https://www.scmp.com/rss/501710/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com While Covid-19 is still affecting people’s lives, industries that help reduce human contact, such as robotics, are gaining financial support from investors. Shenzhen-based service robot maker PuduTech said on Wednesday that the company has closed a nearly 100 million yuan (US$14.5 million) Series B+ round led by Sequoia Capital China and joined by earlier investors including Chinese on-demand delivery giant Meituan Dianping. This round comes less than two months after the start-up, which has... https://www.scmp.com/tech/venture-capital/article/3098072/investors-bet-big-chinese-robot-makers-amid-covid-19-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/venture-capital/article/3098072/investors-bet-big-chinese-robot-makers-amid-covid-19-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Aug 2020 03:08:29 +0000 Aside from major players like SMIC and Huawei’s HiSilicon, China has launched a national initiative to bolster its capabilities in semiconductor technology, where the country has been hugely reliant on imported chips in the past. This directive has caught the attention of start-ups and VCs alike, who are keen to capitalise on this industry via semiconductor start-ups. Currently, Chinese consumption of semiconductors has been growing faster than any other market, accounting for around 60 per cent... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3089529/top-10-chinese-semiconductor-start-ups-watch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3089529/top-10-chinese-semiconductor-start-ups-watch?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jun 2020 03:32:35 +0000 Technology can revolutionize industries by giving life to business models that were previously not economically viable—China’s fitness industry is just one example where this is the case, enabled by the growth of WeChat mini programs.   When people take the big step and sign up for a gym, the question, “How many months would you like?” can be taken for granted. For most, it’s a bit of a headache. “What if I don’t like the gym?” Almost everyone asks themselves, or “What if my schedule... https://www.scmp.com/tech/wechat-mini-programs-upend-gym-membership-model-china/article/3087155?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/wechat-mini-programs-upend-gym-membership-model-china/article/3087155?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2020 00:00:22 +0000 Chinese tech leaders were among the attendees at China’s most important political event of the year – the “two sessions” – to discuss and propose plans regarding the country’s technological development, among other duties. Here are some of the highlights of what was discussed at last week’s gathering on the topic of technology: Development of new tech infrastructure Pony Ma, Tencent’s founder and NPC deputy, did not attend this year’s conference due to health reasons, but submitted seven... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3086615/what-chinese-tech-tycoons-brought-table-years-two-sessions-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3086615/what-chinese-tech-tycoons-brought-table-years-two-sessions-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2020 03:49:53 +0000 Shenzhen-based courier SF Holdings has launched food delivery services in China, making a foray into a market currently dominated by Meituan Dianping and Alibaba’s Ele.me. The firm, which is the largest private courier by 2019 revenue in China, has gathered 85 restaurant operators on its new mini program on WeChat, named Fengshi, including Pizza Hut, Yoshinoya, and Chuangeyu Dumplings.   SF Holdings targets both corporate clients and individual consumers with its new offering. Fengshi allows... https://www.scmp.com/tech/chinese-courier-sf-holdings-moves-food-delivery/article/3083844?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/chinese-courier-sf-holdings-moves-food-delivery/article/3083844?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2020 11:00:27 +0000 Tencent has rolled out Xiao’e Pinpin, a mini program for social commerce on WeChat that the Chinese tech juggernaut has made available to its 1.1 billion users. Xiao’e Pinpin went online on April 29. It carries a multitude of lifestyle products, from lipsticks to iPhones, and marks Tencent’s latest move in China’s ecommerce sector after investments in tech companies like JD.com and Pinduoduo, as well as brick-and-mortar supermarket chain operator Yonghui.   In the past two years, Tencent has... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tencents-new-push-social-ecommerce-wechat-mini-program/article/3082833?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tencents-new-push-social-ecommerce-wechat-mini-program/article/3082833?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2020 15:42:05 +0000 Dating apps in China have become an unexpected necessity in 2020. In the world’s most populous country, people still want to meet, but the coronavirus pandemic has made this no easy task. More than 622 million people used dating apps in China last year, and the market is set to hit US$290 million in revenues by 2024, according to market research site Statista.com. As Chinese dating apps continue to become more and more mainstream, they have adopted features familiar to anyone who has turned... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3082443/these-chinese-dating-apps-have-become-unexpected-necessity-during?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3082443/these-chinese-dating-apps-have-become-unexpected-necessity-during?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2020 06:19:35 +0000 Indonesia-based ride-hailing firm Gojek has announced the creation of the Gojek Partner Support Fund (GPSF), to support drivers, merchants, and other partners whose income has been adversely affected by the economic slowdown amid the Covid-19 pandemic. As citizens have been following the advice of health officials to work from home and limit their movements, hundreds of thousands of drivers and merchants are seeing a significant drop in their income. The support fund is being introduced to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3076860/gojek-launches-income-support-fund-partners-affected-covid-19?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3076860/gojek-launches-income-support-fund-partners-affected-covid-19?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2020 02:04:13 +0000 As most Chinese people find themselves stuck at home amid the coronavirus outbreak, millions of users of Chinese short-video app Douyin are tuning in to watch a livestream of a man sleeping.   He goes by the username Yuansan and first live-streamed himself sleeping on February 9 -- originally to verify whether he snores. He woke up the next day to discover that his channel had amassed hundreds of thousands of viewers over the course of the five-hour livestream. This prompted the amateur... https://www.scmp.com/culture/man-makes-more-us4000-streaming-himself-sleeping-chinas-tiktok/article/3051069?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/man-makes-more-us4000-streaming-himself-sleeping-chinas-tiktok/article/3051069?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Feb 2020 01:50:49 +0000 With the coronavirus outbreak continuing to spread around the country, Chinese tech companies have launched a spate of platforms and services aimed at providing verified information about the illness. The 2019-nCov virus has been sweeping across China since January and has already claimed 636 lives and infected almost 29,000 people as of Friday morning. Cases have also been reported in 24 other countries including Thailand, Singapore, Japan and the US. The new ad hoc tools include apps and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3049438/chinese-tech-companies-launch-apps-help-netizens-tackle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3049438/chinese-tech-companies-launch-apps-help-netizens-tackle?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Feb 2020 02:34:40 +0000 As Chinese authorities have put Wuhan, the capital of China’s Hubei province, in quarantine on Thursday due to the coronavirus, asking residents to remain in the city, and shutting down public transportation in and out from the metropolis, short-video apps like Douyin and Kuaishou have become one of the most important channels for outsiders to know what’s happening on the ground. On ByteDance’s Douyin, the platform with 400 million daily active users, topics related to Wuhan are among the most... https://www.scmp.com/tech/users-post-coronavirus-news-chinas-tiktok-quarantined-city-wuhan/article/3047531?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/users-post-coronavirus-news-chinas-tiktok-quarantined-city-wuhan/article/3047531?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Jan 2020 06:27:34 +0000 As Chinese authorities have put Wuhan, the capital of China’s Hubei province, in quarantine on Thursday due to the coronavirus, short-video apps like Douyin and Kuaishou have become one of the most important channels for outsiders to know what’s happening on the ground. On ByteDance’s Douyin, the platform with 400 million daily active users, topics related to Wuhan are among the most searched items, among them the keywords “scientist Zhong Nanshan,” a key figure in China’s response to the severe... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3047485/short-video-apps-douyin-kuaishou-become-news-sources-wuhan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3047485/short-video-apps-douyin-kuaishou-become-news-sources-wuhan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Jan 2020 03:11:10 +0000 Chinese smartphone vendor Xiaomi confirmed Wednesday to KrASIA that it has rolled out new 5G data packages in China, priced as low as 49 yuan (US$7) per month, in a move to boost 5G phone sales. The plans, which will be exclusive for Xiaomi’s phone users at this time, signal the company’s determination to win the upcoming 5G phone race. While there are dozens of virtual carriers (or subcarriers) in China, they are not a mainstream choice for phone users. However, Xiaomi, with a virtual carrier... https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3046306/xiaomi-rolls-out-exclusive-low-priced-5g-data-packages-boost-smartphone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3046306/xiaomi-rolls-out-exclusive-low-priced-5g-data-packages-boost-smartphone?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Jan 2020 02:17:24 +0000 After playing her final card, Li Xiaomeng watched the avatar of her opponent, Brian “Bloodyface” Eason, explode. “Go, Liooon!” Li’s supporters cried out, cheering her on by her screen name, raising placards and waving a big red Chinese national flag fervently. Lights illuminated the stage. Victory was Li’s with a streak of three to nil. The 23-year-old girl from Xinjiang, a remote region in Northwestern China, removed her headphones, walked toward the center of the stage and shook hands with her... https://www.scmp.com/games/women-china-are-making-waves-esports-still-face-discrimination/article/3046168?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/games/women-china-are-making-waves-esports-still-face-discrimination/article/3046168?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Jan 2020 08:45:40 +0000 Alibaba has rolled out a new function in its Taobao app called Taoxiaopu, allowing its 693 million annual active users to set up stores that list other merchants’ goods, with sales yielding commission fees, 36Kr reported on Thursday. At the moment, there are no fees for using Taoxiaopu. Alibaba sources merchandise from suppliers, placing goods made by brands like L’Oreal and Estée Lauder on marketplaces like Tmall. The company is also responsible for shipments of goods placed via Taoxiaopu. In... https://www.scmp.com/tech/you-dont-need-keep-any-goods-stock-sell-alibaba/article/3044479?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/you-dont-need-keep-any-goods-stock-sell-alibaba/article/3044479?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Jan 2020 08:06:08 +0000 With over 100 million paying subscribers, China’s iQiyi and Tencent Video have secretly grown to become the world’s second- and third-major video streaming services providers by paying user base, behind only Netflix. However, both firms are facing continued net losses amid slower growth of new users and sluggish advertising sales. At a Tencent conference held in Beijing last Friday, the Chinese tech giant announced that its video streaming service is used every day by over 200 million users,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3044161/china-netflix-style-providers-are-facing-tough-time-amid-sluggish?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3044161/china-netflix-style-providers-are-facing-tough-time-amid-sluggish?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Jan 2020 02:13:36 +0000 On a normal Wednesday afternoon, a Chinese student who goes by the virtual nickname of MinnieEight is studying for the national 2020 postgraduate entrance examination. She is working on an exercise book, paired with her Mac laptop, a bouquet of flowers, and a furry toy penguin on a white desk. From time to time, she turns the page or writes something down. The air is filled with the sound of a crackling fire – which is quite relaxing and helps improve her concentration. It looks like a normal... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3042236/studywithme-how-bilibili-kuaishou-douyin-are-fostering-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3042236/studywithme-how-bilibili-kuaishou-douyin-are-fostering-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Dec 2019 04:08:24 +0000 Four years ago, Sun Yiping bought her three-year-old daughter a gift ahead of the child’s first day in kindergarten. It was a smartwatch that sends the location of her kid to her phone in real time and allows her to listen in on her daughter at school through a built-in mic. In other words, the smartwatch functioned like a tracking bracelet. “We were separated from the kid [when she was at the kindergarten],” the 32-year-old Beijing native said. “And we were worried that something could happen... https://www.scmp.com/tech/more-kids-are-getting-smartwatches-china-adults/article/3041624?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/more-kids-are-getting-smartwatches-china-adults/article/3041624?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Dec 2019 09:42:33 +0000 Doan Manh An was destined to become a professional e-sports commentator – a caster. A few years ago, fresh out of school with a marketing degree, he found himself in a drab office, pushing papers every day. The routine of the rat race grated on him. So he quit. “During that desperate time, I was staying at home, watching other casters for League of Legends, and accidentally saw a job ad recruiting casters for Vietnam Esports TV. I decided to take up the chance,” he said. “At the time, e-sports... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3039854/new-beautiful-game-vietnamese-youths-turn-passion-gaming-rewarding-e-sports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3039854/new-beautiful-game-vietnamese-youths-turn-passion-gaming-rewarding-e-sports?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Nov 2019 02:24:28 +0000 WeChat Pay and Alipay, China’s mobile payment duopoly operated by Tencent Holdings and Alibaba Group Holding respectively, have been further embedded into the everyday lives of Chinese people after being integrated into the country’s national health care system. In seven pilot provinces and cities, the National Healthcare Security Administration has just started issuing electronic certificates that could be used as the digital version of China’s social security card, which gives Chinese citizens... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3039387/china-launches-pilot-wechat-pay-and-alipay-give-people-e-access?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3039387/china-launches-pilot-wechat-pay-and-alipay-give-people-e-access?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Nov 2019 07:08:10 +0000 Chinese social giant Tencent has released a video-calling app in a bid to catch up with the short-video trend and expand its presence in the social networking sector, as its messaging platforms WeChat and QQ both hit bottleneck in capturing new users.   At its core, the newborn app, dubbed “Maohu,” is a dating platform, which allows users to choose beautifying filters or put on cartoon masks when connected with friends and people nearby. Maohu’s matches users with a person of the opposite sex,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/after-wechat-and-qq-tencent-now-has-video-dating-app/article/3036652?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/after-wechat-and-qq-tencent-now-has-video-dating-app/article/3036652?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Nov 2019 04:00:09 +0000 Riding on the back of pre-Diwali shopping sentiment, India saw its highest-ever smartphone shipments in the July to September quarter, according to a new report by Hong Kong-based research firm Counterpoint. The Indian smartphone market grew at 10 per cent year-on-year, and “reached a record 49 million units … offsetting the ongoing economic slowdown in other sectors,” Karn Chauhan, research analyst, Counterpoint, said in the report. The quarter on quarter growth reached 32 per cent, according... https://www.scmp.com/tech/xiaomi-leading-way-chinese-smartphone-makers-india/article/3035161?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/xiaomi-leading-way-chinese-smartphone-makers-india/article/3035161?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Oct 2019 11:44:53 +0000 Riding on the back of pre-Diwali shopping sentiment, India saw its highest-ever smartphone shipments in the July to September quarter, according to a new report by Hong Kong-based research firm Counterpoint. The Indian smartphone market grew at 10 per cent year-on-year, and “reached a record 49 million units … offsetting the ongoing economic slowdown in other sectors,” Karn Chauhan, research analyst, Counterpoint, said in the report. The quarter on quarter growth reached 32 per cent, according... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3034794/smartphone-shipments-india-touch-record-high-despite-slowdown-xiaomi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3034794/smartphone-shipments-india-touch-record-high-despite-slowdown-xiaomi?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Oct 2019 01:24:26 +0000 Chinese social ecommerce company Pinduoduo’s founder and chairman Colin Huang said that Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) on its platform, which measures the overall volume of transactions in a given period, has actually surpassed that of JD.com, local media reported on Monday.   Huang made the remarks earlier this month, without disclosing actual numbers, in a speech to all of Pinduoduo’s employees that was also live-streamed online internally, according to a Late Post report. Pinduoduo declined... https://www.scmp.com/tech/pinduoduo-founder-says-merchandise-volume-has-surpassed-jdcom/article/3034044?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/pinduoduo-founder-says-merchandise-volume-has-surpassed-jdcom/article/3034044?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Oct 2019 09:07:22 +0000 Chinese social e-commerce company Pinduoduo’s founder and chairman Colin Huang said that Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) on its platform, which measures the overall volume of transactions in a given period, has actually surpassed that of JD.com, local media reported on Monday. Huang made the remarks earlier this month, without disclosing actual numbers, in a speech to all of Pinduoduo’s employees that was also live-streamed online internally, according to a Late Post report. Pinduoduo declined to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/e-commerce/article/3033965/pinduoduo-founder-huang-says-e-commerce-player-has-surpassed-jdcom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/e-commerce/article/3033965/pinduoduo-founder-huang-says-e-commerce-player-has-surpassed-jdcom?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Oct 2019 03:14:15 +0000 Law school graduate John Li knows the latest developments in China’s autonomous driving industry – sort of. Li, a 24-year-old Hui Muslim from southwest China’s Guizhou province – a mountainous inland region that is being developed into the country’s next big data hub – has been working on data labelling tasks for autonomous vehicles for nearly two years. Li said he has witnessed the sensor technology for these driverless cars evolve from webcams and then laser radars to using a combination of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3033435/data-labelling-jobs-are-coming-chinas-underdeveloped-regions-are-they?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3033435/data-labelling-jobs-are-coming-chinas-underdeveloped-regions-are-they?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Oct 2019 00:00:16 +0000 Skyroam, a US and China-based provider of global Wi-fi services, has raised US$20 million from its recently completed Series C2 funding round, which will fuel its new business initiatives. The latest financing, which was led by US investment fund Mesh Ventures and British firm Phi Ventures, will be used to develop new business in the “smartphone and Internet of Things sectors”, said Skyroam in a report by Chinese news site 36kr on Tuesday. Other investors that took part in the start-up’s funding... https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3032053/global-wi-fi-services-provider-skyroam-raises-us20-million-fund-new?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3032053/global-wi-fi-services-provider-skyroam-raises-us20-million-fund-new?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Oct 2019 23:00:20 +0000 The food delivery business of ride-hailing firm Grab, Southeast Asia’s most valuable tech unicorn, is expanding its network of so-called GrabKitchens into Thailand and Vietnam. The first GrabKitchens outside Indonesia will be launched in Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City, which will be followed by new openings in the Philippines, Singapore and other markets in the region, according to a GrabFood statement on Tuesday. GrabKitchens are set up similar to food courts, except that vendors prepare their... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3032038/grab-expands-its-network-grabkitchens-thailand-vietnam?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3032038/grab-expands-its-network-grabkitchens-thailand-vietnam?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Oct 2019 22:00:08 +0000 JD Digits, the fintech arm of Chinese e-commerce player JD.com, has poached Yirendai’s former chief executive Fang Yihan away, the company confirmed with KrASIA on Sunday. Fang has joined Dongrich as its chief executive. Dongrich is JD Digits’ subsidiary that provides wealth management products for affluent Chinese families. After a decade of working experience in the United States, Fang returned to China in 2011 and joined Beijing-based CreditEase, a Chinese fintech conglomerate, to lead a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/e-commerce/article/3030880/jdcoms-fintech-arm-hires-former-chief-executive-chinas-first-p2p?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/e-commerce/article/3030880/jdcoms-fintech-arm-hires-former-chief-executive-chinas-first-p2p?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Sep 2019 02:14:05 +0000 Didi Mobility Japan, a joint venture between China’s largest ride-hailing platform Didi Chuxing and SoftBank Corp, said that their taxi-hailing services have now been available in 12 major areas including Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka for one year. The service has achieved leading shares in the taxi-hailing market in key cities of the Kansai region (which includes Kyoto and Osaka), as well as other areas, Didi claims in a press release. Ride-sharing, which relies on drivers with their own cars, is... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3030399/didi-plans-expand-taxi-hailing-service-20-cities-japan-claims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3030399/didi-plans-expand-taxi-hailing-service-20-cities-japan-claims?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Sep 2019 01:55:03 +0000 When Zeng Longfei has a spare moment in between serving customers in a shop in Beijing’s northwestern suburb, he sometimes holds his smartphone close to his face, then taps on the screen to open one of his favourite apps. He listens to music, a chapter of a novel, or a news article that is read out loud. Sound is the centre of the 30-year-old blind masseur’s life, after a fever took away most of his vision nearly two decades ago. For years, Zeng’s smartphone has been the Henan man’s favourite... https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3030053/smart-speakers-are-still-uncertain-melody-china-when-it-comes-making?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/gear/article/3030053/smart-speakers-are-still-uncertain-melody-china-when-it-comes-making?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Sep 2019 01:22:48 +0000 China’s most valuable start-up ByteDance has released two apps to help with its advertisers’ marketing plans via its short video platforms, according to a 36Kr report. The two apps are Juliang Chuangyi (meaning a huge amount of ideas) and TikTok AdStudio. Juliang Chuangyi works as a platform for an all-around short video-based creative marketing solution. Advertisers could design, plan, and distribute their campaigns from within the platform. While the platform is linked with content from... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3029893/bytedance-releases-apps-boost-marketing-plans-advertisers-its-short?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3029893/bytedance-releases-apps-boost-marketing-plans-advertisers-its-short?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Sep 2019 01:13:40 +0000 Automotive portal operator iCar Asia has entered into a binding agreement to acquire online marketplace Carmudi Indonesia, in a move to capture the growth in Southeast Asia’s vast used car market. The transaction is expected to be completed on October 15, according to a statement from Kuala Lumpur-based iCar Asia. The US$3 million deal will be paid in two instalments, US$2 million upon completion and the remainder on October 15. With the acquisition of Carmudi, iCar Asia expects to double... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3029758/malaysias-icar-asia-snaps-indonesian-online-marketplace-carmudi-us3?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3029758/malaysias-icar-asia-snaps-indonesian-online-marketplace-carmudi-us3?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Sep 2019 05:30:06 +0000 Indonesian wedding services marketplace Bridestory made headlines when it was acquired by Tokopedia, the country’s largest e-commerce platform, in June this year. What started as a discussion in late 2018 about a potential collaboration between Kevin Mintaraga, Bridestory’s co-founder and chief executive, and William Tanuwijaya, co-founder and chief executive of Tokopedia, eventually led to the e-commerce unicorn’s “proposal” to acquire the online wedding marketplace operator. The deal was made... https://www.scmp.com/tech/e-commerce/article/3029748/indonesian-e-commerce-unicorn-tokopedia-build-super-ecosystem-after?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/e-commerce/article/3029748/indonesian-e-commerce-unicorn-tokopedia-build-super-ecosystem-after?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Sep 2019 01:45:05 +0000 Less than a week after its official launch on China’s two top ecommerce sites, US e-cigarette giant Juul Labs’ products have now vanished from sight, KrASIA has learned. As of Tuesday 4pm, a search on JD.com and Tmall, an Alibaba owned ecommerce platform, returned with no products’ results when using “Juul” as the keyword. The flagship store page however remains intact. The removal comes amid a sensitive timing, just after the US government last Wednesday banned flavored e-cigarettes from store... https://www.scmp.com/tech/juul-e-cigarettes-vanish-chinese-shopping-sites/article/3027699?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/juul-e-cigarettes-vanish-chinese-shopping-sites/article/3027699?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Sep 2019 11:58:55 +0000 Beijing-based communications satellite producer GalaxySpace said that its valuation has surpassed 5 billion yuan (US$708 million) after closing a new round of funding led by JIC Technology Investment, a subsidiary of state-owned China Jianyin Investment, according to a company statement on Monday. GalaxySpace did not disclose the actual sum of money collected in this round from JIC Technology Investment and other investors including Shunwei Capital, IDG Capital, Legend Capital and Morningside... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3027582/chinas-private-satellite-maker-galaxyspace-says-its-value-exceeds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3027582/chinas-private-satellite-maker-galaxyspace-says-its-value-exceeds?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Sep 2019 11:30:13 +0000 Indonesia e-commerce unicorn Tokopedia, along with super-apps Gojek, Grab, and other five startups, have signed a partnership with the Jakarta government to accelerate the development of the capital’s smart city project. In a press statement, Tokopedia announced its recent position as the government’s economic partner. The company will train small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to prepare them to compete and contribute to the economy in the digital age. “This collaboration aims to invite tech... https://www.scmp.com/tech/e-commerce/article/3027577/tokopedia-gojek-and-grab-partner-jakartas-government-accelerate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/e-commerce/article/3027577/tokopedia-gojek-and-grab-partner-jakartas-government-accelerate?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Sep 2019 11:00:09 +0000 China’s internet giant Tencent has been speeding up the integration of live-streaming features into its WeChat mini program platform, aiming to boost e-commerce, according to a WeChat public account called Tencent Live Streaming Assistant. Tencent started to recruit content managing companies to test the live streaming function last March, and recently, the company has also started to select e-commerce players to test the live streaming function, according to the sources. A new post last week... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3027569/tencent-integrates-live-streaming-wechats-mini-program-platform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3027569/tencent-integrates-live-streaming-wechats-mini-program-platform?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Sep 2019 10:30:13 +0000 China’s internet giant Tencent is developing a payment product called Fenfu, which bears similar functionalities of a credit card, and is expected to go live within WeChat Pay in the fourth quarter of this year, according to local Chinese media outlet Xinliu Caijing.   Currently, WeChat Pay, which has more than 800 million users, only bundles with its users’ debit and credit cards issued by regular banks. On the other hand, Ant Financial’s Alipay and JD.com’s payment platforms not only enable... https://www.scmp.com/big-guns/tencent-starting-its-own-credit-payment-service-compete-alibaba/article/3027166?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/big-guns/tencent-starting-its-own-credit-payment-service-compete-alibaba/article/3027166?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Sep 2019 11:21:27 +0000 China’s internet giant Tencent is developing a payment product called Fenfu, which has similar functionality to a credit card, and is expected to go live within WeChat Pay in the fourth quarter of this year, according to local Chinese media outlet Xinliu Caijing. Currently, WeChat Pay, which has more than 800 million users, only bundles with its users’ debit and credit cards issued by regular banks. On the other hand, Ant Financial’s Alipay and JD.com’s payment platforms not only enable payments... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3027109/tencent-incubates-new-credit-payment-product-take-ant-financials?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3027109/tencent-incubates-new-credit-payment-product-take-ant-financials?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Sep 2019 06:50:04 +0000 The food delivery business of ride-hailing firm Grab, Southeast Asia’s most valuable tech unicorn, plans to roll out more than 50 so-called GrabKitchens across Indonesia by the end of this year. GrabKitchens are set up similar to food courts, except that vendors prepare their dishes only for pickup and delivery. “Our source of growth will be driven by GrabKitchens in the second semester of 2019,” said Ichmeralda Rachman, head of marketing at GrabFood and new business for Grab Indonesia, during... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3026999/grab-plans-launch-50-grabkitchens-across-indonesia-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3026999/grab-plans-launch-50-grabkitchens-across-indonesia-year?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Sep 2019 22:15:07 +0000 KrASIA KrASIA Aspirational super app Gojek launched GoGames on Sunday in Indonesia, driven by a rapidly growing video game industry in Southeast Asia’s largest market. GoGames includes three key features – GoGames Top-up, which allows gamers to top up their gaming credits and buy virtual items for their accounts using GoPay; GoGames Recipe, which covers tips and tricks for gaming techniques and the latest information about gaming tournaments; and GoGames TV, which features curated content from well-known... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3026463/gojek-makes-foray-mobile-gaming-eye-millennial-spenders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3026463/gojek-makes-foray-mobile-gaming-eye-millennial-spenders?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Sep 2019 11:30:11 +0000 Swiggy, the Indian online food ordering and delivery start-up backed by Meituan Dianping, has launched an on-demand, intracity courier service to send small packages of nearly anything, including laundry, lunchboxes and documents. This new last-mile delivery service, called Swiggy Go, will initially operate in the company’s home base of Bangalore, capital of the southwestern state of Karnataka and India’s third most populous city, and expand to more than 300 cities by next year, according to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3025840/meituan-backed-indian-food-delivery-unicorn-swiggy-launches-new?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3025840/meituan-backed-indian-food-delivery-unicorn-swiggy-launches-new?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Sep 2019 22:00:10 +0000 If you live in Beijing and Shenzhen, robots and drones may soon be delivering your takeaway lunch orders. Meituan, China’s largest food delivery service platform, is currently testing indoor robot delivery in 10 office buildings and hotels in Beijing and Shenzhen, and already delivered thousand of orders, Xia Huaxia, chief scientist of Meituan, said on the sideline of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference held in Shanghai last Thursday.   Xia also said that robots and humans would be... https://www.scmp.com/future-tech/chinas-delivery-king-meituan-tests-food-delivery-robot/article/3025354?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/future-tech/chinas-delivery-king-meituan-tests-food-delivery-robot/article/3025354?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Sep 2019 11:41:08 +0000 If you live in Beijing and Shenzhen, robots and drones may soon be delivering your takeaway lunch orders. Meituan, China’s largest food delivery service platform, is currently testing indoor robot delivery in 10 office buildings and hotels in Beijing and Shenzhen, and already delivered thousand of orders, Xia Huaxia, chief scientist of Meituan, said on the sideline of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference held in Shanghai last Thursday. Xia also said that robots and humans would be... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3025295/meituan-tests-unmanned-delivery-robots-beijing-and-shenzhen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3025295/meituan-tests-unmanned-delivery-robots-beijing-and-shenzhen?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Sep 2019 00:41:35 +0000 Tencent Holdings, which runs China’s biggest video games and social media businesses, has made a US$125 million investment in Kuaikan World (Beijing) Technology, a move that will see the two companies cooperate in the country’s vast online comics market. The deal, which the two firms announced separately on Tuesday through their WeChat channels, will provide fresh funding to support authors on Kuaikan World’s platform, which runs a comics app and connects a growing community of Chinese online... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3024775/tencent-extends-reach-chinas-young-online-comics-audience-us125?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3024775/tencent-extends-reach-chinas-young-online-comics-audience-us125?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Aug 2019 00:00:17 +0000 Meituan Dianping, China’s largest on-demand services provider, plans to re-enter the power bank sharing business, as the loss-making company expands its search for more sources of revenue and boosts user stickiness. The Beijing-based firm will roll out an unspecified number of power bank sharing stations across the country, according to a report on Monday by Chinese tech news portal LatePost, which cited people familiar with the matter. Its new power banks will have the same “Meituan Yellow”... https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3024753/meituan-dianping-said-re-enter-power-bank-sharing-business?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/apps-social/article/3024753/meituan-dianping-said-re-enter-power-bank-sharing-business?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Aug 2019 23:00:17 +0000 With the development of the “internet of things,” China has seen a rising demand for smart products across all sectors. Products that carry a label “smart,” such as speakers, watches, or even vehicles, are ultimately expected to give you more control, efficiency, and a level of personalization that addresses your individual needs. The ‘smart’ label has found a place in the home appliance market too, leading to a growing assortment of everything from smart refrigerators, ACs, TVs and other... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/chinas-biggest-appliance-makers-are-jumping-smart-home-business/article/3024733?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/chinas-biggest-appliance-makers-are-jumping-smart-home-business/article/3024733?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Aug 2019 10:48:43 +0000 Chinese online education platform Hexiaoxiang, which teaches Chinese to pupils aged between 5 and 12, has closed its Series B financing round, collecting 200 billion yuan (US$28 million), according to 36Kr. The round was led by Sinnovation Ventures, the firm set up by former Google China head Kai-fu Lee, Bertelsmann Asia Investment, and an investment fund under US-listed education company Tomorrow Advancing Life. The new funds will be used on research, education, and AI technology... https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3024455/investors-pour-funds-china-online-education-start-ups?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3024455/investors-pour-funds-china-online-education-start-ups?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Aug 2019 00:58:54 +0000 China’s e-commerce platform JD.com has started to allow its users to order tailor-made clothes, moving beyond offering only ready-to-wear garments, according to a company statement. As a JD.com user, you can provide your measurements and preferences for garment details including which type of fabric, the types of cuffs and pockets and then wait for seven to 10 days to get your customised clothes. If you want to take tailor-made clothes one step further, you can also order a human tailor to stop... https://www.scmp.com/tech/e-commerce/article/3024006/e-commerce-player-jdcom-allows-users-tailor-make-clothes-pushing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/e-commerce/article/3024006/e-commerce-player-jdcom-allows-users-tailor-make-clothes-pushing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Aug 2019 02:19:38 +0000