This week in Asian tech, India’s Supreme Court dismissed a plea to regulate internet pricing. China’s initiative to classify data as assets sees minimal participation, while Australia bans Kaspersky for security reasons. Alibaba announces a large investment in AI, and Apple expands its Developer services to WeChat in China amidst declining sales. Several significant corporate developments also emerge across Taiwan and South Korea.
In the latest tech news from Asia, India’s Supreme Court has dismissed a petition to regulate internet pricing following significant price increases by major private telecommunications firms. The Court suggested that consumers might consider public telecom options, though private providers usually excel in service and coverage.
In neighboring China, a recent government initiative allowing companies to categorize data as assets has seen disappointing adoption, with only 300 out of nearly 60 million companies participating. Meanwhile, in Australia, Kaspersky has been banned over security concerns, aligning with a prior ban by the United States.
Further developments in Australia include a $1 million fine imposed on Telegram for delays in addressing child safety measures. Additionally, four non-executive directors of WiseTech stepped down due to controversies surrounding the company’s founder.
The Chinese tech landscape continues to evolve, with Alibaba committing to an investment of at least 380 billion yuan in its cloud and AI infrastructure over three years. The company will also release an open-source version of its artificial intelligence model, Wan 2.1, enhancing its technological capabilities.
Apple plans to extend its Developer service to WeChat in China, a move aimed at addressing declining iPhone sales in the region. Concurrently, the U.S. is expected to impose stricter restrictions on semiconductor exports to China, which has elicited concerns from the Chinese foreign ministry regarding the potential impact on the global semiconductor market.
In India, AI companies are supporting OpenAI in a copyright dispute, while the government faces calls to regulate misinformation stemming from AI-generated content. Additionally, Nasscom anticipates a 5.1% growth in the Indian tech sector, reaching $282.6 billion this fiscal year.
Other notable trends include Apple smartwatch shipments in India increasing by 2.4 times in 2024, contrasting with general shipping declines for lesser-known brands. In Japan, Tokyo Electron is gearing up for an extensive hiring drive to accommodate complex chipmaking processes, while former Sony executives pointed to significant profits from PlayStation titles on PC.
In South Korea, Samsung has reached a wage agreement with its union, and is collaborating with Intel to develop displays for AI accelerator devices. Taiwanese firm Vanguard has raised concerns about U.S. tariffs leading to inflation, while inquiries into TSMC’s potential acquisition of Intel remain unconfirmed by the Taiwanese economy minister.
Indonesia’s government has reached an agreement with Apple to lift a ban on iPhone 16s. Additionally, North Korean hackers have been implicated in the theft of $1.5 billion from a cryptocurrency exchange, marking a remarkable cyber heist. Finally, there have been collaborative efforts between forces from Thailand and Singapore to apprehend an individual linked to various data leaks across the Asia-Pacific region.
In summary, the tech landscape in Asia is marked by significant regulatory discussions, strategic investments, and notable corporate shifts. India’s Supreme Court ruling on internet pricing highlights the dominance of private telecom operators, while China’s data asset initiative struggles to gain traction. Meanwhile, Australia’s Kaspersky ban and various developments in AI and semiconductor spaces indicate a dynamic and evolving technology environment across the region.
Original Source: www.computing.co.uk
