π¨ Trump's X Drop, Huawei's EV Push, US Router Ban
Good morning. Itβs Wednesday, December 18. Today we are covering:
Trump's X engagement falls since Elon Musk takeover
'A different animal': inside Huawei's nascent EV business
U.S. Weighs Ban on Chinese-Made Router in Millions of American Homes
iRobot's founder is working on a new kind of home robot
Flight From Chip Risks Boosts Japan's Gaming Stocks Ahead of Trump
Letβs dive in
Trump's X engagement falls since Elon Musk takeover
By Sara Fischer via Axios
President-elect Trump's engagement on X dropped significantly after Elon Musk's takeover, with reposts falling 35% and favorites dropping 21% compared to earlier periods.
Despite the decline, Trump's reach on X remains substantially higher than on his own platform, Truth Social, where reposts and favorites were 616% and 1,020% lower, respectively.
The weakened alliance between Trump and Musk, coupled with algorithm changes on X, has not boosted Trump's social media influence as expected.
π: Trump's X engagement has actually fallen since Elon Musk's takeover β Probably due to same factors impacting other creators β changes to algo, efforts to weed out bots, dif. user engagement levels etc. - Sara Fischer (@sarafischer)
'A different animal': inside Huawei's nascent EV business
By Tina Hu via Financial Times
Huawei has entered the electric vehicle (EV) sector, focusing on supplying hardware, software, and autonomous driving systems while avoiding direct car manufacturing.
Despite US sanctions and geopolitical tensions, Huawei has invested $5.6bn in EV-related R&D, forming partnerships with Chinese automakers like Seres, Chery, and BYD.
Its EV unit, Yinwang, valued at $16bn, has attracted strategic investors and secured contracts with global brands like Audi, Toyota, and Nissan for advanced driving technology.
π: Just to add spice to the upheaval in the global auto sectorβ¦. Chinaβs Huawei makes a quiet entrance with a $16bn EV division, driverless tech collaboration with BYD and partnerships with a handful of massive Chinese SOEsβ¦ - Edward White (@edwardwhitenz)
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U.S. Weighs Ban on Chinese-Made Router in Millions of American Homes
By Heather Somerville via Wall Street Journal
U.S. authorities are investigating whether Chinese router manufacturer TP-Link, linked to cyberattacks, poses a national-security risk and are considering a potential ban.
TP-Link holds approximately 65% of the U.S. market for home and small-business routers and is a top seller on Amazon.com.
The company's routers also support internet communications for the Defense Department and other federal agencies, raising national-security concerns.
iRobot's founder is working on a new kind of home robot
By Jennifer Pattison Tuohy via The Verge
Colin Angle, co-founder of iRobot, has launched Familiar Machines & Magic, a robotics startup focused on health and wellness home robots.
The company, still in stealth mode, includes former iRobot CTO Chris Jones and Amazon robotics veteran Ira Renfrew, with $15 million raised and plans to secure $15 million more.
Advances in generative AI could enable home robots that blend practical utility with emotional companionship, addressing loneliness and enhancing well-being.
Flight From Chip Risks Boosts Japan's Gaming Stocks Ahead of Trump
By Alice French via Bloomberg
Japanese gaming stocks like Sony, Nintendo, and Capcom have surged with double-digit returns following Donald Trumpβs election, outpacing semiconductor-related firms.
Tech investors are shifting away from China-dependent chipmakers such as Tokyo Electron and Screen Holdings, seeking safer sectors amid trade uncertainties.
This reversal comes after chip stocks led Japan's tech market for most of 2024 until a market rout in August disrupted the trend.
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