China's foreign ministry has some suggestions for the Trump administration if they are worried about foreign eavesdropping on the US president's iPhone: use a Huawei handset instead.

Or just sever ties with the outside world completely.

The riposte came after a New York Times report that Chinese and Russian spies often secretly listened in on President Donald Trump when he used his unsecure Apple cellphone to gossip with old friends.

"Reading this report, I feel that today in the United States there really are some people who are doing their utmost to win best script at the Oscars," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a news conference on Thursday.

Such reports were "evidence that the New York Times makes fake news", she said, adding two suggestions that were apparently aimed at the Trump administration.

"If they are really very worried about Apple phones being bugged, then they can change to using Huawei," she said, referring to China's biggest telecommunications equipment maker.

"If they are still not at ease, then in order to have an entirely secure device, they can stop using all forms of modern communication devices and cut off all ties with the outside world."

The Times reported that Trump's aides have repeatedly warned him that his cellphone calls are not secure, but the president refuses to give them up.

Huawei Technologies Co Ltd has come under scrutiny in the United States where intelligence agency leaders and others have said they are concerned that Huawei and other Chinese companies may be beholden to the Chinese government or ruling Communist Party, raising the risk of espionage.

The US Democratic National Committee warned party candidates running in November elections not to use devices from Huawei or ZTE, another major Chinese telecoms gear maker.

The US Department of Defense has stopped selling mobile phones and modems made by Huawei and ZTE in stores on its military bases, citing potential security risks.

And in March, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai told Congress he shared the concerns of some U.S. lawmakers about espionage threats from Huawei.

The New York Times cited US officials as saying China had a sophisticated approach toward the intercepted presidential phone calls and was seeking to use them to determine what Trump thinks, whom he listens to and how best to sway him.

Beijing particularly is trying to use what it learns to prevent the current trade war between the two countries from escalating further, according to the newspaper.

Concerns have been raised on several occasions this year about cellphone surveillance activity in the Washington area. The Department of Homeland Security said in a letter to several senators in March that it had observed activity in Washington consistent with mobile subscriber identity catchers.

China's foreign ministry has some suggestions for the Trump administration if they are worried about foreign eavesdropping on the US president's iPhone: use a Huawei handset instead.

China's foreign ministry has some suggestions for the Trump administration if they are worried about foreign eavesdropping on the US president's iPhone: use a Huawei handset instead. Or just sever ties with the outside world completely. The riposte came after a New York Times report that Chinese and Russian spies often secretly listened in on President Donald Trump when he used his unsecure Apple cellphone to gossip with old friends. "Reading this report, I feel that today in the United States there really are some people who are doing their utmost to win best script at the Oscars," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a news conference on Thursday. Such reports were "evidence that the New York Times makes fake news", she said, adding two suggestions that were apparently aimed at the Trump administration. "If they are really very worried about Apple phones being bugged, then they can change to using Huawei," she said, referring to China's biggest telecommunications equipment maker. "If they are still not at ease, then in order to have an entirely secure device, they can stop using all forms of modern communication devices and cut off all ties with the outside world." The Times reported that Trump's aides have repeatedly warned him that his cellphone calls are not secure, but the president refuses to give them up. Huawei Technologies Co Ltd has come under scrutiny in the United States where intelligence agency leaders and others have said they are concerned that Huawei and other Chinese companies may be beholden to the Chinese government or ruling Communist Party, raising the risk of espionage. The US Democratic National Committee warned party candidates running in November elections not to use devices from Huawei or ZTE, another major Chinese telecoms gear maker. The US Department of Defense has stopped selling mobile phones and modems made by Huawei and ZTE in stores on its military bases, citing potential security risks. And in March, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai told Congress he shared the concerns of some U.S. lawmakers about espionage threats from Huawei. The New York Times cited US officials as saying China had a sophisticated approach toward the intercepted presidential phone calls and was seeking to use them to determine what Trump thinks, whom he listens to and how best to sway him. Beijing particularly is trying to use what it learns to prevent the current trade war between the two countries from escalating further, according to the newspaper. Concerns have been raised on several occasions this year about cellphone surveillance activity in the Washington area. The Department of Homeland Security said in a letter to several senators in March that it had observed activity in Washington consistent with mobile subscriber identity catchers.

Worried about iPhone eavesdroppers? China says Trump may need a Huawei

Chinese telecoms companies like ZTE and Huawei face severely tightened access to the US market despite the Trump administration's deal this week to give ZTE a lifeline after it agreed to a steep fine.

Amid persistent worries that their phones, routers and other products will open a path for Beijing's spying on the United States, analysts say the US government will remain broadly closed to products of the two companies and that the US telecoms industry will remain under pressure to avoid their equipment.

Indeed, four Democratic and Republican senators, criticizing the deal that will permit ZTE to resume purchasing US electronics components, proposed legislation Thursday for an outright ban on the government buying products and services from both ZTE and Huawei.

"Huawei and ZTE pose a serious threat to America's national security. These companies have direct links to the Chinese government and Communist Party," said Republican senator Marco Rubio.

"Their products and services are used for espionage and intellectual property theft, and they have been putting the American people and economy at risk without consequence for far too long."

But experts say the move could hinder the growth of next-generation 5G wireless networks in the United States. The two Chinese companies are poised to become global leaders in the 5G rollout, just beginning this year in several countries.

"The overall concern is that these companies are close to the Chinese government," said &nbspPaul Triolo, a China security specialist at the Eurasia Group.

With fifth-generation mobile technology, he said, "the concern becomes magnified" because the technology is heavily cloud-based, potentially leaving sensitive data accessible by the service provider.

Indeed, US officials have repeatedly suggested that the two companies could design their equipment to allow Chinese intelligence to hack into American networks and siphon off personal data and communications from cellphones.

A 2012 congressional report said the use of Huawei and ZTE equipment in US critical infrastructure "could undermine core US national-security interests."

In February, six top intelligence and security chiefs told a Senate panel they would not use equipment from either company.&nbsp

"We are deeply concerned about the risks of allowing any company or entity that is beholden to foreign governments that don't share our values to gain positions of power inside our telecommunications networks," said FBI Director Christopher Wray.

And in May the country's top counterintelligence official, William Evanina, likewise confirmed that ZTE phones are too risky.

The warnings come at a time of growing concerns over Chinese technology and spying.

Facebook was excoriated this week for having allowed Chinese smartphone makers, including Huawei, to access a broad range of Facebook users' personal data.&nbsp

The threat is plausible. Many intelligence experts believe that the US government has asked American technology vendors for backdoor access to technology. And US intelligence is constantly pressuring Silicon Valley to create ways they can get around encryption apps.

Still, no one has publicly detailed any concrete examples of such attempts by Huawei or ZTE.

"So far there is no smoking gun on these companies," said Triolo.

But one recent example shows the risks.

In 2016, US security consultant Kryptowire discovered that millions of Android smartphones made in China contained firmware that relayed their data, contacts and texts back to a Shanghai marketing company every 72 hours, unknown to users.&nbsp

The Shanghai company, which counts Huawei and ZTE as its customers, said the function was intended to monitor how the phones were used, and was not supposed to be installed on units sold in the United States.

But it was, and no one could be certain how the data would be employed.

"We can't know the intention of the persons who actually created the vulnerability," said Tom Karygiannis, vice president of Kryptowire.

"Is it an accident or is it there intentionally?"

But Karygiannis said the danger is near-impossible to avoid in consumer electronics, since all devices have risks, and an overwhelming number of them are manufactured in China.

It's impossible for a consumer to test the firmware on a phone, which is often updated automatically. Only large enterprises can really vet the technology they are getting, he said.

Triolo said network operators can control what's on their equipment.

The problem is proving it's clean.

"It's really hard for the companies to prove the negative of this," he said.

Experts say the move could hinder the growth of next-generation 5G wireless networks in the United States. The two Chinese companies are poised to become global leaders in the 5G rollout, just beginning this year in several countries.

Chinese telecoms companies like ZTE and Huawei face severely tightened access to the US market despite the Trump administration's deal this week to give ZTE a lifeline after it agreed to a steep fine. Amid persistent worries that their phones, routers and other products will open a path for Beijing's spying on the United States, analysts say the US government will remain broadly closed to products of the two companies and that the US telecoms industry will remain under pressure to avoid their equipment. Indeed, four Democratic and Republican senators, criticizing the deal that will permit ZTE to resume purchasing US electronics components, proposed legislation Thursday for an outright ban on the government buying products and services from both ZTE and Huawei. "Huawei and ZTE pose a serious threat to America's national security. These companies have direct links to the Chinese government and Communist Party," said Republican senator Marco Rubio. "Their products and services are used for espionage and intellectual property theft, and they have been putting the American people and economy at risk without consequence for far too long." But experts say the move could hinder the growth of next-generation 5G wireless networks in the United States. The two Chinese companies are poised to become global leaders in the 5G rollout, just beginning this year in several countries. "The overall concern is that these companies are close to the Chinese government," said &nbspPaul Triolo, a China security specialist at the Eurasia Group. With fifth-generation mobile technology, he said, "the concern becomes magnified" because the technology is heavily cloud-based, potentially leaving sensitive data accessible by the service provider. Indeed, US officials have repeatedly suggested that the two companies could design their equipment to allow Chinese intelligence to hack into American networks and siphon off personal data and communications from cellphones. A 2012 congressional report said the use of Huawei and ZTE equipment in US critical infrastructure "could undermine core US national-security interests." In February, six top intelligence and security chiefs told a Senate panel they would not use equipment from either company. "We are deeply concerned about the risks of allowing any company or entity that is beholden to foreign governments that don't share our values to gain positions of power inside our telecommunications networks," said FBI Director Christopher Wray. And in May the country's top counterintelligence official, William Evanina, likewise confirmed that ZTE phones are too risky. The warnings come at a time of growing concerns over Chinese technology and spying. Facebook was excoriated this week for having allowed Chinese smartphone makers, including Huawei, to access a broad range of Facebook users' personal data. The threat is plausible. Many intelligence experts believe that the US government has asked American technology vendors for backdoor access to technology. And US intelligence is constantly pressuring Silicon Valley to create ways they can get around encryption apps. Still, no one has publicly detailed any concrete examples of such attempts by Huawei or ZTE. "So far there is no smoking gun on these companies," said Triolo. But one recent example shows the risks. In 2016, US security consultant Kryptowire discovered that millions of Android smartphones made in China contained firmware that relayed their data, contacts and texts back to a Shanghai marketing company every 72 hours, unknown to users. The Shanghai company, which counts Huawei and ZTE as its customers, said the function was intended to monitor how the phones were used, and was not supposed to be installed on units sold in the United States. But it was, and no one could be certain how the data would be employed. "We can't know the intention of the persons who actually created the vulnerability," said Tom Karygiannis, vice president of Kryptowire. "Is it an accident or is it there intentionally?" But Karygiannis said the danger is near-impossible to avoid in consumer electronics, since all devices have risks, and an overwhelming number of them are manufactured in China. It's impossible for a consumer to test the firmware on a phone, which is often updated automatically. Only large enterprises can really vet the technology they are getting, he said. Triolo said network operators can control what's on their equipment. The problem is proving it's clean. "It's really hard for the companies to prove the negative of this," he said.

Despite Trump deal, China's ZTE, Huawei to face closed doors in US market

&nbsp;Mark &nbsp;Zuckerberg-led&nbsp;Facebook <a href="http://wionews.com/videos/apple-blocks-facebook-web-tracking-tools--142468">which was hit by a data breach </a>scandal recently, said today that Chinese phone makers were&nbsp;given access to data on users.

"Facebook along with many other <a href="http://wionews.com/world/facebook-shared-user-data-with-over-60-device-makers-including-apple-samsung-report-142133">US tech companies have worked</a> with them and other Chinese manufacturers to integrate their services onto these phones," Facebook mobile partnerships leader Francisco Varela said in a statement.

The social network said it would end the agreement with Huawei later this week including three other partnerships with Chinese firms. Members of Congress had raised concern over data of users' friends could have been accessed without their explicit consent. Facebook denied it would happen.

"Given the interest from Congress, we wanted to make clear that all the information from these integrations with Huawei was stored on the device, not on Huawei's servers," it said.

US intelligence officials have maintained that Chinese phones allow foreign espionage and therefore are a threat to national security. The Pentagon had earlier ordered retail outlets on US military bases to stop selling Huawei and ZTE phones, citing potential security risks.

Senator Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee in a statement said House of Representatives Intelligence Committee had raised concerns about Huawei dating back in 2012.

"The news that Facebook provided privileged access to Facebook's API to Chinese device makers like Huawei and TCL raises legitimate concerns, and I look forward to learning more about how Facebook ensured that information about their users was not sent to Chinese servers," Warner said.

Facebook had earlier revealed 87 million users' account was hacked after a UK-based firm Cambridge Analytica was accused of harvesting Facebook data.

New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood said the "data-sharing partnerships with other corporations" is part of the ongoing investigation into the reported misuse of Facebook user data by Cambridge Analytica.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dGtBFIJc7Tg" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Senator Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee in a statement said House of Representatives Intelligence Committee had raised concerns

Mark Zuckerberg-led Facebook which was hit by a data breach scandal recently, said today that Chinese phone makers were given access to data on users. "Facebook along with many other US tech companies have worked with them and other Chinese manufacturers to integrate their services onto these phones," Facebook mobile partnerships leader Francisco Varela said in a statement. The social network said it would end the agreement with Huawei later this week including three other partnerships with Chinese firms. Members of Congress had raised concern over data of users' friends could have been accessed without their explicit consent. Facebook denied it would happen. "Given the interest from Congress, we wanted to make clear that all the information from these integrations with Huawei was stored on the device, not on Huawei's servers," it said. US intelligence officials have maintained that Chinese phones allow foreign espionage and therefore are a threat to national security. The Pentagon had earlier ordered retail outlets on US military bases to stop selling Huawei and ZTE phones, citing potential security risks. Senator Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee in a statement said House of Representatives Intelligence Committee had raised concerns about Huawei dating back in 2012. "The news that Facebook provided privileged access to Facebook's API to Chinese device makers like Huawei and TCL raises legitimate concerns, and I look forward to learning more about how Facebook ensured that information about their users was not sent to Chinese servers," Warner said. Facebook had earlier revealed 87 million users' account was hacked after a UK-based firm Cambridge Analytica was accused of harvesting Facebook data. New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood said the "data-sharing partnerships with other corporations" is part of the ongoing investigation into the reported misuse of Facebook user data by Cambridge Analytica.

Huawei stores our information on phone, not on servers: Facebook

The US Department of Defense has stopped selling mobile phones and modems made by the Chinese technology companies Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp (000063.SZ) in stores on its military bases, citing potential security risks.

As of April 25, the Pentagon ordered that these and related products be removed from its stores worldwide, according to Pentagon spokesman Major Dave Eastburn.

“These devices may pose an unacceptable risk to the department’s personnel, and mission,” Eastburn said.

The action followed a series of US moves aimed at stopping or reducing access by Huawei and ZTE to the US economy amid allegations the companies could be using their technology to spy on Americans.

Representative of Huawei and ZTE could not be reached immediately for comment, though both have denied allegations that their products are used to spy.&nbsp

The Pentagon noted in its comments to Reuters that in February 2018, the Director of National Intelligence, the heads of the FBI, CIA, and National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, and National Glossarial Intelligence Agency testified before the US Senate that Huawei products pose a potential security risk to users.

The US Department of Defense has stopped selling mobile phones and modems made by the Chinese technology companies Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp (000063.SZ) in stores on its military bases, citing potential security risks

The US Department of Defense has stopped selling mobile phones and modems made by the Chinese technology companies Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp (000063.SZ) in stores on its military bases, citing potential security risks. As of April 25, the Pentagon ordered that these and related products be removed from its stores worldwide, according to Pentagon spokesman Major Dave Eastburn. “These devices may pose an unacceptable risk to the department’s personnel, and mission,” Eastburn said. The action followed a series of US moves aimed at stopping or reducing access by Huawei and ZTE to the US economy amid allegations the companies could be using their technology to spy on Americans. Representative of Huawei and ZTE could not be reached immediately for comment, though both have denied allegations that their products are used to spy. The Pentagon noted in its comments to Reuters that in February 2018, the Director of National Intelligence, the heads of the FBI, CIA, and National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, and National Glossarial Intelligence Agency testified before the US Senate that Huawei products pose a potential security risk to users.

Pentagon stops selling Huawei, ZTE phones in its bases, cites security

Vodafone and Huawei achieved yet another milestone as the two groups jointly completed the world&rsquo;s first call using the Non-Stand-Alone (NSA) 3GPP 5G new radio (NR) standard and sub6 GHz spectrum.&nbsp;

The call which was made using a test network, took place in Spain ahead of Mobile World Congress which starts on February 26.

The standards organisation 3GPP agreed on the Non-Stand-Alone global standard for 5G as part of its &lsquo;Release 15&rsquo; in December 2017.

In the test, a dual connectivity 4G to 5G live call was achieved using a test device.&nbsp;

The voice over internet protocol (VOIP) connection started on 4G and then established the data connection on 5G.&nbsp;

The engineers also successfully tested a live HD video call using the same route.

A 5G NR end-to-end test network was built to undertake the trial and used 3.7GHz spectrum. Huawei Radio Access Network (RAN) and core network equipment were deployed to support the test with micro-service centric architecture, control plane/user plane separation, unified access and network slicing technology.

Santiago Tenorio, Vodafone&rsquo;s Group Head of Networks Strategy and Architecture, said: &quot;This is a significant milestone for Vodafone towards the introduction of 5G. The credit for this must go to the engineers in Huawei and Vodafone who have worked tirelessly since December. This successful test will enable us to move forward with further trials of 5G across Europe during 2018.&quot;

Yang Chaobin, President of Huawei&rsquo;s 5G product line, said: &quot;Huawei is fully committed to the further development of this end-to-end 5G network technology. This test result shows the maturity of 5G system based on the 3GPP standard. We are ready to continue our collaboration with Vodafone and enter commercial trial.&quot;

MWC 2018 will be held from February 26 to March 1 in Barcelona, Spain. Huawei will showcase its products and solutions at booth 1J50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1, booth 3I30 in Hall 3, and the Innovation City zone in Hall 4.&nbsp;

The call was completed using 3GPP R15 NSA Standard

Vodafone and Huawei achieved yet another milestone as the two groups jointly completed the world’s first call using the Non-Stand-Alone (NSA) 3GPP 5G new radio (NR) standard and sub6 GHz spectrum. The call which was made using a test network, took place in Spain ahead of Mobile World Congress which starts on February 26. The standards organisation 3GPP agreed on the Non-Stand-Alone global standard for 5G as part of its ‘Release 15’ in December 2017. In the test, a dual connectivity 4G to 5G live call was achieved using a test device. The voice over internet protocol (VOIP) connection started on 4G and then established the data connection on 5G. The engineers also successfully tested a live HD video call using the same route. A 5G NR end-to-end test network was built to undertake the trial and used 3.7GHz spectrum. Huawei Radio Access Network (RAN) and core network equipment were deployed to support the test with micro-service centric architecture, control plane/user plane separation, unified access and network slicing technology. Santiago Tenorio, Vodafone’s Group Head of Networks Strategy and Architecture, said: "This is a significant milestone for Vodafone towards the introduction of 5G. The credit for this must go to the engineers in Huawei and Vodafone who have worked tirelessly since December. This successful test will enable us to move forward with further trials of 5G across Europe during 2018." Yang Chaobin, President of Huawei’s 5G product line, said: "Huawei is fully committed to the further development of this end-to-end 5G network technology. This test result shows the maturity of 5G system based on the 3GPP standard. We are ready to continue our collaboration with Vodafone and enter commercial trial." MWC 2018 will be held from February 26 to March 1 in Barcelona, Spain. Huawei will showcase its products and solutions at booth 1J50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1, booth 3I30 in Hall 3, and the Innovation City zone in Hall 4.

Vodafone, Huawei complete world's first 5G call and dual connectivity

China&#39;s Huawei is forging closer commercial ties with big telecom operators across Europe and Asia, putting the company in prime position to lead the global race for next-generation 5G networks despite US&nbsp;allegations it poses a security threat.

Huawei&#39;s dominant position in China - set to become the world&#39;s biggest 5G market by far - is well-documented. However, it has also been making in-roads in the rest of world to compete with rivals Ericsson and Nokia in several lucrative markets, including countries that are longstanding US&nbsp;allies.

5G networks, now in the testing stage, will rely on denser arrays of small antennas and the cloud to offer data speeds up to 50 or 100 times faster than current 4G networks and serve as critical infrastructure for a range of industries.

Deals to start building 5G networks are still largely a year away, but Huawei has signed 25 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with telecom operators to trial 5G equipment, a Reuters review of company reports and announcements found.

These MoUs - pre-cursors to potential commercial contracts - include agreements with Britain&#39;s BT, Bell Canada (BCE), France&#39;s Orange Germany&#39;s Deutsche Telekom and global player Vodafone.&nbsp;

Huawei lags behind Sweden&#39;s Ericsson, with 38 MoUs, and Finland&#39;s Nokia, with 31, according to the data, which does not include deals that have not been made public.

However, the Chinese company&#39;s existing partnerships with operators could give it an extra edge; as of 2016, Huawei said it had supplied more than half of the 537 4G networks globally and 59 of the 90 4.5G networks - an intermediate step before 5G.

&quot;Existing network footprint is important because operators still need to maintain their legacy ... networks and could save money by using the same vendors,&quot; said Stefan Pongratz, a top industry analyst with research firm Dell&#39;Oro.

Huawei also has the home advantage: the firm and smaller, domestic-focused peer ZTE are each guaranteed about a third of China&#39;s 5G network contracts, under Beijing&#39;s policy, while foreign players have to compete for slivers of the market.

By 2025, 1.2 billion people worldwide are set to have access to 5G networks - a third of them in China, according to the GSMA, a global trade group of nearly 800 mobile operators.&nbsp;

There are however potential risks ahead; Huawei, like its rivals, has spent billions of dollars developing 5G network technology, there are no guarantees about when operators around the world will adopt the new technology.&nbsp;

Many cash-strapped operators want to see significant consumer and business demand before allocating capital, something out of Huawei&#39;s control. Some emerging markets have yet to adopt 4G, putting major 5G moves at least a decade off.&nbsp;

Triple the size

Unlisted Huawei is triple the size of either Nokia and Ericsson in terms of its annual revenue, which totalled about $92 billion last year, half of it from China. It sold 32 percent of global mobile radio access gear - antennas and base stations - in the last quarter, against Ericsson&#39;s 30 percent and Nokia&#39;s 25 percent, according to market research firm Dell&#39;Oro.&nbsp;

Ericsson has been under heavy pressure to cut costs in recent years at a time of dwindling profits, while Nokia has had to integrate multiple acquisitions in its networks business.&nbsp;

Nokia said it was confident its broad 5G portfolio, which also includes software and services to manage networks, would allow it to win a bigger slice of the telecoms market.&nbsp;

Ericsson said its longstanding ties with customers and advanced 5G patent portfolio would keep it competitive. &quot;All our customers are looking at 5G,&quot; a spokesman said.

Huawei&#39;s 5G MoUs include non-binding agreements with big telecom operators in South Korea, Japan and Australia, Italy, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, on top of Britain, Germany, France and Canada.&nbsp;

Potential commercial benefits aside, these agreements indicate that many countries allied to the United States do not share Washington&#39;s security concerns.

A bill introduced in the US&nbsp;Senate earlier this month would bar equipment from Huawei from any US&nbsp;government networks to prevent Chinese spying. A leaked presentation from a US&nbsp;National Security Council staffer earlier this year suggested the US&nbsp;government build its own 5G network - a proposal that was widely ridiculed by industry experts.

Huawei categorically rejects US&nbsp;spying concerns.&nbsp;

&quot;Huawei is trusted by governments and customers in 170 countries worldwide and poses no greater cyber-security risk than any (communications) vendor, sharing as we do common global supply chains and production capabilities,&quot; a spokesman said.&nbsp;

Operations reject spying fears&nbsp;

Bruce Rodin, vice president of wireless networks for Bell Canada, said his company used an external cyber-security firm to conduct extensive testing of Huawei products.

&quot;We&#39;ve been doing it for about 10 years and never seen malicious code or backdoors,&quot; Rodin told Reuters, characterising the US&nbsp;moves as an effort to protect American companies. &quot;It&#39;s a commercial thing. They are protecting their industry,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

Deutsche Telekom said it cooperates with Huawei on many levels and found no evidence of security risks. &quot;The hardware is built to Deutsche Telekom&#39;s specifications and is examined by our own security department,&quot; a spokesman said. Orange told Reuters it is cautious with Huawei &quot;as with any supplier.&quot;&nbsp;

Thomas Jarzombek, a member of the German parliament and digital spokesman for Angela Merkel&#39;s Christian Democrats, said that in the wake of revelations about US&nbsp;spying by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, American tech companies were not necessarily to be trusted either.&nbsp;

This month, a trade mission by British Prime Minister Theresa May to China included a glowing endorsement of Huawei for its commitment to Britain.

Debates over the timing of 5G deployment will top the agenda at Mobile World Congress, Europe&#39;s biggest annual technology conference taking place next week in Barcelona. The industry is counting on the new technology to trigger a wave of growth in equipment sales and mobile services starting in 2020. 
&nbsp;

Huawei's dominant position in China - set to become the world's biggest 5G market by far - is well-documented

China's Huawei is forging closer commercial ties with big telecom operators across Europe and Asia, putting the company in prime position to lead the global race for next-generation 5G networks despite US allegations it poses a security threat. Huawei's dominant position in China - set to become the world's biggest 5G market by far - is well-documented. However, it has also been making in-roads in the rest of world to compete with rivals Ericsson and Nokia in several lucrative markets, including countries that are longstanding US allies. 5G networks, now in the testing stage, will rely on denser arrays of small antennas and the cloud to offer data speeds up to 50 or 100 times faster than current 4G networks and serve as critical infrastructure for a range of industries. Deals to start building 5G networks are still largely a year away, but Huawei has signed 25 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with telecom operators to trial 5G equipment, a Reuters review of company reports and announcements found. These MoUs - pre-cursors to potential commercial contracts - include agreements with Britain's BT, Bell Canada (BCE), France's Orange Germany's Deutsche Telekom and global player Vodafone. Huawei lags behind Sweden's Ericsson, with 38 MoUs, and Finland's Nokia, with 31, according to the data, which does not include deals that have not been made public. However, the Chinese company's existing partnerships with operators could give it an extra edge; as of 2016, Huawei said it had supplied more than half of the 537 4G networks globally and 59 of the 90 4.5G networks - an intermediate step before 5G. "Existing network footprint is important because operators still need to maintain their legacy ... networks and could save money by using the same vendors," said Stefan Pongratz, a top industry analyst with research firm Dell'Oro. Huawei also has the home advantage: the firm and smaller, domestic-focused peer ZTE are each guaranteed about a third of China's 5G network contracts, under Beijing's policy, while foreign players have to compete for slivers of the market. By 2025, 1.2 billion people worldwide are set to have access to 5G networks - a third of them in China, according to the GSMA, a global trade group of nearly 800 mobile operators. There are however potential risks ahead; Huawei, like its rivals, has spent billions of dollars developing 5G network technology, there are no guarantees about when operators around the world will adopt the new technology. Many cash-strapped operators want to see significant consumer and business demand before allocating capital, something out of Huawei's control. Some emerging markets have yet to adopt 4G, putting major 5G moves at least a decade off. Triple the size Unlisted Huawei is triple the size of either Nokia and Ericsson in terms of its annual revenue, which totalled about $92 billion last year, half of it from China. It sold 32 percent of global mobile radio access gear - antennas and base stations - in the last quarter, against Ericsson's 30 percent and Nokia's 25 percent, according to market research firm Dell'Oro. Ericsson has been under heavy pressure to cut costs in recent years at a time of dwindling profits, while Nokia has had to integrate multiple acquisitions in its networks business. Nokia said it was confident its broad 5G portfolio, which also includes software and services to manage networks, would allow it to win a bigger slice of the telecoms market. Ericsson said its longstanding ties with customers and advanced 5G patent portfolio would keep it competitive. "All our customers are looking at 5G," a spokesman said. Huawei's 5G MoUs include non-binding agreements with big telecom operators in South Korea, Japan and Australia, Italy, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, on top of Britain, Germany, France and Canada. Potential commercial benefits aside, these agreements indicate that many countries allied to the United States do not share Washington's security concerns. A bill introduced in the US Senate earlier this month would bar equipment from Huawei from any US government networks to prevent Chinese spying. A leaked presentation from a US National Security Council staffer earlier this year suggested the US government build its own 5G network - a proposal that was widely ridiculed by industry experts. Huawei categorically rejects US spying concerns. "Huawei is trusted by governments and customers in 170 countries worldwide and poses no greater cyber-security risk than any (communications) vendor, sharing as we do common global supply chains and production capabilities," a spokesman said. Operations reject spying fears Bruce Rodin, vice president of wireless networks for Bell Canada, said his company used an external cyber-security firm to conduct extensive testing of Huawei products. "We've been doing it for about 10 years and never seen malicious code or backdoors," Rodin told Reuters, characterising the US moves as an effort to protect American companies. "It's a commercial thing. They are protecting their industry," he said. Deutsche Telekom said it cooperates with Huawei on many levels and found no evidence of security risks. "The hardware is built to Deutsche Telekom's specifications and is examined by our own security department," a spokesman said. Orange told Reuters it is cautious with Huawei "as with any supplier." Thomas Jarzombek, a member of the German parliament and digital spokesman for Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats, said that in the wake of revelations about US spying by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, American tech companies were not necessarily to be trusted either. This month, a trade mission by British Prime Minister Theresa May to China included a glowing endorsement of Huawei for its commitment to Britain. Debates over the timing of 5G deployment will top the agenda at Mobile World Congress, Europe's biggest annual technology conference taking place next week in Barcelona. The industry is counting on the new technology to trigger a wave of growth in equipment sales and mobile services starting in 2020.

China's Huawei set to lead global charge to 5G networks

India&#39;s first 5G network trial was successfully conducted today by Indian telecom giant Bharti Airtel and Chinese equipment maker Huawei. In the first-ever trial, over 3 gigabit per second data speed was achieved. The trial was conducted at Airtel&#39;s network experience centre in Manesar, Gurgaon.

&quot;This is small but a very significant step in our journey towards 5G. The promise of 5G is endless, it will be a game changer and, it will change the way we live, work and engage. We look forward to working closely with our partners for developing a robust 5G ecosystem in India,&quot; Abhay Savargaonkar, Director Networks, Bharti Airtel said.

&quot;This is the highest measured throughput for a mobile network in 3.5 GHz band with 100 MHz bandwidth and end-to-end network latency of approximately 1 milliseconds,&quot; the statement said.

The 5G technology will facilitate faster and smoother access of services like augmented reality, virtual reality, among others.

&quot;We have been focusing on developing 5G ecosystem and use cases, and the show with Bharti Airtel impressively demonstrates the performance capability of 5G in 3.5 GHz band. We shall also continue to work with vertical industry players to develop wider ecosystem use cases beyond enhanced mobile broadband.&quot; Emmanuel Coelho Alves, Director, Wireless Marketing, Huawei HQ noted.&nbsp;

The 5G technology will facilitate faster and smoother access to services like augmented reality, virtual reality, among others

India's first 5G network trial was successfully conducted today by Indian telecom giant Bharti Airtel and Chinese equipment maker Huawei. In the first-ever trial, over 3 gigabit per second data speed was achieved. The trial was conducted at Airtel's network experience centre in Manesar, Gurgaon. "This is small but a very significant step in our journey towards 5G. The promise of 5G is endless, it will be a game changer and, it will change the way we live, work and engage. We look forward to working closely with our partners for developing a robust 5G ecosystem in India," Abhay Savargaonkar, Director Networks, Bharti Airtel said. "This is the highest measured throughput for a mobile network in 3.5 GHz band with 100 MHz bandwidth and end-to-end network latency of approximately 1 milliseconds," the statement said. The 5G technology will facilitate faster and smoother access of services like augmented reality, virtual reality, among others. "We have been focusing on developing 5G ecosystem and use cases, and the show with Bharti Airtel impressively demonstrates the performance capability of 5G in 3.5 GHz band. We shall also continue to work with vertical industry players to develop wider ecosystem use cases beyond enhanced mobile broadband." Emmanuel Coelho Alves, Director, Wireless Marketing, Huawei HQ noted.

Airtel, Huawei conduct India's first 5G trial

Huawei&#39;s sub-brand Honor has launched a new Limited Edition Red smartphone in India called the Honor 7X.&nbsp;

The smartphone will be&nbsp;available on Amazon exclusively, the date and further information about the model are yet to be released but potential buyers can click on the &quot;Notify me&quot; button to receive notifications.&nbsp;

The Honor 7X was launched in India in December 2017 at a price of Rs&nbsp;12,999 for the 32GB variant and Rs&nbsp;15,999 for the 64GB variant. The users can also install an SD card to add more storage.&nbsp;

The Honor 7X comes with a 5.93-inch full HD+ display with 18:9 and 2160 x 1080 pixels resolution aspect ratio. It runs on Android 7.0 Nougat operating system and is powered by the company&#39;s own octa-core Kirin 659 processor with MaliT830-MP2 GPU.

The phone also has a dual rear camera with a 16-megapixel primary sensor and a 2-megapixel secondary depth sensor including&nbsp;PDAF and an LED flash. The front side of the phone includes an 8-megapixel camera.&nbsp;

Honor 7X includes 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack, and Micro-USB and a 3340mAh battery.&nbsp;

Recently, Honor announced that they will start manufacturing the Honor 7X in India at Flex&#39;s manufacturing facility near Chennai.

Apart from India, the Honor 7X Red limited edition model will be released in the United States, Russia, and Western European markets such as United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

The smartphone will be will be available on Amazon exclusively, the date and further information about the model is yet to be released but potential buyers can click on the "Notify me" button to notifications

Huawei's sub-brand Honor has launched a new Limited Edition Red smartphone in India called the Honor 7X. The smartphone will be available on Amazon exclusively, the date and further information about the model are yet to be released but potential buyers can click on the "Notify me" button to receive notifications. The Honor 7X was launched in India in December 2017 at a price of Rs 12,999 for the 32GB variant and Rs 15,999 for the 64GB variant. The users can also install an SD card to add more storage. The Honor 7X comes with a 5.93-inch full HD+ display with 18:9 and 2160 x 1080 pixels resolution aspect ratio. It runs on Android 7.0 Nougat operating system and is powered by the company's own octa-core Kirin 659 processor with MaliT830-MP2 GPU. The phone also has a dual rear camera with a 16-megapixel primary sensor and a 2-megapixel secondary depth sensor including PDAF and an LED flash. The front side of the phone includes an 8-megapixel camera. Honor 7X includes 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack, and Micro-USB and a 3340mAh battery. Recently, Honor announced that they will start manufacturing the Honor 7X in India at Flex's manufacturing facility near Chennai. Apart from India, the Honor 7X Red limited edition model will be released in the United States, Russia, and Western European markets such as United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

Honor 7X Red Edition launched in India at Rs 12,999

Nokia has signed a multi-year smartphone patent licence deal with Chinese smartphone manufacturing giant Huawei.

Although, the financial details of the agreement were not revealed Nokia said, &quot;it would start booking revenue, including and a one-off catch-up payment, from the fourth quarter,&quot; Reuters reported.

The Finnish company has also signed licensing deals with smartphone-making giants such as LG, Apple, Samsung Electronics and Xiaomi.

According to a Reuters report, over 90 per cent of Nokia&#39;s revenue comes from telecoms network equipment, however, in the wake of an industry-wide slide in the network business, licensing payments may prove highly profitable.

&quot;It&#39;s a significant deal because Nokia now has agreements with all the big phone makers...The network market will remain tough, but the growing patent revenue will compensate for it,&quot; said analyst Mikael Rautanen from research firm Inderes, which holds a &quot;buy&quot; rating on the stock.

(With inputs from Reuters)

 
&nbsp;

The Finnish company has also signed licensing deals with smartphone-making giants such as LG, Apple, Samsung Electronics and Xiaomi

Nokia has signed a multi-year smartphone patent licence deal with Chinese smartphone manufacturing giant Huawei. Although, the financial details of the agreement were not revealed Nokia said, "it would start booking revenue, including and a one-off catch-up payment, from the fourth quarter," Reuters reported. The Finnish company has also signed licensing deals with smartphone-making giants such as LG, Apple, Samsung Electronics and Xiaomi. According to a Reuters report, over 90 per cent of Nokia's revenue comes from telecoms network equipment, however, in the wake of an industry-wide slide in the network business, licensing payments may prove highly profitable. "It's a significant deal because Nokia now has agreements with all the big phone makers...The network market will remain tough, but the growing patent revenue will compensate for it," said analyst Mikael Rautanen from research firm Inderes, which holds a "buy" rating on the stock. (With inputs from Reuters)

Nokia and Huawei sign patent licensing deal

Huawei&#39;s much-anticipated device Honor 7X will be made available in India through an all-exclusive Amazon sale that will start at 12 pm on December 7. The Chinese smartphone making giant will announce the release of Honor 7X in the country on December 5 at an Honor event in London. The event will also mark the global release of Huawei&#39;s flagship device, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-launches-honor-v10-in-china-global-release-to-happen-in-london-on-december-5-25487" target="_blank">Honor V10</a>, which was released in China this Tuesday.&nbsp;

Honor 7X succeeds the popular Honor 6X and is expected to run on Huawei&#39;s exclusive Kirin 659 processor. The device will be available with 4GB RAM and 32GB/128GB internal storage which will also be expandable with the help of a memory card. Honor 7X will boasts&nbsp;of a 3,340 mAh battery and will run on Android 7.0 Nougat.&nbsp;

Some other noticeable features of the device would include an edge-to-edge 5.9-inch FullHD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio and a dual rear camera - a 16MP primary along with a 2MP secondary. The device will come with a single 8MP sensor on the front.

Honor 7X was recently launched in China at competitive prices ranging between CNY 1,299 (Rs 12,900) and CNY 1,999 (around Rs 19,800) depending on the variant.&nbsp;

Amazon India&nbsp;had already started with the registration process for the device earlier this month. Customers can stand a chance to win exciting prizes, including paid trips, headphones, power banks, smartphones, on pre-registering. Over 1,000 prizes will be given out to the winners who will be announced on January 8.

Huawei's much-anticipated device Honor 7X will be made available in India through an all-exclusive Amazon sale

Huawei's much-anticipated device Honor 7X will be made available in India through an all-exclusive Amazon sale that will start at 12 pm on December 7. The Chinese smartphone making giant will announce the release of Honor 7X in the country on December 5 at an Honor event in London. The event will also mark the global release of Huawei's flagship device, Honor V10, which was released in China this Tuesday. Honor 7X succeeds the popular Honor 6X and is expected to run on Huawei's exclusive Kirin 659 processor. The device will be available with 4GB RAM and 32GB/128GB internal storage which will also be expandable with the help of a memory card. Honor 7X will boasts of a 3,340 mAh battery and will run on Android 7.0 Nougat. Some other noticeable features of the device would include an edge-to-edge 5.9-inch FullHD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio and a dual rear camera - a 16MP primary along with a 2MP secondary. The device will come with a single 8MP sensor on the front. Honor 7X was recently launched in China at competitive prices ranging between CNY 1,299 (Rs 12,900) and CNY 1,999 (around Rs 19,800) depending on the variant. Amazon India had already started with the registration process for the device earlier this month. Customers can stand a chance to win exciting prizes, including paid trips, headphones, power banks, smartphones, on pre-registering. Over 1,000 prizes will be given out to the winners who will be announced on January 8.

Huawei's Honor 7X will be on sale via Amazon India on December 7

Chinese smartphone making giant Huawei released its latest flagship device, Honor V10 in China on Tuesday. One of the star features of the device is Huawei&#39;s first artificial intelligence-enabled (AI) chipset Kirin 970. Artificial intelligence is now seen as one of the key aspects to make a device stand out in the competition. AI enables a smartphone device to provide its customers with an extraordinary experience, for example, a person can shoot high-quality pictures without knowing the intricacies of using a professional camera. Artificial intelligence enables the smartphone to adjust to users&#39; needs seamlessly.&nbsp;

Honor V10 is now seen as a direct competition to the recently released OnePlus5T. Honor V10 is expected to get a worldwide release on December 5th in London. The handset boasts a 5.99 inch thin bezeless display, face-recognition unlocking, inspired by iphone X. The handset is expected&nbsp;to be made available at a competitive price of Rs. 26,335 in India.&nbsp;

Some of the key specifications of the device include screen resolution of 2160*1080 along with 403 ppi pixel density. The device will also feature a screen ratio of 18:9. Honor V10 will be available in two RAM and storage variants - in a 4GB RAM variant with 64GB internal storage, and with 6GB RAM/128GB internal memory. The former will be priced at around Rs 26,300 while the latter is expected to be available for Rs 34,100 when launched in India. Users can also expand the device memory up to 128 GB by using a memory card.&nbsp;

Honor V10 will run on Android Oreo 8.0 and will be available in four colours &mdash; Aurora Blue, Charm Red, Beach Gold, and Black. It will run on 3750 mAh irremovable battery. The handset is 4G VoLTE compatible, supports dual SIM, Bluetooth 4.2 and comes with a fingerprint sensor

The handset also boasts of dual-rear camera - 16-megapixel&nbsp;+ 20-megapixel camera and a 13-megapixel front camera.&nbsp;

Honor V10 is expected to launch&nbsp;in India in January 2018.&nbsp;

One of the star features of the device is Huawei's first artificial intelligence-enabled (AI) chipset Kirin 970.

Chinese smartphone making giant Huawei released its latest flagship device, Honor V10 in China on Tuesday. One of the star features of the device is Huawei's first artificial intelligence-enabled (AI) chipset Kirin 970. Artificial intelligence is now seen as one of the key aspects to make a device stand out in the competition. AI enables a smartphone device to provide its customers with an extraordinary experience, for example, a person can shoot high-quality pictures without knowing the intricacies of using a professional camera. Artificial intelligence enables the smartphone to adjust to users' needs seamlessly. Honor V10 is now seen as a direct competition to the recently released OnePlus5T. Honor V10 is expected to get a worldwide release on December 5th in London. The handset boasts a 5.99 inch thin bezeless display, face-recognition unlocking, inspired by iphone X. The handset is expected to be made available at a competitive price of Rs. 26,335 in India. Some of the key specifications of the device include screen resolution of 2160*1080 along with 403 ppi pixel density. The device will also feature a screen ratio of 18:9. Honor V10 will be available in two RAM and storage variants - in a 4GB RAM variant with 64GB internal storage, and with 6GB RAM/128GB internal memory. The former will be priced at around Rs 26,300 while the latter is expected to be available for Rs 34,100 when launched in India. Users can also expand the device memory up to 128 GB by using a memory card. Honor V10 will run on Android Oreo 8.0 and will be available in four colours — Aurora Blue, Charm Red, Beach Gold, and Black. It will run on 3750 mAh irremovable battery. The handset is 4G VoLTE compatible, supports dual SIM, Bluetooth 4.2 and comes with a fingerprint sensor The handset also boasts of dual-rear camera - 16-megapixel + 20-megapixel camera and a 13-megapixel front camera. Honor V10 is expected to launch in India in January 2018.

Huawei launches Honor V10 in China, global release to happen in London on December 5

KFC will be celebrating its 30 years in China by launching a smartphone featuring its founder Colonel Sanders.

The American fast-food company has partnered with Huawei, a Chinese electronics giant, which will also be marking its 30th anniversary in China.&nbsp;

Huawei Enjoy 7 Plus will have a limited edition of 5000 units. It will cost 1,099 yuan and will be launched on 13 July.

The phone will have logos of both the brands along with the year 1987 when the companies began operations in China.&nbsp;

KFC has always been digitally progressive in China. It has accepted payments from mobile phones, released smartphone games and opened a robotically operated restaurant in Shanghai. Adding to its digital space is the new Huawei Enjoy Plus.&nbsp;

The phone features a&nbsp;5.5-inch screen and has a Snapdragon 425 processor with 3GB of RAM. It also has a 32GB storage capacity.&nbsp;

It will be pre-loaded with KFCs China app and 100,000 &quot;K dollars&quot;&nbsp;that is restaurant&#39;s virtual currency. KFC is also offering its customers a new music app. The app will let them choose and play music on speakers from the given playlists. The music can be played in any of the KFC restaurants.&nbsp;

KFC will be celebrating its 30 years in China by launching a smartphone featuring Colonel Sanders

KFC will be celebrating its 30 years in China by launching a smartphone featuring its founder Colonel Sanders. The American fast-food company has partnered with Huawei, a Chinese electronics giant, which will also be marking its 30th anniversary in China. Huawei Enjoy 7 Plus will have a limited edition of 5000 units. It will cost 1,099 yuan and will be launched on 13 July. The phone will have logos of both the brands along with the year 1987 when the companies began operations in China. KFC has always been digitally progressive in China. It has accepted payments from mobile phones, released smartphone games and opened a robotically operated restaurant in Shanghai. Adding to its digital space is the new Huawei Enjoy Plus. The phone features a 5.5-inch screen and has a Snapdragon 425 processor with 3GB of RAM. It also has a 32GB storage capacity. It will be pre-loaded with KFCs China app and 100,000 "K dollars" that is restaurant's virtual currency. KFC is also offering its customers a new music app. The app will let them choose and play music on speakers from the given playlists. The music can be played in any of the KFC restaurants.

KFC launches limited edition smartphone to mark 30 years in China

Samsung and Apple maintained their leadership in the smartphone market in early 2017 while China-based Huawei&#39;s strong growth cemented its number three position, a market tracker said Thursday.

Research firm IDC said overall smartphone shipments grew 4.3 per cent in the first quarter, slightly better than its prior forecast, to 347 million units.

&quot;The first quarter smartphone results further prove that the smartphone industry is not dead and that growth still exists,&quot; said IDC analyst Ryan Reith.

&quot;There is no question that 2016 was a pivotal year for the industry as growth dipped to low single digits for the first time. However, we believe the industry will show some rebound in 2017, and the strong first quarter results certainly support this argument.&quot;

Reith said the 2017 market will feel the impact of the new Samsung Galaxy S8 flagship handset, and a widely expected announcement from Apple for its new iPhone later this year.

According to the survey, Samsung led the market in the first quarter with a 22.8 per cent share to 14.9 per cent for Apple, with little growth for the top two vendors.

But Huawei&#39;s sales jumped 21.7 per cent to give it a 9.8 per cent share, and fellow Chinese makers Oppo and Vivo, the number four and five vendors, respectively, also boosted their sales.

IDC said the bulk of smartphone growth is likely to come from low-cost handset makers.

&quot;Although we have seen an abundance of premium redesigned flagships that just entered the market, moving forward, we still expect most of the growth to come from more affordable models in a variety of markets,&quot; said IDC&#39;s Anthony Scarsella.

&quot;Despite all the popularity and media hype around premium devices, we continue to witness a shift in many companies&#39; portfolios geared towards affordable devices with premium-type styling compared to flagship models.&quot;

He added that makers &quot;have started to implement a single premium design language that ultimately blurs the lines between the high-end and the low-end, allowing the average consumer to jump on the brand without a hefty upfront investment.&quot;

The report is based on preliminary quarterly estimates, with Apple due to report sales figures next week.

(WION)

The overall smartphone shipments grew 4.3 per cent in the first quarter

Samsung and Apple maintained their leadership in the smartphone market in early 2017 while China-based Huawei's strong growth cemented its number three position, a market tracker said Thursday. Research firm IDC said overall smartphone shipments grew 4.3 per cent in the first quarter, slightly better than its prior forecast, to 347 million units. "The first quarter smartphone results further prove that the smartphone industry is not dead and that growth still exists," said IDC analyst Ryan Reith. "There is no question that 2016 was a pivotal year for the industry as growth dipped to low single digits for the first time. However, we believe the industry will show some rebound in 2017, and the strong first quarter results certainly support this argument." Reith said the 2017 market will feel the impact of the new Samsung Galaxy S8 flagship handset, and a widely expected announcement from Apple for its new iPhone later this year. According to the survey, Samsung led the market in the first quarter with a 22.8 per cent share to 14.9 per cent for Apple, with little growth for the top two vendors. But Huawei's sales jumped 21.7 per cent to give it a 9.8 per cent share, and fellow Chinese makers Oppo and Vivo, the number four and five vendors, respectively, also boosted their sales. IDC said the bulk of smartphone growth is likely to come from low-cost handset makers. "Although we have seen an abundance of premium redesigned flagships that just entered the market, moving forward, we still expect most of the growth to come from more affordable models in a variety of markets," said IDC's Anthony Scarsella. "Despite all the popularity and media hype around premium devices, we continue to witness a shift in many companies' portfolios geared towards affordable devices with premium-type styling compared to flagship models." He added that makers "have started to implement a single premium design language that ultimately blurs the lines between the high-end and the low-end, allowing the average consumer to jump on the brand without a hefty upfront investment." The report is based on preliminary quarterly estimates, with Apple due to report sales figures next week. (WION)

Samsung, Apple keep top spots in smartphone market

Chinese telecom firm Huawei is in talks with the Indian government for its smart cities initiative, a top company official said today.

It is also interested in offering its solutions to domestic power utility companies, Huawei Telecommunications India, Enterprise Business, President Derek Hao told PTI here. &quot;Discussions are going on with government on Smart Cities initiative,&quot; he said.

The company, which garnered revenue of USD 75 billion globally as of December 2016, has offered its expertise to develop 100 smart cities in over 40 countries, he said.

On offering the company&#39;s Smart Grid solutions to power utility firms, he said they were holding discussions. 
&quot;We are also discussing with power utility companies here in India,&quot; he said.

&quot;Huawei has AMI Solutions which is Advanced Metering Infrastructure. It can greatly help a power utility company reduce electricity loss and increase meter reading efficiently,&quot; he said.

Responding to a query, he said the company was already offering its service to several power utility firms globally. 
Hao and senior company officials were here to announce their partnership with city-based IT parts distributor Redington.

Hao and Redington India senior General Manager and Head Strategic Business, Johnson George exchanged documents as part of formally inking the partnership.

Through the tie-up, Redington India would distribute Huawei enterprise products and services in the country.

(PTI)

Huawei has offered its expertise to develop 100 smart cities in over 40 countries

Chinese telecom firm Huawei is in talks with the Indian government for its smart cities initiative, a top company official said today. It is also interested in offering its solutions to domestic power utility companies, Huawei Telecommunications India, Enterprise Business, President Derek Hao told PTI here. "Discussions are going on with government on Smart Cities initiative," he said. The company, which garnered revenue of USD 75 billion globally as of December 2016, has offered its expertise to develop 100 smart cities in over 40 countries, he said. On offering the company's Smart Grid solutions to power utility firms, he said they were holding discussions. "We are also discussing with power utility companies here in India," he said. "Huawei has AMI Solutions which is Advanced Metering Infrastructure. It can greatly help a power utility company reduce electricity loss and increase meter reading efficiently," he said. Responding to a query, he said the company was already offering its service to several power utility firms globally. Hao and senior company officials were here to announce their partnership with city-based IT parts distributor Redington. Hao and Redington India senior General Manager and Head Strategic Business, Johnson George exchanged documents as part of formally inking the partnership. Through the tie-up, Redington India would distribute Huawei enterprise products and services in the country. (PTI)

Huawei keen on India's smart city project

Tech companies must rapidly step up information-sharing to protect users from prying eyes, a security software executive said on Wednesday after WikiLeaks released a trove of data purporting to show that the CIA can hack all manner of devices.

Dozens of firms rushed to contain the damage from possible security weak points following the anti-secrecy organisation&#39;s revelations, although some said they needed far more information on what the US intelligence agency was up to before they could thwart suspected but previously hidden attacks.

Sinan Eren, vice president of Czech anti-virus software maker Avast, called on mobile software makers Apple and Google to supply security firms with privileged access to their devices to offer immediate fixes to known bugs.

&quot;We can prevent attacks in real time if we are given the hooks into the mobile operating system,&quot; Eren said in a phone interview from Silicon Valley, where he is located.

&quot;If we can drive a paradigm shift where mobile platforms don&#39;t shut off access, we&#39;ll be better able to detect when hackers are hiding in a mobile (phone)&quot;, he said.

Avast, which counts more than 400 million users of its anti-virus software worldwide, was named in the WikiLeaks documents as one of the security vendors targeted by the CIA in a leaked page labelled &quot;secret&quot; but lacking further details.

The leaks - which WikiLeaks described as the biggest in the Central Intelligence Agency&#39;s history - had enough technical details for security experts and product vendors to recognise that widespread compromises exist. However, they provided few specifics needed to offer quick fixes.

Reuters could not immediately verify the validity of the published documents, but several contractors and private cyber security experts said the materials appeared to be legitimate. The 8,761 leaked documents list a wealth of security attacks on Apple and Google Android smartphones carried by billions of consumers, as well as top computer operating systems - Windows, Linux and Apple Mac - and six of the world&#39;s main web browsers.

Apple said in a statement that nearly 80 per cent of iPhone users run its current iOS software with the latest security patches. &quot;Many of the issues leaked were already patched in the latest iOS; we will continue work to rapidly address any identified vulnerabilities,&quot; Apple said on Tuesday. The statement made no reference to attacks on its computer software.

Google declined to comment, while a Microsoft spokeswoman said: &quot;We&#39;re aware of the report and are looking into it.&quot; 
Widely-used routers from Silicon Valley-based Cisco were listed as targets, as were those supplied by Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE and Taiwanese supplier Zyxel for their devices used in China and Pakistan.

Cisco security team members said in a blog post that because WikiLeaks has not released any of the actual hacking exploits, &quot;the scope of action that can be taken by Cisco is limited&quot;.

Omar Santos, a principal engineer in Cisco&#39;s security response unit, said malware appears to be targeting whole families of Cisco devices but is designed to remain hidden so as to steal data unnoticed. He said Cisco assumes WikiLeaks will eventually disclose the hacks, allowing it to fix them.

Huawei declined to comment. ZTE and Zyxel were not immediately available to respond.

Stay of execution

Messaging apps protected by full software encryption also appear to be vulnerable to hacking of the smartphones themselves, communications app provider Telegram said in a blog post. But one positive outcome may be that device and software makers will be able to close up these holes, it said.

&quot;This is not an app issue. It is relevant on the level of devices and operating systems like iOS and Android,&quot; Telegram stated, adding: &quot;The good news is that for the moment all of this is irrelevant for the majority of Telegram users. If the CIA is not on your back, you shouldn&#39;t start worrying just yet.&quot;

The WikiLeaks collection contains a mix of copious data and empty files marked &quot;secret&quot; that promised more details to come on attacks against more than 15 security software firms.

US cyber security expert Robert Graham said WikiLeaks provided enough detail to recognise some known vulnerabilities.

&quot;One anti-virus researcher has told me that a virus they once suspected came from the Russians or Chinese can now be attributed to the CIA, as it matches the description perfectly to something in the leak,&quot; Graham said in a blog post.

Some security experts said the CIA&#39;s possible use of tools from other spy agencies raised the risk of false attribution for targeted cyber attacks by the US intelligence agency.&nbsp; He said CIA cyber spying efforts could be set back years.

The CIA and White House declined to comment. &quot;We do not comment on the authenticity or content of purported intelligence documents,&quot; CIA spokesman Jonathan Liu said in a statement.

WikiLeaks said it aims to provoke a political and legal debate about the CIA&#39;s cyber arsenal. However, it was holding back, for now, much of the technical documentation that would allow other hackers and cyber criminals to exploit the hacks - while putting vendors on notice to expect further revelations.

The organisation said in a statement it is &quot;avoiding the distribution of &#39;armed&#39; cyber weapons until a consensus emerges on the technical and political nature of the CIA&#39;s program and how such &#39;weapons&#39; should be analysed, disarmed and published&quot;.

It described sophisticated tools for targeting the devices of individual users, in contrast to the revelations by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden of mass data collection on millions of web and phone users worldwide.

(Reuters)

Dozens of tech firms rush to contain the damage from possible security weak points following the anti-secrecy organisation's revelations

Tech companies must rapidly step up information-sharing to protect users from prying eyes, a security software executive said on Wednesday after WikiLeaks released a trove of data purporting to show that the CIA can hack all manner of devices. Dozens of firms rushed to contain the damage from possible security weak points following the anti-secrecy organisation's revelations, although some said they needed far more information on what the US intelligence agency was up to before they could thwart suspected but previously hidden attacks. Sinan Eren, vice president of Czech anti-virus software maker Avast, called on mobile software makers Apple and Google to supply security firms with privileged access to their devices to offer immediate fixes to known bugs. "We can prevent attacks in real time if we are given the hooks into the mobile operating system," Eren said in a phone interview from Silicon Valley, where he is located. "If we can drive a paradigm shift where mobile platforms don't shut off access, we'll be better able to detect when hackers are hiding in a mobile (phone)", he said. Avast, which counts more than 400 million users of its anti-virus software worldwide, was named in the WikiLeaks documents as one of the security vendors targeted by the CIA in a leaked page labelled "secret" but lacking further details. The leaks - which WikiLeaks described as the biggest in the Central Intelligence Agency's history - had enough technical details for security experts and product vendors to recognise that widespread compromises exist. However, they provided few specifics needed to offer quick fixes. Reuters could not immediately verify the validity of the published documents, but several contractors and private cyber security experts said the materials appeared to be legitimate. The 8,761 leaked documents list a wealth of security attacks on Apple and Google Android smartphones carried by billions of consumers, as well as top computer operating systems - Windows, Linux and Apple Mac - and six of the world's main web browsers. Apple said in a statement that nearly 80 per cent of iPhone users run its current iOS software with the latest security patches. "Many of the issues leaked were already patched in the latest iOS; we will continue work to rapidly address any identified vulnerabilities," Apple said on Tuesday. The statement made no reference to attacks on its computer software. Google declined to comment, while a Microsoft spokeswoman said: "We're aware of the report and are looking into it." Widely-used routers from Silicon Valley-based Cisco were listed as targets, as were those supplied by Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE and Taiwanese supplier Zyxel for their devices used in China and Pakistan. Cisco security team members said in a blog post that because WikiLeaks has not released any of the actual hacking exploits, "the scope of action that can be taken by Cisco is limited". Omar Santos, a principal engineer in Cisco's security response unit, said malware appears to be targeting whole families of Cisco devices but is designed to remain hidden so as to steal data unnoticed. He said Cisco assumes WikiLeaks will eventually disclose the hacks, allowing it to fix them. Huawei declined to comment. ZTE and Zyxel were not immediately available to respond. Stay of execution Messaging apps protected by full software encryption also appear to be vulnerable to hacking of the smartphones themselves, communications app provider Telegram said in a blog post. But one positive outcome may be that device and software makers will be able to close up these holes, it said. "This is not an app issue. It is relevant on the level of devices and operating systems like iOS and Android," Telegram stated, adding: "The good news is that for the moment all of this is irrelevant for the majority of Telegram users. If the CIA is not on your back, you shouldn't start worrying just yet." The WikiLeaks collection contains a mix of copious data and empty files marked "secret" that promised more details to come on attacks against more than 15 security software firms. US cyber security expert Robert Graham said WikiLeaks provided enough detail to recognise some known vulnerabilities. "One anti-virus researcher has told me that a virus they once suspected came from the Russians or Chinese can now be attributed to the CIA, as it matches the description perfectly to something in the leak," Graham said in a blog post. Some security experts said the CIA's possible use of tools from other spy agencies raised the risk of false attribution for targeted cyber attacks by the US intelligence agency. He said CIA cyber spying efforts could be set back years. The CIA and White House declined to comment. "We do not comment on the authenticity or content of purported intelligence documents," CIA spokesman Jonathan Liu said in a statement. WikiLeaks said it aims to provoke a political and legal debate about the CIA's cyber arsenal. However, it was holding back, for now, much of the technical documentation that would allow other hackers and cyber criminals to exploit the hacks - while putting vendors on notice to expect further revelations. The organisation said in a statement it is "avoiding the distribution of 'armed' cyber weapons until a consensus emerges on the technical and political nature of the CIA's program and how such 'weapons' should be analysed, disarmed and published". It described sophisticated tools for targeting the devices of individual users, in contrast to the revelations by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden of mass data collection on millions of web and phone users worldwide. (Reuters)

WikiLeaks' CIA hacking revelations: How Apple, Google and other tech firms rush to protect user privacy

Huawei Technologies has taken the wraps off its new smartphone - the Mate 9 - which has been designed to challenge global market leaders Apple and Samsung.

The Mate 9 is aimed squarely at the top end of the $400 billion global smartphone market, where professional users are looking for fast phones with long battery life. One of the key highlights of the Huawei Mate 9 is a new artificial intelligence feature, which enables the phone to learn user habits and automatically put the most frequently-used apps in easy reach.

Priced at $776, the Mate 9 features a 5.9-inch full HD display, dual-lens Leica camera with a 12 megapixel RGB sensor and a 20 megapixel monochrome sensor, and a powerful battery. If the company&rsquo;s claim is to be believed, the phone&#39;s 4000 mAh battery lasts for almost two days of heavy usage and can fully recharge in 90 minutes.
<style type="text/css">.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }
</style>
<div class="embed-container"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dX0BR_r8Es0"></iframe></div>

 
Boasting about the Mate 9&rsquo;s battery at the launch event, Huawei consumer electronics chief Richard Yu compared it with a Samsung handset and jokingly promised &quot;no explosions&quot;.

The Mate 9 launch comes just three weeks after Samsung scrapped its flagship Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, dealing a huge blow to its reputation and outlook. With smartphone sales growth expected to slow in the coming years, device manufacturers are focusing on new ways to standout from the crowd.

Alphabet&#39;s Google last month launched the Pixel smartphone with Google Assistant, the company&#39;s voice-activated artificial intelligence (AI) system and its answer to Apple&#39;s Siri and Amazon&#39;s Alexa.

The Huawei Mate 9 will be available in Black, Space Gray, Moonlight Silver, Champagne Gold, Mocha Brown and Ceramic White. The company has also announced a luxury Porsche Design version of the Mate 9, which carries a price tag of $1549. The Porsche Design variant will be available exclusively in Graphite Black.
<style type="text/css">.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }
</style>
<div class="embed-container"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fXkiyGM9lzk"></iframe></div>

 
Huawei has set itself the ambitious target of becoming the largest smartphone maker by market share within three to four years.

According to market research firm IDC, Huawei held 9.3 per cent of the global market in the second quarter of 2016, placing it third behind Samsung with 22.8 per cent and Apple with 11.7 per cent. But Huawei holds the number one spot in its home market China. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

Priced at $776, the Huawei Mate 9 features a 5.9-inch full HD display, dual-lens Leica camera and a powerful battery

Huawei Technologies has taken the wraps off its new smartphone - the Mate 9 - which has been designed to challenge global market leaders Apple and Samsung. The Mate 9 is aimed squarely at the top end of the $400 billion global smartphone market, where professional users are looking for fast phones with long battery life. One of the key highlights of the Huawei Mate 9 is a new artificial intelligence feature, which enables the phone to learn user habits and automatically put the most frequently-used apps in easy reach. Priced at $776, the Mate 9 features a 5.9-inch full HD display, dual-lens Leica camera with a 12 megapixel RGB sensor and a 20 megapixel monochrome sensor, and a powerful battery. If the company’s claim is to be believed, the phone's 4000 mAh battery lasts for almost two days of heavy usage and can fully recharge in 90 minutes. Boasting about the Mate 9’s battery at the launch event, Huawei consumer electronics chief Richard Yu compared it with a Samsung handset and jokingly promised "no explosions". The Mate 9 launch comes just three weeks after Samsung scrapped its flagship Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, dealing a huge blow to its reputation and outlook. With smartphone sales growth expected to slow in the coming years, device manufacturers are focusing on new ways to standout from the crowd. Alphabet's Google last month launched the Pixel smartphone with Google Assistant, the company's voice-activated artificial intelligence (AI) system and its answer to Apple's Siri and Amazon's Alexa. The Huawei Mate 9 will be available in Black, Space Gray, Moonlight Silver, Champagne Gold, Mocha Brown and Ceramic White. The company has also announced a luxury Porsche Design version of the Mate 9, which carries a price tag of $1549. The Porsche Design variant will be available exclusively in Graphite Black. Huawei has set itself the ambitious target of becoming the largest smartphone maker by market share within three to four years. According to market research firm IDC, Huawei held 9.3 per cent of the global market in the second quarter of 2016, placing it third behind Samsung with 22.8 per cent and Apple with 11.7 per cent. But Huawei holds the number one spot in its home market China. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Mate 9: Huawei launches new premium smartphone

&nbsp;Tech giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Friday it sued Huawei Technologies Co Ltd for patent infringements through multiple courts in China, escalating a legal conflict between the smartphone rivals. 
 
The suits mark the latest salvo in a fight between the world&#39;s Number one and Number three smartphone makers, who compete fiercely across the world in an industry that researcher IHS says is worth $332 billion this year. 
 
The South Korean firm sued Huawei in a Beijing court about two weeks ago for allegedly infringing six of its patents, a spokeswoman said. She did not elaborate on the types of patents or the other Chinese courts involved. 
 
&quot;Despite our best efforts to resolve this matter amicably, it has regrettably become necessary to take legal action in order to defend our intellectual property,&quot; Samsung told Reuters in a statement. 
 
Shenzhen-based Huawei Technologies - also one of the world&#39;s largest telecom equipment manufacturers - said in a statement it had not received a &quot;formal complaint&quot; but would defend itself as necessary. 
 
&quot;In the absence of a negotiated settlement, litigation is often an efficient way to resolve&quot; intellectual property rights disputes, it said. 
 
Huawei sued Samsung in the United States and China in May, accusing its rival of infringement on patents for fourth-generation (4G) cellular communications technology, operating systems and user interface software. 
 
Chinese technology companies have often been on the receiving end of such lawsuits, so Huawei&#39;s US litigation marked something of a reversal of roles, reflecting its growing clout in the global telecommunications and smartphone markets. 
 
CIMB analyst Lee Do-hoon said neither company was likely to be motivated by monetary compensation from the legal battle. 
 
Huawei could be angling to boost its reputation by taking on the top smartphone player, he said, while Samsung&#39;s suit might be a manoeuvre to force Huawei to settle its claims as soon as possible. 
 
&quot;If you look at the patent battle with Apple and Samsung ... it ultimately created a lot of benefits for Samsung in a kind of an advertisement,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;Huawei might also be trying to create some noise marketing for itself,&quot; he said, adding he expected the two firms to eventually reach a deal such as a cross-licensing agreement. 
 
Huawei became the first Chinese handset vendor to ship more than 100 million smartphones in a year in 2015 when a 44 per cent jump in its shipments defied a market slowdown. 
 
(Reuters)

Huawei, one of the world's largest telecom equipment manufacturers, said it did not receive any formal complaint

Tech giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Friday it sued Huawei Technologies Co Ltd for patent infringements through multiple courts in China, escalating a legal conflict between the smartphone rivals. The suits mark the latest salvo in a fight between the world's Number one and Number three smartphone makers, who compete fiercely across the world in an industry that researcher IHS says is worth $332 billion this year. The South Korean firm sued Huawei in a Beijing court about two weeks ago for allegedly infringing six of its patents, a spokeswoman said. She did not elaborate on the types of patents or the other Chinese courts involved. "Despite our best efforts to resolve this matter amicably, it has regrettably become necessary to take legal action in order to defend our intellectual property," Samsung told Reuters in a statement. Shenzhen-based Huawei Technologies - also one of the world's largest telecom equipment manufacturers - said in a statement it had not received a "formal complaint" but would defend itself as necessary. "In the absence of a negotiated settlement, litigation is often an efficient way to resolve" intellectual property rights disputes, it said. Huawei sued Samsung in the United States and China in May, accusing its rival of infringement on patents for fourth-generation (4G) cellular communications technology, operating systems and user interface software. Chinese technology companies have often been on the receiving end of such lawsuits, so Huawei's US litigation marked something of a reversal of roles, reflecting its growing clout in the global telecommunications and smartphone markets. CIMB analyst Lee Do-hoon said neither company was likely to be motivated by monetary compensation from the legal battle. Huawei could be angling to boost its reputation by taking on the top smartphone player, he said, while Samsung's suit might be a manoeuvre to force Huawei to settle its claims as soon as possible. "If you look at the patent battle with Apple and Samsung ... it ultimately created a lot of benefits for Samsung in a kind of an advertisement," he said. "Huawei might also be trying to create some noise marketing for itself," he said, adding he expected the two firms to eventually reach a deal such as a cross-licensing agreement. Huawei became the first Chinese handset vendor to ship more than 100 million smartphones in a year in 2015 when a 44 per cent jump in its shipments defied a market slowdown. (Reuters)

Samsung summons China's Huawei for patent infringements

Mobile telecom gear maker Ericsson forecast a third consecutive year of comparable sales declines on Tuesday, saying it would step up cost cuts in the face of deteriorating market conditions after its results fell short of market expectations. 
 
With demand stagnating in developed markets where the newest networks have mostly already been built, Ericsson is now feeling an additional pinch from lower spending in countries such as Russia, Brazil, the Middle East and Nigeria, hit by weaker currencies and low oil prices. 
 
&quot;This has become even more pronounced during the second quarter, so it has impacted the investment levels at the operators, and that hits the mobile broadband market,&quot; stated Ericsson Chief Financial Officer Jan Frykhammar. 
 
&quot;So that is the most important trend.&quot; 
 
For the past couple of years, Ericsson has been forced to cut its outlook for market growth, weighed down by sluggish demand for its core mobile network base stations. It also has a weaker position than rivals Nokia and Huawei in faster growing areas such IP-based communication. 
 
To offset the shrinking market for mobile infrastructure, Ericsson is investing in new areas to grow sales, such as IP- and cloud-based communication, but so far these are not growing fast enough to compensate. 
 
Like-for-like sales dropped by 7 percent in the quarter, the seventh in a row of declining underlying sales, though CEO Hans Vestberg told a conference call it didn&#39;t appear that Ericsson was losing market share. In 2015, group sales fell 5 percent on a comparable basis after declining 2 percent in 2014. 
 
&quot;The current sales trends and business mix are expected to prevail for the second half of the year,&quot; Ericsson said in a statement. 
 
Cost reduction plan could have far-reaching affects 
 
Operating profit was 2.8 billion Swedish crowns ($327 million) compared with 3.6 billion a year-ago, weighed down by its networks divisions and below a mean forecast of 3.0 billion crowns. 
 
Ericsson said it would roughly double cuts in operating expenses to adapt to a weaker market, meaning annual savings of some 10 billion Swedish crowns from the second half of 2017 compared to 2014, adding that a previously announced cost savings programme was going according to plan. 
 
Ericsson&#39;s beaten-down shares, which dropped 15 percent in a single day in April after weak results, slipped 1 percent to 63.70 crowns. 
 
&quot;While Ericsson seems to be more serious now about its cost reduction efforts, it seems to be chasing a bit of a moving target,&quot; Liberum said in a note to clients. 
 
&quot;The cost reduction plan is expected to show some results which should lead to higher operating margins, though the extent is difficult to predict.&quot; 
 
Ericsson did not say how planned cost cuts would affect jobs but said almost 4,000 employees had left during the quarter though an acquisition had contributed to a net increase in staff. Ericsson employed 116,507 people by June 30, versus 115,300 by the end of the first quarter. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Ericsson feels the pinch of weakening currencies and low oil prices, cost reduction plan could affect more jobs

Mobile telecom gear maker Ericsson forecast a third consecutive year of comparable sales declines on Tuesday, saying it would step up cost cuts in the face of deteriorating market conditions after its results fell short of market expectations. With demand stagnating in developed markets where the newest networks have mostly already been built, Ericsson is now feeling an additional pinch from lower spending in countries such as Russia, Brazil, the Middle East and Nigeria, hit by weaker currencies and low oil prices. "This has become even more pronounced during the second quarter, so it has impacted the investment levels at the operators, and that hits the mobile broadband market," stated Ericsson Chief Financial Officer Jan Frykhammar. "So that is the most important trend." For the past couple of years, Ericsson has been forced to cut its outlook for market growth, weighed down by sluggish demand for its core mobile network base stations. It also has a weaker position than rivals Nokia and Huawei in faster growing areas such IP-based communication. To offset the shrinking market for mobile infrastructure, Ericsson is investing in new areas to grow sales, such as IP- and cloud-based communication, but so far these are not growing fast enough to compensate. Like-for-like sales dropped by 7 percent in the quarter, the seventh in a row of declining underlying sales, though CEO Hans Vestberg told a conference call it didn't appear that Ericsson was losing market share. In 2015, group sales fell 5 percent on a comparable basis after declining 2 percent in 2014. "The current sales trends and business mix are expected to prevail for the second half of the year," Ericsson said in a statement. Cost reduction plan could have far-reaching affects Operating profit was 2.8 billion Swedish crowns ($327 million) compared with 3.6 billion a year-ago, weighed down by its networks divisions and below a mean forecast of 3.0 billion crowns. Ericsson said it would roughly double cuts in operating expenses to adapt to a weaker market, meaning annual savings of some 10 billion Swedish crowns from the second half of 2017 compared to 2014, adding that a previously announced cost savings programme was going according to plan. Ericsson's beaten-down shares, which dropped 15 percent in a single day in April after weak results, slipped 1 percent to 63.70 crowns. "While Ericsson seems to be more serious now about its cost reduction efforts, it seems to be chasing a bit of a moving target," Liberum said in a note to clients. "The cost reduction plan is expected to show some results which should lead to higher operating margins, though the extent is difficult to predict." Ericsson did not say how planned cost cuts would affect jobs but said almost 4,000 employees had left during the quarter though an acquisition had contributed to a net increase in staff. Ericsson employed 116,507 people by June 30, versus 115,300 by the end of the first quarter. (Reuters)

Stagnating sales forces Ericsson to cut costs further

huawei

Huawei, News on Huawei, stories on Huawei, articles on Huawei, Huawei stories at Wion, Huawei news, Huawei latest news