MediaTek says China's non-Apple smartphone demand remains soft in Q3

TAIPEI -- Taiwan's MediaTek, the world's second largest mobile chip provider by revenue, on Monday said smartphone demand was likely to remain slow in the three months ending in September due to the lukewarm Chinese market and its own loss of market share to bigger rival Qualcomm.

MediaTek does not supply U.S. tech group Apple but mainly sells to major Chinese smartphone makers such as Huawei Technologies, Oppo, Vivo, Meizu and Gionee, and also provides chips for Samsung Electronics' mid-to-low end mobile phones.

"We don't see smartphone demand improving much in the third quarter as China's market is not as strong as in previous years...The growth momentum for smartphones is lower than all the other product lines within our company this year," said Rick Tsai, co-chief executive of MediaTek, during an earnings briefing.

Tsai admitted there had been some loss of market share to Qualcomm, but he said the situation had "stabilized" and expected his company to regain some orders in the last quarter of this year. According to research firm Gartner, MediaTek could lose up to 60 million chipset shipments in China to Qualcomm this year as the U.S. company's new chips are equipped with better modem technology to support faster data transfers and higher quality phone calls.

For the current July-September period, the Taiwanese company projected revenue to be between 59.2 billion New Taiwan dollars and NT$63.9 billion ($1.95 billion and $2.10 billion), down 18.5% to 24.5% year-on-year. But the company said its gross margin would rebound to between 34% to 37%, mainly thanks to a better product mix.

MediaTek's overall sales decreased nearly 20% year-on-year to NT$58.07 billion for the April-June period while its gross margin and operating profit margin have picked up to 35% and 4.1% respectively, from record lows of 33.5% and 2.2% in the first three months of 2017.

The booming demand in applications such as voice-activated gadgets, object-tracking connected devices and bike-sharing all helped MediaTek's margin to recover in the current quarter, according to Tsai. MediaTek is a major supplier to the popular voice-controlled smart speaker Amazon Echo Dot.

"The sale of chips to these emerging new applications could expand some 30% this year and would continue to grow at a double-digit rate in following years," Tsai said. Chips for innovative uses currently contribute to around 25% to 35% of MediaTek's revenue, while mobile-related products still account for up to 45% of its sales.

The executive said the company aimed to bring the gross margin back to the past level of nearly 40% by the end of next year. He added that MediaTek would not give up investing in leading nanotechnologies by teaming up with the world's No.1 contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and would roll out modem chips that are as competitive as Qualcomm's in 2018. But his priority before mid-2018 would be lining up cost-effective chips for midrange phones rather than for premium handsets.

"For the margin coming from the smartphone side, it's still quite challenging for MediaTek to recover soon in the second half of 2017," said C.Y. Yao, an analyst at Topology Research Institute. "We continue to see that bloody price-slashing war in chip supply for Chinese smartphone makers."

Mark Li, an analyst at Bernstein Research, said in a note that he expected MediaTek's gross margin would rebound to 38% thanks to a new product lineup by the end of 2018, adding that the emerging ecosystem of voice-activated devices could provide additional growth to the Taiwanese company.

It could be time this year for investors to look beyond the iPhone supply chain to pick up some new targets for investment, according to Li.

Shares of MediaTek have gained nearly 16% since the company recruited former TSMC top executive Tsai at the beginning of June to reshape the company's long-term strategy. They closed at NT$266 on Monday. Meanwhile, Taiwan's benchmark index has advanced 3.49% over the same period.

Source: MediaTek says China's non-Apple smartphone demand remains soft in Q3

iPhone’s Toughest Rival in China Is WeChat, a Messaging App

When Wang Tingting, a Shanghai sales assistant, ditched her iPhone 5 last year for a Huawei P9 Plus, she noticed little difference: Both phones run WeChat, the app she and millions of other Chinese consumers use the most.

"I don't miss the iPhone at all," said Ms. Wang, 24 years old.

That sentiment undermines Apple Inc.'s efforts in its...

Source: iPhone's Toughest Rival in China Is WeChat, a Messaging App

China-based Comio to launch smartphones in India on August 18

Home > News > China-based Comio to launch smartphones in India on August 18 Comio is expected to launch smartphones priced between Rs 6,000 and Rs 15,000.

The influx of Chinese smartphone brands in India doesn't seem to end. Just yesterday, it was announced that Transsion Holdings' Infinix will make its India debut soon. A new entrant is Comio, the smartphone brand from Chinese ODM Topwise. Comio will hold its launch event on August 18, where it is expected to launch smartphones priced between Rs 6,000 and Rs 15,000.

"There aren't many players in the offline market in this price range. Most Indian companies are focusing on sub-Rs 6,000, while other Chinese firms are looking at devices over Rs 15,000," Comio CEO Sanjay Kumar Kalirona was quoted by PTI as saying. This clearly points out that Comio would be targeting the offline market, and the competitive price segment between Rs 6,000 and Rs 15,000. Comio's plans for India appears to be ambitious as it will invest Rs 500 crore in the next two years so as to build the company's presence in the country. It also aims to capture at least five percent market share in the Indian smartphone market in the next three years.

Kalirona further detailed Comio's roadmap which includes plans to set up a manufacturing base in India. Comio will initially source its smartphones from its home country, China, and will later rope in third-party manufactures. He also said that the company's focus would be India's smartphone market only. Highlighting how TopWise Communications used to make products for Indian smartphone companies like Micromax, Kalirona said that it will no longer do that, and use all resources for Comio in India. ALSO READ: Nokia 6 to Moto E4 Plus: 6 smartphones with quick charging feature under Rs 15,000

Comio is planning to make an entry into one of the most competitive smartphone markets, especially dominated by Chinese players. Frontrunners like Xiaomi, Vivo and Oppo already have a strong foothold in India with their smartphones having garnered immense popularity. In response to competing against these companies, Comio's Chief Marketing Officer Sumit Sehgal says that the company will make its after-sales services strong, and not just focus on grabbing market share. ALSO READ: Chinese brands have now captured half of Indian smartphone market: Report

Published: July 29, 2017 2:01 PM IST | Updated: July 29, 2017 2:01 PM IST
Source: China-based Comio to launch smartphones in India on August 18

Tech-savvy China gets set for the connected car regime

The world's largest automobile market is entering a new maturity phase

After growing at a breakneck pace in the last decade, China – the world's largest automotive market – is showing signs of maturity.

With concentrated growth coming at a time where mature markets are already making progress, technological advancements in the country are expected to occur at a faster rate. Consider that there are currently over 600 million smartphone users in China — many of whom have had smartphones as their first phones.

'Early adoption' is less of a concern in emerging markets as new technologies have materialised at later stages of the development life-cycle. Though still in its infancy, the connected car is expected to progress at an accelerated pace.

Over half of the Chinese population is now online — that's 731 million internet users. And perhaps more compelling is the fact that 95 per cent of those users access the internet via mobile devices. With the increasing number of mobile users, demand for in-car connectivity is expected to be stronger and more widespread.

A quick perusal of domestic vehicle infotainment options and it's clear that in-vehicle connectivity and technology is increasingly important to Chinese buyers – 10-inch LED touch-screen interfaces, integrated GPS, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) – all technology that has only recently become available even in mature markets.

Of course, these advancements come at a cost to both the automaker and the buyer. In its annual Connected Car Report , Strategy&, a global strategy consulting firm, estimated that revenues related to in-vehicle connected services including vehicle management, entertainment, and navigation could double by 2022.

Influencing factors

As part of the study, over half (51 per cent) of the 3,000 plus participants in online surveys and focus groups responded that connected functionality was an influencing factor in purchasing a vehicle — higher than price (46 per cent) and engine performance (46 per cent).

Beyond the consumer push for increased connectivity, the Chinese government has been supportive of the advancement of automotive technology as part of the 'Made in China 2025' initiative, providing incentives for domestic companies working towards new energy resources, increased connectivity, and autonomous driving.

Obstacles in the way

As with any emerging technology, there are a number of barriers that could slow mass penetration and economies of scale for connected cars and ultimately, the future autonomous vehicle ecosystem in China. Newer functionality and capability take time to develop and bring to production, and could cause frustration for end users if not properly designed and tested.

Also, the greater concerns loom over cybersecurity threats and the potential behind the available data that increasingly connected vehicles hold. Much is yet to be determined when it comes to the related data liability and ownership.

Advancing technologies require significant investment from automakers to fully capture the digital potential in connected cars. Indeed, strategic partnerships within the automotive value chain will evolve to include other sectors and industries. The competitive landscape will not only grow, but proliferate to encompass stakeholders beyond traditional manufacturers.

Potential exists for tech giants such as Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent, which have the technical know-how related to mobile connectivity and services, to Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers in the areas of advanced driver assistance systems, in-vehicle electronic, and so on. As in the case of Silicon Valley, newer tech start-ups with niche connectivity solutions will be funded or acquired, creating a market ripe for an uptick in deals activity.

With the growth and rate of innovation already in the Chinese automotive market, there is little doubt that the potential related to connected cars is significant. Ultimately, technology and automotive companies will need to find synergies to effectively bring connected cars to the masses.

Automakers and tech service providers will have to develop sound strategies to ensure they are prepared for the next digital revolution… in vehicles. Connected cars – including autonomous driving, safety, entertainment, vehicle management, and mobility management – will likely drive the future of the automotive industry.

The Indian automotive market will not be an exception and looking at the increasing internet user in our country, vehicle connectivity will take off much earlier than expected and more connectivity will offer OEMs an added advantage to convince customers to buy their products.

The writer is Partner, Price Waterhouse

(This article was published on July 27, 2017)

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Source: Tech-savvy China gets set for the connected car regime

Nokia re-enters into the Kenyan market, launches 4 new phones

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Nokia used to be a household name back in the day, but after most of its asset were bought by Microsoft, its future seemed deem. However HMD brought back the Nokia brand with emphasis on the signature features that make Nokia great. The company today re-entered the Kenyan market with 4 new phones.

HMD has had a lot of success in other countries such as China where it partnered with online retailers such as JD.com. Nokia 6, for example,  has had instances where it sold out within minutes after going on sale. In Kenya, Nokia has partnered with Google to bring the latest android in its purest form without any manufacturer skin to bog down the update process. Other partners include Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom.

Among the 4 phones are classics such as Nokia 3310 which was once the most sold phone in its time. These Nokia phones range from KShs 5,000 for the 3310 to KShs 25.000 for the Nokia 6.

Here are some of the main features of the 4 phones.

Nokia 3

5 inch HD IPS

Mediatek 6737

2GB RAM

16GB internal, expandable to 256GB

8MP rear camera

8MP front camera

Android 7.0 Nougat

2630mAh battery

Nokia 5

2 inch HD IPS

Snapdragon 430

2GB RAM

16GB internal, expandable to 256GB

13MP rear camera

8MP front camera

Android 7.1.1 Nougat

3000 mAh battery

Nokia 6

5 inch Full HD IPS

Snapdragon 430

3GB RAM/4GB

32GB/64GB internal, expandable to 256GB

16MP rear camera

8MP front camera

Android 7.1.1 Nougat

3000 mAh battery

Nokia 3310

4 inch TFT

16MB

Expandable to 32GB

2MP rear camera

1200mAh battery

Dual Sim

 

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Source: Nokia re-enters into the Kenyan market, launches 4 new phones

China Is Launching World’s First “Unhackable” Quantum Messaging And File-sharing Service

Short Bytes: China has gifted their defense officers and government executives a new quantum network which is being called unhackable. The highly secure quantum communication system is expected to be up for commercial use by the end of August in the City of Jinan, which is a 'node' in the 2000-km quantum link built between Beijing and Shanghai. 

According to a report by China Daily, China is all set to launch their quantum network next month in the city of Jinan. The network will allow around 200 people of the government, military, and finance to establish communication over a highly secure network, according to The Telegraph.

The quantum network, which has gone through 50 test rounds since May, has been built at the cost of 120 million yuan (approx. 19.5 million USD). It's capable of encrypting around 4,000 pieces of data per second and transferring them to 200 terminals spread across the city.

Also Read: China Is Forcefully Installing Spyware App On The Phones Of Its Muslim Minority

According to the publication, the network has been in development since 2013 and last year China completed the 2000-km quantum link which connects Beijing to Shanghai and passes through Jinan, Hefei, and Anhui. Around 99% success rate has been achieved when exchanging files, faxes, and secure telephone communication.

The reason why the quantum network is being called 'unhackable' is that the information is transferred using light particles and the encryption is based on a phenomenon called Quantum Entanglement.

If a hacker tries to mess with the network, the entanglement of the light particles disrupts due to their quantum nature, stopping the communication, and the authorities also get alerted. Such a network is, thus, almost impossible to hack.

Moreover, a technique called quantum key distribution is used to exchange messages, which makes the quantum network more secure than communications systems currently being used.

For now, the network would be used primarily by military and government bodies but if the pilot phase goes well, future plans could include spreading the network across China and, maybe, overseas. The quantum network is another name in China's list of unhackable things. Last year, they launched an unhackable quantum satellite which established its first successful communication in June 2017.

Got something to add? Drop your thoughts and feedback.

Also Read: Kaspersky Launches Free Antivirus For Everybody — Download It Here
Source: China Is Launching World's First "Unhackable" Quantum Messaging And File-sharing Service

Apple Losing Share of Smartphone Market in China

Stock's Stunning Activities: Oasis Petroleum Inc. (OAS)Jul 26, 2017 - 06:37Cornerstone Mgmt Holdg Ltd Llc has invested 0.06% in Rice Energy Inc (NYSE:RICE). 114,208 are owned by Jane Street Gru Ltd. Hermes Investment Management Ltd. raised its position in Oasis Petroleum by 5.3% in the second quarter.

Double treat for fans on Mahesh Babu's birthdayJul 26, 2017 - 06:30Directed by AR Murugadoss, Spyder featuring the handsome hunk Mahesh Babu in lead role is one of the most awaited films in South. Superstar Mahesh Babu's highly anticipated spy thriller Spyder is making the right noises ahead of its release this September.

Louisiana's US senators support start of health care debateJul 26, 2017 - 06:29Thune says he is still optimistic that Senate republicans can find a compromise on repealing the Affordable Care Act . Amendments would be made on the floor of the Senate, but that's not what should be done, Manchin said.

Frontier Communications Corporation (FTR) — Recommendation Trends AnalysisJul 26, 2017 - 06:17According to Yahoo Finance, The Dividend Date for Frontier Commun Cp is Jun 30, 2017 and its Ex-Dividend Date is Jun 13, 2017. Finally, Eqis Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in Frontier Communications Corporation by 47.3% in the first quarter.

Marvel's The Defenders may never get a second seasonJul 26, 2017 - 06:17We haven't gotten to that place, I don't know if there will be a Defenders [season] 2. The newest season of "Voltron: Legendary Defender ", arrives on August 4.

Russian hooligans trick Rick Perry into talking about manureJul 26, 2017 - 06:17Elton John took a phone call from Kuznetosv and Stolyarov in 2015 thinking he was talking to Russian President Vladimir Putin . Perry spoke about energy development in Ukraine before demurring about the possibility of a moonshine-manure fuel. .

EQT Corporation (NYSE:EQT) Traded 9.0% Above Its 50 Day AverageJul 26, 2017 - 06:14Equities research analysts expect that EQT Corporation will post $1.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of EQT Corporation during the fourth quarter valued at about $80,536,000.

Gladstone Capital Corp (NASDAQ:GLAD) Q4 2016 Sentiment ChangeJul 26, 2017 - 06:14A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of GOOD. 219,950 were reported by Cue Group Inc Inc Inc. State Street Corp boosted its stake in shares of Gladstone Commercial Corporation by 12.0% in the fourth quarter.

Crown Castle International Corp (NYSE:CCI) Experiences Lighter than Average Trading VolumeJul 26, 2017 - 05:50The real estate investment trust reported $0.31 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.28 by $0.03. Michael & Susan Dell Foundation increased Crown Castle Intl Corp New (CCI) stake by 68.32% reported in 2016Q4 SEC filing.

Democratic House Staffer Awan Arrested at DC Airport, Charged with Major FraudJul 26, 2017 - 05:42Authorities were also investigating if Awan put sensitive House information onto a cloud server and exposed it to outside sources. TheDCNF reported Sunday night that the FBI had joined the investigation and seized smashed hard drives from Imran's home.

Fulton Bank NA Takes Position in Tyson Foods, IncJul 26, 2017 - 05:36The company reported $1.01 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the Thomson Reuters' consensus estimate of $1.06 by $0.05. Jet Capital Investors LP decreased Syngenta Ag ( NYSE :SYT) stake by 805,825 shares to 1.00 million valued at $79.40M in 2016Q4.

West Bromwich Albion rebuffed in attempts to lure Ben Gibson from MiddlesbroughJul 26, 2017 - 05:21The defender, 28, will be allowed to leave for the right price - and Boro are likely to make an improved offer this week. Middlesbrough have knocked back TWO substantial West Brom bids for central defender Ben Gibson .

Inflation rate at 0.2% in June quarterJul 26, 2017 - 05:19ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence bounced 2.3 percent last week, following a 0.4 percent fall the previous week. Annual inflation comes in roughly at the midpoint of the central bank's 1-3% target range.

Macaulay Culkin started Dating a famous actressJul 26, 2017 - 05:11Macaulay Culkin has shown off a dramatic image overhaul, looking the best he has in years as he stepped out for a dinner date. Culkin's date for the evening, Song, 29, wore black leather shorts and a low cut top along with a baggy gray cardigan.

DR Horton Target of Unusually High Options Trading (DHI)Jul 26, 2017 - 05:09Murray Michael J sold 2,925 shares worth $89,418. $404,195 worth of stock was sold by HORTON DONALD R on Sunday, March 5. The difference between the expected and actual EPS was $0.01/share, which represents an Earnings surprise of 1.7%.

Source: Apple Losing Share of Smartphone Market in China

Chinese domestic handset brands constitute 87% of Chinese smartphone market in Q2

NEW DELHI: In China, the domestic Chinese handset brands captured 87% of the Chinese smartphone market in the second quarter of 2017, according to a report by Counterpoint. The smartphone shipments in China grew 3% annually during the second quarter.

Huawei and Vivo were the fastest growing brands followed by OPPO and Xiaomi,the report said. The four brands are the leading brands of the China smartphone market having lead over Apple and Samsung as well.

Xiaomi saw a growth of 20% year-on-yea where it almost doubled its volumes owing to its latest flagship Mi 6 and low-tier models such as Redmi Note 4X. As per the report, the comeback of Xiaomi has made the market further competitive and almo st a zero-sum game.

"The top four Chinese brands now capture close to 69% of the market as these brands have raced ahead of international and other local brands with expansive distribution reach and exciting portfolio," said James Yan, Research Director, Counterpoint.

"As predicted, last quarter, the Chinese smartphone market saw a healthy sell-out through April, May of the second quarter with some level of inventory correction allowing the Chinese brands to ship more smartphones in June with a revamped portfolio," added Yan.

"Huawei continued to capture the top spot this quarter ahead of rivals OPPO and vivo, shipping higher volumes into the channels. Huawei's nova, enjoy series along with flagship P10 were in strong demand during the quarter," said Tarun Pathak, Associate Director, Counterpoint.

"OPPO and vivo were able to also grow significantly over last year with strong performance in mid-tier with A and Y series respectively as well as with F/R and V/X series in high- tier respectively. Each of the series are well positioned in the fast-growing $100-$199 (600-1300 rmb) and affordable premium $300-$399 (2000-2700 rmb) segments catering demand from tier-1 cities to tier-4 towns," added Pathak.

India, South Asia and Africa will be the key focus locations to drive additional scale and market share to compensate the dip in domestic market, the report said.

Source: Chinese domestic handset brands constitute 87% of Chinese smartphone market in Q2

China Is Forcefully Installing Spyware App On The Phones Of Its Muslim Minority

Short Bytes: The Chinese authorities are forcing its Muslim minority population in Xinjiang to install spyware on their smartphones. People are getting notices via WeChat and being instructed to install the app to avert detention up to 10 days. The app regularly scans the media stored on the phone and matches it with a database illegal and terrorist-related media.

A large portion of China's Muslim minority population resides in its Xinjiang region. It's home to many other minorities and famous for the ancient Silk Road trade route which passed through it.

Now, in a surprising development, the residents of Xinjiang are being forced to install spyware applications on their smartphones. The Chinese government has increased the surveillance levels and as a direct result, the authorities are sending instructions to Muslim citizens to install a surveillance software on their smartphones, according to Mashable.

Moreover, the authorities are conducting spot checks to make sure that people are having the app installed on their phones. For sending the notices, WeChat is being used. They are asked to scan the QR code shown in the notice and download the Jing Wang app.

Shown below is a notice written in Uyghur and Chinese:

Image: Twitter

The Twitter users are also claiming that the people who would refuse to install the app or delete it, would be detained for up to 10 days.

Just in case you are wondering about the things Chinese government wishes to achieve with the help of this app, it regularly scans the MD5 signatures of the media in the phone. That media is then matched with a stored database of the files classified as illegal and terrorist-related media.

The government had already taken other oppressing steps in the past, including the banning of veils and growing long beards.

Have something to add to this story? Don't forget to share your views.

Source: Mashable, Twitter

Also Read: 500,000 Windows Users Infected By 15-Year-Old Stantinko Malware
Source: China Is Forcefully Installing Spyware App On The Phones Of Its Muslim Minority

Modi's India is challenging China with Factory Power

Modi's India is challenging China with Factory PowerSaturday, July 22, 2017 By: SPUTNIK News Source Link: CLICK HERE

India's ambition to rise as a great power has received a strong boost from abroad, in the form of massive investment from foreign manufacturers.

The Indian government recently implemented its new Goods and Services Tax (GST), marking the country's largest tax reform since its independence in 1947. The launch of the new tax regime is aimed at simplifying India's complicated central and state tax system, unifying India's $2 trillion economy and 1.3 billion people into a single market.

While there is a lot of skepticism toward India's market unification reform, foreign companies appear to be confident about their prospects in the country. As part of the latest tax reform, India imposed a 10 percent duty on imported smartphones and some other electronic products, which has incentivized global smartphone manufacturers to accelerate their plans to set up plants in India. According to media reports, Foxconn plans to invest up to $5 billion in building new factories in the country. In June, Samsung announced it would invest 700 billion won ($608.28 million) to expand its production capacity in India, with monthly output expected to reach 10 million smartphones and 200,000 refrigerators by 2018.

Chinese mobile phone manufacturers are also investing in India. Brands like OPPO, Vivo, Lenovo and Xiaomi have set up plants in India, intensifying competition in the country's smartphone manufacturing sector. As early as four years ago, China's mobile phone industry, including brands, original equipment manufacturers, part suppliers, packaging suppliers and materials suppliers, started to enter the Indian market. In addition to smartphones , Chinese home appliances manufacturer Midea Group also announced recently that it would invest 800 crore ($123.98 million) to set up a factory in Pune, a city in western India. The factory is expected to be operational by the end of 2018 and aims to generate 500 jobs over the next five years.

The global auto industry is also eyeing India. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said Tesla is having talks with the Indian government to seek temporary relief from import duties ahead of establishing a local factory. A 60 to 100 percent duty is charged on imported foreign-made cars in India. In June, Chinese automaker SAIC Motor Corp announced plans to become the first Chinese auto company to build a manufacturing facility in India. During the period from 1995 to 2000, Hyundai, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Toyota and other automakers started to produce cars in India. And since the Indian government allowed 100 percent foreign ownership in the automobile industry in 2000, there has been a sharp in crease in investment by automakers in India.

This massive influx of investment by foreign manufacturers is of great significance for India's economy, employment and industrial development. If in the past India lacked capital, a developed manufacturing sector and skilled manufacturing workers, the foreign manufacturing inflow is now helping India address the problem, backing up the government's "Make in India" initiative. India mainly needs to do two things: first, enhance opening-up toward foreign companies and issue preferential conditions to attract foreign investment; second, provide sufficient labor resources. The Indian government also needs to open up its domestic consumption market. Foreign companies entering India have gradually shifted their focus from simple marketing and labor-intensive production to research and development. For instance, in 2015, China's Huawei Technologies Co invested $170 million to set up a research and development center in India and promised to join the "Make in India" campaign.

It should be pointed out that what is happening in India occurred in China two decades ago. Just like what happened with China during its reform and opening-up, the arrival of foreign manufacturing will greatly enhance India's ability to develop its manufacturing sector, which will help in cultivating a large number of skilled workers, managers and factories.

China should be calm seeing India's rise. To cope with competition from India, China could start working on a more effective growth strategy for the new era now.

The influx of foreign manufacturers is addressing some of India's weaknesses and enhancing its manufacturing ability, with Chinese companies also playing an important role in the process. This is a repeat of China's introduction of foreign investment, which is why it is likely that India may succeed.http://www.defencenews.in/article/Modis-India-is-challenging-China-with-Factory-Power-263345

Source: Modi's India is challenging China with Factory Power

‘Web cleansing’: China’s Xinjiang residents forced to install surveillance apps on their mobile phones

By Oiwan Lam

Residents of Xinjiang, an ethnic minority region of western China, are being forced to install spyware on their mobile phones.

On July 10, mobile phone users in the Tianshan District of Urumqi City received a mobile phone notification from the district government instructing them to install a surveillance application called Jingwang (or "Web Cleansing"). The message said the app was intended to "prevent [them] from accessing terrorist information."

Photo: 即时中国大陆映像 via Twitter.

But authorities may be using the app for more than just counter-terrorism. According to an exclusive report from Radio Free Asia, 10 Kazakh women from Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture were arrested for messages sent to a private WeChat group chat soon after they installed the app.

The notification from police said the application would locate and track the sources and distribution paths of terrorists, along with "illegal religious" activity and "harmful information," including videos, images, ebooks and documents.

Jingwang's website describes the application as follows:

Jingwang is a protection service with an adult and child categorization system introduced by Jiangsu Telecom. The main function is to block pornographic websites, online scams, trojan horses, and phishing sites; to alert users of how much time they spend online; and to enable remote control of one's home network. The tool is intended to help kids develop a healthy lifestyle by building a safe web filter for the minors. 净网卫士是江苏电信面向家庭宽带用户推出的家长、小孩上网分级防护服务，主要提供色情网站拦截；网络诈骗、病毒木马、钓鱼网站阻断；上网时间控制提醒；手机远程管理等安全防护服务。为未成年人筑起一道网络安全屏障，为孩子的健康成长保驾护航。

Of course, any tool with these capabilities could be used in multiple ways. For example, the app's "remote control" feature could enable state actors or even hackers to manipulate or steal from a person's home network.

The move is consistent with other measures of control over digital activities in the region. While stories of digital censorship in China often focus on the experiences of users in major cities in the east and south, the reality is often more bleak for those living in remote, embattled ethnic minority regions such as Xinjiang and Tibet. Seeking to contain unrest and discontent in conflict areas, authorities often impose extreme censorship and surveillance measures and routine Internet shutdowns.

A Twitter-based media outlet, "Images from mainland China" (即时中国大陆映像), which covers censored news in China, posted photos taken from a checkpoint where police officers randomly checked residents to see if they have installed the surveillance app:

新疆各部手机检查安装净网卫士官方软件，短信通知十日内安装，临检发现没安装拘留十天，科技倒退，逼老百姓用老年机，什么叫禁锢，这种全面监控就是禁锢。回到长毛时代 pic.twitter.com/zUnLXc9tFA

— 即时中国大陆映像✊✊✊ (@o66071443) July 18, 2017

"Authorities from Xinjiang are checking to make sure that people are using the official Jingwang application. A mobile notification demanded people install the app within 10 days. If they are caught at a checkpoint and their devices do not have the software, they could be detained for 10 days. This is a setback on the development of technology. They forced people to use devices designed for the elderly. It is a form of confinement by through surveillance technology. We are back to Mao's China."

"Images from mainland China" (即时中国大陆映像) also posted a product description of Jingwang which explained that the tool can negate the password requirement of a Windows operating system and access the computer hard disk with no restrictions.

新疆人民电脑手机，净网卫士强制安装后，相当于电子手铐 pic.twitter.com/NIF4dffCIO

— 即时中国大陆映像✊✊✊ (@o66071443) July 18, 2017

"Once installed with Jingwang, computers and mobiles in Xinjiang, would become electronic handcuffs."

The Jingwang requirement may be a response to the city party committee's instruction to crack down on the distribution of illegal content. All government branches and government and party affiliated institutions, including universities and research organisations, are obligated to follow instructions from the Cybersecurity Office on managing their computer and communication networks.

A recent report from Freedom House, a US-based human rights group, also touched on the new surveillance practices:

"In Xinjiang, authorities in a district of the regional capital Urumqi issued a notice on June 27 instructing all residents and business owners to submit their "personal ID cards, cell phones, external drives, portable hard drives, notebook computers, and media storage cards" to the local police post for 'registration and scanning' by August 1."

"The goal is ostensibly to identify and purge any 'terrorist videos,' but the action violates the privacy rights of Urumqi's 3 million residents and exposes them to punishment for a host of other possible offences, including those related to peaceful religious or political expression."

This article originally appeared on Global Voices. Read the original article here.

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Source: 'Web cleansing': China's Xinjiang residents forced to install surveillance apps on their mobile phones

China’s Great Firewall grows more sophisticated amidst VPN crackdown

While the Great Firewall blocks access to overseas sites,the telecoms firms can filter and censor online access at a more granular level. Source: Shutterstock

A CHINESE telecoms carrier says it has started on closing virtual private networks (VPNs) and other tools that can bypass the so-called Great Firewall, which state authorities use to filter and block traffic between Chinese and overseas servers.

A spokesman for Guangzhou Huoyun Information Technology Ltd., which operates in around 20 cities across China, told Reuters the company received a directive from authorities to start blocking services from midday on Tuesday.

Enlisting telecoms firms will extend China's control of its cyberspace – which it believes should mimic real-world border controls and be subject to the same laws as sovereign states.

China has begun to banned VPN completely… pic.twitter.com/FVIlMVo363

— CloudDust (@amerkiousy) July 20, 2017

While the Great Firewall blocks access to overseas sites, much like a border control, the telecoms firms can filter and censor online access at a more granular level, in the home and on smartphones.

"The telcos have methods at their disposal that the Great Firewall may not," said Philip Molter, chief technology officer at Golden Frog, which operates VyprVPN, a popular VPN in China.

"Because these routers deal with far less traffic, they can block more aggressively using more resource intensive methods."

The telecoms firms have taken up their new filtering roles under a law introduced in January and set to come into full effect next March. Experts say this could lead to increasingly targeted attacks on VPNs, one of the few tools Chinese can use to access overseas Internet services.

A member of China-based anti-censorship site GreatFire.org, who goes by the pseudonym of Charlie Smith, said the authorities were shifting the responsibility to the telecoms firms.

"This is a major step towards closing whatever windows are still left open," he said.

SEE ALSO: China cracks down on Whatsapp, reveals new developments in image censorship

New attacks

The latest moves come after dozens of popular China-based VPNs have been shut down in recent weeks, and there have been rolling attacks on overseas VPNs.

This week, users also reported partial blocks and delays in the encrypted messaging app WhatsApp, the latest Western social media tool to be hit. And researchers found messages related to Liu Xiaobo, a dissident and Nobel laureate who died from cancer in custody last week, disappeared from local messaging apps.

VPN services say they are bracing for further blocks in the run-up to this autumn's Communist Party Congress.

President Xi Jinping, who has overseen a marked sharpening of China's cyberspace controls, including tough new data surveillance and censorship rules, is expected to consolidate his hold on power at the Congress, which takes place every five years.

China's internet regulator dismisses foreign reports over VPN blocking https://t.co/gKRVPYLj0z pic.twitter.com/OG1GuUnTvv

— People's Daily,China (@PDChina) July 12, 2017

The January regulations make telecoms providers and other Internet service providers (ISPs) liable for filtering and blocking unlawful network tools, according to the Information Industry and Technology Ministry.

Beyond VPNs, experts say the telecoms firms could potentially bar a range of services, and even prevent mobile apps from being installed.

"Much of the usage we see from China is via mobile devices, so limitations on this kind of functionality would hit a large number of Chinese," Molter said.

SEE ALSO: Another VPN forced to close as China plugs gaps in Great Firewall

Yet, despite the ambitious plans, the authorities will likely struggle to put up the blanket safeguards necessary to cripple foreign VPNs by March, experts say.

"There's been an ongoing game of cat-and-mouse with China and VPNs… we're optimistic VPNs will continue to be accessible from China for the foreseeable future," said an ExpressVPN spokesman, noting its user numbers continue to grow in China.

Small businesses

While VPNs with foreign servers, including VyprVPN and ExpressVPN, play cat-and-mouse with regulators, quickly patching blocks and developing workarounds, small business owners say they have been hard-hit by the rapid loss of local VPNs.

Twitter's users in China have to use a VPN to get around the Great Firewall. Source: Pixabay

"Our small logistics business has just imploded", said one business owner on the Weibo microblogging site, adding she could no longer access foreign sites despite trying several new VPNs.

Large numbers of free or low-cost VPN services flourished in Chinese app stores in the 18 months or so prior to the recent blocks.

SEE ALSO: China's new Internet rules spark concerns among netizens

"The ministry says we must apply for a licensed … and we have to buy Chinese services," one person operating a small online media site told Reuters, asking not to be named.

"If the website touches on social and political news, we have to hand over the platform account passwords. Of course, if we still had a VPN, this wouldn't be the case."

The ministry did not respond to a request for comment. It said last week the new measures were not intended to harm business interests, and has previously said it would allow businesses to operate VPNs licensed by the government.

"These newest measures are one more hurdle for Chinese users to jump, in what is turning out to be an extremely long steeplechase," said GreatFire.org's Smith. – Reuters

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Source: China's Great Firewall grows more sophisticated amidst VPN crackdown

Apple announces new China MD amid the region’s sales downturn

Apple has named Isabel Ge Mahe, vice president of Wireless Technologies, vice president and managing director of Greater China, which is a newly created role in the company.

Effective "later this summer", Ge will be based in Shanghai to lead across Apple's China-based team, and report directly to CEO Tim Cook and COO Jeff Williams. Prior to the new role, Ge has led Apple's wireless technologies software engineering teams for nine years, focusing on development of cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, location and motion technologies for nearly every Apple product. She has also overseen the engineering teams developing Apple Pay, HomeKit and CarPlay.

In China, she has worked closely with Apple's R&D team and carrier partners to develop new China-specific features for iPhone and iPad, including the recently announced iOS 11 features such as QR Code support, SMS fraud prevention and enabling the use of a phone number as an Apple ID, the company said in the announcement.

"I am looking forward to deepening our team's connections with customers, government and businesses in China to advance innovation and sustainability," she said.

Meanwhile, Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, said Apple is strongly committed to investing and growing in China, and the company is thrilled about the new appointment. "(He) has dedicated a great deal of her time in recent years to delivering innovation for the benefit of Apple customers in China, and we look forward to making even greater contributions under her leadership," he said in the announcement.

The 100,000-people company has witnessed declines in sales for five consecutive quarters as smartphone and tech product manufacturers are becoming more competitive in the region. The appointment seems to be Apple's latest bet to increase its competitive edge in China.

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Source: Apple announces new China MD amid the region's sales downturn

Anti-China protest: Gujarat firm to give away 'Made in India' phones to its 400 dealers

In the wake of the growing tensions between India and China following the recent Doklam standoff, several people across the country have raised their voices in protest. A Gujarat-based company has chosen to protest in a unique way.

The company has asked its dealers and associates to boycott their Chinese phones and promised them Indian phones instead to its 400 dealers.

A poster used by the company on its Facebook profile stated that the only way to protest against Chinese incursion was to stop using Chinese phones.

The company has also requested its dealers not to buy any phones made in China. The firm has announced to give away Intex S1 and Karbonn K95 phones which are made in India.

In the poster, the business emphatically stated that it was the duty of the citizens towards the Indian Army guarding the borders.

"China has been provoking India frequently of late. If we want to fight them, we need to target their economy by not buying Chinese products. This is why we have decided to give away Indian-made phones to our dealers who are using Chinese phones. Every citizen should come forward and boycott Chinese products," Managing Director of Rudra TMX, Nikhil Gupta told Divya Bhaskar.

Meanwhile, China has reportedly moved 'tens of thousands of tonnes' of military vehicles and equipment to Tibet under the pretext of two defence exercises held on the plateau in recent weeks.

Also Read:

Now, China moves tonnes of military equipment to Tibet. Should India be scared?

India's response to Doklam more reasonable than China's: Ex-White House official to India Today

Beijing does not fear war: Is China gearing for battle over Doklam standoff?

ALSO WATCH | India to invite heads of ASEAN countries for Republic Day parade 2018. Should China worry?

Source: Anti-China protest: Gujarat firm to give away 'Made in India' phones to its 400 dealers

Android Founder to Launch Smartphone, China’s GDP Picks Up, but Snap Shares Are Going Down

China's GDP Numbers Pick Up

Q2 GDP came in at 6.9% due to strength in the property market and foreign trade.

Editor's Remarks: Last year's GDP growth rate was 6.7% and, if the first half's 6.9% rate continues into the second half, this will be the first year since 2010 that China has seen its growth accelerate over the previous year. Growth rates were boosted by an 8.5% increase in property investment, despite government efforts to cool down the property market by limiting home purchases and mortgage lending, and strong export growth of 8.5%. While June figures released the same day also showed a continuation of strong fixed asset investment, the government must navigate a tight balancing act in the second half. Over the weekend, President Xi Jinping warned that "deleveraging at SOEs is of the utmost importance" and worries over the credit environment are leading to increased measures to limit debt which could impact growth in the second half of the year.

Android Founder's New Phone to be Launched

The new phone targeted at "trend setters and technology seekers" is to be launched in Western Europe and Japan before the end of the year.

Editor's Remarks: The sleek, high-end Essential Phone PH-1 has an edge-to-edge display, comes with no preloaded apps and will use modular attachments, such as a 360-degree camera, to introduce innovative functionalities. Essential was developed by Andy Rubin, the founder of Google's Android platform, after he left the tech-giant in 2014, and has raised $300m to develop a handset which he hopes will challenge Apple and Samsung's market dominance. The company has held talks with network operators in the UK, Europe and Japan to distribute the new handset and already has a US deal in place with Sprint, although the handset, priced at $699, has not yet been launched there. Rubin is a big figure in the industry and has secured funding from iPhone assembler Foxconn, China tech-giant Tencent as well as his own technology fund Playground, which is backed by Google and HP.

Hermes to Pay For Research Costs Itself

The UK Fund manager will stop charging its clients for research costs in anticipation of the introduction of MiFID II next year.

Editor's Remarks: MiFID II will be introduced in January 2018 and will force fund managers to either be fully transparent about their investment research budgets or pay for the research themselves. Several UK fund managers, including Jupiter, M&G and Woodford Investment Management have already said that it is much easier to pay for it themselves and Hermes Investment Management has followed suit. The fund manager has over £30bn of assets under management and its head of investments, Eion Murphy, said "it is the right thing to do" for its fund clients and that compared with the alternative of passing research costs onto these clients, "the difference in costs was not huge." Fund managers all need to make the decision of whether to pay for research themselves or pass on costs to their clients, but whichever way they go, research budgets are only heading one way.

North-South Korea Talks?

South Korea's President Moon has proposed talks in an attempt to de-escalate tensions.

Editor's Remarks: Tensions have been high on the Korean peninsula in recent months with the North's ongoing missile tests, but new South Korean President Moon has long been in favour of a resumption of the "sunshine policy" of North-South dialogue. He has now proposed the first military talks for three years, starting Friday in the demilitarised zone, as well as the resumption of Red Cross talks to reunite families split by the border since the 1950s Korean War. In a speech in Berlin last week, Moon signalled his accommodative stance, saying: "We do not want North Korea's collapse, nor will we seek any form of unification by absorption," both of which tally with China's aims in the region. However, the US may not be so happy. The Trump administration is increasingly tired of accommodating the North as it develops missile technology.

Toshiba Bailout Runs into US Trouble

A US court is standing in the way of the Japanese government's attempts to cobble together a consortium to buy Toshiba's chip making business.

Editor's Remarks: Toshiba is close to collapse and badly in need of funds to fill a hole left by the bankruptcy of Westinghouse electric, its US nuclear unit. The troubled electronics company has been trying to engineer a sale of its $18bn NAND flash memory chip-making business to a domestic consortium, to keep its sensitive technology within Japan. But the unit is run in a joint venture with the US owner of Sandisk, Western Digital, who is trying to block the sale. A US court has delayed a decision on a ruling that requires Toshiba give notice to Western Digital in the event of a sale, effectively blocking any move by Toshiba and giving Western Digital leeway to muscle its way back into negotiations. Toshiba is in a hurry to sell to shore up its balance sheet, but the chip market is tight and Western Digital does not want to lose chip making capacity in a fire sale.

Source: Android Founder to Launch Smartphone, China's GDP Picks Up, but Snap Shares Are Going Down

Taking finger licking good to another level: KFC releases smartphone in China

But now, the global food chain is going to introduce you to the most unbelievable object in its menu. Tmall - a major retailer in China - will begin selling the KFC Huawei 7 Plus from Thursday for the equivalent of $160 (£125, AU$210). As of 2017 KFC has more than 5,000 locations across China and is one of the most powerful foreign brands in the country. To celebrate this, it planning to create a special anniversary-edition product and wait it is not a new burger or a krusher!

The smartphone was released by KFC to honor the 30 years of KFC in China. The wallpapers of the phone are colonel based and there is a KFC APP on the phone as well. The screen of the phone is 5.5-inch having the memory of 3GB RAM and 32GB storage that can expand to 128GB through micro SD, 425 Snapdragon processor, 12MP camera and battery of 3,020mAh battery. The limited edition model will come pre-installed with KFC's mobile app and 100,000 "K dollars", which is the virtual credits in China.

Man trapped in ATM slips handwritten "please help" notes through receipt slotA Texas-based ATM on Wednesday was dispensing handwritten notes which read "please help". "Please call my boss at 210-***-****". Pena said no one could hear the contractor in the ATM and said several officers had to kick the door in to rescue him.

KFC has made the announcement about the launch of the dream piece of Chiken lovers on its Weibo account on Friday and the video is doing rounds on social networking sites.

However, the phone will only be sold in China and as it is a limited edition only 5000 of these sets will be made available to the public.

Source: Taking finger licking good to another level: KFC releases smartphone in China

KFC Huawei Smartphone Launched in China for 30th Anniversary

Yum Brands' Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has collaborated with Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei to bring out limited editions (5000 units) of a KFC Huawei smartphone under its own brand, with both logos integrated. This is to mark KFC's 30th-anniversary celebrations in China.

The KFC Huawei 7 Plus smartphone is bright red in color, with the familiar face of Colonel Sanders at the back. The phone will come with a Snapdragon 425 processor with 3GB of RAM expandable to 128GB with MicroSD cards.

You can also look for a fingerprint scanner placed above the two logos, and the camera is positioned at the top left corner of the smartphone. The smartphone will come pre-installed with KFC's mobile and 100,000 "K dollars", which are the virtual credits in China. The smartphone will also have access to its K-Music.

The KFC Huawei smartphone is priced at 1,099 yuan and has been on sale in the fast food company's Tmall online store since July 13.

The video released for the event includes the KFC journey so far in China, from where it segues into the design of the smartphone. The device is wrapped in a metal body, and both brand logos are placed on the body along with the date, 1987, to mark its beginning in China.

KFC has also introduced "Watt a Box" in collaboration with its Mumbai-based digital agency Blink Digital. Watt a Box helps you to get your smartphone charged while you eat. It comes with magnetic flaps on your meal box – a power bank integrated on its side, and micro-USB and lightning cables to charge your smartphone. It is detachable and lets you carry it along when you leave the restaurant.

KFC also has its hands on Artificial Intelligence (AI). Last December, it launched its first AI-enabled café in Beijing to create a more innovative dining experience for its customers. The app helps predict what the customer will order using facial recognition.

Does your face look like a bucket of chicken wings today?

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Source: KFC Huawei Smartphone Launched in China for 30th Anniversary

KFC partners with Huawei to release its limited edition smartphone in China

Global fast food chain, KFC has partnered with Chinese mobile manufacturer, Huawei to release a limited edition smartphone to celebrate its 30th anniversary in China. The red-coloured smartphone has the face of KFC founder, Colonel Sanders embossed on the back.

According to a report in The Verge, the KFC phone will feature 5-inch display and will be powered by a Snapdragon 425 processor coupled with 3GB RAM and 32GB of storage. It also comes with 3020mAh battery and a fingerprint sensor. 

The two brands announced that they will release only 5000 such handsets and it will be available for about $160.. 

Related: ​KFC launches its first artificial intelligence-enabled store in China

Source: KFC partners with Huawei to release its limited edition smartphone in China

KFC Is Launching A Smartphone In China

KFC is launching a smartphone in China, the fast food company has teamed up with smartphone maker Huawei and they are launching the handset to mark the 30th anniversary of KFC in China.

The KFC Smartphone will come with a 5.5 inch display with a HD resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels and the handset is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor.

Other specifications on the KFC smartphone include 3GB of RAM and 32GB of built in storage, the handset also comes with a fingerprint scanner.

There will be 5,000 units of the KFC smartphone released in China and as we can see from the photo, the device will be available in one color, red.

Source TNW

Filed Under: Android News, Mobile Phone News, Top News

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Source: KFC Is Launching A Smartphone In China

Huawei launches Limited Edition KFC smartphone to mark its 30th anniversary of operating in China

Home > News > Huawei launches Limited Edition KFC smartphone to mark its 30th anniversary of operating in China By Maitrayee Iyer | Updated: July 13, 2017 11:50 AM IST Email @maitrayee94 comments Tags: huawei KFC technology News

Kentucky Fried Chicken familiarly known as KFC celebrated its 30th anniversary of operations in China by unveiling a limited edition smartphone under its own brand name. The smartphone was launched in collaboration with Chinese smartphone maker Huawei. The bright red KFC Huawei 7 Plus smartphone comes with a logo of Colonel Sanders at the back of the phone. KFC took to Weibo to make the announcement.

The smartphone is priced at 1,099 yuan (Rs 10,400 approximately) and will be available for sale on the fast food company'sTmall store starting today. The limited edition model will come pre-installed with KFC's mobile app and 100,000 "K dollars" which is the virtual credits in China. According to reports, the smartphone will also provide access to K-music — KFC's new jukebox function available on the KFC app. The company will sell a total of 5,000 units of the limited edition phone, the Weibo post said.

The announcement comes alongside an introduction video. The video shows KFC's journey from 1987 to 2017. The video further moves on to shows the design of the smartphone. Talking about the design, the smartphone comes with a metal body. At the back, the smartphone comes with both brand logos on the body, along with the date 1987, the year KFC entered China. Apart from that, there is a round fingerprint scanner placed above the two logos. The camera module and the LED flash is placed at the top left corner of the smartphone.

In terms of specifications, the smartphone comes with a 5.5-inch screen. Under the hood, the smartphone is powered by a Snapdragon 425 processor paired with 3GB of RAM. There is also 32GB of internal storage which can be further expanded up to 128GB via a microSD card. The smartphone is armed with a 3,020mAh battery. ALSO READ: Hands-on with KFC's 'Watt a Box' that charges your phone while you eat

In December last year, KFC launched its first Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled cafe in Beijing, with an aim to create more innovative and interesting dining experiences for customers. At the restaurant, customers are able to take pictures with a machine, which will recognize the diner's face, sex, age, mood and other features, then help to recommend suitable food and set meals and complete the ordering process. With another machine with an inbuilt augmented reality feature, customers were able to interact with the machine, change facial expressions by shaking their heads in front of the machine, take photos, and save them to their phones.

Published: July 13, 2017 11:31 AM IST | Updated: July 13, 2017 11:50 AM IST

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Source: Huawei launches Limited Edition KFC smartphone to mark its 30th anniversary of operating in China

WeChat users in China to reach nearly 500 million in 2017

More than three-quarters (84.5%) of all mobile phone messaging app users in China will use WeChat this year, according to research by eMarketer.

eMarketer's latest forecast of worldwide mobile messaging revealed more than 494 million people in China are expected to use the app at least once per month.

The research confirms the dominance of Tencent's mobile messaging app, WeChat, which reports a global monthly active user base of 938 million users.

WeChat is the most popular messaging app in China with 79.1% of all smartphone users in China predicted to use the app this year.

Mobile messaging remains the most popular form of digital communication in China, and eMarketer predicts more than 585 million people in China will use a messaging app this year – which is equivalent to 75.8% of all internet users.

"WeChat is by far the most advanced mobile messaging app worldwide in terms of its functionality and the services it offers users and businesses," said Cathy Boyle, eMarketer's principal analyst of mobile.

"Where the app falls short is in its global reach. However, for businesses interested in marketing products and services in China—and increasingly to Chinese people living or travelling abroad—WeChat is the best messaging app to use."

WeChat is on a mission to attract global audiences to its app, which has grown into an entertainment ecosystem. The company is focused on growing its international operations and is using its mobile payment app WeChat Pay to drive its expansion into new markets.

Source: WeChat users in China to reach nearly 500 million in 2017

KFC China's new musical smartphone ad will haunt your dreams

Something feels off.

KFC China have teamed up with tech firm Huawei to release a limited edition smartphone for mega fans, branded with the Colonel's globally recognisable mug, as well as a music app to celebrate 30 years in the Chinese market for both companies.

But there's something not quite right about their ad campaign, which essentially takes a cool idea and transforms it into something deeply uncool – eerie, even.

The app "K-music", launched to coincide with the smartphone release, works like a digital jukebox, allowing users to play songs of their choosing over the speakers at more than 4000 KFC outlets throughout the country.

And while the notion of a booze-soaked late-night KFC run in which we get to control the tunes is by all accounts awesome, there's nothing remotely "hip" about the company's ad for the phone app.

The commercial begins with a group of teens busting out a creepy surprise rendition of "Happy Birthday" in store, culminating in a party better suited for five-year-olds. It goes on to feature an awkward Romeo's attempt at wooing a young lady with his naff music selection and over-the-top-dance moves. This, sir, is how exactly no one wants to be wooed.

At best, the weird ditties and Stepford wife-esque faux joy will leave you seriously creeped out or cringing; at worst, it's absurdly out of touch with young people and actually turns a cool techy concept into something dorky and juvenile.

Check it out in the clip above, or click here for the full ad.

The fire-engine-red phone also features the year "1987" stamped on the case – signifying the year both KFC and Huawei opened their first store in China. KFC's marketing exec Steven Li spoke of the collaboration as "a homage to the era,"Campaign Asia-Pacific reports, which may at least explain all the daggy '80s nostalgia.

Source: KFC China's new musical smartphone ad will haunt your dreams

Female Student In China Uses Her Long Legs To Cheat On Exams

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We're pretty sure at least once in your life you've found ways to cheat during your exams right? Remember the days where you wrote notes and tried to hid it around your pencil case, or even inside your sweater and probably using phones?

There were so many methods back in the days, and even now there still is.

This accountant student from China recently shared about how her classmate cheats during her exam and managed to ace all her papers. Guess what is her secret? She used her super long legs.

She writes her notes all over her long thighs, wears a long maxi dress to cover it all. How genius, because clearly lecturers or teachers can't check under your skirt. 

The post went viral all over social media, with users leaving up to 22,000 comments on it. Her post read, 'I burst out laughing, literally. This is how my classmate cheats on her exams! Exams is never an easy test, right? Hahahaha, hope this post will make her famous!' according to Daily Mail UK.

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As you can see in the image below, this student wrote all her notes on her right thigh, and used it to cheat for her accounting exam. One of the user commented,

 "it is just simple debits and credits bookkeeping".

Source: Nextshark.com

Source: Hype.my

Source: Daily Mail UK

We better hope her teachers don't see this, or else she's probably going to have to withdraw her cert. LOL!

Source: Female Student In China Uses Her Long Legs To Cheat On Exams

Flagging Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi rebounds with record second quarter shipments

Greg Baker | AFP | Getty Images

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi may be at an inflection point, according to its latest mobile shipment figures. The company shipped 23.16 million smartphones in the second quarter of 2017, up 70 percent on the first quarter of this year.

This is a record high for Xiaomi's quarterly smartphone shipments.

"Xiaomi is once again embarking on a rapid growth trajectory," said the firm's co-founder and CEO Lei Jun in a note on the milestone. Lei attributed the success partly to increasing investment in research and development (the company was granted 2,895 patents in 2016) and a comeback after supply issues last year.

Lei has previously said that his company's lackluster performance in recent years was down to the fact that it grew "too fast," which led to business challenges.

Xiaomi has been soul searching of late. Hugo Barra, former vice president of international, left the company in January to return to his former life in Silicon Valley citing poor health.

According to research firm IDC, Xiaomi was the fifth biggest shipper of smartphones in China in the first quarter of 2017 with 9.0 percent of market share, tailing OPPO, vivo and Apple. Huawei topped the chart with 20.0 percent of market share.

Perhaps learning from its competitors, Xiaomi has also been looking beyond its e-commerce dominant sales model. It believes that this has also helped boost its positive shipments data. The company's latest note said that it currently has 123 so-called Mi Home bricks and mortar stores across China, and as of July 8 doors will open at a further 14.

Mobile shipment is a metric used by the industry to suggest consumer demand on the basis that stores intelligently order units, but does not equal actual sales figures.

According to Lei's note, the company is aiming for 100 billion yuan revenue in 2017, and 100 million smartphone shipments in 2018.

Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook.

Source: Flagging Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi rebounds with record second quarter shipments

Best Chinese Smartphones – July 2017

Since June, two new smartphones managed to get into our top 5 best Chinese smartphones list, the Nubia Z17 and the OnePlus 5. Both of these phones were announced last month, and both are quite compelling, though the OnePlus 5 is considerably more affordable. The Xiaomi Mi 6 and the OnePlus 5 are both fueled by the Snapdragon 835 SoC, and both are quite affordable, while the rest of this list is also filled with really powerful handsets, read on.

5. Nubia Z17

The Nubia Z17 was announced earlier this month, and this is Nubia's all new flagship smartphone. This handset is fueled by the Snapdragon 835 SoC, while it comes with no bezels on the sides, and it also packs in 6GB or 8GB of RAM, depending on which variant of the device you opt to purchase. This phone is not yet available from GearBest, but it will be soon, and if you're interested, you can hit the link down below in order to stay up to date. The Nubia Z17 will cost around $600 from GearBest once it lands.

The Nubia Z17 Arrival Notice

4. Honor 9

The Honor 9 is Honor's all-new flagship smartphone which is, more or less, a smartphone alternative to the Honor V9 aka Honor 8 Pro. This handset was first announced in China, and it is now available in Europe as well. The Honor 9 is made out of metal and glass, it sports a 5.15-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) display, along with 4GB / 6GB of RAM and 64GB / 128GB of storage, depending on where you purchase it. This phone can be purchased from Amazon (European sites) for around €429 (depending on where you buy it). The phone is not yet available on GearBest, but it is coming soon.

Buy the Honor 9

The Honor 9 Arrival Notice

3. Huawei P10 & Huawei P10 Plus

The Huawei P10 and the Huawei P10 Plus are the company's current flagship smartphones, and they're both fueled by the Kirin 960 64-bit octa-core processor. The Huawei P10 sports a 5.1-inch Full HD display, while the Huawei P10 Plus comes with a 5.5-inch QHD panel. Both devices ship with a dual camera setup (20-megapixel + 12-megapixel) on the back, and on top of those sensors you'll find Leica's lenses. The Huawei P10 is out of stock on GearBest, at least at the moment, but you can get the Huawei P10 and the Huawei P10 Plus via Amazon for $679.99 and $649, respectively. It's a bit odd that the Plus model is cheaper, but there you have it.

Buy The Huawei P10

Buy The Huawei P10

Buy The Huawei P10 Plus

Read More: Hands-On With The Huawei P10

Read More: Huawei P10 Review

2. Xiaomi Mi 6

The Xiaomi Mi 6 is the company's all-new flagship, and a really affordable phone considering what it offers. This handset sports a 5.15-inch Full HD display, 6GB of RAM and 64GB / 128GB of non-expandable storage. The device is fueled by the Snapdragon 835 64-bit octa-core SoC, and it ships with Android 7.1.1 Nougat, with Xiaomi's MIUI 8 OS on top of it. The Xiaomi Mi 6 is priced at $429 over at GearBest (international 64GB storage variant), while the ceramic model is currently out of stock. You can also get the 128GB storage model if you want, that link is also included down below.

Buy the Xiaomi Mi 6 (International Variant)

Buy the Xiaomi Mi 6 (Ceramic Variant)

Pre-order the Xiaomi Mi 6 (128GB Storage Variant, Global)

Read More: Hands-On With The Xiaomi Mi 6

Read More: Xiaomi Mi 6 Review

1. OnePlus 5

The OnePlus 5 landed last week, and it is currently available from GearBest. The 6GB RAM variant of the device can be purchased for $529.99, while the 8GB RAM model costs $599.99. Having said that, this phone is made out of anodized aluminum, while it comes with a dual camera setup on the back, and a front-facing fingerprint scanner. The device is fueled by the Snapdragon 835 64-bit octa-core processor, and it packs in a 3,300mAh battery on the inside.

Buy the OnePlus 5 (6GB RAM variant)

Buy the OnePlus 5 (8GB RAM variant)

Source: Best Chinese Smartphones – July 2017

Taiwan IC design houses seeing orders ramp-up from China smartphone sector

Taiwan IC design houses seeing orders ramp-up from China smartphone sector

Cage Chao, Taipei; Jessie Shen, DIGITIMES [Friday 7 July 2017]

A ramp-up of orders from China's smartphone sector will buoy revenues at Taiwan-based IC design houses, particularly those specializing in LCD driver ICs, wireless charging solutions and fingerprint sensors in the third quarter of 2017, according to industry sources.

China-based Oppo and Vivo took the lead in stepping up their pace of orders after completing inventory adjustments, said the sources. Huawei, Xiaomi, Gionee and Meizu started to place orders with their chip suppliers at a faster pace recently, the sources indicated.

Recent increases in smartphone-use chip and component prices also indicate a good quarter for smartphone and related chip companies, the sources noted.

Many Taiwan-based IC design houses focusing on the smartphone sector are set to enjoy sequential revenue growth of as much as 20% in the third quarter, the sources said. Several companies, such as fingerprint sensor supplier Egis Technology (Egistec) and FocalTech Systems with its TDDI (touch with display driver integration) offering, are expected to see their revenues skyrocket in the second half of 2017, the sources continued.

Meanwhile, major Taiwan-based IC design houses including MediaTek, Novatek Microelectronics and Himax Technologies have already seen their shipments for smartphones pick up, the sources said. The strengthening order visibility will boost sales performance in the third quarter.

China-based Oppo has taken the lead in stepping up the pace of orders.Photo: Michael Lee, Digitimes, July 2017

Source: Taiwan IC design houses seeing orders ramp-up from China smartphone sector