π° Apple's India Expansion; WhatsApp's EU Regulations; Lee Enterprises' Cyberattack
Good morning. Itβs Tuesday, February 18. Today we are covering:
Apple's quiet pivot to India
WhatsApp Faces Tougher EU Rules as Monthly Users Top 45 Million
As US newspaper outages drag on, Lee Enterprises blames cyberattack for encrypting critical systems
Microsoft isn't automatically keeping you signed into your account just yet
Chokepoint 2.0: An Investigation Promises the Truth About Crypto's Biggest Conspiracy
Letβs dive in
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By Michael Acton via Financial Times
Apple has significantly expanded its manufacturing footprint in India, with Foxconn and Tata Electronics producing the latest iPhone 16 Pro models in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
India has become a crucial hub for Apple, with mobile phones now surpassing diamonds as the country's largest export. Currently, 15% of iPhones are manufactured in India, a figure projected to rise to 25% by 2027.
Apple faces challenges in replicating its extensive Chinese supply chain in India, including developing a robust local supplier base and establishing a flexible workforce comparable to that in China.
π: Two countries with cheap labour (China and India) are fighting to take the largest chunk of Apple's manufacturing which is about 252 million iphones annually. In India, a familiar company, Tata, has put almost everything on the line to snatch the deal - Mujuni Raymond (@qataharraymond)
WhatsApp Faces Tougher EU Rules as Monthly Users Top 45 Million
By Gian Volpicelli via Bloomberg
WhatsApp has surpassed 45 million monthly users in the EU, crossing the threshold for stricter regulations under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
The platformβs open channels, akin to social networks, averaged 46.8 million monthly users in the second half of 2024, according to a recent Meta filing.
The EUβs tougher rules will now apply, aiming to increase transparency and accountability for large online platforms.
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As US newspaper outages drag on, Lee Enterprises blames cyberattack for encrypting critical systems
By Zack Whittaker via TechCrunch
Lee Enterprises, a major U.S. newspaper publisher, is experiencing its third week of disruptions due to a ransomware attack that began on February 3, 2025, affecting operations such as product distribution, billing, and online services.
The company is conducting a forensic analysis to determine if sensitive or personal data was compromised and has notified law enforcement about the incident.
Several Lee-owned publications, including the Winston-Salem Journal and Albany Democrat-Herald, have reported delays or interruptions in print editions and online services as a result of the cyberattack.
π: New: Newspaper giant Lee Enterprises blames a ransomware attack for encrypting critical applications and systems used by dozens of media outlets across the United States. Several local U.S. outlets owned by Lee continue to report outages. - Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai (@lorenzofb)
Microsoft isn't automatically keeping you signed into your account just yet
By Tom Warren via The Verg
Microsoft has clarified that planned changes to its account sign-in process, which would have kept users signed in automatically, will not take effect in February as previously indicated.
The initial notifications about these changes were mistakenly published due to incomplete information from a product team, leading to their subsequent removal.
While a new implementation date has not been announced, users should be aware that, once enacted, the changes will require them to manually sign out or use private browsing on public computers to prevent accounts from remaining signed in.
π: Microsoft said it would keep you automatically signed into a Microsoft account in February, but that's no longer happening this month. Microsoft has confirmed the notifications and support document about this change were a mistake. - Tom Warren (@tomwarren)
Chokepoint 2.0: An Investigation Promises the Truth About Crypto's Biggest Conspiracy
By Joel Khalili via WIRED
Allegations of 'Operation Chokepoint 2.0': Crypto industry figures claim that, during the Biden administration, U.S. agencies like the Federal Reserve, FDIC, and OCC pressured banks to sever ties with cryptocurrency businesses, effectively debanking them through informal guidance.
Congressional Investigation Initiated: Under the Trump administration, Congress has begun investigating these allegations, with both the House Financial Services and Senate Banking Committees holding hearings where crypto executives have testified about their experiences.
Debate Over Regulatory Intentions: While some argue that regulatory bodies aimed to undermine the crypto sector, others suggest that banks' reluctance to engage with crypto businesses stems from concerns over fraud and money laundering, rather than a coordinated government effort.
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