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Category: Electronics

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest Electronics news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Japanese Retail Giant Accepts Bitcoin Nationwide after Successful Trial

    Japanese Retail Giant Accepts Bitcoin Nationwide after Successful Trial

    Japanese electronics retailer Bic Camera will enable bitcoin payments across all stores in the country this month. Tokyo-based consumer electronics retail chain Bic Camera becomes the latest major retailer to accept bitcoin throughout Japan, a report confirmed today.

    The trial proved to be beyond successful.

    According to today’s report, the ‘more-than-expected’ popularity of bitcoin payments has led to Bic Camera expanding bitcoin payments at more than 40 stores domestically.

    Bic Camera first announced a trial run of accepting bitcoin payments from shoppers at the retail group’s flagship store in Tokyo and another store in the city. Customers could pay up to ¥100,000 (approx. $900) for purchases of consumer electronics such as cameras, laptops, audio equipment and more.

    The retailer partnered Tokyo-based bitFlyer, an industry startup and Japan’s largest bitcoin exchange, to install the point-of-sale (PoS) payments infrastructure. As a payments processor, bitFlyer’s gateway converts the bitcoin into fiat immediately upon payment. These fiat funds are then transferred to the retailer the following day. bitFlyer charges a 1% service fee on transactions.

    Bitcoin’s growing popularity in Japan, following recent legislation that acknowledged bitcoin as a legal method of payment, will also see Bic Camera accept bitcoin at 139 subsidiary Kojima stores in suburbs across Japan.

    Last month, bitFlyer’s chief financial officer Midori Kanemitsu revealed that the number of retail storefronts accepting bitcoin is “expected to rise to 300,000” this year. Japanese bitcoin startup BITPoint was revealed to be in discussions with a payments terminal operator that could see digital currencies accepted at hundreds of thousands of Japanese retailers.

    Japan also ended the 8% consumption tax on bitcoin purchases in July, making adoption attractive for new investors and consumers preferring cashless payments.

    All of this, at a time when the Japanese government is making marked moves toward embracing cashless payments by mandating a growth strategy to double digital payments over the next decade.

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  • Xiaomi opens second flagship store in Hong Kong

    Xiaomi opens second flagship store in Hong Kong

    Chinese smartphone and electronics products maker Xiaomi opened its second Hong Kong flagship store in the Hang Lung Centre, Causeway Bay.

    With an area of over 3,000 square feet, Xiaomi’s new Hong Kong flagship store has eight floors. The store provides various Xiaomi products, including smartphones, wireless routers, and smart home devices, as well as lifestyle supplies such as suitcases, pillows and towels.

    Prior to this, Xiaomi launched its first Hong Kong retail store in Nathan Road, Mong Kok in 2015.

    Wang Xiang, Xiaomi’s head of international team and senior vice president, said that the opening of Xiaomi’s second flagship retail store in Hong Kong represents the importance of this marketplace. Wang said Xiaomi hopes to open 1,000 retail stores and generate revenue of CNY10 billion over the next three years.

  • Samsung Electronics expects record-high Q2 profits

    Samsung Electronics expects record-high Q2 profits

    Samsung Electronics said Friday it expects profits to jump 72 percent in the second quarter to a record high, amid soaring memory chip prices and increased demand for smartphones.

    Operating profit is estimated at 14 trillion won ($12.1 billion) in the April-June period, up from 8.14 trillion won a year earlier, the tech giant said.

    It marks the all-time high quarterly operating profit ever posted by Samsung Electronics, surpassing the previous record 10.1 trillion won set in the third quarter of 2013.

    Sales for the April-June period are also expected to surge 17.8 percent on-year to 60 trillion won.

    Samsung witholds sector-by-sector business performance until it releases its final earnings report later this month.

    The earnings forecast surpassed a market consensus of around 13.2 trillion won compiled by FnGuide, a financial information service provider.

  • Apple continues Asia expansion with its first retail store in Taiwan

    Apple continues Asia expansion with its first retail store in Taiwan

    Apple has continued to expand its retail footprint in Asia after the iPhone-maker opened its first store in Taiwan this weekend.

    The inaugural Apple Store is located in Taipei 101, a landmark skyscraper in Taipei, and it is staffed with an initial workforce of 130 employees, Apple said. Doors in Taiwan opened at 11am local time on Saturday, but eager fans had queued for as long as 68 hours in some cases.

    Beyond selling products and offering repairs, the Apple Taipei 101 store is aimed at being a place for community and learning. Apple said it will offer visitors access to its ‘Today at Apple’ programs that cover topics like photography and video, art, design, music and coding.

    Like in other parts of Asia, Apple customers in Taiwan had until now had to rely on Apple’s website or third-party resellers to buy products and handle repair options. That’s despite the fact that many of Apple’s key manufacturing partners, including Foxconn, are headquartered in Taiwan but operate their factories in China.

    Exact numbers aren’t clear, but Apple is consistently among the top five smartphone sellers in Taiwan with upwards of 15 percent marketshare, although that spikes significantly around new device launches.

    This Taiwan launch comes hot on the heels of the opening of Apple’s first retail store in Singapore, and the announcement of plans for an Apple Store in Korea. The company is also working to expand its stores to India. Apple, which has already begun assembling some devices in the country, said it recently held “constructive” dialogue with government officials on the topic.

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  • Omnichannel retailing to deliver market win

    Omnichannel retailing to deliver market win

    The omnichannel model has become a new weapon in the race to maintain and expand market share in the electronics retail industry.

    The coveted Top 3

    A latecomer taking on established competitors, FPT Shop only started to strengthen its e-commerce channel in 2014. Within a single year, revenue from this business segment was only VND318 billion out of the total VND5.226 trillion ($13.98 million out of $229.91 million). FPT Shop’s website’s traffic reached a modest 100,000 visitors per day.

    In 2015, the firm’s e-commerce revenue posted VND568 billion ($24.98 million) and traffic doubled. In 2016, revenue from online sales grew by over 200 per cent, registering VND1.2 trillion ($52.79 million) and contributing approximately 10 per cent of its total revenue. Traffic was 800,000 visitors per day.

    Although FPT Shop’s e-commerce revenue in 2016 was only half of its largest competitor The Gioi Di Dong, this is considered an optimistic sign of greater opportunities as FPT Shop enters the potential e-commerce playground.

    According to Ngo Quoc Bao, director of business development of FPT Retail, FPT Shop has set a more ambitious target. “E-commerce revenue will double in 2017, crossing the VND2 trillion ($87.98 million) threshold,” said Bao. Such acceleration of growth shows FPT Shop’s intention toward professional omnichannel retailing. “We will continue the strong development of offline and online channels and the strategic partnership with companies like Google and Facebook to boost customer outreach,” remarked Bao.

    In order to achieve this, FPT Shop implemented comprehensive HR restructuring at the e-Commerce Centre from upper management to business strategy. While it used to open 5-7 stores a month, now the rate is only 1-2 stores per month, with no plans for further physical store expansion in the near future. Its current store count is 430.

    According to Bao, as FPT Shop entered the online arena later than its competitors, it has to reach one million customers this year. To achieve this, FPT Shop must boost traffic, optimise user experience to increase returning visitors, ensure confidentiality, convenience, and timeliness in online payments.

    The Gioi Di Dong (MWG) is arguably the first entrant to the online retail realm. This major name is in possession of the largest market share, with 10 per cent, thanks to a formidable online presence that is considered superior to that of Lazada (mostly owned by Alibaba) and Zalora (wholly owned by Nguyen Kim and Central Group).

    According to market research firm Euromonitor International, although market shares fluctuate year to year, MWG continues asserting its dominance among online retailers since 2011. MWG determined hefty targets for online retail as revenue from this source is set to double over-year to VND6.65 trillion ($292.55 million). The company’s total supermarket count will reach 1,207, of which thegioididong.com accounts for 951, Dien may XANH 256 for supermarkets and 40 for stores. Along with all this, Vuivui.com, a dedicated e-commerce site, will play a crucial role in the company’s strategy.

    Nguyen Duc Tai, president of MWG, commented that middle and high-school students tend to make more and more online purchases. Vuivui.com is the company’s investment for this future consumer base. The platform may even become MWG’s growth driver by 2020. “But for now, physical stores remain MWG’s chief money maker,” said Tai.

    Talks of the race to expand among the likes of FPT Shop and MWG cannot leave out Vien Thong A, a name ringing fewer bells, who is currently ranked third in the online retail arena. This retailer had an impressive year in 2016, where it opened 63 new supermarkets nationwide, boosting total count to nearly 300. Additionally, the retailer’s revenue went up by 30 per cent on-year.

    Besides tackling the coverage target and growth at least of 30 per cent, this year Vien Thong A will expand its online sales activities, which in 2016 generated only 5 per cent of the revenue made through traditional channels.

    Hoang Ngoc Vy, CEO of Vien Thong A, said the company is looking to expand its B2B online business in order to meet the ever-increasing demand. “The development of omnichannel tactics to offer services regardless of location and timing is our top priority,” remarked Vy.

    In order to jumpstart this business segment, Vien Thong A has to meticulously identify a strategic investor as its partner in this race.

    A game of speed

    According to Euromonitor International, by 2020, online electronics retail will grow at 30.9 per cent CAGR, reaching VND20.985 trillion ($923.18 million). Meanwhile, purchasing behaviour is changing, shifting to more time spent online, leading the offline channel to saturation, with increasingly limited room for growth.

    In reality, omnichannel retailing has been steadily gaining ground for the past three years in Vietnam as mini-scale online stores started mushrooming on Facebook with numerous online sales tactics.

    Especially, Zalo (VNG) launched Zalo Shop to provide independent online merchants with a direct platform to 60 million customers without acquiring technical capabilities. Zalo users can conveniently “browse” thousands of stores on the uniform interface of Zalo Shop and easily make purchases without searching on Facebook or Google. Boasting these advantages, the online channel, more than ever before, has become considerably lucrative.

    According to statistics by Google, Vietnam is second in the world in terms of the number of online retail merchants. Whether this form of retail can grow sustainably remains, however, a question as customers are hesitant to accept/trust these independent small-scale businesses.

    Such prospects push retailers towards change. They admit the never-before-seen potential of omnichannel in awakening the market and capturing new customer segments.

    Bao commented that FPT Shop must expand its coverage and get ahead of market demand. However the Vietnamese consumers are naturally sceptical. Online buyers would visit offline stores to browse the merchandise, compare the products and prices. Therefore, it is advisable that companies stay mindful of their physical chains.

    Logistics above all

    “Never coerce consumers to online channels, since physical visits are conducive to unintended additional purchases. It depends on geographic and taste factors that enterprises coordinate their channels, hence enhancing brand recognition,” said Bao.

    In the race of omnichannel retailing, the essential survival tip is understanding, satisfying, and building trust with customers. To achieve this, retailers are responsible for guaranteeing the authenticity, quality, and timeliness of merchandise. Logistics, therefore, should be an investment priority.

    The Gioi Di Dong used to outsource its logistics but has since developed its own delivery capabilities. FPT Shop utilises its own store staff for delivery.

    “In that way, our delivery staff can directly consult the customers on product use and ensure our reputation,” commented Bao.

    Regarding logistics, Luong Duy Hoai, CEO of Giao hang nhanh (GHN) said, in the future, a product from abroad can easily reach Vietnamese consumers. The same goes for Vietnamese goods sold to other countries.

    Therefore, it is no longer a matter of speed but of agility to comprehend and lead the industry landscape by market shares. The challenge for modern retailing is the shipment of million, even tens of millions, of orders on a daily basis. The ultimate success factor lies in a delivery network that can address the complexities of increasingly customised demands. It is up to each retailer to rapidly transform its model according to the current technological trends.

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  • Foxconn to set up manufacturing hub in India

    Foxconn to set up manufacturing hub in India

    Foxconn will invest up to 320 billion rupees ($4.9 billion) to establish more manufacturing capabilities in India, in response to the nation’s recent legislative changes designed to incentivize local manufacturing.

    The company plans to exponentially scale up its Indian operations, opening new factories and expanding its manufacturing footprint.

    India has just announced a 10% customs duty on the importation on phones and accessories in a bid to encourage local manufacturing. The move comes two years after he introduction of tax benefits for companies making handsets locally.

    It is currently unclear how the recently-announced GST of up to 18% of the cost of transactions will influence the benefits for local manufacturing.

    According to the report, India currently has the capacity to produce up to four million devices per month, manufacturing phones for companies including Xiaomi, Oppo, InFocus, Nokia and Gionee.

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  • Devialet is expanding in Asia

    Devialet is expanding in Asia

    Nowadays, new technologies and innovations enable consumers to improve their lifestyle. In the domain of audio, it allows music to be more accessible, while delivering a better quality of sound. It is through this vision that Devialet operates in the industry.

    Devialet is a French tech start up and innovator in breakthrough sound technology. The brand invented proprietary technologies to deliver the highest sound quality including ADH (Analog Digital Hybrid) Intelligence. This invention enables hybridization between the preciseness of analogue sound and the power of digital to produce a sound with the upmost clarity without any saturation or distortion. This innovation constitutes a major milestone in the history of the audio industry. Founded in 2007 by three French co-founders, Devialet quickly imposed itself in the audio market as a high-tech innovative brand. Indeed, its disruptive technology is combined with an iconic design to offer desirability and uniqueness.

    Two lines are available on the market at the moment. The Expert Pro range, introduced in 2010, features the best performance amplifier systems for audiophiles regardless of the price and size. In parallel, the Phantom – a high performance wireless speaker featuring Devialet’s proprietary technology has been available since 2015. Phantom is the pinnacle of high-end audio devices, delivering a revolutionary acoustical experience that has zero distortion, saturation or background noise. The Phantom is available in three different specifications: Phantom (750W, 99dB), Silver Phantom (3000W, 105dB) and Gold Phantom (4500W, 108dB).

    As Julien Bergère, General Manager of Devialet Asia Pacific tells us, it is hard to identify a specific profile of consumer. He justifies his opinion by stating that “music is universal” and customers need to “experience the power of Devialet sound for themselves”. To Julien, it’s “always interesting to welcome a customer whose intention is to purchase a Bluetooth audio system retailing at 300USD for example, who then ends up purchasing our Phantom which starts at just over 2,000USD”. In order to create such opportunities, Devialet is working on further developing its brand awareness and securing high visibility and high traffic premium retail locations. In this way, the brand can deliver an intense audio experience that potential customers will remember.

    In addition to its strategic locations, Devialet also places great emphasis on its store design to enhance the customer’s experience. All of the boutiques have at least one sealed listening room where customers can enjoy sound demos from the Phantom range. This original retail concept allows the brand to share the Devialet difference with potential customers and in the case of the Harbour City store with two listening rooms – multiple clients can enjoy a private demo at the same time. According to Julien Bergère, this is the “key to discovering the power of Devialet sound”. This concept was first introduced in Hong Kong in 2016. An immersive room (a Devialet pop-up concept) was installed in Pacific Place for local customers to experience the Phantom.

    Moreover, this pop-up triggered the beginning of Devialet’s retail expansion in Asia. The first flagship store opened in January 2017 in Hong Kong’s IFC mall, followed by the opening of a second store in Harbour City on June 22nd 2017. A Devialet immersive room will also open in Festival Walk in July. Elsewhere in Asia, a Devialet immersive room launched in Taipei on 1st June and the brand will open two stores in Singapore in July to accelerate its expansion in the region.

    This consequent growth comes with the Devialet’s will to innovate and share their passion. Julien Bergère mentions the importance of partnerships to enhance the brand’s experience further. As he says, “we are looking for partnerships that speak to our hearts as musicians”. In March of this year, Devialet launched a partnership with the French leather-maker Berluti to create a limited edition leather Cocoon (the Phantom travel bag), which is available in Hong Kong with extremely limited quantities. In parallel, Devialet announced a 10-year partnership with the Paris Opera, which will start in September with a series of collaborations. This includes a Sound Discovery Area inside the Paris Opera, a co-branded product line and an Opera “hors le murs” outside the walls project, offering new way to listen to and experience opera through live-streaming. Again, this illustrates the constant desire to innovate and improve consumer’s lifestyles and elevate the listening experience.

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  • Samsung confirms launch of refurbished Galaxy Note 7s

    Samsung confirms launch of refurbished Galaxy Note 7s

    Samsung Electronics said Sunday it would start selling a refurbished version of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone this week after an embarrassing recall over exploding batteries rocked the tech giant last year.

    The recall of millions of Galaxy Note 7 devices cost the world’s largest smartphone maker billions of dollars in lost profits and hammered its global reputation.

    The refurbished device, made of recalled, unsealed Note 7 handsets and unused components are outfitted with new batteries, Samsung said in a statement.

    The limited-edition phone — the Galaxy Note Fan Edition (FE) — will hit shelves in South Korea on July 7, Samsung said, adding it would only sell 400,000 units at home.

    The firm said it would decide later whether to release the refurbished edition elsewhere, which is priced at 699,000 won ($611) domestically, far lower than the previous version that was nearly $1,000.

    About three million Galaxy Note 7 handsets were returned to the firm last year, but campaign groups including Greenpeace have expressed concern that discarding the phones could harm the environment.

    “The latest launch of the Galaxy Note FE… has a significant meaning as an environment-friendly project that minimised the waste of resources,” Samsung said in a statement.

    The recall — the largest-ever by the South Korean tech giant — was deeply embarrassing for Samsung, but it has just launched a new flagship device, the Galaxy S8, to positive reviews and strong orders.

    In April Samsung posted its biggest quarterly net profit in more than three years, although the company has come under pressure on wider fronts.

    Lee Jae-Yong, the Samsung group’s vice-chairman and heir to its leadership, is on trial for bribery over his role in a massive corruption scandal that brought down impeached former president Park Geun-Hye.

    Lee is accused of bribing Park and her confidante Choi Soon-Sil with millions of dollars to seek regulatory favours.

  • Samsung to invest $380 mln, add almost 1,000 jobs

    Samsung to invest $380 mln, add almost 1,000 jobs

    Samsung plans to invest $380 million and hire nearly 1,000 workers for a new plant in South Carolina to manufacture home appliances, the company announced Wednesday.

    Samsung Electronics America described it as a “state of the art” facility that starting next year will build premium home products, including washing machines, and will be staffed with craftsmen, engineers and operators.

    U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who is leading President Donald Trump’s “America First” manufacturing and trade strategy, applauded the announcement and appeared at a signing ceremony with South Carolina officials.

    Ross said in a statement the investment was “a direct reflection of the fact that America is becoming an even stronger destination for global businesses looking to grow.”

    Samsung said ultimately facility in the southern U.S. state will be “serving as the U.S. hub for home appliance manufacturing across the business unit.”

    “For nearly 40 years, Samsung has steadily expanded our operations in the United States,” said Tim Baxter, chief executive of Samsung Electronics America.

    “With this investment, Samsung is reaffirming its commitment to expanding its U.S. operations and deepening our connection to the American consumers, engineers and innovators who are driving global trends in consumer electronics.”

    The company alluded to incentives granted by the state government as a factor in the decision to invest in the project, which upgrades a plant formerly owned by machinery manufacturer Caterpillar.

    The South Carolina commerce department said it approved job development credits for the project by the South Korean technology giant.

    The facility also will receive $2.75 million in incentives from Santee Cooper, an electric utility owned by the state, the Post & Courier newspaper reported.

    A Samsung spokesperson declined to comment on the incentives package.

    On its website, the South Korean company said the investment decision was driven by the high-skilled workforce in South Carolina, the state’s record in attracting and retaining other global businesses, “strong local government leadership” and strong highway and port facilities.

    The Samsung spokesperson denied news reports saying the company was moving operations to South Carolina from Mexico.

    “We’re expanding our footprint in the U.S. to meet the surging demand for our products in that market and to increase the speed with which we can adapt our products to the preferences of American consumers,” she said.

    “Mexico is an important market for Samsung and our manufacturing operations in the country continue to serve as a major production bases for the company in Latin America.”

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  • Connected consumers driving growth of smart devices in Asia Pacific

    Connected consumers driving growth of smart devices in Asia Pacific

    Action cameras, flat panel TVs and wearables were the fastest-growing technology products in the past year.

    The consumer technology market in Asia Pacific (APAC) has grown tremendously over the past year, with the introduction of new technologies and advancements of existing technologies.

    One innovative product that is gaining popularity in the market is the action camera. More brands (from 2 brands in 2015 to 13 brands in 2016) that offer 360-degree features have entered the market. In the last 12 months, emerging markets in APAC have been the key growth driver for such action cameras, registering 57% and 33% increase in sales volume and value respectively, while the region’s developed markets experienced a corresponding 9% and 40% growth last year.

    Action cameras with 4K features are also selling well with sales accounting for 47% and 52% growth in volume and value respectively in APAC. Meanwhile, emerging markets in the region contributed up to 46% share of the pie in both volume and value terms.

    “Nowadays, consumers are increasingly sharing videos, contributing to the rising popularity of action cameras,” said Gerard Tan, Senior Director, Technology at GfK Asia. “Besides one of its key draw factors of being able to connect seamlessly to today’s smartphones, action cameras also tend to appeal to active consumers who are seeking new and interesting ways to record their lifestyle activities to view or share in full HD quality.”

    Another product which has jumped onto the 4K bandwagon is TVs. In the past year, 4K TVs, also known as Ultra High Definition (UHD), have been gaining traction as sales growth hit over 103% in units across APAC in the past 12 months, with the market upgrading the display resolutions from Full High Definition (FHD) to UHD. Demand is expected to continue to rise at a rate of 42% in 2017, with emerging economies projected to register higher growth (55%) due to the erosion of UHD prices.

    “There is a rising uptake of 4K TVs as discerning consumers are increasingly choosing UHD TV technology due to its sleek design and better image quality,” observed Tan. “The popularity of UHD will subsequently create more opportunities for content studios to produce better image content, especially when more recording devices are beginning to support 4K recording, enabling more UHD content to be made readily available for consumers.”

    Since the advent of the Smart TV in 2011, there have been ample opportunities for companies to develop TV software for its platforms. In the last 12 months, sales of Smart TVs in APAC continued to increase by 40% to reach over 5 million units.

    One of the latest technologies available in the TV market is OLED TV—a TV display technology based on the characteristics of organic light-emitting diodes. According to GfK findings, OLED TV has been registering significant growth since its launch in APAC in 2014, growing in demand from 7,000 units in 2014 to 98,000 units in 2016. As more brands continue to come into the equation, the OLED TV market is projected to expand further by more than 63% in 2017, with huge growth anticipated from the developed markets in APAC.

    Meanwhile, core wearables, comprising smart watches, and, health and fitness trackers, is yet another thriving category within the consumer electronics. Total sales units in the last year reached 3.3 million across developed APAC markets as consumer spending on the product category grew 9% year on year.
    “Heart Rate Sensor and GPS are generally the key features that appeal to consumers looking to purchase a wearable device, and this is reflected in the significant increase in devices that provide these features. The sales of wearables with heart rate sensors rose by 28% within a year, while devices with inbuilt GPS almost doubled (98%) during the same time period,” said Tan.

    With consumers embracing the digital lifestyle and using smart devices, the overall consumer technology market in APAC is expected to perform positively this year, with TVs, action cameras and wearables likely to experience further growth.

  • Samsung to sell off refurbished Galaxy Note 7s

    Samsung to sell off refurbished Galaxy Note 7s

    The world’s biggest smartphone maker Samsung will next week start reselling refurbished Galaxy Note 7 devices after a humiliating recall over exploding batteries last year, news reports said Tuesday.

    Samsung Electronics declined to comment on the reports.

    The recall debacle cost the Korean giant billions of dollars in lost profits and hammered its global credibility.

    Around three million Galaxy Note 7 devices were returned to the firm, but campaign groups including Greenpeace expressed concern that discarding them could harm the environment.

    Citing industry sources, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency and other news reports said Samsung would start selling refurbished devices with new batteries and updated software under the name Galaxy Note Fandom Edition (FE).

    They will be priced below 700,000 won ($616) and sales are slated to start July 7, Yonhap said.

    The recall was deeply embarrassing for Samsung but it has just launched a new flagship device, the Galaxy S8, to positive reviews and strong orders.

    In April it posted its biggest quarterly net profit for more than three years, although it has come under pressure on wider fronts.

    Lee Jae-Yong, the Samsung group vice-chairman and heir to its leadership, is on trial for bribery in connection with the sprawling corruption scandal that brought down former South Korean president Park Geun-Hye.

    Lee is accused of bribing Park and her secret confidante Choi Soon-Sil with millions of dollars to seek government favours.

    He has effectively been at the helm of the group since his father suffered a heart attack in 2014.

    His indictment in February sent shockwaves through the firm and triggered the announcement of a major reform of its top-down management style.

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  • Samsung targets Millennials with Galaxy S8-enabled experience zones

    Samsung targets Millennials with Galaxy S8-enabled experience zones

    Samsung has created four unique experience zones across 11 partner retail locations in Singapore as part of its Galaxy S8 nationwide launch. Titled “Galaxy Plus”, the campaign was conceptualised and produced by Cheil Worldwide, and will run for three months until the end of August.

    In a statement, Samsung’s spokesperson said the company will primarily be using print, out-of-home and social channels to promote the Galaxy S8, in addition to “Galaxy Plus”. The campaign’s objective is to show how the Galaxy S8 and its ecosystem allows Millennials to explore experiences that was previously not possible.

    Each “Galaxy Plus” zone is specially designed and created to showcase the characteristics and benefits of a particular Galaxy S8 feature or companion product.

    1. #throwback360 – The nation’s first 360° photo booth, designed to recreate nostalgic memories of growing up in Singapore with the Gear 360 (2017) camera.

    2. VRcade – A VR gaming area featuring the new Gear VR with Controller, where shoppers immerse themselves in Singapore’s first nationwide VR game tournament.

    3. DeXspace – A multi-media zone that brings to life the DeX Station: a dock that allows the Galaxy S8 to connect to a bigger screen so it can be used just like a desktop.

    4. Samsung Pay – A zone that is a cross between a Lego play area and an old-school game arcade. It lets shoppers experience the secure way to pay with Samsung Pay, and earn virtual tokens for a chance to win their very own Lego figurine from a classic claw machine.

    The four zones also feature prominent social media influencers – Andrea Chong (#throwback360), Jessica Tham (DeXspace) and Eden Ang (VRcade) – who will host monthly activities for families with prizes to be won.

    “‘Galaxy Plus’ was borne out of a desire to let millennials experience the Galaxy S8 product ecosystem for themselves in the most relevant ways,” said Eugene Goh, VP, Mobile & IT,Samsung Singapore. “So they see firsthand just how the S8 truly unboxes the passions they care about, in an in-store idea that goes far beyond traditional advertising.”

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  • LG G6+ launched with bigger RAM and storage, will debut in South Korea

    LG G6+ launched with bigger RAM and storage, will debut in South Korea

    LG has launched a new variant of its widely-appealing G6 with bigger RAM and storage. The new LG G6+ was announced alongside a slew of upgrades to the G6.

    Specs wise, the LG G6+ more or less has the same features seen on G6. You have a 5.7-inch QHD+ display and a Snapdragon 821 processor, with the same 3,300 mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 support and Qi wireless charging.

    The processor however is paired with a bigger 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. If you recall, the base model had launched with a 4GB of RAM and 32GB storage. As for software, the device will run Android 7.0 Nougat with LG UX 6.0 out of the box.

    On the optics front, LG has not expanded the sensors, but retains the same dual 13MP cameras at the back and 5MP front shooter. When the LG G6 launched, it was the world’s first smartphone to support Dolby Vision. On LG G6+ as well users will enjoy the same.

    According to reports, the LG G6+ will be priced at KRW 999,800 ($892). LG is yet to make any official announcement on the pricing or release date. However, we know this for sure that it would first retail in South Korea after which it will debut in other markets. LG G6+ will be available in choices like Optical Astro Black, Optical Terra Gold, and Optical Marine Blue.

    As for the existing owners of the LG G6, there are some new updates on the software front. A new firmware update brings the Face Print feature that will allow users to unlock their device through facial recognition functionality. Also, a new featured called Low Power Consumption was added to optimize battery usage. The LG G6 has been among the biggest releases of the year so far.

  • Huawei will leapfrog Apple and HP to lead the PC market in five years

    Huawei will leapfrog Apple and HP to lead the PC market in five years

    Huawei will become the top personal computer maker in the world in three to five years, leapfrogging the likes of Apple, Lenovo and HP, a top executive at the firm told on Wednesday, just days after launching new notebook devices.

    In May, the Chinese firm took the wraps off of the MateBook X, MateBook D and MateBook E — the X is a laptop that competes directly with Apple’s MacBook line of products. For its part, the company says it is bullish on its plans in the PC space.

    “Whenever Huawei decides to enter an area, make a product, our target is always to be a global leader,” said Wan Biao, chief operating officer of Huawei’s consumer business group. “I think this comes from Huawei’s unswerving input in R&D, and our innovation capabilities. I think these has already been proven in our smartphone products.”

    When asked how long it will take to sit at the top spot in the market, Wan said the “process would take about three to five years.”

    The PC market has been declining for several years, but it recorded 0.6 percent growth in the first quarter of 2017, according to data from IDC. Given that low growth, it’s an incredibly tough market.

    HP, Lenovo, Dell, Apple, and Acer make up the top five players in the world by market share, IDC said. So if Huawei becomes number one, that would mean beating out those top players. Wan, however, said he’s confident.

    “Of course, we are confident because of Huawei’s powerful innovation capabilities. In fact, in the laptop space some technologies are the same with smartphone. In the meantime, with the development of AI, AR and VR [artificial intelligence, augmented reality and virtual reality] technologies, the chance to succeed will only grow bigger for a strong innovative company,” Wan told.

    Huawei’s consumer business is relatively young and began with smartphones. The Chinese giant is seeing success: reported revenues in its consumer business group were up 42 percent year-on-year in 2016 to 178 billion yuan ($26.19 billion). Smartphone shipments were up 29 percent to 139 million units, and Huawei is now the third-largest smartphone vendor in the world by market share.

    Wan’s projection of being the top PC maker in only a few years mirrors similar bullishness from the company about smartphones. In 2016, Richard Yu, the CEO of the consumer division at Huawei, told that the firm would be number one in smartphones by 2021.

    It may seem odd that Huawei is entering a stagnant market, but the tactic is to try and create an ecosystem of products for consumers. Not only does Huawei have smartphones, but it also sells smartwatches and Wi-Fi routers. Laptops are another edition to the portfolio.

    “I think for Huawei’s strategy, one of the most crucial points is the connectivity of all things. Every object in the world should be able to connect … Therefore Huawei is also developing our business over these notions,” Wan said.

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  • Oppo eyes phone sales of 100m

    Oppo eyes phone sales of 100m

    OPPO, the No. 1 smartphone vendor in China in 2016, plans to sell 100 million phones globally as it taps its models’ strong photography features and the company’s offline retail channels.

    Oppo partners Sony and Qualcomm to develop customized processors and photography technologies used in its new flagship model R11, the successor to the Oppo R9s — the world’s best selling Android smartphone in the first quarter of 2017.

    The R11 has dual camera including a 20-megapixel front camera for selfie fans, a Sony sensor specially designed for Oppo, and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processor with photography optimization bokeh.

    In 2016, Oppo ranked No. 1 in China’s smartphone market with 18.1 percent, according to US-based IDC.

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