives are willing to share.

The charity argues, however, that the degree to which companies are willing to engage provides a yardstick to judge the relative transparency of different sectors and generates peer pressure for greater disclosure.

Although no sector was entirely transparent on climate risk, financial services companies tended to be among the most forthcoming respondents, CDP said, accounting for about 70-80 per cent of the estimated costs and opportunities.

Fossil fuel companies who submitted responses to the study reported $140 billion of potential opportunities in the drive towards a low-carbon economy - more than five times the $25 billion value of the risks they identified, CDP said.

With climate action focused on limiting the burning of coal, oil and gas, CDP urged investors to question why fossil players seemed so confident of benefiting from an energy transition that would render their existing business models obsolete.

"The financial sector seems to be identifying more risks than the real economy," said Pedro Faria, a strategic advisor to CDP. "This raises the question: who is managing these risks?"

More than 200 of the world's largest listed companies forecast that climate change could cost them a combined total of almost $1 trillion, with much of the pain due in the next five years, according to a report published on Tuesday.

More than 200 of the world's largest listed companies forecast that climate change could cost them a combined total of almost $1 trillion, with much of the pain due in the next five years, according to a report published on Tuesday. Even so, the findings by charity CDP suggested many companies still underestimated the dangers as scientists warn that earth's climate system is on course to hit catastrophic tipping points without rapid cuts in carbon emissions. "Most companies still have a long way to go in terms of properly assessing climate risk," said Nicolette Bartlett, CDP's director of climate change, who authored the report. Founded in the early 2000s, CDP - formerly known as Carbon Disclosure Project - is a respected voice in a growing coalition of pressure groups, fund managers, central bankers and politicians who believe global warming poses a systemic risk to the financial system. By pushing chief executives to confront risks to their operations, advocates of greater disclosure hope to spur enough investment in cleaner industries to cut carbon emissions in time to meet global climate goals. In its latest study, CDP analysed survey data from 215 of the largest companies, ranging from Apple and Microsoft to Unilever, UBS, Nestle, China Mobile, Infosys, Sony and BHP. The companies anticipated a total of $970 billion in extra costs due to factors including hotter temperatures, chaotic weather, and pricing of greenhouse gas emissions. About half of these costs were seen as "likely to virtually certain." Many companies also saw a huge potential upside if the world can de-carbonise in time to avert the bleakest climate scenarios, which scientists see as an existential risk to industrial civilisation. The companies in the CDP study, which have a combined market capitalisation of roughly $17 trillion, saw potential opportunities worth $2.1 trillion, spanning faster-than-expected demand for electric vehicles to investments in renewables. The great transition Investor concerns over climate risk have risen sharply in parallel with an upsurge in climate activism in many countries as the heat waves, droughts, wildfires and super-storms fuelled by climate change have become harder to ignore. In April, Bank of England Governor Mark Carney and Francois Villeroy de Galhau, head of the French central bank, warned of the risk of a climate-driven "Minsky moment" – a sudden collapse in asset prices - unless business embraced greater disclosure. The CDP aligns its questionnaires with the reporting requirements of the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, a voluntary initiative launched by the G20 in 2015, which is due to publish a status report on Wednesday. British-based CDP acknowledges its research cannot provide a perfect snapshot of companies' thinking since a lack of mandatory reporting requirements on climate risk means it has to rely on whatever figures executives are willing to share. The charity argues, however, that the degree to which companies are willing to engage provides a yardstick to judge the relative transparency of different sectors and generates peer pressure for greater disclosure. Although no sector was entirely transparent on climate risk, financial services companies tended to be among the most forthcoming respondents, CDP said, accounting for about 70-80 per cent of the estimated costs and opportunities. Fossil fuel companies who submitted responses to the study reported $140 billion of potential opportunities in the drive towards a low-carbon economy - more than five times the $25 billion value of the risks they identified, CDP said. With climate action focused on limiting the burning of coal, oil and gas, CDP urged investors to question why fossil players seemed so confident of benefiting from an energy transition that would render their existing business models obsolete. "The financial sector seems to be identifying more risks than the real economy," said Pedro Faria, a strategic advisor to CDP. "This raises the question: who is managing these risks?"

World's biggest firms foresee $1 trillion climate cost hit

The US Department of Justice is preparing an antitrust investigation of Internet titan <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-facebook-twitter-rapped-for-not-doing-enough-in-european-union-fake-news-fight-219412">Google</a>, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

The Journal cited unnamed sources close to the matter as saying the department would look into Google practices related to web search and other businesses.

Justice Department officials share antitrust oversight with the Federal Trade Commission, which conducted a wide-ranging investigation of its own into Alphabet-owned Google that ended in 2013 with no action taken.

Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A new investigation would come as backlash grows against major tech companies that dominate key segments of the online economy.

Democratic presidential candidate <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elizabeth-warren-builds-largest-united-states-presidential-campaign-staff-210823">Elizabeth Warren</a> has argued that big firms such as Facebook, Google and Apple should be broken up through antitrust enforcement.

Alphabet's profit in the first three months of this year sagged under the weight of a hefty antitrust fine in the European Union.

Alphabet said profit in the first quarter fell 29 per cent to $6.7 billion on revenue that climbed 17 per cent to $36.3 billion.

The earnings took a hit from a European Commission fine that amounted to $1.7 billion at the end of March, according to the quarterly update.

Google's lucrative advertising platform remained the largest revenue driver for Alphabet, delivering more than $30 billion in revenue, but costs rose sharply as well.

But Google continues to face pressure around the world from regulators, notably in Europe amid multiple investigations over alleged abuse of its dominance in internet search, advertising and its mobile system.

Watch: Google introduced two new privacy features

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The latest fine imposed by Brussels cited Google's AdSense advertising service, saying it illegally restricted client websites from displaying messages from ad service rivals.

Google is separately working to satisfy EU regulators investigating its hugely popular Android devices following a $5 billion fine last year.

Google earlier this year said it would offer smartphone users five browsers and search engines as part of the company's effort to meet EU competition concerns.

Brussels accused Google of using the Android system's dominance of smartphones and tablets to promote the use of its own Google search engine and Chrome browser and shut out rivals.

In the United States, Google has been a target of President Donald Trump and his allies who have accused the search giant of "bias" and silencing conservative voices, claims denied by the Silicon Valley firm.

The US Department of Justice is preparing an antitrust investigation of Internet titan Google, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. The Journal cited unnamed sources close to the matter as saying the department would look into Google practices related to web search and other businesses.

The US Department of Justice is preparing an antitrust investigation of Internet titan Google, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. The Journal cited unnamed sources close to the matter as saying the department would look into Google practices related to web search and other businesses. Justice Department officials share antitrust oversight with the Federal Trade Commission, which conducted a wide-ranging investigation of its own into Alphabet-owned Google that ended in 2013 with no action taken. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A new investigation would come as backlash grows against major tech companies that dominate key segments of the online economy. Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has argued that big firms such as Facebook, Google and Apple should be broken up through antitrust enforcement. Alphabet's profit in the first three months of this year sagged under the weight of a hefty antitrust fine in the European Union. Alphabet said profit in the first quarter fell 29 per cent to $6.7 billion on revenue that climbed 17 per cent to $36.3 billion. The earnings took a hit from a European Commission fine that amounted to $1.7 billion at the end of March, according to the quarterly update. Google's lucrative advertising platform remained the largest revenue driver for Alphabet, delivering more than $30 billion in revenue, but costs rose sharply as well. But Google continues to face pressure around the world from regulators, notably in Europe amid multiple investigations over alleged abuse of its dominance in internet search, advertising and its mobile system. Watch: Google introduced two new privacy features × The latest fine imposed by Brussels cited Google's AdSense advertising service, saying it illegally restricted client websites from displaying messages from ad service rivals. Google is separately working to satisfy EU regulators investigating its hugely popular Android devices following a $5 billion fine last year. Google earlier this year said it would offer smartphone users five browsers and search engines as part of the company's effort to meet EU competition concerns. Brussels accused Google of using the Android system's dominance of smartphones and tablets to promote the use of its own Google search engine and Chrome browser and shut out rivals. In the United States, Google has been a target of President Donald Trump and his allies who have accused the search giant of "bias" and silencing conservative voices, claims denied by the Silicon Valley firm.

US preparing antitrust probe of Google: Report

Apple is seen as a prime target for retaliation over US moves against the Chinese tech giant Huawei, but the roots planted by the company in China should help it weather the storm, analysts say.

While Beijing may take aim at Apple in the countries' high-stakes trade war, experts believe that the company's size, cachet, and years spent cultivating business relationships in China should protect it from any direct retaliation.

"As the US pounds on Huawei, Apple is the likely target for China to pound back," technology analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group said.

"As the trade war accelerates, then Apple and Huawei are the two firms likely to get the damage," he said.

Huawei has been thrust to the centre of escalating tensions between the world's two top economies, which have exchanged tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars in two-way trade.

President Donald Trump's administration has infuriated Beijing by blacklisting the smartphone and telecommunications company over worries that China uses it as a tool for espionage and allegations of breaking Iran-related sanctions -- charges the company has denied.

Trump has said that Huawei's fate could be included in any deal to resolve their trade war, but such a deal has proved elusive, and in the interim, tensions remain high.

The company is considered a "national treasure" in China, and Apple has similar status in the US, said Enderle.

"It is always difficult dealing with companies considered national treasures," he said.

"There is certainly a risk of this escalating beyond reason."

Points in Apple's favour

But Apple has various factors in its favour.

Increasing costs or crimping production for Apple directly in China could cause self-inflicted wounds, since much of the company's manufacturing is done there and jobs could be lost, analysts say.

Playing into nationalist sentiment that shunning Apple is a sign of Chinese loyalty is something the government "could get away with," Enderle said.

But boycotts of Apple products that began in China last year due to the US's treatment of Huawei had no meaningful impact on the American company, according to Creative Strategies analyst Carolina Milanesi.

And in a Bloomberg interview on Monday, the chief executive of Huawei said he was against the idea of calling for a boycott of Apple products in China.

"At the end of the day, there is a lot that Apple is doing in China from an economy perspective that helps China," Milanesi said.

"I struggle to see China using Apple as a way to retaliate against the US."

On its website, Apple says it has created five million jobs in China, three million of which were related to contractors and investment.

A million of those jobs were its staff, and about 1.8 million were through the App Store ecosystem for developers who make digital content or services for its mobile devices, the company said.

Targeting Trump's base?&nbsp;

And while hampering Apple product production in China would hurt that country's economy, forcing up the price of iPhones exported to the US would not be much of a political blow against the Trump administration, according to Forrester analyst Frank Gillett.

"The Chinese government is more likely to target the Trump base," Gillet said.

"Hitting a California-based company doesn't seem to give them a lot of leverage, it makes more sense to go after agriculture and everyday stuff."

Analysts also noted that Apple chief Tim Cook ran supply chain logistics for the company before succeeding the late co-founder Steve Jobs at the helm in 2011.

"Tim Cook knows the culture in China and has worked very closely understanding how to tread carefully to make more of an impact there," Milanesi said.

Cook's supply chain expertise also makes him an ideal executive to figure out ways to move manufacturing out of China if the need arises.

Apple's rise to one of the world's most valuable companies has involved cultivating strong relationships with Asian suppliers and manufacturers such as Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group and Pegatron.

"Everybody and their brother is trying to find ways to ship manufacturing out of China," Enderle said.

"Tim Cook was a logistics guy, so if anyone can do this well it should be him." 
&nbsp;

Apple is seen as a prime target for retaliation over US moves against the Chinese tech giant Huawei, but the roots planted by the company in China should help it weather the storm, analysts say.

Apple is seen as a prime target for retaliation over US moves against the Chinese tech giant Huawei, but the roots planted by the company in China should help it weather the storm, analysts say. While Beijing may take aim at Apple in the countries' high-stakes trade war, experts believe that the company's size, cachet, and years spent cultivating business relationships in China should protect it from any direct retaliation. "As the US pounds on Huawei, Apple is the likely target for China to pound back," technology analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group said. "As the trade war accelerates, then Apple and Huawei are the two firms likely to get the damage," he said. Huawei has been thrust to the centre of escalating tensions between the world's two top economies, which have exchanged tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars in two-way trade. President Donald Trump's administration has infuriated Beijing by blacklisting the smartphone and telecommunications company over worries that China uses it as a tool for espionage and allegations of breaking Iran-related sanctions -- charges the company has denied. Trump has said that Huawei's fate could be included in any deal to resolve their trade war, but such a deal has proved elusive, and in the interim, tensions remain high. The company is considered a "national treasure" in China, and Apple has similar status in the US, said Enderle. "It is always difficult dealing with companies considered national treasures," he said. "There is certainly a risk of this escalating beyond reason." Points in Apple's favour But Apple has various factors in its favour. Increasing costs or crimping production for Apple directly in China could cause self-inflicted wounds, since much of the company's manufacturing is done there and jobs could be lost, analysts say. Playing into nationalist sentiment that shunning Apple is a sign of Chinese loyalty is something the government "could get away with," Enderle said. But boycotts of Apple products that began in China last year due to the US's treatment of Huawei had no meaningful impact on the American company, according to Creative Strategies analyst Carolina Milanesi. And in a Bloomberg interview on Monday, the chief executive of Huawei said he was against the idea of calling for a boycott of Apple products in China. "At the end of the day, there is a lot that Apple is doing in China from an economy perspective that helps China," Milanesi said. "I struggle to see China using Apple as a way to retaliate against the US." On its website, Apple says it has created five million jobs in China, three million of which were related to contractors and investment. A million of those jobs were its staff, and about 1.8 million were through the App Store ecosystem for developers who make digital content or services for its mobile devices, the company said. Targeting Trump's base? And while hampering Apple product production in China would hurt that country's economy, forcing up the price of iPhones exported to the US would not be much of a political blow against the Trump administration, according to Forrester analyst Frank Gillett. "The Chinese government is more likely to target the Trump base," Gillet said. "Hitting a California-based company doesn't seem to give them a lot of leverage, it makes more sense to go after agriculture and everyday stuff." Analysts also noted that Apple chief Tim Cook ran supply chain logistics for the company before succeeding the late co-founder Steve Jobs at the helm in 2011. "Tim Cook knows the culture in China and has worked very closely understanding how to tread carefully to make more of an impact there," Milanesi said. Cook's supply chain expertise also makes him an ideal executive to figure out ways to move manufacturing out of China if the need arises. Apple's rise to one of the world's most valuable companies has involved cultivating strong relationships with Asian suppliers and manufacturers such as Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group and Pegatron. "Everybody and their brother is trying to find ways to ship manufacturing out of China," Enderle said. "Tim Cook was a logistics guy, so if anyone can do this well it should be him."

Will Apple's roots in China hold fast amid political storm?

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/us-has-no-evidence-of-backdoor-spying-in-5g-technology-huawei-chairman-199966&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwi8ksnCgtThAhWHPo8KHc49AWIQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw1r-cOC1BIIrlXmesaFSf5P">Huawei </a>Technologies, one of the world's biggest smartphone makers, has not had talks with Apple Inc about supplying it with 5G chipsets, Rotating Chairman Ken Hu said on Tuesday.

Hu made the remark at the company's annual global analyst summit at its headquarters in Shenzhen in southern China. His comment comes after founder Ren Zhengfei told CNBC that Huawei was "open" to selling its fifth generation (5G) chips to Apple.

"We have not had discussions with Apple on this issue," Hu said, reiterating that Huawei does not plan to become a chipset vendor at this time. He also said he looked forward to Apple's competition in the 5G phone market.

Hu said Huawei had secured 40 commercial contracts to build 5G telecommunications infrastructure as at the end of March, up from a previously disclosed tally of more than 30.

Huawei's outlook has come under a cloud over the past year with the United States voicing concerns that its equipment could be used by the Chinese government for espionage. Washington has also urged allies to ban Huawei from building 5G mobile networks.

Huawei has dismissed the security concerns as unfounded.

Huawei is also the world's largest telecommunications equipment maker. Its in-house semiconductor arm, HiSilicon, also designs chipsets that are used in its products.

Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei said in an interview with CNBC this week that the company is "open to" selling its 5G modem chips to Apple, without elaborating.

His comments came after repeated denials from Huawei that it had any intention of becoming a chip vendor to compete against the likes of Qualcomm and Intel.

Huawei in January launched its 5G modem Balong 5000, which it said is the industry's most powerful, as well as a 5G base station chipset dubbed Tiangang.

The company last month reported a 25 per cent rise in net profit in 2018 to 59.3 billion yuan ($9 billion), even as revenue from its network equipment business fell 1.3 per cent to 294 billion yuan due to telecommunications industry investment cycles.

($1 = 6.7086 Chinese yuan renminbi)

Huawei Technologies, one of the world's biggest smartphone makers, has not had talks with Apple Inc about supplying it with 5G chipsets, Rotating Chairman Ken Hu said on Tuesday.

Huawei Technologies, one of the world's biggest smartphone makers, has not had talks with Apple Inc about supplying it with 5G chipsets, Rotating Chairman Ken Hu said on Tuesday. Hu made the remark at the company's annual global analyst summit at its headquarters in Shenzhen in southern China. His comment comes after founder Ren Zhengfei told CNBC that Huawei was "open" to selling its fifth generation (5G) chips to Apple. "We have not had discussions with Apple on this issue," Hu said, reiterating that Huawei does not plan to become a chipset vendor at this time. He also said he looked forward to Apple's competition in the 5G phone market. Hu said Huawei had secured 40 commercial contracts to build 5G telecommunications infrastructure as at the end of March, up from a previously disclosed tally of more than 30. Huawei's outlook has come under a cloud over the past year with the United States voicing concerns that its equipment could be used by the Chinese government for espionage. Washington has also urged allies to ban Huawei from building 5G mobile networks. Huawei has dismissed the security concerns as unfounded. Huawei is also the world's largest telecommunications equipment maker. Its in-house semiconductor arm, HiSilicon, also designs chipsets that are used in its products. Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei said in an interview with CNBC this week that the company is "open to" selling its 5G modem chips to Apple, without elaborating. His comments came after repeated denials from Huawei that it had any intention of becoming a chip vendor to compete against the likes of Qualcomm and Intel. Huawei in January launched its 5G modem Balong 5000, which it said is the industry's most powerful, as well as a 5G base station chipset dubbed Tiangang. The company last month reported a 25 per cent rise in net profit in 2018 to 59.3 billion yuan ($9 billion), even as revenue from its network equipment business fell 1.3 per cent to 294 billion yuan due to telecommunications industry investment cycles. ($1 = 6.7086 Chinese yuan renminbi)

Huawei says not discussed 5G chipsets with Apple - chairman

Google has blocked access to the hugely popular<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-refuses-to-stay-madras-hc-order-on-tiktok-app-210536"> video app TikTok in India</a> to comply with a state court's directive to prohibit its downloads, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.

The move comes hours after a court in southern Tamil Nadu state refused a request by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ban-will-amount-to-curtailing-rights-of-citizens-of-india-tiktok-to-court-209513">China's Bytedance Technology</a> to suspend a ban on its TikTok app, putting its future in one of its key markets in doubt.

The state court had on April 3 asked the federal government to ban TikTok, saying it encouraged pornography and made child users vulnerable to sexual predators. It's ruling came after an individual launched a public interest litigation calling for a ban.

The federal government had sent a letter to Apple and Google to abide by the state court's order, according to an IT ministry official.

The app was still available on Apple's platforms late on Tuesday, but was no longer available on Google's Play store in India.

Google said in a statement it does not comment on individual apps but adheres to local laws. Apple did not respond to requests for comment, while TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Google's move.

TikTok, which allows users to create and share short videos with special effects, has become hugely popular in India but has been criticised by some politicians who say its content is inappropriate.

It had been downloaded more than 240 million times in India, app analytics firm Sensor Tower said in February. More than 30 million users in India installed it in January 2019, 12 times more than in the same month last year.

Jokes, clips and footage related to India's thriving movie industry dominate the app's platform, along with memes and videos in which youngsters, some scantily clad, lip-sync and dance to popular music.

Bytedance challenged the state court's ban order in India's Supreme Court last week, saying it went against freedom of speech rights in India.

The top court had referred the case back to the state court, where a judge on Tuesday rejected Bytedance's request to put the ban order on hold, K. Neelamegam, a lawyer arguing against Bytedance in the case, said.

TikTok earlier said in a statement that it had faith in the Indian judicial system and was "optimistic about an outcome that would be well received by millions" of its users. It did not comment further on the judge's decision.

The company, however, welcomed the decision to appoint a senior lawyer to assist the court in upcoming proceedings.

The state court has requested written submissions from Bytedance in the case and has scheduled its next hearing for April 24.

Salman Waris, a technology lawyer at TechLegis Advocates &amp; Solicitors, said the legal action against Bytedance could set a precedent of Indian courts intervening to regulate content on social media and other digital platforms.

In its Supreme Court filing, Bytedance argued that a "very minuscule" proportion of TikTok content was considered inappropriate or obscene.

The company employs more than 250 people in India and had plans for more investment as it expands the business, it said.

Google has blocked access to the hugely popular video app TikTok in India to comply with a state court's directive to prohibit its downloads, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.

Google has blocked access to the hugely popular video app TikTok in India to comply with a state court's directive to prohibit its downloads, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. The move comes hours after a court in southern Tamil Nadu state refused a request by China's Bytedance Technology to suspend a ban on its TikTok app, putting its future in one of its key markets in doubt. The state court had on April 3 asked the federal government to ban TikTok, saying it encouraged pornography and made child users vulnerable to sexual predators. It's ruling came after an individual launched a public interest litigation calling for a ban. The federal government had sent a letter to Apple and Google to abide by the state court's order, according to an IT ministry official. The app was still available on Apple's platforms late on Tuesday, but was no longer available on Google's Play store in India. Google said in a statement it does not comment on individual apps but adheres to local laws. Apple did not respond to requests for comment, while TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Google's move. TikTok, which allows users to create and share short videos with special effects, has become hugely popular in India but has been criticised by some politicians who say its content is inappropriate. It had been downloaded more than 240 million times in India, app analytics firm Sensor Tower said in February. More than 30 million users in India installed it in January 2019, 12 times more than in the same month last year. Jokes, clips and footage related to India's thriving movie industry dominate the app's platform, along with memes and videos in which youngsters, some scantily clad, lip-sync and dance to popular music. Bytedance challenged the state court's ban order in India's Supreme Court last week, saying it went against freedom of speech rights in India. The top court had referred the case back to the state court, where a judge on Tuesday rejected Bytedance's request to put the ban order on hold, K. Neelamegam, a lawyer arguing against Bytedance in the case, said. TikTok earlier said in a statement that it had faith in the Indian judicial system and was "optimistic about an outcome that would be well received by millions" of its users. It did not comment further on the judge's decision. The company, however, welcomed the decision to appoint a senior lawyer to assist the court in upcoming proceedings. The state court has requested written submissions from Bytedance in the case and has scheduled its next hearing for April 24. Salman Waris, a technology lawyer at TechLegis Advocates & Solicitors, said the legal action against Bytedance could set a precedent of Indian courts intervening to regulate content on social media and other digital platforms. In its Supreme Court filing, Bytedance argued that a "very minuscule" proportion of TikTok content was considered inappropriate or obscene. The company employs more than 250 people in India and had plans for more investment as it expands the business, it said.

Google Play store blocks Chinese app TikTok in India after court order

In a bid to expand its manufacturing operations in the country, Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer Foxconn going to start mass production of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/apple-ceo-tim-cook-lauds-iphone-photos-at-chennai-photo-biennale-by-school-children-201776">Apple's iPhone</a> in India.

“In the future, we will play a very important role in India's smartphone industry,” Foxconn Technology Group Chairman Terry Gou said at an event in Taiwan.&nbsp; 
 
Apple's Bengaluru plant has been producing the older model of the phones but now will expand manufacturing to more recent models.

Foxconn is prepared to begin preliminary creation of the most recent iPhones in the nation before it begins full-scale assembly at its industrial facility outside Chennai at Sriperumbudur. 
 
A report in December said Apple would begin assembling its top-end iPhones in India through the local unit of Foxconn as early as 2019.

Founded in 1974, the Foxconn group has grown to become the world`s biggest contract manufacturer with T$5.2 trillion ($168.52 billion) in annual revenue, assembling goods for Apple, SoftBank Group Corp and other global tech firms. It relies on Apple for more than half of annual revenue, according to analysts.

Foxconn Technology chairman Terry Gou, who owns 9.4 per cent of Foxconn as its top shareholder, is Taiwan's richest person with a net worth of $7.6 billion, according to Forbes.

Last month, Foxconn reported a smaller than expected fall in quarterly profit, despite warning signs from key customers including Apple that demand for tech electronics was softening.

In a bid to expand its manufacturing operations in the country, Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer Foxconn going to start mass production of Apple's iPhone in India.

In a bid to expand its manufacturing operations in the country, Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer Foxconn going to start mass production of Apple's iPhone in India. “In the future, we will play a very important role in India's smartphone industry,” Foxconn Technology Group Chairman Terry Gou said at an event in Taiwan. Apple's Bengaluru plant has been producing the older model of the phones but now will expand manufacturing to more recent models. Foxconn is prepared to begin preliminary creation of the most recent iPhones in the nation before it begins full-scale assembly at its industrial facility outside Chennai at Sriperumbudur. A report in December said Apple would begin assembling its top-end iPhones in India through the local unit of Foxconn as early as 2019. Founded in 1974, the Foxconn group has grown to become the world`s biggest contract manufacturer with T$5.2 trillion ($168.52 billion) in annual revenue, assembling goods for Apple, SoftBank Group Corp and other global tech firms. It relies on Apple for more than half of annual revenue, according to analysts. Foxconn Technology chairman Terry Gou, who owns 9.4 per cent of Foxconn as its top shareholder, is Taiwan's richest person with a net worth of $7.6 billion, according to Forbes. Last month, Foxconn reported a smaller than expected fall in quarterly profit, despite warning signs from key customers including Apple that demand for tech electronics was softening.

A shift from China to India: Foxconn set for mass production of iPhones in Chennai

Earlier, Madras HC had issued an Interim Order. Apple, Google asked to ban this application.

WION Wallet: Supreme court refuses to stay ban on Tik Tok

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pentagon-authorises-1-bn-for-trumps-border-wall-205641">Pentagon authorises $1 billion for Trump's border wall</a>

The Pentagon has authorised $1 billion for US President's Donald Trump's wall along the US-Mexico border. The authorisation was made by acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-mps-vote-to-seize-control-of-brexit-for-a-day-205630">British MPs vote to seize control of Brexit for a day</a>

British lawmakers wrested control of the parliamentary agenda from the government for a day in a highly unusual bid to find a way through the Brexit impasse after Prime Minister Theresa May's EU divorce deal was rejected again.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/55-indians-happy-with-way-things-are-going-in-the-country-public-satisfaction-dips-15-points-us-survey-205636">55</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/55-indians-happy-with-way-things-are-going-in-the-country-public-satisfaction-dips-15-points-us-survey-205636">%</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/55-indians-happy-with-way-things-are-going-in-the-country-public-satisfaction-dips-15-points-us-survey-205636"> Indians happy with way things are going in the country, public satisfaction dips 15 points: US survey</a>

Fifty-five per cent of Indians are happy with the way things are going in the country even as the public satisfaction level has gone down by 15 points to 70 per cent, according to a Pew survey released late Monday night.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/stormy-daniels-lawyer-charged-with-trying-to-extort-20-million-from-nike-205631">Stormy Daniels' lawyer charged with trying to extort $20 million from Nike</a>

Attorney Michael Avenatti, who represented adult film star Stormy Daniels in her legal battles with US President Donald Trump, was charged on Monday with what prosecutors said was an attempt to "shakedown" Nike Inc for over $20 million.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/apple-unveils-apple-tv-streaming-service-credit-card-205624">Apple starts streaming service to take on Netflix, Amazon</a>

Apple unveiled a new streaming-video service with original TV-series content called Apple TV+ on Monday, aiming to join the audiovisual streaming market mainly dominated by Netflix, Hulu and Amazon.

Pentagon authorises $1 billion for Trump's border wall The Pentagon has authorised $1 billion for US President's Donald Trump's wall along the US-Mexico border. The authorisation was made by acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan.

Pentagon authorises $1 billion for Trump's border wall The Pentagon has authorised $1 billion for US President's Donald Trump's wall along the US-Mexico border. The authorisation was made by acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan. British MPs vote to seize control of Brexit for a day British lawmakers wrested control of the parliamentary agenda from the government for a day in a highly unusual bid to find a way through the Brexit impasse after Prime Minister Theresa May's EU divorce deal was rejected again. 55% Indians happy with way things are going in the country, public satisfaction dips 15 points: US survey Fifty-five per cent of Indians are happy with the way things are going in the country even as the public satisfaction level has gone down by 15 points to 70 per cent, according to a Pew survey released late Monday night. Stormy Daniels' lawyer charged with trying to extort $20 million from Nike Attorney Michael Avenatti, who represented adult film star Stormy Daniels in her legal battles with US President Donald Trump, was charged on Monday with what prosecutors said was an attempt to "shakedown" Nike Inc for over $20 million. Apple starts streaming service to take on Netflix, Amazon Apple unveiled a new streaming-video service with original TV-series content called Apple TV+ on Monday, aiming to join the audiovisual streaming market mainly dominated by Netflix, Hulu and Amazon.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/apple-includes-300-magazines-in-subscription-news-service-205608">Apple unveiled</a> a new streaming-video service with original TV-series content called Apple TV+ on Monday, aiming to join the audiovisual streaming market mainly dominated by Netflix, Hulu and Amazon.

The tech giant's presentation of its new product was made by film director Steven Spielberg - who announced that he will produce content for Apple TV+ - along with other celebrities such as Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carell and Jason Momoa.

Apple TV+ will be available in more than 100 countries starting this fall, it will not include ads and - so far - the company has not announced what will its price be.

The company also unveiled another streaming service called Apple TV Channels, which includes programming from Epix, HBO, Showtime, and Starz, among others, in addition to the traditional subscription channels in the US market.

On the consumer finance front, Apple is partnering with Goldman Sachs to market its own credit card - the Apple Card - which will have both physical and digital versions and will not charge fees of any kind.

To get the card, users must request it through their iPhone's digital wallet, also known as the Apple Wallet.

In addition to Goldman Sachs, the company run by Tim Cook also reached an agreement with Mastercard to carry out the payment process.

The card can be used at any establishment that accepts the company's payment system Apple Pay and will offset all purchases with 2 per cent cashback - 3 per cent in the case of purchasing Apple products - when using the digital version and 1 per cent when using the physical card.

The tech giant also introduced a new news service, Apple News+, the main novelty of which is the addition of magazine articles, something that the currently available free Apple News service does not provide.

"Magazines are iconic and a part of our culture ... all of these magazines come to life in an all-new service that we call Apple News+," Cook, CEO of the Cupertino, California-based tech giant, said during the presentation of the new subscription-based news service.

News+ will allow users to access articles from 300 different magazines, including National Geographic, Time, Vogue, People, Popular Science, Billboard, The New Yorker, Sports Illustrated, Fortune, TechCrunch and New York Magazine.

In addition to magazines, subscribers will also be able to access paid articles from two major US newspapers - The Wall Street Journal and The Los Angeles Times - but not those from The New York Times and The Washington Post, the latter of which is owned by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.

One of the elements that were emphasized by the tech giant's executives was the "respect" that the new service has for the privacy of its online users, given that it does not collect data on what readers are consuming or allow advertisers to monitor people's habits, the executives said.

Such comments were made in reference to Facebook and Google, Apple's main competitors, who have been harshly criticized in recent months for their management of data collected from users.

Apple News+ is available as of Monday in English and French in the United States and Canada for $9.99 per month, with the first month free, and it will expand into the European and Australian markets this year. A single subscription can be used by several members of the same family.

Apple unveiled a new streaming-video service with original TV-series content called Apple TV+ on Monday, aiming to join the audiovisual streaming market mainly dominated by Netflix, Hulu and Amazon.

Apple unveiled a new streaming-video service with original TV-series content called Apple TV+ on Monday, aiming to join the audiovisual streaming market mainly dominated by Netflix, Hulu and Amazon. The tech giant's presentation of its new product was made by film director Steven Spielberg - who announced that he will produce content for Apple TV+ - along with other celebrities such as Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carell and Jason Momoa. Apple TV+ will be available in more than 100 countries starting this fall, it will not include ads and - so far - the company has not announced what will its price be. The company also unveiled another streaming service called Apple TV Channels, which includes programming from Epix, HBO, Showtime, and Starz, among others, in addition to the traditional subscription channels in the US market. On the consumer finance front, Apple is partnering with Goldman Sachs to market its own credit card - the Apple Card - which will have both physical and digital versions and will not charge fees of any kind. To get the card, users must request it through their iPhone's digital wallet, also known as the Apple Wallet. In addition to Goldman Sachs, the company run by Tim Cook also reached an agreement with Mastercard to carry out the payment process. The card can be used at any establishment that accepts the company's payment system Apple Pay and will offset all purchases with 2 per cent cashback - 3 per cent in the case of purchasing Apple products - when using the digital version and 1 per cent when using the physical card. The tech giant also introduced a new news service, Apple News+, the main novelty of which is the addition of magazine articles, something that the currently available free Apple News service does not provide. "Magazines are iconic and a part of our culture ... all of these magazines come to life in an all-new service that we call Apple News+," Cook, CEO of the Cupertino, California-based tech giant, said during the presentation of the new subscription-based news service. News+ will allow users to access articles from 300 different magazines, including National Geographic, Time, Vogue, People, Popular Science, Billboard, The New Yorker, Sports Illustrated, Fortune, TechCrunch and New York Magazine. In addition to magazines, subscribers will also be able to access paid articles from two major US newspapers - The Wall Street Journal and The Los Angeles Times - but not those from The New York Times and The Washington Post, the latter of which is owned by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. One of the elements that were emphasized by the tech giant's executives was the "respect" that the new service has for the privacy of its online users, given that it does not collect data on what readers are consuming or allow advertisers to monitor people's habits, the executives said. Such comments were made in reference to Facebook and Google, Apple's main competitors, who have been harshly criticized in recent months for their management of data collected from users. Apple News+ is available as of Monday in English and French in the United States and Canada for $9.99 per month, with the first month free, and it will expand into the European and Australian markets this year. A single subscription can be used by several members of the same family.

Apple starts streaming service to take on Netflix, Amazon

Apple launches credit card and 'Arcade' gaming service

Apple launched a subscription news service Monday that includes more than 300 magazines as part of the iPhone maker's pivot to services.

The Apple News+ service at a cost of $9.99 per month will include the Los Angeles Times and Wall Street Journal, digital news sites and magazine titles including Rolling Stone, Time, Wired and The New Yorker.

The new offering was announced at an event at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California where the tech giant was revealing a new emphasis on digital content and other services to offset slumps in smartphone sales.

Apple News+ is being offered in the US and Canada with an expected launch later this year in Britain and Australia.

Apple also prepared to lift the curtain on a television and movie streaming service that will allow users of its 1.4 billion gadgets to stream television shows and movies, both Apple originals and those from other creators, in a first step to challenge streaming video leaders Netflix and Amazon.

Chief Executive Tim Cook introduced Monday's event at the glass-enclosed Steve Jobs Theater at Apple's Cupertino, California, headquarters, saying the event would focus on the technology company's services, not its hardware. He said Apple's strength was "the seamless integration of hardware, software and services."

By highlighting services that run on its 1.4 billion consumer devices, rather than the devices themselves, Apple's strategy change is a momentous shift in emphasis under Chief Executive Tim Cook, who succeeded the late Steve Jobs in 2011.

Apple launched a subscription news service Monday that includes more than 300 magazines as part of the iPhone maker's pivot to services. The Apple News+ service at a cost of $9.

Apple launched a subscription news service Monday that includes more than 300 magazines as part of the iPhone maker's pivot to services. The Apple News+ service at a cost of $9.99 per month will include the Los Angeles Times and Wall Street Journal, digital news sites and magazine titles including Rolling Stone, Time, Wired and The New Yorker. The new offering was announced at an event at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California where the tech giant was revealing a new emphasis on digital content and other services to offset slumps in smartphone sales. Apple News+ is being offered in the US and Canada with an expected launch later this year in Britain and Australia. Apple also prepared to lift the curtain on a television and movie streaming service that will allow users of its 1.4 billion gadgets to stream television shows and movies, both Apple originals and those from other creators, in a first step to challenge streaming video leaders Netflix and Amazon. Chief Executive Tim Cook introduced Monday's event at the glass-enclosed Steve Jobs Theater at Apple's Cupertino, California, headquarters, saying the event would focus on the technology company's services, not its hardware. He said Apple's strength was "the seamless integration of hardware, software and services." By highlighting services that run on its 1.4 billion consumer devices, rather than the devices themselves, Apple's strategy change is a momentous shift in emphasis under Chief Executive Tim Cook, who succeeded the late Steve Jobs in 2011.

Apple includes 300 magazines in subscription news service

Apple chief executive Tim Cook on Saturday urged China to keep opening up its economy as local rivals bit into the profits of the US tech giant caught in the crosshairs of a trade spat between Beijing and Washington.

"We have seen China continue to change and evolve... We encourage China to continue to open up," he said during a speech at the annual China Development Forum in Beijing on Saturday.

"We see that as essential not only for China to reach its full potential, but also for the global economy to thrive."

Apple in January revealed that it took a hit in the "Greater China" region, where revenue plunged almost 27 per cent in the most recent quarter.&nbsp;

The dip had been expected following the company's revenue warning in December, where Apple admitted that iPhone sales and overall earnings would be below most forecasts, citing economic weakness in China and trade frictions between Washington and Beijing.

Lower priced local rivals such as Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo have also been nibbling at the California tech giant's market share in China.&nbsp;

Cook has been a critic of the US-China trade war that has spooked global markets. Last year, he used the China Development Forum as a venue to urge leaders of China and the US to let "calm heads prevail" and to avoid an escalation of tariffs.

Most of Apple's flagship products are assembled in China, leaving the California tech giant acutely vulnerable to Trump's tariffs.

During his speech on Saturday, Cook called for partnerships based on "openness and trust" where world players can work together to solve some of the biggest problems facing the planet including poverty, inequality and climate change.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook on Saturday urged China to keep opening up its economy as local rivals bit into the profits of the US tech giant caught in the crosshairs of a trade spat between Beijing and Washington.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook on Saturday urged China to keep opening up its economy as local rivals bit into the profits of the US tech giant caught in the crosshairs of a trade spat between Beijing and Washington. "We have seen China continue to change and evolve... We encourage China to continue to open up," he said during a speech at the annual China Development Forum in Beijing on Saturday. "We see that as essential not only for China to reach its full potential, but also for the global economy to thrive." Apple in January revealed that it took a hit in the "Greater China" region, where revenue plunged almost 27 per cent in the most recent quarter. The dip had been expected following the company's revenue warning in December, where Apple admitted that iPhone sales and overall earnings would be below most forecasts, citing economic weakness in China and trade frictions between Washington and Beijing. Lower priced local rivals such as Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo have also been nibbling at the California tech giant's market share in China. Cook has been a critic of the US-China trade war that has spooked global markets. Last year, he used the China Development Forum as a venue to urge leaders of China and the US to let "calm heads prevail" and to avoid an escalation of tariffs. Most of Apple's flagship products are assembled in China, leaving the California tech giant acutely vulnerable to Trump's tariffs. During his speech on Saturday, Cook called for partnerships based on "openness and trust" where world players can work together to solve some of the biggest problems facing the planet including poverty, inequality and climate change.

Apple's Tim Cook urges China to continue to open up its economy

Asian shares hit 6-1/2-month highs on Friday after upbeat US data and optimism in the tech sector lifted Wall Street stocks, helping calm some of the jitters sparked by the Federal Reserve's cautious outlook on the world's biggest economy.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.3 per cent, led by 0.5 per cent gains in the infotech sector, while Japan's Nikkei bucked the trend and lost 0.2 per cent.

On Wall Street, the S&amp;P 500 gained 1.09 per cent while the Nasdaq Composite rallied 1.42 per cent, both hitting five-month highs.

Apple Inc led the tech sector's advance, rising 3.7 per cent, ahead of the company's expected streaming service debut next week.

The Philadelphia SE Semiconductor Index soared 3.5 per cent, coming within a striking distance from its all-time high marked about a year ago.

"I'd think optimism in the tech sector is the biggest driver now. It reflects expectations that the US and China will eventually reach a trade deal," said Soichiro Monji, senior economist at Daiwa SB Investments.

A US trade delegation headed by Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will visit China on March 28-29, which will be followed by a trip by Chinese Vice Premier Liu He to Washington in early April.

Thursday's US economic data was also upbeat as initial claims for jobless benefits fell more than expected and mid-Atlantic factory activity rebounded sharply.

The figures mollified worries about the US economic outlook after the Fed on Wednesday surprised investors by adopting a sharp dovish stance, anticipating no further interest rate hikes this year and ending its balance sheet rolloffs.

The dollar also jumped back, with its index against a basket of six major currencies rising to 96.327 from Wednesday's 1-1/2-month low of 95.735.

The euro traded at $ 1.1374, flat on the day and off Wednesday's 1-1/2-month high of $1.14485.

The dollar stood at 110.74 yen, having hit a five-week low of 110.30 on Thursday.

The benchmark US 10-year notes yield stood at 2.530 per cent after having slipped to as low as 2.500 per cent on Thursday, its lowest since early January last year.

The five-year yield dropped to 2.34 per cent, below the current Fed funds rate around 2.40 per cent, as fed funds rate futures price in about 50 per cent chances of a rate cut this year.

"The main market reaction to the Fed's announcement was that it has become a consensus that the Fed's next move is a rate cut," said Naoya Oshikubo, senior manager at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Asset.

"As economic data from China and elsewhere has not bottomed out yet, investors will be looking at economic fundamentals for now. If there are improvements, then markets could roll back expectations of a Fed rate cut," he said.

DoubleLine Capital's chief executive Jeffrey Gundlach, known as the "Bond King," said on Thursday that the stock market "likes the fact that they (the Fed) aren't going to give them any problems," for now.

He added, however, the Fed's cautious stance on raising rates could backfire by creating uncertainty in the economy and hurt the U.S. central bank's credibility.

Another cloud hanging over markets was Britain's fraught moves to exit from the European Union, as the British pound was bruised anew by rising worries about a no-deal Brexit.

EU leaders said Britain could leave the European Union without a deal on April 12 if lawmakers fail next week to back Prime Minister Theresa May's agreement with Brussels.

EU leaders gave May an extra two months, until May 22, to leave if she wins next week's vote in parliament.

The pound traded at $1.3136, having dropped to $1.3004 the previous day. Against the euro, it hit one-month low of 0.8722 to euro on Thursday and last stood at 0.8664.

Oil dipped but held near 2019 highs reached the previous day, supported by a broad risk-on mood, OPEC production cuts and US sanctions on key producers Iran and Venezuela.

Brent crude oil futures edged down 0.3 per cent to $67.65 per barrel while US crude futures fell 0.3 per cent to $59.81.

Asian shares hit 6-1/2-month highs on Friday after upbeat US data and optimism in the tech sector lifted Wall Street stocks, helping calm some of the jitters sparked by the Federal Reserve's cautious outlook on the world's biggest economy.

Asian shares hit 6-1/2-month highs on Friday after upbeat US data and optimism in the tech sector lifted Wall Street stocks, helping calm some of the jitters sparked by the Federal Reserve's cautious outlook on the world's biggest economy. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.3 per cent, led by 0.5 per cent gains in the infotech sector, while Japan's Nikkei bucked the trend and lost 0.2 per cent. On Wall Street, the S&P 500 gained 1.09 per cent while the Nasdaq Composite rallied 1.42 per cent, both hitting five-month highs. Apple Inc led the tech sector's advance, rising 3.7 per cent, ahead of the company's expected streaming service debut next week. The Philadelphia SE Semiconductor Index soared 3.5 per cent, coming within a striking distance from its all-time high marked about a year ago. "I'd think optimism in the tech sector is the biggest driver now. It reflects expectations that the US and China will eventually reach a trade deal," said Soichiro Monji, senior economist at Daiwa SB Investments. A US trade delegation headed by Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will visit China on March 28-29, which will be followed by a trip by Chinese Vice Premier Liu He to Washington in early April. Thursday's US economic data was also upbeat as initial claims for jobless benefits fell more than expected and mid-Atlantic factory activity rebounded sharply. The figures mollified worries about the US economic outlook after the Fed on Wednesday surprised investors by adopting a sharp dovish stance, anticipating no further interest rate hikes this year and ending its balance sheet rolloffs. The dollar also jumped back, with its index against a basket of six major currencies rising to 96.327 from Wednesday's 1-1/2-month low of 95.735. The euro traded at $ 1.1374, flat on the day and off Wednesday's 1-1/2-month high of $1.14485. The dollar stood at 110.74 yen, having hit a five-week low of 110.30 on Thursday. The benchmark US 10-year notes yield stood at 2.530 per cent after having slipped to as low as 2.500 per cent on Thursday, its lowest since early January last year. The five-year yield dropped to 2.34 per cent, below the current Fed funds rate around 2.40 per cent, as fed funds rate futures price in about 50 per cent chances of a rate cut this year. "The main market reaction to the Fed's announcement was that it has become a consensus that the Fed's next move is a rate cut," said Naoya Oshikubo, senior manager at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Asset. "As economic data from China and elsewhere has not bottomed out yet, investors will be looking at economic fundamentals for now. If there are improvements, then markets could roll back expectations of a Fed rate cut," he said. DoubleLine Capital's chief executive Jeffrey Gundlach, known as the "Bond King," said on Thursday that the stock market "likes the fact that they (the Fed) aren't going to give them any problems," for now. He added, however, the Fed's cautious stance on raising rates could backfire by creating uncertainty in the economy and hurt the U.S. central bank's credibility. Another cloud hanging over markets was Britain's fraught moves to exit from the European Union, as the British pound was bruised anew by rising worries about a no-deal Brexit. EU leaders said Britain could leave the European Union without a deal on April 12 if lawmakers fail next week to back Prime Minister Theresa May's agreement with Brussels. EU leaders gave May an extra two months, until May 22, to leave if she wins next week's vote in parliament. The pound traded at $1.3136, having dropped to $1.3004 the previous day. Against the euro, it hit one-month low of 0.8722 to euro on Thursday and last stood at 0.8664. Oil dipped but held near 2019 highs reached the previous day, supported by a broad risk-on mood, OPEC production cuts and US sanctions on key producers Iran and Venezuela. Brent crude oil futures edged down 0.3 per cent to $67.65 per barrel while US crude futures fell 0.3 per cent to $59.81.

Asian shares hit 6-1/2-month high on tech hopes

Apple Inc, in a surprise move on Monday, launched a new <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/apple-gives-aging-macs-ipad-pros-an-update-in-new-york-174496">10.5-inch iPad Air</a> and updated its iPad Mini ahead of a March 25 event where it is expected to launch a television and video service.

So far in its annual March event, Apple has been making announcements related upgrades for its product lines, but this year the focus is likely to shift to services, especially after it reported its first-ever drop in iPhone sales in January.

The new iPad models, geared with Apple's latest A12 Bionic chip and support for Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard, are already available for order at apple.com and in the Apple Store app in the United States and the United Kingdom, along with a few other countries.

"That it announced the new lineup in advance of next week's event suggests it wants to focus on the content next week over hardware," DA Davidson analyst Tom Forte said.

"Refreshing its lower-end lineup in advance of its streaming video content announcement next week speaks to the potential for Apple in streaming video content, with a strong installed hardware base, iPhones, iPads and Macs."

The 10.5-inch iPad Air, starts at $499 for the 64GB WiFi model and $629 for the WiFi plus cellular model. The new iPad mini starts at $399 for the WiFi model and $529 for the WiFi plus cellular model, the iPhone maker said in a statement.

With the new launch, the iPad will come in four different screen sizes, ranging from 7.9 inch to 12.9 inch.

"More iPad sales won't make a big impact on the company's enormous bottom line, but it can help to show consumers and investors that Apple still has the ability to create popular devices and features," said Clement Thibault, a senior analyst at Investing.com.

In the year ended September 2018, Apple made about $19 billion in revenue from iPad sales, a very small portion compared with the nearly $167 billion it generated from the sale of iPhones.

Shares of Apple rose 0.63 per cent at $187.22 on early Monday trading.

Apple Inc, in a surprise move on Monday, launched a new 10.5-inch iPad Air and updated its iPad Mini ahead of a March 25 event where it is expected to launch a television and video service.

Apple Inc, in a surprise move on Monday, launched a new 10.5-inch iPad Air and updated its iPad Mini ahead of a March 25 event where it is expected to launch a television and video service. So far in its annual March event, Apple has been making announcements related upgrades for its product lines, but this year the focus is likely to shift to services, especially after it reported its first-ever drop in iPhone sales in January. The new iPad models, geared with Apple's latest A12 Bionic chip and support for Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard, are already available for order at apple.com and in the Apple Store app in the United States and the United Kingdom, along with a few other countries. "That it announced the new lineup in advance of next week's event suggests it wants to focus on the content next week over hardware," DA Davidson analyst Tom Forte said. "Refreshing its lower-end lineup in advance of its streaming video content announcement next week speaks to the potential for Apple in streaming video content, with a strong installed hardware base, iPhones, iPads and Macs." The 10.5-inch iPad Air, starts at $499 for the 64GB WiFi model and $629 for the WiFi plus cellular model. The new iPad mini starts at $399 for the WiFi model and $529 for the WiFi plus cellular model, the iPhone maker said in a statement. With the new launch, the iPad will come in four different screen sizes, ranging from 7.9 inch to 12.9 inch. "More iPad sales won't make a big impact on the company's enormous bottom line, but it can help to show consumers and investors that Apple still has the ability to create popular devices and features," said Clement Thibault, a senior analyst at Investing.com. In the year ended September 2018, Apple made about $19 billion in revenue from iPad sales, a very small portion compared with the nearly $167 billion it generated from the sale of iPhones. Shares of Apple rose 0.63 per cent at $187.22 on early Monday trading.

Apple launches new 10.5-inch iPad Air; updates iPad Mini

US President <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/alastair-cook-confident-england-can-end-world-cup-drought-198370">Donald Trump&nbsp;referred Tim Cook as "Tim Apple" in a conference </a>on Wednesday, and hours later the Apple CEO took the joke to the next level.

Tim Cook replaced his surname on Twitter with an emoji of Apple company logo.

<img alt="Tim Cook" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fdd9f9f5-0ecc-47e3-aecc-486e64cf83d8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Tim%20Cook.JPG" />

On Wednesday while addressing an inaugural meeting of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board at the White House, Trump said, "I used to say, 'Tim, you've got to start doing it over here,' and you really have. You really put a big investment in our country. We appreciate it very much, Tim Apple."&nbsp;

All this while, Tim Cook was sitting right next to Trump.

The video soon went viral sparking a row of hilarious memes on social media.

However, as Tim Cook embraced his new name, the logo was only visible to Apple users. To Android and Windows users, a blank or grey square was appearing.

The reason for this is that Apple company logo is a private use area character of the American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) which is a character encoding standard for electronic communication that is supported on iOS and macOS only.

This is not the first time Trump has goofed-up someone's&nbsp;last name with the name of the company&nbsp;they were associated with.

Last year, he referred to aerospace and defence giant Lockheed Martin's CEO Marilyn Hewson as "Marilyn Lockheed."

US President Donald Trump referred Tim Cook as "Tim Apple" in a conference on Wednesday, and hours later the Apple CEO took the joke to the next level. Tim Cook replaced his surname on Twitter with an emoji of Apple company logo.

US President Donald Trump referred Tim Cook as "Tim Apple" in a conference on Wednesday, and hours later the Apple CEO took the joke to the next level. Tim Cook replaced his surname on Twitter with an emoji of Apple company logo. On Wednesday while addressing an inaugural meeting of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board at the White House, Trump said, "I used to say, 'Tim, you've got to start doing it over here,' and you really have. You really put a big investment in our country. We appreciate it very much, Tim Apple." All this while, Tim Cook was sitting right next to Trump. The video soon went viral sparking a row of hilarious memes on social media. However, as Tim Cook embraced his new name, the logo was only visible to Apple users. To Android and Windows users, a blank or grey square was appearing. The reason for this is that Apple company logo is a private use area character of the American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) which is a character encoding standard for electronic communication that is supported on iOS and macOS only. This is not the first time Trump has goofed-up someone's last name with the name of the company they were associated with. Last year, he referred to aerospace and defence giant Lockheed Martin's CEO Marilyn Hewson as "Marilyn Lockheed."

After Trump goof-up, Tim Cook renames his Twitter handle as 'Tim Apple'

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday referred to the tech giant Apple's&nbsp;CEO as ''Tim Apple'' instead of Tim Cook.

Trump was addressing the inaugural meeting of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board at the White House when he misspelt the name.

"I used to say, 'Tim, you've got to start doing it over here,' and you really have. You really put a big investment in our country. We appreciate it very much, Tim Apple," Trump said while he was sitting right next to the Apple CEO.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Trump just called Apple CEO Tim Cook “Tim Apple” <a href="https://t.co/gTHHtjWvc9">pic.twitter.com/gTHHtjWvc9</a>
— Sean O'Kane (@sokane1) <a href="https://twitter.com/sokane1/status/1103421841505505280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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Soon the video went viral on social media, and people started tweeting hilarious reactions and memes.

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Tim Apple <a href="https://t.co/aa4fCL0Fff">pic.twitter.com/aa4fCL0Fff</a>
— Jake G (@incubatedeleph1) <a href="https://twitter.com/incubatedeleph1/status/1103478562521145344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Here are some other historic figures similar to Tim Apple <a href="https://t.co/9Ya6U1uX76">pic.twitter.com/9Ya6U1uX76</a>
— Jack Fink (@Mrjackfink) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mrjackfink/status/1103464932568313856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Tim Apple with President Orange 
🍏🍊 <a href="https://t.co/1cI1QkA0an">pic.twitter.com/1cI1QkA0an</a>
— suppelsa (@suppeIsa) <a href="https://twitter.com/suppeIsa/status/1103452454497275905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Getting the whole gang together: 
 
Tim Apple 
Jeff Amazon 
Elon Tesla 
Mark Facebook 
Jack Twitter 
Sundar Google 
Larry Oracle 
Mark Salesforce 
Daruber 
Satya Soft 
Reed Flix
— timmy apple (@RMac18) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMac18/status/1103427158146351105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Unfortunately,&nbsp;this is not the first time Trump has goofed-up someone's&nbsp;last name with the name of the company&nbsp;they were associated with.

Last year, he referred to aerospace and defense giant Lockheed Martin's CEO Marillyn Hewson as "Marillyn Lockheed."

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday referred to the tech giant Apple's CEO as ''Tim Apple'' instead of Tim Cook. Trump was addressing the inaugural meeting of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board at the White House when he misspelt the name.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday referred to the tech giant Apple's CEO as ''Tim Apple'' instead of Tim Cook. Trump was addressing the inaugural meeting of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board at the White House when he misspelt the name. "I used to say, 'Tim, you've got to start doing it over here,' and you really have. You really put a big investment in our country. We appreciate it very much, Tim Apple," Trump said while he was sitting right next to the Apple CEO. Trump just called Apple CEO Tim Cook “Tim Apple” pic.twitter.com/gTHHtjWvc9 — Sean O'Kane (@sokane1) March 6, 2019 × Soon the video went viral on social media, and people started tweeting hilarious reactions and memes. Tim Apple pic.twitter.com/aa4fCL0Fff — Jake G (@incubatedeleph1) March 7, 2019 × Here are some other historic figures similar to Tim Apple pic.twitter.com/9Ya6U1uX76 — Jack Fink (@Mrjackfink) March 7, 2019 × Tim Apple with President Orange 🍏🍊 pic.twitter.com/1cI1QkA0an — suppelsa (@suppeIsa) March 7, 2019 × Getting the whole gang together: Tim Apple Jeff Amazon Elon Tesla Mark Facebook Jack Twitter Sundar Google Larry Oracle Mark Salesforce Daruber Satya Soft Reed Flix — timmy apple (@RMac18) March 6, 2019 × Unfortunately, this is not the first time Trump has goofed-up someone's last name with the name of the company they were associated with. Last year, he referred to aerospace and defense giant Lockheed Martin's CEO Marillyn Hewson as "Marillyn Lockheed."

Trump calls Apple CEO 'Tim Apple', Twitter responds with funniest memes

Spotify Technology SA, the world's most popular paid music streaming service, said it racked up more than 1 million unique users in India across its free and premium tiers since launching less than a week ago.

Spotify launched in India on Tuesday, stepping into a price-sensitive market crowded by well-funded players such as Reliance Industries' JioSaavn and Apple's Apple Music.

The Swedish company is offering a free version that will run with ads, alongside a premium ad-free variant that will charge users 119 Indian rupees ($1.68) per month.

India, with a population of 1.3 billion and more than 400 million smartphone users, is a potentially huge market for the Swedish company.

According to media reports, Tencent-backed Gaana leads the Indian streaming market with over 80 million monthly users. Spotify has 207 million monthly active users globally and 96 million subscribers.

In India, the streaming service also competes with other players including Amazon's Prime Music, Alphabet Inc's Google Play Music and Xiaomi-backed Hungama.

Spotify Technology SA, the world's most popular paid music streaming service, said it racked up more than 1 million unique users in India across its free and premium tiers since launching less than a week ago.

Spotify Technology SA, the world's most popular paid music streaming service, said it racked up more than 1 million unique users in India across its free and premium tiers since launching less than a week ago. Spotify launched in India on Tuesday, stepping into a price-sensitive market crowded by well-funded players such as Reliance Industries' JioSaavn and Apple's Apple Music. The Swedish company is offering a free version that will run with ads, alongside a premium ad-free variant that will charge users 119 Indian rupees ($1.68) per month. India, with a population of 1.3 billion and more than 400 million smartphone users, is a potentially huge market for the Swedish company. According to media reports, Tencent-backed Gaana leads the Indian streaming market with over 80 million monthly users. Spotify has 207 million monthly active users globally and 96 million subscribers. In India, the streaming service also competes with other players including Amazon's Prime Music, Alphabet Inc's Google Play Music and Xiaomi-backed Hungama.

Spotify adds 1 million unique listeners in India in less than a week

Apple said Tuesday it had reached an agreement with French authorities to settle 10 years of back taxes, becoming the latest US company to reach a deal with France which has led a European push for higher taxes on tech giants.

French news weekly L'Express reported that Apple had paid nearly 500 million euros ($570 million) to resolve the case in a confidential settlement reached in December.

Apple declined to disclose the amount paid, but a source familiar with the case confirmed the figure to AFP.

"The French tax administration recently concluded a multi-year audit on the company's French accounts and an adjustment will be published in our public accounts," Apple said in a statement.&nbsp;

"We know the important role taxes play in society and we pay our taxes in all the countries where we operate, in complete conformity with laws and practices in force at the local level," added the company.

French authorities declined to comment further, citing the confidentiality of tax matters.

French tech tax looms&nbsp;

Apple is one of several American technology giants in the line of fire in Europe over their tax strategies, which see them route their income through low-tax nations such as Ireland or Luxembourg.

In 2016, it was ordered by the European Commission to pay 13 billion euros in back taxes to Ireland.

The European Commission said Apple paid an effective corporate tax rate of just 0.005 per cent on its European profits in 2014 -- equivalent to just 50 euros for every million.

The deal in France comes as the government prepares to push ahead with its own unilateral "GAFA tax" -- named after Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon -- faced with the failure of EU members to agree on how to get technology companies to pay more tax on their European operations.

The tax, to be put to parliament in a bill later this month, would affect companies with global sales of more than 750 million euros and 25 million euros in France, according to the government.

It would be retroactive to January 1 and is expected to raise 500 million euros this year.

French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire has called the question of how and where global companies pay their taxes "a major issue in the 21st century".

But an agreement among EU members has proved elusive.

Ireland, Denmark and Sweden have all blocked plans for a levy for fear of dissuading investment and Germany has proved lukewarm on the issue, fearing US retaliation against its car industry.

The issue has been referred to the OECD, which aims to come up with an international tax by 2020.

Scramble to settle&nbsp;

Apple is the second major technology company to reach a tax deal with French authorities within the past year, reflecting the growing pressure from voters on governments to bring foreign companies to book.

In February 2018, Amazon said it had settled a French claim for nearly 200 million euros and would start declaring all its earnings in the country, ending a dispute that had dragged on for years.

In 2017, however, France's tax collection drive suffered a setback with a local court ruling that Google was not liable to pay 1.1 billion euros in taxes claimed on revenues transferred from France to Ireland.

According to L'Express, the deal between France and Apple was clinched after several months of talks, and concerned the small amount of revenue the firm booked in France while the sales it reported in Europe ballooned.

The report said Apple's European revenues exploded seven-fold, from 6.6 billion euros in 2008 to 47.7 billion in 2017, most of which was booked in Ireland where it has its European headquarters.

Apple said Tuesday it had reached an agreement with French authorities to settle 10 years of back taxes, becoming the latest US company to reach a deal with France which has led a European push for higher taxes on tech giants.

Apple said Tuesday it had reached an agreement with French authorities to settle 10 years of back taxes, becoming the latest US company to reach a deal with France which has led a European push for higher taxes on tech giants. French news weekly L'Express reported that Apple had paid nearly 500 million euros ($570 million) to resolve the case in a confidential settlement reached in December. Apple declined to disclose the amount paid, but a source familiar with the case confirmed the figure to AFP. "The French tax administration recently concluded a multi-year audit on the company's French accounts and an adjustment will be published in our public accounts," Apple said in a statement. "We know the important role taxes play in society and we pay our taxes in all the countries where we operate, in complete conformity with laws and practices in force at the local level," added the company. French authorities declined to comment further, citing the confidentiality of tax matters. French tech tax looms Apple is one of several American technology giants in the line of fire in Europe over their tax strategies, which see them route their income through low-tax nations such as Ireland or Luxembourg. In 2016, it was ordered by the European Commission to pay 13 billion euros in back taxes to Ireland. The European Commission said Apple paid an effective corporate tax rate of just 0.005 per cent on its European profits in 2014 -- equivalent to just 50 euros for every million. The deal in France comes as the government prepares to push ahead with its own unilateral "GAFA tax" -- named after Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon -- faced with the failure of EU members to agree on how to get technology companies to pay more tax on their European operations. The tax, to be put to parliament in a bill later this month, would affect companies with global sales of more than 750 million euros and 25 million euros in France, according to the government. It would be retroactive to January 1 and is expected to raise 500 million euros this year. French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire has called the question of how and where global companies pay their taxes "a major issue in the 21st century". But an agreement among EU members has proved elusive. Ireland, Denmark and Sweden have all blocked plans for a levy for fear of dissuading investment and Germany has proved lukewarm on the issue, fearing US retaliation against its car industry. The issue has been referred to the OECD, which aims to come up with an international tax by 2020. Scramble to settle Apple is the second major technology company to reach a tax deal with French authorities within the past year, reflecting the growing pressure from voters on governments to bring foreign companies to book. In February 2018, Amazon said it had settled a French claim for nearly 200 million euros and would start declaring all its earnings in the country, ending a dispute that had dragged on for years. In 2017, however, France's tax collection drive suffered a setback with a local court ruling that Google was not liable to pay 1.1 billion euros in taxes claimed on revenues transferred from France to Ireland. According to L'Express, the deal between France and Apple was clinched after several months of talks, and concerned the small amount of revenue the firm booked in France while the sales it reported in Europe ballooned. The report said Apple's European revenues exploded seven-fold, from 6.6 billion euros in 2008 to 47.7 billion in 2017, most of which was booked in Ireland where it has its European headquarters.

Apple agrees 500-million-euro tax settlement with France

Apple Inc said on Wednesday it had banned<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-paid-teens-to-track-smartphones-in-order-to-beat-competition-report-193942"> Facebook Inc from a program designed</a> to let businesses control iPhones used by their employees, saying the social networking company had improperly used it to track the web-browsing habits of teenagers.

Apple offers what are known as certificates that let businesses have deep controls over iPhones, with the potential to remotely install apps, monitor app usage and access, and delete data owned by a business on an iPhone. Apple designed the program for organizations whose staff use iPhones for official duties, when privacy needs are different from phones for personal use.

On Tuesday, technology news site TechCrunch reported that Facebook was paying users as young as 13-years-old to install an app called Facebook Research. The app used Apple's business tools to ask for an iPhone user's permission to install so-called virtual private network software that can track browsing habits.

Apple ejected Facebook from the business app program, saying in a statement on Wednesday the program was "solely for the internal distribution of apps within an organization."

"Facebook has been using their membership to distribute a data-collecting app to consumers, which is a clear breach of their agreement with Apple," Apple said in the statement.

The ban does not affect Facebook's apps in Apple's App Store, which Facebook depends on to distribute Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram apps to iPhone users. But it does mean that Facebook will not be able to distribute internal apps to its own employees.

In a statement, Facebook said key aspects of the research program were being ignored and that it had secured users' permission.

"Despite early reports, there was nothing 'secret' about this," Facebook said in a statement. "It was literally called the Facebook Research App. It wasn't 'spying' as all of the people who signed up to participate went through a clear on-boarding process asking for their permission and were paid to participate."

Facebook said fewer than 5 per cent of the participants in the program were teens and that all of those teens had signed parental consent forms. 
&nbsp;

Apple Inc said on Wednesday it had banned Facebook Inc from a program designed to let businesses control iPhones used by their employees, saying the social networking company had improperly used it to track the web-browsing habits of teenagers.

Apple Inc said on Wednesday it had banned Facebook Inc from a program designed to let businesses control iPhones used by their employees, saying the social networking company had improperly used it to track the web-browsing habits of teenagers. Apple offers what are known as certificates that let businesses have deep controls over iPhones, with the potential to remotely install apps, monitor app usage and access, and delete data owned by a business on an iPhone. Apple designed the program for organizations whose staff use iPhones for official duties, when privacy needs are different from phones for personal use. On Tuesday, technology news site TechCrunch reported that Facebook was paying users as young as 13-years-old to install an app called Facebook Research. The app used Apple's business tools to ask for an iPhone user's permission to install so-called virtual private network software that can track browsing habits. Apple ejected Facebook from the business app program, saying in a statement on Wednesday the program was "solely for the internal distribution of apps within an organization." "Facebook has been using their membership to distribute a data-collecting app to consumers, which is a clear breach of their agreement with Apple," Apple said in the statement. The ban does not affect Facebook's apps in Apple's App Store, which Facebook depends on to distribute Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram apps to iPhone users. But it does mean that Facebook will not be able to distribute internal apps to its own employees. In a statement, Facebook said key aspects of the research program were being ignored and that it had secured users' permission. "Despite early reports, there was nothing 'secret' about this," Facebook said in a statement. "It was literally called the Facebook Research App. It wasn't 'spying' as all of the people who signed up to participate went through a clear on-boarding process asking for their permission and were paid to participate." Facebook said fewer than 5 per cent of the participants in the program were teens and that all of those teens had signed parental consent forms.

Apple bans Facebook from tech tools for tracking teen browsing habits

Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah sparked a spectacular England collapse as Virat Kohli-led India registered a marvellous victory in the fourth Test by 157 runs at The Oval on Monday (September 6).&nbsp;

India now leads the&nbsp;five-match series by 2-1.

Chasing a mammoth target of 368, the hosts fell short despite making a strong start with a century opening partnership by Rory Burns (50) and Haseeb Hameed (63) as they were restricted by a disciplined and superb bowling attack.&nbsp;

Burns took two runs off Thakur to bring up his 50 but the seamer angled the next ball in and the opener could only edge it behind.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/with-this-record-ravindra-jadeja-joins-the-league-of-kumble-bedi-and-chandrasekhar-411188">With this record, Ravindra Jadeja joins the league of Kumble, Bedi and Chandrasekhar</a>

Left-arm spinner Jadeja started the rapid decline when he bowled Haseeb Hameed for 63 with a fine delivery.&nbsp;

Ollie Pope, who made 81 in the first innings, was then bowled for two by Bumrah that gave the fast bowler his 100th Test wicket.&nbsp;

Bumrah then took his second wicket in five deliveries when a brilliant yorker clean bowled Jonny Bairstow for a duck.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indvseng-jasprit-bumrah-breaks-kapil-devs-record-to-become-quickest-indian-fast-bowler-to-get-100-test-wickets-411173">INDvsENG: Jasprit Bumrah breaks Kapil Dev's record to become quickest Indian fast bowler to get 100 Test wickets</a>

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Moeen Ali was powerless to prevent further collapse, the all-rounder also falling for nought when he deflected a Jadeja delivery that turned and bounced out of the rough straight to short leg.

The fifth and final Test is scheduled to start on September 10 in Manchester.&nbsp;

Brief scores

India 1st Innings 191 (S Thakur 57, V Kohli 50; C Woakes 4-55, O Robinson 3-38)

England 1st innings 290 (O Pope 81, C Woakes 50; U Yadav 3-76)

India 2nd Innings 466 (R Sharma 127, C Pujara 61, S Thakur 60, R Pant 50; C Woakes 3-83)

England 2nd Innings (H Hameed 63, R Burns 50; U Yadav 3-60)

Result: India won by 157 runs

Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah sparked a spectacular England collapse as Virat Kohli-led India registered a marvellous victory in the fourth Test by 157 runs at The Oval on Monday (September 6).

Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah sparked a spectacular England collapse as Virat Kohli-led India registered a marvellous victory in the fourth Test by 157 runs at The Oval on Monday (September 6). India now leads the five-match series by 2-1. Chasing a mammoth target of 368, the hosts fell short despite making a strong start with a century opening partnership by Rory Burns (50) and Haseeb Hameed (63) as they were restricted by a disciplined and superb bowling attack. Burns took two runs off Thakur to bring up his 50 but the seamer angled the next ball in and the opener could only edge it behind. ALSO READ | With this record, Ravindra Jadeja joins the league of Kumble, Bedi and Chandrasekhar Left-arm spinner Jadeja started the rapid decline when he bowled Haseeb Hameed for 63 with a fine delivery. Ollie Pope, who made 81 in the first innings, was then bowled for two by Bumrah that gave the fast bowler his 100th Test wicket. Bumrah then took his second wicket in five deliveries when a brilliant yorker clean bowled Jonny Bairstow for a duck. ALSO READ | INDvsENG: Jasprit Bumrah breaks Kapil Dev's record to become quickest Indian fast bowler to get 100 Test wickets 4th Test. It's all over! India won by 157 runs https://t.co/OOZebPnBZU #ENGvIND — BCCI (@BCCI) September 6, 2021 × Moeen Ali was powerless to prevent further collapse, the all-rounder also falling for nought when he deflected a Jadeja delivery that turned and bounced out of the rough straight to short leg. The fifth and final Test is scheduled to start on September 10 in Manchester. Brief scores India 1st Innings 191 (S Thakur 57, V Kohli 50; C Woakes 4-55, O Robinson 3-38) England 1st innings 290 (O Pope 81, C Woakes 50; U Yadav 3-76) India 2nd Innings 466 (R Sharma 127, C Pujara 61, S Thakur 60, R Pant 50; C Woakes 3-83) England 2nd Innings (H Hameed 63, R Burns 50; U Yadav 3-60) Result: India won by 157 runs

Apple to cut price of some iPhone models outside US to offset strong dollar

Apple Inc reported sharp growth in its services business and Chief Executive Tim Cook said trade tensions between the United States and China were easing, helping the technology company's shares up after hours even as iPhone sales dipped in the holiday shopping quarter for the first time.

Apple said sales for the current quarter would most likely be lower than Wall Street expected, a signal that it continues to face weak demand for its iPhone, especially in China, the world's biggest smartphone market.

But investors focused on the company's growing services, which include Apple Music and its App Store.

"The services number is good, and that is the growth engine going forward that people will continue to focus on," said Ivan Feinseth, an analyst with Tigress Financial Partners.

Cook, who is in regular contact with U.S. President Donald Trump, said trade tensions with China, which may have depressed sales of its phones, were easing.

"If you were to graph up trade tension it's clearly less in January than it was in December," Cook told Reuters in an interview. "I'm optimistic that the two countries will be able to work things out."

The company's shares rose 6 percent to $163.50 in after-hours trading. They had fallen more than 30 percent since November on concerns about weak iPhone sales and a general decline in high-tech stocks.

"It appears that the bears pressed way too hard on the negative bets and even this more negative report couldn't drive the stock lower," said Hal Eddins, chief economist for Apple shareholder Capital Investment Counsel.

Apple Inc reported sharp growth in its services business and Chief Executive Tim Cook said trade tensions between the United States and China were easing, helping the technology company's shares up after hours even as iPhone sales dipped in the holiday shopping quarter for the first time.

Apple Inc reported sharp growth in its services business and Chief Executive Tim Cook said trade tensions between the United States and China were easing, helping the technology company's shares up after hours even as iPhone sales dipped in the holiday shopping quarter for the first time. Apple said sales for the current quarter would most likely be lower than Wall Street expected, a signal that it continues to face weak demand for its iPhone, especially in China, the world's biggest smartphone market. But investors focused on the company's growing services, which include Apple Music and its App Store. "The services number is good, and that is the growth engine going forward that people will continue to focus on," said Ivan Feinseth, an analyst with Tigress Financial Partners. Cook, who is in regular contact with U.S. President Donald Trump, said trade tensions with China, which may have depressed sales of its phones, were easing. "If you were to graph up trade tension it's clearly less in January than it was in December," Cook told Reuters in an interview. "I'm optimistic that the two countries will be able to work things out." The company's shares rose 6 percent to $163.50 in after-hours trading. They had fallen more than 30 percent since November on concerns about weak iPhone sales and a general decline in high-tech stocks. "It appears that the bears pressed way too hard on the negative bets and even this more negative report couldn't drive the stock lower," said Hal Eddins, chief economist for Apple shareholder Capital Investment Counsel.

Apple reports sharp growth in its services business

Apple is aiming to show it can do more than just make iPhones in a quarterly update Tuesday for investors who are skeptical over whether the culture-changing company can regain the momentum from its glory days.

In recent weeks, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/apple-in-crisis-users-complaining-of-swollen-iphone-8-and-8-plus-21175">Apple shares have been hammered</a> on concerns that its best days are over, with smartphone sales slipping and no new "big thing" on the horizon.

Amid turbulence in the tech sector, Apple has lost its trillion-dollar status and slid behind rivals Microsoft and Amazon on the list of most valuable corporations.

The California tech giant has been trying to shift focus to growth in the side of its business devoted to selling music, movies, apps, and services to the vast "install base" of Apple gadget owners as well as via other internet-linked devices.

Apple delivered a stunning admission earlier this month that iPhone sales and overall revenues would be below most forecasts, citing economic weakness in China and trade frictions between Washington and Beijing.

Some analysts believe iPhone sales over the quarter to December will show an unprecedented decline, although the exact figures won't be visible because Apple has decided to leave off unit sales.

Resilience? 
Gene Munster and Will Thompson of the investment firm Loup Ventures said that despite lower iPhone sales, Apple can make up for lost revenues from its growing services segment.

"This is unprecedented and representative of a resilient business," Munster and Thompson write in a blog post.

The saturated global smartphone market is forcing Apple to seek another reinvention.

"This is not 'the fall of Apple' -- it's just the shift of smartphones to boring maturity, as we look for what's next," Benedict Evans of the investment firm Andreessen Horowitz said in a recent blog post.&nbsp;

Rumors buzzing about the company include its plans to produce it own shows, potentially challenging streaming television giants Netflix and Amazon Prime, which have invested heavily in original content.

"There are other ways to make money but it's not clear how Apple is going to do that," noted analyst Jack Gold of J. Gold Associates.

Apple has consistently touted the success of its eponymous smartwatch, engineering the wristwear with health and fitness features.

Apple Pay has been steadily adding to the roster of businesses that let people tap handsets to consummate transactions.

Another important source of income is the surging market for app downloads, where Apple gets 30 percent of the action.

Meanwhile, Apple remains under pressure as fans and analysts wonder whether the company lost its ability to wow the world when co-founder and chief Steve Jobs died in late 2011.

The China factor 
Apple had been growing in China until recently, but the combination of trade frictions and a slowing Chinese economy are cutting into its sales there.

Former Apple executive Jean-Louis Gassee said the surprise on Chinese sales was a massive mistake for CEO Tim Cook.

"I distinctly recall Cook telling analysts during a quarterly earnings call that, having studied the country for 30 years, he knew China," Gassee said in a blog.

"How could Apple, which is more embedded than most Western companies, not see a Chinese economy slowdown that started well before the 2018 holiday quarter?"

Apple is likely to face questions on whether it boosted prices too far, lifting its newest handsets to $1,000 or more, in a market that is seeing tougher competition.

Consumer Intelligence Research Partners said its survey showed 65 percent of iPhone buyers chose the newer models over the less expensive ones, and that the average selling price of the devices rose to "well over $800."

Apple is aiming to show it can do more than just make iPhones in a quarterly update Tuesday for investors who are skeptical over whether the culture-changing company can regain the momentum from its glory days.

Apple is aiming to show it can do more than just make iPhones in a quarterly update Tuesday for investors who are skeptical over whether the culture-changing company can regain the momentum from its glory days. In recent weeks, Apple shares have been hammered on concerns that its best days are over, with smartphone sales slipping and no new "big thing" on the horizon. Amid turbulence in the tech sector, Apple has lost its trillion-dollar status and slid behind rivals Microsoft and Amazon on the list of most valuable corporations. The California tech giant has been trying to shift focus to growth in the side of its business devoted to selling music, movies, apps, and services to the vast "install base" of Apple gadget owners as well as via other internet-linked devices. Apple delivered a stunning admission earlier this month that iPhone sales and overall revenues would be below most forecasts, citing economic weakness in China and trade frictions between Washington and Beijing. Some analysts believe iPhone sales over the quarter to December will show an unprecedented decline, although the exact figures won't be visible because Apple has decided to leave off unit sales. Resilience? Gene Munster and Will Thompson of the investment firm Loup Ventures said that despite lower iPhone sales, Apple can make up for lost revenues from its growing services segment. "This is unprecedented and representative of a resilient business," Munster and Thompson write in a blog post. The saturated global smartphone market is forcing Apple to seek another reinvention. "This is not 'the fall of Apple' -- it's just the shift of smartphones to boring maturity, as we look for what's next," Benedict Evans of the investment firm Andreessen Horowitz said in a recent blog post. Rumors buzzing about the company include its plans to produce it own shows, potentially challenging streaming television giants Netflix and Amazon Prime, which have invested heavily in original content. "There are other ways to make money but it's not clear how Apple is going to do that," noted analyst Jack Gold of J. Gold Associates. Apple has consistently touted the success of its eponymous smartwatch, engineering the wristwear with health and fitness features. Apple Pay has been steadily adding to the roster of businesses that let people tap handsets to consummate transactions. Another important source of income is the surging market for app downloads, where Apple gets 30 percent of the action. Meanwhile, Apple remains under pressure as fans and analysts wonder whether the company lost its ability to wow the world when co-founder and chief Steve Jobs died in late 2011. The China factor Apple had been growing in China until recently, but the combination of trade frictions and a slowing Chinese economy are cutting into its sales there. Former Apple executive Jean-Louis Gassee said the surprise on Chinese sales was a massive mistake for CEO Tim Cook. "I distinctly recall Cook telling analysts during a quarterly earnings call that, having studied the country for 30 years, he knew China," Gassee said in a blog. "How could Apple, which is more embedded than most Western companies, not see a Chinese economy slowdown that started well before the 2018 holiday quarter?" Apple is likely to face questions on whether it boosted prices too far, lifting its newest handsets to $1,000 or more, in a market that is seeing tougher competition. Consumer Intelligence Research Partners said its survey showed 65 percent of iPhone buyers chose the newer models over the less expensive ones, and that the average selling price of the devices rose to "well over $800."

Apple's best days behind it?

Apple Inc said on Monday it will issue a software patch later this week for a bug that lets iPhone users hear audio from users who have not yet accepted a video call.

The bug, which Reuters was able to replicate, allows an iPhone user placing a call using Apple's FaceTime video-calling feature to hear audio from the recipient's phone even if the recipient has not yet picked up the call.

The bug appears to rely on Apple's group video-calling feature.

In certain situations, the bug also broadcast both video and audio from the recipient's phone, the technology news website the Verge noted.

"We're aware of this issue and have identified a fix that will be released in a software update later this week," an Apple spokesperson said.

Apple's group FaceTime was temporarily made unavailable due to an ongoing issue, according to Apple's system status webpage.

The Cupertino, California-based company was not immediately available to comment on the update on its system status page.

Users took to Twitter to tweet jokes and comments about the bug affecting Apple's group FaceTime service.

"Disable FaceTime for now until Apple fixes," Twitter Inc CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted.

Apple announced the feature last summer, but then removed it from early test versions of its iOS 12 operating system. The company launched the feature in October.

Apple Inc said on Monday it will issue a software patch later this week for a bug that lets iPhone users hear audio from users who have not yet accepted a video call.

Apple Inc said on Monday it will issue a software patch later this week for a bug that lets iPhone users hear audio from users who have not yet accepted a video call. The bug, which Reuters was able to replicate, allows an iPhone user placing a call using Apple's FaceTime video-calling feature to hear audio from the recipient's phone even if the recipient has not yet picked up the call. The bug appears to rely on Apple's group video-calling feature. In certain situations, the bug also broadcast both video and audio from the recipient's phone, the technology news website the Verge noted. "We're aware of this issue and have identified a fix that will be released in a software update later this week," an Apple spokesperson said. Apple's group FaceTime was temporarily made unavailable due to an ongoing issue, according to Apple's system status webpage. The Cupertino, California-based company was not immediately available to comment on the update on its system status page. Users took to Twitter to tweet jokes and comments about the bug affecting Apple's group FaceTime service. "Disable FaceTime for now until Apple fixes," Twitter Inc CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted. Apple announced the feature last summer, but then removed it from early test versions of its iOS 12 operating system. The company launched the feature in October.

Apple to patch privacy bug in video-calling feature

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/unpaid-work-done-by-women-globally-worth-43-times-apples-annual-turnover-oxfam-191775&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiCnI7QrojgAhVMuI8KHaWzBtcQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw2lVuPlQ6uybpzP_U5Vk1UD">Apple</a>&nbsp;has dismissed more than 200 employees from its autonomous vehicle group, Project Titan, CNBC reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The dismissals are seen, internally, as anticipated restructuring under the relatively new leadership of Project Titan, CNBC said.

"As the team focuses their work on several key areas for 2019, some groups are being moved to projects in other parts of the company, where they will support machine learning and other initiatives, across all of Apple," the company said in a statement.

However, Apple didn't confirm or deny the layoffs.

Last year, the iPhone maker hired Doug Field, an Apple veteran and a Tesla engineering vice president, to lead the Project Titan team alongside Bob Mansfield.

Apple has dismissed more than 200 employees from its autonomous vehicle group, Project Titan, CNBC reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. The dismissals are seen, internally, as anticipated restructuring under the relatively new leadership of Project Titan, CNBC said.

Apple has dismissed more than 200 employees from its autonomous vehicle group, Project Titan, CNBC reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. The dismissals are seen, internally, as anticipated restructuring under the relatively new leadership of Project Titan, CNBC said. "As the team focuses their work on several key areas for 2019, some groups are being moved to projects in other parts of the company, where they will support machine learning and other initiatives, across all of Apple," the company said in a statement. However, Apple didn't confirm or deny the layoffs. Last year, the iPhone maker hired Doug Field, an Apple veteran and a Tesla engineering vice president, to lead the Project Titan team alongside Bob Mansfield.

Apple dismisses over 200 staff from autonomous vehicle group: Report

Unpaid work done by women across the globe amounts to a staggering $10 trillion a year, which is 43 times the annual turnover of the world's biggest company Apple, an Oxfam study said Monday.

In India, the unpaid work done by women looking after their homes and children is worth 3.1 per cent of the country's GDP. Women spend 312 minutes per day in urban areas and 291 minutes per day in rural areas on such unpaid care work, it added.

In comparison, men spend only 29 minutes in urban and 32 minutes in rural areas on unpaid care work.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-richest-1-get-richer-by-39-in-2018-just-3-rise-for-bottom-half-oxfam-191688">Wealth of 9 richest Indians equal to poorer 50% of </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-richest-1-get-richer-by-39-in-2018-just-3-rise-for-bottom-half-oxfam-191688">population</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-richest-1-get-richer-by-39-in-2018-just-3-rise-for-bottom-half-oxfam-191688">, says Oxfam report</a>

The report, released by the international rights group before the start of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in this Swiss ski resort town, also said women and girls are hardest hit by rising economic inequality, including in India.

Oxfam said inequality has a "female face" in India, where women are less likely to have paid work when compared to men, while even among the richest there are only 9 women in the country's 119-member billionaires club.

The paid work women do bring them less earnings as compared to men due to the existing wage gap and therefore households that rely primarily on female earners tend to be poorer, it said, referring to the country's gender pay gap at 34 per cent.

It observed that various intersections of caste, class, religion, age and sexual orientation have further implications on women inequality as a process.

The Oxfam study also referred to India's poor 108th ranking on the WEF's Global Gender Gap Index of 2018, saying it was 10 notches less than in 2006 and far below the global average and behind its neighbours China and Bangladesh.

Oxfam said India has many laws that deal with violence against women, but their implementation remains a challenge, including due to a deeply patriarchal society.

It said a law to deal with sexual harassment at workplace was passed in 2013 after a struggle by women's rights organisations and group of lawyers for 17 years, but it is the recent #MeToo movement in India that has opened the doors for the organised workforce to ensure that mechanisms are in place and due process is followed.

Oxfam said a large majority of women are in the informal sector that does not have any formal mechanisms for dealing with sexual harassment. Consequently, where there is an option, women drop out of the labour force, else continue under exploitative conditions.

Citing a 1,000-household survey undertaken in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh, Oxfam said 53 per cent of those surveyed said it was acceptable to harshly criticise a woman if she failed to care well for the children and 33 per cent felt it was acceptable to even beat a woman for this reason.

Similarly, 60 per cent felt it was acceptable to harshly criticise a woman if she left a dependent or ill adult unattended and 36 per cent felt it was acceptable to beat her for the same reason.

Also, 41 per cent felt it was acceptable to beat a woman if she did not prepare a meal for the men in the family while 68 per cent felt it was acceptable to criticise her harshly.

Besides, 42 per cent said a woman should be beaten if she failed to fetch water or fuelwood for her family and 65 per cent felt she deserved to be criticised harshly.

A whopping 54 per cent felt it was okay to beat a woman if she left the house without asking and 86 per cent felt she should be criticised harshly for doing so.

Observing that these issues put severe restrictions on women's ability to go out and undertake paid work, Oxfam said women's ability to undertake paid work is not merely determined by economic considerations but also by social norms.

"It is understood that a woman's primary role is to take care of the house and her family and any income-generating work is secondary to this role," it added.

The study also found that cutting taxes on wealth predominantly benefits men who own 50 per cent more wealth than women globally and control over 86 per cent of corporations.

Conversely, when public services are neglected, poor women and girls suffer the most.

"Girls are pulled out of school first when the money is not available to pay fees, and women clock up hours of unpaid work looking after sick relatives when healthcare systems fail," it said.

Oxfam International Executive Director Winnie Byanyima, one of the key participants at the WEF summit, said, "While corporations and the super-rich enjoy low tax bills, millions of girls are denied a decent education and women are dying for lack of maternity care."

"Economic inequality plagued by caste, class, gender and religion need to be tackled on a war-footing," Oxfam India chief Amitabh Behar said.

Oxfam is part of the Fight Inequality Alliance -- a coalition of social movements, environmental groups, women's rights groups, trade unions and NGOs.

The alliance is organising events in over 30 countries from January 18-25, around the same time as the WEF meet in Davos.

Unpaid work done by women across the globe amounts to a staggering $10 trillion a year, which is 43 times the annual turnover of the world's biggest company Apple, an Oxfam study said Monday.

Unpaid work done by women across the globe amounts to a staggering $10 trillion a year, which is 43 times the annual turnover of the world's biggest company Apple, an Oxfam study said Monday. In India, the unpaid work done by women looking after their homes and children is worth 3.1 per cent of the country's GDP. Women spend 312 minutes per day in urban areas and 291 minutes per day in rural areas on such unpaid care work, it added. In comparison, men spend only 29 minutes in urban and 32 minutes in rural areas on unpaid care work. Also read: Wealth of 9 richest Indians equal to poorer 50% of population, says Oxfam report The report, released by the international rights group before the start of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in this Swiss ski resort town, also said women and girls are hardest hit by rising economic inequality, including in India. Oxfam said inequality has a "female face" in India, where women are less likely to have paid work when compared to men, while even among the richest there are only 9 women in the country's 119-member billionaires club. The paid work women do bring them less earnings as compared to men due to the existing wage gap and therefore households that rely primarily on female earners tend to be poorer, it said, referring to the country's gender pay gap at 34 per cent. It observed that various intersections of caste, class, religion, age and sexual orientation have further implications on women inequality as a process. The Oxfam study also referred to India's poor 108th ranking on the WEF's Global Gender Gap Index of 2018, saying it was 10 notches less than in 2006 and far below the global average and behind its neighbours China and Bangladesh. Oxfam said India has many laws that deal with violence against women, but their implementation remains a challenge, including due to a deeply patriarchal society. It said a law to deal with sexual harassment at workplace was passed in 2013 after a struggle by women's rights organisations and group of lawyers for 17 years, but it is the recent #MeToo movement in India that has opened the doors for the organised workforce to ensure that mechanisms are in place and due process is followed. Oxfam said a large majority of women are in the informal sector that does not have any formal mechanisms for dealing with sexual harassment. Consequently, where there is an option, women drop out of the labour force, else continue under exploitative conditions. Citing a 1,000-household survey undertaken in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh, Oxfam said 53 per cent of those surveyed said it was acceptable to harshly criticise a woman if she failed to care well for the children and 33 per cent felt it was acceptable to even beat a woman for this reason. Similarly, 60 per cent felt it was acceptable to harshly criticise a woman if she left a dependent or ill adult unattended and 36 per cent felt it was acceptable to beat her for the same reason. Also, 41 per cent felt it was acceptable to beat a woman if she did not prepare a meal for the men in the family while 68 per cent felt it was acceptable to criticise her harshly. Besides, 42 per cent said a woman should be beaten if she failed to fetch water or fuelwood for her family and 65 per cent felt she deserved to be criticised harshly. A whopping 54 per cent felt it was okay to beat a woman if she left the house without asking and 86 per cent felt she should be criticised harshly for doing so. Observing that these issues put severe restrictions on women's ability to go out and undertake paid work, Oxfam said women's ability to undertake paid work is not merely determined by economic considerations but also by social norms. "It is understood that a woman's primary role is to take care of the house and her family and any income-generating work is secondary to this role," it added. The study also found that cutting taxes on wealth predominantly benefits men who own 50 per cent more wealth than women globally and control over 86 per cent of corporations. Conversely, when public services are neglected, poor women and girls suffer the most. "Girls are pulled out of school first when the money is not available to pay fees, and women clock up hours of unpaid work looking after sick relatives when healthcare systems fail," it said. Oxfam International Executive Director Winnie Byanyima, one of the key participants at the WEF summit, said, "While corporations and the super-rich enjoy low tax bills, millions of girls are denied a decent education and women are dying for lack of maternity care." "Economic inequality plagued by caste, class, gender and religion need to be tackled on a war-footing," Oxfam India chief Amitabh Behar said. Oxfam is part of the Fight Inequality Alliance -- a coalition of social movements, environmental groups, women's rights groups, trade unions and NGOs. The alliance is organising events in over 30 countries from January 18-25, around the same time as the WEF meet in Davos.

Unpaid work done by women globally worth 43-times Apple's annual turnover: Oxfam

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/apple-cuts-first-quarter-production-plan-for-new-iphones-by-10-nikkei-asian-review-189136">Apple's mobile phones</a> are recently going through a price reduction wave on the Chinese market due to the company's weak business performance, with the latest iPhone model dropping as much as 1400 yuan (about $207) in some places.

Due to the unexpected low sales, Apple's mobile phones experienced a big price cut in the Chinese market. In an electronics store in Shanghai, all the iPhone products, from iPhone 7 to the latest model XS MAX, have been labelled with a price drop. Among them, the price of 256G iPhone XS MAX dropped from 10,999 yuan to 9,899 yuan (from $1626.4 to $1463.7).

"People's apple craze is on the wane, so we have to lower the price to ensure sales," said Zhou Shunliang, owner of the electronics store.

"The reason behind the price drops is that more people have turned to home-made brands," said a resident.

Various Chinese major e-commerce platforms have also launched price reduction strategies to promote sales. On Su'ning and Tmall online platforms, some iPhones are 1400 yuan ($354.9) cheaper than on Apple's official website. On Jingdong, the price of 64G iPhone 8 dropped by 700 yuan ($103.5), and the price of iPhone 8 plus dropped by 900 yuan ($133).

Some residents, however, said that the price reduction is still not enough, considering the extra high original price.

"The price drop is far from enough. I think it should be reduced by at least 30 per cent, then it would be a worthy price. The original price is too high," said a citizen.

"The latest model didn't sell well, as it is way too expensive," said another citizen.

'People's apple craze is on the wane, so we have to lower the price to ensure sales,' said the owner of the electronics store.

Apple's mobile phones are recently going through a price reduction wave on the Chinese market due to the company's weak business performance, with the latest iPhone model dropping as much as 1400 yuan (about $207) in some places. Due to the unexpected low sales, Apple's mobile phones experienced a big price cut in the Chinese market. In an electronics store in Shanghai, all the iPhone products, from iPhone 7 to the latest model XS MAX, have been labelled with a price drop. Among them, the price of 256G iPhone XS MAX dropped from 10,999 yuan to 9,899 yuan (from $1626.4 to $1463.7). "People's apple craze is on the wane, so we have to lower the price to ensure sales," said Zhou Shunliang, owner of the electronics store. "The reason behind the price drops is that more people have turned to home-made brands," said a resident. Various Chinese major e-commerce platforms have also launched price reduction strategies to promote sales. On Su'ning and Tmall online platforms, some iPhones are 1400 yuan ($354.9) cheaper than on Apple's official website. On Jingdong, the price of 64G iPhone 8 dropped by 700 yuan ($103.5), and the price of iPhone 8 plus dropped by 900 yuan ($133). Some residents, however, said that the price reduction is still not enough, considering the extra high original price. "The price drop is far from enough. I think it should be reduced by at least 30 per cent, then it would be a worthy price. The original price is too high," said a citizen. "The latest model didn't sell well, as it is way too expensive," said another citizen.

iPhones go through price reduction wave in China

The S&amp;P 500 jumped to a three-week high on Tuesday, led by Apple, Amazon, Facebook and industrial shares on bets that the United States and China would strike a deal to end their trade war.

The three-day rally kicked off on Friday following robust US&nbsp;jobs data and dovish comments on interest rates by Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell has lifted the S&amp;P 500 by over 9 per cent from 20-month lows touched around Christmas.

The S&amp;P 500 has gained in seven of the past nine sessions.

The United States and China will extend trade talks in Beijing for an unscheduled third day, a member of the US&nbsp;delegation said, as the world's two largest economies looked to resolve their bitter trade dispute. So far, officials from both sides have sounded optimistic, with President Donald Trump saying talks were going well.

"You're seeing some negotiations happen and the market is starting to think that perhaps we'll start to see a framework evolve," said Anik Sen, global head of equities at PineBridge Investments.

The trade-sensitive S&amp;P industrials sector rose 1.41 percent. Boeing Co&nbsp;shares jumped 3.79 per cent, contributing the most to the Dow's rise, after the company said it had delivered a record 806 aircraft in 2018.

Apple Inc &nbsp;rose 1.91 per cent, regaining some ground after the company last week warned of weaker-than-expected demand for its iPhones. But tech sector gains were limited by a drop in chip stocks after Samsung blamed an estimated 29 per cent drop in quarterly profit on weak chip demand.

The Philadelphia Semiconductor index slid 0.49 per cent. Adding to the woes, Goldman Sachs forecast a tough year for chipmakers, particularly in the first half.

Other investors remained upbeat about upcoming US&nbsp;quarterly results.

"It's the new year and investors are really stepping back and taking a look at the fundamentals, and realizing it's not as bad a story as maybe we thought toward the end of the year," said Jeff Kravetz, a regional investment strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management.

The communication services index climbed 1.58 per cent, with Facebook Inc adding 3.25 per cent after JPMorgan said the social media company was among its favourite internet picks for 2019.

Amazon.com Inc&nbsp;rose 1.66 per cent, increasing its market capitalization to $810 billion and cementing its position as the most valuable US&nbsp;company.

The S&P 500 jumped to a three-week high on Tuesday, led by Apple, Amazon, Facebook and industrial shares on bets that the United States and China would strike a deal to end their trade war.

The S&P 500 jumped to a three-week high on Tuesday, led by Apple, Amazon, Facebook and industrial shares on bets that the United States and China would strike a deal to end their trade war. The three-day rally kicked off on Friday following robust US jobs data and dovish comments on interest rates by Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell has lifted the S&P 500 by over 9 per cent from 20-month lows touched around Christmas. The S&P 500 has gained in seven of the past nine sessions. The United States and China will extend trade talks in Beijing for an unscheduled third day, a member of the US delegation said, as the world's two largest economies looked to resolve their bitter trade dispute. So far, officials from both sides have sounded optimistic, with President Donald Trump saying talks were going well. "You're seeing some negotiations happen and the market is starting to think that perhaps we'll start to see a framework evolve," said Anik Sen, global head of equities at PineBridge Investments. The trade-sensitive S&P industrials sector rose 1.41 percent. Boeing Co shares jumped 3.79 per cent, contributing the most to the Dow's rise, after the company said it had delivered a record 806 aircraft in 2018. Apple Inc rose 1.91 per cent, regaining some ground after the company last week warned of weaker-than-expected demand for its iPhones. But tech sector gains were limited by a drop in chip stocks after Samsung blamed an estimated 29 per cent drop in quarterly profit on weak chip demand. The Philadelphia Semiconductor index slid 0.49 per cent. Adding to the woes, Goldman Sachs forecast a tough year for chipmakers, particularly in the first half. Other investors remained upbeat about upcoming US quarterly results. "It's the new year and investors are really stepping back and taking a look at the fundamentals, and realizing it's not as bad a story as maybe we thought toward the end of the year," said Jeff Kravetz, a regional investment strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management. The communication services index climbed 1.58 per cent, with Facebook Inc adding 3.25 per cent after JPMorgan said the social media company was among its favourite internet picks for 2019. Amazon.com Inc rose 1.66 per cent, increasing its market capitalization to $810 billion and cementing its position as the most valuable US company.

Apple, Facebook propel Wall Street to three-week peak

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/samsung-electronics-apologises-to-workers-over-cancer-cases-in-semiconductor-factories-178875">Samsung Electronics </a>on Tuesday flagged its first quarterly profit drop in two years and painted a grim outlook owing to mounting competition from Chinese smartphone makers and declining chip prices.

The shock warning added to concerns about the broader tech sector after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/apple-inks-deal-with-samsung-to-distribute-itunes-shows-on-tvs-188696">Apple sent shudders</a> through world markets last week by slashing its revenue forecast blaming weak sales in China and citing the trade war.

Samsung — the world's top maker of smartphones and memory chips — has enjoyed record profits in recent years despite a series of setbacks, including a humiliating recall and the jailing of its de facto chief.

But operating profit during the October to December period was expected to be around 10.8 trillion won ($9.8 billion), down 28.7 per cent from a year earlier, Samsung said in an earnings estimate.

The figure was below market consensus of about 13.5 trillion won, according to market researcher FnGuide.

Sales dropped more than 10 per cent to 59 trillion won in the period, Samsung said.

It cited "lacklustre demand in the memory business and intensifying competition in the smartphone business" for the dismal outlook.

"Memory earnings fell significantly... due to weaker-than-expected demand amid inventory adjustments at data-centre customers," which led to a "greater-than-expected" drop in chip prices, it said.

"We expect earnings to remain subdued in the first quarter of 2019 due to difficult conditions for the memory business but strengthen in the second half."

But analyst Kim Sun-woo of Meritz Securities said worsening supply and demand for semiconductors and the structural challenges facing Samsung's smartphone business will hit profits throughout 2019.

Demand for DRAM memory chips "will hit a low in the fourth quarter of 2019", he added.

Samsung withholds net profit and sector-by-sector business performance data until it releases its final earnings report, which is expected later this month.

For 2018, the firm expects operating profit of 58.9 trillion won, up nearly 10 per cent on-year, and sales to inch up 1.6 per cent to 243.5 trillion won.

Shares in Samsung Electronics, the flagship subsidiary of the Samsung Group that dominates South Korea's economy, were down 0.5 per cent in afternoon trading.

Last week Apple said it expected to earn $84 billion in October-December, well down from the $89-$93 billion previously forecast as it blamed a steeper-than-expected "economic deceleration" in China and emerging markets.

The news battered world equities, with observers saying problems at the usually reliable US titan could point to broader demand weakness and the China-US trade war cited as a key factor.

"When Apple sounded the alarm bells for last quarter results, there was some thought the drops in China sales was an anti-Apple backlash due to escalating US-China tensions," said Stephen Innes, head of Asia-Pacific trade at OANDA. "But these Samsung results are quite damning suggesting there... (is) a broader-based retail and manufacturer slowdown afoot."

While Samsung leads the global smartphone market with a 20 per cent share, it faces mounting competition from Chinese rivals like Huawei — which surpassed Apple to take second place last year — offering quality devices at cheaper prices.

"Samsung is losing ground to Huawei, Xiaomi and other Chinese rivals in the huge China and India markets," Neil Mawston, executive director at market researcher Strategy Analytics, said in a report.

Samsung once also had a 20 per cent market share in China but has seen its sales tumble to less than one per cent of the world's largest smartphone market in the third quarter, and last month announced the closure of its factory in Tianjin.

It will reportedly roll out a new line-up of its flagship Galaxy handsets at next month's World Mobile Congress in Barcelona as it seeks to regain a competitive edge in a market segment it once dominated.

Samsung is also set to introduce the world's first bendable smartphone in the first half.

Its reputation suffered a major blow after a damaging worldwide recall of its Galaxy Note 7 devices over exploding batteries in 2016, which cost the firm billions of dollars and shattered its global brand image.

It also took another hit after the bribery conviction of Lee Jae-Yong — the son and heir of the group's ailing current chairman Lee Kun-hee.

The 50-year-old scion was a key figure in the scandal that ousted former South Korean president Park Geun-Hye following massive nationwide protests and was sentenced to five years in jail last year.

But he was released from jail in February last year after several of his convictions were quashed on appeal.

Samsung has enjoyed record profits in recent years despite a series of setbacks, including a humiliating recall and the jailing of its de facto chief.

Samsung Electronics on Tuesday flagged its first quarterly profit drop in two years and painted a grim outlook owing to mounting competition from Chinese smartphone makers and declining chip prices. The shock warning added to concerns about the broader tech sector after Apple sent shudders through world markets last week by slashing its revenue forecast blaming weak sales in China and citing the trade war. Samsung — the world's top maker of smartphones and memory chips — has enjoyed record profits in recent years despite a series of setbacks, including a humiliating recall and the jailing of its de facto chief. But operating profit during the October to December period was expected to be around 10.8 trillion won ($9.8 billion), down 28.7 per cent from a year earlier, Samsung said in an earnings estimate. The figure was below market consensus of about 13.5 trillion won, according to market researcher FnGuide. Sales dropped more than 10 per cent to 59 trillion won in the period, Samsung said. It cited "lacklustre demand in the memory business and intensifying competition in the smartphone business" for the dismal outlook. "Memory earnings fell significantly... due to weaker-than-expected demand amid inventory adjustments at data-centre customers," which led to a "greater-than-expected" drop in chip prices, it said. "We expect earnings to remain subdued in the first quarter of 2019 due to difficult conditions for the memory business but strengthen in the second half." But analyst Kim Sun-woo of Meritz Securities said worsening supply and demand for semiconductors and the structural challenges facing Samsung's smartphone business will hit profits throughout 2019. Demand for DRAM memory chips "will hit a low in the fourth quarter of 2019", he added. Samsung withholds net profit and sector-by-sector business performance data until it releases its final earnings report, which is expected later this month. For 2018, the firm expects operating profit of 58.9 trillion won, up nearly 10 per cent on-year, and sales to inch up 1.6 per cent to 243.5 trillion won. Shares in Samsung Electronics, the flagship subsidiary of the Samsung Group that dominates South Korea's economy, were down 0.5 per cent in afternoon trading. Last week Apple said it expected to earn $84 billion in October-December, well down from the $89-$93 billion previously forecast as it blamed a steeper-than-expected "economic deceleration" in China and emerging markets. The news battered world equities, with observers saying problems at the usually reliable US titan could point to broader demand weakness and the China-US trade war cited as a key factor. "When Apple sounded the alarm bells for last quarter results, there was some thought the drops in China sales was an anti-Apple backlash due to escalating US-China tensions," said Stephen Innes, head of Asia-Pacific trade at OANDA. "But these Samsung results are quite damning suggesting there... (is) a broader-based retail and manufacturer slowdown afoot." While Samsung leads the global smartphone market with a 20 per cent share, it faces mounting competition from Chinese rivals like Huawei — which surpassed Apple to take second place last year — offering quality devices at cheaper prices. "Samsung is losing ground to Huawei, Xiaomi and other Chinese rivals in the huge China and India markets," Neil Mawston, executive director at market researcher Strategy Analytics, said in a report. Samsung once also had a 20 per cent market share in China but has seen its sales tumble to less than one per cent of the world's largest smartphone market in the third quarter, and last month announced the closure of its factory in Tianjin. It will reportedly roll out a new line-up of its flagship Galaxy handsets at next month's World Mobile Congress in Barcelona as it seeks to regain a competitive edge in a market segment it once dominated. Samsung is also set to introduce the world's first bendable smartphone in the first half. Its reputation suffered a major blow after a damaging worldwide recall of its Galaxy Note 7 devices over exploding batteries in 2016, which cost the firm billions of dollars and shattered its global brand image. It also took another hit after the bribery conviction of Lee Jae-Yong — the son and heir of the group's ailing current chairman Lee Kun-hee. The 50-year-old scion was a key figure in the scandal that ousted former South Korean president Park Geun-Hye following massive nationwide protests and was sentenced to five years in jail last year. But he was released from jail in February last year after several of his convictions were quashed on appeal.

Samsung Electronics flags near 30% slump in Q4 operating profit

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