29 Sept 2025
This report critically examines the severe internet disruptions in Iran, highlighting inconsistencies between official government statements and the public's reality of restricted access and impaired digital services. It also delves into various tech news updates, ranging from new smartphone releases and programming language developments to AI innovations and digital security incidents, all within the context of the challenging internet landscape.
The Minister of Communications, Sattar Hashemi, claimed the internet had returned to its previous state and apologized to the people, but public experience immediately contradicted this assertion, with limited views on his own Twitter post highlighting the ongoing restrictions.
Internet filtering prevents access to foreign IPs, making Iranian servers inaccessible, VPNs and ICJ tools non-functional, and causing widespread connectivity issues for citizens. While WhatsApp was reportedly unfiltered, access to Telegram remained a persistent public request.
Data centers experienced internet outages, a rare occurrence over the past seven to eight years, and uploading videos became a lengthy and challenging process, sometimes extending beyond a single night.
Shargh newspaper reported that wartime theft carries double the normal punishment, with special courts processing such cases quickly and carefully, increasing sentences from 6 months to 3 years to 1 to 5 years under wartime conditions.
No official guidance was provided to the public on preparing for war conditions, such as emergency item checklists or safe travel advice, despite increased risks of theft from homes advertised on social media.
Banking applications like Up, 724, and Top experienced limitations, including reduced card transaction limits from 5 million to 12 or 10 million, and Aberbank withdrawal limits increasing from 200,000 to 300,000 tomans.
Mr. Hakim Javadi proposed providing class-based internet access to specific companies to support businesses, sparking criticism for creating internet 'rent' and discrimination, though he defended it as a measure to prevent the collapse of the digital economy.
Nobitex was hacked, resulting in an estimated $100 million loss, with promises of compensation and a phased user account restoration process, including re-verification, withdrawal access, and then transaction and deposit capabilities, starting after July 7th.
Google unveiled its artificial intelligence Imagen, which is now freely available in Google AI Studio, allowing users to generate and download photos, though access requires a functional VPN connection.
A 5% decrease in Bitcoin's hash rate coincided with internet outages in Iran, indicating a link between internet access and electricity issues, as mining pools require constant connectivity and contribute to 58% of the global Bitcoin calculations.
Fairphone introduced its 6th modular smartphone version, featuring 12 replaceable parts like the battery, display, camera, and USB port, offering 5 applications to encourage users to disconnect from social media.
Usage of domestic messengers decreased by 93% after internet restrictions were eased, despite persistent SMS spam from platforms like Rubika urging users to follow news and hindering unsubscription efforts.
The HTC MID 2, replacing the MID 1, supports 16K resolution at 60 Hz with a maximum bandwidth of 96 Gbps, offering various refresh rate modes (480 Hz, 240 Hz, 120 Hz) and supporting 10-bit and 20-bit colors.
The telecommunications company offered free landline internet during a period of crisis, but simultaneously increased subscription costs by 50%, with prices rising from 22,100 to 33,100 tomans.
Japanese company Rabo developed a smart collar for cats that uses artificial intelligence to detect stress levels and recognize physical activities like eating, drinking, sleeping, running, and walking, accessible through a dedicated app.
Xiaomi introduced the AI Glass, a smart video camera with a 12-megapixel sensor for 30fps video recording, electrochromic mode, 45 minutes of continuous video, 7 hours of music playback, support for 10 languages (excluding Persian), and 14 third-party applications, priced from $275.
The Redmi K80 Ultra features a 6.8-inch OLED display with 144 Hz refresh rate and 3200 nits peak brightness, powered by a Dimensity 9400 Plus processor, a D chip for display and gaming enhancement, a 6500 mm² cooling system, 256 GB internal memory, and a 50MP main camera, priced at $360 in China.
Apple introduced a new fee structure for the App Store in Europe, requiring developers using external payment links to pay a 5% 'Main Technology Commission' fee, a move criticized by Tim Sweeney as a violation of competitive market fairness.
The Swift programming language, Apple's proprietary language, is being ported to Android, with an official working group formed to provide support for Android as a target platform, aiming to enable iOS applications to be released on Android.
The PNG format, introduced in 1996, received its first major update in 22 years, adding HDR capabilities and animation support under the names IPG and EXIF file storage, enhancing its quality beyond JPG.
The Cloud chatbot allows users to describe an app idea, and it can directly produce and execute the application within the chatbot, although it has limitations for Iranian users regarding recording.
The Xiaomi Mi Mix Flip D was introduced with a 50-megapixel main camera, a larger battery, a design similar to the Z Flip 6, a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, 67-watt wired and 50-watt wireless charging, and a 32-megapixel selfie camera, priced at 715 euros for the 12 GB/256 GB model.
Digito's Instagram page, with 730,000 followers built over 10 years, was unexpectedly closed by Instagram without clear explanation, citing a 'violation of rules,' leading the team to plan a new page under a new name on other platforms.
The situation has not only not returned to normal, but it will not return because internet access is now severely filtered and restricted.
| Feature/Policy | Official Claim | Reality/Impact | Normal Conditions | Wartime Conditions | Purpose | Criticism | Loss Estimated | Resolution Plan | Replaceable Parts | Applications | Previous Limitation | New Capabilities | Status | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internet Access | Returned to previous state, apology issued. | Still severely filtered, VPNs/ICJ non-functional, server IPs blocked, public Twitter post views extremely low. | ||||||||||||
| Wartime Theft Punishment | 6 months to 3 years imprisonment. | Doubled to 1 to 5 years imprisonment; special courts for quick processing. | ||||||||||||
| Class-Based Internet (Hakim Javadi Proposal) | Support businesses, prevent collapse of digital economic chain. | Creates 'rent' and discrimination, promotes an unfair internet system. | ||||||||||||
| Nobitex Hack Incident | $100 million. | User identity verification, phased restoration of access (withdrawal, then transactions/deposits). | ||||||||||||
| Fairphone 6 Modularity | 12 (battery, display, camera, USB port, etc.). | 5 apps for social network disconnection. | ||||||||||||
| PNG Format Update | No HDR or animation support for 22 years. | Supports HDR and animation (IPG, EXIF file storage), improved quality over JPG. | ||||||||||||
| Digito Instagram Page | Closed by Instagram for 'violating rules'. | Loss of 730,000 followers, 10 years of content; new page planned. |
