US District Judge James Donato’s injunction mandates that Google allow Android users to download apps from rival sources and use alternative in-app payment methods for three years.
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Google must remove some app store restrictions, US judge rules
Google has been ordered to revamp its mobile app business, following a jury ruling in favour of Epic Games, in a US lawsuit brought by the maker of Fortnite, Reuters reported on October 7. Epic’s lawsuit, filed in 2020, accused Google of monopolising how consumers access apps on Android devices and how they pay for in-app transactions, according to Reuters.
US District Judge James Donato’s injunction mandates that Google allow Android users to download apps from rival sources and use alternative in-app payment methods for three years. Additionally, Google cannot incentivise device makers to preinstall its app store or share revenue with other app distributors. Google plans to appeal the ruling and seek a pause on the injunction, arguing it could harm consumers and developers.
The injunction is set to take effect on November 1, allowing Google time to comply. This ruling follows other antitrust challenges facing Google regarding its market practices in web search and advertising technology.
Airbus expects to increase parts sourcing from India
Airbus plans to increase component sourcing from India, CEO Guillaume Faury told reporters in Delhi, highlighting significant opportunities in the market, according to a Press Trust of India report carried by Business Standard on October 7. The European aircraft manufacturer has doubled its sourcing to 1 billion euro from 2019 to 2024, supported by over 100 Indian suppliers.
Faury said the company aims to continue on this growth trajectory, potentially doubling sourcing every five years. Notably, 2023 marked a shift where equipment for aircraft and helicopters surpassed IT services in procurement, he said. With a backlog of around 8,600 aircraft orders, including over 1,000 from IndiGo and Air India, Airbus anticipates producing approximately 770 planes this year. Some 60 companies that are part of the French aerospace association GIFAS are in India currently, exploring partnerships, according to the report.
UN report highlights how criminal syndicates use Telegram
Telegram app is being used extensively by powerful criminal networks in Southeast Asia, enabling a dramatic shift in organised crime operations, the UN highlighted recently, according to a Reuters report October 7. The app is implicated in facilitating large-scale illicit activities, including the trade of hacked data like credit card information and malware for cybercrime.
The UN Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) indicates that Southeast Asia has become a major hub for a multibillion-dollar industry driven by fraudulent schemes, largely operated by Chinese syndicates. Following the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France for enabling criminal activities, discussions on app provider liability have intensified. UNODC notes that criminal groups are increasingly leveraging advanced technologies, including deepfake software and unlicensed cryptocurrency exchanges, to enhance their operations.
Infosys eliminates email attachments for job applicants to curtail fraud
Infosys has changed how job applicants can check their status, with the aim of tackling fraud, Economic Times reports. Infosys, India’s second-biggest IT services company, has stopped sending job offer letters and attachments via email, according to ET. Instead, new recruits can access their job application details by logging into a company portal.
On the careers page of its website, Infosys points out that the recruitment team does not request or require personal documents such as bank account details, tax forms or credit card information as part of the recruitment process. It provides a link that candidates can use to validate their offer letters.
Infosys received 2.4 million job applications in FY24, interviewed 194,367 applicants, and made offers to 26,975 applicants, according to ET, citing company filings.
Startup funding: XDLINX, Nayan Tech raise funding
XDLINX Space Labs, a small satellites maker and satellite-as-a-service provider, has raised $7 million in seed funding, led by Ashish Kacholia of Lucky Investments. E2MC, Mana Ventures, and other investors participated, according to a press release on October 7.
Nayan Tech, which provides AI-based solutions for road condition and safety alerts, has raised $2 million in seed funding led by Beenext, according to data from Tracxn, a private markets intelligence provider. Nayan gathers decentralised data on roadways from dash cameras, street cameras, highway CCTV cameras and so on to generate information on safe routes, optimum paths and so on.