Should you still buy your next smartphone — or subscribe to it instead?

Should you still buy your next smartphone — or subscribe to it instead?

The smartphone industry’s next battleground may not be the phone itself, but how consumers get it. As premium devices become more expensive, Apple, Samsung, and others are betting that leasing, subscriptions, and guaranteed buyback programs can make upgrading more attractive. This week, Apple launched Apple Upgrade in the U.S. in partnership with Klarna, allowing consumers…

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ServiceNow bets  million on Indian banking software specialist to expand its financial services push

ServiceNow bets $40 million on Indian banking software specialist to expand its financial services push

ServiceNow, the U.S. enterprise software company known for automating workflows like IT service management and HR operations, is betting on an Indian banking software specialist to deepen its push into global financial services. The company has invested $40 million in BusinessNext, valuing the 24-year-old Indian firm at $700 million and taking a roughly 5% stake….

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Vertu wants executives to pay ,880 for an AI agent — here’s how it actually performs

Vertu wants executives to pay $6,880 for an AI agent — here’s how it actually performs

AI has become the smartphone industry’s latest battleground, with manufacturers racing to add AI-powered features to attract mainstream consumers. Vertu is taking a different path. The UK-founded luxury phone maker, known for hand-finished devices often costing tens of thousands of dollars, sells status instead of specs. Its Alphafold, a foldable phone, targets affluent buyers, particularly…

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After Apple, India’s smartphone manufacturing boom enters new phase with Vivo JV

After Apple, India’s smartphone manufacturing boom enters new phase with Vivo JV

India on Thursday approved a manufacturing joint venture between China’s Vivo and local manufacturer Dixon Technologies, a move that could mark the next phase of the country’s smartphone manufacturing boom after Apple helped turn India into a global smartphone production hub. The approval allows Vivo to proceed with a long-delayed manufacturing partnership first announced in…

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