The US-Israeli war with Iran has spilt over into just about every facet of life and that includes the technology sector.

Behind everything taking place with the dangerous drone and missile strikes, the latest hardware and software is being utilised.

There is much speculation that older technology from the Cold War is somehow in the mix but amid the conjecture, most reasonable people would like for it all to stop.

The big story

Another path online

In brief | It has been an interesting week for Elon Musk's low-Earth-orbit satellite internet connectivity company, Starlink.

Iranian officials, no fans of the devices that make it possible to connect to the internet, said they seized hundreds of Starlink consoles, calling them tools of invaders.

Yet near Iran, Starlink quietly received clearance to operate in the UAE and Kuwait, meaning the company's internet consoles now work in more than 150 countries.

Why it matters | To say that low-Earth-orbit satellite internet providers are the next big thing would be a vast understatement.

Recent developments show the sector has truly come of age and we may soon find it difficult to remember a time before such internet providers existed.

Though some countries and regulators are dragging their feet in approving the devices, the sheer momentum of public opinion will surely force their hands.

Quoted | “Starlink is now live in the UAE. The final piece of the puzzle (almost) is in place. Now, the GCC is rapidly becoming one of the most connected regions on the planet”

– Mohamed Abbas, principal analyst at OpenSignal

Future in focus

• Critical minerals | From smartphones to electric vehicles, here's how the Iran war is exposing fragilities in the global supply chain

• Stop doomscrolling | The offline hobbies people are packing in 'analogue bags'

• Nvidia GTC | AI trumps politics at much-anticipated tech conference

• Opinion | In today's time-saving economy, buying back hours is business’s next frontier

Predicting the future: Signal or noise?

We are almost all connected to the internet and there is no going back. It is incredibly amazing, of course, until it is taken away for various reasons. Some are experiencing that right now amid all the turmoil in the Middle East.

In turn, there is renewed interest in the idea of mesh-network apps that do not rely on traditional internet connections or network infrastructure to allow people to communicate. One app in particular, Bitchat Mesh, is gaining momentum as a result.

This is a signal: Most of us do like the idea of having options, and that is certainly true in terms of internet service providers.

Critics point out that many new mesh-network apps are based on Bluetooth, which obviously limits the reach of those networks, but I expect engineers will continue to improve the technology, thus making mesh networks more prevalent.

In case you missed it

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• UN appoints actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt to new AI and tech role

• Why Pixar’s Hoppers feels like classic animation again, risks and all

• The 15 best games on the Nintendo Switch 2

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