MEF Mobile News Weekly Wrap

Apple Unveils iPhone 16e: AI Power on a Budget

Apple has unveiled the iPhone 16e, a more budget-friendly option that still packs some serious AI power—because who says you can’t have brains and a bargain?

While it shares the same processor as the iPhone 16 and similar storage options, you’ll find a bit less camera magic and a few other downgrades.

This move comes as Apple tries to breathe new life into iPhone sales, which took a bit of a hit last year.

By adding AI features to a more affordable device, they’re hoping to reel in more buyers, though analysts are still wondering if AI alone is the sales hero we’re hoping for.

The iPhone 16e’s vibe is reminiscent of the iPhone SE series, which offered affordable alternatives between 2016 and 2022. Pre-orders start on February 21 in 59 countries.

Signal Users Targeted by Russian Hackers in New Social Engineering Tactic

Signal, the encrypted messaging app, remains a secure platform, but its growing use as a tool to evade surveillance has made it a target for Russian-affiliated threat actors.

According to Google’s Threat Intelligence Group, these actors are attempting to manipulate Signal users into unknowingly linking their devices, rather than exploiting any actual vulnerability in the app.

Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine is believed to be a key driver behind these efforts, but Google anticipates that these tactics will spread beyond Ukraine to other regions and threat actors.

While social engineering remains one of the most effective ways to compromise secure platforms, Signal’s latest versions have introduced new security features to counter these phishing campaigns. Google also pointed out that Microsoft 365 accounts have recently been targeted by Russia-linked OAuth phishing attacks using a “device code flow” method.

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Google Messages Now Lets You Message Yourself via RCS

Many popular messaging apps now allow users to send messages to themselves, providing a quick and accessible way to jot down notes, save links, or store media. While WhatsApp introduced self-messaging with end-to-end encryption in 2022, Google Messages has historically only supported self-SMS messaging—until now.

Within the last month, Google has silently enabled self-messaging via RCS (Rich Communication Services). This upgrade allows users to send high-resolution images, videos, GIFs, and other media with no character limit, all over Wi-Fi and cellular networks.

This enhancement makes Google Messages a more viable alternative to dedicated note-taking apps like Google Keep, offering a seamless and feature-rich personal messaging experience.

World Bank Report Highlights Digital Payment Gaps Across Africa

The World Bank’s Global Findex 2021 highlights the transformative impact of mobile money in Sub-Saharan Africa, driving financial inclusion across the region.

However, despite these gains, cash transactions still dominate, particularly among women and the 400 million young people (ages 15-35) who remain financially underserved.

A key driver of financial inclusion is the ability to send and receive payments digitally, yet mobile money usage for purchases and bill payments remains low.

In Southern Africa, 50% of account holders made digital merchant payments in the year before the survey, often influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in other African sub-regions, this figure drops to below 15%.

When it comes to utility payments, cash remains the dominant method. Only East and Southern Africa see around half of utility payments made digitally, while North Africa lags significantly with adoption rates under 5%.?

These insights emphasize the need for greater efforts in digitizing financial transactions to expand economic opportunities, particularly for marginalized groups.