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The latest news, analysis and opinion on Apps. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Joe, photographed in Causeway Bay on Friday. The 20-year-old student says ChatGPT helped him analyse his tangled emotions. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Hong Kong society

‘AI may know me better’: why Hongkongers turn to chatbots for mental health help

Survey reveals growing trend of residents seeking help from AI to deal with emotional stress.

Wellness

She didn’t ignore her brain fog – now she’s helping others with perimenopause

OpenClaw

Inside the OpenClaw AI mania in China, as security fears and enthusiasm surge

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Apple

Apple reduces App Store commissions in China, to applause from Tencent, NetEase

Move has ‘long-term constructive significance for the overall prosperity of China’s mobile app ecosystem’, gaming company NetEase says.

People look at Apple phones in a store in the Huangpu district of Shanghai on January 20, 2026. Photo: AFP
Artificial intelligence

OpenClaw is all the rage in China right now. Here’s why

OpenClaw captivates Chinese users, aiding in stock trading, daily tasks and even dating, despite concerns over costs and data reliability.

Gun violence in the US

Perplexity, Meta AIs named ‘least safe’ after helping researchers plot attacks

ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Meta AI, Gemini and others suggested ‘locations to target’ and ‘weapons’ to use to researchers posing as 13-year-old boys.

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Artificial intelligence

China issues new safety rules for OpenClaw. Here are the dos and don’ts

Authorities outline six dos and six don’ts for OpenClaw users, warning of risks amid an adoption frenzy.

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OpenClaw has gained global traction for its ability to perform tasks on a user’s behalf, such as organising and responding to emails, drafting work reports and preparing slide decks. Photo: Xinhua
Artificial intelligence

Chinese tech giants offer cheap, easy access to OpenClaw amid ‘lobster fever’

Shares of Hong Kong-listed MiniMax and Zhipu AI surge after launching OpenClaw tools.

Canada

TikTok gets green light to stay in Canada, reversing earlier ban

The app, owned by China’s ByteDance, has agreed to improve privacy and security, and to enhance protections for minors.

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US-China relations

Trump sued in bid to undo approval of TikTok’s US sale

The lawsuit is the first legal challenge to the deal with China’s ByteDance, but does not seek to force a US ban on the short-video platform.

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The lawsuit argues that US President Donald Trump’s approval of the TikTok deal violates requirements ​set out in a 2024 divestiture law. Photo illustration: Reuters
Chinese culture

A Gen Z take on the Chinese almanac? Grandma’s tear-off calendar goes digital

Feng Shui Calendar Widget developer Jingyi Ma reveals why her digital version of the Chinese almanac is about more than finding auspicious dates.

Jingyi Ma, the Beijing-born, New York-based creative technologist behind the Feng Shui Calendar Widget. Ma says her almanac app for iPhone is about passing down “something old and physical” in a world where “no one buys paper goods any more”. Photo: courtesy of Jingyi Ma
South Korea

South Korea to finally get fully functioning Google Maps

The move will appease Washington that has urged security-conscious Seoul to tackle what it says is discrimination against US tech companies.

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Google

Video | Google finally allowed to export South Korea map data

Google must process map data on locally based servers and can only export data that have been pre-approved by the government.

Australia

Australia mulls forcing app stores, search engines to axe unsafe AI services

From March 9, internet services that do not restrict users under 18 from receiving pornography, violence or self-harm content will be fined.

The OpenAI logo is seen against a ChatGPT-generated image on a computer screen. Photo: AP
Baidu

Baidu touts AI chips’ potential amid sluggish fourth quarter

Revenue from the company’s AI-related business for the December quarter rises 48 per cent year on year to more than US$1.6 billion.

Baidu reported revenue of 32.74 billion yuan for the fourth quarter. Photo: AFP
Singapore

As Deliveroo leaves Singapore, spotlight turns on city state’s tight market

The platform’s departure has underscored the challenge of turning a profit in a dense, tightly contested market.

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Artificial intelligence

AI apps soar in China as Lunar New Year giveaway battle boosts user growth

Tech firms score win as AI assistants become part of holiday consumption – from buying food and booking travel to planning entertainment.

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Ant Group

Ant’s AQ health app tops 100 million users amid holiday surge

Growth comes as China’s ageing population fuels demand for AI-assisted health monitoring tools.

The rise of AI health apps in China comes as the country navigates a rapidly ageing demographic. Photo: Handout
Social media

Are you addicted to social media, is it a problem and what can you do about it?

Social media addiction is not officially registered as a mental illness, but it affects adults and children. Here are tips on cutting down.

Germany

Germany’s ruling party seeks social media ban for children aged below 14

Spain, Greece, France, Britain and other countries are looking at similar social media bans or curbs.

United States

Meta’s Zuckerberg grilled in landmark social media addiction trial

The 41-year-old Meta CEO admits regret over slow youth safety progress in a high-stakes California lawsuit.

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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrives for a trial in Los Angeles on Wednesday. Photo: AP
Style Edit

Style Edit: Lane Crawford’s beauty rewards are gifts you’ll actually want

Elevate your self-care with Lane Crawford’s HK$8.8M Beauty Rewards Programme and redeem products from brands like Skit and Tom Ford Beauty.

Guerlain’s Tailor Made Treatment is one of the many offerings from Lane Crawford’s new beauty rewards programme. Photo: Handout
Artificial intelligence

ByteDance ‘strengthening safeguards’ after Seedance AI video controversy

Pledge comes after Hollywood, governments speak out against tool amid deluge of video clips featuring celebrities, copyrighted characters.

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Meituan

Meituan warns of US$3.5 billion loss amid intense food delivery price war

Food delivery giant expects losses to continue into at least the first quarter of 2026 ‘due to ongoing competition’.

Artificial intelligence

Alibaba’s Qwen tops 120 million orders in 6 days amid China’s AI shopping battle

Campaign has sparked a behavioural shift towards AI-powered shopping, which Alibaba says is becoming a more popular lifestyle choice.

The number of orders signals growing acceptance of AI-powered shopping. Photo: Getty
ByteDance

ByteDance joins Chinese rivals offering freebies in bid to acquire AI app users

TikTok parent plans to give more than 100,000 tech products as gifts, as well as red packets through lucky draws on the Doubao app.

Doubao is an AI app developed by TikTok owner ByteDance. Photo: CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images
United States

California court begins social media trial amid mental health concerns

The case ‌will determine whether Instagram and YouTube harmed a woman’s mental health through addictive app design, testing Big Tech’s liability.

Artificial intelligence

ByteDance’s new model sparks stock rally as China’s AI video battle escalates

Seedance 2.0 thrills early adopters with cinematic realism and fuels debate over AI’s role in filmmaking and content creation.

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