For years, signs of discord have brewed between Facebook and Apple (Facebook Vs Apple). Their Chiefs Executives, Tim Cook of Apple and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg have periodically taken thinly veiled shots at each other.

“If they are making money mainly by collecting gobs of personal data, I think you have a right to be worried, “Cook said of companies like Facebook in 2014.

In turn, Zuckerberg has retorted: “You think because you are paying Apple that you are somehow in alignment with them? If you are in alignment with them, then they’d make their products a lot cheaper.”

Facebook Vs Apple Wars

However, Apple is making changes that threaten Facebook’s business- and the fight has intensified. Early next year, Apple plans to start requiring iPhone owners to especially, choose whether to allow companies to rack them across different apps, a practice that Facebook relies on to target ads and charge advertisers more.

On Wednesday (16/12/2020), Facebook went on the offensive to forestall Apple’s changes. The social network created a website that slammed Apple’s move as a potential hurtful to small businesses. (It did not mention that the changes could hurt itself.) To reinforce its displeasure, the social network also took out full-page ads in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times, to declare that it was “Standing up to Apple.”

And then to doubly emphasize its point, Facebook said it would provide information for the anti-trust suit against Apple filed by the Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite so that the court would understand “the unfair policies that Apple imposes.”

In a blog post, Dan Levy, a vice president of advertising at Facebook, said the company was taking the steps now because, “we have had from many of you, small businesses in particular, that you are concerned about how apple’s changes will impact your ability to effectively reach customers and grow-let alone survive in a pandemic.” He added, “so we are speaking up for small businesses.”

The escalating tensions are part of an unusual, high-stakes Facebook-Apple battle between two of the world’s most valuable companies, “which rely on each other and exert tremendous influence over digital behavior.

At the heart of the fight is how Facebook vs Apple are diametrically opposed on how they make money- and which company wins out is likely to help shape the internet for years to come. Apple prefers that consumers pay for their internet experience, leaving less need for advertisers, while Facebook favors making the internet free for the public with the bill footed by the companies they pay to show people ads.

The fracas is also a reminder of both companies’ power over the internet, as well as their leverage over each other. Facebook needs its app to work on Apple’s devices to reach hundreds of millions of people and Apple needs Facebook’s App- Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger-to make its devices worthy of their high price tags.

We are waiting with bated breath to see how the Facebook Vs Apple wars evolve in the coming days and who will blink first.

The original article above first appeared in the “Saturday Nation”, a publication of “Nation Media House”.  

Kenyan will now pay for transactions below Ksh. 1000.00 effective January 2021. The central bank of Kenya has stopped free transfer of Ksh 1000.00 and below that was introduced earlier this year to cushion Kenyans from the effects of COVID-19.

Earlier this year, after the first case was reported, the government put on place measures to cushion the economy, among them allowing Kenyans to transfer Ksh.1000.00 and below free of charge.

This measure had been extended to the end of this year, but now according to the Central Bank of Kenya, this will not be extended beyond 31^st December 2020.

Now mobile money customers are expected to pay for money transfers for transaction below Ksh.1000.00 in a move that is expected to put allot of pressure on household still feeling the heat of the effects of COVID-19.

There have been massive job loses in the market, coupled with the rising fuel prices in the country.  

CBK and financial partners are expected to come up with new transaction fees in the New Year.

In the month of November, Safaricom PLC has hinted at re-introducing the payments after for the first time since its inception, the company had recorded a dip in profits.

Here is the statement from the bank:

CBK has reassessed the emergency measures with the objective of consolidating the gains made so far and also facilitate a transition towards sustainable growth of the mobile money ecosystem. Following consultations with Payment Service Providers (PSPs), CBK will allow the emergency measures to expire on December 31, 2020, and PSPs will introduce revised pricing structures from January 1, 2021, with the following elements:

1. There will be no charge for person-to-person transfers of up to Ksh.100 to any customer and network.
2. There will be no charges for transfers between mobile money wallets and bank accounts.
3. To facilitate the integration of Savings and Credit Societies (SACCOs) with the mobile money ecosystem, SACCOs regulated by the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) may levy a charge for transfers between SACCO accounts and mobile money wallets. CBK will oversee these charges in the context of the products that banks and PSPs offer to SACCOs.
4. Going forward, PSPs will propose pricing structures that reflect the “Pricing Principles” that CBK has introduced. These “Principles” aim to support the development of an efficient, safe, and stable payments and mobile money ecosystem where the customer and public interests are adequately protected. It is noted that the wallet and transaction limits that were announced on March 16, 2020, will remain in force as was communicated earlier. CBK will continue to monitor developments in the payments ecosystem and take any necessary actions.

We await to see what new charges that are coming our way in 2020. We expect that charges below Ksh.100 to remain nil.

The Serena Beach Resort and Spa in Mombasa has reopened its doors after 8 months of being out of business due to COVID-19. The hotels is currently taking advantage of the demand for accommodation in the Coast region due to ongoing Christmas and New Year festivities.

The hotel only will operate 74 rooms initially, representing 45 percent of its capacity as it seeks to comply with Covid-19 protocols.

The room categories that re to be opened include Garden Wing rooms, luxury suites, Superior sea view and Family Rooms, the Lamu and Zanzibar Suites.

Rosemary Mugambi Serena Hotels East Africa regional sales and marketing director said,  “The domestic market has been supportive, and we saw quite a demand for the Mara in July and August due to the migration.”

In a statement, the hotel said, “Serena Hotels wish to inform you that Serena Beach Resort and Spa is set to reopen on the December 15. The resort will be open with a new approach to its product, experiential and service delivery.”

According to Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers executive officer for the Coast region, many hotels and hospitality facilities are recovering from the dip in bookings recorded during the Easter and August holidays.

In March, hotels were forced to scale down their operations or even closed as they recorded reduced or no bookings at all. This was due to measures put in place to stop the spread of novel corona virus.

The measures saw cancellation of flights and travel restrictions within the country. Now, hotels are now projecting up to 50 per cent occupancy for the month of December 2020.

The Serena Beach Resort and Spa in Mombasa joins other players that seek to take advantage of the booming Christmas season.

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