February, 2020

• 22 February

  Apple may let users switch iPhone apps to rivals

  

  Bloomberg Apple Inc is considering giving rival apps more prominence on iPhones and iPads and opening its HomePod speaker to third-party music services after criticism the company provides an unfair advantage to its in-house products. The technology giant is discussing whether to let users choose third-party web browser and mail applications as their default options on Apple’s mobile devices, replacing ...

  Read More »
• 22 February

  UK’s plug-in hybrid van targets delivery firms to plumbers

  

  Bloomberg The maker of Britain’s iconic black cabs is building a plug-in hybrid van that can travel for 377 miles without recharging or filling up, in a bid to win over long-distance delivery firms and other companies that rely on purely gasoline vehicles. London Electric Vehicle Co is targeting high-mileage fleets at firms such as Royal Mail Plc and utilities ...

  Read More »
• 22 February

  Airline Wi-Fi that actually works is coming soon

  

  Bloomberg Air travel and glitch-free internet access are often considered mutually exclusive, thanks to the technical difficulties associated with making Wi-Fi work at 40,000 feet. For the airlines, a satisfying online experience is even more elusive. The hardware, software, maintenance and inability to easily switch service providers combine for a very expensive headache. But there may be some good news ...

  Read More »
• 22 February

  Jaguar Land Rover shelves plan to sell bonds to raise cash

  

  Bloomberg Jaguar Land Rover Automotive Plc has shelved plans to issue a US dollar bond after investors demanded too high an interest rate to compensate for the risk the coronavirus poses to the luxury carmaker, according to people familiar with the matter. Jaguar hired Bank of America Merrill Lynch to meet investors in the US recently ahead of a potential ...

  Read More »
• 22 February

  Xi pledges flexible monetary policy for economy hit by virus

  

  Bloomberg China’s top leaders said they will exercise more flexibility in monetary and fiscal policy, signaling a greater focus on reviving an economy pummelled by the virus outbreak. Fiscal policy will be more proactive, while construction projects will be accelerated, according to a statement issued after a Politburo meeting chaired by President Xi Jinping on February 21. The central bank ...

  Read More »
• 22 February

  Grab reverses plan to end driver incentives

  

  Bloomberg Ride-hailing firm Grab Holdings Inc reversed its decision to cease a driver incentive programme in Singapore following a backlash from drivers who are worried about their earnings during the coronavirus outbreak. The move comes after Grab unexpectedly told its driver partners it would replace existing incentive programmes with a new government-backed virus aid package. Grab’s so-called “Super Steady Streak” ...

  Read More »
• 22 February

  Indiabulls jumps after probe finds no offences

  

  Bloomberg An Indian government investigation hasn’t found any significant financial irregularities in the operations of the Indiabulls group, according to people familiar with the matter. The companies’ shares jumped. The registrar of companies in its third inspection report has said all transactions between various units of the group have been at arms’ length, the people said, asking not to be ...

  Read More »
• 22 February

  Parents grapple with e-learning as schools stay closed in China

  

  Bloomberg The weeks-long closure of schools over virus fears across China and Hong Kong is testing kids — and their parents. Working mom Chen Yan has taken to installing a surveillance camera at home to see what her 12-year-old son is up to during the day while she’s at the office in mainland city of Shaoguan, in Guangdong province. So ...

  Read More »
• 22 February

  Samsung Electronics halts Korea plant

  Bloomberg Samsung Electronics Co will shut down operations at a plant in Gumi City, South Korea, after an employee was confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus. The suspension will last until Monday morning to prevent the virus from spreading, the company said in an emailed statement. Samsung Electronics, has two production lines in Gumi, about 200 kilometers southeast of ...

  Read More »
• 22 February

  White house to host Huawei rivals at 5G meet, says Kudlow

  

  Bloomberg The White House plans to hold a conference with Huawei Technologies Co rivals to try to accelerate development of affordable competing 5G wireless technology, President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser said. “We’re working carefully, closely with Nokia and Ericsson,” National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow told reporters. “We’re going to be holding some kind of a conference in about ...

  Read More »