Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • BNP Paribas Moves to a Posh Address in Lugano

    BNP Paribas Moves to a Posh Address in Lugano

    BNP Paribas has opened its new headquarters in southern Switzerland on a fashionable shopping street in Lugano.

    According to a statement Friday, French bank BNP Paribas opens its new headquarters at Via Nassa 11 in Lugano, demonstrating the importance it attaches to developing its activities in Ticino.

    The inauguration ceremony was attended by BNP Paribas Suisse board members Yves Martrenchar and Marina Masoni, Enna Pariset, CEO of BNP Paribas (Suisse) and head of BNP Paribas Group in Switzerland, Beat Bachmann, CEO Wealth Management Switzerland & Emerging Markets and Fabio Spinelli, site manager Wealth Management Lugano.

    For BNP Paribas Wealth Management, it is a priority to support the development of the Ticino economy and its stakeholders, especially entrepreneurs and wealthy families, Bachmann said. BNP Paribas has been based in Switzerland since 1872 and employs 1,200 people nationwide.

  • Facebook and Instagram are testing themed icons for their Android apps

    Facebook and Instagram are testing themed icons for their Android apps

    The most recent Alpha and Beta versions of the Facebook and Instagram apps on Android now support Android’s themed icons. This supports recent rumors that Meta was working on finally adding this functionality to its apps’ icons, years after it became available throughout the operating system.

    Automatic theming, including themed icons, were introduced to Android with version 12 of the operating system. This feature extracted the dominant colors of your wallpaper and applied them throughout the interface, making for a more minimal and cohesive look.

    Initially, there were eight color palettes to choose from, but that eventually doubled with Android 13 and expanded even further with a monochrome option on Android 14. Still, as the adoption grew with popular app icons, there was always that one holdout — Meta.

    Fortunately, this is now changing as both the Instagram and Facebook icons support automatic theming on Android in their Beta and Alpha apps, meaning that this will likely be rolled out to their stable versions soon. This was spotted by users currently using these versions and reported by Mishaal Rahman on X.

    This is available right now in versions 307.0.0.0.42 (beta) of Instagram and 439.0.0.0.30 (alpha) of Facebook and signals a turning point to how Meta handles the implementation of new Android features. This was evident more recently by the limited rollout of a new Instagram layout for tablets, which can be tested now using a larger screen device, such as the Google Pixel Fold on Android 14 QPR1 Beta.

    For those that enjoy having matching icons on their Android’s home screen, support for a matching themed icon for both of these applications could finally stop the issue of having to hide them inside a folder or pushing them to a secondary stream (if not hide them altogether). Hopefully, this feature makes it to the stable channels sooner.

  • Nestle begins work on ‘companion products’ for weight loss drugs

    Nestle begins work on ‘companion products’ for weight loss drugs

    Nestle on Thursday said it has started work on products to “companion” weight loss drugs like Novo Nordisk’s game-changing Wegovy, hoping to cash in on their growing popularity.

    The Swiss food giant’s CEO Mark Schneider said Nestle had not seen any impact from such drugs on sales so far, referring to the threat they pose to the packaged food industry that has spooked investors in recent weeks.

    Nestle shares fell this month after Walmart, the world’s biggest retailer, said it saw a slight pullback in food consumption with people taking appetite-suppressing drugs.

    “We’re working already on a wide range of products that could serve as companion products,” Schneider said during an earnings briefing, noting that some supplements can help with the “loss of lean muscle mass” and “rapid regain of weight”.

    “The largest parts of our portfolio will not be affected” by this new breed of weight loss drugs, he said.

    Globally, Nestle’s biggest businesses are coffee and pet care, while frozen food, confectionary and ice cream make up 15 per cent of sales.

    “We’re watching this carefully and will keep you updated,” Schneider said.

    Wegovy has been shown to help patients reduce body weight by around 15 per cent when used along with exercise and lifestyle changes. It is so far available in the United States, Norway, Denmark and, as of late July, Germany.

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  • Groke Pet launches liquid multivitamin range for dogs

    Groke Pet launches liquid multivitamin range for dogs

    Groke Pet has launched a new line of liquid multivitamin supplements that specifically targets the health needs of dogs.

    Boasting 98 per cent locally sourced ingredients, the Vitalixir Plus boosters range – formulated and manufactured in Australia – promises to redefine pet nutrition.

    Groke Pet chief scientist Dr Andrew Duggan credits the breakthrough to “relentless work and collaboration with an exceptional team”.

    “Vitalixir Plus Boosters additionally target specific health areas in dogs, from skeletal health, skin, and coat rejuvenation, to weight management and anxiety relief,” Duggan explains.

    “Each booster blends nutrients and superfoods aimed at promoting optimal health.”

    The company champions prioritising local ingredients, adopting and encouraging sustainable practices, and fostering communities by partnering with social enterprises.

    “Every drop infuses the rich goodness of Australia, fostering not only thriving but flourishing pets,” said Anne Duggan, CEO of Groke Pet.

    The range, including the standout Vitalixir Complete Daily Nutrition, offers over 48 vital nutrients in a convenient, easily absorbed liquid format.

    Groke Pet’s supplement range starter is available for $99 online via grokepet.com.au. The company said it is actively engaging to confirm distribution channels.

  • Samsung Internet Browser app updated with autocomplete support

    Samsung Internet Browser app updated with autocomplete support

    Samsung continues to improve its Internet Browser app with new features. After thoroughly testing them in the beta version of the app, Samsung has now released some of these features to the stable channel.

    This means that if you update to the latest version of Samsung Internet Browser, regardless of whether or not you’re enrolled in the beta program, you’ll benefit from additional functionality

    Among the most important new features included in the latest update is support of URL autocomplete in address bar, which will save you a lot of time when you want to type in an address to visit a certain website.

    Apart from that, the new version of Samsung Internet Browser also gained new support for syncing tab groups, as confirmed by the official changelog. Finally, the app now features an increased number of days of History saved, so you’ll be able to check which sites you’ve visited in the last 90 days.

    If you’re looking to upgrade to Samsung Internet Browser v23.0.0.47, your only option is the Galaxy Store for the time being. However, the latest update should pop up in the Google Play Store very soon too in case you don’t want to go the Galaxy Store route.

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  • Suspended Malaysian airline founder arrested in financial crimes probe

    Suspended Malaysian airline founder arrested in financial crimes probe

    The founder of a suspended Malaysian budget airline has been arrested on suspicion of financial crimes, police said Wednesday.

    MYAirline abruptly halted operations last week, citing financial pressures, less than a year after it began flying.

    The airline, which services domestic primarily routes with nine aircraft, said that operations would stop “until further notice”.

    Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf, director of the police commercial crime investigation department, said MYAirline founder and major shareholder Allan Goh Hwan Hua, his 55-year-old wife, and his 26-year-old son had been arrested on Tuesday.

    “Police have obtained a four-day remand from Wednesday for them to assist investigations under the anti-money laundering, anti-terrorism financing and proceeds of unlawful activities act 2001,” Ramli said.

    MYAirline, which began flying in December, said its suspension would allow for a “shareholder restructuring and recapitalization” but gave no timeline for operations to resume.

    “We have worked tirelessly to explore various partnership and capital raising options to prevent this suspension,” the carrier’s board of directors said in a statement last week.

    “Unfortunately, the constraints of time have left us with no alternative but to take this decision.”

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  • Luxury car brands offer big discounts in October

    Luxury car brands offer big discounts in October

    Mercedes, BMW, Audi, and Volvo have been slashing their prices by hundreds of millions of dong (VND100 million = US$4,200) in October.

    Audi is offering discounts on its A4, A6, A8L, Q2, Q3, Q5, Q5 Sportback, Q7, A7 Sportback, and Q8 models of up to VND300 million.

    Mercedes is offering discounts of 6-10% on some locally assembled models such as the C-class and E-class, and 3% on imports like the GLB and GLS.

    The C-class, which has a price tag of VND1.599-2.099 billion, is getting discounts of 6%, equivalent to VND95-125 million.

    Mercedes is subsidizing registration, which costs 10% in HCMC and 12% in the north, by half for locally made vehicles. The registration fees are calculated based on car prices in each locality. The rates are 12% in Hanoi and northern Hai Phong City, and 10% in Ho Chi Minh City.

    Volvo also bears half the registration cost for all models except the V60 Cross Country line for which it pays the full fee.

    Truong Hai, a BMW distributor, is offering big discounts.

    The prices of the X5, Series 5, Series X3, and Series 3 have been cut by VND160 million, VND80 million, VND70 million, and VND50 million.

    Some luxury car distributors said demand is up in October, though still lower than a year ago.

    Analysts do not expect vehicle sales to reach last year’s figure of 500,000.

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  • Garmin brings the ECG app to more smartwatches

    Garmin brings the ECG app to more smartwatches

    Garmin’s smartwatches are pretty popular in the United States and Europe, so the multinational company is trying to keep them updated. One of the features that most of Garmin’s smartwatches have been lacking in comparison with the competition is ECG support.

    The ability to measure atrial fibrillation was only available on Garmin Venu 2 Plus, but that’s about to change. The company has just confirmed that the ECG app is coming to more Garmin smartwatches, so if you own any mode from the list below, look for an update that will bring this new feature.

    In a post on Twitter, Garmin revealed that the ECG app is now available for epix Pro, Venu 3, and Fenix 7 Pro smartwatches. Yes, there are a bunch of other Garmin smartwatches that have yet to get the app, but the company told Android Central that “it intends to continue to expand its portfolio of products supporting the ECG app and launch it in new regions in-line with necessary regulatory approval.

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  • Google Wallet adds Driver’s License and Digital ID support for more U.S. States

    Google Wallet adds Driver’s License and Digital ID support for more U.S. States

    Back in June, Google announced some forthcoming features for Google Wallet that we are just now seeing roll out. One of these was the ability to add a state ID or Driver’s License to facilitate TSA checkpoint procedures at select airports.
    However, when this feature launched, not all U.S. states were on board with the program. At the time, Maryland became the first state to support it, with the state ID literally becoming the poster child for the rollout, as can be seen in the marketing materials.
    Meanwhile, support for additional states was promised for a later date, with Arizona, Colorado and Georgia listed as the next ones slated to join the Digital ID program. Surprisingly, and without much fanfare, that day has arrived sooner than we thought.
    Google has quietly rolled out support for these three states already, joining Maryland in the Google Wallet app. You can already see these states pop up when attempting to add an ID Card on the app. Considering there hasn’t been a versioned update to the Google Wallet app since October 3rd, we are inclined to think that this is a server-side push.
    The setup process requires a photo scan of the front and back of your physical ID or Driver’s License, followed by a short video verification process. Once setup has been completed, the digital ID will be themed with artwork that represents the issuing state — such as a peach to represent Georgia.
    This update brings Google Wallet’s digital ID compatibility up to par with Apple Wallet, where the ability to have a mobile Driver’s License has been available in some states since last year. Samsung has also announced that this would be coming to Samsung Wallet later this year, and Google previously stated that more functionality will be added to digital IDs in the future, such as the ability to verify online accounts.
  • Threads by Instagram reveals secret new features on mobile and the web

    Threads by Instagram reveals secret new features on mobile and the web

    Threads by Instagram is on a mission to earn that spot on your phone’s home screen and it plans on doing that by regularly releasing new features that are of interest to its users. In its latest release, the company has revealed a few “secret” features that you may or may not know exist on the platform.

    Head of Instagram and Threads boss, Adam Mosseri, revealed via a post a couple of tricks that the app can currently do. While these are definitely not mind-blowing additions, they are neat little details that can enrich the app’s user experience.
    On the mobile apps, you can now long press on a post to follow everyone who is mentioned on it. A panel will popular at the bottom of the app showing you who was mentioned in the post. Here, you can either follow each one individually or choose the “Follow all” option. As a bonus, there is also a “Copy text” option if you want to use that same text in a new post or share it to another app.

    You can now copy and paste media attachments on the web to make posting easier. Previously, when composing a post you had to click on the media icon in order to attach an image or video from your device’s file manager. Now, it’s as easy as copy/paste, which can save you a ton of time when wanting to add something that’s already saved in your clipboard.

    Not only can you tag other accounts within Threads, but you can also now tag Instagram accounts. When tagging, you can now see Instagram accounts populate in the autocomplete options. This is great if the account you want to tag has not signed up for Threads yet, but does have a presence on Instagram. Who knows? This might entice more Instagram users to sign up for threads and gain more exposure that way.
    Hopefully, Threads continues to add on helpful features such as they have been lately. The platform’s daily user base continues to request new features regularly and these are seemingly not falling on deaf ears. We will continue to report new features here as they are revealed.
  • Apple hints update is coming to fix flickering Watch display issues and more

    Apple hints update is coming to fix flickering Watch display issues and more

    Complaints from the Apple Community webpage and Reddit indicate that some Apple Watch users are having issues with the displays on their timepieces. Judging from the posts, it would appear that the screens on the affected units are flickering when the user raises his/her wrist to fully light up the display when in Always On mode. Another issue being investigated by Apple is one where complications on certain Apple Watch models turn pink when the user’s wrist is raised.
    One Reddit subscriber noted that the flickering issue occurs when a timer is running or the Modular Ultra face is being used. Other complaints sound like this one from an Apple Community subscriber who wrote, “It’s not just you. Series 9 on 10.0.2 here, I’m experiencing the same issue. Split second of screen flickering when raising to wake from AOD. It only happens sometimes, but enough to the point that it bugs me.”

    Based on the posts, it would seem that the flickering issue and the pink complications have been spotted on the new Series 9 watches as well as the Apple Watch Ultra 2. The bug continues to appear even after the latest version of watchOS, 10.0.2, is installed. Apple is expected to release the public version of watchOS 10.1 next week, which might contain a fix that exterminates the bugs.

    In fact, Apple even hinted that an update to fix the problem is on the way. In a memo, Apple told service providers not to repair impacted watches and instead, tell customers that they should keep the software on their Apple Watch up to date. That certainly sounds like Apple is expecting to release a software update soon that will fix the flickering on the Apple Watch screens as well as the color change to the complications on certain watch faces.

    Apple says that users can disable the Always On display as a temporary workaround to fix the flickering. Press the Digital Crown until you see the home screen. From there, go to Settings > Display & Brightness and toggle off the Always On mode. With the Always On display enabled, the screen dims when the user’s wrist is down and gets brighter when the wrist is raised. This is the point when the flickering shows up.

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  • Vietnam rice export price climbs amid thin supply

    Vietnam rice export price climbs amid thin supply

    Vietnam’s rice price continues to rise as the harvest season ends, creating a shortage of supply.

    Vietnam’s 5% broken rice is now at $623 per ton, 7% higher than that of Thailand and 10.7% higher than that of Pakistan.

    The domestic paddy price has also been rising to unprecedented levels. Japanese paddy J02 is now priced at up to VND14,000 ($0.57) and Khang Dan VND9,000, which have never been recorded before.

    Traders have been buying in large orders amid a decline in supply as the season ends, and this is why paddy prices are high, farmers said.

    Huynh Thi Bich Huyen, CEO of rice trading company Ngoc Quang Phat, said that she can only buy several hundred tons of paddy each day, which is one-third of last month.

    This shows a shortage in supply and that is why prices are hiked, she added.

    Rice exports surged 40.4% year-on-year to $3.66 billion in the first nine months of this year. It is forecast to reach a new peak of $4 billion by the end of the year.

    The average export price was $553 per ton in the first nine months, up 14% year-on-year.
    Farmers have seen their profits double from last year.

    The Vietnam Food Association forecast that rice prices will stay at a high level in the remaining months as supply will still be low globally.

    Countries such as Indonesia, China, the Philippines, Turkey and Chile have all upped their imports.

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  • Vietnamese lobsters half price as Chinese orders dwindle

    Vietnamese lobsters half price as Chinese orders dwindle

    Diminishing exports to China’s massive market has Vietnamese ornate rock lobsters selling for VND1-1.3 million (US$42-54) a kilogram, half the price of two months ago.

    According to lobster harvesters in the central province of Khanh Hoa, prices are at the lowest point in two years.

    China is the biggest importer of Vietnamese lobsters.

    Lobster vendors in the province said they have decided to stop selling their lobsters or now in hopes prices will spike for the Lunar New Year early next year.

    Seafood shops in Ho Chi Minh City are selling ornate rock lobsters for VND1.4-1.7 million per kilogram.

    Tuan, a lobster trader, said domestic and overseas demand for seafood is down.

    “China currently favors painted spiny lobsters because their prices are lower.”

    Nguyen An, people’s committee chairman of Cam Binh Commune in the south-central-coastal province of Cam Ranh, said that Vietnam has mainly exported painted spiny lobsters to the Chinese market since mid-year, not ornate rock lobsters.

    He said this was because Australian ornate rock lobsters are cheaper than Vietnam’s, “so it is difficult to compete in China.”

    According to the Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, Vietnam exported lobsters worth a total $76 million to China in the first eight months, a year-on-year decline of 42%.

    While reducing imports from Vietnam, China is now buying more lobsters from Canada, Australia, the U.S., New Zealand, Cuba, India, Brazil, and Mexico.

    According to Vietnamese firms, the two countries should agree on official lobster quotas to boost lobster exports to China.

    A project launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development aims to develop Vietnamese lobster production and exports by 2025, with total output of 3,000 tons per year and annual export turnovers of $200 million.

    The largest lobster farming provinces are Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, in the north-central regions, and Kien Giang in the southern region’s Mekong Delta.

     

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  • Vietnam plans to extend VAT cut until end-June 2024

    Vietnam plans to extend VAT cut until end-June 2024

    The Vietnamese government said on Tuesday it plans to extend a reduction in value added tax (VAT) until the end of June next year to boost domestic consumption and production as the global economy remains sluggish.

    The cut in VAT to 8% from 10%, which still needs parliament’s approval, has been in place since July and is set to expire by the end of this year. The next session of parliament is scheduled to begin next week.

    The 8% VAT rate is not applicable to services and products like banking, finance, telecommunications and real estate, the government said in a statement.

    The tax cut, which is expected to boost domestic consumption, would reduce the government’s budget revenue by 25 trillion dong ($1.02 billion), the statement added.

    Vietnam’s economic growth rose 5.33% in the third quarter, higher than 4.05% in the previous one, official data showed.

    Headline inflation continued the sharp upward increase that started in June, official data showed. September’s consumer price index rose 3.7% in September against the same period last year.

    While economic growth picked up in the July-September period thanks to a gradual recovery in exports, domestic consumption remained subdued and credit growth continued to be slow reflecting weak private domestic investment and investor confidence, the World Bank said in its latest report.

    Retail sales in the domestic market with a population of nearly 100 million, rose 9.7% in the first nine months of this year from a year earlier, according to the General Statistics Office.

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  • Samsung’s Latest Foldable Smartphone Range The Coolest Yet

    Samsung’s Latest Foldable Smartphone Range The Coolest Yet

    Before the smartphone boom, foldable cell phones were the pinnacle of mobile advancements. The devices had gone from clunky, brick-like objects to slick, streamlined handsets that could fit in any pocket. A lot of experts have predicted that the smartphone industry would follow the same trajectory, and it could finally be happening.

    Samsung has been leading the way with its foldable devices for some time now, and the fifth generation could be knocking on the door of mainstream adoption. These are the company’s coolest flip phones yet, and they are likely to attract countless new users.

    Samsung Finally Hitting the Right Notes With its Foldables

    Samsung first released the Galaxy Z Fold in 2019 and the Galaxy Z Flip in 2020. Since then, it has invested a lot of resources in developing these innovative smartphones. The folding concept allows for a compact device that can open and provide users with a lot more screen space. Smartphone screens have gradually increased in size over the years, with many users clearly valuing screen space. The Z Flip offers the best of both worlds in that it fits anywhere but expands to give users a great display.

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    There are various aspects of the new Z Flip that could make it a trailblazer for foldable smartphones. For instance, the Flex Window on the front now has a 3.4-inch display, harking back to the early days of smartphones and the iconic Blackberry Classic screen. Not only will this fill some older users with nostalgia, but it also acts as a convenient way of interacting with the phone in its folded state. It comes with a variety of modes that help users organize their working days, and the performance is high quality thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 system-on-chip.

    A Good Time to Buy Shares in Samsung?

    With the company continuing to thrive at the top end of the smartphone market, shares in technology companies still affect the weighting of the S&P 500. People who are interested in buying can check the ES futures chart for accurate information about stock prices in the S&P 500, and by setting parameters on this, they can figure out the best times to buy and sell. While Samsung isn’t listed in the S&P 500, other phone producers are, with Apple being one of the most notable examples.

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    Experts back Samsung shares as great long and short-term holds, and now is a good time to jump on them. This is because the price recently dropped after the company reported a 96 percent drop in profit earlier this year. This was due to an oversupply of memory chips, leading to Samsung’s inventory values being slashed. This drop is likely to even out soon, though, and investors are keeping a close eye on the Korean tech giant’s reports. The general sentiment is that now is a good time to get back in and buy up shares of the company, as it is likely to bounce back over the next year.

    The era of the foldable smartphone could soon be on the horizon, with Samsung leading the way. These devices have been knocking on the door of the mainstream for some time, and they could soon become ubiquitous thanks to cool offerings like the Galaxy Z Flip 5.

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