In this week's TechNave Business Bytes for Week 2 of April 2024 Tencent partnered with Paynet Malaysia for cross-border QR payments while APRU's "AI For Social Good Report" highlights the need for transforming social policies using AI innovations.
The Global IPO market saw a 7% decrease in volume but a 7% increase in proceeds in Q1 2024, with Asia-Pacific experiencing a decline. CloudMile was recognized as Google Cloud Partner of the Year for expanding AI and data use in Asia while Infinix, ranked as the sixth most innovative company in the Asia-Pacific.
In a step towards more SME and corporate oriented content we covered first impressions of the Jabra Evolve2 55 wireless headphones. Read on below for more details.
Tencent partners with Paynet Malaysia for Cross-Border QR Payments
Tencent is enhancing digital payment services for visitors to China, making it more convenient and secure to register for a WeChat account and link international cards to Weixin Pay. Overseas users can now register for a WeChat account with an overseas mobile number and link eligible international cards to access millions of merchants in China.
Verified international users can enjoy higher transaction limits, with a single transaction limit raised from $1,000 to $5,000 and an annual limit raised from $10,000 to $50,000. Weixin Pay is also exploring interoperability with more overseas e-wallets and has partnered with Payments Network Malaysia for cross-border QR payment interoperability. WeChat Pay HK, the first overseas digital wallet in mainland China, has expanded to millions of merchants and offers higher transaction limits for verified users.
APRU's AI For Social Good Report
The Association of Pacific Rim Universities or APRU's "AI For Social Good Report" highlights the need for transforming social policies and services in Bangladesh and Thailand. The collaborative project between APRU, ESCAP, and Google.org aims to enhance AI governance frameworks and capabilities, fostering transparent ecosystems and AI solutions to address socio-economic challenges in Asia and the Pacific.
In Bangladesh, the project explores AI innovations in maternity care, focusing on user receptivity and alignment with existing systems. Researchers recommend digitizing standard antenatal care data entry and implementing a mobile-based system for appointment tracking. In Thailand, researchers identify barriers to sharing medical data and propose policy recommendations, while another project focuses on enhancing internal information exchange for poverty alleviation.
EY: Current State of the Global IPO market
Global IPO market saw a 7% decrease in volume but a 7% increase in proceeds in Q1 2024 compared to Q1 2023. The Americas and EMEIA IPO markets had a bright start, while Asia-Pacific started on a weak note. The US recovered after a 20-year low in proceeds in 2022. Asia-Pacific IPO activity declined significantly, especially in Mainland China and Hong Kong.
Southeast Asia also experienced a lukewarm IPO market, with Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand being the most active exchanges. The EMEIA IPO market grew impressively, maintaining first place in global IPO market share by proceeds since Q4 2023. Despite the restrained overall market activity in previous years, there's an uptick in enthusiasm from both IPO issuers and investors, hinting at shifting market dynamics and a more welcoming landscape for public listings.
CloudMile receives Google Cloud awards
CloudMile has been recognized as a Google Cloud Partner of the Year for the second consecutive year, showcasing its expertise and customer-centric approach in expanding the use of AI and data across Asia. The company received the Google Cloud Sales & Services Partner of the Year Award for Taiwan and Singapore for its outstanding business achievements in delivering enterprise-scale data migration projects.
Additionally, CloudMile was honored with the Google Cloud Social Impact Partner of the Year Award for APAC for its initiatives in contributing to the development of Malaysia's digital economy, including the "Go Cloud!" program aimed at upskilling Malaysians in Google Cloud.
Infinix recent achievements
Infinix, a renowned tech brand, has been recognized as the sixth most innovative company in the Asia-Pacific region by Fast Company thanks to technologies like Infinix's revolutionary 260W fast-charging and AI-powered features. More recently, their Infinix NOTE 40 Series introduced All-Round FastCharge 2.0 with the Cheetah X1 chip for efficient charging.
Infinix supports STEM programs and coding camps, collaborating with UNESCO and Google to drive positive change. The company's CSR initiative, UNESCO CogLabs, empowers young minds through technology access. In addition, Infinix recently ranked as the No.2 Best-Selling Brand on Shopee's 4.4 Jualan Akhir Raya based on units sold and gross merchandise volume.
Jabra Evolve2 55 first impressions - for the wireless call center professional?
The Jabra Evolve2 55 was released on August 1, 2023, designed for a hybrid working setup thanks to its certification for Microsoft Teams. Surprisingly lightweight and not too difficult to set up, this was our first impression of these headphones.
They come in a classic corporate black color, with a silver steel headband extender and a built-in microphone. Interestingly, you can move the microphone up to mute yourself and down to switch it back on. This should save you time trying to locate and press buttons on the headphones, but if you do need to, all the buttons are located on the right side.
Featuring a snug and comfortable cushion around the ear cup, they also have a 360-degree Busylight feature, while the Jabra Sound+ app allows for various customizations, including personalized audio settings and voice assistant selection.
The battery life is impressive, lasting up to 4 hours of continuous usage, and they can be fully charged in 30 minutes. The headset comes with a charging stand that also serves as a storage solution. Priced from RM1550, they're more suitable for the call center professionals or other corporate users than casual listeners.
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