Mobile World Live brings you our top three picks of the week, as T-Mobile US and SpaceX’s plan to launch a satellite-to-phone service appears to be grounded, Google unveiled its latest Pixel range and European operators made a fresh push for so-called fair share contribution.
T-Mobile US, SpaceX may miss satellite test deadline
What happened? A T-Mobile US representative told Mobile World Live it had “nothing to share” regarding a beta test for a satellite-to-phone service scheduled for H2 2023.
Why it matters: After much fanfare in 2022, it appears T-Mobile US and SpaceX will miss their own timeline to launch services. It represents a blow to the market as a whole and Recon Analytics analyst Roger Entner believes a current challenge is a lack of availability on SpaceX’s rockets, raising questions about the company’s credentials as a partner for the operator.
Google pushes AI enhancements on latest Pixel devices
What happened? Google unveiled its flagship Pixel 8 smartphone range, touting upgraded on-device AI capabilities.
Why it matters: Anisha Bhatia, senior technology analyst at GlobalData, believes Google scored a win over rival Samsung with the Pixel 8 range due to longer security and OS updates offered on its device, giving it a longer shelf life. She also pointed to Google’s AI prowess, which gives the Pixel a further edge over hardware from competitors.
Heavyweights pile pressure on EU over fair share
What happened? Bosses from 20 companies penned an open letter pleading with authorities to force large content players to contribute to network costs.
Why it matters: After more than 18 months of lobbying so far, this latest effort from Europe’s largest operators brought up familiar arguments but indicates they are keen to keep the issue high on the regulatory agenda. Latest estimates indicate €174 billion of new investment will be needed to meet a European Union connectivity goal for 2030. “The telecoms sector is currently not strong enough to meet that demand, with many operators barely earning their cost of capital,” the operators stated.
Comments