Huawei Troubles
Korean tech companies Samsung Electronics and LG Display have announced they will stop supplying smartphone panels to Huawei Technologies due to sanctions imposed by the United States. The decision will be effective mid-September.
The US further restricted cooperation with Huawei last month, forbidding companies that are using US chipmaking technology to supply Huawei without its approval.
RELATED; India Excludes Huawei, ZTE in its 5G Trials
Zuckerberg Slams Apple
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in an interview with Axios said he believes Apple Inc. should be investigated by the United States government over anticompetitive behaviour on its App Store.
“I do think that there are questions that people should be looking into about that control of the App Store and whether that is enabling as robust of a competitive dynamic,” Zuckerberg explained. “I think some of the behavior certainly raises questions,” he added.
Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, in August filed a lawsuit against Apple alleging its control of the App Store gives it a monopoly in a move that comes after the European Commission opened a probe into whether the company had broken EU competition rules with its App Store policies.
GM Nikola Deal
General Motors Co. obtained on Tuesday 11% stake, equivalent to $2 billion in equity, in e-truck manufacturer Nikola Corp., supporting the company’s plans to build a hydrogen fuel cell electric pickup truck known as the Badger within the next two years.
Commenting on the move, GM’s Chief Executive Mary Barra said that “this strategic partnership with Nikola, an industry-leading disrupter, continues the broader deployment of General Motors’ all-new Ultium battery and Hydrotec fuel cell systems.”
Nikola’s stocks jumped more than 40% following the news to sell for $50.57 per share.
READ; GM Acquires 11% Stake in Electric Truck Startup Nikola for $2 Bn
Tesla Supports Congo cobalt miners
Tesla Inc. said it has decided to support informal cobalt miners in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The car producer wants to prove to its clients that all of its battery metal supply is ethically mined.
According to the Fair Cobalt Alliance, the company joined recently with the focus on ending the usage of child labor at mining sites. The alliance has the support of the British commodity trading and mining company Glencore Plc and major Chinese cobalt refiner Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co. Approximately three-quarters of the world’s cobalt comes from Congo and it is expected that the demand rises during the next few years.
Tesla made a deal with Glencore earlier this year in order to buy cobalt from its Congo mines.
