Spotlight
Broadband’s role in achieving the #SDGs Connectivity can accelerate sustainable development, which is why we must work together to connect the next 1.5 billion, ITU’s Doreen Bogdan-Martin explains.
ICT Trends
AR/VR: Pokémon Go has taken key markets by storm, but it's just thebeginning for Augmented Reality (AR). Meanwhile, Virtual Reality (VR) will soon be adopted across industries, according to Ian Hetherington.
'Content is king': Twitter's new push for rights to live-stream video content is prompting some to ask: 'Is Twitter the future of TV' Meanwhile, Molotov is redefining the future of TV in France and Netflix launches ‘Flixtape’.
Messaging Apps: David and Goliath Japanese mobile messaging app, Line, is the biggest tech IPO of 2016, valued at USD 1.14 billion. Though its user-base is still small, it is a formidable player with a unique advertising model and high user engagement. Can new funds help it challenge the vast user-base of WhatsApp and WeChat
Just over a week to go until deadlines close for the annual Gender Equality and Mainstreaming in Technology (GEM-TECH) Awards. You can nominate a company, government office, NGO or individual who is making an outstanding contribution to empower women and girls through ICTs, here! Deadline: 23:59 EDT on 31 July.
Privacy: The European Commission has formally adopted the US-EU ‘Privacy Shield’ data transfer framework, replacing ‘Safe Harbour’ but concerns remain. And Microsoft won its case in federal appeals court, meaning US companies cannot be forced to comply with warrants seeking data stored on servers outside the USA.
Digital Skills: What do the top 5 companies on the new 2016 Fortune 500rankings have in common They have directors who understand digital technology! But recent McKinsey research suggests most company boards must increase their "Digital Quotient" to understand how key tech trends will impact their industry
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...
IoT: SoftBank’s USD32 billion bid for ARM will position it well for the Internet of Things (IoT) era.
Regulation: Belgian regulator has fined Skype. Will Skype be considered a telecom operator Important implications for OTT regulatory policy worldwide.
Services: Just 12% of teenagers feel that service providers offer services to match their lifestyle, according to a multi-national study, as teens demand better customer service and more interactive services that offer design options.
Drones: Flying COWs could soon provide connectivity in crowded areas, AT&T said. Already trialling drones for other applications.
Mobile money: Contactless ticketing will soon be rolled out around the world, ATMs will soon go cardless in the USA, and Android Pay islaunched in Australia. [Read the latest reports from ITU's Focus Group on Digital Financial Services.]
Insights
What is next for Microsoft Microsoft’s acquisition of LinkedIn spotlights two trends with big implications for the enterprise cloud market and the broader ICT ecosystem, argues Carolyn Mathas.
ICT infrastructure for development Can KT's Giga Island Project in Bangladesh be a model for ICT development in other remote areas
ICT and jobs Seoul, the most innovative economy in the world, provides a roadmap for the rest of the world, says Susan Crawford. Meanwhile, Ford’s co-bots hope to show that robots and humans can work in harmony – but how will AI impact the job market
