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Category: Living

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

  • Spotify major update intros redesigned Home, personalized shortcuts

    Spotify major update intros redesigned Home, personalized shortcuts

    Spotify is redesigning its mobile app again, although this time only the Home screen if getting a facelift. No matter what Android or iOS devices you’re using to listen to your favorite tunes – smartphone or tablet, the Home screens will look slightly different starting today.

    A refreshed user interface has been implemented to allow Spotify users to access familiar content easier than ever. You can now tap to access your favorite podcast, the playlist you listen to every morning, or the album you prefer during your workouts.

    Spotify’s Home screen has become a space where users can find their favorite content. Moreover, Spotify announced that the screen and content will change along throughout the day to fit the user’s schedule.

    Six recommended playlists will be positioned at the top of the Home screen, which will change according to the time of day. Below these six recommendations, Spotify will add your top podcasts, “made for you” playlists, recommendations for new discoveries based on your listening, and even more content.

    If you’re a new Spotify user, you might not see the new UI right away, but once you have 30 days of listening history, you should start to see these recommendations.

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  • YouTube Music update brings new player, more controls to Android users

    YouTube Music update brings new player, more controls to Android users

    It looks like Google is very serious about YouTube Music, as the app received two major updates in less than a month. After adding the option to upload music in February, the app is getting another update on Android devices that introduces a new design for the “Now Playing” screen, which includes more accessible controls, static lyrics, and a few other improvements

    The new changes should be available to everyone rocking an Android device, if not now, in the next few weeks.

    • Flipping between songs and videos in the app is now always visible on the player page to make it easy to move seamlessly between a song and its music video, a feature only offered by YouTube Music.
    • Static lyrics are being rolled out within the app, offering highly visible access to follow along to tracks. While still in the experiment phase, this feature will continue to be developed.
    • Playback control is more convenient with repeat and shuffles now located on the player page.
    • Downloading, sharing and adding songs to playlists is now easier than ever with all three features accessible by tapping on album art.

    A new version of YouTube Music has been uploaded in the Google Play Store on March 4, but we’re not sure if it contains all the changes announced today or these will be enabled via YouTube’s servers.

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  • Nintendo brings real-time multiplayer to Mario Kart on iOS

    Nintendo brings real-time multiplayer to Mario Kart on iOS

    After a three-month beta test, Nintendo announced a multiplayer will be added to Mario Kart on iOS this week. Even better, all players will have access to the multiplayer aspect regardless of whether or not they’re paying for the Gold Pass.

    Nintendo introduced a premium subscription model a while ago, which offers some perks to those who pay $5 for a Gold Pass. While it was in beta, only Gold Pass subscribers had access to multiplayer in Mario Kart. However, when it launches later this week, it will be available to everyone except for Gold Races, which will only be accessible by those who pay for Gold Pass.

    Nintendo announced that three types of real-time multiplayer races will be available in Mario Kart on iOS, which you can find below:

    • With Friends or Others Nearby: Choose your own rules and race with friends or others nearby; rules do not change;
    • Standard Races: Race against players around the world to raise your grade with rules that change daily; two sets of rules change daily;
    • Gold Races: Available exclusively to MKT Gold Pass Subscribers, compete with the best of the best for the highest grade; four sets of rules change daily.

    If you’re still playing Mario Kart, you’ll be happy to know that multiplayer will be officially available on iOS devices starting March 8 at 8 pm.

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  • Shazam finally adds Apple Music integration on Android

    Shazam finally adds Apple Music integration on Android

    It’s been almost two years since Apple acquired Shazam, the music recognition software that everyone installs on their phones. To this day, Shazam would allow Android users to connect to the Spotify app to add songs to playlists or even play them within the app.

    Apple Music users must have been frustrated that Shazam doesn’t feature integration with their favorite music streaming service, even after the app was bought by the Cupertino-based company.

    Luckily, things are about to change for the better. Apple Music integration is now making its way to Shazam users on Android. When you receive the update that adds the new feature, you should be able to see the Apple Music option in the Settings menu of the Shazam app. Simply tap the Connect button next to the service and if you have an active subscription, you’ll be able to share playlists and play songs recognized by Shazam.

    At the moment, it’s unclear whether this is a server-side or a straightforward update that you can download from the Google Play Store. What we do know is that even Shazam users with a slightly older version of the app installed have started to see this feature on their Android phones.

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  • Netflix adds new feature that lets you see most popular series and movies

    Netflix adds new feature that lets you see most popular series and movies

    The most popular movie streaming service, Netflix is adding a new feature that will allow its users to pick what to watch based on the popularity of the shows. A long-overdue feature is now making its way to Netflix users on all platforms – top 10 list.

    Those who already got it should see a new row that will feature the top 10 list in their respective countries. Netflix mentions that the names on the list will be updated daily and that the position of the row will vary depending on how relevant the shows and films are to each user.

    In addition to the top 10 list row, Netflix is adding two other features – the top 10 most popular series and the top 10 films. Both will be available when you click on the movies and TV shows tab, so they’re not immediately visible when you open Netflix.

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  • Gold prices hit 7-year high

    Gold prices hit 7-year high

    Vietnam’s gold prices hit a seven-year high Friday as the coronavirus outbreak pushed investors to seek safer assets.

    The country’s second-largest jewelry company, DOJI, was selling gold at VND45.59 million ($1,964) per tael (1.2 ounces), up 1.3 percent from Thursday, the highest since January 2013.

    Phu Nhuan Jewelry, meanwhile, sold its gold at VND45.75 million ($1,971), up 1.7 percent.

    The domestic price surge followed a global rise in gold prices of 0.9 percent to $1,635 per ounce Friday, the highest in seven years.

    Gold has become a more attractive investment option as the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak will have negative impacts on the global economy.

    The gold price rise has happened alongside a fall in stocks. On Friday, Vietnam’s benchmark VN-Index fell 3.5 percent from the beginning of the year to 933.09 points.

  • China Jo Jo Drugstores turns to profit in December quarter

    China Jo Jo Drugstores turns to profit in December quarter

    Online and offline pharmaceutical and healthcare retailer and wholesaler China Jo-Jo Drugstores boosted revenue by 7.9 percent in the December quarter

    “We delivered outstanding financial results for the third quarter of 2020, with revenue recording $33.36 million,” said chairman and CEO Lei Liu.

    “Benefiting from the growth in retail drugstores and online pharmacy businesses as well as our strong competitive position in the industry, all of our core businesses performed in line with our expectations.”

    Liu said China Jo Jo was preparing for the coronavirus outbreak by trying to optimize its inventory and ensure it had effective distribution channels to meet the strong domestic demand of pharmaceutical and other healthcare products and services.

    China Jo Jo’s gross profit increased by 2.1 percent to $7.28 million for the quarter, but gross margin decreased by 1.3 percentage points to 21.8 percent.

    Net income for the US-listed company was $460,000, compared to a loss of $2.21 million during the same period a year earlier.

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  • Saigon metro to test run in Q3

    Saigon metro to test run in Q3

    An elevated section of Ho Chi Minh City’s Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien Metro Line 1 will be tested out within the third quarter this year.

    This elevated section crosses Ho Chi Minh City’s District 9, spanning from central Binh Thai Station to Long Binh Depot, a train maintenance center, the HCMC Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR) said in a report to the city’s People’s Committee.

    Once testing is complete, MAUR said it would test another section between Binh Thai and Van Thanh stations in District 2.

    The city targets project completion to advance to 85 percent before the end of this year, to officially enter operation by the end of 2021, it was added.

    The first locomotives and trains for the line, produced by Japanese manufacturer Hitachi, are set to arrive in HCMC from Japan in June.

    Hitachi is currently testing out two trains to deliver first, then will send over another 15, all of which will have three carriages each, as Metro Line 1 is being completed, the MAUR said.

    All 17 trains are part of a $370 million package signed with Hitachi in 2003, which includes delivery of other equipment such as signaling and communication, electricity generation, and electronic fee collection systems.

    On Monday, the city removed a barrier between the metro line’s two underground segments, integrating the entire length of Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien Metro Line 1. Removal of the barrier, erected to facilitate construction of both segments, paves the way for the next phase of the project – equipment installation, officials said.

    When completed, HCMC’s Metro Line 1 will span 19.7 kilometers from Long Binh in District 9 to Ben Thanh in District 1 with a total of 14 stations.

    Work on the line started in August 2012, with the elevated segment cleared in June 2018.

    It was approved in 2007 with a total investment of VND17.4 trillion ($747 million). This was raised to VND47 trillion ($2.02 billion) in 2010 after design changes and fluctuations in the exchange rate of the Japanese Yen, though the increase was not approved by relevant ministries.

    Last November, the National Assembly allowed HCMC authorities to approve a new total investment of VND43.6 trillion ($1.87 billion).

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  • Philippine chain AllHome eyes strong expansion

    Philippine chain AllHome eyes strong expansion

    Philippine home-store chain AllHome will expand its store network to push its selling space beyond 450,000sqm this year.

    “We are set to bring AllHome to more locations in 2020,” said the firm’s chairman Manuel Villar Jr. “Our expansion program is both sustainable and strategic by taking advantage of the synergies between our real estate companies, such as Vista Land, as well as the opportunities in the home improvement industry in the Philippines.”

    As of last year, the firm’s total selling area covered 313,000sqm.

    In part as a response to the coronavirus outbreak, the firm has moved to secure its inventory sufficiently enough to cover its planned expansion and existing network for several months. China is one of AllHome’s major inventory sources.

    “We can easily shift to our other existing sources, like Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, India, and even the US,” said AllHome president Benjamarie Therese Serrano. “Our fresh funds indeed came in at the right time when it comes to our inventory management.”

    AllHome’s net income grew 225 per cent in the first three quarters last year. Its total revenues increased by 72 per cent to PHP8.2 billion (US$162 million).

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  • Warner Bros eyeing Indian malls for entertainment spaces

    Warner Bros eyeing Indian malls for entertainment spaces

    US entertainment giant Warner Bros is negotiating to establish family entertainment centers in Indian malls.

    The firm has already been seeking 20,000–30,000sqft of mall real estate for some time now in the hopes of setting up branded spaces to show off its popular brands such as DC and Harry Potter.

    Observers of the proposed move have speculated that the business will use the centers to assess the Indian market for its entertainment brand, considering the success of its expansive Warner Bros World indoor theme park in Abu Dhabi.

    Warner Bros has not released a public statement about its Indian expansion plans.

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  • Laura Ashley fighting to Survive

    Laura Ashley fighting to Survive

    Struggling fashion & homewares chain Laura Ashley is seeking to borrow additional funding to stay afloat in the midst of a dispute with its lender.

    The firm’s Malaysian owner MUI Group is renegotiating its access to a £20 million (US$26 million) fund put up by Wells Fargo last October. As an asset-backed loan, the amount made available to the chain by the lender has dropped along with its stock value.

    MUI has stated it needs the financing to “meet the group’s immediate funding requirements and to draw down additional amounts to meet ongoing working capital needs”.

    The firm has had a rough financial year, with figures showing a 10.8-per-cent drop in sales in the first half compared to last year’s results following a drop in consumer spending.

    “We acknowledge that recent trading conditions, in line with the overall UK retail market, have indeed been challenging,” said MUI chairman Andrew Khoo. “There is however a robust plan in place to turn the business around … The major shareholders have indicated their continued confidence in the business and are fully supportive of the management team and the execution of the transformation plan.”

    The firm will consider “all appropriate options” should talks regarding the funding break down.

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  • Ikea Philippines store delayed until 2021

    Ikea Philippines store delayed until 2021

    The opening of the first Ikea Philippines store has been delayed until next year.

    The Swedish furniture and homewares chain cited “construction adjustments” as the reason for the delay, with Ikea Southeast Asia market development manager Georg Platzer reassuring ABS-CBN News the store was “taking great shape” nonetheless.

    The debut Ikea Philippines shop – set to be the largest in the world when it is complete – is under construction adjacent to the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay.

    “Whilst the building is taking great shape on the skyline, as can be the case with mega construction projects, the timeline is adjusted and firmed up as the project moves along,” Platzer told ABS-CBN.

    “There have been changes to the schedule and the opening date will be in 2021.”

    Ikea Philippines is building the store with two retail levels with three more floors to house a regional warehouse, a call center and head office facilities to handle online sales.

    News of the 65,000sqm store was first revealed by Inside Retail Asia in April 2018. At the time, the largest Ikea store globally was in Seoul, a 59,000sqm space that opened in December 2014.

    With a product range of 9000 SKUs, the store will serve more than 5 million households located within a 60-minute drive as well as online shoppers.

  • Little romance likely for China retailers on Valentine’s Day

    Little romance likely for China retailers on Valentine’s Day

    The coronavirus outbreak is set to rob retailers of all the romance on Valentine’s Day tomorrow according to analysts from OC&C Strategy Consulting.

    Pascal Martin and Veronica Wang, partners at OC&C, say the outbreak will lead to “markedly different behavior” among consumers in Mainland China and Hong Kong tomorrow.

    “We anticipate a continuing surge in online grocery shopping, and a drop in traditional grocery, as has already been widely reported by Chinese e-commerce players and observers,” the pair said in an email to Inside Retail Asia.

    “However, this is contingent on whether merchants like Alibaba and JD will be able to fulfill the delivery orders effectively, which may be challenging given the sheer volume of demand and availability of staff during the crisis.”

    Online retailers are delivery services are stretched in both markets, especially on the mainland where tens of thousands of retail stores and restaurants are closed either on local government orders or due to negligible demand as consumers stay at home to avoid contact with other people.

    “After more than two weeks filled with fear and anxiety, consumers are also seeking unique experiences to energize themselves at this very moment, but they are also wary of going to public spaces,” said Martin and Wang.

    “Therefore, instead of spending the upcoming Valentine’s Day at conventional venues such as cinemas or upmarket restaurants, people are more inclined to seek safer alternatives such as home-cooked candlelight dinners, ordering gifts and flowers online and having them delivered to their home.”

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  • Inter Ikea names new leader as long-term CEO steps down

    Inter Ikea names new leader as long-term CEO steps down

    Inter Ikea group chief executive Torbjörn Lööf announced on Tuesday he would step down from leading the furniture business after seven years at the helm and more than 30 years with the business.

    Head of Ikea franchising Jon Abrahamsson Ring was named as Lööf’s successor and will step up as group deputy chief executive as of 1 March before taking full control on 1 September.

    Under Lööf’s leadership, the business has expanded into more than 15 new markets and launched a new long-term direction to become more affordable, sustainable and accessible to its customers.

    “I have had more than 30 fantastic years with Ikea and the privilege to have many exciting assignments,” Lööf said.

    “I will always carry with me the memories from all the wonderful meetings with Ikea colleagues and partners from around the world. It is the people working at Ikea that makes us unique.”

    Ring joined the business in 1998, and formerly served as assistant to Ikea founder Ingvar Kampred before coming deputy retail manager for Ikea China. Ring briefly left Ikea to become chief executive of fashion brand Filippa K and later gardening brand Plantagen, before returning to Ikea in 2017.

    “Ikea is on a great journey, which is only the beginning, and we will continue to stay true to who we are and what makes us unique: our culture and values, our vision and our business idea,” said Ring.

    “I am humbled by this opportunity, but also very proud and happy.”

    Ring said that he didn’t have any plans to radically change the furniture chain’s direction, with Ikea’s key tenants of affordability, accessibility and sustainability remaining at the top of his agenda.

    However, Ring did note that the new materials, production techniques, and distribution methods could be utilized to make the products more affordable.

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  • Google to bring Play Music’s most useful feature to YouTube Music

    Google to bring Play Music’s most useful feature to YouTube Music

    Google is reportedly testing Play Music’s best feature for YouTube Music, the ability to upload your music library. It’s one of the features that prevent many Play Music users from moving to YouTube Music despite the fact that Google plans to deprecate the former at some point.

    Google is internally testing music library upload for YouTube Music, which suggests the Mountain View company is very close to transitioning Play Music users to YouTube Music, something that should have happened last year.

    The change doesn’t come as a surprise since YouTube Music’s head confirmed that Google plans to allow Play Music users to preserve and migrate their collection, playlists, and preferences to YouTube Music.

    What’s surprising is the fact that Google missed its own imposed deadline and didn’t manage to add this feature to YouTube Music last year. And we don’t even know if the music library upload will even land this year, although the fact that the feature is already being tested internally suggests that we’re not very far from a public release.

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