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E-Business

Google targeting Business Segments with Chromebook- Gartner

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Worldwide Chromebook sales to end users is on pace to reach 7.3 million units in 2015, a 27 percent increase from 2014, according to Gartner, Inc.

Education is the primary market for Chromebooks and represented 72 percent of the global Chromebook market in 2014; now Google is even targeting business segment with the product.

“Since the first model launched in mid-2011, Google’s Chromebook has seen success mainly in the education segment across all regions,” said Isabelle Durand, principal analyst at Gartner. “In 2014, the education sector purchased 72 percent of Chromebooks in EMEA, 69 percent in Asia/Pacific, and 60 percent in the U.S. (see Table 1).”

In the business segment, purchases of Chromebooks remain low despite interest from small and midsize businesses (SMBs) and vertical industries.

According to the report by Gartner, a US-based firm, Google is increasingly targeting the business segment with its Chromebook for Work suite of office applications and has continuously improved access and functions by making more applications and services available offline.

“Chromebook is a device that can be considered by SMBs or new startup companies that do not have the resources to invest too much in IT infrastructure,” said Ms. Durand. “Chromebooks will become a valid device choice for employees as enterprises seek to provide simple, secure, low-cost and easy-to-manage access to new web applications and legacy systems, unless a specific application forces a Windows decision.”

Google is gaining credibility and seeing success with Chromebooks in the consumer retail space, but has to improve brand awareness, especially outside the U.S. market, where consumers who may be familiar with apps such as Google Docs do not know what a Chromebook is and what value it may bring.

“The majority of Chromebook users are tech-savvy individuals who purchase one as a companion device to their primary notebook or desktop PC. Others are buying a Chromebook for the household to use as a second low-cost PC alternative,” said Ms. Durand.

“The major factors that affect the adoption of Chromebooks by consumers remain the connectivity issue in emerging markets, but also the ability for users to understand and get used to cloud-based applications, and keep content in the cloud and ecosystem,” said Ms. Durand.

From a regional perspective, 84 percent of Chromebooks were sold in North America in 2014, with the U.S. market the largest single market in 2014 (see Table 2).

EMEA, which represented 11 percent of total sales of Chromebooks in 2014, is the secondary focus for vendors with Western Europe as the primary target. In Asia/Pacific the Chromebook market represented less than 3 percent in 2014, with demand coming from Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

After Samsung’s decision to exit the European Chromebook market and focus on tablets, Acer took the lead to become the No. 1 worldwide Chromebook vendor in 2014.

Acer sold more than 2 million units in 2014. Samsung held the No. 2 position with 1.7 million units sold in 2014 and HP, a late entrant to the market, was ranked No. 3, with 1 million units, thanks to its strong connection with education partners.

Chromebooks, as defined by Gartner, are mobile computing devices from a range of manufacturers that run Google’s Chrome OS.

They are designed primarily to access cloud services, cloud storage (typically Google’s offerings) and Web-based applications.

All applications are accessed or downloaded from the Google Chrome Web Store (an Internet connection is required, or at least highly preferred).

Gartner, Inc. is the world’s leading information technology research and advisory company.

The company delivers the technology-related insight necessary for its clients to make the right decisions, every day.

From CIOs and senior IT leaders in corporations and government agencies, to business leaders in high-tech and telecom enterprises and professional services firms, to technology investors, Gartner is the valuable partner to clients in approximately 10,000 distinct enterprises worldwide.

Through the resources of Gartner Research, Gartner Executive Programs, Gartner Consulting and Gartner Events, Gartner works with every client to research, analyze and interpret the business of IT within the context of their individual role.

 


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

E-Business

Court Affirms ARCON’s Power to Regulate Ads on Social Media, Others

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Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has declared that Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has the legal authority to regulate advertising across all media platforms, including traditional outlets such as print and broadcast, as well as digital and social media.

Court Affirms ARCON’s Power to Regulate Ads on Social Media, Others

The landmark ruling strengthens the regulatory powers of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria.

The ruling was delivered by Honourable Justice Aluko in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1262/2024, filed by Digi Bay Limited (trading under the name and style of Betway Nigeria), Super Group Limited, and Otunba Kunle Olamuyiwa against the Attorney General of the Federation and ARCON.

The originating summons, dated 12 July 2024, sought a judicial determination of ARCON’s powers, particularly concerning advertising content published on digital platforms and by individuals not registered as advertising practitioners.

The court held that ARCON possesses the statutory authority to regulate all forms of advertising, regardless of the platform on which they appear.

The judgement also stated unequivocally that ARCON’s regulatory mandate extends beyond registered advertising agencies and includes private individuals who engage in advertising activities.

Justice Aluko emphasised that the determining factor is the nature of the activity—advertising—not the status of the individual or entity as a practitioner or non-practitioner.

One of the most significant outcomes of the ruling was the court’s position on social media regulation, affirming that ARCON, as the apex regulatory body in the nation’s advertising ecosystem, has the power to regulate advertisements on platforms such as Instagram, despite being privately owned.

The court noted that social media platforms are publicly accessible spaces used to broadcast advertising to wide audiences and, as such, fall under ARCON’s jurisdiction.

Regarding whether ARCON has the power to impose sanctions or fines on erring individuals or entities, the court provided clarity by affirming that ARCON may issue letters of violation or notices of infractions.

However, the power to determine and impose sanctions, it stated, resides solely with the Advertising Offences Tribunal, as prescribed by law.

The court also ruled that all advertising content—whether created by agencies, organisations, or individuals—must be vetted and approved by ARCON before being published or aired.

This decision reinforces ARCON’s role as the central authority responsible for ensuring that all advertising materials conform to ethical and professional standards, regardless of the platform.

Several practitioners in the nation’s advertising sector view the judgement as a significant legal victory for ARCON, especially in light of the increasing challenges it has faced since transitioning from the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) to ARCON under a revised legal framework, which extended the scope and influence of its powers.

In recent years, the agency has faced legal and media scrutiny from various quarters regarding the extent of its regulatory powers, particularly in the rapidly growing and often unregulated digital advertising space.

The decision, they argued, will have far-reaching implications for content creators, influencers, advertisers, and brands operating within the country, as compliance with ARCON’s vetting and regulatory processes becomes legally binding.

The ruling also signals a new phase in Nigeria’s advertising industry, where regulatory oversight will no longer be limited to traditional media and certain digital channels but will encompass the entire spectrum of public communication.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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Zoho Suspends $700m Chipmaking Plan

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Zoho, Indian software firmhas suspended its year-long pursuit of a $700 million plan to expand into chip manufacturing, its co-founder said, confirming a story and dealing another blow to the Indian government’s semiconductor plans.

Zoho Suspends $700m Chipmaking Plan

Zoho struggled to find the right technology partner required to advise on complex chipmaking processes, one source familiar with the matter told newsmen earlier.

Report said that Indian billionaire Gautam Adani’s group has also paused discussions with Israel’s Tower Semiconductor for its $10 billion chip project following an internal evaluation by the Indian group.

Zoho, valued at around $12 billion, offers cheaper alternatives to cloud-based software tools made by the likes of Microsoft.

Its billionaire co-founder, Sridhar Vembu is known for his popular and unconventional approach of locating business operations in rural villages.

Vembu confirmed the decision after the story was published, saying “we did not have that confidence in the tech,” in a social media post.

“Since this business is so capital intensive, it requires government backing, we wanted to be absolutely sure of the technology path before we take taxpayer money,” he said.

In a bid to diversify, Zoho had planned to invest $400 million in a semiconductor facility in Karnataka state in south India.

The entire chipmaking plan, first reported by newsmen in May 2024, has for now been suspended.

Representatives for Karnataka state did not respond to a request for comment.

Zoho’s retreat will be a setback to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has for several years tried to lure companies in his pursuit to make India a global chip manufacturing hub.

India does not have a single operational chipmaking facility.

Zoho, established in 1996, offers software and related services on subscription to businesses in 150 countries and has over 18,000 employees and more than 120 million users.

Zoho’s Silectric Semiconductor Manufacturing last year made a handful of hires and formed a board to oversee chipmaking efforts, the source, who gave the reason for the failed plan, said.

The Karnataka government said in December it had given landmark approval to Zoho’s planned $400 million facility in Mysuru region, which would have generated 460 jobs and been the first such project in the state.

 

 

 

 


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FG Partners UK to Combat Cross-border Cyber-crime

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The federal government and the United Kingdom signed an agreement Tuesday to combat the growing threat of cyber-crime. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed following a courtesy visit by David George Hanson, minister of the home office, UK, to the Nigeria Police Force headquarters, Louis Edet House in Abuja.

Transnational crime is a big problem for both the UK and Nigeria, so the governments intend to strengthen existing collaboration efforts to crack down on cyber-criminals and protect their industries from unlawful activities.

Offences such as online fraud, identity theft, digital extortion, and ransomware , operate across many jurisdictions, and frequently necessitate sophisticated cooperation efforts, according to the two governments during a press conference.

Furthermore, Lateef Fagbemi, Nigeria’s attorney-general and minister of justice, established the Joint Case Team on Cybercrime, which aims to address the need for a coordinated and robust approach to combating cybercrime, as stated in the Cybercrimes Act of 2015, which criminalises cyber-related offences.

Hanson underlined the importance of ongoing cooperation efforts to combat international crime in a number of areas, affecting vulnerable individuals.

He said: “We need to look again at how we can build cooperation between the Federal Government, the federal police, and our police forces and National Crime Agency to take action against these international criminals, who are exploiting vulnerable people in a whole range of areas. The National Crime Agency, the Home Office Fraud Department, and the High Commission need to make sure we make a big impact on this transnational crime.”

“The collaboration between the Nigerian Police Force and National Crime Agency continues to serve as a model in international law enforcement cooperation. We have successfully conducted joint operations into many cases of cybercrimes and online fraud. With your [UK government] cooperation, we have continued to bust other criminal networks around the world,” added inspector-general of Nigerian Police Force, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun.

 


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