Top Stories
WhatsApp is Working on “Vacation Mode” Feature, Again
WhatsApp is again working on its “Vacation Mode” feature, according to reports from WABetaInfo, after it abandoned the project last year. The feature, when enabled, is expected to allow users to access a dedicated menu with two new notification options for their archived chats. Image sourced from WABetaInfo Notify new messages – “it’s the current behaviour. If you decide to disable it (when the feature will be available for everyone), you will have the vacation mode, so archived chats continue to stay in the archive when new messages arrive.” Auto-hide inactive chats – “this is an extension of the vacation mode. If enabled, if a chat is older than 6 months, it will be automatically archived. Probably WhatsApp needs to change the description of this option because it’s not perfectly clear n...
Unlocking the Potential of Digital Transformation at DTC2020
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on business cannot be underestimated. It has forced organisations to reconsider supply networks, product launches and employee well-being — all the while accelerating the speed at which digital tools or processes need to be implemented. Enterprises looking to compete in today’s marketplace are fast realizing the necessity of a comprehensive digital transformation blueprint that integrates various technologies across the board. With this in mind, IT News Africa and industry experts are set to tackle ideas on how to drive the future-of-work, future-of-connectedness, data management, connected digital experiences and digital innovation strategies at this year’s Digital Transformation Congress. The DTC2020 virtual conference — taking place on&nbs...
South Africans’ Data Allegedly Leaked Online Post Experian Breach
The personal data of nearly 24 million South Africans and 793 749 businesses were handed over to a fraudster last month. Now, reports suggest that some of this information has been leaked online. “Experian South Africa had tens of millions of personal records breached last month. Only 1.3 million contained e-mail addresses, with others including government-issued IDs, names, addresses and employment info. 66% were already in @haveibeenpwned,” says Have I Been Pwned, record exposure search engine, in a tweet. Experian says that it is still investigating the “isolated incident in South Africa involving fraudulent data inquiry.” And the credit bureau notes that it has “identified files which [it] believes contain Experian data relating to the incident on the Internet. We continue to investiga...
Telkom Launches 1TB Wireless Broadband Deal
Image sourced from My Broadband Telkom SA has launched a SIM-only LTE deal that gives users 1 Terabyte (1024GB) worth of data. The telco says that with data becoming an essential need for South Africans, thanks to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, it hopes to give users more than they bargained for. This “game-changing” deal with no strings attached has: No Fair usage policy (FUP); No speed limit, truly unlimited; and No contract, it’s month to month. “More than ever, data has become an essential part of our daily lives. At Telkom, we always have our finger on the pulse and ears on the ground and we understand what people need. We are committed to giving people what they need and subsequently leave no man behind. This 1TB SIM-only deal allows you to work, learn, entertain and collaborat...
LG Shows Off the “Wing” Smartphone Concept
LG has teased its latest smartphone concept in a new video. The “Wing” is a dual-screen device with a swivelling form factor. According to LG, this new smartphone is part of its Explorer Project which aims to “deliver distinctive and yet unexplored usability experiences, a strategy that tackles uncharted territory in the industry”. Details of the Explorer Project will be officially announced on 14 September. [embedded content] /* custom css */ .tdi_3_c85.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_c85.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } “LG and platform partners feel it is vitally important to demonstrate to consumers new and differentiated user experiences in the smartphone space,” says Morris Lee, president of LG’s Mobile Communications Company. “LG has always been a pioneer in pushing t...
Here’s When the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 will Launch in South Africa
Samsung has officially unveiled its newest foldable smartphone – the Galaxy Z Fold 2 – which is expected to be available in South Africa from 25 September. The device will be priced at R49,999. The smartphone is similar to the Galaxy Z Flip and Z Flip 5G which were released earlier this year but The Verge reports that this “marks Samsung’s first major refresh for its flagship foldable phone”. “After releasing two foldable devices and listening to user feedback on the most requested upgrades and new features, Samsung unveils the Galaxy Z Fold 2 with meaningful innovations that offer users enhanced refinements and unique foldable user experiences,” says the tech company. “Galaxy Z Fold 2 combines the portability and flexibility of a smartphone with the power and screen size of...
MTN Group Appoints Acting CFO
MTN has appointed Sugentharan Perumal as acting Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO) – this comes as the telco’s former CFO, Ralph Mupita, takes up his new position as Group CEO. A chartered accountant for over 15 years, Perumal has extensive financial and accounting experience. He has served as an external auditor of MTN Group and held various key executive and board positions within the group. He is currently acting CFO of MTN South Africa and previously held the CFO position at MTN Irancell. “The board is confident in the wide-ranging experience and knowledge of MTN that Sugen brings to the role,” says Mupita. MTN also announced the appointment of Dineo Molefe as the CFO of MTN South Africa, effective 1 December 2020 – she will replace Perumal. Molefe is a chartered accountant and j...
Twitter Rolls Out New Quote Tweets Feature
Sourced from Wired. Twitter has officially launched its new Quote Tweets feature – after initially testing it just last week. The feature allows Twitter users to see how many times a specific tweet has been retweeted with a comment. “Tweets about a Tweet add more to the conversation, so we’ve made them even easier to find,” says the social platform. “Retweets with comments are now called Quote Tweets and they’ve joined the Tweet detail view. Tap into a Tweet, then tap “Quote Tweets” to see them all in one place.” Tweets about a Tweet add more to the conversation, so we’ve made them even easier to find. Retweets with comments are now called Quote Tweets and they’ve joined the Tweet detail view. Tap into a Tweet, then tap “Quote Tweets” to see them all in one place. pic.twi...
South Africa is Facing a “Massive” Mobile Fraud Problem, says Expert
Anti-fraud firm, Evina has determined that one out of every three mobile subscription attempts in South Africa is fraudulent. The company believes that South African cellular users are very often subscribed to mobile services without their consent. After Kenya, South Africa is the African country most affected by fraud that daily fleeces millions from the mobile accounts of cellular users around the globe. “As Africa’s most advanced economy, it is particularly tragic that South African mobile users are falling victim to subscription frauds that are well managed in many other countries,” says David Lotfi, CEO of Evina. This at a time when locals are under significant financial pressure following the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fraud is not treated seriously enough by the various mobile ...
Why Women Need to Embrace these 3 Digital Technologies
Over the next decade, a new wave of digital technologies is set to reshape how we live and work. It is imperative that women play an equal role in shaping their impact. Not only should the new opportunities these technologies create be open to all, it is also critical to tap into diverse experiences and perspectives to unlock their full value. Despite the steps taken towards gender equality in most industries, women remain underrepresented in information technology. Just 23% of tech jobs are held by women in South Africa, according to WomenInTech. Given the growing importance of digital tech in our day to day lives, this gender gap cannot be tolerated. Consider these stats from EY: women are predicted to lose five jobs for every job gained through automation, compared to only three for men...
Huawei Y6p Now Available for Pre-order in Ghana
Huawei has just revealed that the newest member of its Y Series – the Y6p – is available for pre-order in Ghana. The Y6p sports a 5.45 inches TFT LCD screen, 3020 mAh battery and runs Android 10 + EMUI 10.1. It comes standard with 64GB of storage and can be expanded to 512GB with a miscroSD, while the operating memory of the phone (RAM) is 3GB. The device is equipped with has three rear cameras – 13 megapixel, 5 megapixel and 2 megapixel – as well as an 8-megapixel front camera. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_354.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_354.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } It comes in three colours – black, green and purple – and can be ordered at a RRP of GHC799. Huawei Y5p Now Available in South Africa The Y5p sports a 5.45-inch Huawei FullView Display for a wider field o...
MultiChoice to Deepen Investment in Ethiopia
MultiChoice has announced its intentions to “significantly increase its investment in Ethiopia which is recognised as having huge growth potential with its large population (second only to Nigeria)”. MultiChoice has operated in the country since 1992, and the company is looking to significantly expand its reach, investment in people and infrastructure, and its support of Ethiopian content and content creators. This includes investing heavily in local content as part of the Group’s hyper-local content strategy. “Our commitment to Ethiopia can be seen throughout our tenure. Unlike many other businesses, we remained in the country since we launched our local operation nearly 30 years ago. We have built a truly Ethiopian business which has delivered solid results for us over the years. The str...
