Mobile World Live brings you our top three picks of the week as Vodafone tested drone-enabled network recovery in preparation for MWC25 Barcelona, HP sealed a deal for AI startup Humane and WhatsApp faced new regulatory scrutiny in the EU.
Vodafone fixes for a flying MWC25
What happened: Vodafone added drone-enabled network technologies as one of its key showcases for the upcoming MWC25 Barcelona event, after successfully testing industrial drones in Spain.
Why it matters: The operator stated the demonstration highlights the potential for “novel combinations of new technologies” to boost network maintenance, with it managing around 75 to 100 fibre backhaul line disruptions annually. With its latest move aiming to use drones to restore network connectivity during outages, Vodafone is delivering on long-standing analyst expectations. Ben Wood, analyst at CCS Insight, said the development is in line with predictions made in 2021, for a mobile operator to deploy 5G-enabled drone swarms for emergency response. Vodafone’s demonstration employs drones to re-establish connectivity through wireless links when underground cables are damaged, reinforcing the growing role of aerial technology in network resilience.
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HP pins down Humane in $116M deal
What happened: HP agreed to acquire assets from AI hardware startup Humane for $116 million, with the acquisition including the startup’s AI platform dubbed Cosmos, a portfolio of more than 300 patents and its technical team.
Why it matters: The deal does not include Humane’s once much-hyped AI pin device unit, a division which the company will now apparently close down. Humane debuted the wearable in late 2023, touting it as a potential smartphone replacement, however the gadget faced harsh reviews. By 2024, reports surfaced that Humane was exploring a sale, seeking a valuation of up to $1 billion. The wearable-maker has now struck a deal with HP at a fraction of the initial rumoured asking price. For HP, technology chief Tuan Tran said Humane’s AI capabilities will boost its ability to “build the next generation of intelligent devices that seamlessly orchestrate AI requests both locally and in the cloud”.
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WhatsApp in DMA crosshairs as users top 45M
What happened: Meta Platforms-owned WhatsApp surpassed 45 million monthly active users in the European Union (EU) on its open channels feature, which subjects the offering to the EU’s Digital Services Act, enforcing stricter regulations.
Why it matters: Under EU rules, open channels are considered to be social networks. The EC classifies platforms with more than 45 million monthly active users as a Very Large Online Platform, introducing significant content moderation rules, including conducting risk assessments on illegal or harmful content and enacting mitigate measures. Failure to comply could result in fines of up to 6 per cent of a company’s global annual revenue. Given Meta Platforms reported a revenue of $164 billion in 2024, the tech giant would face a fine of up to $9.8 billion based on last year’s numbers. The development comes amid growing criticism of the European governing body’s regulatory stance, particularly from US tech companies and the Trump administration.