Retail News CRM

Tag: asia

  • After updating its app for Premium members, Spotify goes down

    After updating its app for Premium members, Spotify goes down

    Is this the day the music died? It is if you’re a Spotify member as the music streamer has been down since 8:22 am EDT this morning. 80% of the complaints they received have something to do with the inability of users to stream music, 14% say that they can’t use the Spotify website, and 5% can’t use Spotify on a Sonos smart speaker. The number of complaints rose from one to a peak of 3,448. The outage map shows serious issues in the upper northeast of the country, most of California and parts of Texas and Florida.

    In addition, Spotify announced that the outage has nothing to do with today’s announcement of a redesigned feature for Premium users. The Your Library page now allows you to tap or swipe to see the new tabs offered for Music and Podcasts. Tapping the Music tab takes you right to the Playlists section where all your playlists will be, including a new one called Liked Songs. The latter includes tunes that you have tapped the “Like” button for. The Artists section lists the artists that you follow, and you can add a new one to the list by going to the artist’s page and tapping on the “follow” button. When it comes to any albums found in that section, tapping the heart icon will save it to the Album section so you can quickly find it to hear again at a future time. You can add all of the songs on a particular album to your Liked Songs playlist by clicking on the three-dot menu and selecting “Like all songs.”
    Selecting the Podcast heading will reveal the Episodes section from where you can discover new podcasts to listen to or finish listening to ones that you’ve started. Move further down the screen and you’ll find new episodes of the podcasts that you follow. The Downloads section includes podcast episodes that you’ve, well, downloaded. These podcasts can be played while offline. Lastly, the Shows section allows you to manage the podcasts you follow and check out older episodes.
    The redesign has already been available to those using the ad-supported free version of the service. Premium subscribers will start seeing the change in the Spotify app starting today.
  • HSBC Bolsters Asia Technology M&A Team

    HSBC Bolsters Asia Technology M&A Team

    HSBC Holdings has hired Jeremy Choy to head its Asia Technology Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) team, a Hong-Kong based role that will also see him work with technology companies in areas such as initial public offerings and financing, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources close to the matter.

    Choy, who is expected to start in his new role as early as next week, joins HSBC from boutique investment bank China Renaissance, where he worked for 4 years, most recently as managing director and head of M&A. He will report to Rajeev Sahney, the bank’s head of Asia-Pacific advisory and corporate, Bloomberg said.

    According to his LinkedIn profile, Choy also worked for J.P. Morgan’s North Asia M&A team for 4 years, was an M&A advisor at PacBridge Capital Partners for 2 years, and worked for Goldman Sachs for 5 years.

    Bloomberg reported that the volume of technology, telecommunications and media deals in Asia-Pacific is down 47 percent from the year before.

    However, it noted several large deals on the horizon, including the sale of a major stake in gaming company Nexon Co. and a potential share sale in Hong Kong by Chinese internet giant Alibaba Group.

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  • AirAsia Philippines delivers world-class flying at low fares

    AirAsia Philippines delivers world-class flying at low fares

    Challenging the common impression that customers get what they pay for in patronizing low-cost carriers (LCC), AirAsia Philippines redefines the flying experience with an uncompromising commitment to world-class safety standards and passion in delivering top-notch service without the hefty price tag.

    AirAsia Philippines is part of the AirAsia Group, which includes AirAsia Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, India and Japan. AirAsia Philippines operates a fleet of 23 aircraft out of four hubs servicing seven domestic destinations and 18 international destinations, in line with the group’s vision to be the “wings” that enable people to reach their dream destinations.

    “Having established ourselves as an LCC when we introduced all-in fares, we now want to be known for having the best service,” says Captain Dexter Comendador, AirAsia Philippines CEO.

    AirAsia Philippines commenced operations locally in 2012 with two new planes. With the acquisition of local airline Zest Airways the following year, AirAsia Philippines’ fleet became 13. Backed by its parent company, which boasts a total fleet of 252 aircraft and more than 140 destinations in 25 markets, AirAsia Philippines is set to raise the benchmark in the aviation industry, particularly the LCC segment.

    The company constantly pursues initiatives to provide customers a hassle-free experience. For example, AirAsia Philippines relinquished the use of jet bridges and instead uses steps for boarding and disembarking passengers. By doing this, the airline has been able to keep turnaround time to 25 minutes – one of the quickest in Asia. Foregoing the use of expensive jet bridges also allows AirAsia Philippines to pass on cost savings to customers, resulting in more economical fares.

    Tapping technology to offer a seamless customer experience, AirAsia has overhauled its website and mobile app and even launched a chatbot named AVA (AirAsia Virtual Allstar). Powered by artificial intelligence, the chatbot is well-versed in English, Thai, Malay, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Korean and Chinese, and responds to queries instantly. As part of the AirAsia network, AirAsia Philippines has allowed customers to use AVA to manage their flight needs since March this year.

    AirAsia Philippines also takes a proactive role in creating hubs in the Philippines, connecting them to the whole AirAsia network. The airline now has hubs in Manila, Cebu and Kalibo. Outside Manila, AirAsia Philippines is launching new flights, and will soon fly directly to Macau, Kunming, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Taipei from its Kalibo hub.

    As it seeks to relocate its headquarters to Clark, Pampanga, AirAsia Philippines hopes to develop the former airbase as its next hub. It also aims to establish hubs in popular tourist destinations such as Bohol and Palawan.

    “Our vision is to be the No 1 LCC in the Philippines. We also want to be the employer of choice for aviation industry professionals,” Comendador says.

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  • Zara owner Inditex’s omnichannel strategy helps boost sales

    Zara owner Inditex’s omnichannel strategy helps boost sales

    Clothing retailer Inditex has posted record first-quarter sales and a rise in profits helped by the retailer’s push of stitching together its online and physical businesses.

    The fashion retailer’s online business, which accounts for 12 per cent of its net sales, and expansion plans have contributed to its robust first quarter sales of €5.927 billion ($10.18 billion), up 5 per cent from last year’s €5.654 billion ($9.56 billion).

    Net profit amounted to €734 million ($1.26 billion), up more than 10 per cent in the first quarter of 2018. The company’s net cash position increased by 9 per cent to €6.66 billion ($11.44 billion).

    The retailer, which owns the brands Zara and Pull & Bear, said its in-store and online sales showed a 9.5 per cent increase in local currencies between May 1 and June 7 – up from the 6.5 per cent in the previous corresponding period.

    “The figures demonstrate the solidarity of the company’s model, whose profitability and cash flow generation continues to grow owing to the group’s commitment to customer-driven quality fashion,” said Pablo Isla, Inditex’s chairman and outgoing CEO.

    Isla underscored the strong momentum in the digital transformation of the integrated store and online sales platform and sustainability as key pillars of the company’s strategy.

    Last month, the retailer has named chief operating officer Carlos Crespo as its new chief executive to spearhead a bigger push into e-commerce.

    Crespo will continue in his existing position until his appointment as CEO becomes effective in July, when he will begin taking some of the responsibilities currently held by executive chairman and current CEO Pablo Isla, the company announced.

    The appointment of Crespo, who oversaw the integration of Inditex’s online and bricks-and-mortar stores, puts an emphasis on the retail giant’s digital efforts amid changing consumer habits.

    Last year, Isla announced all products from all Inditex’s brands will be made available online by 2020, including markets where it does not have any stores.

    Other than Zara and Pull & Bear, the world’s largest clothing retailer also sells the brands, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho and Uterque across its network of almost 7,500 physical shops. It also operates online in 49 markets.

    Isla also said all of the group’s brands will be adopting an integrated stock management system by 2020 in all the countries where there is a physical store presence.

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  • Tmall and VF Corporation Deepen Partnership in China

    Tmall and VF Corporation Deepen Partnership in China

    Tmall, China’s largest B2C platform under Alibaba Group, has formed a strategic partnership with VF Corporation (“VF”) to expand the global leader’s offerings of branded lifestyle apparel, footwear and accessories in China.

    Under the agreement, Tmall Innovation Center (“TMIC”), the dedicated retail innovation arm of Tmall, will provide VF data-driven consumer analytics from the 654 million annual active consumers across Alibaba’s marketplaces, enabling it to tailor products for Chinese consumers. VF is the parent company of apparel brands Vans, The North Face and Timberland and is the first TMIC high-level partner in the apparel category.

    “With Tmall’s unparalleled customer insights, strong technical support and in-depth market knowledge, we are eager to work with the world’s leading companies to help them bring their best products into the China market in the most-effective and efficient way. Through our partnership with VF, we are committed to helping VF create products that can precisely match the appetite of the Chinese consumer,” said Liu Bo, general manager of Alibaba’s Marketing Platform Business.

    The partnership will focus on identifying new consumption trends, pre-launch testing, consumer profiling, and post-launch tracking to optimize product design, range and assortment to uncover unmet needs of Chinese consumers.

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  • Visa Transforming Mass Transit Experience Worldwide with Visa Contactless Payments Now Live in Singapore

    Visa Transforming Mass Transit Experience Worldwide with Visa Contactless Payments Now Live in Singapore

    The project with LTA will be one of Visa’s largest implementation for contactless acceptance for transit globally at 30,000 acceptance points.  All banks that issue contactless enabled Visa cards will be part of this transit initiative. Consumers will also be able to make mobile contactless transactions through compatible devices including Apple Pay, Fitbit Pay, Google PayTM and Samsung Pay.  Singtel Dash mobile wallet users can also tap and pay for bus and train rides with their Dash Visa Virtual Account.

    Paying for public transportation using Visa contactless is not only convenient, but enhances the travel experience for commuters by eliminating the need to carry multiple cards or the hassle of having to top up stored value travel cards.

    More than one-third (35 percent) of respondents in a recent Visa Singapore transit study say it is inconvenient to top-up their pre-paid stored value cards for local travel. In addition, close to 70 percent of respondents say it is a hassle to wait in long queues to purchase fares or top up their travel cards. The same study also highlighted that 75 per cent of Singaporeans are open to using mobile or digital payments as their sole method of payment for public transport.

    Kunal Chatterjee, Visa Country Manager for Singapore and Brunei said: “We are excited to bring contactless transit payments to our cardholders in Singapore as part of LTA’s SimplyGo initiative. Our partnership with LTA to implement contactless acceptance is one of the largest contactless initiatives for transit that Visa is implementing globally and we are proud that this expansive project has come to fruition. By opening up contactless acceptance for transit, we are removing friction from the travel experience, eliminating the need for Singaporeans and tourists to wait in line to top up their stored value travel cards. Visa will continue to work closely with our partners to streamline the payment experience at all touchpoints across Singapore to make it seamless and convenient.”

    With the expansion of the SimplyGo programme to Visa cardholders, Singapore joins other major cities that have enabled open-loop payment cards for public transport, including London, Sydney and New York.  The launch built on Visa’s experience helping transit operators around the world find the best, most cost-effective way to address increasing pressures on their existing infrastructure while also investing in the technologies that will serve them in the future. Over the past year alone, Visa helped launch contactless transit solutions in 20 cities across 12 countries, with more than 150 projects currently underway.

    “Today, Singapore is already one of the top markets globally in terms of contactless penetration with more than 80 percent of all Visa transactions being contactless. We expect this number to grow even faster with the opening of transit acceptance,” added Kunal.

  • Decathlon to Open largest Store in Hong Kong

    Decathlon to Open largest Store in Hong Kong

    French sports company Decathlon will open its third store in Hong Kong this Saturday, 15th June, in Tseung Kwan O as it continues its efforts to make sports accessible to the many in the city.

    The new Decathlon store in Sheung Tak Plaza, with 36,000 sq. ft (3,500sqm) in retail space and access to an outdoor sports playground of equivalent size, is the biggest sports retail store in the city. An array of family-friendly activities across the weekends this month is organised for visitors to enjoy as part of the opening celebrations.

    The Tseung Kwan O store will employ more than 80 full-time Sports Advisors and Leaders, and together with the Causeway Bay and Mongkok stores, Decathlon will see its workforce in Hong Kong increase to 270, from just 8 two years ago. Inspired by the concept of an urban neighbourhood, the new store design will feature 13,000 products from over 70 sports to be touched and tested as well as spaces to create unique social community moments for customers.

    Marc Zielinski, Decathlon Hong Kong Leader, said:

    “We are delighted to be opening our third store in Hong Kong this weekend, and we are proud that the Decathlon Tseung Kwan O store will become the city’s biggest sports retail space. We hope we can inspire more Hongkongers to exercise for a happy and healthy lifestyle. Decathlon aims to make sport accessible to all and we understand sports engagement can be a heavy financial burden to some. This is why we offer high quality products at competitive prices across 70 sports so everyone can have that choice. With the outdoor playground, visitors who are curious about any sport can seek the advice of our specialist Sports Leaders and fully test our products before they buy. We look forward to contributing to a healthier Hong Kong.”

    Earlier today, a number of special guests including partners and local celebrities were treated to a preview of Decathlon’s retail experience highlighted by in-store digital innovations that allow customers to get a complete understanding of any product before the point of purchase.

    A key part of the unique customer journey is the online catalogue of Decathlon products featuring over 13,000 models that is available on the 50” LED screens placed at prominent areas of the store. This means that even if customers cannot find the exact product they desire on the shop floor, they can visit the online catalogue in-store to compare products and learn about all the possibilities conveniently and efficiently. What’s more, customers can checkout autonomously on Decathlon mobile app for a fast and seamless shopping experience. Customers in a hurry will even be able to choose to pick up their online purchase in store in one hour, through Click & Collect 1H service.

    Joyce Tang Lai-ming, one of the four cast members of popular TVB sitcom “Come Home Love: Lo and Behold” who supported a lighting ceremony riding a stationary bike to generate energy through pedal power, commented:

    “Hong Kong is a fast-paced, always on, city. It is hard to find time to even breathe, and exercise can sometimes fall off the radar for all of us. I am a regular hiker, but there are plenty more activities I am curious about that I have yet to try. With so much choice here at Decathlon and a huge space to try things out, I am eager to satisfy my curiosity and experience new sports.”

    Part of the 36,000 sq. ft outdoor sports playground will be transformed into a campsite replicating the famous hiking trails of Hong Kong, while at the same time showcasing Decathlon’s comprehensive range of Mountain products. Over the weekends of 15-16, 22-23, and 29-30 June, visitors are invited to enjoy 28 indoor and outdoor sports activities such as cycling, stand-up paddle, archery, pétanque, and yoga among others. All activities are completely free of charge and a limited edition backpack will be awarded to Decathlon members who join in.

    To further enhance the sports experience for customers, the Decathlon Tseung Kwan O store will host daily experience sharing sessions and sports classes with inspiring athletes from the community such as Edie Hu who swam around Hong Kong Island last year. These interactive sessions aim to encourage members of the public to discover new sports, and to try them with confidence, while cyclists can utilize the free bicycle workshop space to upgrade, or repair their bikes DIY style or with assistance from a Sport Leader.

    Situated by the main entrance of the store, the year-round Hong Kong Sport Heroes photography gallery acknowledges those in the community who are using sports to improve their lives and want to inspire others to follow their path. With a different theme each month, a watersports exhibition with over 30 breathtaking photos will greet visitors as the store opens at 10.30AM on Saturday 15th June.

    In addition, Appysport, whose main investor is Decathlon Hong Kong, has announced the launch of Hong Kong’s first all-in-one sports platform with a mission to make sports practice more accessible in the city. The Hong Kong based company founded in 2019 has started with offering tennis courts on demand that can be easily booked online and will soon expand to other sports and services.

    Appysport will eventually connect sports users, sports coaches, sports associations and sports facilities in order to make it easier for everyone in Hong Kong to practice sports. The ambition of the start up is to play a key role in increasing sports practice in Hong Kong by facilitating access to it.

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  • Meal Temple Group invests in Myanmar with Freshgora

    Meal Temple Group invests in Myanmar with Freshgora

    Meal Temple Group, the leading startup in food delivery and logistics in Cambodia and Laos is continuing its expansion in the region by partnering FreshGora.com in Myanmar, after raising seed stage funds less than a year ago. Freshgora.com is a local startup based in Yangon, Myanmar, offering many on demand services through its online based mobile application and website. Meal Temple Group is the leading food delivery service in Cambodia and Laos, expanding its logistics offer to local businesses as well and offering its customers more new services.

    Both companies just entered an agreement to address the market in Myanmar and expand its operations nationally. With more than 55 million people, including more than 6 million in the Yangon
    metropolitan area, Myanmar is one of the fastest growing markets in South-East Asia. Freshgora.com, is a young startup from Yangon, that started less than a year ago, and already achieved to get over the rate of more than 100 deliveries a day in Yangon, offering food deliveries from restaurants and local markets in less than one hour through its own fleet of drivers. Sharing common vision, challenges and opportunities as Meal Temple Group in Cambodia or Laos, Daniel Htut, the founder, and its team, will benefit from Maxime Rosburger, Meal Temple Group’s founder,
    and their 5 years experience in the market.

    Daniel Htut says “We are really excited to partner with Meal Temple Group and offer our customers in Myanmar more services, support and perks, and be guided by Maxime and his team on how to sustain our growth in the market. After only 8 months, we are already tackling the largest local players, with a clean approach on technology, user experience and interface as well as customer
    service. We are also really inspired by Meal Temple Group’s vision on electric vehicles and social impact ambition.”

    The local entity will continue to operate as Freshgora, adding more services along the way, and working together with Meal Temple Group for an on demand super app for frontier markets of Asia in the long run. Meal Temple Group is looking to address more than 100 million people in frontier markets of Asia by the end of the year, and grow its technology to a super app model.

  • Pirata Group to launch new temakeria concept

    Pirata Group to launch new temakeria concept

    Japanese temakeria restaurant concept TMK is set to open on Hong Kong’s Hollywood Road in mid-July.

    The Pirata Group brand is being positioned as a “ballsy temakeria offering a wild experience and finger-licking good food”. The new venue’s executive chef Miguel Huelamo, supported by Japanese head chef Takeshi Suzuki, are offering a selection of classic and signature temaki rolls as well as sushi, fresh-from-the-sea sashimi and reimagined takes on traditional Japanese dishes.

    “TMK is a missing piece in Hong Kong’s F&B market,” said Pirata Group cofounder Christian Talpo, the creative force behind TMK. “A unique, one-of-a-kind punk-inspired restaurant that paves the way for novel all-day dining and late-night experiences.”

    Promotional material for the restaurant promise “a lawless venue where tattooed bikers and black-clad punks are served a varied selection of sake, Japanese highballs and craft beer”. Inspired by the exuberance and irreverence of punk rock, TMK will feature a “headbanging soundtrack and a dive-bar-styled interior”.

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  • UOB Expands SME Accelerator Program

    UOB Expands SME Accelerator Program

    UOB has announced that it is bringing its business transformation program to Malaysia, following successful editions held in Singapore (2018) and Thailand(2019), the bank announced on Friday.

    The three-month-long «Jom Transformation Program» run by UOB innovation accelerator The Finlab aims to help businesses in Malaysia adopt technology to drive productivity and growth.

    As part of the program, they will be matched with technology partners to address their concerns and to pilot the implementation of the solution. Participants will be able to gain the skills and knowledge in areas such as business process re-engineering and digital marketing, the bank said.

    Businesses will also be matched with mentors, including the Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Kuala Lumpur & Selangor, the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents, Maxis, the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation and SME Corporation Malaysia, who will be able to advise them on how to increase operational efficiency, expand and scale across Southeast Asia,

    Malaysian businesses will be able to tap the combined knowledge, experience and networks of these organizations to accelerate their transformation process, Pauline Sim, co-head, The FinLab, said

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  • Bose to launch new wireless headphones with voice-activated Alexa

    Bose to launch new wireless headphones with voice-activated Alexa

    Headphones with support for digital assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri have become trivial in the last couple of years. However, most of these headphones will only allow users to wake up the digital assistant by pushing a dedicated button.

    Apple and Samsung are the only companies that have recently introduced the ability to use voice activation to wake up the assistant implemented into a pair of headphones, though support is limited to a certain set of commands.

    The reason headphones manufacturers weren’t able to implement such a feature yet is due to the limited battery life of their products. In order to detect the wake word, headphones must use the battery to keep the microphone enabled all the time, which would drastically reduce the overall battery life. Luckily, a company called Knowles Corp. has managed to design a new chip that enables wireless headphones to reply to Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant by saying its name, Reuters reports. Basically, you will no longer have to press a button to activate Alexa, you will simply have to say its name.

    The new chip is power-efficient and includes a microphone and digital signal processor, as well as a reference design that will allow headphone manufacturers to add support for Alexa into their products.

    Knowles confirmed that Anker and LinkPlay will use its new chip and Alexa design to release headphones with voice-activated Alexa support, which will replace the traditional push-button versions.

    Bose will also launch a pair of headphones with voice-activated Alexa support later this month, although Knowles didn’t explicitly say whether or not they will be based on its chip.

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  • Bose pop-up store opens at Changi Airport, Singapore

    Bose pop-up store opens at Changi Airport, Singapore

    A Bose pop-up store has opened at Changi Airport’s Terminal 3 Transit Departure Hall.

    Trading until June 30, the store will give travellers the chance to experience and own Bose’s first audio sunglasses equipped with Bose AR capability, and to try out its latest noise-cancellation headphones.

    The Bose pop-up store features two zones that let travellers experience Bose products. In one, travellers get to try Bose Frames – the first audio sunglasses from Bose – and go on virtual adventures across different scenes while a soundtrack plays from the device.

    In the other zone, travellers can try out Bose’s latest headphones in sound domes.

    The pop-up store also has a photo booth where visitors can snap and upload pictures of themselves with the Bose Frames for a chance to win a pair of Bose Frames.

    “This technologically savvy pop-up store is an exciting collaboration between Bose and Changi,” said Teo Chew Hoon, group senior VP of airside concessions at Changi Airport Group.

    “As an international hub for travellers, Changi Airport, and by extension Singapore, is the perfect location for the Asia-Pacific launch of our latest product, the Bose Frames,” said Christian Rojas, market development leader, focus market development at Bose.

    “Through engaging travel retail concepts like this, we are confident that the authentic Bose experience will be showcased and look forward to bringing high-quality sound to transit travellers at Changi Airport.”

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  • Target sales sagging further for Wesfarmers

    Target sales sagging further for Wesfarmers

    Wesfarmers says full-year earnings from its department stores could fall by as much as $103 million after sales at the struggling Target chain fell by 2.3 per cent so far in the second half.

    The Perth-based conglomerate, which reports its full-year results on August 27, says Target’s comparable sales for the five months to May fell 2.3 per cent on the prior corresponding period and by 0.7 per cent over the year so far.

    Although sales at stablemate Kmart have stabilised in the second half, Target dragged down the unit as a whole and Wesfarmers says the latter’s “current offer requires ongoing repositioning” despite continued efforts to turn around the chain.

    Combined full-year earnings from two stores’ continuing operations are now expected to be between $515 million and $565 million, as much as 17 per cent down on last year’s $618 million.

    Wesfarmers managing director Rob Scott says the Kmart Group’s second-half performance had been disappointing, but that it would benefit from increased investment in online and digital initiatives.

    The company said on Thursday it was feeling the pressure from increased pricing competition and cautious consumer sentiment, and admitted various changes at Kmart had also resulted in a temporary shortage of goods on shelves.

    Mr Scott told investors in a separate briefing there had been no notable lift in consumer sentiment after the May federal election, though the onset of colder weather had been welcome boost for sales.

    “The seasonal changeover is a key driver of sales… (so) the cold weather has been helpful (even if) some of the cold weather took a while to arrive,” Mr Scott said.

    Wesfarmers announced in June last year it was scaling back its Target business, cutting the size or number of stores in the chain to achieve a 20 per cent overall reduction in footprint by 2023.

    Mr Scott said on Thursday the repositioning of the department store network, which will include the introduction of more Kmart stores, had allowed its chains to compliment each other instead of competing for space and customers

    Mr Scott told investors he expected further improvement after Kmart finishes cycling out DVD sales.

    Wesfarmers’ first-half profit soared to $4.5 billion from $212 million in the prior corresponding period due to $3 billion in one-off items following the demerger of supermarket Coles, and the sale of Bengalla, Kmart Tyre and Auto Service, and Quadrant Energy.

    The conglomerate has since embarked on a number of acquisitions, including a $776 move for lithium developer Kidman Resources, and a so-far unsuccessful approach for rare earths miner Lynas.

    This week it continued its spending spree this week with the $230 million acquisition of online retailer Catch Group, which will be rolled into the Kmart Group.

    Mr Scott told analysts the company felt “the time was right” to act on opportunities.

    “On the acquisition side, I know we’ve announced a few things in recent months, but I think it’s important not to get too carried away by that activity,” he said.

    “We’re talking a very very small proportion of out market capitalisation, and indeed capex.”

    Mr Scott said the proposed investment in Kidman was grounded in long-term advantages.

    “We don’t know what the long-term price of lithium is going to be …what we do know is that … (the proposed acquisition) is going to be one of the lowest-cost providers globally of lithium hydroxide,” Mr Scott said.

    Shares in Wesfarmers were worth $38.25 before trade on Thursday and have climbed by 18.72 per cent, or $6.03, so far in 2019.

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  • Ducati Hong Kong opens Kowloon store

    Ducati Hong Kong opens Kowloon store

    Ducati Hong Kong has opened a new store in Kowloon.

    The store launch, focused solely on Borgo Panigale-built bikes, serves to expand Ducati’s presence in Hong Kong. The new showroom, opened by sole Ducati importer in the territory Ho Wun Cars, is designed to offer customers a full brand immersion experience.

    The entire Ducati range is represented in the venue, which includes a comprehensive section dedicated to apparel and accessories and a social area for the Ducati Owners Club Hong Kong.

    “Hong Kong is one of the most premium markets for Ducati in Asia,” said the brand’s marketing director for Asia Pacific Stefano Campaci. “The city itself is not only one of the world’s main economic hubs, making it an aspirational point of reference in terms of lifestyle, but it is also home to one of Ducati’s most sophisticated clientele in the world. Last year, for example, 50 per cent of Ducati motorcycles sold in Hong Kong were superbikes, many of which were sold to our numerous local collectors.

    “It is therefore fundamental for Ducati to be represented at the highest level, and this new showroom marks a step forward in this direction.”

  • Apple’s Shazam app updated with new Pop Up functionality

    Apple’s Shazam app updated with new Pop Up functionality

    Recently acquired by Apple, Shazam is bringing new features to its users, although this time only Android users will benefit from the changes. A new Pop Up functionality has just been added to Shazam for Android, which will allow users to identify songs playing in third-party apps without having to leave the app.

    In order to benefit from the new feature, you’ll have to enable a new floating button that is overlaid on the screen. When the new button is enabled, you will see a persistent notification in the notification drawer, which can be used to trigger it. Whenever you wish to use Shazam to identify a song, simply tap on the Pop Up floating button.

    Of course, you will be able to dismiss both the button and the persistent notification by simply dragging the button at the lower part of the screen to make it disappear. If you want to make the persistent notification go away, you will have to switch off feature from the Shazam settings menu or by swiping down the notification and tap on Turn Off.

    The new Pop Up functionality is available in the latest version of Shazam for Android, which has already been uploaded in the Google Play Store. If you have the app installed, a new update should be available for download.

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