US Trade Regulators Approve Tariff Exemption For Apple Watches
US trade regulators have approved Apple’s request to exempt Chinese-made Apple Watches from tariffs. Back in October, Apple requested exclusion from a 15% tariff that affected any imported goods from China. In addition, this tariff affected much of Apple’s products, including Apple Watches, AirPods, and HomePods.
Now, in a letter dated last Friday, the Office of the United States Trade Representatives approved Apple’s request. The products involved in the tariffs accounted for nearly 10% of Apple’s revenue in the last fiscal year. Even so, Apple stocks were down 2.3% at the end of trading.
UK Coronavirus App ‘Must Respect Privacy’
Security experts have urged health experts to respect users’ privacy as they develop an app to help fight the coronavirus pandemic. In an open letter written by a group of ‘responsible technologists’, they warn that if corners are cut regarding user privacy, the public trust in the NHS will falter. It also asks whoever is in charge to be more open about their data-collection plans.
Other countries have already introduced apps similar to this one. For example, South Korea, Singapore, and Israel all have apps that help authorities track the spread of the virus. In addition, Taiwan has introduced an electronic fence that alerts local police if a quarantined user has left their home.
Robot Designed In China Could Save Lives
Researchers at one of China’s top universities have designed a robot that could help save lives on the frontline. The machine consists of a robotic arm on wheels that can perform ultrasounds and take mouth swabs. It can also listen to sounds made by a patient’s organs, usually done with a stethoscope.
“Doctors are all very brave,” said Tsinghua University Professor Zheng Gangtie, the robot’s chief designer. “But this virus is just too contagious … We can use robots to perform the most dangerous tasks.” By using the robot, doctors can avoid infection themselves while still saving lives.
OneWeb Increased Mega-Constellation To 74 Satellites
London-based firm OneWeb launched another big set of satellites on Saturday. The rocket, launched from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, carried 34 more satellites for the purpose of building up OneWeb’s broadband internet constellation.
“High-quality connectivity is the lifeline to enabling people to work, continue their education, stay up to date on important healthcare information and stay meaningfully connected to one another. The crisis has demonstrated the imperative need for connectivity everywhere and has exposed urgent shortcomings in many organizations’ connectivity capabilities. Our satellite network is poised to fill in many of these critical gaps in the global communications infrastructure,” OneWeb said in a statement.
Self-Quarantine Pushes Demand Up For Laptops
With more and more workers working from home to help curb the spread of COVID-19, the demand for laptops, computer chips, and peripheral network goods has risen. “With more people working and learning from home during the outbreak, there has been rising demand for internet services … meaning data centers need bigger pipes to carry the traffic,” said analyst Park Sung-soon at Cape Investment & Securities.
