Chinese smartphone brand Honor announced on January 17 that CEO George Zhao has resigned. Jian Li, a former Huawei executive, is set to take over the role. According to the company’s statement, Zhao stepped down from both his director and CEO positions for personal reasons. Honor praised his significant contributions to the company’s growth and development. Zhao also shared his decision on social media, describing it as “an extremely difficult decision.”

China’s trade-in program officially begins on January 20, 2025, introducing subsidies for purchasing smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and fitness bands. In response, Apple has adjusted its pricing strategy in China, reducing the cost of several iPhone models to align with the subsidy threshold of CNY6,000 (US$820.17) per unit.

Qianfan Constellation, often referred to as China’s version of Starlink, has announced its plans to deploy 13,904 low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites by 2030. The project, while ambitious, faces significant challenges, including limited launch site availability, high costs of single-use rockets, and doubts about the survivability and durability of its LEO satellites.