Which? is taking legal action against Apple, alleging the company breached competition law by pressuring customers to use its iCloud service. Which? argues that Apple encouraged users to store their data on iCloud, making it challenging to switch to other providers, and then charged users when they exceeded the free 5GB limit. This practice, they claim, led to overcharges, costing consumers up to £13.36 ($16.98) this year in subscription fees.
Apple denies any wrongdoing, stating customers are not required to use iCloud and often choose third-party alternatives. However, if Which? succeeds, around 40 million Apple customers in the UK who have used iCloud over the last nine years could be entitled to compensation.
Which? CEO Anabel Hoult emphasised that the action aims to secure refunds for consumers, prevent future anti-competitive behaviour, and promote a fairer market. The group plans to file the claim with the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
German optical tech firm Carl Zeiss AG has inaugurated its first global capability centre (GCC) in Bengaluru, India, and plans to double its local workforce to 5,000 over the next three years. The new centre will focus on cloud computing, cybersecurity, and network operations, alongside software development for Carl Zeiss’s medical tech division. This move highlights India’s transformation from an outsourcing destination to a strategic base supporting global operations.
Beyond the GCC, Zeiss is expanding its presence in Bengaluru with a new manufacturing plant slated to open in 2025. This facility, the company’s largest investment outside Germany, will be its fifth in India, contributing to its workforce growth. The India unit, also involved in R&D and sales, is projected to reach a revenue of 22 billion rupees for the year ending September 2025—a 19% increase.
India’s GCC sector is booming, with Karnataka’s government aiming to double GCCs in the state by 2029. Industry reports expect the Indian GCC market to reach up to $105 billion by 2030, reflecting the country’s increasing role in global business support.
Singapore’s Keppel has announced an agreement to acquire an AI-ready data centre being developed by Japan’s Mitsui Fudosan in Tokyo. The deal comes shortly after Keppel revealed plans to significantly increase its data centre funds under management, aiming to take advantage of the growing AI sector.
Mitsui Fudosan will handle the core and shell development of the facility, while Keppel’s private fund will oversee the fit-out works. The data centre is expected to be completed by 2027, with Keppel taking on the role of facility manager, which will contribute to its recurring income stream.
Keppel emphasised its ongoing partnership with Mitsui Fudosan to develop a strong pipeline of assets for its upcoming Keppel Data Centre Fund III. Financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed due to confidentiality agreements.
NTT DATA and Google Cloud have partnered to accelerate the adoption of cloud-based data analytics and generative AI solutions across the Asia Pacific region. By combining NTT DATA’s industry expertise and client base with Google Cloud’s cutting-edge technologies, the partnership aims to drive innovation, improve operational efficiency, and enhance agility for enterprises.
Specifically, the collaboration focuses on co-developing industry-specific solutions for sectors such as healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, retail, and the public sector. A new NTT DATA Google Cloud Business Unit will also be created to focus on joint solutions in data analytics, GenAI, applications, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and SAP on the Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
The expansion also involves enhancing internal expertise, as NTT DATA plans to certify at least 1,000 more engineers in the APAC region and provide advanced training to its teams to ensure successful solution delivery. With global public cloud spending projected to grow significantly, the partnership aims to capture the increasing demand for cloud services and AI-driven solutions.
The goal is to grow NTT DATA’s cloud business in APAC by more than 10 times over the next three years. By combining NTT DATA’s digital transformation portfolio with Google Cloud’s advanced technologies, the collaboration is set to drive modernisation in AI, cloud infrastructure, and cybersecurity, offering businesses secure and efficient solutions to accelerate their digital transformation.
Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOI) announced on Friday it has approved $2 billion in new investments aimed at bolstering the nation’s data centre and electronics manufacturing sectors. Among these, a significant investment comes from a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., which will allocate 32.8 billion baht ($968 million) toward the development of a hyperscale data centre. This facility is expected to strengthen Thailand’s data infrastructure, accommodating the growing demand for digital services and data management across Southeast Asia.
The BOI highlighted that these investments align with Thailand’s strategic vision to transform into a regional tech and manufacturing hub. By enhancing its digital infrastructure and encouraging foreign investment in high-tech sectors, the country hopes to create a more resilient, future-ready economy. The addition of hyperscale data centres, in particular, will enable Thailand to meet increasing demands from cloud service providers, e-commerce companies, and other data-intensive industries.
Thailand has seen a surge in interest from global tech giants looking to establish operations in Southeast Asia, a region marked by rapid digital adoption and economic growth. BOI’s continued support for high-tech projects like these reflects the country’s focus on building a sustainable ecosystem for digital and electronics manufacturing, positioning Thailand as a key player in Asia’s digital economy.
Google Cloud has launched its first in-house Arm-based CPU, called the Axion chip, now available to all cloud customers, including streaming services like Spotify and Paramount. Designed with Arm Holdings technology, the Axion chip offers about 60% greater energy efficiency than traditional processors from Intel and AMD, allowing developers to save power for other intensive tasks, such as AI, according to Mark Lohmeyer, Google Cloud‘s vice president of compute and AI infrastructure.
Google joins Amazon, Microsoft, and Ampere Computing in offering Arm-based processors that provide high performance with lower electricity usage. The Axion chip, delivered via a service called an ‘instance,’ represents Google Cloud’s growing focus on energy-efficient computing solutions. Though Google Cloud has used Ampere’s Arm-based chips in the past, it intends to shift more focus to its own Axion chip as the primary option for cloud customers moving forward.
Google Cloud has already been using the Axion chip internally, powering various cloud services for some time. Lohmeyer stated the Axion chip’s enhanced efficiency and integration into Google’s infrastructure mark a significant milestone in Google’s cloud technology portfolio.
Alphabet’s recent earnings report showcases a robust 35% surge in Google Cloud revenue for the third quarter, signalling a strong demand for AI-driven cloud computing and setting a promising tone for competitors Microsoft and Amazon. The jump, the fastest pace of growth in two years, has sent Alphabet’s shares up by 5.5%, reflecting investor optimism about the company’s expanding foothold in the cloud sector. Analysts had anticipated growth of around 29%, making this an even stronger-than-expected outcome for Google’s cloud division.
While Alphabet’s cloud segment remains smaller than Amazon’s AWS and Microsoft’s Azure, its performance has been noteworthy, accounting for 13% of Alphabet’s third-quarter revenue, up from 11% a year prior. This consistent growth aligns with Google’s continued investment in AI-powered tools and custom chips, like the Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), which have set it apart from competitors by enhancing cloud capabilities for AI applications. Analysts like Angelo Zino of CFRA Research believe Google may deliver the most impressive cloud growth numbers this quarter.
Google has been pouring resources into AI advancements across its cloud and search businesses, including its chatbot Gemini, which offers AI-generated code, data processing, and cybersecurity tools. These innovations, combined with the Vertex AI platform that enables custom model creation, have made Google Cloud a compelling choice for organisations seeking advanced AI solutions.
Investments in AI are also fueling Alphabet’s core advertising business, which rose 10% in the quarter, and supporting its broader cloud infrastructure expansion. Google has announced plans to invest billions in new data centres worldwide to strengthen its market presence and technological capabilities.
In its latest earnings call, Alphabet’s new CFO, Anat Ashkenazi, confirmed that capital expenditures in 2025 are expected to surpass this year’s, underlining the company’s commitment to scaling its AI and cloud capabilities. Analysts like Gil Luria of D.A. Davidson emphasise that Google Cloud’s outstanding performance in recent quarters showcases Alphabet’s success in turning AI investments into substantial revenue growth, solidifying its position in a competitive market.
INTRO Technology has entered into a strategic partnership with Sterling and Wilson Data Center (SWDC) by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the Kemet Data Center project located in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE). Under this agreement, SWDC will serve as the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor, overseeing key responsibilities such as design, planning, budgeting, and timeline management.
That partnership is significant for enhancing Egypt’s digital infrastructure and solidifying the country’s role as a leader in the data centre and cloud services industry. The Kemet Data Center is designed to meet the growing demand for cloud services, the Internet of Things (IoT), and digital transformation across the Middle East and Africa, providing secure and scalable data storage solutions.
Both Hatem Suliman, Vice Chairman and Group CEO of INTRO Holding, and Prasanna Sarambale, CEO of SWDC, expressed their enthusiasm for the collaboration, emphasising their commitment to international standards and alignment with Egypt’s Vision 2030. The partnership is crucial as it combines the technological expertise of INTRO Technology with SWDC’s extensive experience in constructing high-quality data centres.
Why does it matter?
By enhancing the digital infrastructure in Egypt, the Kemet Data Center will position the country as a competitive hub for international investments, foster economic growth, and support job creation. Ultimately, this collaboration will facilitate access to advanced digital solutions, driving innovation and contributing to Egypt’s strategic vision for a digitally transformed economy.
Apple is raising the stakes in its commitment to data security by offering up to $1M to researchers who can identify vulnerabilities in its new Private Cloud Compute service, set to debut next week. The service will support Apple’s on-device AI model, Apple Intelligence, enabling more powerful AI tasks while prioritising user privacy. The bug bounty program targets serious flaws, with the top rewards reserved for exploits that could allow remote code execution on Private Cloud Compute servers.
Apple’s updated bug bounty program also includes rewards up to $250,000 for any vulnerability that could expose sensitive customer information or user prompts processed by the private cloud. Security issues affecting sensitive user data in less critical ways can still earn researchers substantial rewards, signaling Apple’s broad commitment to protecting its users’ AI data.
With this move, Apple builds on past security initiatives, including its specialised research iPhones designed to enhance device security. The new Private Cloud Compute bug bounty is part of Apple’s approach to ensure that as its AI capabilities grow, so does its infrastructure to keep user data secure.
Moro Hub and the UAE Space Agency have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a strategic partnership to enhance digital transformation within the space sector. The collaboration seeks to leverage Moro Hub’s advanced digital solutions to support the operational goals of the UAE Space Agency.
The key objectives of the MoU include improving operational efficiency through cloud services and cybersecurity, enhancing customer engagement with innovative digital platforms, and creating a competitive advantage that positions the UAE Space Agency as a leader in both the regional and global space sectors. That partnership marks a milestone in the technological evolution of the UAE Space Agency, as it aims to accelerate digital capabilities essential for successful space missions and aligns with the broader vision of the UAE government to reinforce innovation across various sectors.
The enthusiasm surrounding this collaboration highlights its potential to reshape operations and drive advancements, ultimately contributing to the UAE’s ambition to explore new frontiers in space and technology.
