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US House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan demanded EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera clarify how she enforces the European Union’s rules reining in Big Tech, saying they appear to target US companies.

The request came two days after US President Donald Trump signed a memorandum warning that his administration would scrutinise the EU’s Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act “that dictate how American companies interact with consumers in the European Union”.

The Digital Markets Act sets out a list of dos and don’ts for Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Booking.com, ByteDance, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, aimed at securing a level playing field and giving consumers more choices.

“We write to express our concerns that the DMA may target American companies,” Jordan wrote in a letter sent to Ribera on Sunday and seen by Reuters, saying that the rules subject companies to burdensome regulations and give European companies an advantage.

He criticised fines up to 10% of global annual revenues for DMA violations.

“These severe fines appear to have two goals: to compel businesses to follow European standards worldwide, and as a European tax on American companies,” Jordan said.

He also took a swipe at the DMA requirements, saying some of them could benefit China.

“These, along with other provisions of the DMA, stifle innovation, disincentivize research and development, and hand vast amounts of highly valuable proprietary data to companies and adversarial nations,” Jordan said.

He urged Ribera to brief the judiciary committee by March 10.

The European Commission, where Ribera is the second most powerful official after its president, Ursula von der Leyen, has denied taking aim at American companies.

Ribera in an interview with Reuters last Monday said the EU executive should not be pushed into making changes to laws that have been approved by lawmakers. Reuters

Apple pulled off a rare feat in China two years ago. The iPhone became the country’s bestselling smartphone, surpassing a host of domestic rivals.

But that reign is over—a casualty, in part, of the escalating US-China technology Cold War.

Apple has fallen from first to third in the country, dethroned by two Chinese companies, Vivo and Huawei, that offered similar features at lower costs as China’s economy slumped.

Now Apple has a new offering in the world’s biggest smartphone market. Deliveries of its iPhone 16e, a cheaper version of its flagship device, will begin in China this week at a starting price of about $600. That makes it eligible for a national stimulus program that gives consumers a subsidy for purchasing smartphones under $800.

The new device gives Apple a chance to get more competitive in China, but its challenges there go beyond the economy.

While Apple’s newest offering is aimed at thriftier consumers, its Chinese rivals are becoming more sophisticated. On Tuesday in Kuala Lumpur, Huawei announced an international version of its double-folding Mate XTsmartphone. The $3,700 device can transform into a 10-inch tablet, with two creases that are noticeable but not overly pronounced.

There is also a less-visible force at play: The Chinese government is giving local companies a helping hand.

Chinese smartphone makers have already released popular artificial-intelligence features, but China hasn’t yet approved AIfor iPhones . And Beijing has more directly supported Huawei in particular.

Apple was an unlikely smartphone champion in China. It trailed Chinese brands for years, before getting an assist from Washington.

Around five years ago, the US government imposed sanctions that made it hard for Huawei to buy components essential to making competitive phones. Washington was concerned Huawei would use its smartphone revenue to bolster other businesses, such as cellular-network infrastructure and computer chips.

As a result, Huawei—which had briefly risen to be a global smartphone leader—saw sales plummet in its home market, China. That downturn benefited Apple, which in 2023 led the Chinese market with a 17.4% share, according to International Data Corporation.

But last year, Apple slipped to 15.5%, falling behind Vivo’s 17.2% and Huawei’s 16.6%.

One reason is China’s economic slowdown has people considering cheaper options, said IDCanalyst Will Wong. He said the average selling price of smartphones from Vivo, Huawei and Apple last year was respectively $298, $658 and $1,007.

While Chinese smartphone makers have already released AIfeatures, such as image-editing tools or instantaneous language translation, Chinese regulators haven’t yet allowed Apple to do the same with its AIfeatures, called Apple Intelligence.

In China, AImodels need government approval before companies can offer them for public use. Apple’s global partner, OpenAI, doesn’t operate in China. Instead, Apple is working with Chinese tech giants Alibaba and Baidu with the aim of having its AIfeatures approved later this year, people familiar with the matter said.

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said in a January earnings call that markets where Apple Intelligence was available on the iPhone 16 had a stronger year-over-year performance versus places where those services weren’t available.

China has propped up Huawei amid the US sanctions, funneling billions of dollars to it in the form of preferential buying contracts and subsidies from organizations connected with the Chinese government or its ruling Communist Party.

Those deals have helped Huawei overcome its handicaps. It developed its own phone operating system after US sanctions made it hard for Huawei to keep using Google’s Android. And though export controls mean Huawei smartphones must run on less-advanced chips, which would normally result in slower performance and worse battery life, Huawei found a workaround.

“They’ve been able to, through design ingenuity, overcome the export controls,” said G. Dan Hutcheson , vice chairman of TechInsights, a research firm. It studied Huawei’s new double-folding phone by disassembling it. Hutcheson said Huawei compensated for the chip handicap with software that squeezed the most out of the hardware.

Combined with improving its supply-chain snags toproduce more midrange phones, IDCanalyst Wong said, Huawei sold 50% more smartphones last year compared with 2023, while Apple fell 5%.

“Innovation is how Huawei gained market share in China,” said Alex Huang, chief marketing officer of Huawei’s consumer business. “Even if we have some difficulties because of the US sanctions, every year in the consumer business group, we keep on investing in research and development.” LiveMint

Acting on the Central Government’s directive to investigate Infosys’ recent layoffs of freshers at its Mysuru campus, Karnataka Labour Minister Santosh Lad spoke with the company’s management.

Lad met with senior officials from the Labour Department and Infosys at Bengaluru’s Vikas Soudha. He urged greater transparency in layoffs, consistent recruitment policies across IT firms, a stress-free work environment, and the challenges female employees face.

The minister told the company officials, “We don’t know what industry practices are because we don’t meet and discuss them frequently. We only meet for things like signing MOUs, but are yet to understand labour practices. We should have more interactions. You must build a consensus with the government so we are more aligned on the matter, because when people ask us questions we are clueless. Being a second-term minister, I’m trying to understand the process. Only when I sit and speak with you, I can upgrade myself, get better insights and analyse the complaints.”

Infosys management officials stated that the criteria for termination is over two consecutive years of under-performance.

“For performance-based terminations, we have a certain policy. If someone has been a low performer for two years continuously, we have a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). If they clear the 60-90 days PIP, they can continue with us. Otherwise, we show them a show-cause notice and issue them termination. It’s never sudden. We also call them and tell them they’re not performing. The person can always opt to resign and we give them additional months of salary so they can find a job somewhere else.”

Lad also highlighted complaints about the IT industry hiring aggressively, only to bench thousands and trim the workforce when projects decline to maintain profitability, to which the company officials replied the percentage of those being terminated annually is less than 1%. He said Infosys currently has 20,000-25,000 people on the bench. The Hindu BusinessLine

Salary increments in India’s USD 250 billion IT services sector are projected to be moderate in fiscal year 2025, as companies navigate a complex landscape of global economic uncertainties, evolving skill demands, and the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), according to experts.

Industry experts predict an average wage increase of 4-8.5 per cent, a notable step down from previous years, signalling a shift towards more pragmatic compensation strategies.

“The outlook for salary hikes this year is quite cautious,” noted Krishna Vij, VP, of TeamLease Digital.

Industry players are looking at increments in the 4 per cent to 8.5 per cent range, which is lower than what we’ve seen in previous years. This slowdown is largely due to global economic challenges, reduced discretionary spending, and shifting business priorities.

” Companies are being more conservative with their salary budgets, and many have even pushed their appraisal cycles beyond the usual April-June period”, she said, which has made salary revisions less predictable in the current scenario.

“Organisations are shifting to skills-based pay, leveraging Tier II hiring for cost efficiency. Instead of salary hikes, retention bonuses, ESOPs, and project-based incentives are being implemented as compensation strategies,” Vij said.

Reed & Willow CEO Janoo Motiani also gave a similar expected hike range, pegging it between 5-8.5 per cent.

“The days of double-digit hikes seem behind us–at least for now. The industry is settling into a more pragmatic rhythm, with average hikes expected to hover between 5 per cent and 8.5 per cent. This aligns with the cautious optimism seen across the sector” she said.

“TCS has taken the lead, announcing hikes ranging from 4-8 per cent effective April 2025, setting the tone for the rest of the industry. However, Infosys, HCLTech, Wipro, and Tech Mahindra are holding off on final announcements, likely waiting to gauge market movements in Q2 before locking in their plans,” she shared.

While this might seem like a conservative approach, she said, it reflects the market reality–tempered growth, the rise of AI-led efficiencies, and shifting client demands are influencing how companies allocate compensation budgets.

Salary increments in India’s USD 250 billion IT services sector are projected to be moderate in fiscal year 2025, as companies navigate a complex landscape of global economic uncertainties, evolving skill demands, and the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), according to experts.

Industry experts predict an average wage increase of 4-8.5 per cent, a notable step down from previous years, signalling a shift towards more pragmatic compensation strategies.

“The outlook for salary hikes this year is quite cautious,” noted Krishna Vij, VP, of TeamLease Digital.

Industry players are looking at increments in the 4 per cent to 8.5 per cent range, which is lower than what we’ve seen in previous years. This slowdown is largely due to global economic challenges, reduced discretionary spending, and shifting business priorities.

” Companies are being more conservative with their salary budgets, and many have even pushed their appraisal cycles beyond the usual April-June period”, she said, which has made salary revisions less predictable in the current scenario.

“Organisations are shifting to skills-based pay, leveraging Tier II hiring for cost efficiency. Instead of salary hikes, retention bonuses, ESOPs, and project-based incentives are being implemented as compensation strategies,” Vij said.

Reed & Willow CEO Janoo Motiani also gave a similar expected hike range, pegging it between 5-8.5 per cent.

“The days of double-digit hikes seem behind us–at least for now. The industry is settling into a more pragmatic rhythm, with average hikes expected to hover between 5 per cent and 8.5 per cent. This aligns with the cautious optimism seen across the sector” she said.

“TCS has taken the lead, announcing hikes ranging from 4-8 per cent effective April 2025, setting the tone for the rest of the industry. However, Infosys, HCLTech, Wipro, and Tech Mahindra are holding off on final announcements, likely waiting to gauge market movements in Q2 before locking in their plans,” she shared.

While this might seem like a conservative approach, she said, it reflects the market reality–tempered growth, the rise of AI-led efficiencies, and shifting client demands are influencing how companies allocate compensation budgets.

“Demand is driven by digital transformation, GCC expansion, and talent scarcity. Niche roles like DevOps, data science, and blockchain development are also seeing premium hikes, especially for experienced professionals with specialised skills,” she added.

Adecco India observes a shift towards more agile performance management, with companies increasingly adopting mid-year or quarterly reviews to align compensation more dynamically with performance.

Further, companies are prioritising upskilling and reskilling initiatives to bridge skill gaps, and employees who actively participate in learning programs may see better salary growth and career progression.

Non-monetary benefits like flexible work, healthcare, and wellness programs are also becoming crucial retention tools, especially for companies unable to offer top-tier salary hikes.

According to the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), the IT industry accounted for 7 per cent of India’s GDP, as of FY24. PTI

Bangladesh interim government’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has invited top US businessman and Chief Executive Officer of SpaceX Elon Musk to visit the country and launch Starlink satellite internet service in the country.

In a letter on February 19, Yunus told Musk that his visit to Bangladesh would allow him to meet young Bangladeshi men and women who would be among the main beneficiaries of this leading technology.

“Let us work together to deliver our mutual vision for a better future,” he said in the letter.

“Integrating Starlink’s connectivity into Bangladesh’s infrastructure will have a transformational impact, particularly for Bangladesh’s enterprising youth, rural and vulnerable women, and remote and underserved communities,” state-run BSS news agency reported on Sunday, quoting the letter.

Yunus also asked his High Representative, Khalilur Rahman, to coordinate closely with his SpaceX team to ensure completion of the necessary work to make Starlink ready for launch in Bangladesh within the next 90 working days.

On February 13, Yunus held an extensive telephonic discussion with Musk to explore future collaboration and to make further progress in introducing Starlink satellite internet services in Bangladesh. PTI