Mastercard announced a global partnership with Samsung to give digital access to consumers and small businesses in emerging markets through its Pay on Demand platform. Mastercard's Pay on Demand uses Samsung’s embedded Knox security platform. Tools let consumers analyze their credit history and get virtual card numbers that can be used to pay for their device and make transactions where Mastercard is accepted, it said Thursday.

The coronavirus is taking a toll on IT markets, with buyers and vendors adjusting “to a new set of assumptions and a new global economic reality,” reported International Data Corp. Wednesday. The researcher expects a “significant slowdown in spending on hardware in particular” during the first half, with software and services spending also hit from effects reverberating through supply chains, trade and business planning. A “pessimistic scenario” plots 1% IT spending growth for the year vs. an original forecast of more than 4%: “These forecasts are more likely to trend down than up in the next few weeks,” it said. IDC estimates February IT spending grew 4.3% in constant currency terms, down from a 5% projection, reflecting lowered device sales. Strong PC sales in Q4 gave way to a smartphone upgrade cycle driven by 5G, it said. Analyst Stephen Minton called the situation “extremely fluid.”

USTelecom is seeking a single change to rules approved 5-0 in November barring equipment from Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE in networks funded by the USF (see 1911220033), it told aides to all the commissioners, except Jessica Rosenworcel. USTelecom’s petition is “very narrow” and seeks “reconsideration of a single footnote that expands the Commission’s information collection on use of covered equipment to all affiliates and subsidiaries of [eligible telecom carriers], regardless of whether the affiliate/subsidiary receives USF support,” said filings posted Monday (see here and here) in docket 18-89. Aides included Nick Degani, senior counsel to Chairman Ajit Pai.

The Commerce Department launched a portal for department guidance documents, it said Wednesday. The portal provides all guidance issued by the agency. That includes the Bureau of Industry and Security, which is responsible for export restrictions on Huawei.

Marvell Technology entered its fiscal 2021 in early February “trying to assess the near-term impact from the coronavirus,” said CEO Matthew Murphy on a Q4 call Wednesday. Before the outbreak gained intensity in January, “our bookings and backlog were getting stronger,” he said. But as the spread broadened, “we started to see supply chain-related impacts to our business,” he said. It’s impossible to “fully quantify” what drag COVID-19 will have because the situation “remains fluid,” he said. “However, our revenue guidance for the first quarter includes a 5% reduction based on what we know so far.” Marvell’s fiscal Q1 ends in early May. The “ultimate impact” of the coronavirus “is still unknown, and assessing the full magnitude at this point is not feasible,” said Chief Financial Officer Jean Hu. Two types of supply-chain “disruptions” are at play, said Murphy. Marvell’s suppliers are having trouble sourcing components from heavily impacted regions inside China, plus its customers’ factories are not at “full capacity,” he said. “We have really no way to know” if COVID-19 will cause any long-term “demand destruction,” he said. Murphy reads the same reports as everyone else that “factories are gradually coming back online,” and people in China “are actually going back to work,” he said. “But we don't really know what the ripple effect is to the global economy, candidly, from this disruption.” Shares closed 10.4% higher Thursday at $24.93.

Iridium partner Zoleo introduced a global messaging and personal safety device for smartphone users that transitions among satellite, cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity. The $199 device, which operates on Iridium’s satellite network, connects to a smartphone or tablet via an app and automatically routes messages over the lowest-cost network available, said the company.

The coronavirus outbreak's “too many unknowns” prevent Hewlett Packard Enterprise from publishing financial guidance for its fiscal Q2 ending April 30, said CEO Antonio Neri on a Q1 call Tuesday. “Macro uncertainty,” including from coronavirus-induced components shortages, sent revenue down 7% in Q1 ended Jan. 31, he said. The virus “is causing disruption to both supply and demand,” said Chief Financial Officer Tarek Robbiati. “While we cannot quantify the real impact at this time, we're monitoring the situation closely and are working with our suppliers to minimize potential impacts.” HP Enterprise decided to cancel or postpone most of its sales conferences and other “sponsored events” through April “out of abundance of caution” for employees, customers and partners, said Robbiati. “This is also causing supply and demand disruptions and affecting our revenue profile.” Shares closed 2.6% lower Wednesday at $12.26.

Logitech scaled back its profit outlook for fiscal 2020 ending March 31 to $365 million-$375 million due to “short-term coronavirus impacts,” said the company Tuesday. Previous guidance was $375 million-$385 million. The company reaffirmed its outlook of mid-high single-digit percentage sales growth in constant currency but expects a $30 million hit to revenue for the year. The impact on operating income from the coronavirus plus Section 301 tariffs on goods produced in China is expected to be about $60 million, it said. Though the company sees “continued strong demand” for products, “we are slightly adjusting our operating income outlook to account for supply chain uncertainties related to the trajectory of the coronavirus,” said CEO Bracken Darrell.

“Many uncertainties” surround the coronavirus and its impact on the Chinese supply chain, said Roku’s 2019 annual report Monday. Unknown are the “scientific and health issues” about how coronavirus spreads, plus the “duration and extent of economic disruption in China and other markets,” said the 10-K filing. Coronavirus “may result in supply shortages of our products or our licensee’s products,” said Roku. “Any decrease, limitations or delays on our or our licensees’ ability to import, export, or sell our streaming devices would harm our business.” Roku players use specific SoC solutions and Wi-Fi front-end modules from various manufacturers, “for which we do not have a second source,” said the company. “Although this approach allows us to maximize player performance on lower cost hardware,” it also creates “supply chain risk,” it said. These “sole-source suppliers” may face “production, shipping, or logistical constraints” from the coronavirus outbreak, it said. “Any such interruption or delay may force us to seek similar components from alternative sources, which may not be available.” Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart collectively were 72% of Roku player revenue in 2019, up from 68% in 2018, said Roku.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said his visit to India with President Donald Trump was a big moment in his career. “It was a special honor to represent the top levels of the U.S. government visiting the country where my parents grew up,” Pai told reporters Friday after his agency's meeting. He noted he was the highest-ranking U.S. person of Indian dissent at a state dinner hosted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Discussions with telecom regulators included the 3.5 and 6 GHz bands and supply chain security, Pai said.