• ETSI issues 6G report as EU unveils fresh funding
• Telecom Italia secures €700m Sparkle sale deal 
• Smartphone shipments are up as vendors race tariff deadlines 

In today’s industry news roundup: As ETSI issues a report into the key 6G topic of integrated sensing and communications (ISAC), the EU frees up funds for 6G research; Telecom Italia has sold yet another part of its business; IDC reckons global smartphone sector shipments increased by 1.5% year on year in Q1; and much more!

ETSI has released a report that outlines a comprehensive analysis of advanced integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) use cases and deployment scenarios, “setting the foundation for future 6G systems,” the European specifications body has announced. The report, developed by the ETSI ISAC industry specification group (ISG), “is a major step toward identifying the critical functional and performance requirements necessary to support these cutting-edge use cases”. The document details 18 advanced ISAC use cases “ranging from human motion recognition and emergency rescue to autonomous vehicle navigation and industrial robotics.” Each use case is explored in terms of deployment scenarios, enabling technologies, sensing modes, and required system capabilities. ETSI’s analysis introduces three integration levels – tight, intermediate and loose – as well as six sensing modes, including monostatic and bistatic sensing configurations for both base stations and user equipment. These definitions form a key part of a proposed framework to standardise sensing capabilities within future 6G networks. “This first report on advanced ISAC use cases and requirements sets the foundations for ISAC’s forthcoming specifications in 6G. I’m delighted that this GR [group report] has been released on time for further consideration by specification groups such as 3GPP SA1 in their work toward 6G,” said Alain Mourad, chair of ISAC ISG at ETSI. ISAC emerged as one of the key use cases in TelecomTV’s Defining 6G Networks reports, What do operators want? and What do vendors want?, which are both available to download for free. 

Telecom Italia (TIM) has finally sealed the long-discussed €700m deal to sell its international network and services arm, Sparkle, to Boost BidCo, a “corporate vehicle” controlled by the Italian government’s Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) in partnership with Retelit, a provider of communications and IT services to the Italian enterprise sector. “The agreement includes a possible price adjustment in case certain targets for Sparkle’s 2025 EBITDA are not met,” noted the Italian operator in this announcement. The sale is expected to close during the final quarter of 2025 once regulatory clearance is completed. 

Research house IDC estimates that global smartphone shipments increased 1.5% year on year to 304.9 million units in the first quarter of 2025 as manufacturers ramped up production in anticipation of the expected announcement by US President Donald Trump’s administration on tariffs that impact China imports. “Faced with heightened geopolitical uncertainty and the looming threat of substantial US tariff hikes on goods imported from China, vendors strategically accelerated production schedules and pulled forward significant shipment volumes, particularly into the critical US market, during Q1 2025,” said Francisco Jeronimo, VP of client devices at IDC. “This supply-side surge, aimed at mitigating potential cost increases and disruptions, effectively inflated Q1 shipment figures beyond levels anticipated based on underlying consumer demand trends alone.” Ryan Reith, IDC’s group VP of worldwide device trackers, added: “The recent exemption by the US government pausing smartphone import tariffs from China offers temporary relief for US companies, but heavy reliance on China’s supply chain persists amid ongoing tariff volatility, making future planning challenging and leaving many companies with important decisions with high levels of uncertainty. Right now, the focus for US smartphone brands should be taking advantage of the exemption by building and shipping as much as possible. The other side of this equation is the possibility that economic uncertainty may dampen consumer demand in the coming months.” And according to Anthony Scarsella, research director for client devices at IDC, “The US smartphone market experienced growth of more than 5%, despite challenges from tariffs and trade wars affecting disposable income. The growth in Q1 2025 was fuelled by rising consumer interest in the latest models from top manufacturers, along with a sense of urgency to buy before potential price increases. Additionally, the recently announced 90-day pause on smartphone tariffs could further enhance sales in Q2, as consumers might seize the opportunity to purchase before the possible reintroduction of tariffs that could drive prices up.” The top four vendors in the first quarter were Samsung (19.9% market share), Apple, (19%), Xiaomi (13.7%) and Oppo (7.7%). Read more. 

The European Union has allocated €104m for the development of next-generation 6G mobile technologies, and will up a process for funding applications on 22 May, with participants able to submit proposals until 18 September 2025. The funding is managed by the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU), the European public-private partnership working on the development of 5G and 6G technologies across Europe. Erzsébet Fitori, executive director of the SNS JU, stated: “This Work Programme represents a crucial step in Europe’s journey towards 6G leadership. By bringing together European vertical industries, academia, and research institutions, we’re not just developing technology – we’re building Europe’s digital future with a focus on sustainability, security, and societal impact.” Potential applicants will have the opportunity to learn more and ask questions at the SNS JU Call 4 Information Day, taking place on 23 May 2025. The day also includes a brokerage event where attendees can also share their ideas and find potential partners. More information is available on the SNS brokerage platform. Since its creation in 2021, the SNS JU has provided €500m to 80 projects “with the mission of boosting European work on next-generation telecommunication technologies”. The new call builds on that momentum, “reinforcing Europe’s ambition to lead the global race toward 6G,” the SNS JU noted. Read more. 

Rumours are circulating that a soon-to-be-released (well, 2026 maybe) flagship mobile phone from Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi will have a battery life of double the capacity of the latest top-of-the-range iPhone and will fit the same form factor and profile. If the scuttlebutt turns out to be right, and given the oncoming trade war between the US and the People’s Republic of China (PRC), you can bet your bottom renminbi that the device will struggle to see the light of day on the US market. Xiaomi is a home-grown multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Beijing, China, and best known and well regarded for its consumer electronics, software, and electric vehicles. Xiaomi is also the third-largest manufacturer of smartphones in the world (after Samsung of South Korea and Apple) and is often referred to as the “Apple of China”. The majority of Xiaomi handsets run on the company’s HyperOS operating system. According to TechRadar, the rumours were sparked following a posting on the Chinese social media platform Weibo by a prolific and seemingly very well-connected individual known by the nom de bloggo of ‘Smart Pikachu’ (Pikachu is an animated mouse that features in the Pokémon game franchise). In the past, Smart Pikachu has posted several scoops about developments in mobile technologies and the Xiaomi story could be another. Apparently, the Xiaomi 16 will have a battery with a capacity of 7,000mAh (milliampere-hours, a measure of battery capacity that represents the amount of electric charge one can store). Few handsets have approached even the 6,000mAh mark and the latest-generation Xiaomi devices feature a 5,240mAh battery. The higher the mAh rating of a mobile handset battery, the more charge it can hold, and the longer it can power the device. No information is given about the chemical composition of the rumoured new battery but the most prevalent ones used in smartphones are lithium-ion. These batteries provide high energy density that allows more energy to be stored in a small space. They also have a long life, running into tens of thousands of charge/discharge cycles and markedly low self-discharge propensities. However, lithium-ion technology can be hazardous, as the multiple fires and explosions suffered by e-scooters across the globe, dangerous fires on aircraft and domestic house fires resulting from devices being charged, have shown. Thus, research continues into alternatives, such as lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries, that are considerably more stable and have a longer lifespan. It is not yet known what the battery chemistry of the rumoured new Xiaomi smartphones may be, but we can be sure that Apple is already very worried whilst manufacturers using the Android OS are not.

The European Competence Framework for Quantum Technologies (QT) that “maps the landscape of possible competences, knowledge and skills” of quantum computing across the continent is being updated to reflect the ongoing rapid developments and changes in the technology. The Quantum Technologies Education Coordination and Support Action (QTEdu CSA) group compiled the first version of the framework in 2021 and it was in need of revision. QTEdu CSA is a European project funded by the Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, designed to support the European Quantum Flagship in building a learning ecosystem for quantum technologies. The goal is to create a “quantum-ready” workforce and society through education and outreach efforts at all levels, from schools to industry and the general public. The framework is built upon input from the wider quantum community and analysis of interviews with stakeholders. The latest update is based on the analysis of more than 30 in-depth interviews with industry representatives and is complemented with the results of further discussions and expert consultations. The new framework version 2.5 includes a content map providing a structured overview of quantum technology content relevant to education. It is structured into eight domains with 42 subdomains, detailed with topics and subtopics. It visualises six proficiency levels for three proficiency areas, these being quantum concepts, quantum technology hardware software engineering, and, finally, quantum technology applications and strategies. Thus, the areas cluster proficiency into some quantum technology-specific background, ranging from hands-on engineering skills through to aspects such as systems engineering and making a product out of a lab setup as well as business and value-creation aspects. As such, they remain independent of any specific quantum technology. The document is as wordy and worthy as is to be expected from a sub-section of the EU bureaucracy, but it does put flesh on the bones of the framework policy upon which the superstructure of a proficient and dynamic European quantum strategy will be built, and it may also help form the basis of further European quantum technology innovation and regulation.

– The staff, TelecomTV