tech news
Why SMEs are the Lifeblood of the South African Economy
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) represent a staggering 98% of business in South Africa today. The fact that SMEs also employ between 50 and 60% of the country’s workforce and are responsible for a quarter of the job growth in the private sector – according to McKinsey – means they truly are the backbone of the South African economy. Yet it is SMEs that have borne the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lockdown regulations have wreaked havoc, with the cash flows essential to sustaining smaller businesses completely drying up in some instances. Tragic stories of once-thriving businesses having to close their doors litter the financial landscape, and certainly, the virus could not come along at a worse time for owners already grappling with a precarious economy prior to its arrival. Bu...
3 Tech Trends that will Transform 2021
2020 can be defined by dramatic change. On every front, from health to economic, political to social, the pandemic has forced individuals and businesses to adapt in a hurry. The long-term effects will not be truly understood for at least another year, but in the short term, some more agile businesses are making quick decisions and shifting priorities. How? With the ability to transform quickly thanks to two enablers – a culture where change is anticipated, and a stable platform of digital capabilities. Take DHL Express, for example: Suddenly faced with the unprecedented growth of online shopping deliveries, it quickly scaled its IT platform to fulfil this demand. Or Philips, which invested in best-in-class process excellence to ensure business continuity and well-documented enterprise arch...
TikTok Launches Android TV App
Sourced from Cosmico TikTok has launched an Android TV app, available from the Google Play Store – making it even easier for users to spend hours watching shortform videos. According to 9to5Google, the TikTok app works similarly to the regular app where “videos are shown in a feed [and users] can flip through to see more content”. The difference is that using the Android app, users will see a vertical version of the video with the title, category, and comments off to the side of the screen. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_806.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_806.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } “[Our] shortform videos are fun, genuine and creative. And now, we’re bringing that fun content to your television,” reads an official statement from TikTok. “Whether you’re a sports fanatic, ...
Gijima’s T-system SA Take Over is Approved by Competition Commission
Gijima has announced that the T-system South Africa (TSSA) acquisition has been approved by the Competition Commission. This deal is expected to position Gijima as the largest Black-owned ICT company in Southern Africa, with about 500 new employees joining Gijima in March. TSSA has been operating in South Africa for over 20 years, providing ICT networks, applications and solutions to a number of industries. Although the announcement was made in October, after a long period of negotiations, the acquisition was still subject to approval from the Competition Commission. This game-changing deal will enable Gijima to have access to international IP, TSSA’s global Cybersecurity Security Operations Centre (SOC), certificates, expertise and best practices. Further, the acquisition of T-Systems bus...
Airtel Africa to Sell Stake in Airtel Money
Sourced from Comms MEA Airtel Africa has revealed its plans to raise cash by selling a minority stake in Airtel Money – its mobile financial platform. According to Business Daily, this move is part of the company’s strategy to sell some assets. “We are actively pursuing the sale of the remaining owned tower sites that sit across several of our operating countries and the group is in discussions with various potential investors in relation to possible minority investments into Airtel Money,” reads a trading update from the telco. “Discussions are ongoing between the parties and there can be no certainty that a transaction will be concluded or as to the final terms of any transaction.” Airtel did not disclose the amount it expects to raise. However, its revenues reached $291 million across i...
OPPO Partners with MTN to Offer Affordable Range of Devices
OPPO has joined forces with MTN South Africa to introduce the A15 and A53s devices. This collaboration is said to make state-of-the-art technology available at more affordable rates. Here’s a closer look at the OPPO A15 and A53s devices: OPPO A15 OPPO A53s Screen Size and resolution 16.52” with 1600 x 720p HD+ 6.5” with 1600 x 720p resolution Camera 13MP Main Camera 13MP Triple Rear Main Camera Storage 2GB + 32GB 4GB + 128GB Operating System ColorOS 7.2 based on Android 10 ColorOS 7.2 based on Android 10 Colour Dynamic Black, Mystery Blue Electric Black, Fancy Blue Processor MediaTek Helio P35 Processor Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon “Having OPPO’s high-end and superbly crafted handsets available at MTN stores offers our customers a wider selection of affordable devices th...
Microsoft Introduces New Employee Experience Platform
Microsoft has launched Microsoft Viva, an employee experience platform which aims to bring tools for employee engagement. According to the company, Viva has been designed to help employees learn, grow and thrive with the productivity and collaboration capabilities in Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams. “We have participated in the largest at-scale remote work experiment the world has seen, and it has had a dramatic impact on the employee experience,” says Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft. “Every organisation will require a unified employee experience from onboarding and collaboration to continuous learning and growth. Viva brings together everything an employee needs to be successful, from day one, in a single, integrated experience directly in Teams.” Microsoft Viva builds on the power of T...
MediaTek Helio G95 to Power Gaming Devices in South Africa
Image sourced from 9to5Google MediaTek has launched its gaming chip, the Helio G95, in South Africa. Enhanced with MediaTek HyperEngine gaming technology, the G-series chip features multi-camera support, unrivalled connectivity, and AI Super-Resolution for video streams. The MediaTek Helio G95 is expected to offer gaming enthusiasts faster performance and high-end features like advanced multi-camera photography – up to four cameras with an integrated AI processing unit (APU). The chip is also equipped with an ultra-low-power, HDR10 standard display, which can be enhanced to approach HDR10+ quality in real-time. “South Africa is our top Smartphone market in Africa with annual shipments expected to grow towards 15 million in contrast to some decline globally. We have been actively enabling A...
Telkom Group Appoints New CFO
Telkom has announced the appointment of Dirk Reyneke as Chief Financial Officer – to be taken on with immediate effect. He succeeds Tsholofelo Molefe who has resigned to join MTN Group. According to TechCentral, Reyneke was previously CFO of Telkom’s wholesale division, Openserve, and before that, he was CFO of its property business, Gyro. He was also a director of finance and operations at ABSA. The company has also announced changes to its board which include naming Kholeka Mzondeki as the chair of its social and ethics committee, Fagmeedah Petersen-Cook to a member of the nominations committee and Keith Rayner to the investment and transactions committee. Airtel Africa and Telkom Under Investigation by the Communications Authority of Kenya Airtel Africa and Telkom have been placed under...
Top 5 Telephony Trends to Expect in 2021
2020 highlighted the importance of secure, reliable communications networks. Following a revealing year that made digital communication channels and remote working the norm, there are a few tech trends that are likely to play out over the foreseeable future. With this in mind, Nic Laschinger, CTO of Euphoria Telecom, has shared five telephony trends to expect in 2021: 1. Farewell to the landline As the world embraces digital communication systems, the traditional landline is being left behind. Telkom’s recent discontinuation of its copper line-based ADSL service is yet another strong indicator that South Africa is moving more towards higher bandwidth, more reliable connectivity solutions. In South Africa, between 20 and 22 million people in South Africa use smartphones. And an ever-increas...
Xiaomi Unveils Device with Quad-Curved Waterfall Display
Xiaomi has shared the first look of its quad-curved waterfall screen concept smartphone. The device is said to “extend the limits of the display to infinity” thanks to its 88-degree all-round curves. An official tweet from the company reads, “Meet our first #QuadCurvedWaterfallDisplay concept smartphone. Everything you see on the display flows over the edges smoothly and seamlessly, just like water.” Meet our first #QuadCurvedWaterfallDisplay concept smartphone. Everything you see on the display flows over the edges smoothly and seamlessly, just like water. 🌊 #InnovationForEveryone pic.twitter.com/8pwo80qKhl — Xiaomi (@Xiaomi) February 5, 2021 /* custom css */ .tdi_3_d09.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_d09.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } The concept device feat...
Print Versus Digital: Is The Office Printer Dead?
There’s been talk of a paperless office for years – but the office printer isn’t going anywhere soon. It’s just changing to adapt to life in the digital age. At least, this is the prediction of Gareth Brenchley, MD of Itec Cape Town. He believes that even in an age of sustainability, smart mobile working and digital collaboration, most companies still have print-reliant workplaces, and spend tens of thousands a year on print. “Businesses are still extremely reliant on printing for their business processes, but the print environment has grown up. The printer isn’t just a ‘dumb device’ in the corner of the office: it’s become part of a connected, intelligent network, with modern multifunctional printers (MFPs) giving users new abilities to digitise their documents and manage their informatio...
