Top 9 Most Notable Tech Events in March 2022

Apple has halted the sales of iPhones and other products in Russia following the country's military campaign in Ukraine. Access to the company's digital services in Russia has also been restricted.

The tech giant officially announced this on March 1st. The suspension of Apple's products comes with a block on access to news, software, and many digital services through the App Store. A representative of Apple stated that the company is deeply concerned about the conflict in Ukraine and stands with all those affected by the violence.

'We are supporting humanitarian efforts, providing aid for the refugee crisis, and doing everything we can to support our teams in the region as they stand against the war.' This is a challenging decision for Apple as it faces increasing pressure to cut services and content in Russia, which is also one of its major markets. In the third quarter of last year, Apple held 15% of the smartphone market in Russia, trailing behind Samsung and Xiaomi.

Following allegations that the US social media restricted access to Russian media pages after the outbreak of conflict in Ukraine, Russia has blocked access to Facebook from its territory. Similarly, the social media platform Twitter is facing a comparable situation. In a statement on March 4, the Russian media regulatory agency Roskomnadzor accused Facebook of 'discrimination' against Russian media.

According to Roskomnadzor's data, Facebook has discriminated against Russian media 26 times since October 2020, including recent restrictions on channels backed by the state such as Russia Today (RT) and RIA Novosti.

On the same day, the Russian news agency Interfax reported that Twitter has been blocked from access in Russia. However, according to another Russian news agency Tass, Twitter's access is only restricted. The social media platform has not issued any comments yet. This action coincided with President Vladimir Putin signing into law penalties for those spreading false information about Russia's military activities in Ukraine. Maximum penalties could reach up to 15 years.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, declared it would do everything possible to restore services in Russia. Nick Clegg, the head of global affairs at Meta, described the access restriction as an act severing a reliable source of information for millions of Russians.

On March 3, the American space transportation services company SpaceX successfully launched an additional 47 Starlink Internet satellites into orbit. The launch was carried out by a Falcon 9 rocket at 9:25 local time from Space Launch Complex 39A at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, United States.

Following the launch, SpaceX confirmed the deployment of the Starlink satellites, and the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket returned to Earth, landing on the unmanned drone ship 'Just Read the Guide' in the Atlantic Ocean. According to SpaceX, this was the 11th flight of the Falcon 9 rocket to support the deployment of Starlink satellites and the 9th launch of this rocket in the first 9 weeks of 2022.

The Starlink satellites in space will provide high-speed broadband Internet to locations where access was unstable, costly, or non-existent before. Since May 2019, SpaceX has launched over 2,000 satellites, with 1,500 satellites currently operational, helping to expand Internet coverage on Earth. The company has also received regulatory approval for an additional 12,000 satellites as part of its plans to further expand Internet coverage.

US President Joe Biden has requested regulatory agencies to consider creating a digital USD, weighing the risks and benefits of a move that could significantly alter the global financial system. 'A US central bank digital currency (CBDC) has the potential to support efficient and low-cost transactions, especially for cross-border payments and transfers, while promoting greater access to financial systems,' AFP news agency cited an executive order signed by Biden on March 9.

The move by the world's largest economy comes amid the recent surge in cryptocurrencies like bitcoin. Currently, 100 countries are exploring or piloting CBDC initiatives, including China's digital yuan.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stated that the country's agencies would assess the risks to the financial stability of a digital currency. One of the provisions of this executive order is to task US government agencies with assessing the necessary technical infrastructure to support CBDC development. The US will monitor developments in the digital currency market to ensure the central position of the USD in the global economy.

In addition, agencies, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, will consider other issues related to digital currencies such as system risks and user protection. According to Yellen, due to the global impact of digital currencies, Washington will work with other governments to 'address risks related to illicit finance, protect consumers and investors, and prevent threats to financial systems and, more broadly, the economy.'

On March 6th, the video-sharing app TikTok announced the suspension of all video content uploads from Russia to ensure the safety of its employees and comply with Moscow's new regulations on combating fake news.

TikTok's announcement was posted on Twitter, stating that due to Russia's new anti-fake news law, the platform will halt live streaming and the uploading of new video content while assessing the safety implications of the law. TikTok also emphasized that its in-app messaging service will not be affected. The company stated that it will continue to evaluate the situation in Russia to determine when to fully resume its services.

On March 4th, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law penalties of up to 15 years in prison for individuals convicted of disseminating false information about the Russian military amid Moscow's ongoing special military operation in Ukraine.

According to the newly approved law by the Russian president, disseminating false information about the military will result in fines ranging from 700,000 to 1.5 million rubles or imprisonment for 3 years. Using official authority to spread false information or profiting from disseminating false information will result in fines of 5 million rubles or imprisonment for 5-10 years. If disseminating false information about the Russian military causes serious consequences, the perpetrator will face imprisonment for 10-15 years.

Australian Energy Minister Angus Taylor announced on March 8th a $50 million AUD ($35 million USD) investment fund for startups in the hydrogen production sector.

This investment is part of a $125 million AUD ($87.5 million USD) cooperation agreement between Australia and Germany signed last year. Global interest in hydrogen energy has significantly increased as countries strive to reduce fossil fuel usage to achieve the commitment of net-zero emissions by 2050 or earlier. With ongoing efforts, Australia and Germany are becoming world leaders in the energy transition based on new technologies.

Hydrogen gas is a crucial part of Australia's plan to reduce emissions, while also helping the country quickly gain a competitive advantage in the global race for this increasingly demanded new energy source. In June 2021, on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and German Chancellor Angela Merkel signed a cooperation agreement to develop the hydrogen industry. Based on this agreement, Canberra contributes $50 million AUD and Germany contributes 50 million euros, jointly supporting new startup companies to expand the industry's scale.

Currently, the cost of hydrogen production is relatively high, making it difficult to replace fossil fuels. According to experts, commercializing hydrogen can only be efficient when this energy source is produced at a price below $2 USD/kg. Many expect this milestone to be achieved within the next decade, thanks to the increasing investment in research activities and the rapid expansion of production scale.

According to The Verge, among the notable announcements, Apple unveiled a new version of the iPhone SE with their latest mobile chip and 5G technology; a new desktop Mac tailored for creative professional fields; and a monitor priced at less than $5,000 USD. Here are the newly launched products by Apple:

• M1 Ultra Chip

The M1 Ultra is a new processor line added to their chip collection, essentially two M1 Max chips fused together, supporting up to 128 GB of RAM. Apple claims the processing speed of the M1 Ultra is 8 times faster than the standard M1 chip. The M1 Ultra will be available in the desktop Mac Studio and likely in the Mac Pro as well.

• Mac Studio Computer

This is the latest desktop model in Apple's Mac lineup. Essentially, it resembles a Mac Mini aimed at users working in creative professional fields such as graphic design, and more. This model features multiple connectivity ports, with at least 4 Thunderbolt ports and an SD card slot on the front panel. The M1 Max version starts at $1,999 USD, while the M1 Ultra version starts at $3,999 USD.

• 27-Inch Display with iPhone Chip

The Studio Display 27-inch, 5K resolution monitor recently launched by Apple is significantly lower priced than the Pro Display XDR with a starting price of $1,599 USD, featuring an aluminum enclosure. The display has a brightness of up to 600 nits, supports the P3 wide color gamut, and is compatible with macOS's TrueTone automatic color and light adjustment feature.

• iPhone SE with 5G and Latest A15 CPU

This iPhone SE model features the most advanced features of the latest generation A15 chip, starting at $429 USD. With this product, users can experience similar features to the more expensive iPhone 13 models but in a compact 4.7-inch product with Touch ID. This product will be available starting March 18th.

• iPad Air now with Mac Processor

After a year and a half since its last upgrade, the iPad Air tablet now has a new version, and this time the upgrade focuses mostly on the internals. The iPad Air now features an eight-core M1 chip like the iPad Pro, 5G capability for cellular models, and a 12MP front camera.

• iOS 15.4 Launching Next Week

Along with the hardware devices, next week Apple will release their latest operating system version: iOS 15.4. With this version, users can use the Face ID security feature even while wearing a mask.

Professor Andrew Pask and his team at the University of Melbourne have established the Tasmanian Integrated Genetic Rescue Research Laboratory (TIGRR) to develop technologies for reviving the extinct Tasmanian tiger. According to Professor Pask, the team's most significant breakthrough so far is the successful decoding of the Tasmanian tiger's genetic sequence, creating a complete DNA blueprint of this animal. From this gene set, scientists have developed stem cells of a marsupial species closely related to the Tasmanian tiger, the Dunnart.

Professor Pask emphasizes that the next step is to compare the genes of the two species to see where they differ, then edit the DNA cells of the Dunnart to resemble the DNA of the Tasmanian tiger. Scientists are optimistic that they will create a Tasmanian tiger-like cell, from which a living tiger could be revived. Professor Pask highlights that besides the goal of reviving the Tasmanian tiger species, the team will also apply scientific advancements in conservation efforts to support breeding programs aimed at preventing other marsupial species from sharing the same fate as the Tasmanian tiger.

Japanese broadcaster NHK reported on March 13 that a cybercriminal group claimed to have stolen sensitive information from Denso, the main supplier to Toyota Motor Corporation.

NHK cited cybersecurity firm Mitsui Bussan Secure Directions, stating that the Pandora hacker group claimed to have obtained over 157,000 purchase orders, emails, and documents - totaling 1.4 terabytes of data. The hacker group threatened to leak Denso's sensitive information on the dark web (a website inaccessible through standard search engines and accessed via specialized software).

According to Reuters, a spokesperson for Denso stated that the company detected hackers using ransomware to unauthorizedly access the network of Denso Automotive Deutschland GmbH - a Denso branch responsible for sales and technical support in Germany - on March 10 local time. The spokesperson affirmed that the company's manufacturing and business operations have not been affected.

Denso, the second-largest Japanese auto parts manufacturer globally (after Germany's Bosch), is headquartered in Japan, specializing in supplying parts and components to most automobile manufacturers worldwide. Toyota alone accounts for about 50% of Denso's total revenue.