Tuesday, October 07 2025

Partnering with Germany’s Leica and USA’s Google Gemini: What is China’s Xiaomi up to?
Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi is deepening its global strategy by partnering with Europe’s Leica - known for producing high-quality cameras - and America’s Google Gemini, an artificial intelligence (AI) assistant. Industry experts describe the move as an effort to strengthen its “challenger” status in the global smartphone market. During the launch of the new Xiaomi 15T series, Terrence Xiao, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Xiaomi International, said while business expansion was important, the company’s immediate focus with such collaborations was user experience. “As a business we are always trying to increase our market share,” Xiao responded to a Business Recorder query at a media briefing following the launch of the 15T series held recently in Munich, Germany.
Related news categories: business tech-comm

Wednesday, October 01 2025

CCP approves PTCL’s acquisition of Telenor Pakistan, Orion Towers
Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) on Wednesday announced that the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has approved its proposed acquisition of Telenor Pakistan BV and Orion Towers (Private) Limited. PTCL-Telenor merger: CCP to issue conditional approval “It is to notify that the CCP on October 1, 2025, has passed the Phase-II Order in relation to the pre-merger application earlier filed by PTCL and TPBV pursuant to Subsection (2) of Section 11 of the Competition Act, 2010, read with Regulation 6 of the Competition (merger control) Regulations, 2016, approving the transaction,” read the notice. The CCP, in its Phase-II Order issued in compliance with the provisions of the Competition Act, 2010 and the Competition (Merger Control) Regulations, 2016, has accorded the approval of the transaction. “However, finalisation of the transaction is still subject to other corporate/regulatory approvals, completion of formalities, and signing of necessary agreement(s)/instrument(s) and closing obligations,” said PTCL. In a separate statement, PTCL said that it is grateful to the CCP for successfully concluding Phase II of the review of its acquisition of Telenor Pakistan.
Related news categories: business economic-indicators psx stock-exchanges tech-comm

Friday, September 26 2025

Small, mid-sized: Cybersecurity firm cautions early protection to businesses facing threats
A leading cyber security company has cautioned that small and mid-sized businesses in Pakistan are facing sophisticated cyber threats and attacks, which requires immediate protection. According to a report of company issued on Thursday, as cyber threats grow increasingly complex and costly, mid-sized businesses find themselves facing sophisticated attacks that exploit legitimate tools and use advanced tactics to evade detection. At the same time, limited budgets and a shortage of skilled cyber security personnel make it difficult to deploy and manage advanced protective measures. To help these businesses protect themselves effectively without breaking the bank, under its flagship product line, Kaspersky Next, Kaspersky has developed easy-to-use and highly effective solutions: Kaspersky Next XDR Optimum and Kaspersky Next MXDR Optimum
Related news categories: business economic-indicators tech-comm

Thursday, September 25 2025

FBR mulls tax on TikTok content creators
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is preparing to impose taxes on TikTok content creators, a parliamentary committee was informed on Wednesday during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue at Parliament House. Senator Faisal Vawda claimed that the FBR is finalising a plan to tax income earned by TikTokers, suggesting that the largest share of recoverable taxes would come from Punjab. He urged the tax authority to begin enforcement there. The committee, chaired by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, also reviewed the Pakistan Remittances Initiative (PRI) and the government’s remittance subsidy policy. Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan informed members that the subsidy, originally introduced in 2020 at 20 Saudi riyals per transaction, was raised to 30 in 2024 but has since been reduced back to 20 riyals.
Related news categories: business economic-indicators tech-comm

Wednesday, September 24 2025

OpenAI, Oracle, SoftBank plan five new AI data centers for $500 billion Stargate project
OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank on Tuesday announced plans for five new artificial intelligence data centers in the United States to build out their ambitious Stargate project. US President Donald Trump in January hosted top tech CEOs to launch Stargate, a private-sector initiative that plans to spend up to $500 billion to build AI infrastructure. AI is a priority for Trump and tech companies that are pouring billions into building the computers that are necessary to power the technology. ChatGPT-maker OpenAI said on Tuesday it will open three new sites with Oracle in Shackelford County, Texas, Dona Ana County, New Mexico and an undisclosed site in the Midwest. Two more data center sites will be built in Lordstown, Ohio and Milam County, Texas by OpenAI, Japan’s SoftBank and a SoftBank affiliate. The new sites, the Oracle-OpenAI site expansion in Abilene, Texas, and the ongoing projects with CoreWeave will bring Stargate’s total data center capacity to nearly 7 gigawatts and more than $400 billion in investment over the next three years, OpenAI said.
Related news categories: business economic-indicators tech-comm