BUSINESS
India-led growth powers smartphone maker Nothing’s IPO push as it steps up challenge to Apple, Samsung: Co-founders
Nothing has raised more than $450 million to date from investors such as Tiger Global, GV, Highland Europe, EQT, and Qualcomm Ventures
TELECOM
Government drops mandatory Sanchar Sathi pre-installation plan due to rising public acceptance
Sanchar Saathi’s rapid adoption appears to have strengthened the government’s confidence in a voluntary approach.
INDIA
Sanchar Saathi mandate: No privacy risks; pre-install order has strong legal backing as app downloads jump 10x, say govt sources
Sources emphasised that Sanchar Saathi has only limited access to phone data — and only with explicit user consent during each "interaction of reporting fraud".
COMPANIES
SFIO set to charge Chinese handset maker Vivo in fund diversion case this month
According to officials, the wider probe into Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi has uncovered suspected fraud of over Rs 6,000 crore, signalling major compliance issues at the three Chinese smartphone brands.
TECHNOLOGY
Despite cost pressures, Vivo sees strong upgrade momentum in premium segment; launches flagship X300 series
The Chinese brand, which has already posted nearly 2× volume growth in its premium X-series this year, believes 2025 will be a pivotal year as it expands its line-up and brings advanced imaging features and its new OriginOS software to India
TELECOM
Mandatory cybersecurity app: Global smartphone brands brace for clash over DoT directive
Smartphone brands have been given three months to integrate Sanchar Saathi into all new units and ensure the app is visible during device setup.
TELECOM
Vivo, Realme hike smartphone prices again, Xiaomi raises tablet prices
“We request all partners to take note of the revised pricing and align their billing, display, and communication accordingly,” Xiaomi told retailers.
TELECOM
Private telcos hail DoT’s ‘landmark’ SIM-binding mandate for WhatsApp, Telegram, others
Currently, communication apps verify users only during initial setup through a one-time password (OTP).
TELECOM
After SIM-locking WhatsApp, Signal, DoT now asks smartphone makers to preinstall cybersecurity app on phones
Sanchar Saathi, the app in question, is already available on Apple’s App Store and Google Play, but installing it today is voluntary.
BUSINESS
Rupee slide, component costs to push up smartphone prices in 2026, demand may take a hit
Memory components, which accounts for 30–31% of the bill of materials in $100–200 devices, is expected to rise to 45–48% by Q1 next year as a weak rupee drives costs higher
TECHNOLOGY
Inside Apple’s metro playbook: Why iPhone-maker is doubling its stores in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai
Apple’s two-store strategy in Delhi-NCR and Mumbai marks a new phase in its India expansion
BUSINESS
Apple to open fifth India store in Noida on December 11; new Mumbai outlet next year
The next phase of growth reflects Apple's sustained commitment to India, with another store slated for Mumbai next year, senior vice president of retail and people Deirdre O’Brien tells Moneycontrol
BUSINESS
Apple’s deepening India ties evident in retail expansion and Make-in-India push: Deirdre O’Brien, SVP of Retail and People
“For the first time, all iPhone 17 models and the Air are being made in India — a reflection of our deepening relationship with the country,” O’Brien said, adding that the Noida opening comes amid a strong response to the latest iPhone series.
TELECOM
Telcos flag key compliance gaps in DPDP rules, seek SIM ease for older teens
COAI said restrictions that bar directors and key personnel from having any association with entities holding personal data may be overly stringent.
BUSINESS
Airtel MD warns of surge in digital fraud, pushes Airtel Payments Bank for daily UPI use
In a letter to subscribers, Airtel vice chairman and MD Gopal Vittal warned that digital scams have become "a part of our new normal", with fraudsters deploying increasingly inventive tactics—from fake parcel delivery alerts and reward links to threats of a "digital arrest".
BUSINESS
German, Japanese firms eye Syrma SGS’ new PCB plants amid supply-chain shift from China
Gujral said that cumulative investments of Rs 7,000–10,000 crore across new PCB facilities under ECMS 2.0 could help substitute 25–30% of India’s Rs 40,000-crore annual PCB import bill in the first phase.
BUSINESS
DoT spectrum allocation in spotlight as Airtel, Tejas trade charges over network interference
The interference is not linked to Tejas' equipment but to the limited guard band between the spectrum assigned to Airtel and BSNL, sources have said, countering Airtel’s claims of equipment-related issues in Rajasthan
BUSINESS
SK Hynix denies talks with Indian firms or states on chip packaging plant
The clarification comes after a report in The Economic Times claimed the world’s second-largest memory producer was exploring a partnership with Noida-based ASP Sealing Products for an ATMP (assembly, testing, marking and packaging) unit, likely centred on DDR5 memory.
BUSINESS
iPhone grey market exports: Crackdown begins as retailers warned against foreign SIM activations
The unprecedented alert comes as the latest iPhone 17 models virtually vanish from Indian shelves, their scarcity worsened by bulk diversion of units to high-margin destinations across Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
BUSINESS
Indian buyers hit as Apple slashes iPhone 17 cashback offer amid major supply crunch in India
The revised cashback structure will take effect from November 22, sources told Moneycontrol, adding that zero-cost EMI schemes will also undergo changes.
BUSINESS
Apple, Amazon, Meta, Intel urge TRAI to drop upper 6 GHz band from next spectrum auction
They cited early trials showing serious performance limitations, especially in uplink capacity and indoor reliability, arguing that these are critical to service quality and remain unresolved.
TELECOM
Amit Agrawal named new telecom secretary in major bureaucratic reshuffle; Neeraj Mittal shifted to petroleum ministry
Amit Agrawal, currently Secretary in the Department of Pharmaceuticals, has been named the new Telecom Secretary. Agrawal, a 1993-batch IAS officer from the Chhattisgarh cadre
TELECOM
TRAI orders BFSI sector to shift to ‘1600’ calling series by early 2026 to curb fraud
TRAI has now fixed a phase-wise migration schedule.
BUSINESS
IN-SPACe nears maiden venture fund investment, evaluates state bids for space clusters as international ties deepen: Pawan Goenka
IN-SPACe is currently reviewing manufacturing cluster proposals from multiple states, and is expanding international cooperation with Australia, Italy, Japan, the UAE and Singapore through joint investments and ventures, chairman Pawan Goenka tells Moneycontrol in an interview.
