Home Blog Page 10

Saudi Arabia’s mobile services revenue to reach $17.4b by 2030 on 5G growth

Mohammed Fahad
-
0
Saudi Arabia’s mobile services revenue to reach $17.4b by 2030 on 5G growth
  • Mobile voice revenue to contract at a 3.4% growth over 2025–2030 as average revenue per user declines amid users’ growing reliance on OTT and internet-based communications.
  • Average monthly mobile data usage in Saudi Arabia is expected to increase from 56.2 GB in 2025 to about 129.9 GB in 2030.
  • 4G will remain the leading network by subscriptions until 2026.
  • 5G subscriptions will surpass 4G and are projected to account for 93% of total mobile subscriptions by 2030, driven by ongoing network expansion.

Saudi Arabia’s total mobile services revenue is projected to grow at a 4.5 per cent CAGR from $13.9 billion in 2025 to $17.4 billion in 2030, fueled by rising adoption of mobile data services—particularly over 5G—according to GlobalData’s Saudi Arabia Mobile Broadband Forecast.

GlobalData expects mobile voice revenue to contract at a 3.4 per cent CAGR over 2025–2030 as average revenue per user (ARPU) declines amid users’ growing reliance on OTT and internet-based communications. In contrast, mobile data revenue is forecast to increase at a 6.6 per cent CAGR over the same period, supported by uptake of higher-ARPU 5G plans.

STC leads the way

“The average monthly mobile data usage in Saudi Arabia is expected to increase from 56.2 GB in 2025 to about 129.9 GB in 2030, as consumption of high-bandwidth online entertainment and social media content over smartphones continues to increase supported by operators’ data-centric plans,” said Kantipudi Pradeepthi, Telecom Analyst at GlobalData.

By technology, 4G will remain the leading network by subscriptions until 2026. Thereafter, 5G subscriptions will surpass 4G and are projected to account for 93 per cent of total mobile subscriptions by 2030, driven by ongoing network expansion.

In October 2025, STC launched a national initiative under Vision 2030 to extend 5G coverage to more than 2,000 sites, prioritising less densely populated regions.

STC leads the market by subscription share in 2025, followed by Mobily and Zain. GlobalData expects STC to maintain its lead through 2030 on continued 5G rollout and growth opportunities in machine-to-machine and IoT services.

US to allow Nvidia’s H200 chip exports to China with 25% fee

Ana Mary Joseph
-
0
US to allow Nvidia’s H200 chip exports to China with 25% fee
  • Policy does not cover Nvidia’s newest Blackwell or upcoming Rubin chips, which would remain outside the deal for China-bound exports.

The United States will permit exports of Nvidia’s H200 processors—its second-tier AI chips—to “approved” buyers in China and collect a 25 per cent fee on such sales, President Donald Trump announced, framing the move as a balance between national security and maintaining US leadership in AI.

Trump said he informed China’s President Xi Jinping of the decision and received a positive response, while noting the Commerce Department will finalise details and apply a similar approach to other US chipmakers, including AMD and Intel.

He emphasised the policy does not cover Nvidia’s newest Blackwell or upcoming Rubin chips, which he said remain outside the deal for China-bound exports.

Administration officials view the policy as a compromise intended to prevent a vacuum that could strengthen Huawei’s domestic AI chips, while still restricting access to Nvidia’s most advanced products. Nvidia called the plan to offer H200 to vetted commercial customers “a thoughtful balance,” as lawmakers on both sides voiced concerns over national security implications and potential boosts to China’s military capabilities. Trump’s announcement followed market chatter earlier in the day, and Nvidia shares moved after-hours on the news.

A White House official said the 25 per cent fee would be collected as an import tax in the US after chips fabricated in Taiwan arrive for security review, before any re-export to China.

Analysts noted H200 performance sits between Nvidia’s downgraded China-market H20 and the latest Blackwell generation used by US firms, underscoring the administration’s attempt to thread the needle between economic and security priorities amid ongoing US–China tech tensions.

Microsoft to invest $17.5b in India over next four years

Naushad K. Cherrayil
-
0
Microsoft to invest $17.5b in India over next four years
  • Plan includes a new hyperscale data centre region in Hyderabad set to go live in mid-2026, alongside expansions of existing regions in Chennai, Hyderabad, and Pune.
  • Microsoft also doubles its January pledge to train 20m Indians in essential AI skills by 2030.
  • Nadella says the investment will help build the infrastructure, skills, and sovereign capabilities needed for India’s AI-first future.

Microsoft announced $23 billion in new artificial intelligence investments, with the bulk targeted at India as the company accelerates its buildout of global data centre capacity and AI infrastructure.

CEO Satya Nadella said Microsoft will invest $17.5 billion in India over four years starting in 2026, expanding on a prior $3 billion commitment and positioning the company to operate the country’s largest cloud-computing footprint.

The plan includes a new hyperscale data centre region in Hyderabad set to go live in mid-2026, alongside expansions of existing regions in Chennai, Hyderabad, and Pune. Microsoft also doubled its January pledge to train 20 million Indians in essential AI skills by 2030.

Canada investment

“With around a billion internet users and deep tech talent, India is central to the AI future,” Nadella said, adding the investment will “help build the infrastructure, skills, and sovereign capabilities needed for India’s AI-first future.” Nadella is in India for a three-day swing tied to Microsoft’s AI conferences, with events in New Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai beginning Wednesday.

The move comes as US tech giants pour billions into AI infrastructure in the world’s most populous nation, where limited chip manufacturing has shifted the near-term focus to data centre growth. In October, Google said it would invest $15 billion over five years to build an AI data centre in Andhra Pradesh, its largest commitment in India.

Microsoft also detailed plans to invest more than CA7.5 billion ($5.42 billion) in Canada over the next two years as part of a broader CA$19 billion outlay from 2023 to 2027. The investment, including a partnership with Toronto-based AI startup Cohere to offer its models on Azure, will expand Azure Local cloud capacity, with new infrastructure expected online in the second half of 2026.

Big cloud providers are on pace to collectively spend more than $400 billion this year to build data centers to power services like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini. The surge has sparked debate over an emerging AI bubble amid soaring valuations, intertwined investment relationships, and still-limited evidence of broad-based productivity gains.

India’s total data centre capacity is projected to more than triple to roughly 4.5 gigawatts by 2030, according to Colliers, underscoring a rapid scale-up of digital infrastructure to support AI adoption across the economy. One gigawatt of computing power is approximately enough to supply about 750,000 US homes.

Regulatory-approved medical apps surge globally

Ana Mary Joseph
-
0
Regulatory-approved medical apps surge globally
  • GlobalData’s report forecasts a 17% compound annual growth rate for the overall market between 2024 and 2034.
  • Otsuka Pharmaceutical leads the market with a 16% share of global revenue, while Stryker, Medtronic, and Dexcom are also well positioned as competition intensifies.

Regulatory-approved health apps classified as medical devices are posting strong double-digit growth globally, signaling a shift toward digitally monitored care models, according to GlobalData.

GlobalData’s report forecasts a 17 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the overall market between 2024 and 2034. The apps fall into two broad categories: clinical-focused tools for physicians and nurses, and indication-specific apps for conditions such as cancer, depression, IBS, obesity, and Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Both segments are growing at double-digit rates.

Otsuka Pharmaceutical leads the market with a 16 per cent share of global revenue, while Stryker, Medtronic, and Dexcom are also well positioned as competition intensifies. “The market’s progress is closely tied to regulatory paths, regional healthcare infrastructure, and digitalisation,” said Thomas Fleming, medical analyst at GlobalData.

North America and Europe currently account for the largest share of demand. The US is expected to sustain North America’s lead on the back of rising adoption, federal initiatives, and strong consumer appetite for digital health tools.

Europe’s growth trajectory remains solid despite a patchwork of national regulations. The Asia-Pacific region is projected to expand rapidly as countries broaden healthcare access and introduce incentives to support regulated app usage.

The market displayed resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping maintain care delivery and support data management. Looking ahead, GlobalData expects continued expansion driven by consumer preference for mobile health solutions and advances in smart device capabilities. As the sector scales, consolidation via mergers and acquisitions is likely alongside efforts to cement long-term market leadership.

US to invest $150m in xLight for next-generation chip manufacturing

Ana Mary Joseph
-
0
US to invest $150m in xLight for next-generation chip manufacturing
  • xLight is collaborating with US national laboratories on a prototype designed to integrate with tools from ASML or prospective rivals.
  • Officials say the investment is meant to catalyse domestic laser-source innovation that could eventually diversify suppliers in the EUV ecosystem and improve energy efficiency across fabs.

The US Department of Commerce said it intends to invest up to $150 million in xLight, a startup developing free-electron lasers aimed at next-generation chip manufacturing, marking the first incentive commitment from the CHIPS Research and Development Office under the Trump administration.

The department signed a non-binding preliminary letter of intent and did not disclose the size of the federal stake. The move follows the administration’s takeover of a $7.4 billion Biden-era semiconductor research institute, signaling a reshaped federal push to onshore and advance critical chipmaking technologies.

At the heart of advanced semiconductor production is extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, used to etch circuitry onto silicon wafers. ASML of the Netherlands remains the sole producer of EUV systems, though startups such as Substrate are pursuing competitors. Within those machines, the laser source is among the most complex components to build and scale.

Reducing power consumption

xLight proposes a laser architecture derived from particle accelerator technology, which it says could dramatically reduce power consumption versus current light sources. The company is collaborating with US national laboratories on a prototype designed to integrate with tools from ASML or prospective rivals.

“For far too long, America ceded the frontier of advanced lithography to others. Under President Trump, those days are over,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in a statement.

The company has added former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger as executive chairman, a role he assumed in March, bolstering its leadership as it seeks to commercialise the technology. Officials said the investment is meant to catalyse domestic laser-source innovation that could eventually diversify suppliers in the EUV ecosystem and improve energy efficiency across fabs.

Nvidia invests $2b in Synopsys, expands AI tools partnership

Ana Mary Joseph
-
0
Nvidia invests $2b in Synopsys, expands AI tools partnership
  • The tie-up aims to shift compute-intensive simulation and design workloads—traditionally run on CPUs—onto Nvidia’s GPUs.

Nvidia has invested $2 billion in chip design software maker Synopsys as part of an expanded multi-year collaboration to develop AI-accelerated tools for designing products across industries, the companies said.

The tie-up aims to shift compute-intensive simulation and design workloads—traditionally run on CPUs—onto Nvidia’s GPUs, promising major speed gains for tasks spanning semiconductor design to aerospace engineering.

Synopsys’ software is widely used to virtually simulate designs before costly prototyping; simulations that can take weeks on conventional systems could be reduced to hours on Nvidia hardware, executives said.

Unlocking opportunities

“The order of magnitude speed-up is going to unlock opportunities that have never been possible before,” Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said at a press conference.

Synopsys CEO Sassine Ghazi said the Nvidia investment provides “optionality” as Synopsys adapts its tools to GPUs, emphasising there is “no intention or commitment to use that $2 billion to purchase Nvidia GPUs.”

The agreement is non-exclusive. Ghazi noted Synopsys remains open to partnering with other chipmakers, including AMD and Intel. Nvidia and Synopsys are also mutual customers, a dynamic that has drawn scrutiny amid Nvidia’s broader investment spree across the AI ecosystem.

The world’s most valuable company has deployed billions of dollars this year into AI-linked firms, from arrangements enabling up to $100 billion for OpenAI to a $5 billion stake in Intel. Synopsys also counts AMD as a customer, while Nvidia collaborates with Synopsys rival Cadence Design.

1...91011...271Page 10 of 271