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Online services market expansion to continue amid Covid-19 crisis, industry executives say

  • Online education and video gaming providers are among the biggest beneficiaries of stay-at-home measures
  • The expansion of online services is allowing more jobseekers with the relevant skills to find new opportunities, as more offline operations go digital

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Online tutor Christophe Blanc gives an economics lesson in front of pictures of his students in Switzerland on April 29. Stay-at-home measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 have increased international demand for remote learning. Photo: EPA-EFE
Iris Deng
A range of online services – from videoconferencing, remote learning and delivery to cybersecurity and video games – is expected to grow and become more deeply entrenched in people’s everyday lives, as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to disrupt economies around the world.
That was the consensus reached by a panel of speakers in their discussion on Tuesday at a South China Morning Post webinar on online services, part of the company’s “Covid-19 and the Economy” series sponsored by Credit Suisse.

“It’s just like 10 years ago for e-commerce,” said panellist Timothy Yu, co-founder and chief executive of on-demand tutoring app operator Snapask. “Once you get used to it and enjoy its efficiency, you're stuck with it.”

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Online education and video gaming providers are among the biggest beneficiaries of stay-at-home measures implemented around the world this year, as millions of people have moved many of their daily business and leisure activities on the internet to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Panellists at a South China Morning Post webinar. From left to right, the Post Technology desk’s Bien Perez; Edmond Huang, managing director and head of China equity strategy at Credit Suisse; Timothy Yu, chief executive of Snapask; and Animoca Brands chairman Yat Siu, who is also chief executive at Hong Kong-based Outblaze. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Panellists at a South China Morning Post webinar. From left to right, the Post Technology desk’s Bien Perez; Edmond Huang, managing director and head of China equity strategy at Credit Suisse; Timothy Yu, chief executive of Snapask; and Animoca Brands chairman Yat Siu, who is also chief executive at Hong Kong-based Outblaze. Photo: Jonathan Wong
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In Hong Kong, Snapask’s Yu said a resurgence in Covid-19 cases has brought uncertainty for students about heading back to school in September. He said these students and their parents are adjusting to this “new normal”, thanks to the availability of various remote learning resources online.
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