Author: Resham

Apple Opens iPhones to Alternative App Stores in Japan Under New Competition Law Apple announced on Wednesday that it has opened the iPhone ecosystem in Japan to alternative app marketplaces, complying with new national regulations designed to foster competition in the country’s smartphone sector. The move marks another major adjustment to the company’s tightly controlled App Store model, which has faced increasing global scrutiny. New Marketplaces and Lower Commissions Under the revised framework, Japanese developers can now launch their own app marketplaces on iPhones, paying Apple commissions as low as 5% on sales made through those platforms. Developers will also…

MetaX Shares Skyrocket 700% in Shanghai Debut as China’s AI Chip Boom Intensifies MetaX Integrated Circuits surged 700% on its market debut in Shanghai, underscoring strong investor enthusiasm for Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) chipmakers as Beijing accelerates efforts to reduce reliance on U.S. semiconductor giants such as Nvidia and AMD. A Record-Breaking IPO Amid China’s Tech Drive Founded by former AMD executives, MetaX (688802.SS) raised roughly $600 million in its initial public offering last week, just days after rival Moore Threads debuted with a 400% share jump. Retail investors oversubscribed MetaX’s IPO by more than 4,000 times, making it one…

University of Surrey Tests Smart Flooring to Prevent Falls Among Older Adults Engineers at the University of Surrey in southern England are developing a “smart” flooring system designed to reduce injuries from falls among older adults while also detecting when a person has fallen. The ongoing laboratory study uses motion-tracking technology and adjustable floor panels to explore how different surface types affect balance, stability and fall risk. Analysing Balance Through Motion Tracking In the experiment, volunteers are fitted with reflective markers as infrared cameras record how they stand and walk across test areas. The stiffness of each floor section can…

U.S. Lawmaker Seeks Ban on Chinese Lidar in Cars and Infrastructure A U.S. lawmaker has proposed legislation to phase out Chinese-made lidar sensors from self-driving vehicles and critical infrastructure, citing national security concerns that such technology could be remotely hacked or disabled from space during a conflict. Bill Targets Chinese Dominance in Lidar Technology Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat from Illinois and the ranking member of the House Select Committee on China, introduced the bill earlier this week. The proposed legislation aims to restrict the use of Chinese lidar systems—laser-based sensors that create three-dimensional maps for autonomous vehicles and other…

China and Brazil Begin Building Joint Space Technology Lab China and Brazil have started constructing a joint laboratory focused on space technologies, marking a new stage in their expanding scientific partnership. The initiative, announced by China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), strengthens cooperation between the two nations as they advance their ambitious BINGO radio telescope project in South America. Expanding Cooperation Amid U.S. Pressure The growing collaboration stands in contrast to mounting U.S. pressure on Latin American nations to scale back relations with China, particularly in the space sector. Two Chinese-led telescope projects in Chile and Argentina have reportedly been…

China Launches First Power Industry Satellite to Boost Grid Monitoring and Safety China has launched its first remote-sensing satellite dedicated to the power industry, designed to strengthen monitoring and maintenance of the country’s vast electricity transmission network. The development marks a significant step in using space technology to enhance the safety, efficiency and resilience of China’s power grid. Precision Monitoring for Critical Infrastructure The satellite, named Jixing High-Resolution 07D01, was launched at 12:03 local time on Wednesday from the Dongfeng commercial space innovation pilot zone near the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. Carried by a domestic rocket, it…

Chinese Astronauts Install Debris Shields on Tiangong Space Station Chinese astronauts have fitted new protection against space debris on the Tiangong space station, a month after a docked spacecraft was damaged by orbital junk, according to China’s manned spaceflight authorities. The move follows an incident that underscored the growing dangers of space debris for all nations operating in orbit. Emergency Triggered by Shenzhou-20 Damage In early November, a small piece of high-speed debris struck the return capsule window of the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft while it was docked at Tiangong, cracking the surface just before the crew’s scheduled return to Earth. The…

U.S. Approves Limited Nvidia Chip Exports to China with 25% Fee The United States will permit the export of Nvidia’s H200 artificial intelligence processors to China, subject to a 25% government fee, President Donald Trump announced on Monday. The decision marks a significant policy shift, balancing national security concerns with the goal of maintaining U.S. leadership in advanced chip technology. A Compromise on AI Chip Exports The move ends months of internal debate in Washington over whether Nvidia and other chipmakers should continue limited exports to China. The H200 chips, Nvidia’s second-most advanced AI processors, fall below the firm’s flagship…

China Launches Long March-8A Rocket with Internet Satellites from Hainan China successfully launched a Long March-8A carrier rocket on Saturday from its southern island province of Hainan, marking another significant step in its expanding commercial space programme. The launch carried a new batch of low-orbit internet satellites into space, enhancing the country’s growing satellite communication network. Successful Launch from Hainan The rocket lifted off at 15:53 local time from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site. Moments later, it accurately placed its payload — the 14th group of low-orbit internet satellites — into the designated orbit. The operation demonstrated China’s steady…

DJI Presses U.S. to Conclude Security Review Amid Looming Deadline Chinese drone manufacturer DJI has urged the U.S. Congress and the Trump administration to swiftly complete a mandated security review or extend the approaching 23 December deadline. The appeal comes as the company faces potential inclusion on the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Covered List—a move that could effectively bar it from introducing new drone models in the American market. Call for Immediate Action from Lawmakers DJI, which accounts for over half of all commercial drone sales in the United States, sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday.…