The Russian government is launching its own mobile operating system to take on Apple and Google | ||
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The global smartphone race is largely a two-horse race between two American companies, Apple and Google — and the Russian government isn't happy. The Russian minister of communications has announced plans to develop a new, Russian-built mobile operating system (OS), ZDNet reports, citing a report on the Russian-language news site RBC. Currently, Android and iOS collectively take up more than 95% of the Russian smartphone market — but minister Nikolai Nikifori wants to get that figure below 50% within 10 years. The new OS will be based on Sailfish, according to ZDNet — "an open-source mobile operating system, developed by Finlad phone maker Jolla." The move follows a recently introduced Russian law that requires all tech companies that hold information on Russian citizens to store the data within the country. Reports at the time of the law's passing late last year speculated that it could see Apple banned from Russia altogether. But even if that doesn't ultimately come to pass, the Russian government is clearly keen to have its citizens move to homegrown platforms. International confidence in the products made by US tech companies has been rocked over the last several years following whistleblower Edward Snowden's revelations over US government surveillance; the move is likely a way to try and avoid this. Relations between Russia and the West are also at their lowest in years, following sanctions relating to Russia's annexation of Crimea. The launch of homegrown mobile OS would help lessen Russia's reliance on Western companies. And Apple, whose CEO Tim Cook is openly gay, has also previously come under criticism in the increasingly-homophobic country. Russia has passed laws outlawing what it classes as the "promotion of homosexuality" — and a Russian politician slammed Apple's free giveaway of the new U2 album as "gay propaganda." A monument to Apple was also demolished in November 2014 after Tim Cook came out, which the Guardian reports "was widely viewed as a direct response" to Cook's announcement. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Two models in Russia just posed with a 1,400-pound bear  | ||
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Thomas Cook's Facebook page is filling up with outraged comments over a £3 million payment the company received for the death of two children at one of its hotels | ||
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Thomas Cook's Facebook page is filling up with comments from angry consumers vowing never to book with the travel agent again after the company received up to £3.5 million in insurance and legal compensation for costs associated with the death of two children at one of its resorts in Greece. Thomas Cook's compensation is 10 times the amount received in a court case by the Shepherd family, whose children Christianne and Robert, 7 and 6, were killed by a carbon monoxide leak from a faulty boiler at a Corfu hotel in 2006. The company gave half of its legal compensation to charity, Thomas Cook said yesterday, after people became angry that the company had received more money from the case than the family had. There is some confusion as to exactly how much the company received in compensation, with some reports putting the amount at around £3.5 million. The company said it would donate the "full amount" of £1.5 million ($2.3 million) to Unicef. The compensation came from the Louis Group in 2013 and 2014, which owned the Louis Corcyra Beach Hotel where the two British children died. Peter Fankhauser, group CEO of Thomas Cook, said, "Thomas Cook has not in any way profited from our claim against the hotel owner," in response to anger from the parents of the dead children and their supporters. "In late 2012, we brought a claim against the hotelier for breaching their contract to provide safe accommodation to our customers and to comply with all applicable laws, which was decided in our favour. Today I have made arrangements for the full amount — £1.5 million ($2.3 million) — to be donated in full to Unicef, the world's leading children's organisation. I believe this is the right thing to do and I apologise to the family for all they have gone through." It took over a decade for the courts to come to the conclusion that their deaths were the result of an "unlawful killing". Last week, a jury found that Thomas Cook's health and safety audit of the Louis Corcyra Beach Hotel was inadequate, and led to the travel company "breaching its duty of care" to its customers. However, the court accepted that Thomas Cook was misled by the hotel about the nature of its gas supply. Thomas Cook released various statements outlining its apologies over the incident:
Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Forget the Apple Watch — here's the new watch everyone on Wall Street wants  | ||
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German investor sentiment falls to five-month low in May: ZEW | ||
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Frankfurt (AFP) - Investor sentiment in Germany fell to its lowest level in five months in May as weaker-than-expected growth in the first quarter weighed on confidence, a leading survey found on Tuesday. The widely watched investor confidence index calculated by the ZEW economic institute fell by a steeper-than-expected 11.4 points to 41.9 points in May, its lowest level since December 2014, ZEW said in a statement. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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The Russian government is launching its own mobile operating system to take on Apple and Google | ||
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The global smartphone race is largely a two-horse race between two American companies, Apple and Google — and the Russian government isn't happy. The Russian minister of communications has announced plans to develop a new, Russian-built mobile operating system (OS), ZDNet reports, citing a report on the Russian-language news site RBC. Currently, Android and iOS collectively take up more than 95% of the Russian smartphone market — but minister Nikolai Nikifori wants to get that figure below 50% within 10 years. The new OS will be based on Sailfish, according to ZDNet — "an open-source mobile operating system, developed by Finlad phone maker Jolla." The move follows a recently introduced Russian law that requires all tech companies that hold information on Russian citizens to store the data within the country. Reports at the time of the law's passing late last year speculated that it could see Apple banned from Russia altogether. But even if that doesn't ultimately come to pass, the Russian government is clearly keen to have its citizens move to homegrown platforms. International confidence in the products made by US tech companies has been rocked over the last several years following whistleblower Edward Snowden's revelations over US government surveillance; the move is likely a way to try and avoid this. Relations between Russia and the West are also at their lowest in years, following sanctions relating to Russia's annexation of Crimea. The launch of homegrown mobile OS would help lessen Russia's reliance on Western companies. And Apple, whose CEO Tim Cook is openly gay, has also previously come under criticism in the increasingly-homophobic country. Russia has passed laws outlawing what it classes as the "promotion of homosexuality" — and a Russian politician slammed Apple's free giveaway of the new U2 album as "gay propaganda." A monument to Apple was also demolished in November 2014 after Tim Cook came out, which the Guardian reports "was widely viewed as a direct response" to Cook's announcement. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Two models in Russia just posed with a 1,400-pound bear  | ||
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Prices are still going nowhere in Europe | ||
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Europe's prices still aren't rising. The consumer price index (CPI), the main index of inflation, recorded 0% growth in April compared to a year earlier, unchanged on the previous month's reading. That was in line with forecasts from analysts. Prices rose by 0.2% in April compared to March, in line with forecasts but a slowdown from March's growth figure, when prices rose by 1.1% on the previous month. The figures are extremely low by historical standards. The reading comes as the UK slips into deflation for the first time for the first time in more than half a century. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Here's what 'Game of Thrones' stars look like in real life  | ||
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UK inflation turns negative for first time since 1960 | ||
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London (AFP) - Britain's annual inflation rate fell to minus 0.1 percent in April, from zero in March, turning negative for the first time since 1960, official data showed Tuesday. "This is the first time the CPI has fallen over the year since official records began in 1996 and the first time since 1960 based on comparable historic estimates," the Office for National Statistics said in a statement. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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