Vodafone Ireland survey highlights nostalgic mobile phone memories
IRELAND 23 JUN

Vodafone Ireland survey highlights nostalgic mobile phone memories

New research from Vodafone Ireland shows that staying connected with family and friends (66%), accessing social media (54%) and banking, budgeting and managing finances (32%) are the top three reasons for using a mobile phone. This is based on a survey of 500 mobile phone users in Ireland aged 40+, as Vodafone marks 25 years of operating in the country. By comparison, voice calls were the main use of mobile phones in 2001, with SMS/text messaging emerging as a key feature.

Asurion appoints new President, Chief Revenue Officer
GLOBAL 23 JUN

Asurion appoints new President, Chief Revenue Officer

Global tech care company Asurion has appointed Kausik Rajgopal as President and Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) from 22 June 2026. He will be responsible for the group's global revenue organisation, overseeing its customer and partner growth strategy; and will report to CEO Guru Gowrappan. He has over 25 years of experience in the technology and financial services sectors, most recently as EVP of Strategy, Corporate Development and Partnerships at PayPal. 

Which? allowed to proceed with iCloud legal claim against Apple
UNITED KINGDOM 23 JUN

Which? allowed to proceed with iCloud legal claim against Apple

UK consumer group Which? has been given the go-ahead from the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) to proceed with a GBP 3 billion opt-out collective claim against Apple on behalf of iCloud storage customers. Which? claims that Apple has given preferential treatment to its own cloud storage service, thereby forcing Apple device owners to use the iCloud service. This has in turn restricted market competition and led to customers overpaying for their monthly iCloud subscription. 

Samsung, Huawei lead foldable phone market in Russia
RUSSIAN FEDERATION 23 JUN

Samsung, Huawei lead foldable phone market in Russia

Russian sales of foldable smartphones totaled 42,000 units in January to May of this year, according to a study from the operator MTS. Sales revenues amounted to RUB 3.9 billion. Sales of such devices increased by more than 50 percent in the past two years, while the average retail price declined by 16 percent to RUB 92,600.

Smartphone prices to hit record high as volumes fall 12% in 2026 - Omdia
GLOBAL 23 JUN

Smartphone prices to hit record high as volumes fall 12% in 2026 - Omdia

Total global smartphone shipments are set to contract by 12.2 percent year-on-year in 2026, according to the latest forecast from Omdia that contrasts with the researcher's earlier prediction of a 7 percent annual contraction. The expected year-end total of 1.093 billion units represents a decline of 152 million units compared with 2025 and shows that rising component costs and geopolitical uncertainty are prompting vendors to move away from low-cost, high-volume models, driving a structural change in the m

Samsung's UFS 5.0 flash chip set for Q4 production
GLOBAL 23 JUN

Samsung's UFS 5.0 flash chip set for Q4 production

Samsung announced it will commence production of its Universal Flash Storage (UFS) 5.0 chip in Q4, amid speculation it could be incorporated into Galaxy S27 smartphones next year. The vendor plans to supply several variants of its flash storage chip in capacities ranging up to 1 TB. 

Currys says 1 in 3 Brits holding onto their first mobile phone
UNITED KINGDOM 23 JUN

Currys says 1 in 3 Brits holding onto their first mobile phone

New research from UK tech retailer Currys shows that 1 in 3 Brits are still holding onto their first phone phone, of which 25 percent are old Nokia phones. The average home has 30 unused devices, with UK households hoarding more than 880 million unused devices nationwide. Mobile phones are the most commonly hoarded device, with 4 in 5 Brits keeping old mobile phones. 

M1 adds device repair and replacement cover to selected mobile plans
SINGAPORE 23 JUN

M1 adds device repair and replacement cover to selected mobile plans

Singapore operator M1 has updated its Bespoke Flexi mobile plans to include device protection services, becoming the first operator in the country to bundle repair and replacement coverage within selected mobile subscriptions, according to the company. The enhanced plans, available from SGD 46.95 per month, include data allowances of 800 GB, 1 TB or 10 TB and incorporate M1's FoneCare+ Pro service at no additional monthly charge on eligible tiers.

Consumer Cellular launches new SpeakEasy brand for over 75s
UNITED STATES 22 JUN

Consumer Cellular launches new SpeakEasy brand for over 75s

Consumer Cellular, US mobile service for over 50s, has launched its first standalone brand within the Consumer Cellular offering called SpeakEasy. This new brand is targeted at adults aged 75+, helping them stay connected with uncomplicated, wireless solutions. SpeakEasy is launching with two devices older American to choose from - a flip phone or smartphone; with all plans including nationwide coverage, unlimited talks and texts.

Plus discounts Samsung, Motorola, Xiaomi flagship smartphones
POLAND 22 JUN

Plus discounts Samsung, Motorola, Xiaomi flagship smartphones

Polish operator Polkomtel, trading under the Plus brand, has introduced a promotion of Samsung, Motorola and Xiaomi smartphones with discounts up to PLN 1,000. The Samsung Galaxy S26+ 5G 12/256GB is available for PLN 4,899, down by PLN 700, and the S26 Ultra 12/256GB model costs PLN 6,099, down  by PLN 400. The Samsung Galaxy A57 8/128GB is offered for PLN 1,999, the Galaxy Watch 8 40mm LTE is available for PLN 999, down by PLN 300, and the Galaxy Buds 4 are offered for PLN 499, down by PLN 50. 

Vodafone to offer RugGear devices for mission-critical use cases
EUROPE 22 JUN

Vodafone to offer RugGear devices for mission-critical use cases

Vodafone's mission-critical communications (MCx) customers will soon have the opportunity to purchase RugGear's two-way 5G and 4G radios and toughened smartphones. The devices will connect via Airbus's secure collaboration platform, Agnet, as part of an existing collaboration between Airbus and Vodafone.

BTC launches new consumer brand campaign with unlimited data bundles, 4G smartphone
BOTSWANA 22 JUN

BTC launches new consumer brand campaign with unlimited data bundles, 4G smartphone

Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) has launched its new consumer brand campaign 'Own Your Mark', with a call to action for customers to embrace individuality, pursue their ambitions, and make a lasting impact. Athlete Collen Kebinatshipi also was named the official brand ambassador. The collaboration draws a parallel between elite athletics and everyday life, where rigorous preparation meets opportunity.

ITALY 22 JUN

Vodafone Italia begins summer smartphone promo

Vodafone Italia (Fastweb+Vodafone) has launched a new Summer Smartphone promotion, offering significant discounts on the RRP of dozens of selected handsets via three instalment options, namely, Telefono No Problem (TNP), Smartphone Easy and Compass financing with Flexy Pay. The devices are available in Vodafone Italia stores, with customers given the option of paying in 12, 24, 30, 36 or even 48 monthly installments.

BRAZIL 22 JUN

Apple changes App Store terms in Brazil after competition probe

Apple confirmed it is implementing changes to iOS apps in Brazil based on an agreement with Cade, Brazil's competition regulator. These updates will allow developers to distribute apps through alternative marketplaces and process payments for digital goods and services outside of Apple's In-App Purchase system.

SPAIN 19 JUN

Barely 2% of Spanish consumers change phone every year - study

Spain's smartphone replacement cycle remains slow, with only 2.2 percent of consumers changing their device annually in 2025, according to a consumer survey by sector watchdog CNMC. The data shows most users hold on to their phones for longer periods, with 9.0 percent upgrading every two years, 19.4 percent every three years, 24.6 percent every four years and over a third (37.5%) waiting five years or more.

GLOBAL 19 JUN

HMD Secure joins Qualcomm, Streamwide for device-to-device NR Sidelink app

Rugged telecoms vendor HMD Secure is teaming with Qualcomm and Streamwide to launch an NR Sidelink device-to-device technology built for public safety and first responders. The product allows hardened devices to form an immediate, off-grid mesh network, enabling critical voice, messaging and data exchange during cellular outages. A live demo of the product was shown at Critical Communications World in London. NR Sidelink is a 3GPP-standardised technology enabling peer-to-peer 5G device communication without

RUSSIAN FEDERATION 19 JUN

Motiv offers promo of Samsung smartphones

Russian mobile operator Motiv introduced a promotion on smartphones from Samsung in its shops, offering voice bundles and unlimited data traffic packages free for three months. The promotion is valid until 30 June with the Samsung Galaxy A07 and A17.

GLOBAL 19 JUN

Google to start new Android developer verification checks

Google is starting to roll-out a new process to verify the identity of Android developers, in an effort to increase security on the platform. While most developers are registered already through the Play store, the new process is expected to add extra controls to address the rising amount of malicious and fraudulent apps, and comply with new regulations around the world on keeping checks on the digital supply chain. The new developer verification protections will take effect 30 September in Brazil, Indonesi

GLOBAL 18 JUN

Apple CEO warns of 'unavoidable' price increases on higher memory costs

Apple plans to raise its product prices to offset the rising costs of memory and other components, CEO Tim Cook said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. Cook said price increases are "unavoidable", but did not provide details on when or how much the prices would go up.

UNITED STATES 18 JUN

Bosch fined USD 36 mln for violating US sanctions against Huawei

Germany's Bosch will pay USD 36.2 million to the US government for violating sanctions against Huawei. The Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced the settlement agreement with Bosch, covering shipments of MEMS sensors to Huawei over the four years to September 2024. 

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 18 JUN

Samsung launches Galaxy A37 5G in South Korea

Samsung Electronics will launch the Galaxy A37 5G smartphone in South Korea on 19 June, expanding its mid-range 5G device portfolio with upgraded display, camera and AI capabilities. The device will be available in Awesome Lavender, Awesome White and Awesome Charcoal and will retail for KRW 598,400 through Samsung retail channels and mobile operator stores.

JAPAN 18 JUN

Japanese operators add Oppo Reno15 A to mid-range 5G smartphone line-up

Japanese mobile operators are expanding their handset portfolios with the introduction of the Oppo Reno15 A, a mid-range 5G smartphone that will be available from multiple carriers later this month. KDDI and Okinawa Cellular announced that the device will be launched through the UQ mobile brand on 25 June, with reservations opening on 18 June. The operator said the handset will also support the au Starlink Direct satellite connectivity service.

GLOBAL 17 JUN

AST SpaceMobile announces successful launch of more Bluebird D2D satellites

AST SpaceMobile has announced the successful orbital launch of its BlueBird 8, 9 and 10 satellites. They lifted off on 17 June from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. They are the largest commercial communications arrays ever deployed in low Earth orbit (LEO), measuring approximately 223 m2, and will be used to support direct-to-device mobile satellite services with its operator partners.  

PERU 17 JUN

Peru to block a further 360K 'high-risk' handsets in June

Peru's telecommunications services regulator Osiptel has announced that it will block another 360,000 devices in June as part of its campaign against the use of stolen or illegal handsets linked to criminal activities. The latest initiative will be carried out in three stages of 120,000 devices each on 16, 23 and 30 June.

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