https://www.scmp.com/rss/324327/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Coco Feng Coco Feng Hello, a Chinese bike-sharing and ride-hailing firm backed by fintech giant Ant Group, unveiled its first driverless taxi on Thursday, intensifying competition with local rivals Baidu, WeRide and Pony.ai. The vehicle, Hello Robot1, is based on the Venucia VX6 SUV produced by a joint venture between China’s Dongfeng Motor and Japan’s Nissan, according to Yu Qiankun, co-founder of Hello’s self-driving unit, who presented the car at an event in Shanghai. Equipped with 14 high-resolution cameras,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3325186/ant-group-backed-hello-launches-robotaxi-challenge-baidu-weride-ponyai-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3325186/ant-group-backed-hello-launches-robotaxi-challenge-baidu-weride-ponyai-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2025 10:00:22 +0000 Reuters Reuters Commuters in London turned to bikes, buses and boats on Tuesday as a staff strike shut down the British capital’s underground Tube network for a second day. With almost no underground trains running until Friday, demand for shared bike services and river transport surged as Londoners looked for alternative ways to get to work, causing longer journeys and crowding on other parts of the transport network. The London-based Centre for Economics and Business Research estimates the strike will have a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3324916/bikes-boats-demand-londons-tube-strike-puts-brakes-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3324916/bikes-boats-demand-londons-tube-strike-puts-brakes-city?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 10:52:29 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Uber Technologies-backed Lime is entering Japan’s growing e-scooter ride market in a foray that pits the San Francisco-based start-up against home-grown Luup. Lime, which has a global fleet of around 200,000 e-bikes and scooters, on Monday launched its service in some of Tokyo’s most densely populated neighbourhoods of Shibuya, Shinjuku, Meguro and Setagaya wards. Lime now has around 200 electric scooters and more than 40 recharging ports. Tokyo-based Luup, which controls more than 90 per cent... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3275115/uber-backed-e-scooter-start-lime-enters-japan-after-korea-exit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3275115/uber-backed-e-scooter-start-lime-enters-japan-after-korea-exit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Aug 2024 02:45:09 +0000 Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing has reported a widespread service breakdown affecting users across major cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, according to the company and its users. The Beijing-based company apologised for the app outage late on Monday, blaming it on a “system failure” in a post published on Didi’s account on Chinese microblogging service Weibo. The statement came hours after the service disruption affected some of its 400 million users in China, as well as... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3243071/ride-hailing-giant-didi-chuxing-apologises-widespread-service-outage-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3243071/ride-hailing-giant-didi-chuxing-apologises-widespread-service-outage-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Nov 2023 08:00:09 +0000 Chinese bike-sharing services that survived years of cutthroat price wars and a spectacular boom-bust cycle have decided to raise prices to try and turn a profit. After losses amounting billions of yuan and the collapse of a slew of brands, including the fall of unicorn Ofo in 2019, the three biggest remaining firms – Meituan, Hello and Didi Chuxing – have curtailed expansion plans to focus on profitability. Meituan’s bike rental service, formerly known as Mobike, will raise the price for a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3188271/can-bike-sharing-china-turn-profit-survivors-meituan-ant-backed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3188271/can-bike-sharing-china-turn-profit-survivors-meituan-ant-backed?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Aug 2022 11:00:18 +0000 A contestant on a popular reality dating show in China soared to fame – or perhaps infamy – when she declared back in 2010 that she “would rather cry in a BMW than smile on a bicycle”. It was a hot take on materialism that reverberated through the country. But more than a decade later, the statement appears to stand in sharp contrast to a growing trend seen on both social media and city streets, as the wheels of change are hearkening back to a bygone era when the nation was known as the “Kingdom... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3187071/chinas-bicycle-kingdom-returns-fuel-price-coronavirus-bring?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3187071/chinas-bicycle-kingdom-returns-fuel-price-coronavirus-bring?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Jul 2022 03:00:28 +0000 In 2015, China’s bike-sharing start-ups were pedaling towards massive profits, thanks to billions of dollars of investment capital. Following a similar business model as Uber, but for bikes, Mobike and Ofo quickly swept across China, their colorful bikes flooding city streets as they provided an emission-free solution to China’s congestion. Both start-ups quickly became unicorns, surpassing US$1 billion in valuation each and growing to operate in about 20 countries.  But five years later, the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/cautionary-tale-chinas-bankrupt-bike-sharing-empires/article/3115553?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/cautionary-tale-chinas-bankrupt-bike-sharing-empires/article/3115553?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Dec 2020 09:54:24 +0000 About five years ago, the streets of Beijing and Shanghai were dominated by fiery yellow and orange bicycles from bike-sharing start-ups Ofo and Mobike as they battled for the feet and minds of China’s busy commuters. Those have since been replaced by cool teal and baby blue – the signature colours of newer entrants Didi Bike and Hellobike – as the industry moves towards more sustainable growth. After aggressive expansion in their first few years, former market leaders like Ofo have few bikes... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3114932/rise-and-fall-mobike-and-ofo-chinas-bike-sharing-twin-stars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3114932/rise-and-fall-mobike-and-ofo-chinas-bike-sharing-twin-stars?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Dec 2020 23:00:14 +0000 Chinese car-pool service providers Hellobike and Dida Chuxing said that they will modify their platforms after receiving a government warning, led by the Ministry of Transport, for suspicion of “engaging in online ride-sharing business in the name of car-pooling”. In separate statements on Thursday, Shanghai-based Hellobike and Beijing-based Dida Chuxing said that they will “rectify” operations, ensuring that their car-pool drivers will not be able to monitor the orders of nearby riders and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3113423/car-pooling-firms-hellobike-dida-chuxing-update-service-after?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3113423/car-pooling-firms-hellobike-dida-chuxing-update-service-after?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Dec 2020 12:00:17 +0000 Three years after China’s blooming bike-sharing economy wilted, local authorities are about to send the last of 25 million abandoned bicycles to recycling plants, pruning the remaining blight on cityscapes left behind by dozens of companies that have gone bust. All the disused bicycles must be scrapped by the year’s end under a compulsory retirement scheme imposed by city councils to ensure safety. The costs of taking them off the streets and the bicycle graveyards are borne by taxpayers, as all... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3103908/what-happens-discarded-bikes-chinas-sharing-boom-taxpayers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3103908/what-happens-discarded-bikes-chinas-sharing-boom-taxpayers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Oct 2020 05:00:11 +0000 China’s brutal bike-sharing war created many “bike graveyards” across the country, but some of those bikes want you to know they’re not dead yet. In Changsha, the capital of China’s central Hunan province, residents near an abandoned construction site full of shared bikes said they kept hearing cries for help, according to Chinese media. The bikes are designed to call out through an installed speaker when tipped over. “Little yellow bike fell. Please hurry and help me up!” the voice repeatedly... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3103485/abandoned-ofo-bikes-cry-out-help-while-piled-bike-sharing-graveyard?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3103485/abandoned-ofo-bikes-cry-out-help-while-piled-bike-sharing-graveyard?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2020 03:05:11 +0000 The personal computer just got a little less personal. China, already known as the capital of shared bikes and power banks, will soon launch the first shared laptop scheme thanks to a limited promotion from Huawei’s sub-brand Honor. Honor is best known for its affordable line of smartphones, but it also has a budget laptop brand called MagicBook. This is the laptop that people will be able to borrow during China’s upcoming national holiday that runs from October 1 to 8, the company announced on... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3103347/shared-laptops-are-latest-sharing-economy-idea-huaweis-honor-doorstep?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3103347/shared-laptops-are-latest-sharing-economy-idea-huaweis-honor-doorstep?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2020 21:00:19 +0000 China's bike-sharing companies have joined hands with the country's home-grown BeiDou navigation system to offer users a better experience based on improved operations and more precise positioning data. After the launch of the final satellite in the BeiDou global navigation system last week, bike-sharing platforms said the Chinese rival of the US global positioning system (GPS) will enable them to manage their fleets more efficiently through more precise location data. Hellobike, one of the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3091368/chinas-bike-sharing-platforms-connect-beidou-satellite-navigation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3091368/chinas-bike-sharing-platforms-connect-beidou-satellite-navigation?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Jul 2020 09:30:07 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS One of China’s largest facial recognition companies wants to provide a high-tech solution to a problem triggered by a tech bubble bursting: Scores of leftover shared bicycles littering the streets of China’s cities. SenseTime introduced an “intelligent patrol screen” last Friday that uses computer vision and an abundance of cameras to detect whether people parked their bikes properly. But it’s also about more than just bikes. It can detect if there’s... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3087119/sensetimes-ai-makes-sure-you-park-your-shared-bike-properly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3087119/sensetimes-ai-makes-sure-you-park-your-shared-bike-properly?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2020 05:13:47 +0000 One of China’s largest facial recognition companies wants to provide a high-tech solution to a problem triggered by a tech bubble bursting: Scores of leftover shared bicycles littering the streets of China’s cities. SenseTime introduced an “intelligent patrol screen” last Friday that uses computer vision and an abundance of cameras to detect whether people parked their bikes properly. But it’s also about more than just bikes. It can detect if there’s garbage on the streets or whether a crowd is... https://www.scmp.com/tech/sensetimes-ai-makes-sure-you-park-your-shared-bike-properly/article/3086999?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/sensetimes-ai-makes-sure-you-park-your-shared-bike-properly/article/3086999?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2020 05:13:44 +0000 Not so long ago, the shared karaoke booths next to the Shenzhen restaurant where Liu Lijuan works were packed at the weekend with young people looking to blow off some steam after working long shifts in China’s southern tech heartland. By scanning a QR code on the door, the tiny booths allowed groups of friends to enter and sing their favorite songs together for a few hours. But times have changed since the Covid-19 pandemic. “They’ve been empty most of the time since February,” said Liu, a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/karaoke-booths-ride-hailing-chinas-sharing-economy-taking-hit-pandemic/article/3086960?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/karaoke-booths-ride-hailing-chinas-sharing-economy-taking-hit-pandemic/article/3086960?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2020 08:41:15 +0000 Wang Zhenxiang, a grocery owner in Shanghai, recently rushed out and bought several hundred safety helmets for 30 yuan each (US$4.20). The 35-year-old is now making a killing, selling the helmets for 85 yuan each. He is one of many scalpers enjoying a windfall, thanks to a new law requiring China’s 300 million e-scooter riders to wear protective headgear from the beginning of June. The get-rich-quick opportunity stems from the fact there are nowhere near enough of the cheap helmets to go around.... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3085512/scalpers-make-killing-new-safety-law-leaves-chinas-300?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3085512/scalpers-make-killing-new-safety-law-leaves-chinas-300?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2020 01:30:10 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS China’s bike-sharing rivals are taking competition to a new level. Just witness this confrontation on Monday, when a Meituan Dianping worker in Hangzhou called the police and accused Hellobike employees of removing Meituan’s bikes from a street, according to a news video circulating on Chinese social media. Meituan Dianping: Settle all your local needs on one app It all started when a Meituan worker said his coworkers saw strangers hauling more than 20... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3079664/chinas-hellobike-denies-removing-rival-meituans-bikes-street?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3079664/chinas-hellobike-denies-removing-rival-meituans-bikes-street?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2020 12:11:30 +0000 China’s bike-sharing rivals are taking competition to a new level. Just witness this confrontation on Monday, when a Meituan Dianping worker in Hangzhou called the police and accused Hellobike employees of removing Meituan’s bikes from a street, according to a news video circulating on Chinese social media.   It all started when a Meituan worker said his coworkers saw strangers hauling more than 20 of their bikes onto a truck. He said Meituan bikes have been vanishing from the area recently, but... https://www.scmp.com/tech/chinas-hellobike-denies-removing-rival-meituans-bikes-street/article/3079657?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/chinas-hellobike-denies-removing-rival-meituans-bikes-street/article/3079657?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2020 12:11:27 +0000 Meituan Dianping, China’s leading ecommerce platform for services, has recorded an upturn in its bike-sharing business, as more commuters shift away from crowded modes of transport amid the coronavirus crisis.   “Because of the pandemic, many people prioritized sharing bikes over public transportation,” Meituan said in a statement. “We are seeing an increasing number of bikers choosing to ride bikes directly to their destination without transfer to other means of transportation.” The total... https://www.scmp.com/tech/meituan-sees-more-people-using-bike-sharing-china-goes-back-work/article/3075157?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/meituan-sees-more-people-using-bike-sharing-china-goes-back-work/article/3075157?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2020 21:00:17 +0000 Meituan Dianping, China’s leading e-commerce platform for services, has recorded an upturn in its bike-sharing business, as more commuters shift away from crowded modes of transport amid the coronavirus crisis. “Because of the pandemic, many people prioritised sharing bikes over public transportation,” Meituan said in a statement. “We are seeing an increasing number of bikers choosing to ride bikes directly to their destination without transfer to other means of transportation.” The total amount... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3075124/meituan-dianping-sees-surge-bike-sharing-dont-call-it-comeback?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3075124/meituan-dianping-sees-surge-bike-sharing-dont-call-it-comeback?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2020 10:00:36 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Over the past couple years, China’s obsession with bike-sharing seemed to be cooling down. But with the Covid-19 epidemic now restricting people’s options for urban travel, bike-share companies have seen an uptick in user activity as people gradually return to work. Commuters are returning to bike-sharing because it allows them to ride in open space without any human contact, according to user interviews with Chinese media. An expert at the Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3065064/coronavirus-bringing-bike-sharing-back-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3065064/coronavirus-bringing-bike-sharing-back-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2020 15:02:51 +0000 Over the past couple years, China’s obsession with bike-sharing seemed to be cooling down. But with the Covid-19 epidemic now restricting people’s options for urban travel, bike-share companies have seen an uptick in user activity as people gradually return to work. Commuters are returning to bike-sharing because it allows them to ride in open space without any human contact, according to user interviews with Chinese media. An expert at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention even... https://www.scmp.com/tech/coronavirus-bringing-bike-sharing-back-china/article/3064941?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/coronavirus-bringing-bike-sharing-back-china/article/3064941?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2020 15:02:49 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Do you ever feel not quite like yourself? Suffering from negative image issues or feeling uncomfortable in your own skin? Apparently bike-sharing company Ofo knows the feeling. The financially troubled company recently gave its app a makeover -- it’s now, apparently, a shopping platform. Once the star of China’s dockless bike boom, the Beijing-based company has been struggling to refund deposits to its users for more than a year. And it seems it’s still... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3049078/troubled-bike-sharing-company-ofo-now-shopping-app?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3049078/troubled-bike-sharing-company-ofo-now-shopping-app?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Feb 2020 02:00:07 +0000 Do you ever feel not quite like yourself? Suffering from negative image issues or feeling uncomfortable in your own skin? Apparently bike-sharing company Ofo knows the feeling. The financially troubled company recently gave its app a makeover -- it’s now, apparently, a shopping platform. Once the star of China’s dockless bike boom, the Beijing-based company has been struggling to refund deposits to its users for more than a year. And it seems it’s still difficult to get that money back from the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/troubled-bike-sharing-company-ofo-now-shopping-app/article/3048898?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/troubled-bike-sharing-company-ofo-now-shopping-app/article/3048898?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Feb 2020 02:00:06 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS The funny thing about technology is how quickly innovation can become normal. I went back to mainland China about a dozen times this year. I had my face scanned at airports, paid for things with my phone, and occasionally saw robot waiters bring food to my table. Maybe the technologies behind all of those things weren't totally unfathomable in 2010. But the pace at which it’s all become just a routine part of daily life in China was hard to imagine just... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3044031/flip-phones-smartphones-growing-chinas-decade-tech-transformation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3044031/flip-phones-smartphones-growing-chinas-decade-tech-transformation?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Dec 2019 04:00:22 +0000 The funny thing about technology is how quickly innovation can become normal. I went back to mainland China about a dozen times this year. I had my face scanned at airports, paid for things with my phone, and occasionally saw robot waiters bring food to my table. Maybe the technologies behind all of those things weren't totally unfathomable in 2010. But the pace at which it’s all become just a routine part of daily life in China was hard to imagine just ten years ago. In 2010, I was in high... https://www.scmp.com/tech/flip-phones-smartphones-growing-chinas-decade-tech-transformation/article/3043926?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/flip-phones-smartphones-growing-chinas-decade-tech-transformation/article/3043926?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Dec 2019 04:00:20 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Do you think bike theft is a problem in your city? Mobike, one of China’s biggest bike-sharing firms, just announced that it lost 205,600 bikes in 2019 to vandalism and theft. In an announcement published last Friday, the company also thanked its users for chipping in and reporting stolen and damaged bikes, adding that it received reports from over 189,000 users. Vandalism is a major problem for bike-sharing firms. Manchester became the first city... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3043898/mobike-lost-more-200000-bikes-theft-and-vandalism-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3043898/mobike-lost-more-200000-bikes-theft-and-vandalism-year?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Dec 2019 06:17:08 +0000 Do you think bike theft is a problem in your city? Mobike, one of China’s biggest bike-sharing firms, just announced that it lost 205,600 bikes in 2019 to vandalism and theft. In an announcement published last Friday, the company also thanked its users for chipping in and reporting stolen and damaged bikes, adding that it received reports from over 189,000 users. Vandalism is a major problem for bike-sharing firms. Manchester became the first city Mobike pulled out of last year due to theft and... https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/mobike-lost-more-200000-bikes-theft-and-vandalism-year/article/3043884?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/mobike-lost-more-200000-bikes-theft-and-vandalism-year/article/3043884?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Dec 2019 06:17:07 +0000 “You might not have to make that trip to the bank after all,” Rob, a friend, messaged me over WeChat the other day. He attached a press release saying Alipay had launched an international version of its mobile payments platform for visitors to China. Named “Tour Pass,” the app can be used for up to 90 days and could prove handy for me – I had moved from Hong Kong to Beijing for three months just over a month ago. The last time I lived in Beijing, five years ago while studying at Peking... https://www.scmp.com/tech/life-china-without-alipay-or-wechat-pay-still-rough/article/3040203?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/life-china-without-alipay-or-wechat-pay-still-rough/article/3040203?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Dec 2019 08:20:16 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS They were tech titans, the heads of three much-hyped companies. But now they can’t even book a flight or travel on a high-speed train. Luo Yonghao, the flamboyant founder of smartphone company Smartisan, joined the ranks of blacklisted tech leaders, barring him from certain things considered luxuries. He joins Dai Wei, founder of bike-sharing company Ofo, and Jia Yueting, founder of crumbling entertainment empire LeEco, along with China’s nearly 15... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3037288/they-founded-three-hot-tech-companies-now-theyre-country-wide-blacklist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3037288/they-founded-three-hot-tech-companies-now-theyre-country-wide-blacklist?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Nov 2019 02:00:12 +0000 They were tech titans, the heads of three much-hyped companies. But now they can’t even book a flight or travel on a high-speed train. Luo Yonghao, the flamboyant founder of smartphone company Smartisan, joined the ranks of blacklisted tech leaders, barring him from certain things considered luxuries. He joins Dai Wei, founder of bike-sharing company Ofo, and Jia Yueting, founder of crumbling entertainment empire LeEco, along with China’s nearly 15 million other “discredited... https://www.scmp.com/tech/they-founded-three-hot-tech-companies-now-theyre-country-wide-blacklist/article/3036934?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/they-founded-three-hot-tech-companies-now-theyre-country-wide-blacklist/article/3036934?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Nov 2019 02:00:10 +0000 Malaysia will allow motorcycle-hailing firms such as Indonesia’s Gojek and local start-up Dego Ride to begin operations on a limited scale from January 2020, Malaysia’s transport minister said on Tuesday, despite criticism of their introduction. Gojek’s backers include Alphabet’s Google and Chinese tech companies Tencent and JD.com. Both Gojek and Dego Ride will start operating based on a proof-of-concept basis to measure demand for the service over six months, Anthony Loke Siew Fook said. “Bike... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3036367/gojek-gets-green-light-malaysia-test-runs-despite-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3036367/gojek-gets-green-light-malaysia-test-runs-despite-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Nov 2019 06:40:19 +0000 China’s once-hot sharing economy may have fallen well short of its promise to revolutionize how people use bikes, umbrellas and even toilet paper, but Shenzhen-based start-up Langogo still believes the model works well for its artificial intelligence-powered translation devices. The latest venture of Zhang Yan, one of the co-founders of China’s bike-sharing pioneer Mobike, Langogo is planning to deploy its AI translators at airports and hotels where travelers can rent one by scanning a code with... https://www.scmp.com/tech/mobike-co-founder-wants-bring-ai-translators-sharing-economy/article/3031381?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/mobike-co-founder-wants-bring-ai-translators-sharing-economy/article/3031381?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Oct 2019 07:22:40 +0000 The term “netizen” has never been fully accepted in the English-speaking world. The portmanteau of the words internet and citizen is said to have been coined by an American in the 1990s, but these days you’re more likely to see stories about netizens in China -- or wǎngmín, as they’re called in Chinese. Chinese netizens have become surprisingly influential on social media. When they speak out on microblogging website Weibo, they get quoted in both domestic and global media. Their ridicule can... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/who-typical-chinese-netizen/article/3027154?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/who-typical-chinese-netizen/article/3027154?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Sep 2019 15:22:01 +0000 China’s bike-sharing craze may have cooled considerably, but Hellobike has no plans of letting up as its competitors struggle. The Shanghai-based start-up, whose fleet of bicycles sport a blue-and-white livery, became one of the biggest bike-sharing services provider in the country by focusing on smaller cities. In contrast, market leaders Mobike and Ofo battled in larger cities like Beijing and pursued international expansion. While its two rivals have since beat a hasty retreat from overseas... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3018383/hellobike-plans-lead-chinas-two-wheeler-transport-market-bike?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3018383/hellobike-plans-lead-chinas-two-wheeler-transport-market-bike?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Jul 2019 21:00:14 +0000 Alibaba Group confirmed it was looking at contributing to a new round of fundraising by Shanghai-based bike sharing start-up Hellobike. “We are considering this opportunity,” said an Alibaba spokeswoman, responding to an earlier Chinese media report saying that Alibaba planned to invest “hundreds of millions of US dollars” in Hellobike in the near future. Alibaba declined to provide further details. A Hellobike spokeswoman declined to comment. The three-year-old start-up already counts Alibaba’s... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3016456/alibaba-confirms-it-mulling-further-investment-bike-sharing-start?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3016456/alibaba-confirms-it-mulling-further-investment-bike-sharing-start?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Jun 2019 04:27:49 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS China’s dockless bike sharing boom was born out of an idea that might sound, well, insane: Placing bikes freely on the streets and expecting nobody would steal them. Ofo was one of the first startups to try it in 2014… and it worked. The company, founded by Peking University graduate Dai Wei, was at the forefront of a Chinese tech trend that swept the world. It spread from Peking University’s campus to Chinese cities and then beyond, inspiring startups... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/who-what/what/article/3028265/story-ofo-one-wildest-rides-chinas-tech-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/who-what/what/article/3028265/story-ofo-one-wildest-rides-chinas-tech-history?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Jun 2019 09:33:26 +0000 Thae Su Wai is beaming. The 11-year-old Myanmar student, a proud owner of a new bicycle, will no longer need to trudge 10km for two hours to and from lessons. “I’ll have more time to study and play with friends,” she said, as she excitedly wheels away her new bicycle at Nhaw Kone Village school near Yangon. Thae Su Wai is among the first 200 students to receive bicycles, shipped from Singapore and Malaysia, donated to give them access to education in a nation where more than half live in... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3015424/myanmar-schoolchildren-breathe-new-life-disused-bicycles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3015424/myanmar-schoolchildren-breathe-new-life-disused-bicycles?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jun 2019 13:00:17 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Biking can be a wonderful way to explore China’s cities. Bike-sharing services are widely available and most of the time, a ride costs less than US$1 an hour. In this installment of the Abacus Tech Survival Guide, learn how to rent a Mobike as a foreign visitor. We picked Mobike over other Chinese bike-sharing apps for a couple of reasons: First, Mobike has global operations (albeit with a slowly shrinking footprint). It’s active in several European... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3029431/how-travel-china-mobike?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/culture/article/3029431/how-travel-china-mobike?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jun 2019 10:29:11 +0000 Biking can be a wonderful way to explore China’s cities. Bike-sharing services are widely available and most of the time, a ride costs less than US$1 an hour. In this installment of the Abacus Tech Survival Guide, learn how to rent a Mobike as a foreign visitor. We picked Mobike over other Chinese bike-sharing apps for a couple of reasons: First, Mobike has global operations (albeit with a slowly shrinking footprint). It’s active in several European countries, for instance, which means anyone... https://www.scmp.com/china-survival-guide/how-travel-china-mobike/article/3014008?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china-survival-guide/how-travel-china-mobike/article/3014008?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jun 2019 10:29:11 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Walking along the streets of Beijing, it’s not uncommon to see sights like this: For a while, shared bikes were all the rage in China. At the height of the bike-sharing boom in 2016, there were believed to be some 60 startups all trying to fill up street corners with bikes. The idea is to make it as easy as possible for users to find a bike anywhere at any time, and allow them to quickly ride off after scanning a QR code using a smartphone app. The... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3029351/nearly-2-million-shared-bikes-are-now-clogging-chinas-capital?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3029351/nearly-2-million-shared-bikes-are-now-clogging-chinas-capital?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 May 2019 14:41:14 +0000 Walking along the streets of Beijing, it’s not uncommon to see sights like this: For a while, shared bikes were all the rage in China. At the height of the bike-sharing boom in 2016, there were believed to be some 60 startups all trying to fill up street corners with bikes. The idea is to make it as easy as possible for users to find a bike anywhere at any time, and allow them to quickly ride off after scanning a QR code using a smartphone app. The reality is that bikes that can be found... https://www.scmp.com/big-guns/nearly-2-million-shared-bikes-are-now-clogging-chinas-capital/article/3010176?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/big-guns/nearly-2-million-shared-bikes-are-now-clogging-chinas-capital/article/3010176?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 May 2019 14:41:14 +0000 The business of bike sharing is a tough nut to crack almost anywhere in the world. But nowhere is the industry’s rise and bust as dramatic as in China, where the number of startups have gone from more than 60 to a handful in the span of just three years. Can any of the survivors make it in the long run? In the latest bid to turn around their businesses, Mobike, Hellobike and Bluegogo are all raising hourly fees to between 30 and 40 US cents, doubling previous rates. (Abacus is a unit of the... https://www.scmp.com/start-ups/can-bike-sharing-survive-china/article/3005856?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/start-ups/can-bike-sharing-survive-china/article/3005856?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Apr 2019 14:02:51 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS The business of bike sharing is a tough nut to crack almost anywhere in the world. But nowhere is the industry’s rise and bust as dramatic as in China, where the number of startups have gone from more than 60 to a handful in the span of just three years. Can any of the survivors make it in the long run? In the latest bid to turn around their businesses, Mobike, Hellobike and Bluegogo are all raising hourly fees to between 30 and 40 US cents, doubling... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3029282/can-bike-sharing-survive-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3029282/can-bike-sharing-survive-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Apr 2019 14:02:51 +0000 A 78-year-old man in eastern China is in critical condition after being hit by a shared bicycle that fell from a tall building on Friday, mainland media reported. The man, surnamed Yang, was standing by a ground-floor gate of the building where he lives in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, when a bicycle owned by bike-sharing company Ofo fell from one of the windows above, Jiangxi Television’s City Channel reported. He was being treated in hospital for bleeding in the brain and several broken... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3004159/chinese-man-critically-ill-after-being-hit-shared-bike-falling?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3004159/chinese-man-critically-ill-after-being-hit-shared-bike-falling?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Apr 2019 10:30:05 +0000 Chinese dockless bike-sharing company Mobike said on Monday it will pull out of some Asian countries and re-evaluate its units in other overseas markets amid a wide-scale contraction in the market and the bankruptcy of top competitor Ofo. The Beijing-based firm, which is backed by Tencent Holdings, has launched its signature orange bikes in markets including Australia, Europe and the United States. The company said it will lay off at least 10 staff as part of its restructuring plan. Ailing... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/2189523/meituan-dianping-owned-mobike-pull-out-some-asian-countries-evaluate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/2189523/meituan-dianping-owned-mobike-pull-out-some-asian-countries-evaluate?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Mar 2019 07:34:05 +0000 Struggling Chinese bike-sharing start-up Ofo had its licence to operate suspended on Thursday by the Singapore authorities, who said it had breached regulations despite being given ample time to comply. The Beijing-based firm will have to remove all its 25,000 yellow bicycles from the island nation before March 13. Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) said it would only lift the suspension if Ofo met all regulatory requirements, including implementing a QR code system. “LTA will continue... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2186212/ailing-chinese-bike-sharing-service-ofo-loses-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2186212/ailing-chinese-bike-sharing-service-ofo-loses-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Feb 2019 14:42:10 +0000 Valuations in China’s private technology market are distorted and are likely to see a “healthy correction” within the next six to nine months, according to Alibaba Group Holding executive vice-chairman Joseph Tsai. “Entrepreneurs [in China] had it too easy raising gigantic billion-dollar rounds of capital and multibillions in valuation,” said Tsai, in a dialogue session at a Thomson Reuters Breakingviews Predictions 2019 event on Friday. “[A correction] will happen and it’s healthy.” Tsai’s... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-leaders-and-founders/article/2183698/distorted-private-tech-market-valuations-see?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-leaders-and-founders/article/2183698/distorted-private-tech-market-valuations-see?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Jan 2019 12:18:27 +0000 China's largest ride-hailing services operator Didi Chuxing, which forced Uber Technologies out of the country, had a bumpy journey in 2018, as the company’s expansion plans were checked by passenger-death scandals and safety concerns. As one of the world's most well-funded start-ups, Didi was riding high until two passengers were killed while using its service within the space of three months, putting the brakes on the unicorn’s growth and shining a spotlight on the wider on-demand transport... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/2181542/didi-numbers-ride-hailing-firm-covered-more-miles-2018-5-earth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/2181542/didi-numbers-ride-hailing-firm-covered-more-miles-2018-5-earth?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jan 2019 22:03:54 +0000