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Category: General

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

  • Vietjet eyes 10-fold jump in profits amid return to post-pandemic normalcy

    Vietjet eyes 10-fold jump in profits amid return to post-pandemic normalcy

    Budget airline Vietjet targets profits of VND1 trillion (US$43.14 million) this year, 10 times the 2021 figure, as it seeks to recover from a two-year slump caused by Covid-19.

    It eyes a 2.5-fold rise in revenues to VND32.72 trillion. At the company’s annual general meeting on Saturday, shareholders expressed concern over the rising oil prices, but the management was optimistic.

    To Viet Thang, deputy CEO, revealed that when oil prices reach $100 per barrel, operation costs increase by 50 percent.

    CEO Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao said the airline has flown when oil prices were above $100 and still made profits.

    “We are always ready to buy fuel at low price and store them to optimize costs.”

    She also said a surcharge is levied when fuel prices surge and this eases the burden on the company.

    Vietjet plans to return to its pre-pandemic schedule domestically and resume 70 percent of international flights.

    Shareholders approved a plan to issue up to 54 million new shares, or 10 percent of the company’s free float.

    Vietjet recently placed a $35-billion order for 200 Boeing 737 aircraft and engine maintenance services.

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  • Vietnam Airline sells stake in Cambodian carrier

    Vietnam Airline sells stake in Cambodian carrier

    Vietnam Airlines has sold a 35 percent stake in Cambodia Angkor Air for US$35 million.

    It had bought a 49 percent stake in the Cambodian carrier in 2009 and promised to help it expand.

    But in 2020 it had expressed its intention to sell of its stake due to Covid-19. It is now set to divest the remaining 14 percent in by the end of this year.

    Vietnam Airlines’ accumulated losses climbed to VND21.98 trillion ($955.6 million) last year, roughly the same as its charter capital.

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  • Google Assistant could soon learn to recognize your voice

    Google Assistant could soon learn to recognize your voice

    9to5Google has discovered hidden strings of code in recent iterations of the Google app that could indicate a big improvement is coming to Google Assistant. Already widely considered to be the best digital assistant offered on devices today, the code discovered by 9to5Google seems to discuss a voice recognition system that would allow Assistant to recognize your voice.
    The strings of code related to “Personalized speech recognition” could appear in the Google Assistant settings with a description that reads, “Store audio recordings on this device to help Google Assistant get better at recognizing what you say. Audio stays on this device and can be deleted any time by turning off personalized speech recognition. Learn more.”
    Google already has a support article about what is called “federated learning.” The support page says, “Federated learning is a privacy-enhancing technology that we use to improve models on device without sending users’ raw data to Google servers. Google Assistant uses federated learning to improve “Hey Google.” When you ask, “Hey Google, what’s the weather tomorrow?” an on-device model detects that you said “Hey Google,” then sends your query to Google Assistant.”

    Google notes that “this model might activate when you didn’t intend it to, for example, if there is a noise that sounds like ‘Hey Google.’ Also, it might not trigger when you did say ‘Hey Google.’ We now use federated learning to refine the ‘Hey Google’ model and try to reduce misactivations and misses.”

    Learning your voice could help Google Assistant transcribe more accurately some of the common phrases you say often and contacts you mention the most. On some of Google’s smart home devices such as the 2nd-gen Nest Hub and Mini, Google uses a machine learning chip that processes the queries and tasks you vocalize the most in order for Assistant to deliver “a much faster response time.”
    Google could be looking to expand this capability from your smart home devices to your Android-powered mobile products by asking you to opt in if interested,. The files would stay on your device until you disable the system
    You might have noticed recently that when calling your credit card companies, some are now pointing out that they are capturing samples of your voice to match with future phone calls for security purposes. Also, Google notes that “If you turn this feature off, your Assistant will be less accurate at recognizing names and other words that you say frequently. All audio used to improve speech recognition for you will be deleted from this device.”

    It’s all part of Google’s attempt to allow users to have more natural conversations with Google Assistant starting next year. During Google I/O 2022, the company revealed that the Assistant will be able keep a conversation going simply by making “eye contact” so that things can get done without having to say the “Hey Google” hotword.

    As many of you Pixel 6 series users know, certain actions called Quick Phrases can be said to Google Assistant to have the tasks done without having to say “Hey Google” first. These tasks include:
    • Set a timer or alarm
    • Ask for the time
    • Turn the lights on or off
    • Cancel a timer or alarm
    • Dim or brighten the lights
    • Ask for the weather
    This summer, Google is reportedly planning to  add Quick Phrases to the Nest Hub Max.
    While it isn’t clear how many Android phones are sold each year on the basis of Google Assistant’s overwhelming superiority over Siri, many iPhone users end up installing the iOS Google Assistant app and using it instead of Siri on their iPhone. While Google Assistant does work better on an Android phone, installing the iOS version of the app will allow you to set your iPhone’s alarm using Assistant, and call or text friends and family members.
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  • DuckDuckGo Mobile Browser blocks you from being tracked

    DuckDuckGo Mobile Browser blocks you from being tracked

    Since it was first released on February 29th, 2008, DuckDuckGo has became known as a privacy-first search engine, a browser that blocks trackers from following you, and an app that protects you from trackers even when you’re simply accessing your email.
    Now you’re probably wondering how DuckDuckGo makes money, and that is a fair question. The company explains that since it doesn’t collect your personal data, the search results you see on DuckDuckGo are based on the websites you are viewing rather than allowing trackers to use your browsing history to figure out who you are as a person. For example, if you are searching for cars, you’ll see search recommendations on DuckDuckGo about cars.
    And since search results aren’t based on the data profile that others create about you, the search results you see and the accompanying ads are all based on keywords you’ve typed in. As an example, if you open the DuckDuckGo app and search for dishwashers, you’ll see results for dishwashers that are for sale. On the other hand, if you search on Google, your searches become part of a data profile that allows advertisers to follow you around the internet.
    When you search for something on Google, you soon see ads for the product all over the place when you’re online. According to the Princeton Web Transparency & Accountability Project, Google has trackers following you on 76% of websites on the internet. The same source says that Facebook has hidden trackers on 25% of websites online.
    As a result, Google and Amazon have created huge data profiles that track your “interests, past purchases, search, browsing and location history, and much more. This personal data is stored indefinitely and used for invasive targeted advertising that can follow you around the Internet. And this information can be used for “hyper-targeting” which allows bad actors to use this data to influence elections, create discriminatory scenarios, and more.
    DuckDuckGo quotes former Google CEO and Chairman Eric Schmidt as saying that “Google’s policy on a lot of these things is to get right up to the creepy line, but not cross it.” But as the search engine points out, “for most people, that line was crossed by Google, Facebook, and others long ago.”
    If you want to give DuckDuckGo a shot, you can install it on your iPhone from the App Store, or for your Android phone from the Google Play Store.
    Now we must point out that not everyone has a disdain for being tracked across the internet. It does help some people more easily compare pricing on a product they are interested in buying.
    When you open a website using DuckDuckGo, you can see how many trackers are blocked by the app in real time. For example, 24 trackers were disabled on the ESPN site when we used the DuckDuckGo browser to visit the site just seconds ago. On the DuckDuckGo app, you can go into settings to block email trackers and hide your email address without switching your email provider. You can also sign up for App Tracking Protection and block trackers hiding in your other apps.

    Inside the settings menu on the app, there is a setting for you to change the color of the iconic DuckDuckGo icon. The bow-tie wearing drake can be changed to appear in orange, red, green, blue, purple, and black.

     

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  • Facebook to charge 5 pct tax on Vietnam ads

    Facebook to charge 5 pct tax on Vietnam ads

    Facebook parent Meta will charge a 5 percent value added tax on all Vietnamese advertisements starting June 1 after assuring the government it will fulfill its tax obligations.

    Meta executives last week told Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh that the company would register and pay tax as a foreign contractor doing business in Vietnam.

    Authorities have been calling for properly taxing tech giants like Meta and Google, pointing out they account for around 70 percent of the online advertisement market but use various means to evade tax.

    They taxed cross-border platforms a total of VND5 trillion ($218.5 million) between 2018 and last year.

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  • Microsoft files patent for a phone that folds both ways

    Microsoft files patent for a phone that folds both ways

    When we are talking book-type foldable phones, the market has gone two separate ways. There’s the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 way, where the big display folds in and stays inside the phone’s shell, with a secondary screen on the outside, which you can use for quick operations, a-la “regular smartphone”. Then, there’s the Huawei Mate Xs 2 way, where the display folds on the outward side of the device — so, when folded, you are still using that big screen as your main source for viewing and use.

    Both concepts have their pros and cons, and many find themselves wondering “Do I want an inwards-folding or outwards-folding phone?”. Well, Microsoft would like to ask “Why not both?”.
    A patent was recently filed by the team at Redmond, which outlines a foldable phone with a flap that can go 360 degrees around its hinge — so, it can both fold in and fold out. Yes, the Microsoft Surface Duo 2 can absolutely do this, however, the Duo phones are very obviously 2-screen devices that are bolted together by a hinge in the middle. The patent that was discovered here shows a phone with a seamless screen, from one side to the other.
    That sounds pretty tough — a screen that can fold in and out straight through its middle, and still withstand all that physical strain. Is it even possible?
    Well, as Android Headlines kindly points out, LG recently demonstrated one such display panel. Yes, the same LG that quit the smartphone game is still going strong in other areas, display manufacturing being one of them.
    LG Display was at SID 2022 (Society for Information Display expo) and showed its vision for the future of OLED. A few concept devices were on the show floor — both smartphone- and laptop-shaped ones — with flaps that were able to fold all the way in and out to a 360-degree angle.
    The screens are made with ultra-thin glass technology and have special oleophobic coating that should be at least a bit better at keeping fingerprints away from the glossy screen. So, in theory, this could be the exact tech Microsoft might be planning to use for its outwards-folding phone.
    Will this be the Surface Duo 3? That’s possible. The rumor mill is quite mum on another Surface Duo right now, and it seems Microsoft may be skipping this year in order to refine its foldable concept. So, it’s very possible that we are going to see a high tech Surface Duo 3… a year or two from now.
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  • Vietnam Airlines posts $113 mln Q1 loss

    Vietnam Airlines posts $113 mln Q1 loss

    Vietnam Airlines remained in the red in Q1 despite revenues rising to a two-year high, with net losses of VND2.62 trillion (US$113.1 million). Revenues were up 55 percent year-on-year to VND11.6 trillion, the highest since 2020, when Covid-19 started to cripple the aviation industry.

    But it reported a ninth consecutive quarterly loss, with a total gross loss from the sales of products and services of around VND1.6 trillion due to higher costs. Fuel, for example, cost VND465 billion more than budgeted and accounted for 30 percent of transport costs.

    The carrier said the results clearly reflected the impact of Covid on the aviation industry despite the relatively quick recovery by the domestic market. Meanwhile, international services remain in limbo, and the Russia-Ukraine crisis has driven fuel prices up sharply.

    As of March 31, Vietnam Airlines’ accumulated losses were VND24.5 trillion, some VND2.16 trillion higher than its charter capital. The management said the airline could “basically maintain its liquidity until this year-end” based on the expected recovery by the industry.

    But it also sought the government’s support to ensure liquidity and seeks to accelerate the restructuring of subsidiaries and associates.

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  • Google Chat receives another protection against phishing attacks

    Google Chat receives another protection against phishing attacks

    Phishing scams are widespread, and if you are not careful enough, you can become a victim of one. As a result, Google has embedded warning messages in its Gmail and Google Drive services, alerting users when the apps discover suspicious links or malware. And this safety feature is finally rolling out to Google Chat as well.

    In a blog post, Google announced that Google Chat users will see these warning banners when they receive suspicious links from people with personal Google Accounts. When you get one, Chats should display a big red banner saying, “This invite is suspicious,” letting you know that the conversation contains links to known phishing sites.

    The banner gives you a choice to either block the message or, if you are sure that it is safe, accept it despite the warning. Of course, these alerts are intended to make you pause for a moment and consider whether the sender of the message can be trusted, in the hope that you will be more cautious.

    Google stated that the new Chat feature will be available to Google Workspace, G Suite Basic and Business customers, and users with personal Google Accounts within the next 15 days.

  • Pokemon GO announces new social features and raid updates

    Pokemon GO announces new social features and raid updates

    Pokemon GO developer Niantic has just announced new social features that will be available for players in a separate app they will need to download. Early this month, the company launched a social app experience in closed beta, which was only available for Ingress players.

    During the closed beta, the app allowed Ingress players to find other players by creating local communities, add and manage friends and other players across all Niantic titles, organize chats with friends in one place and coordinate raids, as well as create and share local events, farms, or meetups with reminders.

    All, or at least some of the most important features, will be available in Pokemon GO sometime in the next few months. They are meant to make communication between Pokemon GO players easier and let them discover new communities, as well as enjoy local raid battles.

    Additionally, starting this month, Mega Energy and Rare Candy XL will be available as rewards for completing local raid battle, which will make it easier to evolve and strengthen Pokemon. Furthermore, beginning on May 23, the shop’s 1 PokeCoin Event Box will no longer include Remote Raid Passes and will instead feature a rotating array of items.

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  • Lotte prepares to shut its China headquarters

    Lotte prepares to shut its China headquarters

    Lotte, Korea’s largest retailer, has decided to pull out of China altogether, due to the country’s continued retaliation against Korean firms after Seoul’s decision to station a U.S. anti-missile battery in 2016, as well as sluggish private consumption amid the prolonged COVID-19 lockdown. Instead, Lotte plans to focus on Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and other Southeast Asian markets.

    Lotte will close down its Chinese headquarters in the first half of this year and most of its employees there have already returned to Korea, the company said Sunday. The only process left is the cancellation of its business license.

    “We have practically completed the withdrawal of our business from China. We only have paperwork left. We are maintaining our stance on expanding our business in Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia, but COVID-19 is still a problem there so we are closely watching the situation,” said an official at Lotte Holdings, which is the conglomerate’s parent company.

    Lotte established its Chinese headquarters in 2012 to supervise the group’s businesses there. Lotte Shopping, Lotte Holdings and Lotte Chemical invested 70 percent, 15 percent and 15 percent, respectively, in the Chinese headquarters.

    China was one of Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin’s key markets for global business. Shin had aimed to achieve 200 trillion won ($157.1 billion) in sales to become one of Asia’s top 10 retailers by 2018.

    However, the Korean government deployed a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system on a golf course in Korea owned by Lotte despite strong opposition from China. In retaliation, Beijing started to impose tougher regulations on Lotte’s subsidiaries in China. Lotte Mart and Lotte Department Store closed down their businesses in China in 2018, followed by Lotte Chilsung Beverage and Lotte Confectionery the next year.

    Lotte also planned to build an amusement park in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, which took a long time to get permission from the Chinese government. The project finally got the green light in April 2019, but was halted soon after due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in China.

    When Lotte closes down its headquarters in China, it will only have one department store operating in Chengdu. The store continues to make a profit, but the amount has been decreasing gradually. Lotte Chemical remains open in China, but it also displayed poor performance there in the first quarter of this year.

    On the other hand, Lotte’s retail businesses in Indonesia and Vietnam are displaying stellar performances.

    Lotte Shopping opened its first department store in Indonesia in 2013 and launched two new stores in Vietnam in 2014 and 2015. The company achieved a profit of 5.9 billion won in the first quarter of this year from those three stores alone. Lotte Mart also operates 49 supermarkets in Indonesia and 14 stores in Vietnam. The group’s retail unit made 8.7 billion won between January and March this year in the two Southeast Asian countries, which is 1.1 billion won more than what it made in the Korean market during the same period.

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  • WhatsApp will stop working on iPhones running iOS 10 and iOS 11 from late October

    WhatsApp will stop working on iPhones running iOS 10 and iOS 11 from late October

    WhatsApp will stop working on iPhones running iOS 10 and iOS 11 later this year, reports WABetaInfo. The WhatsApp Help Center also says that only iOS 12 and newer versions are supported currently.
    Meta-owned, WhatsApp is one of the most popular instant messaging apps in the world and the company often adds new features to the app. Older operating systems may not support new functionalities, which is why newer versions don’t work on older platforms.

    It also costs money to support older operating systems, and this doesn’t make sense if only a small percentage of people are on older platforms.

    WhatsApp has started warning iPhone users on iOS 10 and iOS 11 that they must upgrade to iOS 12 or newer to keep using the app. Otherwise, the app will stop working on their phones after October 24.
    In case you are wondering, the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c are the two phones that are running iOS 10 and iOS 11 at the moment and they are not eligible for another OS upgrade. Considering these devices came out around ten years ago, it’s safe to assume not many people are using them anymore. According to a January report, 72 percent of compatible iPhone models released in the last four years are on iOS 15.

    Consumers who have the iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, or iPhone 6S can continue using the app, for now. If you are an Android user, your phone needs to be on OS 4.1 or newer.

    It’s best to upgrade if your phone is no longer supported by security updates, otherwise, you put yourself at risk. If your budget is tight, there are plenty of cheap options around. Check out our list of the best budget phones of 2022 for more details.
    Otherwise, you can always look for WhatsApp alternatives or make do with simple text messages.
  • 5 Practical Tips for Making a Successful Midlife Career Change

    5 Practical Tips for Making a Successful Midlife Career Change

    Changing careers in Singapore is never an easy decision, especially if you are in your 40s or older. After all, even the mere thought of starting over when you are already nearing the age of retirement can be downright scary. What if you don’t make it? What if you suffer financially? These are just some of the questions that could be plaguing your mind as you ponder the idea.

    But then if the desire to find a more satisfying and rewarding career is much stronger than the fear – or if it has been too long since you felt excited and happy going to work, you may need to consider making a career switch. That said, don’t start by worrying. Contrary to a common misconception, nobody is too old to transition to another career. With the right mindset and proper preparation, you can tread your career-change journey successfully.

    If you’re not sure where to begin, we’re happy to provide you with these five tips that you may want to consider to make a successful midlife career change:

    Know What You Want

    Perhaps the biggest mistake you can commit when making a mid-career change is ending up in a new job that you hate as much as your old job. To avoid this dreadful situation, you need to spend time figuring out what career you truly want to pursue before jumping ship.

    Reflect on your values, motivation, and talents. What are the things that matter to you when it comes to your career? Is it money, the thought of helping people, or making a difference? Make an honest assessment of yourself to have a better idea of the career you want. Once you have an idea of what you truly desire, it is easier for you to plan your next steps and research related opportunities.

    Acquire the Necessary Skill Set

    While you may have the soft skills to help in your new career, you may need to acquire knowledge and a different skill set to qualify for your desired position. As such, try to discover the necessary education and training you require for the career you are eyeing. Afterwards, find affordable ways to acquire what you need.

    Besides looking at free online education options, you may want to take advantage of the different government programs and schemes available to help in your journey. For instance, if you are a Singapore citizen aged 40 and up, you can enrol in one or more of the multiple Skills Future courses and enjoy up to 90 per cent of course fee subsidies under the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy programme. You can also look at Career Conversion Programmes (CCP) by Workforce Singapore (WSG), as these initiatives are focused on helping mid-career people like you who desire to undergo skills conversion.

    Consider Your Finances

    Without a doubt, making a career change will impact your finances. That is why more often than not, you simply can’t decide to switch jobs one day and then hand in your resignation the next. A large part of planning your transition is ensuring that you can afford to make the change, especially if you are the breadwinner in the family.

    To ease your financial concerns, you may want to create an emergency fund and save enough money to finance your living expenses and other needs for three months or more. By doing so, you will not feel overly burdened in case your career change does not go as planned.

    You may also need to set a budget to fund your education and job hunt since government subsidies can only go so far. And if you are risk-averse, having a backup plan can reduce the stress of transition. Perhaps your parents or spouse can commit to helping you out financially if your savings run out and you still don’t have a stable income.

    Build Your Network

    As you learn new skills and save money to fund your new career, you may want to build your professional network as well. Connecting to people and organizations in your desired field can help you understand what the job entails and allow you to scout for opportunities.

    If you don’t have friends or acquaintances in the sector you desire, you can try reaching out to industry leaders through professional networking sites and similar platforms. Email them directly or attend industry events to meet more people. You can also tap WSG’s Volunteer Career Advisors Initiative if you are a Singapore citizen or a permanent resident to find industry veterans who can guide you in your career-change journey.

    Gird Your Loins

    Despite your preparation and planning, making a career change a bit late in the game is never easy. Aside from practically starting over to earn the necessary qualifications and adjusting your finances, you also have to ready yourself psychologically. After all, having to prove your value all over again and taking orders from superiors and colleagues much younger than you can test your patience and humility. That said, make sure to prepare yourself in all aspects to navigate the career-change process successfully.

    Switching careers in your later years can be challenging. You need to invest time and energy, and you need to work diligently to transition effectively. However, if you are making the change for your happiness, personal fulfilment, and things that matter most, you probably owe it to yourself to at least give it a try. Just remember to plan well, be open to learning, and cover all the bases, and your career-change journey will undoubtedly become one of the best decisions you’ll make in your life.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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  • For Investors: The Good & Bad of Asian Markets

    For Investors: The Good & Bad of Asian Markets

    What’s going on in Asia’s markets? Apparently, they’re following the lead of Western nations’ securities indices and losing significant value. There’s a lot more going on in Japan, China, Korea, and other central trading zones in the hemisphere, but that’s the overall view. However, for anyone intent on getting involved in the region’s economy as an investor or trader, it’s essential to gather all the facts.

    Are you interested in taking advantage of the unique opportunities in Asia in 2022? If so, be certain to find out about the potential pitfalls as well. What’s the most comprehensive way to acquire the core facts and make informed decisions? It’s a three-step process that begins with making a tally sheet of pertinent Asia market facts.

    Next, develop a shortlist of hazards that investors might encounter. Finally, create a preference list of the one or two opportunities that suit your investing style, budget constraints, and risk tolerance. Use the details below to get started with each step.

    New and experienced traders interested in using CFDs (contracts for difference) or following cryptocurrencies and forex usually operate from a major online brokerage site in order to maintain the ability to buy and sell in all international markets in a variety of ways.

    Overview of Asia’s Current Markets

    All the major Asian indices were off recently, partly in reaction to US and European declines the previous week but also from a range of local factors that had varying levels of severity. Japan is a case in point as the nation’s domestic economy is starting to show signs of rising inflation alongside weak GDP growth. By definition, the condition is stagflation, but the question is whether Asia’s downturn will mimic those in Western nations. What’s the relevant trading news from Japan, Korea, and nearby economies?

    The last half of May was brutal, as inflation finally began to take hold in otherwise healthy financial conditions. Major corporations in the region posted negative earnings reports, and domestic inflation indicators revved up. The Nikkei index, lost a full three percent of its total value before bouncing a bit just before the May 20 closing bell. News out of South Korea was equally bad, with that nation’s index, the KOSPI, losing more than one percent of its value. The story repeated itself all over Asia as nation after nation endured a truly awful week that began on May 16.

    How did all the down sliding begin? Apparently, Japan and Korea were simply following suit after Wall Street posted one of its worst days in history on May 18. It’s possible to point to a string of corporate earnings troubles as the source of all the Asian financial problems. In the majority of those cases, the companies that reported negative news were some of the world’s largest retailers. Those giant retail corporations are hurting as a result of inflation induced price hikes.

    Possible Risks for Participants

    • Taiwan: Risks in Asia-based economies are often obvious but sometimes can be quite complex and subtle. The ongoing political tension between Communist China and Taiwan could ignite a regional military conflict at any moment. Based on recent statements by mainland officials and members of the Communist Party, Taiwan’s leaders have taken defensive military positions to stave off a possible act of unwarranted aggression.
    • Japan: Once the shining star of the world economy, Japan has fallen on hard times. Amid a national depopulation crisis in which older retirees are not being replaced by young workers at a fast enough rate, domestic production is expected to suffer over the next decade. Additionally, the formerly hot economy is experiencing US-like stagflation amid tepid corporate growth and rising consumer prices.
    • China: The world’s largest dictatorship and centrally controlled economy, China is facing a reckoning that goes to the very core of its political system. Besides the inherent flaws of collectivism, the heavy-handed rule by the one-party government has outlawed private ownership of cryptocurrency and a long list of financial transactions. Investing in China has never been riskier, especially as COVID continues to wreak havoc throughout the country. The government has worked hard to prop up its currency, the yuan, to no avail. In fact, the currency recently posted its weakest month in history. Likewise, the nation’s commodities have suffered their worst fate in years.

    Potential Opportunities

    In Southeast Asia, Indonesia is the current success story of the region. Now coming out of the COVID-induced lag, its banking and manufacturing sectors are largely isolated from the effects of European wars and US-based inflationary pressures. Along with India and Vietnam, Indonesia represents a bright spot in an otherwise downtrodden Asian economic environment.

  • An Instagram Stories update limits the visibility of excessive posts

    An Instagram Stories update limits the visibility of excessive posts

    Instagram has rather silently started implementing changes to their signature Stories feature. A limited number of users have already encountered the new Stories layout, which reduces the visibility of excessive posts.

    At this point, Instagram has become a cultural phenomenon. The social media platform has revolutionized the way people interact and has pushed forward a new philosophy on how we stay connected.

    Over the years, one of the most definitive aspects of Instagram has been Instagram Stories. The feature is rather straightforward – it allows users to share posts, which can only be seen for 24 hours and afterwards they disappear.

    Usually, content that does not warrant a dedicated post on the Feed is usually shared via a Story. At present, users can share up to 100 Stories at the same time. While this number is likely to remain the same, Instagram is now limiting the number of Stories that will receive direct visibility through the dedicated Stories Bar.

    Normally, users can simply tap away and view all Stories shared by the accounts they follow until moving on to the next user automatically. With this newest change, users will only see a maximum of 3 Stories before carrying on to the next account they follow.

    Users will still have the option to see all Stories of a particular account, but that will require tapping on a dedicated “Show All” button which will then display posts beyond the first three.

    The implications of this are rather obvious. This will allow users to quickly skim the Instagram Stories of the accounts they follow, without having to spend an excessive amount of time on a single spammy account.

    A problem arises when one considers how creators use Instagram. As a group, they rely on (sometimes many) Stories in order to promote their content and gain revenue. For the time being, there is no clear timetable of when the Story layout update will be rolled out. It is still theoretically possible for some tweaks to be implemented.

    If the change does get a mass release, it is bound to have an impact on how everyone perceives Instagram Stories. Users will have to think carefully about how they will get the most of their three posts.

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  • Your App Store subscriptions could now charge you more without explicit permission

    Your App Store subscriptions could now charge you more without explicit permission

    Apple’s auto-renewable subscriptions, just like any other automated payment method, can save you a lot of time, especially if you pay for many services. But Cupertino has recently updated its policy, and if you are on a tight budget, you should be even more careful from now on.

    In a blog post, the Cupertino company announced that — starting now —, if the price of a subscription rises and certain criteria are met, the developers could bill you automatically for the next period without requiring you to opt in again for the service. In terms of the specific conditions for this to happen, Apple stated that the price increase must occur only once a year, must not exceed $5 and 50% of the subscription fee, or $50 and 50% for an annual membership price, and must be permissible by local law.

    Apple will, of course, notify you in advance of the price increase via email, push notification, and a message within the app. If you wish, it will also inform you how to view, manage, and cancel your subscriptions.

    It’s important to know that for all subscription price increases above the thresholds, exceeding the annual limit, or occurring within territories where the law requires it, the subscription won’t automatically renew. In this case, you have to manually opt in for the service before the increase takes effect.

    Previously, when there was a price increase, Apple notified you of the change in pricing, and you were automatically opted out of the service. Then you had to manually choose to re-subscribe if you wanted to continue paying for the app in question. But, according to Apple, this method has led to unintentionally interrupted services, as many users just missed or forgot about the opt-in prompt. This is why the Cupertino company decided to introduce the new policy and now, if you are willing to pay the higher price, you don’t have to do anything, because the service will continue to work.

    Of course, it’s very probable that you could miss Apple’s opt-out notifications as well, or forget to cancel your subscription in time before the price change goes into effect. Presumably, this is why the Cupertino company decided to set a threshold. Furthermore, in most cases, you can cancel your subscription at any time, so if you forgot to opt out when it was time, in the worst-case scenario, you lose a few extra bucks.

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