5 Channel Partner Updates: Friday 11 January 2019 -

Here are five technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Friday, January 11, 2019.

Actually, there are 15 timely updates designed for managed services providers (MSPs), cloud services providers (CSPs), IT consulting firms, systems integrators, VARs, independent software vendors (ISVs), and telco agents to sip on.

15. Another Huawei Executive Arrested: Polish authorities detained and charged the local sales director of Huawei Technologies, a Chinese national, for conducting high-level espionage on behalf of China, amid widening global scrutiny by Washington and its allies of the technology giant, The Wall Street Journal reports. This arrest doesn't appear to be related to a separate arrest of Huawei's CFO in Canada.

14. AWS Database Push: Amazon Web Services has pushed deeper into the cloud database market, putting direct pressure on rival MongoDB's business.

13. Partner Program: Sectigo, formerly Comodo CA, has unveiled a revamped partner program for such offerings as TLS/SSL Certificates, SMIME/Email Certificates, Signing Certificates, Certificate Manager, IoT Manager, and PCI Compliance and Website Vulnerability Scanning.

12. Alibaba Partner Program: Here it comes...

11. Apple's China Struggles: China retailers are slashing iPhone prices, and Apple is preparing to launch three new iPhone models this year. China's slowing economy remains a concern. But the bigger problem likely involves Apple's greed; current high-priced iPhone models certainly exceed many consumers' budgets.

10. Apple Device as a Service: CompuCom is the latest in a growing list of companies to introduce Device as a Service for Apple products. The managed services suite includes:

Apple devices procured under an agreement with payment terms of 24, 36 or 48 months

Hardware asset management, including forecasting and reporting

Procurement, including hardware order management

Staging and configuration, including kitting and image deployment

Deployment, including shipping and end-user setup

Technical support 24/7/365, including advanced exchange and warranty repair

End-of-life disposition

End-user support, including CompuCom’s Service Desk and Anti-Malware as a Service as optional add-ons

9. Managed Services: RigNet, a Top 100 Vertical Market MSP, has introduced intelligent remote LTE services.

8. Ownership Watch: TSR, a provider of computer programming consulting services, says revenues slipped about 1 percent to $16.4 million in its quarter ended November 30. The company has been battling for its independence, rejecting an unsolicited takeover rumor while also seeking alternative M&A opportunities.

7. Talent: BroadStaff, a staffing firm that specializes in the wireless telecommunications industry, has named Carrie Charles as CEO. Carrie will carry out a four-pronged plan for organizational advancement throughout 2019, focusing on growth, culture, recruitment, and philanthropy.

6. M&A - Business Continuity: BDO USA, an accounting and advisory firm, has acquired Lootok, a business continuity and crisis management consulting and technology firm headquartered in New York.

5. M&A - MSPs: Winxnet has acquired the Managed Services division of Forza Technology Solutions. The acquisition follows the merger of Winxnet and K&R Network Solutions earlier this year.

4. IT Services - Rising Expenses: Key trend worth watching...

Indian IT services company Infosys raised its full-year revenue growth forecast on Friday, but reported a larger-than-expected drop in third-quarter profit, due to higher expenses, Reuters notes.

Tata Consultancy Services, India's largest software exporter, posted a record quarterly profit, helped by a revival in outsourcing demand among financial services clients and a sustained surge in deal flows, this report notes. However, Tata narrowly missed analyst estimates as quarterly profit was hit by a volatile currency and unexpected rise in employee costs, Bloomberg notes.

3. Accenture CEO Resigns: Accenture Chairman and CEO Pierre Nanterme is stepping down, effective immediately, amid his battle against cancer. Accenture CFO David Rowland has been named interim CEO, while KC McClure shifts to the CFO slot.

2. Top 100 Vertical Market MSPs: Participate in our survey here and your company could be honored among the world’s Top 100 Vertical Market MSPs.

1. How Much Is Your Business Worth?: Find out during our next ChannelE2E webcast…