Webwire: EU amends cookie laws; Facebook mulls own-brand smartphone

A new EU law restricting the details that website operators may legally record in cookies went into effect on Saturday.
 
Facebook has hired around 12 former Apple smartphone engineers, as it ramps efforts to launch its own device in 2013.
 
Apple chief executive Tim Cook has declined a $75 million (€59.6 million) dividend payment, a move observers say has raised his value to the firm.
 
The GSMA has again opposed Indian regulators' plan to set premium prices for 2G spectrum allocation, stating that the proposed rates provide a major disincentive to future investment in India.
 
Popular Chinese microblog Weibo has introduced new restrictions on using the service to post “unconfirmed” rumors, in response to pressure from local authorities to crack down on the practice.
 
Markets reacted badly to reports chipmaker Renesas Electronics is considering axing 10,000 jobs and raising fresh equity in an attempt to return to profitability.
 
UK premium rate number regulator PhonepayPlus has fined a company £50,000 (€62,372) for selling fraudulent versions of popular mobile games, which secretly triggered infected handsets to send three premium SMS priced £5 each.