Apple introduces lockdown mode; Amazon faces new UK probe, announces Prime days in India; Axilor raises $100 mln fund

Apple has introduced a ‘lockdown mode’ to help those small number of users who may be under threat of the most sophisticated mercenary cyberattacks, the company said in a press release yesterday. Amazon faces a new probe by UK regulators, even as it announces its Prime Day sales this month. And Axilor is raising $100 million for its second fund after backing more than 50 companies from its first fund. Notes: Apple has introduced a ‘lockdown mode’ to help those small number of users who may be under threat of the most sophisticated mercenary cyberattacks, the company said in a press release yesterday. Lockdown mode will harden Apple devices against attacks by significantly restricting several features and completely disabling certain others. For example, most message attachments, except images and preview features, will be blocked. Certain complex web technologies such as just-in-time JavaScript compilation will be blocked unless the user excludes a trusted site from the lockdown mode. And a device can’t be enrolled in a mobile device management platform when lockdown mode is on. These features will be available for iPhones, iPads and MacBooks starting with iOS 16 iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura, in the fall in the US, which starts around September. Apple is also setting aside $2 million for any researchers who can detect flaws in lockdown mode. Amazon is facing a new investigation by Britain's antitrust watchdog on concerns it was hurting competition by giving its own sellers an unfair advantage in its marketplace over third parties, adding to global regulatory scrutiny of the US tech giant, Reuters reports. Britain's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it opened an investigation on Tuesday into whether Amazon's practices that affect sellers on its domestic marketplace may be anti-competitive and result in a worse deal for customers. Meanwhile, July is usually the month for Amazon’s Prime Day sales and the ecommerce company yesterday announced July 23 and 24 as the dates in India. Amazon India said in a press release it expects to see 30,000 new product launches from international and local companies including Samsung, Xiaomi, Intel and boAt. And 2,000 new product launches from more than 120 Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) like XECH, Cos-IQ, Himalayan Origins, SpaceinCart, Mirakii, Karagiri, and Nirvi Handicrafts in categories including electronics, fashion & grooming, jewellery and handmade products. The ecommerce giant says it has 200 million Prime subscribers around the world, including India. Axilor Ventures, an early-stage VC firm started eight years ago by Infosys co-founders Kris Gopalakrishnan and SD Shibulal, is launching its second technology fund, Axilor Technology Fund II, Economic Times reports. The firm expects to raise $100 million for this fund and is currently seeking approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India. It expects to close the fund by the end of September, according to ET. The firm has invested 90 percent of its first fund of Rs. 200 crores in more than 50 startups, according to ET. Theme music courtesy Free Music & Sounds: https://soundcloud.com/freemusicandsounds