Twitter is preparing itself for an initial public offering (IPO) that could value the company as highly as $15 billion (SR56.27 billion), reports say, citing anonymous senior banking sources.
Twitter’s CEO, Dick Costolo, has already met with potential advisers from Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan, adds the paper, and is expected to select several investment banks in the weeks ahead in preparation for the stock market offering, which is anticipated to take place as early as the first quarter of 2014.
Twitter had an estimated value of some $10 billion (SR37.5 billion) as recently as May of this year and rumors of an impending Twitter IPO have been doing the rounds for years. Despite multiple (and recent) denials, the timing feels increasingly right for a public offering. Moreover, it seems highly likely that this will take place sooner rather than later – Twitter, after all, is arguably as hot as it’s ever been. So why delay? Why not Q1 2014? Seems as good – and probable – a time as any other I would say!
Bilal Hallab (@bilalhallab) is general manager and head social business strategist of The Social Clinic, a social business consultancy firm based in Jeddah, covering the Middle East that offers social media HR, governance, engagement, strategy, analytics, training, workshops, design and development services.
Twitter as hot as it has ever been
Twitter as hot as it has ever been
Apple to update EU browser options, make more apps deletable
- iPhone maker came under pressure from regulators to make changes after the EU’s sweeping Digital Markets Act took effect on March 7
- Apple users will be able to select a default browser directly from the choice screen after going through a mandatory list of options
STOCKHOLM: Apple will change how users choose browser options in the European Union, add a dedicated section for changing default apps, and make more apps deletable, the company said on Thursday.
The iPhone maker came under pressure from regulators to make changes after the EU’s sweeping Digital Markets Act took effect on March 7, forcing big tech companies to offer mobile users the ability to select from a list of available web browsers on a “choice screen.”
The new rules require mobile software makers to show the choice screen where users can select a browser, search engine and virtual assistant as they set up their phones, which earlier came with preferred options from Apple and Google.
In an update later this year, Apple users will be able to select a default browser directly from the choice screen after going through a mandatory list of options.
A randomly ordered list of 12 browsers per EU country will be shown to the user with short descriptions, and the chosen one will be automatically downloaded, Apple said. The choice screen will also be available on iPads through an update later this year.
Apple released a previous update in response to the new rules in March, but browser companies criticized the design of its choice screen, and the Commission opened an investigation on March 25 saying it suspected that the measures fell short of effective compliance.
The company said it has been in dialogue with the European Commission and believes the new changes will address regulators’ concerns.
It also plans to introduce a dedicated area for default apps where a user will be able to set defaults for messaging, phone calls, spam filters, password managers and keyboards.
Users will also be able to delete certain Apple-made apps such as App Store, Messages, Camera, Photos and Safari. Only Settings and Phone apps would not be deletable.
