The National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) granted authorization for Vivo to maintain its Vivo Anti Spam service, which filters unwanted calls, for its postpaid and control plan customers. The Competition Superintendence rejected requests submitted by TIM and other companies in the sector.
The news was initially reported by the specialized portal Teletime and later confirmed by Tecnoblog. In total, Anatel examined more than ten complaints related to the issue.
Vivo's anti-spam system has been active since December 2024 and is distinguished from other solutions available on the market by filtering calls before they even reach the operator's network, preventing the phone from ringing. This feature was automatically activated in June. After this activation, other companies in the sector, notably call centers, began to express dissatisfaction due to the reduction in completion rate, meaning fewer potential contacts answered the calls.
In contact with the mentioned entities, TIM stated that it would not make any statement on the matter. Tecnoblog informed that the content will be updated as soon as it receives responses from Anatel and Vivo.
Vivo clarifies that Vivo Anti Spam employs a sophisticated mechanism to identify problematic callers, using real-time traffic data. One of the parameters considered is the volume of calls originating from specific numbers. Nevertheless, the provider has never detailed the exact rules for the service filtering, which is provided free of charge to eligible customers.
Clarifications were obtained from Vivo for Anatel, where the operator indicated that the technical reference used is the 'maximum capacity for call generation by a human being.' The system takes into account several factors, such as manual interaction with the device, processing time within the network, minimum ringing period at the destination, and the necessary interval to restart the process.
Additionally, the Vivo system evaluates the rejection rate of calls coming from certain numbers, which the operator categorized as 'technical and behavioral elements.' According to Vivo, the error rate remains around 0.009%, attributed mainly to discrepancies between the company making the call and the CNPJ registered on the number.
Ford has unveiled the new Mustang Dark Horse SC convertible, which will be released as a 2027 model. This vehicle boasts 806 hp and becomes the most powerful convertible ever produced by the manufacturer. Furthermore, it is the first high-performance convertible in the line since 2013.
Reservations for the car will begin in the Northern Hemisphere autumn, covering the period from September to December, and deliveries are scheduled to start in the spring of 2027, beginning in March. The selling price has not yet been disclosed.
This model is part of the celebrations of the 125th anniversary of Ford Racing, the division that also launched the Dark Horse SC coupe in January. Under the hood, it uses the same supercharged 5.2L Predator V8 engine, generating 806 hp and 91.2 kgfm, coupled with a seven-speed dual-clutch Tremec transmission and rear-wheel drive.
Mark Rushbrook, Global Director of Ford Racing, commented that while the coupe represents the racing aspect of the brand's DNA, the convertible symbolizes the pure appeal for public road use.
The project started from the base of the Mustang GT 5.0 convertible. Engineers made significant modifications, including the addition of a magnesium bar connecting the suspension towers on both sides of the engine bay. This change was crucial to support the stresses generated by the 806 hp in a body without a rigid roof.
The next-generation MagneRide suspension received a specific tuning focused on on-road performance, not just lap times. Arie Groeneveld, chief engineer of the program, emphasized that the design focus was not on breaking track records, but on creating the best open-top grand touring machine.
The presence of the soft top required aerodynamic adaptations. Due to the difference between the canvas roof profile and the hardtop, engineers extended the flap of the air extractor located on the hood, covering part of the open area. The rear spoiler maintained the shape and angle of attack of the coupe but received exclusive supports for the trunk lid and had its vertical fins at the ends removed.
Among the visual updates, the Precision Purple Metallic color stands out, which changes tone depending on the light, although it does not feature the extreme effect of the old Mystic and Mystichrome paints seen in the Cobra versions. The brakes now have an exclusive color, and the interior can be customized in Black Onyx or Space Gray, with carbon fiber details. The roof opening is controlled by a button.
The rest of the visual package follows the standard of the coupe, incorporating enlarged air intakes, wider fenders, side skirts, and rectangular exhaust outlets. Ford communicated that production will be carried out on demand, without setting a fixed number of units.
This week, the notorious iPhone X was added to the list of products considered obsolete by Apple. The same situation applies to the 15-inch MacBook Pro, which was released in 2018. Consequently, neither of these two items can be repaired in Apple stores anymore.
Apple maintains two lists of old products. One is the vintage list, which covers brand devices after five years since they ceased distribution through official sales channels. Products in this category can still be repaired by Apple itself or by authorized partners, provided parts are in stock.
An item remains on the vintage list for approximately two years before migrating to the Apple obsolete products list, which just happened with the iPhone X. This model was released in November 2017, entered the vintage list in July 2024, and just over two years later, was included in the obsolete list.
Similarly, the 15-inch MacBook Pro has also been added to the Apple obsolete products list. When classified as officially obsolete, both the iPhone X and the 2018 MacBook Pro 15 lose hardware technical support (support for the latest iOS or macOS updates had already ended), meaning that parts are no longer supplied for possible repairs.
As a direct result, Apple Store units anywhere in the world no longer provide repair services for the listed models. Additionally, accredited technical assistance centers are no longer permitted to request components from Apple to repair this equipment.
Regarding the iPhone line, the next devices to be included in the obsolete list are the following (all are already part of the vintage list).
There is a persistent contradiction in the Brazilian gaming scene: the device held by the majority of national players is still viewed by part of the industry as a secondary category.
Historically, the idea of video games automatically evoked platforms like PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, or gaming computers equipped with LEDs. The mobile phone, on the other hand, was relegated to a complementary role, associated with casual games and short playing sessions.
However, the market has undergone significant transformations, and the current perception may not have kept pace with this change. Brazil has over 100 million players, and the mobile phone functions as one of the main access routes to this audience. Furthermore, the country follows a global trend where the smartphone has transcended its function as a mere communication device, becoming an entertainment hub, financial transaction center, social network, video platform, and increasingly, a gaming platform.
Given this, the central question should not be about the growth of mobile, but rather why it is still considered a smaller market.
Mobile holds an undeniable competitive advantage: distribution. To play on a console, one must acquire the console itself; to play on a PC, a computer compatible with the desired titles is required. In the case of the mobile phone, in most situations, the user already possesses the equipment.
This drastically alters the user acquisition dynamic because the mobile phone does not force the consumer to invest in a new platform; it is the platform itself, generating immense scale. This is why titles like Free Fire, PUBG Mobile, Roblox, and Honor of Kings have managed to build vast communities in markets where entry barriers for consoles and PCs are considerably higher.
The success of mobile does not necessarily lie in the superiority of the experiences offered, but in the ability to reduce the distance between the individual and the game. One of the industry's biggest mistakes seems to be maintaining an obsolete definition of who a 'gamer' is.
In the past, the term 'gamer' designated someone who bought games, owned a dedicated console or PC, and dedicated long hours to playing. Today, the player can interact with the game at various moments of daily life: while commuting to work, while waiting for an appointment, during lunch break, or before going to sleep. The session duration can range from ten minutes daily to four hours.
The modern player can choose to make in-app purchases or spend nothing. They can follow streamers on their mobile, play with friends on the same device, and consume game-related content on the same screen. The smartphone has integrated gaming into daily routine, taking it out of the condition of an isolated event of the day.
This aspect is crucial for brands because mobile doesn't just deliver audience; it provides frequency. And frequency constitutes one of the most valuable assets in the digital economy.
The discussion becomes even richer when analyzing the economic model of mobile, which has transformed gaming into a relationship platform. Mechanisms such as free-to-play, battle passes, skins, events, advertising, subscriptions, in-app purchases, content creators, and communities have established an economy that goes beyond the simple sale of a game copy.
This opens up substantial opportunities for companies that do not traditionally belong to the gaming sector. Telecom operators can offer connectivity and benefits; banks can develop financial products targeted at gamers; retailers can implement loyalty programs; brands can create experiences within games; content platforms can focus on acquisition and retention; and publishers can convert communities into consumption ecosystems.
In this context, mobile is not merely a distribution channel, but a complete business infrastructure. The Brazilian market presents a specific opportunity due to its vast population, being one of the largest global player bases, combined with a very strong digital culture. However, there is still a gap between the volume of audience and the ability to convert that audience into locally developed businesses.
There are talents, studios, and consumers in the country, but the challenge lies in establishing stronger connections between these three elements. This implies viewing games not just as entertainment, but as a comprehensive industry involving technology, advertising, media, payments, telecommunications, intellectual property, and commerce.
Perhaps the biggest mistake is persisting in questioning whether mobile is as relevant as the console or PC. This comparison has become outdated. The mobile phone does not need to replace the console; it has simply created a category with a characteristic that other formats cannot replicate on such a scale: the near universality of ownership.
While the gaming industry spent years debating resolution, hardware, exclusives, and teraflops, a distinct platform was silently conquering space in the pockets of billions of people: the mobile phone. This might be the greatest irony of the market.
Although part of the industry still views mobile as an inferior category, many companies have built their greatest gaming ventures by exploiting exactly what the smartphone does best: accessibility, scale, frequency, and connection. Mobile is not just the future of gaming; it is already the present. The question now is whether the Brazilian industry will continue to treat this market as a 'smaller game' or if it will finally recognize its true magnitude. Because in Brazil, the biggest console may not be under the television, but in the pocket.
