Smartphone technology
Smartphone technology is the fastest growing and most competitive area of the corporate mobile phone sector, with Apple's iPhone, Google's Android and Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 vying to take over from Blackberry as the smartphone of choice for business users. We look at the latest developments and products and what they mean to enterprise IT.
-
News
13 May 2025
Surrey Search & Rescue taps Ericsson and UK Connect for critical connectivity
Advanced connectivity solution that includes vehicle router and ruggedised devices deployed under SARNET initiative helps search and rescue teams respond faster, improving survival outcomes Continue Reading
-
News
12 May 2025
Wi-Fi 7 trials show ‘significant’ performance gains in enterprise environments
Wireless technology consortium reveals industry trials of latest Wi-Fi standard in enterprise scenarios revealing increased throughput, lower latency and enhanced efficiency for high-demand applications Continue Reading
-
News
07 Oct 2022
Private investors back innovators to boost African connectivity
Local operator research finds nearly four out of five VC and private equity firms believe innovation in connectivity will drive expansion in Africa, despite infrastructure issues Continue Reading
-
News
06 Oct 2022
Proposals for scanning encrypted messages should be cut from Online Safety Bill, say researchers
Automatic scanning of messaging services for illegal content could lead to one billion false alarms each day in Europe Continue Reading
-
Opinion
03 Oct 2022
How to protect against SMS mobile security weakness
The simple messaging service provides two-factor authentication in banking and e-commerce, but what happens if your SIM card is stolen? Continue Reading
-
Feature
28 Sep 2022
How the pandemic accelerated tech adoption in hospitality
The pandemic led to technology adoption across several sectors, with hospitality being no exception Continue Reading
-
News
27 Sep 2022
Telefónica, Qualcomm collaborate to build XR, metaverse systems
Partnership designed to grow metaverse and extended reality ecosystem using Snapdragon Spaces as well as upskilling Telefónica’s internal teams and external innovation programmes in XR hardware and applications Continue Reading
-
News
23 Sep 2022
Conversation between two police officers formed basis of EncroChat warrant, court hears
The National Crime Agency did not seek a written explanation of a French hacking technique before applying for a surveillance warrant to use French “intercept” in the UK, a court heard Continue Reading
-
News
15 Sep 2022
Smartphone trade-in value rises as average age of devices breaks 3.5-year threshold
Analysis of mobile trade-ins reveals increasing handset longevity and rising value of used devices, with US$767m returned to US buyers in the second quarter Continue Reading
-
News
13 Sep 2022
Investment in UK fintech sees fall amid global turmoil
Investment in fintech drops, but because figures are distorted by last year’s records, it’s not as bad as it looks, says KPMG Continue Reading
-
Blog Post
09 Sep 2022
Apple iPhone 14: Time to put our desire for shiny new things into perspective
Can the launch of the iPhone 14 have come at a worse time? The standard of living of people is falling, inflation is rising rapidly, the pound is crashing and fuel bills are sky high and set to ... Continue Reading
-
News
08 Sep 2022
NEC, Mavenir drive mMIMO through Open RAN on Orange France 5G SA
IT and comms giant teams with cloud-native telecoms software provider to drive open and advanced radio access network functionality with deployment of massive MIMO on leading telco’s experimental 5G SA network in France Continue Reading
-
News
08 Sep 2022
EE upgrades 5G network across 14 new UK locations
BT-owned MNO extends mid-band next-generation network capability across 14 UK towns and cities to support the latest 5G smartphones and pay monthly mobile plans Continue Reading
-
News
07 Sep 2022
Qualcomm adds bite to Snapdragon platform
Just days after kicking off IFA show outlining plans to embed its Wi-Fi, 5G and satellite connectivity technology to drive connected experiences in a world that Qualcomm sees as one where everything is intelligent and everyone connected, chip giant launches new version of core mobile platform Continue Reading
-
News
05 Sep 2022
Huge leap to contactless payments in past three years
Covid-19 pushes the use of contactless payments for face-to-face transactions to 90% of total Continue Reading
-
News
02 Sep 2022
Interview: Sibstar, the fintech app for dementia sufferers
Creator of app and debit card designed to support people living with dementia tells Computer Weekly how the idea developed Continue Reading
-
News
02 Sep 2022
IFA 2022: Qualcomm announces Meta partnership as it stakes out connected future
Chip giant unveils plans to embed its connectivity technology – encompassing Wi-Fi 7, 5G and even satellite – within virtual and real-world environments to drive connected experiences Continue Reading
-
News
01 Sep 2022
Major shift detected in smart home technology deployment
Research from personalised communications services provider Plume finds consumers’ appetite for internet of things and smart home technologies continues to grow Continue Reading
-
News
01 Sep 2022
Arm sues Qualcomm over Nuvia tie-up
Qualcomm hopes to integrate Nuvia’s technology into its system-on-a-chip products based on Arm cores – but Arm says this infringes its IP Continue Reading
-
News
25 Aug 2022
Nokia, Google trial slicing service for 5G networks
Service from comms tech provider and IT giant connects smartphones to multiple network slices simultaneously Continue Reading
-
News
19 Aug 2022
Apple patches two zero-days in macOs, iOS
Mac users should urgently apply new patches addressing vulnerabilities in its desktop and mobile operating systems Continue Reading
-
News
18 Aug 2022
Amazon Ring vulnerability could have been used to spy on users
A now-patched vulnerability in the Amazon Ring mobile app could have been exploited to expose users’ video recordings, but was complex to exploit, according to the researchers who stumbled upon it Continue Reading
-
News
15 Aug 2022
Lawyers and journalists sue CIA and Mike Pompeo over Assange surveillance claims
CIA and its former director sued over allegations that they authorised unlawful spying on US citizens when they visited WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London Continue Reading
-
News
15 Aug 2022
UK cost-of-living crisis creates surge in mobile provider switching
Current inclement economic times in the UK blow headwinds into mobile comms sector, shaking customer loyalty with operators as over two-fifths of contract customers think they are overpaying for their current tariff Continue Reading
-
News
10 Aug 2022
Positioning rapidly finds its place in 5G ecosystem
Research find that while 5G positioning is developing quickly and could be featured in billions of consumer and enterprise devices by 2030, the journey to commercial success is not without hurdles Continue Reading
-
News
09 Aug 2022
Nokia on track with NCRTC voice/data offering and Orange Egypt network modernisation
Nokia tests mission-critical voice and data on 4.9G/LTE private wireless network for India’s regional rapid transit system, while being selected by leading Egyptian telco to upgrade network for increased reliability, security and operational efficiencies Continue Reading
-
News
04 Aug 2022
UK has biggest card fraud problem in Europe
Social Market Foundation calls on the UK to get a grip on its huge problem with bank card fraud in Europe Continue Reading
-
News
03 Aug 2022
More than 60% of world population will use digital wallets by 2026
Global take-up of digital wallets will accelerate over the next four years, driven by ‘super apps’ and QR code-based payments Continue Reading
-
News
01 Aug 2022
Chinese manufacturers’ woes drag back global smartphone shipments
Tough quarter for Chinese market, with economic downturn and people worried about falling disposable income and unemployment, has global ramifications for smartphone industry pinning hopes on Q2 fulfilling pent-up demand after lockdowns Continue Reading
-
News
29 Jul 2022
Internet of things, automotive drive quarter as Qualcomm extends and expands Samsung partnership
Despite a challenging macroeconomic environment, leading mobile chip provider posts strong results with record automotive and internet of things revenues Continue Reading
-
News
21 Jul 2022
GCHQ experts back scanning of encrypted phone messages to fight child abuse
Ian Levy, technical director of the NCSC, and Crispin Robinson, technical director of GCHQ, back client-side scanning software on mobile phones to detect child abuse Continue Reading
-
News
21 Jul 2022
Digital drives workplace trends in the Nordics
Workplaces are rapidly changing in Nordic countries, driven by digital technologies such as artificial intelligence Continue Reading
-
News
20 Jul 2022
Starling Bank withdraws application for licence in Ireland
App-based bank decides against completing its application for a banking licence in Ireland after concluding it did not offer enough value Continue Reading
-
News
19 Jul 2022
UK fintech outperforms global sector
Investment in UK fintech continues to increase, outpacing a flat global sector, according to Innovate Finance Continue Reading
-
News
19 Jul 2022
5G connections in APAC to surpass 400 million by 2025
The number of 5G connections in Asia-Pacific will grow to more than 400 million by 2025, but a usage gap due to the lack of digital skills and affordability will still exist Continue Reading
-
News
14 Jul 2022
Government pauses Online Safety Bill’s progress
The government has paused the Online Safety Bill’s journey towards becoming law, amid timetable pressure Continue Reading
-
News
13 Jul 2022
ING pilot project tests payments from phone to phone
Dutch bank is testing an app that enables users to make peer-to-peer payments directly from smartphone to smartphone when they are close together Continue Reading
-
News
13 Jul 2022
Digital break-up kit to help women get out of bad relationships safely
Domestic abuse charity Refuge teams up with Avast to equip women with the knowledge to effectively and safely end a relationship digitally Continue Reading
-
News
13 Jul 2022
ICO calls for review into government use of private email and WhatsApp messages
Information Commissioner’s Office reprimands Department of Health and Social Care after ministers and officials conducted government business on their own email accounts and messaging apps Continue Reading
-
Feature
11 Jul 2022
Retailers choose from menu of mobile apps to help reduce food waste
Supermarkets, convenience stores and coffee shops are among the retailers connecting with mobile apps and tech firms to drive down the wastage of food Continue Reading
-
Feature
08 Jul 2022
Olympique de Marseille scores with Orange 5G
Robust communications in football stadiums is key to delivering optimal fan experiences and leading French team Olympique de Marseille has achieved connectivity in consumer and enterprise 5G Continue Reading
-
News
07 Jul 2022
Amid NSO lawsuit, Apple expands spyware protections
Apple previews a new feature called Lockdown Mode to protect iPhone and iPad users from ‘mercenary spyware’ Continue Reading
-
News
30 Jun 2022
Nokia and Proximus demo 5G network slicing innovation to support demanding network conditions
Leading comms tech provider enters into partnership with incumbent Belgian operator to deliver dedicated next-generation spectrum to support demanding conditions such as congested networks in use cases including Industry 4.0, fixed wireless access and cloud gaming Continue Reading
-
News
29 Jun 2022
Liverpool 5G Create adds use cases
Liverpool school’s 5G-enabled anti-anxiety game and care home’s 5G-supported fall prevention technology demonstrate benefits of affordable next-generation technology Continue Reading
-
News
28 Jun 2022
UK telecoms industry agrees to cost-of-living plan
UK wireless operators make commitment to do more to help customers cope with global price rises and stay connected Continue Reading
-
Opinion
23 Jun 2022
Germany – let’s stop debating data retention and start finding solutions
Germany has the opportunity to set the democratic precedent for ending the collection and retention of everybody’s call details record and metadata in the EU. It is time find real and effective solutions to crime Continue Reading
-
News
20 Jun 2022
Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians take up free language app offer
Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have started free language courses from app-maker Babbel Continue Reading
-
News
19 Jun 2022
Aussie mobile users most vulnerable to security threats
Australia has the highest percentage of mobile app threats detected on a per-device basis, with iPhone users more likely to download a risky app than an Android user, study finds Continue Reading
-
News
13 Jun 2022
HSBC to give thousands of staff fintech training
Thousands of HSBC staff will receive training in fintech technologies through a course developed with Saïd Business School Continue Reading
-
Definition
09 Jun 2022
micro USB
A micro USB is a miniaturized version of the Universal Serial Bus interface developed for connecting compact and mobile devices, such as smartphones, MP3 players, Global Positioning System devices, printers and digital cameras. Continue Reading
-
Feature
06 Jun 2022
IT departments need holistic circular economies to fight climate change
With sustainability moving up the boardroom agenda, IT managers should revamp procurement strategies to align with the principles of the circular economy, but what does this mean for managing the IT lifecycle? Continue Reading
-
Opinion
31 May 2022
Mobile digital transformation – from fast to deep
The first half of 2022 has been a busy time, with much happening in the mobile industry. We consider what the rest of year might hold Continue Reading
-
News
30 May 2022
Iceland’s natural and digital approach to healthcare disrupts global sector
Iceland has the perfect blend of natural health remedies and tech startup entrepreneurship to shake up the world healthcare sector Continue Reading
-
News
26 May 2022
UK mobile call performance strong and improving
Research shows that as the UK’s public switched telephone network is upgrading to a fully digital call network, dropped call rates have remained low over the past few years and continue to improve Continue Reading
-
News
24 May 2022
JPMorgan’s UK digital retail bank reaches half-million customer mark
Chase Bank in the UK has already reached the half-million customer mark, but expects a profit to be some years away Continue Reading
-
News
24 May 2022
Virgin Media brings gigabit broadband to O2 arena
Gigabit broadband provider opens service at leading London entertainment venue bolstered by 5G mobile network which it claims will provide ‘unrivalled’ connected experience for the millions of fans who visit every year Continue Reading
-
News
23 May 2022
Q1 2022 mobile device trade-in programmes see $784m returned to US consumers
A study from Assurant shows continued growing uptake of 5G devices and highlights role mobile trade-ins and upgrade programmes play in promoting a circular economy Continue Reading
-
News
19 May 2022
Deliveroo accused of ‘soft union busting’ with GMB deal
Smaller grassroots unions have criticised Deliveroo and GMB for making a “hollow” deal that will ultimately undermine workers’ self-organising efforts Continue Reading
-
News
18 May 2022
Virgin Media O2 Business launches tech fund for medium businesses
UK-based cableco launches tech fund for new and existing medium business customers, as well as a free digital review to ensure businesses are set up for the future of hybrid working Continue Reading
-
News
17 May 2022
Etisalat takes stake as Vodafone reports ‘good’ fiscal year
In the wake of major MENA provider buying 9% share, global operator claims satisfactory fiscal year with continued growth in both Europe and Africa Continue Reading
-
News
11 May 2022
Nationwide stops thousands more attempted frauds with Strong Customer Authentication
Nationwide Building Society is blocking an additional 2000 attempted online shopping frauds a month through extra checks Continue Reading
-
News
11 May 2022
Ofcom outlines plans to make mmWave 5G spectrum available for new uses
UK comms regulator reveals roadmap to take advantage of opportunities for users and applications across the country to access high-frequency spectrum for new uses Continue Reading
-
News
10 May 2022
European retailers see embedded finance as a revenue builder
Retailers and e-commerce businesses are working with tech suppliers to embed financial products and services in their customer offerings Continue Reading
-
News
05 May 2022
iPhone sales soar even as global smartphone shipments decrease in 2022 Q1
Study into global smartphone arena finds Apple on a high while shipments by Chinese manufacturers have fallen sharply due to the slowdown in their domestic market, leading to global device industry maintaining negative growth trend Continue Reading
-
News
04 May 2022
5G finds voice as Nokia, Optus claim first 3CC carrier aggregation standalone 5G data
Voice-over-5G market shows strong growth as tech provider and Australian operator establish 3 components carrier data sessions using a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra smartphone and Nokia’s 5G AirScale portfolio on Optus’ 5G network Continue Reading
-
News
04 May 2022
Samsung serves DISH for 5G Open RAN roll-out
Networks division of electronics giant selected by US operator for the deployment of open 5G network solutions based on virtual and open radio access network technology to play an integral role in Smart 5G Network development Continue Reading
-
News
04 May 2022
Babbel offers free language courses to displaced Ukrainians
Babbel has created language courses to help Ukrainians displaced by the war to integrate into other countries Continue Reading
-
News
03 May 2022
UScellular taps Qualcomm, Inseego to launch 5G mmWave fixed wireless in 10 US cities
US provider’s Home Internet+ service will use high-frequency 5G technology to provide high-speed internet to homes and businesses, with expansion from 10 to dozens of cities throughout 2022 Continue Reading
-
News
26 Apr 2022
Global digital wallet transactions set to soar
Payments using mobile phones are set to soar globally as suppliers expand the services available, according to research Continue Reading
-
News
21 Apr 2022
Leadwind completes €140m first closing to fund deep tech scaleups
First investment for fund designed for firms at the intersection of technologies such as edge computing, artificial intelligence, data analytics, 5G connectivity, blockchain and cloud services located in Southern Europe, prioritising Spain and Latin America Continue Reading
-
News
20 Apr 2022
NSO Group faces court action after Pegasus spyware used against targets in UK
Three human rights activists whose phones were targeted by spyware traced to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have begun legal action against both countries and Israel’s NSO Group Technologies Continue Reading
-
News
13 Apr 2022
Virgin Media O2, Samsung deploy multiple live 4G, 5G sites across UK
UK mobile operator announces successful completion of multiple live site deployments in its 4G and 5G estates Continue Reading
-
Feature
13 Apr 2022
Using technology to reinvent stores
Technology is becoming an important part of the shopping experience at home, in stores and in-between, so how are retailers using technology to advance the store experience? Continue Reading
-
News
13 Apr 2022
Scotland 5G Centre issues call to business for improved healthcare delivery
S5GC launches innovation challenge to use advanced connectivity to transform and improve healthcare delivery in Scotland, with three shortlisted projects to receive access to a private 5G testbed Continue Reading
-
News
12 Apr 2022
TU Kaiserslautern demos automatic eSIM download for standalone private 5G network
German engineering and science-focused research university demonstrates the interoperability of compatriot global security group’s eSIM management technology Continue Reading
-
News
08 Apr 2022
EncroChat: France says ‘defence secrecy’ in police surveillance operations is constitutional
Constitutional court finds that invoking ‘defence secrecy’ to withhold information about the state hacking of EncroChat cryptophones is constitutional. Defence lawyers now head for the supreme court Continue Reading
-
News
05 Apr 2022
Secrecy over police EncroChat hacking is unconstitutional, defence lawyers tell top French court
France’s constitutional court, the Conseil Constitutionnel, has heard arguments that the use of ‘defence secrecy’ to withhold information about police surveillance operations breaches the French constitution Continue Reading
-
News
05 Apr 2022
Zopa bank profitable after just 21 months
The bank that emerged from peer-to-peer lending pioneer has hit its first profit after 21 months of operation Continue Reading
-
News
01 Apr 2022
Apple drops emergency patches for two zero-days
Apple has fixed two zero-day vulnerabilities that appear to have been actively exploited in the wild Continue Reading
-
Feature
30 Mar 2022
Boots accelerates its digital accessibility journey
Boots is working with website accessibility software provider Recite Me to make its website more user-friendly and improve the customer experience Continue Reading
-
News
25 Mar 2022
NHS health and social care staff offered training on healthcare apps
Health service staff have free access to training courses to help them understand which digital healthcare apps and websites are best for their patients Continue Reading
-
News
23 Mar 2022
Digital continues to deplete bank branch networks as Lloyds cuts 60 more
Lloyds Banking Group has stripped UK high streets of a further 60 branches as the take-up of digital banking continues Continue Reading
-
News
22 Mar 2022
Competition watchdog contacts Barclays and Lloyds banks over API failures
Barclays and Lloyds banks have failed to meet some of the open banking rules, says competition watchdog Continue Reading
-
News
18 Mar 2022
Numbers add up for Three UK in 2021
Mobile operator delivers strongest consumer contract customer additions since 2012 and a 10% increase in EBITDA, with incremental growth in mobile virtual network operator business line, home broadband and business-to-business operations Continue Reading
-
News
17 Mar 2022
Verizon Business enriches mobile endpoint for Microsoft Teams
Business solutions provider becomes one of the first operators to join forces with IT giant to enable enterprise customers to experience the full power of communications and collaboration system Continue Reading
-
News
17 Mar 2022
Value of contactless transactions doubles in two years
Almost £166bn was spent in the UK last year using contactless technology, compared with £80.5bn in 2019 Continue Reading
-
News
16 Mar 2022
Two men convicted after using EncroChat cryptophones to plot killing
Evidence from the encrypted phone network EncroChat led to the conviction of two men for conspiracy to murder Continue Reading
-
News
16 Mar 2022
No end to UK bank branch closures as HSBC shuts 69 more
HSBC closes another 69 branches as customers continue to migrate to digital channels Continue Reading
-
News
16 Mar 2022
ROC Mondriaan offers Apple skills in Dutch schools
Dutch school teaches the IT skills that users want but are not available in traditional courses, which is why it has developed a course focused on Apple technology Continue Reading
-
Definition
15 Mar 2022
location-based service (LBS)
A location-based service (LBS) is a software service for mobile device applications that requires knowledge about where the mobile device is geographically located. Continue Reading
-
News
11 Mar 2022
Police EncroChat cryptophone hacking implant did not work properly and frequently failed
Surveillance operation against EncroChat encrypted phone network had repeated technical failures Continue Reading
-
News
10 Mar 2022
AST SpaceMobile enlists SpaceX to deliver on space comms mission
Aiming to bridge the digital divide through in-orbit technology, space-based cellular broadband network provider teams with Elon Musk-owned firm to deliver direct-to-phone connectivity Continue Reading
-
News
10 Mar 2022
Open banking’s next big thing could replace direct debits
Variable recurring payments could fuel the next stage of open banking take-up in the UK Continue Reading
-
News
09 Mar 2022
Liverpool 5G Create showcases levelling-up in public health
Liverpool 5G Create claims to demonstrate real investment in people’s futures, and the chance to digitally level up health, education and economic opportunities Continue Reading
-
News
09 Mar 2022
iPhone SE set to fuel global 5G device expansion
New mid-range 5G device in flagship range projected to spur adoption of next-generation network services in developed and emerging markets alike Continue Reading
-
News
03 Mar 2022
Use of encrypted Telegram platform soars in Ukraine, Russia
Encrypted messaging service Telegram is proving a valuable asset to both sides in Russia’s war on Ukraine Continue Reading
-
Feature
02 Mar 2022
Ship from store: A pandemic retail trend that’s here to stay?
Shipping online orders from bricks and mortar stores looks set to be a pandemic trend that will stick around to form part of retail’s new normal Continue Reading
-
News
01 Mar 2022
MWC 2022: Telefónica boosts cloud cover with AWS, Microsoft
Hot on the heels of the operator inking a cloud sourcing deal with arch rival AWS, leading Spain-based telco Telefónica has signed a deal with Microsoft to expand their global collaboration Continue Reading
-
News
01 Mar 2022
Nationwide suffers payday payments outage
Nationwide customers were left unable to pay bills on payday as the building society suffered a software outage Continue Reading
-
News
23 Feb 2022
5G device sales forecast to hit 46.5 million by 2026
With the rise of always-on 5G portable devices, an explosion of edge AI adoption, the proliferation of smart manufacturing platforms and the emergence of the metaverse, industry is set for a sharp rise in mmWave smartphone sales Continue Reading
-
News
23 Feb 2022
Mobile device trade-ins and upgrades return more than $3bn in 2021
Quarterly research shows that as 5G devices proliferate around the US, device trade-in programmes return more than a billion dollars to US consumers in the fourth quarter of 2021 alone Continue Reading
-
Definition
22 Feb 2022
smartwatch
A smartwatch is a wearable computing device that closely resembles a wristwatch or other time-keeping device. Continue Reading