Cognitive Systems received a $7.3 million loan from the Canadian government’s Strategic Innovation Fund to further development of its WiFi Motion technology designed to detect motion in the home. When incorporated into routers and gateways, the technology monitors wireless signals within a Wi-Fi environment to alert users of motion and apply predictive analytics and learning patterns in response. Algorithms use advanced artificial intelligence and localization capabilities to classify signals and provide context around when and where motion occurred. The funding lets the company develop more sophisticated AI engines and drive benefits to users in wellness monitoring and energy management such as powering off lights and heating systems based on occupancy.

There are only so many "seats" in "this rocket ship" of competitive streaming "taking off in our space,” said CBS Chief Digital Officer Jim Lanzone on a Q1 call Thursday. “There aren't that many people who spend $8 billion plus per year on content and do it as well as we do,” he said. “If we play this right, there's definitely a seat for us in that ship.” The CBS All Access audience averages about 20 years younger than that of CBS linear TV and is split roughly 50-50 between men and women, said Lanzone. Two-thirds choose the “limited commercial option,” the rest go for commercial-free, he said. Churn is “in line with industry norms and we've been happy to see many lapsed users coming back to All Access upon the seasonal return of their favorite content,” he said. “We think of these users as pausing their membership rather than canceling it in the traditional sense, and the data suggests that our investment in content across CBS will be our most effective tool for eliminating or reducing the pause cycle for these users, as well as deepening their engagement.” The company is on pace to reach 25 million streaming subscribers in 2022, said President-acting CEO Joe Ianniello. That "doesn't include subs from our international services where we continue to increase our footprint," he said. Having launched streaming in Canada and Australia, “next up” is expanding services into Latin America and Western Europe, he said. “We're taking our time with international,” Ianniello said. “We're being methodical,” with focus on “making sure that the offering to the consumer is robust,” he said. Content will be “the constraining factor, but we're committed to rolling this out in 200 countries around the world,” he said. With nearly 7.5 billion people living outside the U.S., international is “a huge opportunity for further long-term growth,” said Ianniello, whose contract was just extended through Dec. 31 (see 1904290062).

Britain’s National Security Council allowing Huawei to provide some non-core technology for the U.K.'s 5G network is a security risk, blogged American Enterprise Institute visiting fellow Shane Tews Wednesday. She noted the foreign, defense, home and international development secretaries voted no. “Huawei is using its ability to provide cheaper (subsidized) telecommunications equipment to integrate itself into the UK and European countries,” Tews said. Tews said China took advantage of British insecurity after other nations pulled investments because of Brexit. “They hold parties for political leaders and send large donations to charities such as Prince Charles’ ‘Prince’s Trust,’” she said: Prime Minister Theresa May “sent UK Finance Minister Philip Hammond to China this past week to discuss British-China economic and financial cooperation and to search for more contracts for British companies to be part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.” The company didn’t comment.

Sixty-five percent of consumers canvassed in seven countries worry how connected devices collect data, reported the Internet Society and Consumers International Wednesday. Fifty-five percent of people in the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, France and the U.K. don’t trust their connected devices to protect their privacy, and 53 percent don’t trust connected devices to handle information responsibly. Nearly 70 percent said they own connected devices, such as smart meters, fitness monitors, connected toys, home assistants or gaming consoles. Testing by multiple consumer organizations found various products are rushed to market “with little consideration for basic security and privacy protections,” said ISOC, while 77 percent of consumers said privacy and security are important considerations in their buying decisions. Twenty-eight percent of consumers that don’t own a connected device haven’t bought one because of such concerns: “consumers see this broadly as much of a barrier as cost,” said the group. It underscores the need for IoT manufacturers to build devices with security and privacy in mind, said ISOC CEO Andrew Sullivan. Eighty-eight percent believe regulators should ensure IoT privacy and security standards, 81 percent chose manufacturers, 80 percent assigned retailers; and 60 percent laid the responsibility for security and privacy with consumers.

Companies are now required to use an international standard for “testing the effectiveness” of device data encryption, the National Institute of Standards and Technology said Tuesday. NIST updated its federal information processing standard, recognizing international standard ISO-19790. The international standard should “streamline” the process for bringing devices to market “because it reduces redundancy for companies trying to sell products internationally,” the agency said. It wanted to minimize the timeline because there’s “a limited time window before a product becomes obsolete,” NIST computer scientist Mike Cooper said.

The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on free trade “would strengthen U.S. technological and trade leadership, and advance U.S. firms’ ability to grow platforms and services that enable engagement with the Internet and the digital economy,” wrote CTA, the Information Technology Industry Council, Internet Association and nine other tech groups Sunday to House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committee leadership, urging USMCA approval. “As Congress considers the many important provisions in the USMCA, we urge lawmakers to take into account the significance of the digital trade rules on the U.S. economy and vote to adopt,” they said. “Passing the USMCA quickly is a critical opportunity to shape global trade rules.” When the North American Free Trade Agreement was implemented 25 years ago, “there were no digital provisions,” they said. “Today, the U.S. tech industry is facing a number of challenges from foreign governments seeking to displace U.S. technology leadership. American companies are especially under threat from discriminatory policies, market-distorting industrial policies, and inadequate intellectual property protection and enforcement in China.”

Samsung was the sole top-four smartphone maker to lose market share in India in Q1, as Vivo’s share jumped 108 percent on shipments of 4.5 million, reported Canalys Friday. Vivo’s stake grew to 15 percent behind Samsung at 24.4 percent (down 1.8 percent) and leader Xiaomi at 31.4 percent (up 0.9 percent). Analyst Rushabh Doshi attributed Vivo’s growth to “expensive bets” on marketing rights for cricket: It paid six times the previous amount to retain title sponsorship of the Indian Premier League, touted as the world’s richest league. The company also hired a popular Bollywood actor as brand ambassador, he said.

Apple said it’s recalling AC wall plug adapters designed for use in Hong Kong, Singapore and the U.K. The three-prong wall plug adapters could break and create a shock risk if exposed metal parts are touched, said the company Thursday. The affected adapters shipped with Mac and certain iOS devices between 2003 and 2010 and were included in the company’s World Travel Adapter Kit. Apple is aware of six incidents worldwide, it said. Customers who bought the adapters should stop using them and visit the Apple website for product exchange details. Customers can go to an authorized Apple service provider, make an appointment at an Apple retail store or contact Apple Support online. The recall doesn't affect Apple USB power adapters.

Qualcomm Technologies said it's providing technology for China Unicom’s 5G launch in collaboration with device makers nubia, OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi and ZTE. The companies are scheduled to “showcase readiness for the rollout of 5G devices and networks in China via live 5G demonstrations” at the China Unicom Partner Conference this week in Shanghai, the Qualcomm subsidiary said. “In a span of few weeks, we have witnessed 5G launches in the U.S., South Korea, announcement of an imminent deployment in Europe -- and we are now observing the dawn of 5G in China.”

The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on trade “is likely to have a significant, positive impact on the many U.S. industries that rely on cross-border data flows and digitally enabled trade,” said an International Trade Commission report to Congress Thursday. Tech groups hope this hastens USMCA congressional approval. The U.S. telecom industry would gain increased access to “networks and interconnection provisions” if USMCA became law, said the report. The agreement’s “digital trade-facilitating provisions” and “explicit data flow protections” would also boost e-commerce, it said. U.S. e-commerce firms are likely to benefit from protection against data flow restrictions and forced localization, said ITC. “Up to now, firms have largely been able to transfer data freely between the countries,” it said. “However, no current policies protect this free flow of data from future policies that might restrict it. The commitments in USMCA address this regulatory uncertainty by providing assurance to firms that current conditions will be maintained.” Updating the North American Free Trade Agreement “was much needed and the USMCA is a welcomed step forward in modernizing trade among strong U.S. trading partners and enabling digital trade,” said Computer & Communications Industry Association CEO Ed Black. This is “an important step in the congressional approval process of USMCA,” said Jordan Haas, Internet Association director-trade policy. IA urges "swift action" in Congress to approve it. Other tech groups said similar.