Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • Spotify free-tier users will be targeted with more relevant ads

    Spotify free-tier users will be targeted with more relevant ads

    Spotify has found a way to better generate more revenue from the ads it delivers to users of its free music streaming service. Although today’s announcement is aimed at advertisers that will now be able to target ads based on the category of podcasts people listen to, users of Spotify’s free service are the ones affected by the decision.

    Up until now, Spotify’s free-tier users would be targeted by ads based on the music they listen to, such as genre or playlist, but starting today, advertisers will be able to target them more specifically based on the category of podcasts they like.

    Spotify said that this is just the first step towards building a solid advertising strategy around podcasts, which was started not long ago by the partnership with Samsung and 3M.

    We aspire to develop a more robust advertising solution for podcasts that will allow us to layer in the kind of targeting, measurement, and reporting capabilities we have for ads that run alongside other content experiences like music and video.

    The new ads will play between songs for those who don’t pay for Spotify Premium, so that doesn’t change. However, free-tier listeners will notice that there are now more specific, depending on the podcasts they listen. The new capability is now rolling out to 10 market: Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain, UK, and the US.

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  • Kerry Logistics Continues Winning Streak at 2019 AFLAS Awards withBest 3PL and Best Logistics Service Provider

    Kerry Logistics Continues Winning Streak at 2019 AFLAS Awards withBest 3PL and Best Logistics Service Provider

    Kerry Logistics Network Limited (‘Kerry Logistics’; Stock Code 0636.HK) proudly continued its winning streak at the 2019 Asian Freight, Logistics and Supply Chain Awards (‘AFLAS’) by receiving the titles of Best 3PL for the fourth year running and the Best Logistics Service Provider – Air Freight for the fourth time. The awards presentation ceremony was held on 17 June 2019 in Hong Kong.

    Robert Berger, Executive Director – Fashion & Lifestyle of Kerry Logistics (Hong Kong), said, “We are thrilled to win the titles again and deeply grateful to the AFLAS organisers and readers of Asia Cargo News for their votes of confidence. Kerry Logistics has been steadily expanding its global network coverage and broadening its range of international freight and logistics solutions, working hard to help its customers to respond to the changes in the international logistics landscape. Leveraging our established network in Asia to take advantage of the booming intra-Asia trade, we are set to continue our business growth in Asia. The AFLAS accolades prove the industry’s trust in us and that, in times of trouble, we are the logistics provider for our customers to call on.”

    Aimed to commend top industry players for demonstrating leadership and consistency in service quality, innovation, customer-relationship management, and reliability, the AFLAS is presented annually by Asia Cargo News, the shipping and supply chain industry news platform for the Asia-Pacific region. The recipients of the awards were determined through the nominations and voting by over 10,000 Asia Cargo News readers, representing the consensus of the regional logistics industry.

    Kerry Logistics has been named the Best 3PL by AFLAS since 2016, and has previously won the Best Logistics Service Provider – Air Freight title in 2015, 2017, and 2018. In the ranking published by Transport Topics and Armstrong & Associates, Inc. for 2019, Kerry Logistics places sixteenth among the Top 50 Airfreight Forwarders and seventh among the Top 50 Ocean Freight Forwarders.

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  • Edmund Hillary Brands kicks off $3m capital raise

    Edmund Hillary Brands kicks off $3m capital raise

    A luxury outdoor fashion brand inspired by Sir Edmund Hillary is looking to raise $3 million to expand overseas and fund a women’s range.

    Edmund Hillary Brands, which was co-founded with the Hillary family in 2018, launched an equity crowdfunding campaign on UK crowdfunding platform Crowdcube on Monday.

    Co-founder and CEO Mike Hall-Taylor said the brand aims to build on the momentum it has experienced since debuting its first collection last year.

    “We’ve received an overwhelming response to our first collection since launch last year and we want to maintain the momentum and capitalise on immediate opportunities in the UK, US, China and Australia as well as meet the demand from consumers for a women’s range,” Hall-Taylor said in a statement.

    While the brand expects to attract a number of larger investors, the minimum investment was deliberately kept at $23 to be accessible to New Zealanders who are interested.

    At the time of this writing, Edmund Hillary Brands had raised £82,728, or roughly $160,000, from 53 investors, bringing it 16 per cent of the way to its target. The campaign ends on July 24.

    Edmund Hillary Brands has enjoyed some early successes since launching in 2018, including a global debut at New Zealand Fashion Week, the opening of a standalone store at Queenstown airport, a global e-commerce site and partnerships with two supporting retailers.

    The brand has also formed a distribution partnership with a major e-commerce platform in China, where it will launch in September, ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

    The brand’s debut collection was inspired by the classic styles worn by Sir Edmund Hillary and the expedition team. Designers poured over more than 2000 images of the 1953 expedition when developing the range.

    In addition to the brand’s connection with Sir Edmund Hillary’s style, a percentage of every sale goes to support Himalayan communities and outdoor education.

    “Apart from being an exciting financial investment, it also represents the opportunity to be part of continuing my father’s legacy with a portion of every sale going to the causes close to Ed’s heart – supporting Himalayan communities and outdoor education in our key markets,” Peter Hillary, co-founder of the brand, said in a statement.

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  • Alibaba management shakeup not Ended yet

    Alibaba management shakeup not Ended yet

    The most significant Alibaba management shakeup since founder Jack Ma revealed he would step aside next September 10 sees high-profile CFO Maggie Wu take on a new role.

    Wu will take over responsibility for strategic investments by the group, charged with finding new growth streams for the technology and retail giant as its growth in the e-commerce sector begins to slow. She will oversee a team focused on investment, taking over that responsibility from executive vice-chairman Joe Tsai.

    The Alibaba management changes were revealed via the company’s official WeChat account by CEO Daniel Zhang.

    “To guarantee innovation, invest in our future, Alibaba is undertaking an organisational upgrade,” he said.

    Wu has been Alibaba’s CFO for six years.

    In other changes, Alibaba said its supermarket chain Freshippo – also known as Hema and now numbering 160 stores – will become a standalone business. DingTalk, the group’s enterprise software business unit, will be merged into the Alibaba Cloud business unit.

    These changes come ahead of a planned IPO in Hong Kong later this year which could raise as much as US$20 billion in fresh capital for expansion via investment.

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  • Antipodes and Alibaba form strategic partnership

    Antipodes and Alibaba form strategic partnership

    New Zealand skincare brand Antipodes has announced a strategic partnership with Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba.

    Announced at the Alibaba E-commerce Expo in Auckland last week, the partnership will see the two companies work together to bring a targeted range of skincare products to Chinese consumers via Alibaba’s Tmall Global e-commerce platform.

    Antipodes has been working with Alibaba to access the China market for the past five years, and it recently co-developed a product with the company, which has debuted exclusively on Tmall.

    “This is such a special product,” Elizabeth Barbalich, the founder and CEO of Antipodes, said about the Kiwi Seed Gold Luminous Eye Cream.

    “[I]t is made using 23K gold, a formulation that is soft and dissolvable. This means it is absorbed straight into the skin to calm, soothe and illuminate, instead of sitting on the skin’s surface as a 24K gold product would.”

    Antipodes has developed a devoted following both at home and abroad for its high-performance, organic skincare products. And Chinese consumers have responded well to its “green” reputation.

    “We have worked with Antipodes for more than five years and over this time the brand has developed a number of ‘hero products’ popular with Chinese consumers,” Maggie Zhou, Alibaba Group’s managing director of Australia and New Zealand, said.

    “With New Zealand’s pure and green image, Kiwi products continue to grow in popularity with Chinese consumers and on Alibaba’s marketplaces.”

    Tmall is a premium online retailer for the China market. The company has been seeking the best local brands to partner with via its Australia and New Zealand operations recently.

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  • Operation Octopus cracks down on counterfeit dolls in claw machines

    Operation Octopus cracks down on counterfeit dolls in claw machines

    Hong Kong Customs has conducted a territory-wide operation to combat counterfeit dolls in claw machines.

    Codenamed “Octopus”, the operation proceeded from June 5–13 and resulted in the seizure of about 2700 suspected counterfeit dolls and other relevant items with an estimated market value of about HK$300,000 (US$38,322).

    Customs had earlier received information alleging that the presence of counterfeit dolls in claw-machines shops was widespread in the market. Officers later conducted patrols in different districts.

    After further investigation with the assistance of a trademark owner, Customs officers raided six claw-machine shops in Chai Wan, Lam Tin, Mong Kok, Tuen Mun and Tin Shui Wai as well as a storage facility in San Po Kong. Some 2700 suspected counterfeit dolls and other suspected counterfeit goods, 15 claw machines and five token changing machines were seized.

    During the operation, three men and three women were arrested, including three shop owners and three staff members, aged between 26 and 50.

    The investigation is ongoing.

    Divisional commander (IP general investigation) Peggy Tam told press that Customs would continue to step up inspection and enforcement to fight against the use of counterfeit goods for the purpose of trade. She reminded consumers to check with the trademark owners or their authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt.

    She also reminded traders to be cautious and prudent in merchandising since the possession of counterfeit goods for any purpose of trade is a serious crime and offenders are liable to criminal sanctions.

    Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who sells or possesses for the purpose of trade any goods with a forged trademark commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of HK$500,000 ($63,870) and imprisonment for five years.

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  • Global personal luxury goods market growth endures

    Global personal luxury goods market growth endures

    Global personal luxury goods market growth has reached a “new normal” pattern, following back-to-back years of strong performance in 2017 and 2018, according to the luxury goods industry advisory service Bain & Company.

    Last year, 6 per cent global growth* led to €260 billion (US$292 billion) in sales, which is expected to balloon to €271–276 billion ($304.3–310 billion) this year, registering an expected 4-per-cent to 6-per-cent growth at constant exchange rates.

    According to Bain, the growth has been driven primarily by the acceleration in domestic spending of mainland Chinese consumers and an increase in European tourism, which, despite socio-political turmoil in countries like the UK and France, fuelled positive growth in the region through last year’s holiday season.

    Meanwhile a temporary weakening of consumer confidence in North America, as well as a decrease in traffic to malls and department stores, negatively impacted personal luxury spending during last year’s holidays stateside.

    The findings were part of the Bain Luxury Goods Worldwide Market Study, Spring 2019 presented this week in collaboration with Fondazione Altagamma, the Italian luxury goods manufacturers’ industry foundation.

    “This year looks to be on par with our new normal of growth in the market,” said Bain & Company partner and lead author of the study Claudia D’Arpizio. “China continues to dominate the luxury scene. Elsewhere we are continuing to see geopolitical uncertainty shape and reshape tourism spending patterns, with Chinese consumers choosing to spend domestically with more frequency. Overall we are seeing moderate growth in most markets.”

    The report showed that mainland Chinese consumers are demonstrating a strong preference for purchasing luxury goods at home thanks to price harmonisation, consumer-centered strategies, and governmental initiatives. Solid consumer confidence and willingness to buy, especially among young generations, are expected to drive year-over-year growth of 18–20 per cent* in the region.

    Japan remains an exclusive and attractive market for luxury brands, with forecasted growth of 2–4 percent* in 2019. Tourist spending is expected to rise ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, with Chinese consumers already confirming their interest in the area.

    Across the rest of Asia the outlook is positive, apart from Hong Kong and Macau, which continue to lose out to Mainland China. Bain & Company asserts that the luxury market in the region is set to grow by 10–12 percent*. An expanding middle class with increasing disposable income is fueling growth in Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam, while sustained growth in South Korea is the result of local consumers and a mild rebound of tourism.

    The rest of the world is expected to be flat or see a slight decrease of 2 per cent*, with the Middle East remaining stagnant as domestic consumer spending begins to flow outside of the region.

    “We expect stable growth in 2019,” said D’Arpizio.  “But under the surface of this new normal, the future of luxury is taking shape with a number of key characteristics, including Chinese Generation Z, access, ownership, sustainability and social responsibility, the impact of digital across the entire value chain, preference for luxury experiences over products, and consumer networks as a new measure of value.”

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  • Lagerfeld’s legacy: double-digit growth and €10 billion

    Lagerfeld’s legacy: double-digit growth and €10 billion

    Fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld delivered French maison Chanel a stunning legacy in the final year of his life. Chanel, privately owned, has revealed financial information only twice in its 109-year history. But yesterday, finance chief Philippe Blondiaux took the extraordinary step of announcing the brand had achieved global sales of almost €10 billion last year, in an apparent tribute to the designer, who died in February, aged 85. Profit exceeded €3 billion.

    The company also achieved double-digit sales growth “with great performances in leather goods and ready-to-wear”. But that was all the notoriously secretive company revealed, other than to reassert the company was not for sale, thus dashing any interpretation the details were released to pique the interest of prospective bidders.

    Chanel is owned by the Wertheimer family. Geneva-based Gerard Paul Philippe Wertheimer, 69, controls the business in partnership with his brother, Alain, 70. The former has an estimated worth of US$15.3 billion, with the pair ranking fourth and fifth on France’s rich list and among the 40 wealthiest people on the planet.

    Lagerfeld died of cancer, but reportedly worked until the end, such was his passion for his craft.

    Analysts estimate Chanel to be worth in the vicinity of $20 billion, making it one of the world’s most valuable fashion brands, and certainly one of the largest still in private ownership.

    In turnover, it is catching archrival Louis Vuitton, whose sales exceeded $10 billion last year.

    Far from resting on its laurels, Chanel invested an estimated $1 billion in digital innovation last year, embracing online, social media and seamless online/offline integration and in-store technology.

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  • New era for users of Android’s Messages app starts later this month

    New era for users of Android’s Messages app starts later this month

    Instead of continuing to wait for carriers worldwide to get together to support the global rollout of Rich Communication Services (RCS), Google is taking the next generation of Android messaging into its own hands. Starting later this month in the U.K. and France, Android users will be able to opt into Google’s own RCS Chat services. Eventually, this will be offered in more countries later this year, and with Google taking care of this directly; eventually, we could see RCS made available for all Android handsets.

    The platform developed to replace short message service (SMS) on Android phones does away with the 160 character limit on texts and supports group messages. It also will show a user that a text he sent has been read (the so-called “read receipt”) and will show when someone who is part of a chat is in the middle of typing a message. The RCS platform also allows users to engage in a video chat without the necessity of installing a third party app like Duo and supports the sharing of large files.

    What RCS doesn’t have that some other messaging apps do is end-to-end encryption. This is a key security and privacy feature offered on third-party titles available for Android like WhatsApp and Telegram. But Google is working on it and Sanaz Ahari, one of the Googlers in charge of Android’s Messages app says, “We fundamentally believe that communication, especially messaging, is highly personal and users have a right to privacy for their communications. And we’re fully committed to finding a solution for our users.” Ahari adds that the goal is “a great, simple user experience that just works for every Android user.”

    Google, at least at first, will offer RCS to those Messages users who opt-in for the service when it is available in their market. When that happens, users will open the Android Messages app and will receive a prompt asking them if they’d like to sign up for RCS Chat, which is Google’s name for the SMS replacement. On new Android phones, Messages will remain the default messaging app and once the app is opened, users will be asked if they’d like to opt-in to RCS Chat. This is different than the way Apple automatically has iOS users opt-in to Messages. While Google will indeed offer RCS Chat to all Android users, they will still get to make their own choice whether to accept it.

    In Apple’s Messages, if the user sees iMessage in the text field, he knows that he is conversing with another iOS user. If he sees text message in the same field, the conversation he is having is most likely with an Android user. Google will do something similar; if you see Chat on the app, it means that the person on the other end of the message also has RCS. And as we pointed out, RCS does not have end-to-end encryption; the messages are encrypted en route from the sender to recipient, but if your RCS provider is asked by law enforcement for a copy of your RCS based conversation, the information can be delivered to them. However, once a message is received by the recipient, it is removed from Google’s servers. Drew Rowny, the product lead for the Android Messages app says “From a data retention point of view, we delete the message from our RCS backend service the moment we deliver it to an end user. If we keep it, it’s just to deliver it when that person comes online.”

    Android users should feel better about the timeline for receiving RCS now that Google is handling the rollout itself. This means that carriers’ approval is not needed. And the faster that RCS is rolled out, the quicker Android users can enjoy it.

  • Shopeline, Asia’s Biggest Smart Commerce Platform, Strengthens Foothold in Southeast Asia

    Shopeline, Asia’s Biggest Smart Commerce Platform, Strengthens Foothold in Southeast Asia

    Shopline, the global smart commerce platform, has today announced the official expansion of its operations to Malaysia. The news follows the closure of a successful US$2 million funding round earlier this year, led by CDIB Capital Group and Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund, and reaffirms SHOPLINE’s confidence in the Southeast Asia market.

    The start-up, originally founded in Hong Kong, enables merchants to easily set-up online stores, and offers a wide selection of shop designs, payment gateways, and shipping carriers tailored to the needs of local and cross-border merchants. It has grown over the last six years to become the market leader in Asia, helping more than 150,000 entrepreneurs, SMEs and large enterprises such as Durex, Bee Cheng Hiang and Hiwalk go digital. In 2018, SHOPLINE’s merchants reached over 200 million customers.

    The Southeast Asian Digital Opportunity

    Figures from the latest annual Global State of Digital report by Hootsuite and We Are Social revealed an explosion in online engagement across the region, with the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia all ranking in the top 10 countries on the world’s internet usage index.

    Meanwhile, a recent study by Google and Singapore’s Temasek Holdings predict that Southeast Asia’s internet economy will be worth in excess of US$240 billion by 2025, with e-commerce accounting for 40 percent (US$102 billion), up from 2018’s US$23 billion spend.

    Against this backdrop, the opportunities presented by the booming Southeast Asian digital economy are immense. However, in order to successfully leverage its potential, businesses need to not only ensure they’re in the mix, but that they also provide a seamless and integrated online to offline experience.

    With a strong following in its native Hong Kong, along with offices in Taiwan, Ho Chi Minh City and Shenzhen, SHOPLINE now adds Kuala Lampur to its network, and has plans to further expand its footprint across the region.

    Empowering businesses and merchants in Southeast Asia with smart, omni-channel tools

    Having already supported several launch partners in beginning their online ventures, SHOPLINE will expand its Malaysia offering in the coming months to include its range of online to offline (O2O) solutions, which enable merchants to connect across channels and optimise the customer’s shopping experience.

    Services will include the SHOPLINE Kiosk, a CRM tool that allows users to sign up for membership with a mobile number or email in seconds; the SHOPLINE Broadcast Center, a marketing automation tool enabling merchants to reach customers via Facebook’s chatbot, SMS and email; and Shoplytics, a proprietary smart analytics dashboard that allows merchants to visualise and analyse data related to their store’s web traffic, revenue, product performance, customers, marketing and promotion campaign performance.

    Later this year, SHOPLINE will further look to introduce its cloud-based point-of-sale (POS) system tailored for retailers, enabling them: to keep an accurate record of store transactions; track and manage store inventories; generate real-time sales performance reports; track staff performance and manage payroll; manage membership and more–creating a unified omni-channel solution over multiple store locations.

    Tony Wong, Co-founder and CEO of SHOPLINE said: “We’re delighted to be setting up camp in Kuala Lumpur. Underpinned by strong governmental support and a huge jump in mobile and internet penetration, we see incredible potential in Malaysia, and indeed the wider Southeast Asian digital economy. SHOPLINE is committed to helping our partners – our merchants – grow with us. By introducing our comprehensive range of O2O and POS solutions to new markets, we hope to equip more merchants with the tools they need to go digital and go global, creating a smooth and holistic shopping experience across offline and online channels.”

    He added: “This is an exciting time for the SHOPLINE team. We have grown from a three person team to a company with over 200 employees across the globe. Each office recruits local team members with deep insight into their respective markets, allowing us to provide tailor-made solutions to satisfy our merchants’ individual needs and Malaysia is no exception.”

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  • Deliveroo Riders Can Now Get Same-day Access to Earnings

    Deliveroo Riders Can Now Get Same-day Access to Earnings

    Deliveroo riders in Hong Kong can now get paid quicker as part of a new initiative being introduced by the company. The leading food delivery service has launched ‘Get Paid’, which allows riders to opt to receive their fees as early as the same day at the tap of a button, should they wish to.

    This new feature will help riders manage their finances, to access money in an emergency or simply if they need instant money. Whether it’s a student needing extra cash before their loan arrives, someone with a part-time job needing money to tie them over until their payslip arrives, or a parent needing funds to pay for an unexpected household bill, Get Paid will help ensure riders’ fees have access to their earnings when they need it most.

    Riders in Hong Kong currently receive their earnings on a bi-weekly basis, however they can now also choose to get these earnings more quickly. If they want, riders can get their earnings on the same day if requested by midday, or on the following day if requested after midday; rather than waiting. It is completely riders’ free choice whether they want to make use of this new service.

    This new feature reflects the changing world of work, with more and more people choosing flexible, on-demand ways of working to fit their lifestyle. Just as riders’ work is on-demand, many now also want to be able to access their earnings on-demand.

    This new option for riders cements Deliveroo’s commitment to offering flexible work and attractive earnings. Riders can not only login and logout where and when they want, they can now get paid when they want.

    Brian Lo, General Manager of Deliveroo Hong Kong, said, “Workforce today want flexible work that puts them in control of their hours and earnings, and Deliveroo is proud to continually innovate our offerings to deliver on these demands. ‘Get Paid’ empowers our outstanding fleet of riders, so they can enjoy more control over when and how they get paid. This is great news for riders and it’s an exciting step forward for Deliveroo in our ongoing push to offer the flexible, well-paid work riders want.”

    Since its global launch in March, 70% of Deliveroo’s riders have used Get Paid, and up to 25% of active riders on a given day are using it to access their pay. Deliveroo is also seeing riders Get Paid more than once a week, at an average of every four to five days, with Sundays being the biggest day.

    Mr. Leung, a 28 year-old Deliveroo rider in Hong Kong who is a part time rider and a full time car maintenance technician has tried the Get Paid feature, said, “Get Paid is a great option in case I need to access my pay earlier than expected. I appreciate that being a rider with Deliveroo means I get more choice and flexibility, which is essential for my busy lifestyle. I can decide when I want to work and access well-paid work on demand, and now thanks to Get Paid I can also access my earnings when I need them.”

    Get Paid emerges on the heels of other recent Deliveroo initiatives to support the needs of riders in Hong Kong and help them enjoy well-paid, secure, flexible work from Deliveroo which can be combined with other responsibilities such as studying. In 2018 Deliveroo launched a completely free, first-of-its-kind insurance package for all on-demand self-employed Deliveroo riders in Hong Kong and worldwide. This year, Deliveroo is providing over 150 riders in Hong Kong with access to 13 first aid training courses administered by the Hong Kong Red Cross, to equip them with life-saving skills which can benefit the riders and the Hong Kong community where they live and work.

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  • Google sends $50 off code to Pixel 3a owners

    Google sends $50 off code to Pixel 3a owners

    Good news Pixel owners, as Google has decided that it’s time to sell even more Pixel 3a phones by sharing a huge number of discount codes for one of its most recent handsets. These codes are only sent to those who already own a Pixel 3a phone and it’s meant to be shared with friends.

    Multiple Pixel 3a owners report they have received $50 off discount codes in their email inbox, which they can share with their friends. According to the email, you and a friend both get $50 to spend in the Google Store when your friend buys a Pixel 3a using the code received, Droid-life reports.

    Although Google mentions that this is an exclusive Pixel 3a offer, it’s unclear whether or not it’s available outside the United States. But if you’ve bought your phone in the US, chances are you’ll be getting the $50 off code very soon.

    Once your friend buys a Pixel 3a using the code provided, you should be notified about the $50 credit from the Google Store. We also don’t know if the $50 off code can be combined with another discount on Google Store, but that’s easy to verify if you plan to purchase a Pixel 3a and already have a code.

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  • Ericsson comes up with super high-tech anti-smartphone-theft solution

    Ericsson comes up with super high-tech anti-smartphone-theft solution

    Over the past few years, manufacturers have made great strides to discourage smartphone theft. These are usually locking mechanisms, which block the phone from ever being used by someone else than its user — either through biometric scanners or the good old passcode. And if a thief tries to reset your device, it will usually become a brick, which will not activate unless your personal password is entered on boot.

    But that hasn’t stopped thieves entirely. For one, they like to try their chances — some users still don’t lock their phones. And two, some phones can still be hacked into after a factory reset. So, additional solutions are always welcome. Swedish company Ericsson (remember the partnership Sony-Ericsson?) has come up with and patented a very high-tech anti-theft system. It’s called “Adaptive Friction” and currently only exists on paper, filed as a patented idea.

    Basically, the phone will use multiple sensors to maintain constant awareness of its contextual environment — whether it’s in a pocket, on a table, in a purse, et cetera. It will do this by analyzing data from its microphones, light sensor(s), camera(s), and gyroscope. Whenever a hand is laid on the device, it will quickly try to determine whether or not it’s being grabbed by its owner — it will do so by analyzing the grip (whether it’s a secure and confident grab, or a cheeky corner pinch) and even by utilizing biometric sensors to analyze the person’s heartbeat and compare it to known heartbeat patterns of the rightful owner.

    If the phone determines that it’s being nabbed by an unknown person, it will begin vibrating at ultrasonic frequencies, which should — in theory — make it super slippery and hard to pinch out of a pocket. Hence the name “Adaptive Friction” The patent does state that the technology can also be used to make the phone extra grippy and stick to the user’s hand when being used, thus making it harder to drop, which also sounds pretty interesting.

    Of course, this sounds like a whole ton of tech that needs to be tuned in order to make this work quickly and reliably. As with any patent — there’s no guarantee we’d see it in a phone any time soon (if ever), but this one definitely has some interesting “out of the box” thinking.

  • Honda e Electric Vehicle Details Revealed

    Honda e Electric Vehicle Details Revealed

    Honda’s new compact electric vehicle, the Honda e, is the first Honda to be built on a dedicated EV platform, designed from the ground up but finally, there are details that have poured out which give more information about the specifications. The Honda e platform has been developed focussing on urban environments. The battery is positioned at a low level under the floor, and centrally within the wheelbase of the car, affording a 50:50 weight distribution and low center of gravity for optimal handling and stability. Power from the high-torque electric motor is delivered through the rear wheels, enabling steering precision even at high acceleration.

    The four-wheel independent suspension is engineered to offer better stability in all conditions, a smooth ride and responsive handling. Elements of the suspension components are forged aluminum to reduce weight and benefit performance and efficiency. The compact size of the Honda e sees it get a short overhang and it’s also best suited for the urban environment.

    The Honda e gets a 35.5 kWh Lithium-ion high-capacity battery, can be charged using either Type 2 AC connection or a CCS2 DC rapid charger. It’s range on a full charge stands at 200 km, and the fast charging capability sees it charge up to 80 percent in just 30 minutes. The Honda e charging port is integrated into the bonnet, with LED lighting visible through a glass panel to illuminate the port for the driver and highlight the battery charging status. The positioning of the charging port allows easy access from the front of the car or from either side. Displays on the dual touchscreens inside the car present the current level of battery charge, while a drivetrain graphic charts the current power flow and the regeneration and recharging status.

    The battery pack is water-cooled to maintain an optimum thermal state, therefore, maximizing the efficiency of the battery and charge state, while also ensuring its size and weight are minimized so that it does not compromise cabin room.

    Honda has already received 31,000 expressions of interest, and customers can make a reservation for priority ordering online in UK, Germany, France and Norway

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  • Galaxy S11’s chipsets may support fast DDR5 memory and 5G modem integration

    Galaxy S11’s chipsets may support fast DDR5 memory and 5G modem integration

    Next year, we are going to see a real competition in the world of mobile processing units, it seems, as both the next Exynos and Snapdragon 865 chipset lines will be done at Samsung’s second-gen 7nm production facilities. Currently, Snapdragon 855 that is in the Galaxy S10 for the US is done at the first-gen 7nm production node, while Exynos 9820 for the global versions is on 8nm.

    What we were wondering most about, however, is whether Qualcomm and Samsung’s venerable 5G modems will be soldered together with their processors, in a true system-on-a-chip fashion, or will they be separate entities like this year. The need for two separate components to tack on Snapdragon 855 forced many a phone maker to do “5G” versions of their flagships, often with bulkier bodies and larger batteries, and we hope that this tendency won’t stick around next year as well.

    The last thing we heard about Snapdragon 865 is that it will have two versions, with and without 5G connectivity, just like this year, but what wasn’t clear was whether the 5G variant will have the modem integrated in a chipset fashion. Well, the latest tip from Roland Quandt doesn’t really clear that up, either, as he confirms the two models codenames Kona and Hurracan, but says “one likely with, one without integrated 5G modem (SDX55)” is in store which is the same speculation we’ve heard before.

    What we do learn as a new bit of info, however, is that both will come with support for the latest DDR5 mobile memory generation, and the fastest UFS 3.0 storage standard that the OnePlus 7 Pro shipped with. Samsung already announced it is mass production-ready for LPDDR5 memory chips but we wouldn’t hold our breath to see those in phones before next spring and the Galaxy S11 season.

    Samsung recently tipped that it is planning to integrate a 5G modem into a chipset (presumably of its own Exynos making) faster than anyone, and we’d expect to hear about it before the end of the year, with the inevitable end goal to see it make a cameo in the S11 alongside the Snapdragon 865.