Mobile World Live brings you our top three picks of the week as Apple debuted its long-awaited foldable iPhone Duo, concerns over the risks of frontier AI intensified and Qualcomm sealed a custom silicon deal with Amazon.

Apple debuts long-awaited foldable iPhone Duo

What happened: Apple made its long-anticipated foldable debut with the iPhone Duo and unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, marking new CEO John Ternus’ first annual product launch.

Why it matters: Ternus stated the device it has the “largest display ever on an iPhone, while still fitting easily in your pocket”, adding it “feels as natural and intuitive as iPad”. The device, which features a 7.6-inch internal display that is 50% larger than the size of the iPhone 18 Pro Max, starts at $1,999 for 256GB. VP of devices at IDC Francisco Jeronimo said that for Ternus, the “real test” will be whether Apple can “make foldables a more valuable category, own the defining premium product and use that position to extend the economic power of the iPhone portfolio”.

Paolo Pescatore, chief analyst at PP Foresight, said he expects the Duo “to be an instant hit, benefiting the wider market and developer community while putting rivals firmly on notice”. Indeed, IDC forecasted Apple will ship around 10 million iPhone Duo units in its first 12 months and generate $27 billion in revenue. Additionally, Jeronimo noted that although the handset is Apple’s “most expensive iPhone ever”, it is around $500 below market expectations. “Apple entered the foldable market and, in one keynote, set the price and the standard every rival will now be measured against,” he said. China will be its first key test as Huawei captured 79.4% of the country’s foldable units in Q2. Yet, Jeronimo argued Apple has given buyers “their first genuinely compelling reason to reconsider.”

Apple debuts long-awaited foldable iPhone Duo

Anthropic researcher issues grave AI warning

What happened: Evan Hubinger, who manages Anthropic’s AI Alignment Stress-Testing team, warned in a post on social media platform X there is more than a 10% chance that increasingly capable, self-improving AI could “kill all humans” within the next decade, raising alarm over the pace of frontier AI development.

Why it matters: Hubinger said the risk from existing models remained “low” but pointed to “recursive self-improvement” as a route to dangerous “superintelligence”. He said Anthropic did not yet have a plan to solve alignment for superintelligence and was “not clearly on track to”. His comments followed the resignation of Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon, who accused Anthropic and OpenAI of “racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives”. OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta all disclosed unprecedented incidents in recent months involving AI models autonomously executing cyberattacks. Anthropic’s August risk report stated advanced models could eventually “catastrophic harm”.

Iwo Szapar, director of AI innovation and venture building at Information Services Group said the resignation of researchers close to the AI race should prompt action. “Maybe he is wrong about the probability. Maybe he is not. But a handful of private companies, competing to ship first, should not get to decide how much risk the rest of us have to accept,” he argued. “I want the rules,” he added, calling for measures including independent safety evaluations and shared stop conditions across frontier labs. Meanwhile, Thomas White, analyst at Inner Circle Consulting, said users should consider when it is worth delegating work to “an energy-hungry technology with unknown psychological and existential risks”.

Anthropic researcher issues grave AI warning

Qualcomm lands custom AI chip deal with Amazon

What happened: Qualcomm struck a long-term agreement with Amazon to develop customised silicon for AI inference infrastructure in Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centres.

Why it matters: The agreement covers multiple generations of custom silicon, alongside optical connectivity technology designed to move data between AI processors at speeds of up to 1.6Tb/s. The arrangement is linked to up to $60 billion in potential commercial transactions. Amazon will also receive a warrant to buy up to 25 million Qualcomm shares at $161.26 each, worth about $4 billion if fully exercised. The warrants vest against purchase milestones, linking Amazon’s potential stake to its use of Qualcomm technology.

Counterpoint Research co-founder and VP Neil Shah described Amazon as Qualcomm’s “second major hyperscaler partner”, arguing the warrant creates a “multi-gen demand hook” because Amazon receives more equity only if it scales Qualcomm silicon. He noted the partnership is “a good validation for Qualcomm’s data centre portfolio and roadmap”, following the chipmaker’s target of $15 billion in data centre revenue by FY 2029. More broadly, Michael Ajayi, senior lecturer at Stadio Higher Education, said Nvidia’s dominance is driving “a structural response” amongst hyperscalers, with AI infrastructure likely to become “more heterogeneous” as cloud companies adopt custom accelerators.

Qualcomm lands custom AI chip deal with Amazon

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Telecoms group United Internet outlined a cost-saving programme across subsidiaries 1&1 Versatel and technology unit Ionos which will result in 800 job cuts.

United Internet stated it would implement a transformation and restructuring programme at 1&1 impacting processes and IT structures to increase productivity, cutting staff from 1,350 to 1,000 employees. It also plans a drive to simplify management and reduce hierarchies.

It expects the programme to entail one-off expenses of around €60 million this year and, following full implementation, an annual earnings contribution of around €25 million as of 2028.

As for Ionos, United Internet stated it launched a strategic transformation programme to align “with new market opportunities and future growth”, which would result in an adjustment to its workforce.

It stated consolidation of technical platforms and consistent use of AI would result in a reduction from 3,800 employees to 3,350, with the cuts split between domestic and international operations.

Costs incurred are expected to amount to €35 million, though it anticipates annual cost savings of up to €30 million beginning in 2027.

“The funds will be reinvested in a targeted manner including in AI product development and the further expansion of the cloud business,” it stated.

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NTT Docomo asserted a leading status in putting Nokia equipment to work in an open-RAN configuration after deploying a base station capable of integrating with infrastructure from multiple vendors.

The Japanese operator intends to showcase the capabilities of the O-RAN Alliance-compatible Nokia equipment at an event tomorrow (12 September), employing the vendor’s latest Massive MIMO network optimisation technology to bolster access during hours of peak demand.

Docomo stated the Nokia base station equipment is part of the vendor’s broader AirScale range, easing the path to evolving beyond the 4G and 5G connectivity technologies the kit currently delivers.

It expects the equipment to increase the number of devices it can connect at a lower rate of power consumption than existing equipment.

Docomo expects the deployment to ultimately set a blueprint for rollouts in other high-traffic scenarios including urban areas, stadia and event venues.

Research company SNS Insider recently noted open RAN continues to attract interest from operators keen to employ the flexibility the approach offers, and stated AI and machine learning are adding to the network optimisation capabilities.

SNS Insider expects the value of the AI-native open RAN segment to hit $24.5 billion in 2035 compared with $3.2 billion in 2025.

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Indian smartphone manufacturer Lava International made its debut in the UK at the end of August with a mid-tier offering. To coincide with the launch MD Sunil Raina caught up with Mobile World Live to discuss how he hopes it can stand out in its first market in the West.

Lava is positioning the AGNI 4N smartphone as having the highest build and component quality available in the mid-range, with the added benefit of no so-called “bloatware”. It is priced around the £500 mark.

The company’s foray into the UK comes after 17 years of supplying feature phones and then smartphones in its home market, where it also manufacturers the handsets.

It has a presence in over 20 countries, but Raina noted the UK would be its first “Western” venture.

The executive highlighted the business has “continuously grown in smartphones over the last 5 years,” though from a relatively small base, in an era of flat conditions for the overall market.

This factor “typically means that you are able to take share” from larger rivals; something the company aims to do in its new mature market.

Raina believes there is an opportunity in the UK’s Android segment given the high market penetration of Samsung and few alternatives in the mid-tier gaining significant traction.

He noted there was a relatively low penetration rate of Chinese brands in some Western markets, including the UK, companies which are stronger in this mid-range elsewhere in the world.

Lava’s origins, he hopes, will provide an advantage given India’s trustworthy status in the UK and the fact “there’s also a huge diaspora” who “I think would perhaps like to carry one of our products”.

Its debut device in the country is being sold initially through online channels. Subsequent releases are likely to be at the same or lower tier than the AGNI 4N.

“Because this is our first foray into a Western market we would like to gauge how it goes, take the first few steps wisely and cautiously,” Raina said, noting over the years it has learnt how to survive in a challenging and always shifting industry, building a brand for the long term.

“Very few companies who started around the same time we started could manage to survive in this industry,” he added, pointing to former big names who have come and gone include BlackBerry and HTC.

Youthful outlook
Lava intends to position its debut UK release at the “mid belly” of the market primarily to an audience of young people.

Promoted points include a lack of already installed apps and other “bloatware” on the device when people buy it and use of high-quality components for its price.

Raina noted there was a trend for some makers of Android-based phones to install “dozens of applications” before sale, which consume valuable memory and potentially raise security issues, as well as being a general inconvenience for the consumer.

Lava promotes supplying a “very clean” version of the operating system.

The executive noted it delivers a high build quality and performance levels at the upper end of the mid-range.

Its AGNI 4N has an aluminium alloy metal frame, glass back and uses a MediaTek Dimensity 8350 chipset, alongside AI and camera features similar to those frequently promoted in the mid-tier.

“Below a certain price point there are a lot of compromises that brands make in terms of the build quality of the phone,” he asserted, stating many around the mid-price were “more plasticy” than its offering.

Below a certain price point there are a lot of compromises that brands make in terms of the build quality of the phone

Sunil Raina, MD Lava International

Raina argues some brands which also sell at higher tiers have a vested interest in making their top products “more aspirational and therefore compromise at the lower level”.

In terms of its audience, the device is aimed primarily at a younger demographic who want high performance to suit popular applications such as gaming, but may not have a premium budget.

“It’s in a sweet spot where young people will be able to do high performance tasks, but at a price point which is good for their pockets as well”.

“We believe this device will be able to do a lot more things that other devices cannot at this price segment,” he concluded.

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Mid-sized and large US enterprises face a widening gap in operational stability, with nine out of 10 organisations failing to detect third-party or supply chain disruptions until operations are actively impacted.

According to research from Economist Enterprise supported by AT&T Business, enterprise resilience strategies fall short where network connections, vendor systems and rapid digital deployments intersect.

The company surveyed 1,020 senior technology and operations executives to evaluate modern operational risks. The research identifies five key areas where resilience strategies are falling short of disruption risks.

The study found resilience priorities do not match disruption realities. Cybersecurity receives the largest share of spending, even though over one-third of the organisations cite third-party and supply chain failures as the primary driver of their most significant disruptions.

It also found trust stands in for verification. Over half of respondents assess the resilience of critical technology suppliers based on market reputation or assurances rather than empirical evidence or rigorous technical testing.

While larger companies have more resources, they also have more ground to cover. Despite having bigger budgets and specialised talent, only 5% of large enterprises avoided a major technology incident over the past year, compared to 27% of mid-market firms, largely due to legacy infrastructure and complex ecosystems.

Survey results indicate that AI adoption is moving faster than resilience preparation. Although relatively few (4%) companies identified AI or automation failures as the cause of their most significant disruption, the research shows organisations further along the AI adoption curve have already experienced at least one AI-related incident last year. Overall, preparedness for AI-related risks remains behind many other resilience capabilities.

It also found highly resilient organisations actively learn from past incidents, maintain clear executive ownership and regularly test recovery plans. While most companies practice cyber response, only 15% rehearse for wider geopolitical or supply chain disruptions.

Key
Zee Hussain, SVP of Global Enterprise Solutions at AT&T Business, emphasised technology resilience has evolved beyond traditional IT management into a core business strategy.

“Organisations that invest in visibility, resilient connectivity, and recovery readiness are better positioned to maintain customer trust, respond to disruption, and adapt to change,” he stated.

The findings are based on an Economist Enterprise survey of executives at mid-sized and large US enterprises across seven sectors, conducted between June and July 2026.

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OpenAI unveiled a specialised financial edition of its enterprise platform to help bank employees develop research, financial models and customised client materials.

ChatGPT for Financial Services runs on the company’s latest and most advanced model, GPT-6 Astra, and integrates direct data feeds from market intelligence providers like PitchBook, Crunchbase, LSEG, and Daloopa.

Development of the tool was guided by pilot partnerships with investment banking powerhouses Morgan Stanley and Evercore.

Nick Turley, OpenAI’s VP of product, told CNBC the company is “teaching ChatGPT to research like an analyst and back up its conclusions like an analyst as well”.

In a blog post yesterday (10 September), OpenAI noted early collaboration focused heavily on solving two major industry friction points: streamlined access to verified market data and automated artifact creation.

By hosting and indexing third-party datasets directly on its own infrastructure, the system enables citations which help bankers trace figures and claims back to their original sources.

The launch comes amid a broader push by OpenAI to broaden enterprise adoption and cement recurring revenues ahead of a widely expected stock market debut.

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Apple ha entrado formalmente en el mercado de los smartphones plegables con el iPhone Duo. El nuevo consejero delegado, John Ternus, fue por primera vez la figura principal del acto insignia de la empresa, celebrado en su sede de Cupertino, California.

El iPhone Duo llega siete años después del lanzamiento del primer smartphone plegable de Samsung y poco después del más reciente de Huawei. Los pedidos anticipados del dispositivo comienzan en octubre.

Tras repasar los lanzamientos del iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 y AirPods 5, Ternus dejó el teléfono plegable para el final, pero enseguida marcó distancias entre el Duo y los dispositivos de la competencia.

«Otros han creado teléfonos plegables que simplemente parecen dos teléfonos pegados de forma extraña», dijo Ternus durante el acto Surprise and Shine de la empresa, celebrado hace unos días.

Lo describió como un dispositivo con «una pantalla más grande que se siente tan natural e intuitiva como la del iPad», y afirmó que cuenta con «la pantalla más grande jamás vista en un iPhone, sin dejar de caber fácilmente en el bolsillo».

Especificaciones del Duo

Una vez abierta, la pantalla de doble ancho es un 50 % más grande que la del iPhone 18 Pro Max y mide 7,6 pulgadas en diagonal, según ha explicado Greg Joswiak, vicepresidente sénior de marketing mundial de Apple.

El dispositivo combina un chasis de titanio de grado 5 pulido a espejo con una bisagra de precisión personalizada, diseñada a partir de más de 100 componentes para ofrecer rigidez estructural y un funcionamiento suave. Incorpora el chip A20 Pro, fabricado con un proceso de 2 nm, junto con un sistema de refrigeración por cámara de vapor personalizado, un Neural Engine de 16 núcleos y una GPU de 7 núcleos.

El dispositivo funciona con iOS 27, que introduce la multitarea con pantalla dividida en paralelo en la línea de iPhone, e incluye una cámara FaceTime bajo la pantalla en el panel principal junto con un sensor Touch ID integrado lateralmente en el botón de encendido.

El sistema de imagen se centra en una cámara principal Fusion de 48 MP capaz de grabar en 4K a 120 fps con Dolby Vision, complementada por una cámara ultra gran angular Fusion de 48 MP con soporte macro y un sensor frontal Center Stage.

La arquitectura de doble batería admite hasta 31 horas de reproducción continua de vídeo en la pantalla principal o hasta 44 horas en la pantalla externa, con carga rápida por cable y compatibilidad con los estándares inalámbricos MagSafe y Qi2.

En cuanto a conectividad, el dispositivo solo admite eSIM a nivel mundial, cuenta con certificación IP67 de resistencia al agua y al polvo, e incorpora el módem celular C2 personalizado de Apple junto con el chip inalámbrico N1. El módem C2 integra compatibilidad con el espectro 5G mmWave de EE. UU., además de Wi-Fi 7 y Bluetooth 6.

Disponible en los acabados blanco estrella y azul cielo nocturno, el iPhone Duo tiene en España un precio inicial de 2.339 euros para la versión básica de 256 GB, que sube hasta los 3.839 euros en la versión de 2 TB, pasando por 2.589 euros (512 GB) y 3.089 euros (1 TB). Las reservas anticipadas se abren el 16 de octubre y el lanzamiento general en tiendas será el 23 de octubre.

Anshu Goel, analista principal de Consumo Digital en GSMA Intelligence, ha declarado a Mobile World Live que conviene estar atentos al precio del Duo en el futuro.

«Si bien la calidad y la personalización de iOS para Duo parecen buenas, este precio limitará la demanda», ha explicado. «Sin embargo, es poco probable que los clientes de Apple busquen otras alternativas si están considerando comprar un teléfono plegable».

iPhone 18 Pro y Pro Max

Apple también ha presentado el iPhone 18 Pro y el Pro Max, ambos equipados con el mismo chip A20 Pro que el Duo. Ambos incorporan una cámara principal rediseñada de 48 MP con apertura variable y diafragma físico, una novedad en el iPhone, además de una Dynamic Island más fina que ahora puede mostrar hasta tres Live Activities simultáneamente. Los nuevos colores disponibles son Borgoña y Glaciar.

En España, los precios han subido 150 euros con respecto a los modelos equivalentes del iPhone 17: el 18 Pro parte de 1.469 euros y el Pro Max, de 1.619 euros, frente a los 1.319 euros y los 1.469 euros, respectivamente, de los iPhone 17 Pro y Pro Max a los que sustituyen.

Opiniones de los analistas

Paolo Pescatore, analista jefe de PP Foresight, ha señalado que Apple se ha tomado su tiempo para entrar en la categoría de los teléfonos plegables y que ahora busca redefinir lo que los consumidores deben esperar de un smartphone, en lugar de limitarse a seguir a sus rivales.

Ha añadido que la subida de precios en toda la gama premium del iPhone 18 también podría inclinar a algunos clientes hacia el modelo plegable, reduciendo así la percepción de que se trata de un salto a un formato completamente nuevo.

«Apple desplegará ahora su considerable poder de marketing para impulsar la demanda y dar un gran impulso a la categoría de dispositivos plegables», ha afirmado. «Preveo que será un éxito instantáneo, que beneficiará al mercado en general y a la comunidad de desarrolladores, a la vez que pondrá en alerta a sus rivales».

Según Pescatore, el ciclo de lanzamiento del iPhone, cada vez más fragmentado, proporciona a Apple un nuevo motor de ingresos durante todo el año, en lugar de concentrar la atención en una única ventana de renovación anual, algo que ha calificado como un cambio estratégico significativo y «una mina de oro potencial para el negocio».

Respecto a la transición de liderazgo, ha calificado el acto como un momento de gran importancia para Ternus y un sólido comienzo para un nuevo capítulo en Apple.

«Su reto consiste en construir sobre una base enormemente exitosa, a la vez que aporta energía, ideas y prioridades nuevas al negocio», ha dicho, y ha añadido que el tono seguro de la dirección era importante como declaración inicial.

Nabila Popal, directora sénior de investigación de IDC, ha afirmado que Apple parece haber dado en el clavo con el iPhone Duo.

«Si bien el formato de pasaporte no es nuevo, la ejecución en este caso es bastante buena», ha comentado. «La experiencia de usuario es intuitiva y fluida, con una transición perfecta de cerrado a abierto. Su facilidad de uso, junto con un diseño elegante, debería hacer que el Duo destaque entre la multitud de dispositivos plegables actuales».

Según Popal, el dispositivo podría ser un producto de gran éxito para Apple, y una buena manera para que el nuevo consejero delegado, John Ternus, inicie su mandato.

El analista jefe de CCS Insight, Ben Wood, ha considerado que el iPhone Duo eclipsará de inmediato el resto de anuncios de Apple en el acto, al presentar un nuevo diseño distintivo para la línea de iPhone y marcar la entrada de la empresa en el nicho de mercado de los teléfonos plegables.

A su juicio, si bien los smartphones plegables no son nuevos, Apple ha aprendido claramente de la evolución de los dispositivos de la competencia, como los de Samsung y otros, y ha recordado que la empresa tiene un historial de entrar en categorías una vez que alcanzan cierto nivel de madurez.

Wood ha destacado que el Duo se ha beneficiado de avances significativos en la calidad y fiabilidad de las pantallas flexibles, con una pantalla prácticamente sin pliegues que, al igual que el Galaxy Z Fold8 de Samsung, utiliza una placa de titanio bajo la pantalla.

Con un precio en España de 2.339 euros, el Duo es el iPhone más caro de Apple hasta la fecha y cuesta 720 euros más que el iPhone 18 Pro Max, aunque menos de lo que algunos temían, según Wood, que espera una fuerte demanda.

Sin embargo, ha advertido de que los teléfonos plegables siguen siendo un producto de nicho que representa menos del 5 % del mercado total de smartphones, y ha agregado que la llegada del Duo aún podría impulsar el segmento de plegables en general.

iOS 27

Wood también ha destacado la importancia de iOS 27, que trae consigo mejoras de rendimiento y la última versión de Apple Intelligence y Siri, y considera que la renovación supone un avance con respecto a los esfuerzos anteriores de Apple en materia de IA, según su experiencia con la versión beta.

Ha señalado que la IA tiene cada vez menos papel diferenciador en los smartphones, y que es probable que el compromiso a largo plazo de Apple con la privacidad siga siendo su postura más distintiva en materia de IA.

Con información de Michael Robuck.

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La Comisión Europea (CE) ha adjudicado contratos a Thales Alenia Space y Aerospacelab para el desarrollo de la constelación IRIS2, mientras la presidenta de la CE, Ursula von der Leyen, exponía las prioridades del bloque para el sector espacial.

Aerospacelab ha declarado que ha sido seleccionada como contratista principal para el segmento de órbita terrestre baja (LEO) del programa IRIS2, y se encargará de la construcción de 264 plataformas satelitales en un acuerdo valorado en 2.400 millones de euros.

Benoit Deper, consejero delegado de Aerospacelab, ha afirmado que su selección para IRIS2 «refleja una decisión industrial deliberada y un momento decisivo para Europa en su conjunto».

«Las instituciones también están depositando su confianza en una nueva generación de fabricantes espaciales: empresas como Aerospacelab, creadas desde cero para ofrecer infraestructura satelital a gran escala y con rapidez», ha añadido.

Por su parte, Thales Alenia Space, empresa conjunta de Thales y Leonardo, ha declarado haber suscrito un acuerdo con Eutelsat para proporcionar cargas útiles gubernamentales destinadas a 330 satélites de telecomunicaciones IRIS2 en órbita terrestre baja.

La operación ronda los 500 millones de euros, mientras que la firma espera obtener unos 3.000 millones de euros de beneficio total del proyecto.

Está previsto que en 2029 se lancen alrededor de 66 satélites de telecomunicaciones LEO Ka exclusivos, con Thales Alenia Space desarrollando las cargas útiles y Airbus Defense and Space suministrando las plataformas. La empresa también será responsable de las cargas útiles gubernamentales para otros 264 satélites de telecomunicaciones Ku/Ka, cuyo lanzamiento está previsto a partir de 2030.

Sector espacial competitivo

En su intervención en la Cumbre Espacial Internacional celebrada en París, von der Leyen ha señalado que el programa IRIS2 garantizará comunicaciones sólidas en toda Europa, reforzará la soberanía digital y reducirá la dependencia de sistemas satelitales no europeos.

En su discurso, también ha manifestado su compromiso de reforzar el acceso de Europa al espacio mediante una mayor inversión privada, y ha destacado la importancia de un «sector espacial sólido y competitivo que pueda crecer, expandirse y competir a nivel mundial».

Con información de Kavit Majithia.

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OpenAI reportedly pulled the plug on its pilot programme which let US federal agencies use its models for just $1 per year, shifting instead to a usage-based pricing system to offer government workers a 50% discount off standard rates.

Bloomberg reported the shift concludes a deal struck in August 2025 between OpenAI and the US General Services Administration (GSA), under which the agency’s OneGov marketplace let federal entities access ChatGPT Enterprise for a nominal $1 per agency for one year. GSA also issued an Authority to Use for ChatGPT Enterprise as part of the programme.

The offer came shortly after GSA added OpenAI, Anthropic and Google to its list of approved AI vendors for civilian federal agencies, including an additional 60-day period for unlimited use of advanced features.

The news agency noted the arrangement represented the steepest technology discount GSA’s central purchasing arm had negotiated to date, which was scheduled to conclude on 30 September 2026.

The new agreement with the government is set to take effect on 1 October, lasting more than two years, according to Bloomberg.

Uptake
According to GSA figures cited by the news site, 3.5 million federal employees ultimately used ChatGPT under the pilot programme, generating $1.4 billion in claimed cost savings.

When the arrangement was first announced, OpenAI stated over 90,000 users across more than 3,500 US federal, state, and local government agencies sent more than 18 million messages on ChatGPT to support their day-to-day work dating back to 2024.

GSA’s public OneGov listings still show the original $1-per-agency pricing, with an expiration date of 30 September 2026, while OpenAI’s own government page had not been updated to reflect the shift.

The pilot was part of a broader push by GSA under its OneGov strategy to secure discounted access to frontier AI tools for federal agencies.

Alongside the OpenAI deal, GSA struck similar arrangements with Anthropic, offering Claude for Enterprise and Claude for Government at $1 across the executive, legislative and judicial branches, and with Google, offering Gemini for Government at $0.47 per agency.

The news site noted those agreements are also due to expire on 30 September 2026, with no successor terms yet made public for either company

The initial round of dollar-a-year deals was key to the Trump Administration’s America’s AI Action Plan, which aimed to accelerate AI adoption across federal government.

Bloomberg reported the move to usage-based pricing could mean OpenAI is looking to convert pilot-stage government adoption into a more sustainable commercial relationship, as the company works to build out revenue ahead of a planned public listing.

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The European Commission (EC) handed contracts to Thales Alenia Space and Aerospacelab for the buildout of the IRIS2 constellation, as EC president Ursula von der Leyen (pictured) set out the bloc’s priorities for the space sector.

Starting with Aerospacelab, the company stated it was selected as a key prime contractor for the low Earth orbit (LEO) segment of the IRIS2 programme, entrusted with building 264 satellite platforms in a deal worth €2.4 billion.

Benoit Deper, CEO of Aerospacelab, said its selection for IRIS2 “reflects a deliberate industrial choice and a defining moment for Europe as a whole”.

“Institutions are now also placing their trust in a new generation of space manufacturers: companies like Aerospacelab, built from the ground up to deliver satellite infrastructure at scale and speed,” he added.

Meanwhile, Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture owned by Thales and Leonardo, stated it had agreed a deal with Eutelsat to provide governmental payloads dedicated to 330 IRIS2 telecoms satellites in LEO.

The value of the deal is worth around €500 million, while the company expects to gain around €3 billion from the project overall.

Around 66 LEO Ka-only telecoms satellites will be launched in 2029, with Thales Alenia Space developing the payloads and Airbus Defense and Space providing the platforms.

It will also be responsible for the government payloads for a further 264 Ku/Ka telecoms satellites, scheduled to launch from 2030.

Competitive space sector
Speaking at the International Space Summit in Paris, von der Leyen said the IRIS2 programme would ensure resilient communications across Europe, strengthen digital sovereignty and reduce reliance on non-European satellite systems.

During a speech, she also set out a commitment to strengthen Europe’s access to space through greater private investment, while expressing the importance of a “strong and competitive space sector that can grow, scale up and compete globally”.

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The GSMA warned access to renewable energy is emerging as a key constraint for operators seeking to hit their net zero targets in Asia Pacific, despite headway being made in cutting carbon emissions.

In its latest Mobile Net Zero report, the industry association found that while climate commitments are growing, meeting those goals will depend on greater investment in renewable energy and cooperation between operators, suppliers and governments.

As of July 2026, 21 operators have validated near-term science-based targets, covering 55% of mobile connections in the region, while 13 have validated net zero targets.

“Progress on reducing emissions will be difficult without greater access to renewable electricity,” noted GSMA head of climate action Steven Moore, adding “the region’s growing demand for connectivity and energy makes this an urgent issue”.

The industry association called on operators to improve network energy efficiency, retire legacy networks and integrate eco-friendly design into their network architectures.

It also urged policymakers to reform energy and electricity markets, enable faster permissions for renewable energy and grid projects, accelerate coal phase-outs and support renewable procurement and aggregation for distributed telecom loads.

Looking ahead, the GSMA called on governments to recognise mobile networks as “critical infrastructure in climate resilience planning”.

Limited access
The latest report cited figures from 2019 to 2024. During the period, operational emissions from mobile operators across Asia Pacific rose 6%, with limited access to renewable energy hampering efforts to cut carbon output in the region. Emissions reached around 23 million tonnes of CO2e in 2024, though progress varied sharply between markets.

Operators in Japan and Oceania reduced emissions by 30% during the period, while Southeast Asia recorded an increase of around 20% driven by ballooning demand. During the same period, the report noted mobile data traffic across Asia Pacific surged 350% and mobile connections increased 6%.

The GSMA attributed the split to renewable energy access. Operators across Asia Pacific purchased or generated 7TWh of renewable electricity in 2024, equivalent to around 15% of their total consumption. Yet, the region still trails the 24% global average, with Europe leading at 70% and North America following at 50%.

In Japan and Australia, operators sourced more than half of their electricity from renewables.  However, Southeast Asian operators matched just 4% of their electricity consumption with renewables.

Operators are also facing rising energy costs. The sector spent around $7 billion on energy in Asia Pacific in 2024, consuming nearly 50TWh of electricity and 350 million litres of diesel and gasoline.

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Telenor subsidiary KNL continued to gain traction for a military high-frequency (HF) communication system from Nordic nations, sealing its third deal through a tie-up with Denmark.

An outline deal opens the way for the Danish Ministry of Defence to buy KNL’s HF radio equipment. The set-up is attracting interest among members of the Nordic Defence Cooperation, a programme established to streamline the procurement process which is open to all nations in the region.

KNL already agreed deals with Sweden and Finland, which the head of Telenor Corporate Development Portfolio Dan Ouchterlony said are a “strong foundation for Nordic cooperation” on the subsidiary’s radio system.

Adding Denmark “reflects a genuine and growing need for secure, independent communication across the region”, Ouchterlony explained.

HF operates in the 3MHz to 30MHz frequency range, which KNL states is well-suited to military operations due to its beyond-line-of-sight capability and resilience in the face of “jamming and other electromagnetic interference”.

The frequency enables coverage across thousands of kilometres in a set-up which does not require fixed or satellite connectivity, another characteristic KNL believes makes it “uniquely valuable” for military purposes along with maritime and critical communication uses.

KNL employs cognitive radio functionality to provide dynamic frequency allocation and boost the way spectrum is used.

CEO Toni Linden said the addition of Denmark is a “strong endorsement” of KNL’s technology.

The company has publicly announced a trio of orders worth around €23.5 million under its existing arrangements with Sweden and Finland.

It is also among several businesses approved to bid for tactical communications system projects in the UK.

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Eutelsat and French satellite startup Skynopy officially launched what the pair claim is one of the largest software-defined ground infrastructures for current and future satellite offerings, covering in-orbit, orbital data centres and telecoms services.

Announced at the International Space Summit being held this week in Paris, the joint offering is called Global AKAR and brings together Eutelsat’s global footprint with Skynopy’s software technology and “commercial traction.”

The duo explained the ambition of the project is to utilise Eutelsat’s ground network of base stations to create a data backbone for multi-mission constellations in the S, X and Ka-bands.

The partnership aims to deploy 100 operational antennas by the end of 2029, enabling “a real-time service” at a very high throughput for the fast growing Low Earth Orbit (LEO) services market.

Global AKAR is designed to significantly reduce data latency to less than three minutes compared to the current state of the art standard of one hour, while delivering 10Gb/s throughput.

Partially supported by the French government, the project is now underway after successfully demonstrating the technical feasibility through a three-antenna proof of concept for Earth Observation.

The same infrastructure is designed to support a new generation of in-orbit services, enabling satellites to transfer data more efficiency and interact with in-orbit computing capabilities.

Customers are in line to benefit from access to a secure, high-capacity and globally distributed network without having to build out and operate their own ground infrastructures, said the partners. They further pointed to secure architecture and interfaces, making Global AKAR suitable for defence and other sensitive applications.

Emmanuel Macron, President of France, hailed Global AKAR as an alliance of a European champion in Eutelsat and one of France’s promising startups in Skynopy, “working hand in hand to offer the best service on the missing element of the space economy: the ground segment”.

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Ericsson deployed a private 5G network at a US airport to support operations and lay the groundwork for future digital transformation projects.

The launch at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) was carried out in partnership with Insight Enterprises and the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC).

The new network gives the airport its own dedicated wireless infrastructure, separate from public cellular and Wi-Fi. It covers indoor and outdoor areas across MSP’s five-square-mile campus.

The MAC had relied on Wi-Fi for operational technologies including mobile devices, surveillance systems and real-time data applications. But Wi-Fi proved vulnerable to interference from unmanaged devices and airfield obstacles. Equipment also struggled with mobility as it moved between access points.

Rather than expand Wi-Fi or invest in more fibre, the MAC chose Ericsson Private 5G. The goal was broader, more predictable coverage across the site.

The network now supports video systems, common-use ticketing equipment and mobile workforce applications. Airport staff use connected tablets throughout operational areas. The network also delivers secure cellular coverage across runways, taxiways and gate areas.

Eduardo Valencia, CIO for the MAC, said transportation, public safety, maintenance and security all depend on connectivity. He compared the airport to running a city without residents. He said the network provides enterprise-grade connectivity across a challenging airfield environment, where a growing number of systems and mobile assets must stay connected to keep operations safe and efficient.

Insight Enterprises resold and manages the Ericsson Private 5G service while Pierson Wireless led deployment and installation.

Scott Friedlander, SVP at Insight Public Sector, stated deploying private cellular across a large, complex airport required close collaboration between technology providers and stakeholders.

One early use case comes from Axis Communications. Its private cellular-enabled camera system delivers HD video monitoring on airport trams.

The network also supports dozens of connected airport vehicles fitted with Ericsson Cradlepoint routers. These give MSP teams access to operational applications across the airfield, using both private 5G and public cellular networks when needed.

Going forward, the MAC plans to extend connectivity to airlines, concessionaires and other airport partners. It also aims to expand its own use of the network to improve maintenance and operations.

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Analog Devices struck a deal to acquire Alif Semiconductor in an all-cash deal worth $1.4 billion, as the analogue chip maker moves to bolster its edge AI capabilities.

The deal adds Alif’s AI-native microcontrollers and fusion processors, which combine low-power neural processing with connectivity, security and power management on a single chip.

Analog Devices stated the technology would advance “Physical Intelligence”, enabling systems to sense, reason and act locally in real time while meeting demanding power, latency, security and reliability constraints.

It positioned the deal as a response to the expansion of AI capabilities beyond interpreting text and images toward characterising real-world signals including motion, sound, vibration, radio waves and thermodynamics.

By combining its expertise in sensing, signal processing, power and connectivity with Alif’s digital processing platform, customers can build complete system-level solutions rather than sourcing components separately, Analog Devices explained.

CEO Vincent Roche explained AI is moving out of the data centre and into the physical world, where latency, power and trust cannot be compromised and described the deal as central to what he called the next frontier of embodied, deterministic AI.

Analog Devices stated Alif’s silicon is already shipping in production, with design wins across consumer and industrial customers.

The company expects the acquisition to widen its addressable market across industrial, data centre infrastructure, defence, energy, robotics, digital health and wearable applications.

The transaction was approved by both companies’ boards and includes up to $200 million in additional contingent consideration.

It is expected to close before the end of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals.

Analog Devices arranged an all-cash acquisition of Empower Semiconductor for $1.5 billion in May aimed at improving power density for AI compute.

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Apple officially entered the foldable smartphone market with the iPhone Duo, as new CEO John Ternus headlined the company’s signature event for the first time at its Cupertino, California, headquarters.

The iPhone Duo makes its debut seven years after Samsung launched its first foldable smartphone and on the heels of a recent launch by Huawei. Pre-orders for the device begin in October.

After running through the launches of the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5, Ternus saved the foldable for last but drew a quick distinction between the Duo and competing devices.

“Others have created foldables that just feel like two phones awkwardly stuck together,” Ternus (pictured) said during the company’s Surprise and Shine event yesterday (9 September).

He described the Duo as having “a larger display that feels as natural and intuitive as iPad,” and stated it has the “largest display ever on an iPhone, while still fitting easily in your pocket”.

Duo specs
Once opened, the doublewide screen is 50% larger than the size of the iPhone 18 Pro Max and measures 7.6 inches on the diagonal, stated Greg Joswiak, Apple’s SVP for worldwide marketing.

The device pairs a mirror-polished grade 5 titanium chassis with a custom precision hinge engineered from over 100 components to deliver structural stiffness and smooth operation.

Powering the device is the A20 Pro chip built on a 2nm process, coupled with a custom vapor chamber cooling system, 16-core Neural Engine, and a 7-core GPU.

The device runs on iOS 27, which introduces side-by-side Split View multitasking to the iPhone lineup, and features an under-display FaceTime camera on the main panel alongside a side-mounted Touch ID sensor integrated into the power button.

The imaging hardware centres on a 48MP Fusion Main camera capable of 4K120 fps Dolby Vision recording, complemented by a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera with macro support and a Center Stage front sensor.

The dual-battery architecture supports up to 31 hours of continuous video playback on the main screen or up to 44 hours on the cover screen, with support for fast wired charging as well as MagSafe and Qi2 wireless standards.

On the connectivity front, the device is eSIM-only globally, holds an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, and incorporates Apple’s custom C2 cellular modem system along with the N1 wireless chip. The C2 modem integrates support for US mmWave 5G spectrum alongside Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.

Available in star white and night sky finishes, the iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 for the base 256GB storage tier, with additional options extending to 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB. Pre-orders open on 16 October, with broad retail launch following on 23 October.

Anshu Goel, Lead Analyst, Digital Consumer at GSMA Intelligence, told Mobile World Live the Duo price point is worth watching going forward.

“While the quality and iOS customisation for Duo look good, this price point will limit demand,” he explained. “However, Apple customers are unlikely to go looking elsewhere if considering a foldable purchase.”

iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max
Apple also unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, both powered by the same A20 Pro chip as the Duo. The pair introduce a redesigned 48MP variable-aperture main camera with physical aperture blades, a first for iPhone, alongside a slimmer Dynamic Island now capable of displaying up to three simultaneous Live Activities. New colour options include Burgundy and Glacier.

Pricing rose $100 over the equivalent iPhone 17 models, with the 18 Pro starting at $1,199 and the Pro Max at $1,299.

Analyst views
Paolo Pescatore, chief analyst at PP Foresight, said Apple has taken its time entering the foldable category and is now seeking to redefine what consumers should expect from a smartphone rather than simply following rivals.

He noted higher pricing across the premium iPhone 18 line-up could also sway some customers toward the foldable, narrowing the perceived jump to a completely new form factor.

“Apple will now flex its considerable marketing muscle to kick-start demand and give the foldable category a major boost,” he said. “I fully expect it to be an instant hit, benefiting the wider market and developer community while putting rivals firmly on notice.”

He added that the increasingly split iPhone launch cycle gives Apple a powerful new revenue engine throughout the year, rather than concentrating attention on a single annual upgrade window, calling it a significant strategic shift and “potentially a gold mine for the business.”

On the leadership transition, Pescatore called the event a hugely important first moment for Ternus and a strong start to a new chapter at Apple.

“His challenge is to build on an enormously successful foundation while bringing fresh energy, ideas and priorities to the business,” he said, adding that the confident tone from the top mattered as an opening statement.

Nabila Popal, senior research director at IDC, said Apple appears to have hit it out of the park with the iPhone Duo.

“While a passport-size form factor is not new, the execution here looks quite good,” she said. “The user experience is intuitive and fluid, with a seamless transition from closed to open. The ease of use, coupled with an elegant design, should make the Duo stand out among the crowd of foldable devices today.”

She added the device could be a blockbuster product for Apple, and a great way for new CEO John Ternus to kick off his tenure.

CCS Insight chief analyst Ben Wood added the iPhone Duo was always going to eclipse Apple’s other announcements at the event, hailing a distinctive new design to the iPhone line-up and marking the company’s entry into the niche foldable category.

He stated while foldable smartphones are not new, Apple has clearly learnt from the evolution of rival devices from Samsung and others, noting the company has a track record of entering categories once they reach a certain level of maturity.

Wood said the Duo has benefited from major advances in flexible display quality and reliability, pointing to its near-creaseless screen, which, like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8, uses a titanium plate beneath the display.

At $1,999, Wood said the Duo is Apple’s most expensive iPhone to date and $700 more than the iPhone 18 Pro Max, though less than some had feared, and said he expects strong demand.

However, he cautioned foldables remain a niche product accounting for less than 5% of the overall smartphone market, adding that the Duo’s arrival could still provide a lift to the wider foldable segment.

iOS 27
Wood also pointed to the significance of iOS 27, which brings major performance improvements and the latest version of Apple Intelligence and Siri, saying the update marks a step up from Apple’s earlier AI efforts based on his experience with the beta release.

He noted AI increasingly looks like less of a differentiator on smartphones, adding that Apple’s long-term commitment to privacy is likely to remain its most distinctive position on AI.

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Qualcomm ha suscrito un acuerdo con Amazon para desarrollar chips a medida destinados a infraestructuras de centros de datos de IA a gran escala, y ha emitido al gigante tecnológico una opción de compra para adquirir una participación de hasta 4.000 millones de dólares (unos 3.700 millones de euros) en el fabricante de chips.

Esta iniciativa supone la más reciente expansión estratégica de Qualcomm en el sector de los centros de datos, y se suma a sus recientes movimientos para establecer una base nativa de IA, adquirir la firma de software Modular y avanzar en sus ambiciones de IA con agentes más allá de los dispositivos periféricos.

Según los documentos regulatorios relacionados con el acuerdo, este está vinculado a transacciones comerciales potenciales por un valor de hasta 60.000 millones de dólares (unos 55.500 millones de euros).

Como parte del acuerdo, Qualcomm ha emitido a Amazon una opción de compra para adquirir hasta 25 millones de acciones a 161,26 dólares (unos 149 euros) cada una, lo que representa una participación potencial de 4.000 millones de dólares (unos 3.700 millones de euros) que se irá consolidando en tramos vinculados a hitos de compra.

La colaboración operativa se centra en la creación de procesadores a medida y optimizados para cargas de trabajo de inferencia de IA en los centros de datos de Amazon Web Services (AWS). Al combinar la experiencia de Qualcomm en el diseño de sistemas informáticos de bajo consumo energético con la presencia global de la nube de AWS, ambas empresas pretenden hacer frente a la creciente demanda de energía y capacidad de procesamiento que impulsan las aplicaciones de IA generativa.

Además de los chips de procesamiento a medida, el acuerdo abarca tecnologías de conectividad óptica de alto rendimiento. Qualcomm planea suministrar procesadores de señal digital ópticos y productos serializadores/deserializadores capaces de soportar velocidades de hasta 1,6 Tb/s e incluso superiores. Las interconexiones de alto ancho de banda están diseñadas para eliminar los cuellos de botella de datos dentro de las redes de los centros de datos, lo que permite que grandes grupos de chips de IA se comuniquen con una latencia mínima.

En ambos sentidos

Esta colaboración funciona en ambos sentidos, ya que Qualcomm también planea profundizar su adopción interna de la infraestructura de AWS. El fabricante de chips utilizará herramientas de IA basadas en la nube, entre ellas Amazon Bedrock, para ejecutar cargas de trabajo de automatización del diseño electrónico destinadas a acelerar sus propios ciclos de desarrollo de chips.

Cristiano Amon, consejero delegado de Qualcomm, ha destacado que la creciente demanda de IA requiere avances de fondo tanto en el procesamiento como en las interconexiones de red para maximizar la eficiencia operativa. El vicepresidente de AWS, Prasad Kalyanaraman, ha añadido que este esfuerzo de desarrollo conjunto proporcionará una infraestructura más eficiente y rentable para los clientes de la nube en todo el mundo.

Este acuerdo supone una expansión significativa para Qualcomm, que en los últimos años ha destinado sus ingresos a diversificar sus fuentes, pasando de los smartphones a los ordenadores personales, los sistemas para automóviles y, ahora, el hardware a escala de la nube. Para AWS, trabajar directamente con Qualcomm en chips especializados ofrece otra vía para gestionar el elevado consumo de energía y los crecientes costes asociados a la operación de servicios globales de IA.

Con información de Michael Robuck.

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Un investigador de seguridad de IA de Anthropic ha advertido de que existe más de un 10 % de probabilidades de que una inteligencia artificial cada vez más capaz pueda «matar a todos los humanos» en la próxima década, lo que evidencia la creciente preocupación del sector por el ritmo de desarrollo.

Evan Hubinger, responsable del equipo de pruebas de estrés de alineación de IA en Anthropic, escribió en la red social X: «Personalmente, creo que superará el 10 % en la próxima década». Explicó que el riesgo de los modelos de IA actuales es «bajo», pero advirtió de que le preocupa la aparición de una «superinteligencia» mediante la «automejora recursiva», es decir, la capacidad de un sistema de IA para desarrollar de forma autónoma a su propio sucesor.

Añadió que Anthropic está «haciendo todo lo posible», pero que todavía no cuenta con un plan para resolver el problema de la alineación para la superinteligencia y que «no está claramente encaminada a lograrlo».

Apostar con la vida

Las declaraciones de Hubinger llegan en respuesta a la renuncia del investigador de IA Jacob Coxon, de Anthropic. En una publicación en X, Coxon acusó a OpenAI y a Anthropic de «avanzar a toda velocidad hacia la superinteligencia automejorada y jugar con nuestras vidas».

«Ninguna de las dos empresas está actuando de forma responsable», afirmó.

Coxon argumentó que los futuros modelos de IA podrían llegar a ser capaces de piratear sistemas, transformando rápidamente las industrias y adquiriendo «poder y recursos reales», y pidió una mayor coordinación entre los desarrolladores de IA, incluyendo una pausa temporal en la mejora de las capacidades de los modelos.

«En OpenAI, muchos no han interiorizado en profundidad lo que está en juego para la civilización», advirtió. Sobre Anthropic, en cambio, sostuvo que «entienden perfectamente lo que está en juego», pero que «creen que nadie más actuará con responsabilidad, así que deben hacerlo ellos mismos, a pesar del riesgo».

Los gigantes de la IA se enfrentan a un escrutinio cada vez mayor sobre el comportamiento de los sistemas autónomos. En los últimos meses, OpenAI, Anthropic y Meta han revelado incidentes sin precedentes relacionados con herramientas de IA que llevaron a cabo ciberataques.

De hecho, el informe de riesgos de Anthropic de agosto valoraba que, si bien la amenaza que representan los modelos actuales es baja, la empresa tiene «menos confianza en esta evaluación que en informes de riesgos anteriores». El documento señalaba que los modelos avanzados podrían llegar a automatizar la I+D, acelerar con rapidez el progreso en campos técnicos y «provocar daños catastróficos».

«Estamos viendo los primeros indicios de una posible aceleración», afirmó la empresa estadounidense de inteligencia artificial.

Con información de Amiya Johar.

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