Nokia has announced that it has been chosen by Chunghwa Telecom (CHT) to expand the operator’s 5G network in Taiwan. The deal aims to support CHT’s objective of achieving 80 percent population coverage as well as boost 5G subscriptions to over 20 percent of its current subscriber base. The expansion will leverage products from Nokia’s AirScale portfolio to deliver enhanced connectivity for people and businesses in the southern and central areas of the country.
Author: Mei Ling Tan
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New-Generation Skoda Octavia Launch Delayed Due To The COVID-19 Lockdown In Maharashtra
The new-generation Skoda Octavia was slated to go on sale towards the end of this month in the country. However, in light of the lockdown imposed in the state of Maharashtra, the launch has been indefinitely delayed. Zac Hollis, Director – Sales and Marketing, Skoda Auto India confirmed the development in a tweet. The automaker will be rescheduling the launch as the current situation improves. The new-generation Octavia was originally slated for launch in 2020 but was delayed due to the pandemic. We expect Skoda to announce a new launch date once the situation improves in the state.
The 2021 Skoda Octavia has got plenty of upgrades over its predecessor. The sedan is longer by 19 mm at 4689 mm, and wider by 15 mm at 1829 mm. The design language has seen notable improvements and the model gets a new chrome grille, new headlamps with Matrix LED technology, a new bumper design and a sculpted bonnet. The bot-lid now gets more prominent Skoda lettering along with the LED taillights with the signature pattern.
The cabin of the new-generation Skoda Octavia will be feature-laden and will come with a two-spoke multi-function steering wheel sporting knurled scroll wheels and a new control button. The model also gets a 10.25-inch digital instrument console and a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The lower variants will sport an 8.25-inch display. Other features will include Trizone Climatronic, keyless entry, electric parking brake, acoustic side windows, and more.
The India-spec fourth-generation Skoda Octavia is likely to get the 2.0-litre TSI with 188 bhp and 320 Nm and it will be offered only with the DSG automatic transmission. Skoda could also offer the Karoq’s 1.5-litre TSI four-cylinder petrol engine that develops 148 bhp and 250 Nm. Details though are yet to be confirmed.
Maharashtra continues to be one of the worst affected states in terms of COVID-19 cases, with the second wave of the virus harsher than ever. The state reported over 67,468 new cases in the last 24 hours (at the time of filing this report). Maharashtra also reported its worst Covid-19 related death tally in a single day after recording 568 fatalities in the last 24 hours. In light of the growing cases, the Maharashtra government announced a statewide lockdown from April 22, after 8 pm, and will be in effect till 7 pm on May 1, 2021.
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Tesla Apologises After Customer Protested At Autoshow, To Share Car Data With Chinese Regulator
Tesla Inc apologised to Chinese consumers for not addressing a customer’s complaints in a timely way, and said it would launch a review of its service operations in the world’s biggest auto market. The unusual public apology from Tesla followed criticism in state media, and an incident at the Shanghai auto show that got wide attention in China’s social media. An unhappy customer by clambered atop a Tesla at the auto show to protest the company’s handling of her complaints about malfunctioning brakes. Videos that went viral on Monday showed a woman wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the words “The brakes don’t work” and shouting similar accusations while staff and security struggled to restore calm.
The trouble for Tesla in China overlapped with new questions in the United States about the safety of the company’s Autopilot partially-automated driving systems. Police in Texas are investigating a fatal crash involving a Tesla Model S that hit a tree and burst into flames. Rescuers found victims in the passenger and rear seat, not the driver’s seat. Federal regulators are investigating the crash, and have a total of 24 probes underway of accidents involving Teslas operating on Autopilot.
Tesla sells roughly 30% of its cars in China, made at its Shanghai factory. But it has faced occasional criticism over issues such as complaints of battery fires. Monday’s incident led state broadcaster CCTV to call for an investigation of reported brake problems on Tesla cars, while China’s anti-graft watchdog weighed in with a commentary saying such disputes should be resolved within the rule of law. “Individuals should not take extreme measures, and enterprises should not be arrogant and unreasonable,” the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said late on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, a representative at Tesla’s store in Zhengzhou, where the protesting customer came from, told local state media the automaker will share data related to the brake incident with local market regulators for investigation.
Tesla said on Monday that the woman was a vehicle owner who had been involved in a collision earlier this year. It cited “speeding violations” for the crash, adding in a social media statement that it had been negotiating with her about returning the car, but the talks had stalled over a third-party inspection.
Last month, Tesla came under scrutiny in China when the military banned its cars from entering its complexes, citing security concerns over cameras in its vehicles, sources said.
That prompted founder Elon Musk to say that if Tesla used cameras to spy in China or anywhere, it would be shut down. Earlier this month, Tesla said cameras in its cars are not activated outside of North America.
The woman whose protest started it all will be detained for five days, Shanghai police said on Tuesday.
Police said the woman and a female accomplice – identified only by their surnames, Zhang and Li – “caused chaos” at the trade fair on Monday when they arrived at the Tesla display “to express their dissatisfaction due to a consumer dispute.”
Zhang was ordered detained for “disrupting public order,” while Li received a warning, police said. Zhang and Li could not be contacted for comment.
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Daimler Cuts Hours For Up To 18,500 Workers Over Chip Shortage
Daimler will cut working hours for up to 18,500 employees and temporarily halt production at two plants in Germany due to a shortage of semiconductor chips that has hit global car production, it said on Wednesday.
“Currently, there is a worldwide supply shortage of certain semiconductor components,” a spokeswoman said. “We continue to play things by ear.”
“The situation is volatile, so it is not possible to make a forecast about the impact,” she added.
Daimler, which makes Mercedes-Benz cars, said workers at its plants in Bremen and Rastatt would have their hours shortened.
The global shortage stems from a confluence of factors as carmakers, which shut plants during the COVID-19 pandemic last year
The move will halt production at the factories but allow staff to continue working on special projects. The production halt will take effect from April 23 for one week, initially.
The global shortage stems from a confluence of factors as carmakers, which shut plants during the COVID-19 pandemic last year, compete with the sprawling consumer electronics industry for chip supplies.
Cars have become increasingly dependent on chips – for everything from computer management of engines for better fuel economy to driver-assistance features such as emergency braking.
The shortage of chips has hurt vehicle production at carmakers including General Motors Co, Volkswagen AG and Ford Motor Co.
Earlier on Wednesday, automaker Stellantis said it would replace digital speedometers with more old-fashioned analogue ones in one of its Peugeot models, in a fallout from the shortage of semiconductor chips.
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Harley-Davidson Reports Positive First Quarter Results For 2021
Harley-Davidson has reported a positive start to 2021 with the first quarter results of the calendar year showing good results in the crucial home market of North America. Sales in North America grew 30 percent although year-on-year sales in Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) as well as Latin America took a beating. Sales in Asia Pacific remained flat, and from all indications, CEO Jochen Zeitz’s Hardwire strategy to focus on the strengths of the brand, and cut down operations in
“I am very pleased with the pace of recovery that we have seen across our business, as demonstrated by the strong financial results this quarter. The actions we have taken to reshape the business are having a positive impact on our results, especially for our most important North American region,” said Zeitz, who is the Chairman, President, and CEO of Harley-Davidson.
“We can see the initial signs of consumer excitement and optimism returning and I am confident Harley-Davidson in 2021 is a significantly leaner, faster, and more efficient organization which is ready to win and successfully deliver on our 5-year Hardwire strategy, as the most desirable motorcycle brand in the world,” added Zeitz.
Despite global motorcycle sales being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Harley-Davidson sold 44,200 units between January and March 2021, a 9 percent increase on the 40,400 units sold in the same period a year ago. North America (32,800 units) remains Harley-Davidson’s strongest market in 2021, followed by Asia Pacific (5,850 units), EMEA (4,900 units) and Latin America (700 units). Revenue for the first quarter in 2021 is reported at $1,423 million, a 10 per cent increase over the same period a year ago, while net income is at $259 million, an increase of 272 percent over just $70 million in the same period a year ago.
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Jaguar I-Pace Black Edition Unveiled
Jaguar has added a new Black Edition in the I-Pace range for the SE and HSE variants. The Black package adds a dark, glossy finish to the grille, mirror caps, window surrounds, and rear badges, while the 20-inch, five-spoke wheels are finished a gloss black look as well. And even the Black Badge Edition is available in all body colors that you generally see on the Jaguar I-Pace. On the inside, there are Ebony leather sports seats and a matching headliner. The cabin trim is finished in gloss black. A full panoramic roof and privacy glass are also part of the package.
Needless to say, mechanically the Jaguar I-Pace Black Edition remains unchanged. It is powered by electric motors making a total of 390 bhp and 696 Nm of peak torque. There’s an 11-kilowatt onboard charger and 100-kilowatt DC fast charger. According to Jaguar, the base version of the I-Pace can cover 286.2 miles or 460.6 km on a charge. The SE Black brings down this figure to 279.9 miles or 450.5 km, and the HSE Black offers 279.0 miles or 449 km of rang on a full.
Jaguar had also introduced the Black Badge edition recently and the new I-Pace’s Black edition follows up on the same styling language. The theme is largely the same by adding lots of glossy, dark accents to the sports car. Deliveries of fhe standard Jaguar I-Pace will start in May this year and we expect Jaguar to introduce the I-Pace Black Edition in our market soon.
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Bike maker hopes to electrify regional markets
The man behind Dat Bike, the only made-in-Vietnam motorbike brand, is holding fast to his dream of becoming the Elon Musk of the bike industry.
Dat Bike, a startup brainchild of Nguyen Ba Canh Son, a former Silicon Valley developer, got a shot in its arm in 2018 by raising $2.6 million in seed funding from a group of investors led by Singapore venture capital firm Jungle Ventures.
Jungle Ventures rarely invests in premature projects like Dat Bike, so the decision was described as “exceptional.” This is true, considering that Son and his Dat Bike were firmly rejected until then.
“You should never dive into electric bike making,” an investor told Son bluntly a few years ago.
“You are gifted, but you sell what no one wants. This is not the right time for electric bikes in the market. I will consider an investment if you come up with another project,” the investor added.
Son also believed then that the market was not ready for him. He saw that the way brands advertised electric bikes usually disappointed the customers as the real life performance failed to match the marketing hype.
Electric bikes these days can only cover just half the range and power of their petrol-fueled rivals. Currently, the electric bike owners are mostly young students, who are not allowed to ride powerful motorcycles.
The rejections did not deter Son, who constantly kept in mind the motivation that made him take the plunge. When Son was a developer in Silicon Valley, he became bored with the job at a property management agency. The workload was heavy but meaningless and the handsome remuneration did not stop him from quitting his job and looking for a new path that would deliver value and convenience to people.
Around this time, the production of electric vehicles was an emerging, attractive business in the U.S. However, startups often failed due because they were premature for the market. Son believed he had a better chance making electric bikes for Vietnam.
He returned to Vietnam in 2018 with all his money and loans, pouring everything into his dream project, Dat Bike.
Son wanted his bikes to have the ability to replace petrol-fueled ones that were polluting the local air. He wanted that buyers not have to compromise neither power nor convenience when using the greener alternatives.
Starting with roughly $1 million, Son invested in a factory and then opened a flagship store in HCMC. The number of buyers was relatively modest at a few hundred, a month, but since November 2020, things have been looking up with revenues rising 35 percent a month since November 2020.
Dat Bike has been recognized by the Ministry of Transport as Vietnam’s first domestic electric bike manufacturer that sources parts locally. Standing out from other competitors was a factor that influenced Jungle Ventures to invest in Dat Bike.
Consumers are more and more likely to switch to greener products, but they are not ready to compromise the convenience of regular vehicles. Amit Anand, founding partner with Jungle Ventures, said it was noteworthy that public awareness of the need to preserve and protect the natural environment has been rising.
“It is just something most brands don’t pursue right now. They mostly import finished units or assemble parts. This lack of core development and control results in the market lagging behind in power and design, making it difficult for people to make the switch. Dat Bike offers the customer a better option,” Anand said.
A Dat Bike representative affirmed Anand’s statement, saying they believe that they are a game-changer in the market. Dat Bike is focused on high-end quality, which is expected to help the startup convince bike buyers to switch to greener alternatives.
Dat Bike claims that its first generation products rival petrol bikes in power and range. Its 5,000W motor helps accelerate from 0-50 km/h in just three seconds, three times more powerful than other electric bikes in the market. One full charge can help maintain the power enough for 100km, roughly double the capacity of other competitors.
Dat Bike currently uses the lithium-ion batteries, the same one used by the latest Tesla models. The battery has a life expectancy of 10 years.
Lithium-ion is one of the safest battery chemistries available and can be dumped at recycling yards.
The startup claims that its batteries get fully charged in roughly three hours, 100 percent faster than other contenders in the Vietnam market. It aims to shorten the charging time to just one hour in near future.
“I heard doubts expressed when people first saw our latest model, but I’m not worried at all,” said Son. “The design is not one size fits all. And this is the just the first step of many to come.”
He said the design can be easily tailored to a variety of customer tastes. Developing new designs is much less challenging than ensuring the electric engines will rival or even surpass that of petrol engines, which is Dat Bike’s focus right now.
Since its entry into the market, Dat Bike’s supply has fallen short of demand due to limited budget and small production capacity. The investment from Jungle Ventures is slated to help the startup complete orders from Vietnam and other countries in the region.
Dat Bike plans to expand by building its supply chain in Southeast Asia, where the vast majority of households own two-wheeled vehicles. Trade within Southeast Asia is tariff-free, compared to huge taxes for imported bikes in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. The tariff scheme grants local companies huge advantages compared to outsiders and that may help Vietnam’s electric bike makers become a regional powerhouse.
China, India and Southeast Asia are the three largest bike markets in the world. While the first two have been almost occupied by domestic manufacturers, Dat Bike is probably the first local maker in the region. The startup’s pioneering position is another main factor that has influenced Jungle Ventures.
“Dat Bike is exceptional among our projects, one of the few that we decided to invest in at a very early stage. We want to back Son and help him make his dream to be the ‘Elon Musk’ of bike industry come true,” said Anand.
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Saigon zoo posts $304,000 loss due to Covid-19
The Saigon Zoo-Botanical Garden Company Ltd has reported a VND6.8 billion ($304,300) loss for 2020 as Covid-19 kept people away from its zoo.
Its revenues fell by 38.6 percent to VND70 billion, the lowest in six years.
The 157-year-old zoo in District 1 closed for two months from March 20 last year as part of Covid containment measures, and again shut on July 25 when a new wave began.
It set itself targets of VND114 billion in revenues and VND2.2 billion in pre-tax profits at the beginning of this year as the pandemic seemed to be contained.
The zoo subsequently revised the targets downward to VND81 billion and breakeven.
It raised ticket prices from VND30,000 to 40,000 for children and from VND50,000 to 60,000 for adults since January.
The zoo has over 125 species of animals and birds.
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LG to use smartphone production line for home appliances
South Korean tech giant LG Electronics plans to use its smartphone production line in Hai Phong to make home appliances instead.
The company has taken this decision after deciding to withdraw from the smartphone market and failing to find buyers for its production line in the northern port city.
The Yonhap news agency reported Tuesday that the company will complete the transformation within this year and reallocate affected workers. The factory employs more than 16,000 workers at present.
“Exiting smartphone production there is part of LG’s plan to restructure our core product portfolio,” said Jung Hai-jin, president of LG Electronics in Vietnam.
He also affirmed that the shutdown of LG’s smartphone business will not significantly impact LG’s production, business activities or employees in Hai Phong.
LG launched the production line in Hai Phong, around two hours east of Hanoi, in 2015. The plant has been producing home appliances, smartphones and in-vehicle infotainment components.
Earlier, a Business Korea report had said that the tech giant has decided to terminate its loss-making mobile phone production and sales business, but not been able to find buyers for its largest smartphone factory in Hai Phong.
The report mentioned that Vietnamese smartphone makers already have their own facilities and local firms can’t afford to pay the large sum it would take to buy LG’s factory.
However, at a meeting with the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Investment and Planning last week, LG leaders said the smartphone factory in Hai Phong was still operating normally. It is also building a new 4-hectare factory to produce refrigerators there, it said.
LG’s smartphone division has posted losses of around $4.5 billion over the last five years, according to Reuters. The group has said that dropping out of the fiercely competitive smartphone business would allow it to focus on growth areas such as electric vehicle components and connecting devices.
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Citi Elevates Senior Hong Kong Investment Banker
Citi has expanded the role of its regional head of corporate finance with greater responsibilities for the Hong Kong investment banking business.
Alex Schrantz has been named head of banking, capital markets and advisory (BCMA) for Hong Kong, according to a statement, effective immediately. Schrantz reports to APAC head of BCMA Jan Metzger alongside Hong Kong and Macau chief executive Angel Ng.
Schrantz will retain his existing role as APAC head of corporate finance.
Schrantz has nearly 30 years of global banking experience of which over two decades were based in Hong Kong. He first joined Citi in 2012 and has been responsible for overseeing capital amerces execution in Asia Pacific. Previously, he was also a member of the listing committee for the local stock exchange from 2006 to 2010.
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How To Run A Sustainable Business
Sustainability has become an important watchword in the business world. This is not just in relation to the ongoing climate crisis but due to the ways that sustainability can ensure steady growth in a company and avoid negative events such as bankruptcy. If you are looking to make your business sustainable, or you are thinking about starting a business with sustainability in mind from the very beginning, then you have found yourself in the right place. This guide has been created to help you understand how to get your business up and running in a sustainable manner. Read on to learn all about it.
Cut Down on Water Bills
Utility bills and the amount you spend on them is a massively important part of any business, especially if you work out of more than one location. That’s why, if you want to run a successful business, you should really take stock of the amount of money being spent on bills to make sure that you are running in a sustainable manner. Along with heating and electricity, water bills make up a significant amount of your budget. If you are looking for a company that can help you with this, then Utility Bidder offers great water supply for businesses.
Invest in Renewable Energy
When you are looking to power your office, it makes sense to invest in using renewable energies, which come with a whole heap of rewards. If you work from an office with a flat roof, then you can even invest in a solar roof that absorbs energy from the sun and can power your office. You can also install a green roof, which allows you to off-set the energy costs involved in office production with plenty of greenery. Both of these will not only save you money but are great for the environment too, achieving two aims in one.
Go Paper Free
Paper, which is made from trees and contributes to the destruction of rainforests around the world, should only be used as a last resort when communicating in the office. Now, with the rise of digital technology, you can easily take notes solely with computers and tablets. If you do this, however, you have to make sure that you have installed the necessary anti-virus software, which can help to combat against the threats of hackers. If you are very paranoid, then, like the Kremlin, you can always return to typewriters for the most important information.
Use Green Internet and Hosting Providers
If you are running an online business, the chances are that you are running it via a website provider. Nonetheless, not all the different website providers you use are created equal. Some are more ecologically-friendly than others, pleading to carbon neutrality as a way of off-setting the energy costs involved in running their site. When looking for an internet or hosting provider, take a look at their accreditation to see if they are operating by green principles.
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Royal Enfield Apparel Business To Focus On Brand Partnerships
Royal Enfield is bullish on its range of apparel and merchandise and sees the business post healthy growth in the next couple of years, with double-digit growth figures in the financial year 2020-21. Puneet Sood, Head of Apparel Business, Royal Enfield said that the brand’s line-up of casual wear, motorcycle riding gear and accessories offers accessibility not just in price but also availability. And he says that the Royal Enfield apparel range is not just for Royal Enfield customers, but for “anybody in love with motorcycling”.
“We intend to keep growing organically. Revenue has grown over the past few years, and even during 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, we recorded double digit growth. Our apparel range is available through multiple channels, and the idea is to target anyone who is in love with motorcycling. The motorcycling community decides where we go from here, and we’ve taken feedback seriously, so you’ve seen a dedicated range of women’s riding gear, as well as customization of apparel and helmets through the Make It Yours program,” Sood said.
Over the past few months, Royal Enfield has launched brand partnerships with names like Levi’s and Knox. The Royal Enfield X Levi’s range of riding denims have been well-received in the market, and Royal Enfield followed that up with a new range of jackets and riding gear with British safety experts Knox, introducing riding jackets with Knox armour, as well as riding gloves and knee guards. But it’s not just brand partnerships, and Royal Enfield’s own range of riding gear has been well-received, not just in India, but also in overseas markets.
“We launched a new range of credible riding jackets, which are well-ventilated, and with proper safety certification, which can be used not just by our own community here in India, but everywhere around the world. Our range of mesh jackets have been well-received, and new range of riding gloves are also doing very well,” said Sood.
Royal Enfield’s apparel range is now offered across the globe in geographies wherever Royal Enfield motorcycles are offered on sale. Speaking about markets, Sood added that the response to Royal Enfield’s lifestyle range has been “amazing,” particularly in markets like Europe and Asia-Pacific. The focus, Sood adds, is to make the right products. The partnership with brands like Levi’s worked very well, and Royal Enfield is exploring more such partnerships, which will be purpose-led, and will focus on both products as well as brands.
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Australia More Telecom acquires Powercom Pacific
More Telecom announced its acquisition of national internet and phone provider, Powercom Pacific, substantially increasing the company’s SME customer base. More Telecom is one of Australia’s most successful and longest-running NBN providers with a sister retail business, Tangerine Telecom.
Powercom Pacific owns several brands including Powercom, Montimedia and QTelecom and all customers will be migrating to More Telecom.
All Powercor Pacific staff will be moving with the business and maintain ongoing employment with More.
More Telecom General Manager, Andrew Branson, said the acquisition strengthens the More business which is expanding in both customer numbers and product offers.
“The More business consistently seeks exciting expansion opportunities and with Powercom, we identified a business with complementary cultural and business models.
“The Powercom customer base consists of long term, loyal, small business owners who want excellent service and we are confident we can deliver on this front,” said Branson.
More Telecom has also expanded its SME reach via the launch of other business services such as More Payments and More Bookkeeping.
More Telecom has also invested in building a strong business offering a full white label solution to other telcos and IT firms and has become Australia’s top white label NBN provider.
The More Telecom and Tangerine Telecom business model works on a B2B/B2C business model delivering more efficiency and faster speeds due to the balanced bandwidth loading between the business peak hours during the day and the consumer peak hours during the evening.
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Google Photos now lets users add media files to albums when they’re offline
To add pictures or videos to your albums in Google Photos, you’ll need to be online. But that’s about to change, as Google is now rolling out a small update that makes it possible to upload content to albums even when a user is offline.
The new feature isn’t something that you can force on your Android smartphone, so you’ll have to wait for Google to push it out to your device. Once you add your pictures and videos to an album, they will be synchronized to Google servers immediately after your smartphone goes online.
Although there are plenty of Google Photos alternatives out there, Google’s app probably remains the best solution when it comes to sharing and storing media content online. Although you’ll soon have to pay for Google Photos storage, occasional users will still be able to take advantage of its benefits free of charge.
Those of you who can’t wait to try out the new feature might want to download the latest version of Google Photos, but if the option to add picture and videos to albums while offline is not available even after updating, you’ll most likely have to wait for a server-side switch to flip.
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Apple launches iPhone 12 MagSafe leather, silicone cases
We’ve got a whole new slew of MagSafe-compatible cases up in the Apple Store today, now that the official event has ended.
Apple’s online site was down in the last hours leading up to today’s event, where we found out plenty of juicy tidbits about the upcoming iPad Pro 2021, AirTags, and more. By the time the event ended, the site was back up, revealing plenty of new goodies for sale to accessorize your iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, or iPhone 12 mini.
First up are cases, with two newcomers in the Leather Case line, and three new Silicone Cases. For the Silicone Cases, we’ve got the vibrant summery Cantaloupe, Amethyst, and for the iPhone 12 mini—Pistachio, pictured below.
We also have a new leather sleeve color released for the iPhone 12 mini: Deep Violet, same as the Leather Cases.
d 12 mini are going to be getting a whole new color, come April 30. That gives us even more options to mix-and-match with the new color cases, if you don’t have an iPhone 12 yet and plan to upgrade.