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Microsoft – Activision Blizzard Deal Faces Antitrust Probe in the UK

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Mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships have been lately considerably increasing in numbers. The notably fast evolution in technology has pushed big technology companies (techcos) and most recently telecom companies (telcos) to look for avenues to spearhead the competition into adopting emerging concepts and practices. The scale of such events and the significantly large amounts spent in those deals have been increasingly raising alarm signals from the competition, regulatory authorities, and the public in general. Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard dates early back to January 2022. The multi-billion-dollar deal aiming to project Microsoft into the gaming industry and later on, into the Metaverse hasn’t come unscathed. The deal between two of the biggest players in the technology and gaming industries has been closely inspected since by antitrust bodies looking to see the competitive implications of the deal and detect any possible foul play before its even close. More recently, the Microsoft – Activision Blizzard deal has been facing an antitrust probe in the United Kingdom by UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) with a potential investigation that could delay the deal from being closed at the targeted deadline.

Microsoft Acquires Activision Blizzard in January

Microsoft has been anticipating the Metaverse rush with a series of products and acquisitions. Microsoft Mesh which was introduced towards the end of 2021 as a precursor of a fully-fledged Metaverse experience by allowing Microsoft Teams users to interact with 3D avatars. The raging race with the other companies such as Meta has pushed the American company to up the ante by acquiring a big fish, Activision Blizzard for a mammoth USD 68.7 billion. The deal announced in January has been later approved by Activision Blizzard shareholders in April of the same year.   

When the deal passes through the last hurdle, the regulatory scrutiny, it will allow Microsoft to boost its gaming industry, adding millions of games to its Xbox platform which could then be extended to smartphones and other devices. At a later step, cloud-hosted games and more importantly the Metaverse become serious targets given the 3D development experience of Activision Blizzard employees. Landmarks such as Call of Duty, World of Wordcraft, or even Candy Crush can become part of the Microsoft gaming suite.

Microsoft – Activision Blizzard Deal: A Blow to Sony and PlayStation

Microsoft’s latest acquisition could be targeting its competitors in the hindsight, more specifically Sony and the PlayStation gaming platform. A large number of Activision Blizzard games are among the top ranked on PlayStation, notably Call of Duty. The company however tried to avoid regulatory litigations and anti-competition insinuations by promoting complete transparency on how the competition will fare after the deal is sealed, including the continuous availability of Blizzard games on other platforms.

It is clear however that the completed deal would potentially destabilize Sony’s position in the gaming industry affecting its future plans. Sony tried to counteract by buying video game maker Bungie for a much lower USD 3.6 billion.

Antitrust Regulations vs. Big Technology Companies

The relation between big tech companies and antitrust regulations has been more strenuous than ever. The constant drive of techcos to monopolize the market has been increasingly opening the eyes of regulators to inspect their business models and activities. Resourceful techcos like Google, Amazon, Facebook and others can easily abuse their platform to promote their products at the expense of other companies. The recent lawsuit in Japan between kakaku.com and restaurant chain Hanryumura illustrates the destructive effects of manipulation.

The US Antitrust Laws

The federal trade commission (FTC) has been trying to protect consumers from illegal competition through a series of antitrust laws. The laws aim at prohibiting any combination or contract that may lead to any monopolization endeavor. The FTC mentions on its website banning “unfair methods of competition” and “unfair or deceptive acts or practices.” As far as mergers are concerned, the Clayton Act prohibits mergers and acquisitions where the effect “may be substantially to lessen competition, or to tend to create a monopoly.”

Anti-Competition Laws in the UK

The UK Competition and Markets Authority has provided detailed guidelines for joint venture business. The provided guidance includes a list of Dos and Don’ts that two collaborating companies. These include making sure that “any reduction in competition brought about by the collaboration is no more than is absolutely necessary to achieve its goals” and being “clear, specific, and honest about their pro-competitive goals and the limits of their collaboration.”

Outlook of the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard Probe in the UK

The CMA has started asking for public input and will decide the next steps to take on September 1. If any suspicious activity is found, a more through investigation could be launched before the deal is expected to close in 2023. The probe will certainly not stop there as institutions like the FTC could also open their own investigation on the mega-deal. Until then, Microsoft and Activision Blizzard would have to continue to convince regulatory authority of the transparency of the deal.

Summary

The relation between antitrust agencies and big tech companies hasn’t been rosy lately. The latest Microsoft – Activision Blizzard deal is a clear example of such attrition between both camps. It is rather the dubious activity behind these big mergers and acquisitions that made regulatory policies more constraining. Suspicions of misbehaving will only increase scrutineering and Microsoft won’t be the last big company under the radar. The latest clampdown on Facebook’s transfer of data to the US by Irish regulators is a story that will rapidly unfold soon.


“Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our  Technology space to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles.”

PhD holder with over 10 years of experience in wireless communication systems, e-health informatics, and computer networks and a passion to investigate and educate people recent topics in artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, and biomimetics.

Technology

What are the Ethical Issues in Biometrics?

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Ethical Issues in Biometrics

What is biometric identification? It is the process through which unique biological characteristics are used in biometric identification to recognize and validate a person. These characteristics can be found in facial traits, eye structures, DNA, fingerprint patterns, and even handwriting. All this data that can be gathered on an individual inevitably brings up the ethical issues in biometrics that need to be addressed.

Facial recognition and fingerprint scans were previously the domain of security, and they were utilized for identification and law enforcement. However, increasingly more business and civil applications are using biometrics authentication. Due to this increased use, it is crucial to address the moral and ethical issues in biometrics when used in the creation of new application and technology.

Applied biometrics and corporate ethics have received little empirical study despite the widespread use of biometric technologies. As a result, there is plenty of room for future study to help us better comprehend the moral consequences of adopting this technology.

This article examines the ethical concerns associated with the use of biometric technology on the use of biometrics for non-security applications as well as the moral ramifications for business.

Ethical Issues in Biometrics and Privacy

Biometric data takes privacy concerns to a whole new level that typical data gathering only touches on. Digital identities can be forged, and anonymity on the web can be maintained to a degree if you know how. Also, digital data can be deleted – if we forget that Meta (Facebook) has been revealed to store deleted data, which is an ethical concern in itself.

The problem with biometric data is that it is unforgeable, unconcealable, and permanent, You can’t change your eye structure, your fingerprint, or your facial features. Big tech companies already have your face, fingerprints, and your voice recorded and stored via current biometric authentication systems – mainly used for unlocking your phone. That data will be there forever, and there is little that people can do about it besides avoid it In the first place.

While many companies still give users the option of using a good old fashion passcode to unlock their phones, as technology as a whole tends to do, the biometric alternative is slowly gaining more traction, and will one day become the norm, as it is hard to argue its convenience and security. You can’t accidentally leave your eyeball at home or forget your fingerprint. But in the same sense, you can’t change it. If your childish curiosity while browsing the web put a black spot on your record, there’s no changing that.

Therein lies the question of who if anyone should have access to such data. Today’s tech giants have all our data in their hands, that won’t change with the spread of biometric verification methods. Indeed, it will only increase targeting capabilities.

While the collection of biometric data on its own does not necessarily mean it will be shared, monetized, or abused in any way, it never the less requires clear and strict guidelines and regulations to be implemented around it. There are too many things that can be abused by the wrong party when the ethical issues in biometrics are not taken seriously, and if such limitations are not applied stringently.


Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our Technology space to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles.

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Oppo Reno 8 and Reno 8 Pro: Specs and Comparison   

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Oppo Reno 8

The Reno line of smartphones has always had a fantastic camera and an attractive design. The Reno 8 and 8 Pro include a 120Hz AMOLED display, the newest Dimensity chipsets, 80W fast charging, a 32-megapixel front camera, and triple 50-megapixel back cameras, among other notable features that make the Oppo Reno 8 and Reno 8 Pro high-quality yet affordable option for anyone. 

Here we compare the two latest Oppo phone series iterations and see what to expect from the flagship Oppo smartphone, and how the Oppo Reno 8 and the Oppo Reno Pro stack up against each other. 

Oppo Reno 8 Specifications 

The Oppo Reno 8 has a smaller 6.43-inch full-HD+ AMOLED display with a resolution of 1,080 by 2,400 pixels, a 90Hz refresh rate, and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. It also runs Android 12 with ColorOS 12.1 on top. Additionally, the display has an 800 nits maximum brightness and a 20:09 aspect ratio. An octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 1300 SoC, up to 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM, and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage are all found within the Oppo smartphone. 

The Reno 8 has a triple back camera configuration for pictures and movies, with a 50-megapixel main sensor and an f/1.8 lens as its focal point. Additionally, there is a 2-megapixel macro camera with a 112-degree field of view and an 8-megapixel sensor coupled with an f/2.2 ultra-wide angle lens. 

The Reno 8 offers 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.3, GPS/A-GPS, NFC, and a USB Type-C connector as connection options. An accelerometer, light, gyroscope, magnetometer, and a proximity sensor are among the sensors on board. For biometric verification, the phone also has a fingerprint sensor hidden behind the display. A 4,500mAh battery inside the Oppo Reno 8 supports 80W Super Flash Charge quick charging. The phone weighs 179 grams and has dimensions of 160 x 73.4 x 7.67mm. 

Oppo Reno 8 Pro Specifications 

A 6.7-inch full-HD+ (1,080×2,412) AMOLED display with up to 120Hz refresh rate and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection is included with the Oppo Reno 8 Pro. Running on top of Android 12 is ColorOS 12.1. Additionally, the display supports HDR10+ and is certified by Netflix HD, Amazon HDR, SGS Low Motion Blur, and SGS Low Blue Light. The MediaTek Dimensity 8100-Max SoC, which has eight cores, and up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM power the smartphone. Storage on the Oppo Reno 8 Pro is UFS 3.1 capable of up to 256GB. 

The Oppo Reno 8 Pro boasts a triple rear camera arrangement with a 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 main sensor and an f/1.8 lens, an 8-megapixel sensor and an ultra-wide lens with an f/2.2 aperture and a 112-degree field of view, and a 2-megapixel macro camera with an f/2.4 aperture. Along with the MariSilicon X NPU, the phone’s camera will offer generally better performance in both bright and dim light. It has a 32-megapixel front-facing camera sensor with an f/2.4 lens for taking selfies and making video calls. 

The phone has 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.3, GPS/A-GPS, NFC, and a USB Type-C connector as connectivity options. An accelerometer, a light meter, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, and a proximity sensor are among the sensors built into the phone. For biometric authentication, the phone also contains a fingerprint sensor underneath the touchscreen. The smartphone has a 4,500mAh battery that supports rapid charging at 80W Super Flash Charge. The phone weighs 183 grams and has dimensions of 161 x 74.2 x 7.34mm. 

Both the Oppo Reno 8 and Reno 8 Pro are prime smartphones that can fit any user’s preferences and can be considered premium smartphones on the cheaper side. If you like photography, you will be satisfied with the level of quality overall, but keep in mind that neither phone is particularly water resistant, so be careful where you take it.  


Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our Technology sections to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles. 

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Electric Cars vs Gas Cars: How do They Compare Today

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Electric Cars vs Gas Cars

Many prefer the rumbling ‘vroom’ of a gasoline car to the soft hum of an electric vehicle, while others would rather just be satisfied in the knowledge that they are lessening their carbon footprint. Let’s look at the cold hard facts however, and compare electric cars vs gas cars

Electric Cars vs Gas Cars: Components

The amount of moving components is an important distinction between electric and gasoline-powered automobiles. While a gasoline-powered car contains hundreds of moving components, an electric vehicle just has one, the motor. Another significant distinction is that the electric car has fewer moving components. The electric car is more dependable and needs less routine maintenance. The maintenance needed for a gasoline-powered car ranges from routine oil changes, filter replacements, tune-ups, and exhaust system repairs to less frequent component replacements including water and fuel pumps, alternators, and so on.

Electric Cars vs Gas Cars: Maintenance

The expenses associated with maintaining an electric car are reduced since there are less maintenance requirements. The shaft, the only moving component of the electric motor, is extremely dependable and needs little to no maintenance. The controller and charger are electrical devices that require minimal to no maintenance because they have no moving components. Modern sealed lead acid batteries are maintenance free and utilized in electric cars nowadays. However, these batteries have a finite lifespan and will eventually need to be replaced. New batteries are being developed to increase the range of electric cars as well as the battery pack’s lifespan, perhaps eliminating the need to replace the battery pack throughout the course of the vehicle’s lifespan.

Electric Cars vs Gas Cars: Efficiency

In addition to being simpler and less expensive to repair than gasoline-powered vehicles, electric vehicles are also more cost-effective to run. The electric car will drive roughly 43 miles for $1 based on the efficiency of 3 miles/kwhr and the cost of power at 7 cents per kwhr. The gasoline-powered car will go roughly 18 miles based on the average gas mileage of 22 miles per gallon and the price of gasoline at $1.25 per gallon. As a result, an electric car may drive more than twice as far on a dollar’s worth of petrol.

Where Electric Falls Behind

There are still a number of difficulties for the owner of an electric car despite the fact that it will be less expensive to operate and maintain.

The primary issue is the restricted range offered by existing battery technology. The amount of driving distance possible utilizing the current batteries is between 50 and 150 miles. These ranges are being extended by new battery technologies, and prototypes of these batteries have shown ranges of up to 200 miles between recharging. Solar powered charging stations are being implemented in numerous places to decrease range anxiety towards electric vehicles

The lack of qualified service professionals to repair and maintain electric cars is another issue that faces their owners. A two-year associate degree program has been developed to train high school graduates to become proficient electric vehicle technicians, and training programs are being developed and made available to upgrade the conventional automotive technician with the skills needed to maintain an electric vehicle.

Infrastructure to recharge the batteries is also required. The most important component of the infrastructure for recharging already exists: electric power is accessible practically everywhere. To support the electric car, it is still necessary to guarantee that charging stations with the right sorts of service (i.e., maximum voltage and current) are placed in important areas. Plans must also be made.


Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our Technology sections to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles.

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