Coffee Briefings are timely deliveries of the latest ITWC headlines, interviews, and podcasts. Today’s Coffee Briefing is delivered by IT World Canada’s editorial team!
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What’s new this week
eSIM market to increase by over 200 per cent by 2027
According to a study by Juniper Research, eSIM, the digital SIM that allows a cellular user to activate or switch carriers without physically swapping a physical SIM card, will grow from US$4.7 billion in 2023 to US$16.3 billion by 2027.
The 249 per cent increase will be driven by the adoption of eSIM-enabled consumer devices, such as Apple’s recent release of the eSIM-only iPhone 14, triggering accelerated operator support.
The study also predicted that the total number of smartphones leveraging eSIM connectivity will increase from 986 million in 2023 to 3.5 billion by 2027, with manufacturers such as Google and Samsung developing equivalent eSIM-only Android devices in order to compete with Apple.
India and China will represent 25 per cent of smartphones using eSIM connectivity by 2027.
Bell replaces 5 cents per interaction donation with C$10 million funding for Bell Let’s Talk
This year on Bell Let’s Talk Day, the annual campaign by Bell to raise awareness on mental health, the company will scrap the 5 cent donation per interaction that it made in previous years and instead invest C$10 million towards Canadian mental health programs.
The campaign will be held on January 25th and will have a new slogan: “Let’s change this”, to emphasize the increased need for mental health services in Canada and for taking practical actions to influence real change.
“Together with our partners and organizations all around the country, we have helped increase awareness about mental illness and addiction, and Bell Let’s Talk is proud to invest in these organizations all year round.” said Mary Deacon, the chair of Bell Let’s Talk. “But bold action is needed more than ever. Too many Canadians are still struggling with mental health and addiction issues and not getting the care they need. Let’s change this.”
So far, Bell has committed a C$139 million to mental health support and services as part of its C$150 million goal, the company said.
TransLink customers can now pay with Interac Debit
TransLink customers can now pay for transit using Interac Debit on every bus and fare gate throughout Metro Vancouver. This announcement makes TransLink the first transit agency in Canada to completely integrate contactless Interac Debit payments system wide.
As part of TransLink’s Customer Experience Action Plan, TransLink, Interac, Moneris, and Cubic Transportation Systems upgraded over 5,000 Compass Readers throughout TransLink’s system to make transit payments more convenient for customers.
The latest upgrade lets customers board transit by using Interac Debit with physical cards or through smartphone digital wallets. Now, customers can pay for fares more easily, without needing to preload cards or use an in-station Compass Vending Machine.
The Interac Debit feature is the latest update to contactless payment for TransLink. Transit users can also pay with contactless credit cards, digital wallets, Compass Cards, Compass Wristbands, and Compass Minis.
Regional data from participants of an Interac Canada-wide survey found that a growing number of British Columbians want more convenient contactless payment options for transit, with 66 per cent seeing debit as a convenient way to pay for transit, and 69 per cent saying it would be easier for visitors to pay for transit using their bank card as opposed to tickets, tokens, or passes.
IonQ acquires Canadian quantum startup
US-based quantum computing company, IonQ is acquiring the assets of Toronto-based quantum startup, Entangled Networks.
This acquisition seeks to support IonQ’s efforts to build large-scale quantum computers by enabling computation across multiple distributed quantum processors.
The Entangled Networks team will serve as a beachhead for IonQ in Toronto.
“In acquiring the Entangled Networks assets, IonQ will benefit from not only some of the top experts in quantum architecture, but also from software tools that we intend to use to drive substantial speed-ups in our system performance.” said Peter Chapman, IonQ’s president and chief executive officer. “We are also excited about the opening of IonQ Canada. This expansion will help us better support the thriving quantum computing community in Canada and further our collaborations with IonQ partners and customers.”
Entangled Networks, previously funded by venture firms such as OurCrowd, marks IonQ’s first corporate acquisition.
Nokia Canada opens new sustainable office in downtown Toronto
Nokia Canada has announced a new “sustainable, modern” office in downtown Toronto, as part of its ongoing efforts to expand its presence in Canada following the company’s recently announced cybersecurity R&D center in Ottawa.
Nokia chose the Queens Quay office building, which is part of the Sugar Wharf redevelopment, which is focused on sustainability with its Class “AAA” LEED and Energy Star certifications. Furthermore, it said, the convenient location of the office provides employees with access to world-class amenities and public transportation, helping to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
With this announcement, Nokia seeks to also advance its positive employee growth strategy across the country, through a modern, hybrid workspace.
Employees in the new office will have roles in software development, customer service, and sales. The team will be focused on supporting growing demand for Nokia’s 5G, high speed broadband, mission-critical routing, optical, and private wireless solutions, the company says.
“Toronto is a global tech and innovation hub, and I’m so thrilled to see Nokia Canada recognize this as they open an office on our waterfront. Toronto is a vital economic engine in our country, and we are proud to support growth in this sector, encouraging more companies and workers to come to our city.” said Toronto mayor John Tory. “With Nokia Canada’s new office bringing more workers into the downtown core, I look forward to seeing what they accomplish as we recover and grow in the years ahead.”
More to explore
Gartner research reveals PC shipments declined in 2022
Gartner reveals that worldwide PC shipments declined in the fourth quarter of 2022 to 65.3 million units, a 28.5 per cent decrease from the fourth quarter of 2021.
Ericsson puts aside US$220 million to cover probe by DOJ investigators
Ericsson has announced it has set aside SEK 2.3 billion, or the equivalent of US$220 million, to be used in relation to what it described as a “potential resolution” with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) over alleged breaches under its 2019 Deferred Prosecution Agreement.
Consumer and technology trends in a climate-impacted future: Ericsson report
Today, Ericsson released its annual 10 Hot Consumer Trends report, Life in a climate-impacted future, highlighting the main consumer concerns, forecasts, and technology adoption regarding climate-related issues.
Hackers compromised Ontario liquor board website, stole customer data
Cyber attackers compromised the website of Ontario’s Liquor Control Board and stole personal information of customers who bought products online, the retailer has acknowledged.
Government of Canada invests over $14 million to grow GTA-based companies
Today the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) announced more than $14 million towards the growth of eight GTA-based companies.
University of Waterloo to lead consortium to advance Canada’s security and defence
Today, the University of Waterloo announced a 5G and beyond mobile network technology consortium to help develop 5G mobile networks and improve Canada’s security and defence.
Aptum acquires Montreal-based CloudOps
Hybrid multi-cloud managed service provider (MSP) Aptum today increased its product offerings significantly, as well as its head count, with the announcement that it has acquired Montreal-based CloudOps, an organization that specializes in open source cloud-native platforms, networking and DevOps.
Staying informed is a constant challenge. There’s so much to do, and so little time. But we have you covered. Grab a coffee and take five while you nibble on these tidbits.
Listen to the latest episode of Hashtag Trending
Hashtag Trending Jan 17- Universities changing the way they teach, Toyota converts older cars into eco-friendly models and AI fights wildfires
Listen to the latest episode of Cyber Security Today
Cyber Security Today, Jan. 16, 2023 – Hackers use stolen credentials to beat Norton Password Manager, and more
Listen to the latest episode of Hashtag Tendances (Hosted by Direction Informatique)
If you live in Quebec, or prefer to consume the latest technology news in French, our sister publication Direction Informatique has you covered. Follow them on Twitter as well.
