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Apple cuts App Store fees to 25% amid regulatory pressure in China

Ana Mary Joseph
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Apple cuts App Store fees to 25% amid regulatory pressure in China
  • Move expected to benefit Chinese developers and operators of super apps such as Tencent’s WeChat and ByteDance’s platforms that host numerous third-party mini apps.
  • Cuts expected to save developers more than 6b yuan annually and lower prices for subscriptions, game top-ups, and live-stream tipping,

Apple said Thursday it will reduce App Store commission fees in mainland China, lowering the standard rate on in-app purchases and paid transactions to 25 per cent from 30 per cent starting Sunday, and cutting the rate for developers in its Small Business and mini apps partner programs to 12 per cent from 15 per cent.

The move follows pressure from Chinese authorities in Apple’s second-largest market and comes into effect on World Consumer Rights Day, a date often used by state media to spotlight consumer issues.

It is expected to benefit Chinese developers and operators of super apps such as Tencent’s WeChat and ByteDance’s platforms that host numerous third-party mini apps.

State media estimated the cuts could save developers more than 6 billion yuan annually and lower prices for subscriptions, game top-ups, and live-stream tipping, with potential consumer savings approaching 1 billion yuan per year, according to Economic Daily reporting cited alongside Apple’s announcement.

The adjustment also applies to international developers with apps distributed on the China App Store, potentially boosting margins for top-grossing titles such as Duolingo, according to industry consultants.

Analysts noted the change aligns with heightened global scrutiny of Apple’s “30 per cent tax,” after EU rules in 2024 drove lower commissions and the US enabled alternative in‑app payment methods.

Industry watchers said Chinese regulators may seek further measures, including requiring Apple to book China App Store revenues domestically and tightening oversight of foreign apps, following previous enforcement actions such as the removal of VPN apps at regulators’ request.

Du and Huawei target 10Gbps connectivity across UAE

TCN Bureau
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Du and Huawei target 10Gbps connectivity across UAE
  • Cooperation to  enable differentiated service innovation, and create new value in emerging areas such as autonomous mobility and the low-altitude economy.
  • Companies will also explore new markets enabled by 5G-A, including the low-altitude economy and autonomous mobility applications like robotaxis, which demand ultra-high bandwidth, superior uplink, low latency, and high reliability for real-time data processing.

Dubai-based telecom operator du has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding with Huawei to advance 5G-Advanced (5G+) Phase-2 technology and deliver 10Gbps-class connectivity experiences across the Emirates, the companies said.

Under the partnership, du will upgrade its wireless network to support ultra-broadband capabilities using U6G technology for ultra-large bandwidth aggregation, enabling peak 10Gbps rates in both indoor and outdoor environments.

The rollout will combine du’s existing TDD 3CC capabilities with U6G and advanced indoor digitalisation to create premium 10Gbps “experience zones” in malls, hotels, exhibition centres, airports, and landmark venues, ensuring consistent performance across environments.

The end-to-end program spans spectrum strategy, radio access network evolution, transmission enhancements, and a 5G standalone core. Du plans to monetise enhanced capabilities through tiered performance packages, including speed-based service levels, improved uplink options, and premium plans tailored to specific use cases.

Saleem AlBlooshi, Chief Technology Officer at du.

“The cooperation with Huawei will support our evolution towards 10Gbps-class experience, enable differentiated service innovation, and create new value in emerging areas such as autonomous mobility and the low-altitude economy,” Saleem AlBlooshi, Chief Technology Officer at du, said.

The companies will also explore new markets enabled by 5G-A, including the low-altitude economy and autonomous mobility applications like robotaxis, which demand ultra-high bandwidth, superior uplink, low latency, and high reliability for real-time data processing.

Network intelligence and sustainability form a core pillar of the collaboration, with plans for AI-driven optimisation and autonomous operations to improve spectrum utilisation and service quality, alongside energy-saving technologies and intelligent power management.

“This partnership advances 5G-A (5G+) Phase-2 innovation and intelligent network capabilities while opening new business models powered by 10Gbps-class connectivity,” Li Jie, President of Huawei’s Wireless Network TDD Product Line, said..

AI pushes CFOs to spend more time on investor relations

Mohammed Fahad
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AI pushes CFOs to spend more time on investor relations
  • CFOs should consider private AI solutions that can help them to spend more of their time and effort on higher impact priorities.

The growing use of AI tools by investors is forcing CFOs to devote more time and resources to investor relations, according to Gartner, Inc.

“It is going to become increasingly difficult for organisations to control their narrative and influence investors with manual methods alone,” said Dymah Paige, Director Analyst in Gartner’s Finance practice.

“To keep pace, CFOs should be considering private AI solutions available on the market today that can help them to spend more of their time and effort on higher impact priorities.”

In a survey of 146 CFOs conducted from October through December 2025, Gartner found that 35 per cent or more of respondents experienced increases in the volume, frequency, and time sensitivity of investor communications in 2025 compared with 2024.

Paige noted that many institutional investors are already using or evaluating AI in their research, raising the stakes for corporate messaging. “If CFOs want to communicate to the markets effectively, while protecting their organisations against the hallucinations of public AI-powered answer engines, they must adapt their investor communications strategies to AI, as well as humans,” she said.

Gartner analysts said finance and IR teams can leverage the same AI capabilities used by investors to strengthen their own workflows—enhancing intelligence, accelerating drafting and analysis, and improving operational efficiency.

“Companies can leverage these tools off the shelf and start to deploy right away, but in private, contained, and traceable environments. Some of the world’s biggest companies are already using these tools in their IR activities,” Paige said.

Humanoid robots to stall at pilot scale while polyfunctional machines to lead warehouses

Mohammed Fahad
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Humanoid robots to stall at pilot scale while polyfunctional machines to lead warehouses
  • Gartner adds that non-humanoid, polyfunctional designs—often wheeled and with unconventional sensor placement—offer better performance and adaptability.

Fewer than 100 companies will advance humanoid robot proofs of concept beyond experimentation by 2028, with fewer than 20 moving to production in supply chain and manufacturing, as deployments remain confined to tightly controlled settings rather than high-throughput operations, according to Gartner, Inc.

Humanoid robots—human-shaped machines with AI systems, advanced sensors, and ML for task adaptation—are drawing CSCO interest amid labor pressures. But Gartner says hype is outrunning real-world readiness on versatility and cost.

“The promise of humanoid robots is compelling, but the reality is that the technology remains immature and far from meeting expectations for versatility and cost-effectiveness,” said Abdil Tunca, Senior Principal Analyst, Gartner Supply Chain.

Gartner adds that non-humanoid, polyfunctional designs—often wheeled and with unconventional sensor placement—offer better performance and adaptability.

Barriers to humanoid adoption:

  • Technological limits: Insufficient dexterity, intelligence, and adaptability for unstructured warehouse tasks like mixed-SKU picking, trailer unloading, or exception handling.
  • Integration complexity: Difficulties aligning with existing systems and workflows.
  • High costs: Higher capex/opex and lower throughput/uptime vs. task-specific polyfunctional robots.
  • Energy constraints: Limited battery life for high-mobility operations.

Why polyfunctional robots win:

  • Optimised for flexibility without human-like constraints; e.g., wheeled robots with telescopic arms can move boxes, pick cases, scan inventory, and inspect with higher uptime and lower energy use.
  • Better suited to dynamic environments and durability requirements.

“Companies with a high risk appetite and focus on innovation are the best candidates for pursuing humanoid robots at present,” said Caleb Thomson, Senior Director Analyst, Gartner Supply Chain. “For most firms prioritising throughput-per-dollar, polyfunctional robots will be the superior solution.”

Gartner’s guidance for CSCOs:

  • Run pilots to validate feasibility before scaling.
  • Co-develop with emerging providers to shape roadmaps to operational needs.
  • Continuously monitor performance and iterate.
  • Cultivate an innovation culture that supports calculated risk-taking.
  • Prioritise outcome-driven automation targeting specific bottlenecks over generalised headcount-reduction plays.

West and South India drive 89% of server demand

Ana Mary Joseph
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West and South India drive 89% of server demand
  • While infrastructure demand remains concentrated in a handful of large metros, enterprise activity in manufacturing, BFSI, healthcare, e-commerce, media, education, and government is expanding in smaller cities.

West and South India accounted for over 89 per cent of the country’s server demand and 77 per cent of storage revenues in the third quarter of 2025, propelled by hyperscalers and domestic data center providers, according to IDC’s India Quarterly City-Level Server and Storage Trackers.

At the same time, accelerating adoption of cloud, AI, and edge computing is pushing deployments beyond major metros into Tier II and Tier III cities, signaling a shift toward more distributed, regionally deployed digital infrastructure.

IDC said that while infrastructure demand remains concentrated in a handful of large metros, enterprise activity in manufacturing, BFSI, healthcare, e-commerce, media, education, and government is expanding in smaller cities.

As workloads grow more data-intensive and latency-sensitive, enterprises are increasingly deploying regional and edge infrastructure to deliver services closer to end users, prompting data center operators and vendors to reassess city-level strategies and invest beyond Tier I hubs.

Why Tier II and Tier III cities:

  • Sectoral push: Rising investments from manufacturing, NBFCs, healthcare, e-commerce, OTT, education, and government are forcing edge buildouts. Data-heavy applications require regional hosting to cut latency and boost performance.
  • Policy tailwinds: Central and state governments are promoting data center expansion outside Tier I through tax incentives, faster approvals, lower real estate costs, and dedicated DC zones. The upcoming National Data Center Policy is expected to accelerate Tier II/III investments with stronger incentives and improved financing support.

Challenges

  • Physical and network constraints: Smaller cities face inconsistent power and connectivity, a maturing vendor ecosystem, longer procurement cycles, limited specialized expertise, and slower maintenance response.
  • Talent and adoption hurdles: A smaller pool of skilled data center professionals and slower uptake of advanced digital technologies—driven by lower tech awareness and capability gaps—remain headwinds.

“India’s Tier II and Tier III cities are emerging as the next growth frontier for enterprise infrastructure, driven by enterprise expansion, government policy, digital adoption, and cost–quality advantages over metros. However, sustaining long-term growth will require technology providers to investment in customer education, workforce training, and building robust security/compliance capabilities,” said Dileep Nadimpalli, senior research manager, IDC Asia Pacific.

BitGo prices IPO above range, raises $212.8m in 2026’s first crypto listing

Naushad K. Cherrayil
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BitGo prices IPO above range, raises $212.8m in 2026’s first crypto listing
  • Palo Alto-based company is now valued at about $2.08b.

Crypto custody firm BitGo Holdings priced its US IPO at $18 per share, above the $15–$17 range, raising $212.8 million and valuing the Palo Alto-based company at about $2.08 billion. The sale of 11.8 million shares sets up the first US stock market debut by a digital-asset company in 2026.

The listing lands amid regulatory flux, as Congress advances a market structure bill to delineate securities vs. commodities oversight, while industry leaders including Coinbase warn it could constrain core operations. Sentiment has also been jarred by an October crypto selloff, heightening the bar for new issuance.

BitGo’s debut will test investor appetite ahead of expected offerings from Grayscale and reportedly Kraken. Earlier in 2025, Circle and Figure went public during a more bullish window for digital-asset names, buoyed by President Donald Trump’s pro-crypto stance and support for frameworks like the stablecoin-focused GENIUS Act, which coincided with Bitcoin hitting record highs in the first half of 2025.

Founded in 2013, BitGo is among the largest US crypto custodians, safeguarding client digital assets as institutional participation grows. Goldman Sachs and Citigroup are lead underwriters for the offering.

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