Retail News CRM

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.

  • What Makes An Amazing Neighborhood

    What Makes An Amazing Neighborhood

    When choosing a place for your new home, one of the major features to consider is the neighborhood. You’re not only just buying or renting an apartment but your lifestyle will be affected one way or another based on the surrounding environment.

    A perfect neighborhood doesn’t exist but it can be well suited to your various needs and desires. However, there are some common components to good neighborhoods that can be interpreted universally to all home movers.

    Matching Your Lifestyle

    Consider your current lifestyle. Many people with similar needs tend to gravitate to the same areas. While a suburban neighborhood in a gated community might seem like a dream to some of us, it may not be a good fit for a young single professional that is looking to champion his career. Similarly, small families may not be suitable for a small apartment in a downtown neighborhood due to the noise and excitement.

    Perhaps instead of matching your current lifestyle, you can think of the lifestyle you would like to try out or experience, or even settle down with. For example, if you’re getting married and you are getting a job in the suburban neighborhood, you might want to consider your schedule. You will probably want to spend less time having to travel to work so that you can get enough rest and start a family. In that case, it might be a good idea to choose to stay in the suburbs. If you’re in the LGBT community, you’ll want to live in a neighborhood that’s LGBT-friendly. In that case, you may want to find Fort Lauderdale, Florida Gay Realtors to help you select a neighborhood you want to live in. Surround yourself with the people you want to learn from, and have the courage to pursue that chapter in your life.

    Having Pride in Living in The neighborhood

    When you and your soon-to-be neighbors are proud of your living residences and physical surroundings, the chances for some of you to connect and create small communities are high. This can be a good sign of a good neighborhood environment as its residents are concerned about the betterment of the area.

    Safety First

    Safety will always be one of the top priorities as we want to have peace of mind in our daily activities. A neighborhood with low crime rates can provide you a form of tranquility and assurance that you and your family members can get home safe every day. While not every neighborhood may be crime-free, it will always be a good idea to check out neighborhoods with decreasing crime rates as it is a telltale sign of transitional or improving ones.

    To find out how safe your neighborhood is, do some quick research online to see what kind of crime takes place in the area and how often it happens to see if it is a neighborhood suitable for you.

    Education

    For those with children, you will need to factor in the schools in the vicinity. Good schools often make good neighborhoods. They are essential for your children to grow and mature in, add significant value to the neighborhood and push the property prices up. 

    Available Outdoor Facilities

    Having access to an exciting outdoor adventure can sweeten your experience living in your neighborhood, especially when it’s just a short walk away. Some common outdoor activities include jogging, sailing, or cycling that can help you stay healthy. Meanwhile, there are some neighborhoods that provide access to tennis or badminton courts, swimming pools, and golf courses to spice up your weekly exercise routine.

    Culture

    One of the less popular features of a good neighborhood is its culture. There’s something about a town with a history that makes it more attractive. They often have very stable longtime residents and provide support to the community, which helps keep crime rates at bay. The tree-lined streets can also provide a more established and charming feel to your daily walk home.

    Healthcare

    We’ve all experienced a terrible experience waiting in line to see a doctor. But this feeling of anguish could be made worse if there are no available hospitals or clinics in the vicinity. Try to look for neighborhoods that are close to some form of healthcare services especially when you have seniors or young children living with you.

    Family-friendly

    For those with children, it will be a good idea to find a neighborhood with lots of families. This can help make your lives a little happier as there are opportunities for your children to socialize and make lifelong friends with their neighbors. On the other hand, you will be able to have an easier time with carpooling groups and a bunch of children’s programs to provide you some time off from your kids.

    Access to Public Transportation

    Not all of us have the luxury of owning a car or a vehicle, which makes public transportation exceptionally important in this case. A commuting millennial or a retiree who prefers keeping his or her car at home might be pleased to know that there are other alternatives to traveling.

    Eat, Drink, Play!

    If you’re always finding things to do out of your home, it will be a good idea to find out if there are some restaurants nearby for a quick date option or some shopping outlets to spend your weekends at. Sometimes, it might be a bore to cook dinner every day and a change in environment will be nice.

    You should also see what facilities are near your apartments such as shopping malls, movie theatres, bars, and nightlife. This can spice up your life and a huge priority for someone that loves to enjoy a night out. It will also be pleasing to know that you will be able to get home quickly and safely from the near proximity.

    Conclusion

    Whether you’re a young adult moving out of your home or a large family, it’s always a good idea to think of your circumstances and needs before choosing which neighborhood to move into. There’s no such thing as a bad neighborhood but certain features will definitely make it or break it for you based on your needs.

     

  • Vietjet recognized as most impactful Vietnamese brand worldwide

    Vietjet recognized as most impactful Vietnamese brand worldwide

    Vietjet has achieved another major accolade – winning the ‘Vietnam Brand, Global Impact’ award under the PR Newswire Awards 2020 in recognition of its achievement as a trailblazer in expanding its flight network and brand name proven by creative, meaningful and inspiring activities across the globe.

    The prestigious award is judged by a panel comprising international experts and leaders in the communications and public relations industry.

    Speaking at the award ceremony, Vietjet Group’s Vice President Nguyen Thi Thuy Binh said: “With our mission of constantly expanding our flight network across Asia and boosting trade activities globally, Vietjet has been an inspiring ambassador to bring Vietnam to all international friends as well as contribute towards global tourism and economic development. We achieved this thanks to our expanding network with over 200 routes, more than 100 million passengers transported to-date, many large-scale business deals signed with international partners as well as tens of thousands of jobs created in Asia, Europe and America. We are proud that Vietjet, a Vietnamese brand in the aviation industry, has been favored by millions of customers and partners and has truly become the inspiration for the young generation around the world.”

    Vietjet is also one of the few enterprises and only Vietnamese carrier that brings its brand beyond the country’s border to add more value and inspire others in the international market. In Thailand, Vietjet has established Thai Vietjet, leveraging the Vietnamese brand name of Vietjet.  The carrier has extended both the domestic and international flight network with its base in Suvarnabhumi Airport, Thailand’s largest and busiest airport. The airline has transported more than eight million passengers in Thailand and other countries to famous destinations across the Land of Smiles. It has been welcomed and trusted by the country and people of Thailand.

    The 2020 awards is hosted by PR Newswire, a Cision Ltd. Company which is a leading global provider of news distribution and earned media software and services. It has the world’s largest media distribution network, covering over 300,000 media outlets in more than 170 countries and over 40 languages.

  • 7-Eleven warns of bogus ‘franchisor’ in Cambodia

    7-Eleven warns of bogus ‘franchisor’ in Cambodia

    Convenience-store chain 7-Eleven has warned of a bogus ‘franchisor’ in Cambodia. The company said it received reports that there is an unauthorized party representing itself as 7-Eleven’s master franchisee in the country and attempting to sell outlets.

    The reports promoted the company to issue an announcement confirming that Thailand’s CP All is the sole master franchisee in the market, having the exclusive right to open and operate 7-Eleven stores there.

    Last May, Thailand’s CP Group signed a master franchise agreement to operate the chain in Cambodia. The first store is scheduled to launch in Phnom Penh next year.

    Lees ook:

  • Tops unveils new supermarket retail format in Bangkok

    Tops unveils new supermarket retail format in Bangkok

    Bangkok’s Tops Market Westgate has undergone a major renovation designed to position the supermarket as the “most complete premium lifestyle supermarket in Thailand”.

    The revamp features six “magnet” zones introducing more than 40,000 globally sourced products and focused on meeting a broad range of target consumer trends, in a move to match Central Plaza Westgate’s own development plans and ambitions to become a Western Bangkok shopping hub. The zones include a bakery, health food store, international snacks market, a beauty and lifestyle zone, a dine-in section, and a pet accessories store. The renovation also features a farmers’ market.

    “The complete transformation of Tops Market Westgate is part of our strategy to move our business forward to meet changing consumer trends,” said Central Food Retail COO Sujita Phengoun. “We aim to elevate the shopping experience by offering a premium lifestyle supermarket for our customers to enjoy a new experience and have more fun while shopping.

    “Tops Market Westgate is a blueprint store for our premium lifestyle supermarkets in 2020, offering the most complete products and services in Thailand. There are six new zones that will serve as magnets that draw all customer groups. The renovation is in line with the expansion and increased purchasing power of consumers in Western Bangkok, and resonates with Central Westgate’s strategies to expand our customer base in eight provinces, in order to be the number one destination in Western Bangkok.

    Tops Market Westgate also features a fresh-food zone, a parenting zone, a fashion zone and a promotions zone.

  • All eyes on AirAsia X’s 1Q2020 results

    All eyes on AirAsia X’s 1Q2020 results

    Airasia’sfinancial performance in the first quarter of the year was below expectations, owing to the double whammy of the Covid-19 pandemic and low oil prices, which led to fuel hedge losses.

    As analysts predict more pain ahead for Asia’s largest budget airline, many anticipate losses at its long-haul affiliate AirAsia X Bhd to be worse and for AAX to be in greater need of a cash injection to stay afloat.

    AAX is due to release its first-quarter 2020 earnings results by this month after it was granted an extension of time by Bursa Malaysia. Until then, two analysts The Edge spoke to say they are not revising their full-year revenue and earnings per share (EPS) estimates given the volatile and uncertain market environment.

    In February, analysts raised concerns over AAX’s balance sheet. It had a cash balance of only RM358 million as at Dec 31, 2019, and borrowings of RM6.32 billion.

    With only RM224 million in shareholders’ equity and a market capitalization of RM394.07 million at last Thursday’s close, there is an urgent need for fresh capital injection, they say, adding that AirAsia may need to step in to provide support to AAX.

    “AAX can leverage on AirAsia Group’s balance sheet. AirAsia is still in a net cash position, giving it more room to maneuver. However, AAX focuses on long-haul flights and its flights remain grounded as the nation’s borders remain closed to overseas visitors and even then, people may not be prepared to fly long haul anytime soon,” an analyst from a foreign house tells The Edge.

    According to an investment banker, AirAsia is “still bankable”. The narrative is, however, different from AAX as its long-haul, low-cost airline model remains questionable, he adds.

    AAX’s net loss increased 62% year on year to RM489.48 million in the financial year ended Dec 31, 2019 (FY2019), owing mainly to lower-than-expected revenue. Revenue declined 4% y-o-y to RM4.39 billion in FY2019, owing to fewer passengers carried because of lower demand from 1QFY2019 to 3QFY2019.

    Since AAX’s listing on Bursa in 2013, only two of its financial years (FY2016 and FY2017) have been profitable.

    Year to date, the stock has declined 41%, closing at 9.5 sen last Thursday.

  • More people used Snapchat last quarter although more red ink was spilled

    More people used Snapchat last quarter although more red ink was spilled

    The parent company of social-media app Snapchat, Snap, reported its second-quarter results after the market closed today at 4 pm EDT. During the three months including April, May, and June, Snap reported a 17% hike in revenue year-over-year to $454 million. However, the net loss increased from $255 million during last year’s second quarter to $326 million during the same quarter this year. Snap’s red ink rose 28% from 19 cents per share during the second quarter of 2019 to a loss of 23 cents per share for this year’s second quarter.

    Snapchat had 238 million Daily Active Users during the second quarter, 35 million or 17% more than the 203 million DAUs it reported during the same quarter last year. In North America, Europe, and the Rest of the World, DAUs increased both year-over-year and sequentially during Q2. The number of daily active users also rose year-over-year and sequentially on both the iOS and Android platforms. During the quarter, Snapchat users opened the app nearly 30 times per day on average.

    CEO Evan Spiegel says, “We continued to grow our community and business in a challenging and uncertain environment. I am proud of our team for innovating on new experiences for our community and driving value for our partners, demonstrating the importance of our service in people’s lives. We are grateful that the resilience of our business has allowed us to remain focused on our future growth and opportunity.”

    Some of the Q2 results released by Snap seem promising as the daily average number of users watching Shows rose 40% year-over-year. The daily average of Snapchat users over the age of 35 who were viewing the app’s Discover news feed rose 40% on an annual basis during the second quarter. And Snap also announced expanded multi-year content partnerships with Disney, ESPN, NBC, ViacomCBS, the NBA, and the NFL.

    Snapchat has sure come a long way since it was known as the app that automatically deleted photos in 10 seconds leaving no trace of the X-rated material that was just disseminated. A rumor that circulated in 2013 claimed that Facebook offered $1 billion for Snapchat proving that sometimes the best deals you make are the ones that never get done. On the other hand, Facebook made an amazing deal when it purchased Instagram for $1 billion in 2012. At the time, the latter was known for its camera filters and had about 30 million users. In 2016, Instagram stole Stories from Snapchat; these are visual messages that stay on the app for 24 hours. Instagram now has over 1 billion users and a valuation in excess of $100 billion.

    Snap CFO Derek Anderson said that the early bounce that Snapchat received when the pandemic forced people to stay at home has ended. Anderson also pointed out that things have yet to return to normal making it hard to forecast what the current quarter’s results might be. He stated that “At the onset of widespread shelter in place orders, as people sought to stay connected and entertained from home, we observed an increase in daily active users that informed our initial estimate. This initial lift dissipated faster than we anticipated as shelter in place conditions persisted.

    Advertising demand in Q3 has historically been bolstered by factors that appear unlikely to materialize in the same way they have in prior years, including the back to school season, film release schedules, and the operations of various sports leagues. At this point in time, it is difficult to predict how these factors may impact advertising demand in the remainder of Q3.” The company said that so far in Q3, revenue is up 32% from the previous year, but it expects that growth to slow down through the rest of the quarter, ending up with an increase of 20% in advertising revenue for Q3.

    Investors aren’t grasping the future potential of Snapchat based on the larger flow of red ink. After hours when the report was released, the shares dropped over 6% to $23.20 a share.

  • Luk Fook to close five Hong Kong stores as sales continue to fall

    Luk Fook to close five Hong Kong stores as sales continue to fall

    Luk Fook Holdings has reported a 71-per-cent plunge in first-quarter same-store sales due to the impact of Covid-19 on tourist numbers traveling to Hong Kong.

    However, the company said that entering June, as retail sentiment in Hong Kong and on the mainland gradually improved, the overall same-store sales decline of the company’s self-operated shops narrowed from 76 percent in April and May to 58 percent in June.

    With little likelihood of a quick return of mainland Chinese shoppers into Hong Kong, Luk Fook says it will close about five stores in the territory by the end of this year, which would leave it with 44. However, it plans to open two more in Macau and remains on target to open 150 more on the mainland.

    “The sales decline in the mainland market was lower than the Hong Kong and Macau market as most of the shops in Mainland resumed operations during the quarter and the consumer sentiments recovered gradually,” the company said in a stock-exchange filing.

    Same-store sales at self-operated Lukfook stores on the mainland slumped by 43 percent in April and May but by a lesser 32 percent in June.

    Licensed Lukfook shops, which account for around 95 percent of the company’s mainland network, recorded a lower same-store sales decline of 19 percent compared to that of the self-operated shops, which were mostly located in Northern China and Central China which were more severely impacted by the pandemic during the quarter.

  • Asia outperforms for Groupe L’Occitane as pandemic decimates European sales

    Asia outperforms for Groupe L’Occitane as pandemic decimates European sales

    Strong sales across Asia and rapid online growth helped beauty-products retailer Groupe L’Occitane contain its sales decline during the June quarter to a comparatively respectable 22 percent.

    The Hong Kong-listed company singled out China, South Korea, and Taiwan as its strongest-performing markets, which “bounced back rapidly” after lockdowns, recording year-on-year sales growth of 24.9 percent, 27.4 percent, and 11.5 percent respectively.

    That helped compensate for huge reductions in turnover in Japan, Europe, and the Americas which were impacted by store closures and lockdowns resulting from the pandemic.

    Online sales – including the group’s own sites, marketplaces, and digital direct-selling – soared by 95.8 percent and accounted for 52.6 percent of the group’s total sales of €274.2 million for the quarter.

    Groupe L’Occitane chairman Reinold Geiger said all of the company’s brands, except for LimeLife, were heavily impacted by travel bans and lockdowns, posting sales decreases ranging from 25 percent to 35 percent.

    “LimeLife, however, posted strong growth of 51.6 percent at constant exchange rates, thanks to its resilient online-only business model, as well as successful new product launches, a flash sale and initiatives to recruit beauty guides.”

    The company permanently closed 52 stores during the quarter, mainly due to the closure of underperforming kiosks run by its Brazilian subsidiary L’Occitane au Brésil.

    Lees ook:

  • New Chrome feature being tested for Android can save battery life and data

    New Chrome feature being tested for Android can save battery life and data

    Google is testing a new feature for the Chrome browser app on Android. A “download later” feature will allow Chrome users to schedule downloads on the mobile browser. All the user needs to do is select the time and date when he wants the browser to start downloading. This feature can also be set to start a download from the browser when a Wi-Fi connection is detected.

    The “Download later” feature is being tested on version 86 of the Chrome Canary app. This is a very unstable version of Chrome that can be installed from the Google Play Store. You can enable the feature by downloading the Canary app on your Android phone. Then you need to enable a flag by following these directions: Open Chrome Canary and type in chrome://flags. Search for “Enable download later.” You will see three options from a drop-down menu; select “Enabled” and restart the Chrome Canary app. Once this has occurred, whenever you try to download a webpage from Chrome you will see the options to “Choose when to download” with Now, over Wi-Fi, and “Pick date and time” as options.

    We don’t know when this new feature will be made available to a stable version of Chrome and it is likely that Google will tweak it several times before “Download later” is ready for prime time. The advantage of offering this feature is that if you want to download content from the Chrome browser, you can do so without using up your data or battery life by arranging for the downloading process to take place at a certain time or over Wi-Fi.

    Lees ook:

  • Crazy Sports to open lottery franchises inside JD convenience stores

    Crazy Sports to open lottery franchises inside JD convenience stores

    Chinese internet firm V1 Group has partnered with Suqian Jingdong to introduce sports-lottery retailing into JD Convenience Stores within the territory via its subsidiary Crazy Sports.

    The convenience-store chain has been established by JD New Markets by upgrading and rebranding traditional outlets across China and installing a uniform store image, store management, facilities configuration, service standards, product planning, and logistical delivery.

    The new partnership will see sports-lottery terminals installed in JD convenience stores throughout the mainland. The brand is targeting expansion into rural villages, towns, and counties, expanding the sports-lottery business to third- and fourth-tier cities and towns.

    Crazy Sports has additionally signed agreements with other convenience-store chains, including Shenzhen China Resources Vanguard , Dalian Lianhua Quik, and Shanghai 007. It already partners with 12 chain enterprise lottery sales channels, including Guangdong 7-Eleven, Bianlifeng, Haolinju, and Jiajiayue.

    “Crazy Sports is very honored to be in this cooperation with JD to bring lottery new retail services into JD Convenience Stores,” said V1 Group joint COO Peng Xitao, “which will not only facilitate sports lottery users to purchase sports lottery tickets easily but also strengthen the development of Crazy Sports’ offline physical sports lottery sales network, thus expanding our user base.

    “Looking forward, Crazy Sports will continue to form partnerships with different parties and establish more chain enterprise sales channels and ‘365 Smart Stores’ to attract more offline traffic, which could then convert into online users to propel the development of our sports lottery new retail business, and seize the huge potential of the upcoming major sports events.”

    Crazy Sports intends to provide lottery sales and related services for sports enthusiasts and act as an entry point for the brand’s lottery recommendation services “Crazy Red Insights” to form a closed-loop commercial system.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Muji bus targets customers in Japan’s mountains

    Muji bus targets customers in Japan’s mountains

    Household and consumer goods retailer Muji has built a Muji bus – a store inside a revamped tourist coach targeting consumers living in Japan’s mountainous regions.

    The new Muji to Go mobile store launches alongside Muji’s largest store internationally which has opened in Tokyo’s Naoetsu Shopping Centre. Its aim is to help revitalize the brand within its home market by targeting consumers who cannot conveniently access city stores – especially older customers.

    The store will begin selling goods next month before fully launching in September with a stock of clothing, stationery, and daily-use supplies. The project will additionally allow Muji staff to converse with remote consumers and learn more about their needs and concerns

    A second mobile store is likely to be launched in Sakata city, Yamagata in the near future.

    More information and photos on Designboom.

    Lees ook:

  • AirAsia Philippines reports 30% jump in sales

    AirAsia Philippines reports 30% jump in sales

    AirAsia Philippines said ticket sales were increasing as it gradually ramped up operations and offered flexible rebooking options amid the new coronavirus pandemic.

    The budget carrier, part of Malaysia’s AirAsia Group, said June ticket sales rose by 30 percent versus May, when major cites around the Philippines were still under lockdown rules.

    “AirAsia’s road to recovery has started and this has kept us in good spirits knowing that we are in the midst of the aviation industry’s upturn,” AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricky Isla said.

    “We are committed to gradually restoring our network. This month, we are glad to resume international flights, starting with Kuala Lumpur, where AirAsia’s headquarters is located,” he added.

    The company said it contributed to AirAsia Group’s recent record-breaking 41,000 single-day seats sold last June 24.

    For local flights, popular routes were Manila to Puerto Princesa and Davao. Flights to and from Davao similarly showed consistently high load factors throughout the month.

    Lees ook:

  • 7-Eleven marks it’s milestone with the 71,100th store in Seoul

    7-Eleven marks it’s milestone with the 71,100th store in Seoul

    7-Eleven has hit a new milestone with the opening of its 71,100th store, located in Seoul, the capital of South Korea.

    “7-Eleven’s iconic orange, green and red stripes are easily recognized in 17 countries around the world,” said 7-Eleven President and CEO Joe DePinto.

    “The company got its start because an entrepreneurial ice-dock employee saw his customers had a need and came up with a creative way to serve them. A lot has changed in how, when, and where 7-Eleven does business. But one thing that hasn’t changed is our commitment to putting customers at the forefront of all we do.”

    The brand opens a new store somewhere in the world roughly every 3.5 hours. Early last month, the first 7-Eleven in Hunan, China broke the international opening-day sales record for the company brand, reporting US$70,310 of turnover.

    With the new 7-Eleven milestone passing, the growth shows no signs of slowing. Master franchisees for India and Cambodia are expected to be taken up soon. In Asia, 7-Eleven already has networks in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam.

    Lees ook:

  • Scary Android malware targets hundreds of popular apps

    Scary Android malware targets hundreds of popular apps

    Another day, another major Android threat discovered by security researchers as it lurks in the shadows in anticipation of its time in the mischievous limelight. In a way, this BlackRock malware detected and rigorously documented by the folks over at ThreatFabric can be considered even scarier and more dangerous than the Joker virus that made headlines recently or other similar security vulnerabilities found to stem from largely shady apps in the past.

    That’s because BlackRock was exposed as targeting a long list of reputable and crazy popular Android apps, including everything from PayPal to Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Uber, Netflix, eBay, Amazon, Telegram, WhatsApp, Twitter, Snapchat, Skype, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Reddit, TikTok, Tumblr, Pinterest, Tinder, Grindr, and even Google’s own Play Store. In total, we’re talking no less than 337 potential victims.

    For many people, that might be pretty much everything they use on their mobile devices on a regular basis, so obviously, the solution to this problem is not to delete all these apps and seek less popular alternatives. Instead, you should merely be careful about what you install and especially where you install your apps and updates from.

    As you can imagine, the aforementioned apps, social networking, communication, and dating services are not dangerous by themselves, rather being targeted precisely due to their worldwide success and mass appeal by a banking Trojan that hasn’t managed to slip through Google’s Play Store filters yet.

    In other words, you have nothing to worry about, at least as far as this particular virus is concerned, if you download everything from an official source. The danger surfaces when you’re prompted to install “Google updates” from third-party sources, which is a massive red flag.

    Unfortunately, it’s not entirely clear what you can do to clean your phone of the BlackRock malware if you fall prey to such a vicious and insidious attack that will quickly spread across your system without leaving a trace. That’s because the Trojan will prevent most antivirus programs from starting in addition to phishing everything from your financial information to social media usernames and passwords.

    Naturally, the main goal is to steal credit card details, but various app credentials will also do for the bad actors behind BlackRock, and you can expect your text messages to be hijacked as well.

    While far from new or innovative at its core, this chilling banking Trojan does a few things differently from its forerunners, dubbed LokiBot, MysteryBot, Parasite, and Xerxes. Instead of adding new features and increasing its complexity, which is usually the case in this dark and malevolent world, BlackRock is actually keeping things simpler than ever, with a focus on the most “useful” functions in terms of stealing personal information.

    What is expanded compared to previous banking malware is the target list, with an unusually high number of “trending” social and dating apps joining the typical group of financial services from institutions located in the US, as well as Australia, Canada, and various European countries.

    Basically, BlackRock is casting a wider net than any of its predecessors, making sure pretty much no one that uses an Android phone nowadays is safe, no matter where you live, what device you use, how you like to connect with friends and make new ones, or what online banking channel you prefer.

    Still, the simplest, safest, and most foolproof way to stay protected from this type of threat remains to never rely on a third-party app store, as well as install a reliable antivirus solution before suspecting a cyberattack, and periodically check your app permissions, as well as your credit card statements for any unauthorized or shady transactions.

    Lees ook:

  • Zoom sets a new App Store record during the second quarter

    Zoom sets a new App Store record during the second quarter

    If there ever was an app tailor-made for the coronavirus it is Zoom. The video conferencing app can host video chats consisting of up to 100 participants. During the three months from April through June, when COVID-19 was keeping most Americans inside, Zoom generated a new App Store record 94 million installs on iOS. During the first quarter, just before the pandemic became a major issue in the states, short-form video app TikTok had the previous record with 67 million App Store installations.

    How amazing are those achievements made by Zoom and TikTok? Before this year, no non-game iOS app ever had more than 50 million downloads in a single quarter. And when you throw in the number of downloads sourced from the Google Play Store during the second quarter, Zoom was installed over 300 million times during the three months from April through June. Also topping 300 million installs during the quarter was TikTok; the latter was downloaded 71 million times from the Apple App Store during Q2; that is a 154% gain year-over-year.

    During the second quarter, total downloads in the U.S. App Store (2.2 billion) beat out downloads in the Chinese App Store (2.1 billion) for the first time in years. On an annual basis, the number of iOS app downloads in the U.S. was up 27% compared to Q2 compared to just 2% in China. Globally, App Store downloads rose by 22.6% in the second quarter to 9.1 billion. Second-quarter downloads in the Google Play Store worldwide hit 38.7 billion, up 34.9%.

    With many Americans communicating through Zoom as the pandemic continues to wreak havoc in the states, the app should continue to show strong growth during the current quarter. TikTok also should continue to show growth in the U.S. as Americans create TikTok videos to distract themselves from all of the stress caused by COVID-19.

    Lees ook: