Internet exchange AMS-IX will withdraw from the United States in March 2026. The company will then close its nodes in Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area. The focus will shift to emerging markets in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The withdrawal is the result of a strategic reassessment by CEO Peter van Burgel. "Now is the time to evaluate our activities, and we believe that our efforts will be better served elsewhere," he says.
For instance, the Premium Lite plan priced at ₹139 per month ($1.57) will get ad-free listening and 160kbps audio quality. The Premium Standard plan, priced at ₹199 per month($2.25), has offline support and 320kbps audio quality. The most costly Premium Platinum plan at ₹299 ($3.37) per month will give users access to the newly launched Lossless tier, along with two other seats that can share the account.
On Friday, Amazon announced the debut of Amazon Bazaar, a new low-cost shopping destination for Asia, Africa and Latin America that will be available separately from the main Amazon shopping app. On Bazaar, most products are available under $10, and some are as low as $2, the retailer says. Amazon says more markets will gain access to the app in the months ahead.
Apple delivered its best results ever in a July quarter, while Samsung achieved its strongest July-quarter growth on record. Demand for Apple's new iPhone 17 lineup was robust, with pre-orders surpassing those of the previous generation. At the same time, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 outperformed all earlier foldable models, creating renewed momentum for the foldables segment.
Google's new, cheaper AI Plus plan is now available in more than 40 countries, including Angola, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Senegal, Uganda, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. The company first launched its AI Plus plan in Indonesia earlier this month at Rp 75,000 ($4.50) per month. The plan costs around $5 in most countries, and Google says it will discount it by 50% for six months in a few locations like Nepal and Mexico.
Emerging markets are increasingly important for multinational companies (MNCs), but entering these markets can be a difficult and costly experience. As interest in emerging markets grows, so too has research into their unique challenges and opportunities. A critical, yet overlooked, problem is that companies often take an overly optimistic view of how quickly success can be achieved in these complex, unfamiliar environments-a phenomenon we call the temporal optimism trap.
The industry is witnessing a major redistribution of influence. At the centre of this change is the BRICS+ Fashion Summit, a major international event that brings together leading voices from 65 countries to focus on decentralization and the rise of regional markets. Moscow hosts the Summit once again from August 28 to 30, offering a crucial platform to address the pressing challenges and opportunities facing fashion business.
