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Alibaba sees strong sales as Singles' Day beats record

BBC Technology 11 Nov 2019 03:57 PM Image copyright Getty Images Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba's Singles' Day shopping frenzy has broken records in its 11th year.The world's biggest online shopping event raked in more than $30.8bn (210bn yuan; £23bn) in sales in 16.5 hours of trading, surpassing last year's all-time-high.A gala featuring pop star Taylor Swift launched the 24-hour shopping blitz.It marked Alibaba's first Singles' Day since the exit of its colourful founder, Jack Ma.He was replaced as executive chairman by Danie

China's Henan province journeys to the west with social media marketing drive

The Drum 11 Nov 2019 09:10 AM Henan promotes Huaxia history on social media in marketing drive The Chinese province of Henan has begun a new social media campaign in which brings its rich history as the birthplace of ancient Chinese Huaxia civilization to international digital audiences.The broad-brush campaign has been devised by the Cultural and Tourism Department of Henan Province to position the region as a tourism magnet by bringing its landscapes and sociocultural history to foreign audiences via Facebook, Twitter, In

Lazada co-president on why he doesn't get much sleep during Singles' Day

The Drum 10 Nov 2019 11:00 PM Jing says the "super solutions" will allow consumers to discover things they may not have noticed and encounter during 11.11 “I would give us a very good score in terms of our growth in 2019, grade A would be an absolute score because our sellers and orders have been growing consecutively for many quarters now,” Jing Yin tells The Drum as we catch up with the co-president of Lazada at the NCO club in Singapore.That growth is due in a large part to the Alibaba-owned platform integrating grocerie

Jetstar celebrates 'singledom' on Singles' Day with solo travel campaign

The Drum 08 Nov 2019 04:50 AM Jetstar celebrates solo travel on Singles' Day Jetstar is tapping into Singles' Day and a trend towards a celebration of single life by offering deals for solo travellers from Singapore. The campaign is timed around the Singles' Day sales day that originated in China but now sees businesses around the world create special deals on the 11 November each year. It taps into a growing discussion in society about having pride in singledom and enjoying spending time with oneself, particularly when it

Holiday shopping habits: Singaporeans go for deals, while Australians love festive shopping

The Drum 08 Nov 2019 02:49 AM Christmas Shopping trends in APAC Research by Rakuten Marketing has revealed that the habits around holiday shopping vary dramatically between different markets in Asia Pacific.The research revealed Australians and South Koreans categorised their shopping habits most often as ‘holiday shoppers’ (28% and 30% respectively). Holiday shoppers tend to buy all the gifts they need once November hits, with a smaller lead time on purchasing. By comparison, Chinese shoppers bought throughout the year and

Reboost: The changing powertrain component market and how suppliers can stay competitive

McKinsey 08 Nov 2019 12:00 AM Downloadable Resources Open interactive popup Full Report (PDF-806KB) Looking back not even a decade, the automotive industry was largely comprised of the same two powertrain types that had characterized the industry for over a century: gasoline and diesel. Today, there is a broad powertrain mix as the industry—prompted mostly by government mandates—pushes toward more environmentally friendly and efficient transportation. As the powertrain portfolio diversifies and includes an increasing number

TikTok: Should we trust the Chinese social-media video app?

BBC Technology 07 Nov 2019 12:28 PM TikTok is thought to have about half a billion active users worldwide, with a large percentage in their teens or early 20s.The short-form video app has become a fertile birthing ground for memes, many of them music-related. One example involved users and their pets switching into cowboy and cowgirl clothing at a certain point in rapper Lil Nas X's song Old Town Road - something that is credited with it becoming a huge hit.But some politicians are worried the app's Chinese owner, Bytedance, pose

New rules in China place limits on daily gaming time for minors

Mashable 06 Nov 2019 06:40 PM Image: Michael Reynolds / EPA / Shutterstock Time and money are at the center of China's latest move to curb the rise of gaming addiction. New rules laid out by the State Administration of Press and Publications (SAPP) establish limitations on the amount of time a minor can spend playing video games daily, and how much money they can spend every month. The rules also strengthen a number of older policies and begin to establish an age rating system. People under the age of 18 will now be limited

How Chinese airlines can brace for impending turbulence

McKinsey 06 Nov 2019 12:00 AM Downloadable Resources Open interactive popup Article (PDF-1MB) Chinese airlines have grown rapidly. From 2009 to 2018, demand grew at 14 percent year-on-year, 1 1. As measured by revenue passenger kilometers (RPK). fueled by strong domestic travel and outbound tourism that came with the growing Chinese middle class. By 2018, China was the world’s second-largest domestic market and largest outbound tourism market. Over this period, the “Big Three” carriers—Air China, China Eastern, and China So

10 essential media stats from October 2019

What's New in Publishing 05 Nov 2019 09:40 AM Snapchat’s resurgence, Global Advertising projections for 2020, Instagram’s struggle with disinformation, digital vs. traditional media habits, the BBC’s youth problem, Vox Media’s podcast punt and social commerce in China. Here’s our regular round-up of the Top 10 stats from the past month: 1: Snapchat revenue up 50% in the past year Snapchat, the ephemeral messaging app has bounced back from a declining and static user base in mid-2018, to add 7 million daily active users in the past quarter.

TikTok and Apple decline to testify over China

BBC Technology 04 Nov 2019 10:56 AM Image copyright Getty Images Both TikTok and Apple have declined to testify to US Congress in a hearing, about their ties to ChinaTuesday's hearing is designed to explore the relationships the US-based technology industry has with China and whether there are national security issues as a result. TikTok said it was unable to send a suitable delegate "on short notice" but was committed to "working productively" with Congress.Apple said it had no comment.Police-tracking app"I've invited Apple and

China rolls out 'one of the world's largest' 5G networks

BBC Technology 01 Nov 2019 03:51 AM Image copyright Getty Images China's mobile operators have made 5G services available to consumers, as the country seeks to become a global technology leader.State-owned carriers China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom unveiled their 5G data plans on Thursday.It comes as Beijing and Washington have been embroiled in a power struggle over trade and technology.South Korea, the US and the UK have all rolled out their next generation 5G networks this year.5G is the fifth-generation of mobile i

Chinese hackers infect carriers to steal SMS messages

Mashable 31 Oct 2019 07:56 PM China is stepping up their hacker waysImage: Getty Follow @https://twitter.com/PCMag PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering Labs-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. Malware tied to Chinese hackers has been found infecting telecommunication networks to steal SMS messages from thousands of phone numbers. The spying effort comes fr

For the first time in two years, the smartphone market shows signs of life

Tech Crunch 31 Oct 2019 02:15 PM All is not lost for smartphone manufacturers. On the heels of two years’ of global stagnation, the category is finally showing some signs of life. Much of the bounce back comes as manufacturers are working to correct for dulled consumer interest. I wouldn’t put too much weight in the numbers right now, as they’re little more than an uptick. Numbers from Canalys put shipment growth at 1% from Q3 2018 to Q3 2019. In most cases, that would be a modest gain, at best, but this is notably the first t

Entire drone fleet grounded by US government agency

BBC Technology 31 Oct 2019 12:30 PM Image copyright US DoI More than 800 drones have been grounded by the US Department of the Interior (DoI) over concerns they could be used to aid Chinese spying.All the grounded drones were made in China or use Chinese parts, the Wall Street Journal reports.The call to stop using the autonomous craft was made by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, who also ordered a review of the security risks they pose.Only drones helping in emergencies will be allowed to fly.Full controlThe Department of the

Everything you need to know about ByteDance, the company behind TikTok

Digiday 30 Oct 2019 04:00 AM On Monday, rumors swirled that the world’s most valuable startup, Beijing-based ByteDance, the company behind global short-form video app sensation TikTok, was set to go public, although the $78 billion company swiftly squashed the rumor. Whether ByteDance eventually goes public, it’s a company that marketers and publishers — if they aren’t already — should be paying close attention to. Here’s what you need to know and why. What ByteDance doesByteDance was founded in March 2012 by Zhang Yiming,

China and USA in Blockchain – The Program And The Spreadsheet

Gartner 29 Oct 2019 09:51 PM by Rajesh Kandaswamy | October 29, 2019 | Submit a Comment Blockchain adoption in enterprises is still in its infancy, but I notice a difference in how enterprises approach blockchain projects in these China and the USA. The recent comments by the President of China, Xi Jinping encouraging the Chinese industry to “seize the opportunity” afforded by blockchain led me to write this post based on my visits and conversations with companies in both these countries. In China, there is an abundance

GroupM's Brian Wieser shares key insights on media landscape

Campaign 28 Oct 2019 05:50 PM In its latest report, "The Media Landscape," WPP’s GroupM digs into some of the biggest topics in media today – challenges, opportunities, trends and more. Campaign US asked GroupM’s Global President of Business Intelligence, Brian Wieser, to share his key takeaways from the thorough publication. See below for his insights on the concentration among media owners, the ways in which different kinds of media owners are likely to evolve and the role of media agencies now and into the future. MEDIA F

Can other countries catch up with China's electric car dominance?

Telegraph 28 Oct 2019 08:02 AM

Insights into China’s dynamic auto market from Daimler’s Hubertus Troska

McKinsey 28 Oct 2019 12:00 AM Downloadable Resources Open interactive popup Article (PDF-3MB) Under its “Made in China, for China” ethos, Daimler has embraced the notion that success in China requires long-term commitment to the local market and its customers.For example, its Beijing Benz Automotive Co. (BBAC) joint venture with Beijing Automotive Group Co. (BAIC) has produced a staggering two-million-plus cars since the first E-Class peeled off the production line in 2006. Those vehicles have been supported by local resear

Why you should worry if you have a Chinese smartphone

Guardian Technology 26 Oct 2019 03:00 PM Chinese firms have signed deals with cities around the globe that include facial recognition software. Photograph: Bobby Yip/Reuters Samantha Hoffman is an analyst of Chinese security issues at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (Aspi). She recently published a paper entitled Engineering Global Consent: The Chinese Communist Party’s Data-Driven Power Expansion. Internet pioneers heralded a time when information would be set free, giving people everywhere unfiltered access to the world’s

As TikTok’s popularity rises, buyers say the ad team needs to grow to keep up

Digiday 23 Oct 2019 04:01 AM TikTok is looking to grow as media buyers say the app needs to expand its U.S. team to keep up with demand. The company is currently seeking candidates for at least 17 positions for its ads business: two brand strategists, two influencer campaign managers, an ad products specialist, an ad operations manager, a trust and safety policy manager, among others, in its U.S. headquarters of Los Angeles, as well as offices in New York, San Francisco and Mountain View, California, according to jobs list

China has more 'unicorn' start-ups than the US

BBC Technology 22 Oct 2019 04:07 AM Image copyright Getty Images China has the world's largest number of "unicorns," privately-held start-up firms valued at more than $1bn (£771m), according to a new report. The country has produced 206 unicorns while the US has 203, the China-based Hurun Institute reported.Together the two countries are home to more than 80% of the world's unicorns. It comes as Washington and Beijing fight a trade war and jostle to become the world's technology leader."China and the US dominate... despite repres

Alibaba’s 11th 11.11 festival ‘stimulating consumption demand’ to break sales records again

The Drum 22 Oct 2019 02:56 AM Alibaba’s 11th 11:11 festival positioned to ‘stimulate consumption demand’ Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce giant, has kicked off its vast sales festival 11.11 - it hopes to top last year's record sales of $30bn by attracting shoppers from lower-income households. The 11.11 festival enters its second decade, its 11th year, is to mark ‘new consumption’ said the company. The event will be streamed live to a mass audience, mixing entertainment and commerce with a star-studded cast in Shanghai as of

China auto consumer insights 2019

McKinsey 22 Oct 2019 12:00 AM Downloadable Resources Open interactive popup Full Report (PDF-4MB) As slowing economic growth becomes the new norm in China, the Chinese passenger-vehicle market has bid farewell to years of high-speed growth and entered a new phase of development.In the short term, this era is characterized by falling overall sales. But this is more a pause for breath than the end of the road, as the potential for growth remains strong (Exhibit 1). We strive to provide individuals with disabilities equal acce

How to build your own paid newsletter, and the people who are doing it

What's New in Publishing 21 Oct 2019 07:00 AM This article was originally published by Revue, the editorial newsletter tool for writers and publishers. Newsletters are seeing a renaissance, particularly as algorithmic timelines have become saturated with click-bait, advertising, and irrelevant information. Because of this, newsletters are increasingly the best way to reach people where they are, and you can almost guarantee they’ll read it. There are many writers of varying backgrounds and interests monetizing their content for the first ti

Programmed or Programmable Society – Monetizing Smart Cities

Gartner 19 Oct 2019 09:33 PM Image Source: Pixabay We have seen multiple cities, especially in Asia make announcements about intentions to launch government issued reward tokens as part of its smart city initiative (e.g. Seoul S Coin and Municipal Tokens). The apparent goal is to encourage citizens to participate in the use of public services, increase the tax base, foster economic activity and respond to government sponsored questionnaires. Providing feedback in terms of social services will entitle citizens to receive to

Mark Zuckerberg signals Facebook won't return to China as he calls on tech firms to defend free speech

Telegraph 18 Oct 2019 06:18 AM

Zuckerberg defends Facebook as bastion of 'free expression' in speech

Guardian Technology 17 Oct 2019 07:54 PM Mark Zuckerberg speaks at Georgetown University on Thursday. Photograph: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images Mark Zuckerberg touted Facebook as a champion of “free expression” in a wide-sweeping speech, offering a staunch defense of the social media giant following several rocky years characterized by allegations against the platform of censorship and bias. Speaking at Georgetown University on Thursday, the Facebook CEO invoked Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King Jr and Black Live

Fashion’s new must-have: Sustainable sourcing at scale

McKinsey 17 Oct 2019 12:00 AM Downloadable Resources Open interactive popup Full Report (PDF-12MB) McKinsey’s 2019 chief purchasing officer (CPO) survey finds that sustainable sourcing at scale is the fashion industry’s new must-have. The survey shows that social and environmental sustainability has become a key priority for apparel companies, just as it is becoming an increasingly important issue for consumers and governments.The survey reflects the perspectives of 64 participating sourcing executives, who together are res

Pro gamer punished for supporting Hong Kong protests has prize money restored after international uproar

Telegraph 14 Oct 2019 05:41 PM

China's Study the Great Nation app 'enables spying via back door'

BBC Technology 14 Oct 2019 12:51 PM Image copyright Getty Images The Chinese Communist Party has gained the ability to spy on more than 100 million citizens via a heavily promoted official app, a report suggests.Analysis of the Study the Great Nation app found hidden elements that could help monitor use and copy data, said phone security experts Cure 53.The app gives the government "super-user" access, the security firm said.The Chinese government denied the app had the monitoring functions listed by the cyber investigators.Relea

Cultural Pitfalls that Western Executives should avoid with Chinese Stakeholders (2/3)

Gartner 14 Oct 2019 09:40 AM by Daniel Sanchez Reina | October 14, 2019 | Submit a Comment This is the second one of a series of 3 posts about the cultural pitfalls between Western Executives and their Chinese stakeholders. For the purpose of this post, “Western” loosely refers to executives from the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Enter the Personal Relationship Deal- Versus Relationship-Focused Cultures Deal-focused cultures tend to separate effective and cognitive trust at work, while relationship-fo

Halloween, Black Friday, Cyber Monday… What’s the next big retail event?

The Drum 11 Oct 2019 02:30 PM By clare stewart-11 October 2019 15:30pmThe marketing sector can be a complicated place as new marketing tools and techniques are launched, almost on a weekly basis. Powered by The Drum Network, this regular column invites The Drum Network's members to demystify the marketing trade and offer expert insight and opinion on what is happening in the marketing industry today that can help your business tomorrow. As marketers prepare for Halloween, Whippet question whether any other international day

Fury as Apple pulls US news app Quartz from China 'over Hong Kong coverage'

Telegraph 10 Oct 2019 11:25 PM

Few convinced by Apple's case for Hong Kong app removal

BBC Technology 11 Oct 2019 02:06 AM By Dave Lee North America technology reporter Image copyright Getty Images As if piling up sandbags before a flood, Apple was well prepared to face a backlash over its decision to remove an app used by Hong Kong protesters.But the firm’s carefully-worded statement offering its reasoning has left China watchers, politicians - and some famed Apple supporters - wholly unconvinced.“Apple’s decision to cave to Communist China’s demands is unacceptable,” tweeted Rick Scott, a Republican senator for F

Ferrero Rocher push special edition packs during Tmall Super Brand Day

The Drum 10 Oct 2019 04:24 AM Ferrero Rocher launches special edition packs to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival Chocolate brand Ferrero Rocher unveiled a campaign during the recent Mid-Autumn festival to promote its limited-edition premium packs for the Tmall Super Brand Day.The campaign titled '193 Moons for you' created by TBWA\Shanghai aimed to celebrate with each moon (Ferrero Rocher chocolate) a different theme of thoughtfulness.The Mid-Autumn Festival is widely celebrated in China, as people gather with family and fr

Unlocking private-sector financing in emerging-markets infrastructure

McKinsey 10 Oct 2019 12:00 AM Developing countries will need to invest more than $2 trillion a year in infrastructure just to keep pace with projected GDP growth over the next 15 years—yet many of them face challenges in mobilizing the resources to finance this investment. To close the gap, governments in these countries, together with their partners in development finance institutions (DFIs), will need to unlock private-sector infrastructure financing at scale. As we show in this article, solutions are in sight: there are i

Daily Crunch: China pressures Apple

Tech Crunch 09 Oct 2019 05:05 PM The Daily Crunch is TechCrunch’s roundup of our biggest and most important stories. If you’d like to get this delivered to your inbox every day at around 9am Pacific, you can subscribe here. 1. China attacks Apple for allowing Hong Kong crowdsourced police activity app Apple’s decision to greenlight an app called HKmaps, which is being used by pro-democracy protestors in Hong Kong to crowdsource information about street closures and police presence, is attracting the ire of the Chinese governme

Goldman Sachs reviews role in Chinese tech firm Megvii

BBC Technology 09 Oct 2019 07:48 AM Image copyright Megvii Goldman Sachs will review its involvement in the planned stock market listing of Chinese artificial intelligence firm Megvii.The US has blacklisted the company, alleging it is "implicated" in the repression of Muslim minorities. Megvii, best known for its facial recognition algorithms, is reportedly seeking a valuation of up to $1bn. In an emailed statement, Goldman Sachs said it was evaluating its role "in light of the recent developments". Goldman is a joint sponsor of

The Hong Kong Brand Values Test

Gartner 08 Oct 2019 03:23 PM If you’re the NBA, Vans or the creators of South Park, this week has been a serious test of your brand values. In case you missed it, on Sunday Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted his support for the pro-democracy protests taking place in Hong Kong. “Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong.” Immediately the Chinese Basketball Association suspended cooperation with the Rockets and Chinese broadcasters announced they would stop airing Rockets games. A very swift and pretty sever

Could blacklisting China's AI champions backfire?

BBC Technology 08 Oct 2019 12:36 PM By Leo Kelion Technology desk editor Image copyright Getty Images Just over two years ago, China announced an audacious plan to overtake the US and lead the "world in AI [artificial intelligence] technology and applications by 2030".It is already widely regarded to have overtaken the EU in many aspects.But now its plans may be knocked off course by the US restricting certain Chinese companies from buying technologies developed or manufactured in the States.Washington's justification is that the

US blacklists Chinese surveillance and AI firms

BBC Technology 08 Oct 2019 10:13 AM Image copyright AFP/Getty The US has blacklisted 28 Chinese organisations for their alleged involvement in abuses against ethnic Uighurs in China's Xinjiang province.The organisations are now on the so-called Entity List, which bars them from buying products from US companies without approval from Washington.The 28 targets include both government agencies and technology companies specialising in surveillance equipment.China reacted angrily, dismissing the US allegations as groundless."There is

Li Ning, CCTV, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank hits out at Houston Rockets after comments on Hong Kong protests

The Drum 07 Oct 2019 08:37 AM Li Ning, CCTV, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank hits out at Houston Rockets after comments on Hong Kong protests NBA team Houston Rockets is facing protest from brands like Li Ning and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank in China over comments from team's general manager on Hong Kong protests.The team's general manager Daryl Morey had tweeted an image captioned: "Fight For Freedom. Stand With Hong Kong."Morey further tried to clarify in a tweet: "I did not intend my tweet to cause any offense to R

'We are hurtling towards a surveillance state’: the rise of facial recognition technology

Guardian Technology 05 Oct 2019 09:00 AM ‘If you’ve got something to be worried about, you should probably be worried.’ Photograph: Lol Keegan/The Guardian. Cameras supplied by dynamic-cctv.com Gordon’s wine bar is reached through a discreet side-door, a few paces from the slipstream of London theatregoers and suited professionals powering towards their evening train. A steep staircase plunges visitors into a dimly lit cavern, lined with dusty champagne bottles and faded newspaper clippings, which appears to have had only minor refurb

KFC, Unilever, Disney: winners list of The Drum Digital Advertising Award APAC 2019

The Drum 04 Oct 2019 03:30 PM KFC, Unilever, Disney: winners list of The Drum Digital Advertising Award APAC 2019 KFC, Marina Bay Sands and Unilever are some of the innovative brands winning big at The Drum Digital Advertising Awards APAC 2019.Taking place at JW Marriott Singapore South Beach on Friday 4 October, the black-tie event saw Mindshare China take home the coveted Grand Prix, Best Mobile Campaign and Best Branding Campaign. KFC is a frequent winner of these awards so it’s no surprise they took home three awards fo

China continues to dominate e-commerce market in Asia Pacific

The Drum 04 Oct 2019 04:01 AM China tops the APAC ecommerce market with 61% of consumers shopping online China continues to lead the e-commerce market in the Asia Pacific with 61% of consumers shopping online whilst New Zealand and Japan is the smallest markets, lagging behind at 33% and 34% respectively. Most of the shopping online in APAC, takes place on mobile, averaging 21% usage across the region driven primarily by China (32%) and India (29%).Meanwhile, high shipping costs hold consumers back from online shopping in m

Samsung pulls the plug on Chinese smartphone production

Tech Crunch 02 Oct 2019 11:37 PM Samsung this morning confirmed with Reuters that it has shuttered handset production in China. The move comes as the company continues to struggle in the world’s No. 1 smartphone market. As we noted in a deeper dive into China’s smartphone sales back in August, the Korean hardware giant has struggled to maintain a market share in the low single digits. It’s not alone, of course; Apple, too, has faced an uphill effort to crack the market, which is dominated by homegrown names, including Huawei,

‘Collaboration is key to meet publisher digital demands’: Programmatic Punch APAC 2019

The Drum 02 Oct 2019 11:00 PM ‘Collaboration is key to meet publisher digital demands’: Programmatic Punch APAC 2019 As automated media buying becomes more intrinsic to a publisher’s business, businesses are having to come up with new innovations and collaborations to solve the issues they have been facing in putting their prized inventory onto programmatic.Ahead of The Drum’s Programmatic Punch APAC, we speak with Ian Hocking, vice president of digital, of the South China Morning Post (SCMP) about the challenges facing pub

What to Expect When You’re Expecting … a Recession

Gartner 02 Oct 2019 09:13 PM Whispers, rumors, hushed and hurried utterances, a knowing nod across the conference table. In late-summer, talk of recession seemed to reach a fever pitch. In fact, according to data from the 2019 Gartner Global Labor Market Survey, 80% of employees within enterprises were bracing for tough economic times ahead. While tensions have simmered more recently, thanks to rate cuts from the Fed and President Trump’s attention turning away from China toward fending off impeachment, underlying concerns

What to Expect When You’re Expecting … a Recession

Gartner 02 Oct 2019 09:13 PM Whispers, rumors, hushed and hurried utterances, a knowing nod across the conference table. In late-summer, talk of recession seemed to reach a fever pitch. In fact, according to data from the 2019 Gartner Global Labor Market Survey, 80% of employees within enterprises were bracing for tough economic times ahead. While tensions have simmered more recently, thanks to rate cuts from the Fed and President Trump’s attention turning away from China toward fending off impeachment, underlying concerns

GoPro Hero 8 Black targets vloggers with add-on modules

BBC Technology 01 Oct 2019 01:00 PM By Leo Kelion Technology desk editor Image copyright GoPro GoPro's new flagship action camera is designed to connect to a new range of hardware add-ons targeted at vloggers.But experts suggest that other improvements are relatively minor, meaning the Hero 8 Black may be a tough sell.GoPro remains the bestselling action cam brand in much of the world.But the firm posted a loss in its last two quarters and is facing competition from China's DJI, which entered the market with a rival product in Ma

Next19 conference: An interaction between purpose, innovation and creativity

The Drum 01 Oct 2019 08:30 AM Jon Wilkins and Karmarama take Next19 at Hamburg this year Jon Wilkins, global managing director creative council, Accenture Interactive and chairman of KarmaramaIt’s my third time at NEXT, the global innovation conference which fosters conversation about the digital revolution with global thought leaders. This year it was hosted by Accenture Interactive, and ran in partnership with the Reeperbahn Music Festival - a heady combination of mind-blowing talks during the day and gigs all over the ci

Amazon promotes cameras with security flaws that leave shoppers exposed to hackers

Telegraph 30 Sep 2019 11:01 PM

Framing reinvention: What disruptive change means for business, society, and you

McKinsey 30 Sep 2019 12:00 AM Downloadable Resources Article (PDF-463KB) In this episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast, we share McKinsey global managing partner Kevin Sneader’s recent address to a gathering of CFOs in London. (For more conversations on the strategy issues that matter, subscribe to the series on iTunes or Google Play.) Framing reinvention: What disruptive change means for business, society, and you Sean Brown: From McKinsey’s Strategy and Corporate Finance practice, I’m Sean Brown, and welcome to

Africa’s top mobile phone seller Transsion lists in Chinese IPO

Tech Crunch 30 Sep 2019 01:30 AM Chinese mobile phone and device maker Transsion has listed in an IPO on Shanghai’s STAR Market, a Transsion spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch. Headquartered in Shenzhen, Transsion is a top seller of smartphones in Africa under its Tecno brand. The company has also started to support venture funding of African startups. Transsion issued 80 million A shares at an opening price of 35.15 yuan (≈ $5.00) to raise 2.8 billion yuan (or ≈ $394 million). A shares are the common shares issued by mainl

The next wave: Chinese companies are leading the way in defining consumer apps

Digiday 27 Sep 2019 04:01 AM Bart Baker desperately wanted to quit YouTube. Since 2009, Baker had regularly produced parody music videos like Jason Derulo’s “Wiggle” (62 million views), Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” (68 million views), Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda” (108 million views). But the Chicago native who had moved to Los Angeles to pursue entertainment full-time was fed up with Google-owned video platform by 2018. “Brands don’t care as much as they used to. Everyone’s an influencer. I’m trying to figure out how people ma

How brands can use apps like XiaoHongShu, Baidu Tieba and Ximalaya FM to reach Chinese consumers

The Drum 27 Sep 2019 02:30 AM As China’s economy continues to grow, brands are finding new ways to connect with the country’s consumers on social media. China is set to eclipse the United States this year as the world’s largest consumer market, according to eMarketer. Rising incomes and purchasing power have been driving unprecedented demand and spending across consumer categories. Despite slowing economic growth, Chinese consumers are spending more on goods and services in 2019 and plan to spend even more in 2020, accordin

How Tencent brought the moon closer to WeChat users during Mid-Autumn Festival

The Drum 27 Sep 2019 05:47 AM The original plan was to encourage WeChat users to donate their walking steps via WeRun. In a bid to change up the usual routine of sending greetings to friends and families in China through social platforms like WeChat during the Mid-Autumn festival, Tencent created a mixed reality campaign aimed at symbolising the strong power of Chinese culture. Called “Moonments”, the tech giant combined the festival, which celebrates the full moon that appears at the end of the autumn harvest, and the Grea

Ad spend on online video will rise to $61B by 2021, as time spent viewing grows rapidly at 32% a year

What's New in Publishing 26 Sep 2019 07:20 AM Online video is upending media consumption habits around the world, causing rapid changes in behaviour as people become accustomed to having endless high-quality video on tap wherever they are at any time in the day. At Zenith we have been tracking the growth of online video viewing and advertising in our annual Online Video Forecasts report, the fifth edition of which we have just published. The amount of time people spend viewing online video has grown rapidly, at an average rate of 32 per cen

China digital consumer trends in 2019

McKinsey 26 Sep 2019 12:00 AM Downloadable Resources Full Report (PDF-745KB) China’s rise as a global leader in e-commerce has been nothing less than stunning. This year, online retail sales are expected to swell to $1.5 trillion, representing a quarter of China’s total retail-sales volume, and more than the retail sales of the ten next largest markets in the world—combined (Exhibit 1). We strive to provide individuals with disabilities equal access to our website. If you would like information about this content we will be

Three reasons the next downturn will be different.

Gartner 25 Sep 2019 11:04 AM “The signals are everywhere” a corporate financial specialist said to me recently. Many people are concerned that a global economic downturn is on its way, or perhaps already in its early stages. Whenever we face such uncertainty, we tend to look back at history to see if there’s a pattern we can use to help navigate. Most of us reach first into our own personal experiences. If you are an executive in business today, you are probably thinking back to the recession induced by the financial crisis

Down but not out: How automakers can create value in an uncertain future

McKinsey 25 Sep 2019 12:00 AM Downloadable Resources Article (PDF-2MB) Nearly ten years after the automotive industry’s surprisingly strong postcrisis recovery, 2017 was a peak year for its earnings. However, despite this decade-long winning streak, investors are discounting auto stocks, expecting traditional OEMs to fall short in the rapidly shifting world of future mobility. Global automakers had a tough year in 2018, with several headwinds: higher expenses required to meet stricter emission regulations, global trade tens

How do you find your way forward in China’s complex media marketplace?

The Drum 24 Sep 2019 01:30 PM Navigating China’s complex media marketplace China, as we know, is transforming from an export-driven economy to a consumer-driven one. But sometimes it can still be a daunting place for Western marketers to crack, especially given its complex media ecosystem. The Drum spoke to iPinYou, a marketing technology, and big data platform and one of the first companies to bring audience-targeted programmatic buying to brands in Asia, to talk about the Chinese market and reveal the habits of its consum

Xiaomi’s 108MP Mi Mix Alpha has a display that wraps around the back

Tech Crunch 24 Sep 2019 10:32 AM As Samsung and Huawei double down on their foldable smartphone lineups, and other handset vendors try to hide the notch, Chinese giant Xiaomi today chalked out a different path altogether. The company unveiled the Mi Mix Alpha, a smartphone with a front display that fully wraps around the back, save for a strip. The Mi Mix Alpha’s body is made of a single piece of sapphire glass with ceramics and aerospace-grade titanium alloy. So what does the extra display gets you? Nothing much. The back dis

“Consumers are in debate with themselves”: The new battleground of data and privacy

What's New in Publishing 24 Sep 2019 06:52 AM Privacy and data use have never been more at the forefront of consumers’ minds. Ting Cai, Partner Director of Product and Technology at Microsoft, says “a perfect balance” can be found. Tell us a bit about the topic you will be covering at FIPP World Media Congress and why it’s such an important issue right now. There are a lot of conversations in the media, including around Facebook, Google and Apple – and it’s all about privacy. And I think the problem that the consumer is facing is that there

Cultural Pitfalls that Western Executives should avoid with Chinese Stakeholders (1/3)

Gartner 23 Sep 2019 03:19 PM This is the first one of a series of 3 posts about the captioned topic. Despite political and economic turbulence between the U.S. and China, Western firms’ acquisitions and company creations in China are increasing, as is the trend of high-skilled tech talent moving from China to the U.S. and Europe. Be thoughtful about some cultural pitfalls with Chinese stakeholders. For the purpose of this post, “Western” loosely refers to executives from the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

Tracking the sources of robust payments growth: McKinsey Global Payments Report

McKinsey 22 Sep 2019 12:00 AM Downloadable Resources Full Report (PDF-1MB) Following a year of unprecedented, double-digit growth in 2017, global payments returned to its established pattern of steady yet strong performance. Global revenue reached $1.9 trillion in 2018, reflecting 6 percent growth. Several long-standing trends were reestablished, offsetting 2017 outliers—notably, Latin America’s return to above-average growth. As always, however, the composition and dynamics of payments revenue vary dramatically by region,

What3words: 'Life-saving app' divides opinion

BBC Technology 20 Sep 2019 11:53 PM By Jane Wakefield Technology reporter A woman rescued from near Everest's base camp after a fall, a business traveller caught up in a terrorist attack in Somalia and a diving accident in the Maldives. Three successful rescues which relied on three simple words.What3words divides the world into three-metre squares and gives each one a unique three-word address in order for people to be easily found in emergencies, and to give the billions of people without a formal address access to one for the

Huawei forced to launch Mate 30 phone without Google apps

Guardian Technology 19 Sep 2019 03:18 PM The Mate 30 Pro. The lack of Google apps may be a killer blow for Huawei’s new smartphones, despite impressive features. Photograph: Lukas Barth-Tuttas/EPA The launch of Huawei’s latest smartphone, the Mate 30, has been hampered by the ongoing trade war between China and the US, which has resulted in Google pulling its apps and services from the company’s new devices. Announced in Munich on Thursday, the high-end Mate 30 series, which features Huawei’s latest class-leading camera and 5G technol

Huawei Mate 30 phones launch without Google apps

BBC Technology 19 Sep 2019 02:03 PM By Leo Kelion Technology desk editor Image copyright Huawei Huawei has launched its latest smartphones without many of the apps typically pre-installed on Android handsets.The Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro both lack YouTube, Google Maps and Gmail among other software.They also do not feature Google's Play Store, which is the normal way users outside China install third-party software on to Android 10 phones.To address this, Huawei has pre-loaded new alternative apps of its own.A spokesman for the Chi

It's not just about China. Asian economies are integrating rapidly, fuelling regional growth

McKinsey 19 Sep 2019 12:00 AM China’s inexorable economic rise, and Japan’s industrial revolution before it, have long attracted superlatives. But beyond these economic giants, there is much dynamism elsewhere in Asia, too. Consider that, in Bangladesh, manufacturing as a share of its economy has jumped from 16 to 22 per cent in just 10 years.Or look at Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, which is well on its way to becoming an innovation hub. From a standing start, the city has attracted US$2.6 billion of foreign direct investm

China in the Asian century

McKinsey 19 Sep 2019 12:00 AM China’s economy is maturing, innovating, and increasingly playing the role of anchor to Asia, the world’s largest regional economy. Even as China’s growth rate matures, it is still adding the size of the Australian economy every year, and its growth is helping to propel the rapid economic development of its neighbors.By 2040, Asia may account for more than half of global GDP. Most types of cross-border flow—from goods and services to capital and people—are shifting in weight toward the region. F

Nothing drives innovation quite like a war

Gartner 15 Sep 2019 03:34 AM by Bill Ray | September 15, 2019 | Submit a Comment Cutting supplies of American technology might temporarily undermine Chinese companies, but it’s also spurring those companies to push what can be made elsewhere. Chinese capital is being poured into developing and manufacturing semiconductors outside the US, and the results will change the world forever. The various bans and tariffs introduced by the US (and China) were not entirely unexpected, even if the severity and celerity have been sh

Colour-changing ink allows objects to swap designs

BBC Technology 13 Sep 2019 09:49 AM BBC Click's Nick Kwek looks at some of the week's best technology stories including:The co-founder and chairman of Alibaba, Jack Ma, steps down from the e-commerce giant The world’s longest road trip in an electric car was completed in a journey from China to Germany A colour-changing ink, which reacts to different wavelengths of light, is developed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology See more at Click's website and @BBCClick

Muji apologizes in China after its campaign is called out as 'culturally insensitive'

The Drum 13 Sep 2019 02:31 AM Muji apologizes in China after its campaign was called out as 'culturally insensitive' Japanese retailer Muji follows the footstep of Zara, Burberry & DG in offending Chinese people and has apologised for using the term "French Concession" to publicize an event “Urban walker — Turn right at red lights in the French Concession", which the Chinese found condescending.The post read as: “Start from Muji's Huaihai 755 flagship store and jog on tree-lined avenues in the French Concession. At cros

The best upcoming publishing events in Asia

What's New in Publishing 12 Sep 2019 06:31 AM The end of the year is in sight, and as the publishing industry dusts itself off from the summer break and goes back to school, we’re heading into peak industry event season. To help you sort your calendar, we’ve picked out the must-attend publishing events across Asia for the next few months, from the mega-conferences to more intimate gatherings. See our choice of the best publishing events in Europe here and the Americas here. WAN-IFRA India 2019 Conference 18 – 19 September 2019Gurugram, Indi

Anxiety has become the new normal

Digiday 12 Sep 2019 04:00 AM By most measures, we are living in an unprecedented era of good tidings. The economy has expanded for a record 122 months straight. Unemployment, in the United States, is at levels unseen since the Kennedy administration. The S&P 500 has nearly tripled in the last decades. Even the tyranny of the cable companies has been eroded. Thanks to Netflix and other streaming services, an unprecedented bounty of entertainment is everywhere. And to top it all off, Popeye’s and Chick-fil-A are battling

Musicians call for facial recognition ban at gigs

BBC Technology 10 Sep 2019 01:43 PM Image copyright Getty Images Musicians have added their voices to calls for restrictions on the use of facial recognition technology at concerts.Former Rage Against the Machine member Tom Morello and band Speedy Ortiz have joined a campaign by digital rights group Fight for the Future.They want Ticketmaster to roll back its plans to use facial recognition as an alternative to tickets at events.They argue it could be used to target music fans.In a tweet, Tom Morello said: "I don't want Big Broth

Group M: China home to 83% of global ad fraud

Campaign 10 Sep 2019 08:17 AM More than 80% of the world’s advertising fraud originates in China, according to Group M, which has valued the risk of global fraudulent advertising at $22.4bn. There is an estimated $18.7bn of fraudulent inventory in China, representing 83.4% of total ad fraud globally, according to Group M’s estimates, which collated data from DoubleVerify, Integral Ad Science (non-China), RTB Asia, AdMaster and AdBug (China). On a global level, fraudulent inventory represents 10.8% of total digital adspend, b

Former WPP exec Bessie Lee on start up investments and challenges faced by Chinese businesses

The Drum 09 Sep 2019 10:21 PM Former WPP executive Bessie Lee on marketing start up investments and the challenges faced by Chinese businesses to expand inter Bessie Lee resigned as the chief executive of WPP China two-and-a-half years ago and since then the media executive has focused on investing in start-up technology companies through her business WithinLink.Talking to The Drum, she discusses her search for marketing technology startups all around the world while she acts as an ambassador for Chinese business, in turn,

HSBC highlights how British culture has been shaped by global influences

The Drum 09 Sep 2019 12:09 PM HSBC launched phase two of 'We Are Not An Island' HSBC UK and Wunderman Thompson have launched phase two of the 'We Are Not An Island' campaign that celebrates how various cities, neighbourhoods and communities are all connected to the world and part of something bigger. 'We Are Not An Island' launched in January. It comprised of a series of copy-led print executions that celebrated the elements of British life that are indebted to the nation's connections to the wider world.Traversing the whol

China to curb facial recognition and apps in schools

BBC Technology 06 Sep 2019 11:59 AM Image copyright Getty Images The Chinese government says it plans to "curb and regulate" the use of facial recognition technology and other apps in schools.The pledge came from Lei Chaozi, director of science and technology at China's Ministry of Education.It follows reports a university in China was trialling the technology to monitor the attendance and behaviour of students in class. The pilot project was met with criticism online over privacy concerns.Images appeared to show China Pharmaceut

Alibaba buys Kaola to improve its import services and customer experience

The Drum 06 Sep 2019 02:59 AM Alibaba acquires Netease's import e-commerce platform Kaola for US$2bn Alibaba has acquired Netease's Kaola for approximately US$2bn with the aim to elevate its import services and customer experience.Kaola will continue to operate independently under its current brand with Tmall import and export general manager Alvin Liu as its new chief executive officer.Furthermore, Alibaba and Netease have partnered for Alibaba, together with Yunfeng, to invest approximately US$700m in Netease Cloud Music

Capturing current and future value in Asia–Pacific insurance

McKinsey 06 Sep 2019 12:00 AM While the value pool of new business in Asia life insurance today is massive, not all subsegments or geographies have equal promise. In this video, McKinsey senior partner Bernhard Kotanko suggests that insurers must take a more granular look at value pools and create a tailored, end-to-end business model to capture value.Interview transcript What are the most attractive value pools in Asia life insurance today? So, we recently did an analysis based on our proprietary data on value pools in Asi

Samsung Galaxy Fold UK launch date revealed

BBC Technology 05 Sep 2019 01:02 PM Image copyright Getty Images Samsung's first foldable phone will go on sale on Friday after problems delayed its initial release.The Galaxy Fold will be available on 6 September in South Korea, with a UK launch following on 18 September.The release of the nearly $1,980 (£1,600) device in April was postponed after early reviewers reported broken screens.Samsung has been rushing to launch the folding smartphone before its rivals.The firm said in July it had made "improvements" to the device and p

Apple may launch low-cost iPhone to win over Huawei users

Telegraph 04 Sep 2019 02:43 PM

'Deepfake' app causes fraud and privacy fears in China

BBC Technology 04 Sep 2019 11:05 AM By Alistair Coleman BBC Monitoring Image copyright MOMO An artificial-intelligence app that allows users to insert their faces in place of film and TV characters has caused controversy in China. Zao has sparked privacy fears and suggestions it could be used to defeat systems using facial recognition.It appeared in China on 29 August and has proven wildly popular.But it has led to developers Momo apologising for its end-user agreement, which stripped users of the rights to their images. And as t

Smile-to-pay: Chinese shoppers turn to facial payment technology

Guardian Technology 04 Sep 2019 05:08 AM A woman uses a facial recognition device installed at an IFuree Go self-service supermarket in Tianjin. Photograph: Nicolas Asfouri/AFP/Getty Images China’s shoppers are increasingly purchasing goods with just a turn of their heads as the country embraces facial payment technology. In a country where mobile payment is already one of the most advanced in the world, customers can make a purchase simply by posing in front of point-of-sale (POS) machines equipped with cameras, after linking an imag

Global gas and LNG outlook to 2035

McKinsey 04 Sep 2019 12:00 AM Detailed market research and continuous tracking of market developments—as well as deep, on-the-ground expertise across the globe—informs our outlook on global gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG). We forecast gas demand and then use our infrastructure and contract models to forecast supply-and-demand balances, corresponding gas flows, and pricing implications to 2035.Executive summary The past year saw the natural-gas market grow at its fastest rate in almost a decade, supported by booming domes

Hong Kong protesters using Bluetooth Bridgefy app

BBC Technology 03 Sep 2019 11:40 AM By Jane Wakefield Technology reporter Image copyright Getty Images Pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong have been turning to a new app to communicate - one that does not use the internet and is therefore harder for the Chinese authorities to trace.Bridgefy is based on Bluetooth and allows protesters to communicate with each other without internet connection.Downloads are up almost 4,000% in the past two months, according to measurement firm Apptopia.Texts, email and messaging app WeChat are al

Viral Chinese face-swap app Zao triggers privacy fears

Telegraph 02 Sep 2019 01:15 PM

Philips taps JD.com's AI capabilities to improve consumers experiences in-store

The Drum 02 Sep 2019 08:21 AM JD and Philips join hands to drive AI in retail JD.com and technology company Philips has joined forces with the aim to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) in retail. The partnership will leverage JD’s AI-driven retail solution with the aim to develop a smart marketing solution that covers product strategy, market analysis, marketing management and more. JD.com will further assist in business decision making, providing guidance on product design, marketing and advertising, user engagement, b

The must-read publishing stories you may have missed this week

What's New in Publishing 30 Aug 2019 06:30 AM The New York Times puts up a reader registration wall, news aggregator TopBuzz creates multi-million spike in pageviews, and more… Is the time of the aggregator at hand? News aggregators are not new. Many iterations have come and gone over the past decade, but few have really managed to gain traction besides Flipboard and Apple News, which has a pre-installed advantage. That all seems to be changing this year. You may not have heard of Toutiao – one of the largest news aggregation apps in China

Dear Ted Baker: How to go global

The Drum 30 Aug 2019 05:49 AM Dear Ted Baker: How to go global Ted Baker selling its products in Japan is yet another sign of today’s truly global marketplace. Internationalisation is now an inescapable part of commerce – ignore it at your peril.With companies seeing their home markets saturating, a vast number are looking to sell their products internationally. Retailers failing to seek international opportunities are falling by the wayside.Businesses have historically shied away from overseas markets because of their comp

Battle of the billionaires: Elon Musk takes on Jack Ma in debate over the future of AI

Telegraph 29 Aug 2019 03:02 PM

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro has a 64-megapixel camera, and it starts at under $200

Mashable 29 Aug 2019 03:27 PM Behold, the world's first 64-megapixel smartphone camera.Image: Xiaomi Yes, we knew they were coming, but 64-megapixel phones are officially a thing now. On Thursday, Xiaomi unveiled the Redmi Note 8 and the Redmi Note 8 Pro, two new devices from its popular, affordable Redmi Note series. The Redmi Note 8 Pro has a 6.55-inch, full HD screen, a MediaTek's Helio G90T processor, 6/8GB of RAM and 64/128GB of storage, and a 4,500mAh battery. Its main claim to fame, though, is the quad rear camera

Behold, the shark-fin selfie camera on Oppo’s latest

Tech Crunch 28 Aug 2019 09:56 PM You would, of course, be completely forgiven for not recognizing Oppo’s name here in the States. In its native China, however, the company is a powerhouse, regularly capturing around 20% of the world’s largest smartphone market and handily beating out more familiar names (here, at least) like Apple and Samsung. India (the No. 2 global market) has been a pretty solid market for the company as well, generally landing itself in the top five. The Reno 2 was just announced for that country today, br

Tong Digital to consider China's luxury sector in breakfast briefing

The Drum 28 Aug 2019 05:09 PM Tong Digital host follow up Chinese Breakfast Briefing in September in which they'll deconstruct the luxury industry. Tong Digital is hosting a Chinese Breakfast Briefing, where the focus will be on the top five trends in luxury consumer spending.Considering that Chinese luxury spending surpassed $115bn last year and is expected to deliver over 65% of total growth from now until 2025, it's no surprise that marketers want to learn how to target this next generation of consumers and work out whic

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