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Spotify Introduces Full-Length Music Videos in Premium Beta Launch
Swedish music streaming giant Spotify is set to revolutionize its platform by introducing full-length music videos in a limited beta launch exclusively for premium subscribers. This move marks Spotify's foray into a domain long dominated by YouTube, signalling a strategic shift in the company's offerings after nearly two decades of YouTube's dominance in the market.
Internet Disruptions Plague South Africa Amid Undersea Cable Breaks
South Africa struggled with widespread internet disruptions on Thursday as multiple undersea cable breaks wreaked havoc on the country's connectivity. Vodacom spokesman Byron Kennedy confirmed to TechCentral that the internet disruptions stemmed from undersea cable failures between South Africa and Europe, affecting various network providers including Vodacom. The incident, reported at 2:22 PM on Thursday,
inDrive Secures $150 Million in Financing Extension Round
In a significant development within the mobility technology sector, ride-hailing app inDrive has successfully raised $150 million in a financing extension round. This milestone comes just over a year following the initial infusion of $150 million from General Catalyst in February 2023. Dmitry Sedov, Chief Financial Officer at inDrive, revealed that the financing extension possesses
Rectron enables a drone startup to expand and drive innovation in the SA industry
Information and communications technology distributor Rectron has partnered with NTSU Aviation Solutions, a comprehensive remotely Piloted/Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS or drones) service provider, to enable it to grow skills and infrastructure in this critical, yet severely under-resourced industry. With an investment of over R650 000, Rectron is empowering NTSU Aviation to invest into placing drone pilots,
Reliance Expands Entertainment Business with Acquisition of Paramount's Stake in Viacom18
Reliance, led by Mukesh Ambani, has announced its acquisition of Paramount Global's 13% stake in Viacom18 for $517 million, signalling a significant move in Asia's entertainment industry. This acquisition comes shortly after Reliance struck a multibillion-dollar deal with Disney, further solidifying its presence in the sector. The transaction will increase Reliance's stake in Viacom18, which
Omnispace Partners with MTN Group to Expand Mobile Connectivity Across Africa
Omnispace, a US-based satellite broadband service provider, has joined forces with MTN Group in a collaborative initiative aimed at enhancing the mobile operator's terrestrial mobile network. The partnership between the two companies will harness 3GPP (mobile) standards to deliver services to mobile consumers and enterprise internet-of-things (IoT) customers across MTN's markets in Africa. Ram Viswanathan,
Microsoft 365 Users facing Service Disruption, Email Services Impacted
Microsoft 365 users across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) have experienced issues with the platform since approximately 13:00 this afternoon, encountering difficulties accessing various software and cloud-based services provided by the developer. According to Microsoft 365 Status on X, the company is actively investigating reports of the issue affecting some users in the
Africa's Web3 Awakening: The $UBUNTU Token Launches in Africarare
As we stand at the forefront of digital innovation, we are reminded of a powerful fact – Africa is set to have 1/3 of the world's youth by 2030 and is one of the fastest-growing continents globally. The time is now for Africa to rise. This month marks the eagerly anticipated launch of the $UBUNTU
Elon Musk's X Terminates Partnership with CNN's Don Lemon Following Premiere Interview
Elon Musk's X has abruptly terminated a planned partnership with CNN veteran Don Lemon, shortly after Lemon interviewed Musk for the premiere episode of a new show. Lemon revealed that he received notice of the decision hours after conducting the interview, which is still scheduled to air as the first episode of The Don Lemon
Partnership with Business shows that we are Better Together
The remarkable progress achieved in the partnership between government and business over the last nine months demonstrates the effectiveness of collaborative efforts. The partnership was initiated in June last year to address critical issues such as the electricity supply crisis, challenges in freight rail and port operations, as well as crime and corruption, all identified
Fate of TikTok Hangs in Balance as Senate Considers Legislation
The future of TikTok, the app that is widely used by 170 million Americans, now rests in the hands of 100 senators as the House passes a measure, 352 to 65, to ban the platform unless its Chinese owner divests it. While TikTok has swiftly turned its lobbying efforts towards the Senate, concerns linger over
South Africa Cancels Deal to Sell Majority Stake in Flagship Airline
South Africa has abandoned plans to sell a controlling interest in its flagship carrier after three years of negotiations failed to reach an agreement on value and other terms, announced Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan. The government had intended to divest 51% of the loss-making South African Airways (SAA) to the Takatso group, comprising Global
Youverify Secures $2.5 Million Investment from Elm to Ramp Up Anti-Money Laundering Solutions
Youverify, a leading Nigerian provider of identity verification and anti-money laundering (AML) solutions for financial institutions and startups, has announced a significant investment of $2.5 million from Elm, a specialist in offering digital solutions to both public and private institutions in Saudi Arabia. This pre-Series A funding round also entails a strategic partnership aimed at
Standard Bank Group Reports 14% Surge in Technology Costs Amid Cloud Migration
Standard Bank Group disclosed a notable 14% increase in software, cloud, and technology-related expenditures, attributing the uptick to investments in cloud migration, software licenses, and initiatives centered around personalization and AI-driven projects. In its financial results for the year ending December 31, 2023, the bank revealed that costs in software, cloud, and technology-related domains, previously
Amazon Streamlines Listing Creation with AI-Powered Tool for Sellers
In a bid to enhance the efficiency of its marketplace, Amazon unveiled new generative AI-powered features last year, aimed at assisting sellers in swiftly crafting listings with minimal input. Now, the e-commerce behemoth is taking another stride towards simplifying the listing creation process, particularly for items already present on their platform. This innovative tool harnesses
Old Mutual Faces Public Outcry Despite Apology for Pension Payment Delay
Old Mutual, a leading insurance provider, is grappling with a public relations crisis and widespread skepticism following accusations from Sebabatso Molefi that the company defied a court order to pay her mother's pension. Despite issuing an apology on Tuesday, Old Mutual's explanation efforts have been met with public outrage. The social media post by Molefi
Moroccan FinTech Tookeez Raises $1.5M to Expand Loyalty Platform
Moroccan FinTech startup Tookeez has recently announced a successful funding round that raised $1.5 million, with the Azur Innovation Fund leading the investment. This public-private seed capital fund, renowned for supporting innovative ventures, is specifically committed to advancing the landscape of customer loyalty in Africa and the MENA region. The substantial capital infusion marks a
Google Defends Revenue Contribution from News Queries Amidst Criticism
Google has refuted claims of substantial revenue generation from news content, citing figures from 2022 that indicate news queries account for less than 2% of total search query volumes in South Africa. Marianne Erasmus, Google News partner lead for sub-Saharan Africa, presented the company's perspective to the Competition Commission during its inquiry into media and
African Development Bank Urges End to Natural Resource-Backed Loans, Citing Risks
The President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina, has called for an end to natural resource-backed loans, highlighting the inherent risks associated with such deals. In an interview with the Associated Press, Adesina expressed concerns about the challenges posed by pricing the assets properly and the asymmetric nature of negotiations, where lenders often hold
Unlimit Expands African Footprint with Acquisition of Payment License in Tanzania
Fintech powerhouse Unlimit has marked its entry into the Tanzanian market by securing approval from the Bank of Tanzania (BOT) for its payment service provider license. This strategic move follows similar licenses granted in Nigeria and Kenya last year, emphasizing Unlimit's commitment to bolstering its presence across Africa. The BOT's authorization enables Unlimit to offer