Chinese networking giant reveals scale of challenge posed by ongoing US and Western restrictions to its business performance
TECHNOLOGY POWERING BUSINESS
December 2021
Tesla Recalls Half A Million Cars Over Safety Issues
More than 475,000 Model 3 and Model S electric cars being recalled by Tesla over rearview camera and front bonnet problem
US Airline Trade Group Calls For 5G Deployment Delay
More aviation fearmongering? Trade group seeks 5G deployment delay around major US airports, despite no problems in other countries
Elon Musk Denies His Satellites Are Hogging Space
Space is enormous and satellites are tiny says Musk, after China complaint earlier this week of near miss with its space station
Tumblr Bans 450 Words To Remain on App Store
Popular blogging service Tumblr has banned nearly 450 words from its iOS app, in order to comply with Apple's App Store Guidelines
Apple Pays $180,000 Bonus To Halt Staff Defections – Report
Staff retention. Apple is reportedly issuing a rare $180,000 bonus to select number of engineers to stave off defections to Facebook parent Meta
Elon Musk Sells Off Another $1 Billion Of Shares
Share sell-off continues for Tesla's Elon Musk, after he offloads another tranche of shares worth $1.02 billion to reach 10 percent target
Apple Places Indian Foxconn Factory On Probation
After unrest and protests following mass food poisoning incident of workers, Apple places Foxconn factory in India on probation
Sweden’s Northvolt Gigafactory Begins Battery Production
First Northvolt battery cell has been assembled in northern Sweden gigafactory, as start-up readies for 2022 production run
Rivian Delays Long Range SUVs, Pickups To 2023
Rivian has reportedly warned customers it will delay deliveries of its electric pickup and SUV models featuring big battery packs
China Approves Plans For Four Mega Data Centre Clusters
Four mega clusters of data centres have been approved in China, and will reportedly utilise renewable power to deliver low carbon server farms
LinkedIn Overcharging Lawsuit Dismissed By US Judge
Lawsuit alleging Microsoft's LinkedIn division had inflated its advertising metrics for video ads watched is dismissed by US judge
Google CEO Pichai To Be Questioned In $5bn Web Tracking Lawsuit
US federal judge rules CEO of search engine giant Google, Sundar Pichai, can be questioned over a lawsuit about tracking web browsing
Apple Closes New York Stores, As Omicron Infections Surge
Apple closes its New York stores in 11 locations to casual shoppers, but will allow buyers to pick up devices outside the shop
DuckDuckGo Search Engine Grows 46 Percent In 2021
Privacy focused search engine DuckDuckGo enjoys record growth in 2021, reflecting people's ongoing preference for privacy
Amazon Updates Alexa After Dangerous Suggestion
Alexa voice assistant updated after telling 10 year old girl in the US to touch a coin to the exposed prongs of an electric plug
Ransomware Attacks Prompting Global Response – Mandiant CEO
Enough is enough. Head of security firm says organisations and governments now going on offensive against ransomware operators
OneWeb Reaches 60 Percent With Launch Of 36 Satellites
UK-based OneWeb delivers another 36 communications satellites into orbit, as it readies connectivity for northern hemisphere
China Slams SpaceX For Satellite Near Miss – Report
Space row! Elon Musk criticised online China alleges that SpaceX satellites came close to colliding with its space station
Telefonica Spain Replaces Huawei 5G Kit For Ericsson Gear
Telecoms giant Telefonica confirms it has begun to replace some of its Huawei 5G gear in Spain with equipment from Sweden's Ericsson
CES 2022: Microsoft Follows Others And Pulls Physical Attendance
Software giant Microsoft joins other big names in the tech industry and withdraws its physical presence from the upcoming CES show
Internet Association To Break Up Amidst Tech Industry Tensions
Once-powerful trade group Internet Association to dissolve at end of year, as Microsoft seeks to distance itself from competitors' policies
Facebook Metaverse To Use Tech From Former Military Contractor
Facebook to build its 'metaverse' with technology from AI.Reverie, which has long history of US military and defence contracts
White House To Meet With Tech Firms Over Cyber-Security Crisis
White House to host meeting with software makers and cloud companies following disruptive attacks and emergence of widespread Log4j vulnerability
Apple Ordered To Change App Store Policies In Netherlands
Dutch competition authority finds Apple App Store in-app payment rules violate competition law in latest challenge to iPhone maker's policies
China Government Suspends Partnership With Alibaba Over Log4j
China's internet regulator suspends security reporting partnership with Alibaba Cloud after company reports Log4j vulnerability to Apache first
TikTok Beats Google To Top US Traffic Spot
Social media app TikTok for first time replaces Google as site with most US visitors in 2021, as pandemic pushes surge in online entertainment
Russia Fines Google $100m Over Banned Content
Russia imposes first fines on Google and Meta based on annual turnover, as country cracks down on 'extremist' internet content
Merry Christmas To Readers Of Silicon UK
Silicon UK once again wishes our readers a very merry Christmas, in what has proven to be another eventful year amid the ongoing pandemic
Italy’s Talks With Intel ‘Intensifies’ Over $9bn Chip Factory – Report
Intel and Italy are intensifying talks over $9 billion investment plan to build advanced semiconductor packaging plant in the country
Tesla Stops Gaming While Moving, Amid US Safety Investigation
Amid US safety investigation, Tesla says it will stop allowing computer games to be played on the car’s central touchscreen
CES 2022: Google, GM Join Others In Halting Physical Attendance
Alphabet's Google and General Motors latest to announce it will no longer attend next month's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in person
Meta Appeals Against UK Order To Sell Giphy
Facebook parent Meta is appealing against UK order to sell-off Giphy, after regulator rules the deal harms advertising competition
Jack Dorsey Blocked On Twitter By Netscape’s Marc Andreessen
Web3 dustup. Bad blood between Twitter co-founder and Marc Andreessen over Web3 deepens, after venture capitalist blocks Dorsey on Twitter
Russia Hits Twitter With Fine For Banned Content
Latest financial penalty against US tech firms sees Moscow court fine Twitter for not deleting so-called 'banned content'
Amazon Staten Island Workers Refile Union Vote Request
Here we go again. Group of Amazon workers in New York called the 'Amazon Labor Union' file request for vote on trade union
US Opens Tesla Investigation Over In-Car Computer Games
US safety regulators begin probe over complaint that drivers can actually play computer games on central touchscreen when driving
Intel Provokes Fury In China Over Supplier Letter
Chip giant Intel apologises after backlash in mainland China, over supplier letter warning them not to source products or labour from Xinjiang region
Amazon Brings Back Masks For Warehouse Workers
All Amazon warehouse workers in the United States are once again required to wear masks at work, amid Covid infection surge
OnlyFans Founder Steps Down, Appoints Female Boss
CEO and founder of British tech platform OnlyFans, best known for hosting adult content, steps down and female boss takes over
Elon Musk Warns Of Overtaxation in California
Tesla CEO says he has sold 'enough stock' and slams California for 'overtaxation' and 'overegulation' and 'overlitigation'
Net Neutrality May Return, As Biden Seeks FCC Commissioner Confirmation
President Biden's attempt to get confirmation of final FCC commissioner faces opposition, as it will return regulator to democrat control
CES 2022: Amazon, Meta, Twitter Pull Attendance
Big name tech firms announce decision to pull teams from upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, over Omicron concerns
Rethinking the customer experience
Lady Gives Birth Whilst Tesla Used Autopilot
Tesla Autopilot in the headlines again, as it is engaged by husband to drive car to hospital as his wife gives birth in passenger seat
EU Approves Microsoft’s $16 Billion Nuance Acquisition
Six months later European regulators agree with their American counterparts and give Microsoft antitrust approval to acquire Nuance
Acer Slaps Volkswagen With 4G Patent Lawsuit – Report
Legal battle. German car giant sued, as Taiwanese PC maker Acer alleges VW has not paid for licenses for its 4G network patents
Oracle Makes Biggest Acquisition With Cerner Purchase
Enterprise software giant Oracle makes rumoured healthcare move, with $28.3 billion purchase of medical records specialist Cerner
Airbus, Boeing CEOs Call For Delay In US 5G Service
Fearmongering? Bosses of world's two largest aeroplane manufacturers urge US to delay 5G switch on, citing interference concerns for aircraft electronics
The Power of Diversity
Paying close attention to the specific needs of LGBTQI+ employees across your company can pay massive dividends. The unique perspectives these groups bring to their teams are, in many businesses, an untapped resource. As a result, nurt ...
Silicon UK In Focus Podcast: Salesforce: The Value of Diversity
The Salesforce Global Gender Inclusive Benefit will provide transgender and non-binary employees with the critical financial and emotional support they deserve. These industry-leading benefits were designed in partnership with Outforce ...
UK Donates Stolen Passwords To Have I Been Pwned Website
National Crime Agency (NCA) donates a recovered database of 585 million stolen passwords to Troy Hunt's famous disclosure service
Elon Musk To Pay $11 Billion In Taxes
Musk hits back at Senator Elizabeth Warren who said he should pay taxes and stop “freeloading” by confirming he is facing $11 billion tax bill
Rivian Shares Hit Record Low On 2021 Production Cuts
Rivian shares slump to record low following November IPO after it cuts production target for 2021 and highlights supply-chain challenges
‘Flying Taxi’ Company Vertical Aerospace Soars On NYSE Debut
Vertical Aerospace begins work on challenge of regulatory certification for its electric 'flying taxis' after successful market debut in New York
Northvolt Plans Massive Lithium Plant As EU Ramps Battery Drive
Northvolt and Portuguese oil company Galp to build lithium conversion plant as initial European battery production set to begin
AI Argues For And Against Itself In Oxford Debate
Megatron, an AI developed by Nvidia and Google, argues both for and against the benefits of its own existence in unusual Oxford Union event
Sainsbury’s Payroll Disrupted By US Ransomware Attack
Sainsbury's payroll disrupted by ransomware attack on US cloud services provider Ultimate Kronos Group, but promises to pay staff before Christmas
Radiation ‘Protection’ Products Found To Be Radioactive
Dutch health authority warns 10 products advertised as 'protecting' against radiation from electronics found to be emitting harmful negative ions
Brand Voice
The benefits of automated data entry with OCR
In this blog, we will explain what automated data entry is and how companies can benefit from automated data entry with OCR technology and machine learning.
US Adds Drone Maker DJI To Investment Blacklist
US Treasury adds Chinese drone giant DJI to financial blacklist, prohibiting investors from owning shares, as trade war with China intensifies
Meta Warns 50,000 Users Targeted By Surveillance Firms
Surveillance-for-hire firms have spied on 50,000 Facebook users that includes journalists and activists, as Meta bans seven companies
China Orders Microsoft Bing To Suspend Auto-suggest Function
Last remaining major foreign search engine still operating in China, ordered to suspend its auto-suggest function by local authorities
Oracle In Talks To Acquire Cerner – Report
Enterprise software giant Oracle is reportedly in talks for its largest ever purchase worth $30 billion, in order to acquire Cerner
LogMeIn To Spin Off LassPass As Separate Cloud Security Firm
Six years after it acquired LassPass for $110 million, LogMeIn says it will spin out the unit as a separate cloud security specialist
Russia Fines Meta, Twitter and TikTok Over ‘Banned Content’
Campaign against US tech firms in Russia shows no sign of slowing, with string of financial penalties levied against multiple firms
Apple Delays Staff Return To Offices Indefinitely
Amid rapid spread of Covid-19 Omicron variant, Apple has delayed the return of its corporate staff to the office indefinitely
India’s $10 Billion Plan To Attract Chip Makers
India approves $10 billion incentive plan to attract chip and display makers, as Intel announces $7.1 billion investment in Malaysia
Reddit Files To Go Public With US Regulator
Social news giant Reddit has joined the listing trend, after it filed for initial public offering (IPO) with US authorities
Industry Reaction To Government’s National Cyber Strategy
Government's national cyber strategy has been welcomed as a positive step by experts within cyber security industry. Silicon UK gathers thier reactions
Amazon Web Services Suffers Another Outage
AWS recovers from a second outage in the space of a week, which impacted services at Netflix, Slack, and Amazon's Ring doorbells
Government Unveils National Cyber Strategy To Protect UK Plc
Deteriorating online threat landscape sees Government develop a national cyber strategy to ensure UK maintains position as global cyber power
Google Staff Refusing Vaccine Will Be Fired
Staff at Google who refuse to be vaccinated will first lose their salary, and eventually will be fired, according to internal documents
Bank Of England Issues Fresh Cryptocurrency Warning
Senior official once again sounds warning about risks associated with cryptocurrencies, and urges creation of crypto regulatory framework
NSO Considers Sale Or Shutdown Of Pegasus Unit – Report
Blacklisted surveillance specialist NSO is reportedly considering selling the firm, or shutting down its Pegasus unit altogether
Apple Releases ‘Tracker Detect’ For Android AirTag Detection
Preventing AirTag stalking? 'Tracker Detect' app lets Android users search for nearby active trackers such as Apple's AirTag
Looking Ahead: Tech Predictions for 2022
As 2021 draws to a close, what will the tech landscape look like next year? Silicon UK spoke to a range of tech experts and business leaders to give their thoughts on how their industries and sectors will evolve throughout 2022.
Indian PM Modi’s Twitter Account Hacked – Again
Second time the charm? Bitcoin scam briefly compromises the personal Twitter account of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Online Safety Bill Changes Urged By MPs
Changes required. Major changes are being urged by joint committee of MPs to the draft of the UK's online safety bill to tackle online concerns
Apple Car Details Exposed In Patent Filings – Report
Want to know the potential features of Apple's forthcoming car? Apple patents for Project Titan has revealed some noteworthy ideas
Tech Industry Scrambles Over Log4j Vulnerability
Vulnerability found in Apache logging library Log4j exposes popular apps, websites and online services to attack and exploitation
Government Issues Warning, After Altice Increases BT Stake
French telecoms group founder Patrick Drahi increases stake in BT from 12 to 18 percent, as UK government warns of possible intervention
Amazon Warehouse Flattened By Tornado, Killing Six Staff
Investigation begins as Amazon warehouse in Illinois collapses after it was struck by a tornado, killing six Amazon employees
Silicon UK In Focus Podcast: Threat Hunters
Staying one step ahead of cyber attackers takes a special kind of mindset. You need to think like an attacker to anticipate their next move, have razor-sharp analytical skills and thrive on the unpredictability of spotting anything in ...
Volvo Cars Investigates Cyber-Theft Of R&D Data
Volvo Cars says investigating theft of research and development data in cyber-attack that may have an effect on the company's operations
EU ‘Set To Approve’ Microsoft’s $16bn Nuance Buy
European Union reportedly set to unconditionally approve Microsoft's $16bn purchase of AI and speech company Nuance, firm's second-biggest buy to date
Lawmakers Say Instagram’s Promises ‘Won’t Cut It’
US Senators say laws are needed to protect young people online, rejecting proposal by Instagram head Adam Mosseri of industry self-regulatory body
Google Warns Of Bug That Can Block Android Emergency Calls
Google says it and Microsoft are working to fix rare issue with Android and Microsoft Teams after US user reports phone unable to call 911
Ireland Health Service ‘Compromised Two Months Before Attack’
Ireland's Health Service Executive ignored warnings its IT systems were hacked for two months before crippling ransomware attack, report finds
Google Warns Android App Developers Over Data Sharing
Google warns app developers working with UK data company Huq to be clearer about what they are sharing, amidst privacy concerns
Meta Releases Horizon Worlds Amidst VR Push
Meta's social world-building flagship game Horizon Worlds comes out of invite-only beta as company formerly known as Facebook pushes into virtual reality
Facebook Oversight Board Repeats Transparency Demand
Meta's 'Supreme Court' has once again urged the social networking giant to be more transparent about its content moderation decisions
Julian Assange Can Be Extradited To US, Court Decides
Court grants US appeal, meaning Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange is set to be extradited to US to face espionage charges. However an appeal is expected
US Considers Extending Ban On Key Exports To China’s SMIC – Report
More pain for Chinese chipmaker. Officials in the United States are considering closing regulatory loopholes used by China's SMIC
Meta To Pilot Crypto Payments Via Novi Wallet In WhatsApp
Meta's cryptocurrency wallet, Novi, will be integrated into WhatsApp in a pilot, so US users can make crypto payments via the messaging app
US Senators Propose Data Transparency Bill For Social Media
Bipartisan bill to require social networking firms such as Meta (Facebook) have to provide researchers with access to its data
Australia Switches On Tesla Megapack Facility For Renewable Energy Capture
Australian state of Victoria switches on the biggest battery in the southern hemisphere to provide clean power to one million homes during blackouts
Apple Wins Court Delay To App Store Payment Change
Appeals court grants stay, meaning the Apple doesn't have to implement alternative payment methods just yet, to its App Store
Amazon Fined Record $1.3 Billion By Italian Regulators
Mamma Mia! Italy's antitrust watchdog fines Amazon a massive 1.13 billion euros ($1.28 billion) for alleged abuse of market dominance
UK’s 2G, 3G Networks Switched Off By 2033, Government Says
2G and 3G mobile networks will be phased out by 2033 under government plan to help telecom suppliers deliver 5G networks in the UK
Meta To Allow Staff To Defer Office Return Until June 2022
Facebook offices to fully reopen on 31 January 2022, but worried staffers will have option to delay office return by three to five months
Visa Rolls Out Crypto Advisory Service
Banks, merchants and financial institutions will be able to seek advice from Visa's Crypto Advisory Service in the following months
Microsoft To Change Hiring Policy After DoJ Finds Immigrant Discrimination
Software giant Microsoft promises changes after US Department of Justice (DoJ) censures it for over zealous data demands for immigrants
Meta Expands Facebook Crackdown On Myanmar Military
Meta executive confirms Facebook will now ban all Myanmar-military controlled businesses on its platforms, as it expands Junta restrictions
Apple iPhone 13 Production Down 20 Percent – Report
Supply chain crisis. Production of Apple's flagship iPhones fell 20 percent from previous plans, in lead up to busy Christmas period
Amazon Prime, Ring Services In US Impacted By AWS Outage
Big name services from Amazon including Prime Video, Ring doorbells and even the Amazon e-commerce websiteetc impacted by Amazon Web Services outage
Meta Sued For $150 Billion By Rohingya Refugees
Meta sued for billions of dollars for not allegedly removing anti-Rohingya hate speech during 2017 violence in Myanmar (Burma)
Intel To List Self-driving Car unit Mobileye
Public offering planned for Intel's self-driving-car unit Mobileye next year, but Intel says it will retain ownership after floatation
Virgin Media O2 Completes Gigabit Network Upgrade
Ultrafast broadband. 15.5 million homes can now access speeds of 1.1Gbps, after Virgin Media O2 completes network upgrade
Craig Wright Wins US Case Over Bitcoin Inventor Claim
Computer scientist who claims to be Satoshi Nakamoto, wins US court case against former partner, and avoids having to split huge cache of bitcoin
300 Spar Stores Impacted After Cyberattack On Supplier
Family run firm in Preston, Lancashire suffers cyberattack, which impacts tills and IT systems for 300 Spar convenience stores
EC Gathers Feedback On Microsoft’s Nuance Buy, Despite US Approval
European antitrust regulators are gathering competition data on Microsoft's purchase of Nuance ahead of 21 December decision deadline
Malicious Online Ad Campaign Steals User Logins
'Magnat' malicious advertising campaign uncovered by Cisco Talos has been stealing login credentials and other data since at least 2018
Waymo, Nuro Launch Robo-Delivery Services In California
Cruise starts robo-delivery service in Mountain View as Waymo plans limited trial of grocery-delivery service in San Francisco early next year
NSO Spyware ‘Used To Hack US Diplomats’
Apple alerts employees of US State Department of hacking by NSO Group's controversial Pegasus spyware as row over state-backed hacking heats up
Starlink Plans Services In India As SpaceX Breaks Launch Record
Starlink to apply for commercial licence to provide satellite broadband services in India, as parent company SpaceX breaks own launch record
Musk Tesla Share Sale Surpasses $10bn
Elon Musk's Tesla share sell-off surpasses $10 billion as it reaches into fourth consecutive week, while Cybertruck gets 'insane' four-motor variant
Uber To Pay $9m Settlement Over Safety Reporting Failure
Uber agrees to pay $9 million to settle dispute with California regulators over its failure to provide detailed data on sexual assault reports
Didi Global To Delist From New York Stock Exchange
Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Global to exit New York Stock Exchange only months after disastrous IPO, as it plans 'immediate' Hong Kong flotation
AWS re:Invent: News Roundup From 2021 Conference
Silicon breaks down the noteworthy news announcements and innovations presented by AWS at this week's AWS re:Invent conference in Las Vegas
Russia Seeks To Fine Google, Meta On Annual Turnover
Russian regulator applies to court to fine US tech giants percentage of annual Russian turnover, over failure to remove “banned content”
FTC Sues Nvidia To Block ARM Acquisition
US Federal Trade Commission sues Nvidia to block its acquisition of the UK's ARM Holdings, stating it will “stifle next gen technologies”
The Business of the Metaverse
Is Facebook’s vision of the Metaverse a realistic proposition for businesses? Silicon UK spoke to Jason Alan Snyder, Global Chief Technology Officer of Momentum Worldwide, who has been commenting on the application of virtual spaces to ...
Apple Loses Engineering Director From Car Project
Another departure of a major figure from Apple's much delayed Car project, as director of engineering leaves Special Projects Group
Former Google Scientist Timnit Gebru Founds AI Institute
One year after her controversial exit from Alphabet's Google, AI scientist Timnit Gebru launches small lab to continue her research
Apple Shares Dip Amid Slowing iPhone 13 Demand – Report
Worrying sign? Apple tells suppliers that consumer demand for the iPhone 13 has slowed, ahead of important holiday season
Uber Partners With WhatsApp For Ride Booking In India
Sign of things to come? Deal with Meta sees users in India being able to book an Uber ride via the WhatsApp messaging app
Microsoft Slammed For ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Prompt In Edge Browser
Bloatware? Addition to Edge browser promoting Zip's “buy now, pay later” scheme at checkout webpages, is slammed by users
Jack Dorsey’s Square Changes Name To Block
When a Square becomes a Block. Payments giant Square will change its corporate name to Block next week, amid blockchain focus
AWS re:Invent Conference Welcomes Back Crowds
Over 27,000 attendees and members of the press (including Silicon) attend Amazon Web Services worldwide event in Las Vegas this week
Head Of Car Giant Stellantis Issues Electric Vehicle Cost Warning
The car manufacturing industry cannot sustain the costs from government demands to shift to electric vehicles, warns head of Stellantis
SpaceX’s Elon Musk Warns Of Bankruptcy Risk Over Engine Issue
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk warns of “disaster” concerning production of Starship Raptor engine that puts entire firm at bankruptcy risk
Twitter To Remove Photos Tweeted Without Permission
Privacy overstep? Personal photos and videos of private individuals tweeted without the consent of the person(s) depicted will be removed
Facebook Cryptocurrency Executive David Marcus To Leave
Executive in charge of Meta's cryptocurrency efforts, confirms he is leaving after seven years at the social networking giant
NY AG Seeks Overseer For Amazon Worker Safety
New York's attorney general asks US judge to appoint someone who will oversee worker safety at Amazon, and to force it to rehire fired worker
Brand Voice
COOP achieves 50% efficiency gains by utilizing SAP Fiori & Neptune Software’s low code platform across its 1,250 retail stores
Coop Norge successfully consolidates store ordering, automating, and streamlining processes through adopting the latest technologies from SAP and Neptune Software.