The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has made it clear that incumbent mobile operators must place mandatory minimum bids in the very first round of the upcoming 5G spectrum auction or risk immediate disqualification.

In its responses issued during the consultation process, the regulator said failure to meet the minimum bidding threshold in Round 1 will lead to exclusion from the auction and full forfeiture of the pre-bid deposit. Any bidder that does not submit valid bids will be treated as having placed zero bids across all categories.

According to the clarification, incumbent operators are required to bid for at least five lots each in the 2600 MHz and 3500 MHz bands during the first round of the allocation stage. Any bid submitted below this requirement will be declared invalid under the auction rules.

The authority also emphasized that these conditions relate only to minimum bidding obligations and do not guarantee spectrum allocation. Operators may end up securing fewer lots than bid for, depending on the level of competition during the auction process.

The regulator further explained that applicants are not required to declare their spectrum demand at the time of submitting applications. The application and pre bid deposit only signal a commitment to comply with the minimum bidding requirement in the first allocation round, not a claim over a specific quantity of spectrum.

The clarification from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority comes as the country prepares for its first 5G auction, with strict rules aimed at ensuring serious participation from existing operators.

OpenAI is preparing to launch its first hardware product, according to a Chinese tipster on Weibo. The report claims the company is developing a pair of AI-powered earbuds that will use OpenAI’s own artificial intelligence model.

The product would represent OpenAI’s entry into the consumer hardware market.

Alternative Products

Earlier reports suggested OpenAI was working on alternative hardware designs, including a small pendant or pen-like device. These concepts aligned with comments from OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman, who said the device would be more “peaceful and calm” than a smartphone.

OpenAI’s hardware plans also drew attention after the company hired former Apple chief designer Jony Ive.

However, the latest report suggests OpenAI has adjusted its strategy and chosen to develop earbuds instead, likely due to rising hardware development costs.

Launch Date

The earbuds are expected to be called “Dime,” according to the tipster. The report stated that the product could be launched by the end of this year.

Further details about the earbuds’ features or specifications were not provided.

Advanced Version Planned

The report added that OpenAI plans to introduce a more advanced version of the product once supply conditions improve, specifically after the shortage of high-bandwidth memory eases.

High-bandwidth memory is used in artificial intelligence systems to support high-speed data processing.

HONOR has become the fastest-growing major smartphone brand globally in 2025, driven by strong performance in international premium markets, according to a report by research firm Omdia.

The growth comes ahead of the company’s plans to introduce new artificial intelligence-focused and foldable devices this spring.

Omdia reported that HONOR recorded 11% year-over-year growth in global smartphone shipments during 2025. This growth rate placed the company first among the world’s top ten smartphone vendors.

Separate data from International Data Corporation (IDC) showed that HONOR also led overseas shipment growth among top smartphone brands during the first three quarters of 2025 in key premium categories.

These included smartphones priced above $300, covering premium and upper mid-tier segments, and tablets priced between $300 and $600, targeting upper mid-tier consumers.

HONOR President of Sales and Services Wang Ban acknowledged the growth in a post on Weibo.

The performance across both smartphones and tablets indicates that the company has combined shipment volume growth with expansion into higher margin segments.

New AI and Foldable Devices Coming

HONOR is expected to unveil new devices at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this March. Reports indicate the company will introduce the HONOR ROBOT PHONE, described as an AI-integrated smartphone, and the next-generation foldable flagship, the HONOR Magic V6.

These devices are part of HONOR’s Alpha Plan, a strategy focused on artificial intelligence and new device form factors.