Welcome back TechNavers and NewsByters, in this issue of TechNave NewsBytes 2020 #29, Samsung announces Generation17, while Samsung Electronics achieves Top Five in Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2020. For Huawei, they recently signed an MoU with JIOS Academy, while the Nandos Malaysia app is now available on their AppGallery. They also announced the top ICT Students to represent Asia Pacific in the Huawei ICT Competition Finals and they also announced their Q3 2020 Business Results.
For this issue’s Special Feature we have the next@acer interview with Acer’s Andrew Hou, President, Pan Asia Pacific (PAP) RO, Acer Inc, Jerry Kao, President IT Products and James K Lin, General Manager of Notebook Product Business in conjunction with the recent next@acer event. Check it out at the bottom below.
For miscellaneous announcements:
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Counterpoint: realme reaches 50 million product sales
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Adobe forecasts $189 Billion U.S. Online Sales
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unifi helps Malaysian micro SMEs with cari@unifi and eBiz Pack
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Epson launches new range of E10 business projectors
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Digi goes virtual for Customer Obsessed Day 2020
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Alibaba Group unveils plans for 2020 11.11 Global Shopping Festival
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Boost enables SMEs and launches #BoostGotYou campaign
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Coursera Announces Free ‘Coursera for Campus’ Options for Malaysian Students and Academic Institutions
- Microsoft, MDEC and MaGIC to nurture Malaysia’s next tech unicorns
SAMSUNG ANNOUNCEMENTS
Samsung announces Generation17, a UNDP programme for the future of youths
In celebration of the United Nations’ 75th Anniversary, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. recently announced Generation17, an initiative in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to inspire action to achieve the Global Goals - a set of 17 interlinked goals that provide a blueprint to achieve a better future for all by 2030.
Generation17 merges the power of Samsung Galaxy smartphone technology with UNDP’s platform to galvanize an entire generation of young people to achieve the 17 Global Goals in less than ten years. The UNDP and Samsung will provide mentorship, networking opportunities, and Galaxy devices to help broaden the reach of each of the young leaders’ voices and strengthen their organizations and businesses.
They will also use the Samsung Global Goals app, which is preinstalled on the latest Galaxy smartphones, to show users how they can make a difference across the 17 Global Goals in their daily lives. Through educational content, the app aims to increase awareness of the Goals and has so far raised $1M in donations for UNDP. The 2020 cohort of Generation17 is made up of four trailblazers who are mobilizing communities from Mali and Argentina, to Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our lifetimes:
- Máximo Mazzocco (Argentina): A 30-year old who founded Eco House, a nonprofit that promotes sustainable development through education, volunteering, advocacy and environmental certification
- Sadya Touré (Mali): A 23-year-old author who founded Mali Musso, an organization which empowers women through education to destigmatize gender-based violence
- Shomy Chowdhury (Bangladesh): A 26-year-old Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) activist seeking to ensure access to clean water and sanitation for all through her global organization, Awareness 360, working across 23 countries
- Tafara Makaza (Zimbabwe): A 24-year-old junior at Williams College, in Williamstown, MA, studying astrophysics who has launched diverse startups to build transportation, energy, agriculture and education solutions
Samsung Electronics achieves Top Five in Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2020
Samsung Electronics recently announced that it has become number five in the Best Global Brands 2020 list announced by Interbrand with its largest-ever brand value of USD 62.3 billion. Despite the challenging business environment brought onto global companies by COVID-19 in 2020, Samsung saw a 2% rise in brand value from USD 61.1 billion in 2019 to USD 62.3 billion this year. Samsung ascended to the global top five in three years after reaching number six in the list of Best Global Brands 2017.
The company has been recording consistent growth in terms of brand value since starting in 43rd place in 2000 when Interbrand began publishing the Best Global Brands. Since entering the top ten with a number nine rank in 2012, Samsung has continued its steady climb, reaching 6th place in 2017 and 5th place in 2020. The company excelled due to their Mobile Communications business with the Galaxy A series and the Galaxy Z Flip. In the network business, Samsung has established its position as a leader in 5G.
In the Visual Display business, Samsung has been leading the TV industry by launching The Sero and The Terrace. In digital appliances, Samsung continued product innovation to suit changing customers lifestyles with the BESPOKE refrigerator and Grande AI washer and dryer. In the Memory business in particular, Samsung announced Vision 2030 as a solid number one in the market. Samsung became the first company in the world to produce the EUV-based DRAM and has been continuously making investments in HBM2E Flashbolt applied with AI, automotive parts, IoT, AI and 5G for years.
The expansion of work-at-home measures resulting in growing demand for server and cloud services is expected to increase sales of DRAM and NAND flash chips. In system LSI, the company continued technological innovation and investment for Exynos and ISOCELL, and reinforced cooperation with major partners such as Audi.
HUAWEI ANNOUNCEMENTS
Huawei and JIOS Academy sign MoU to support Johor digital initiatives
Huawei Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (“Huawei”) recently inked a Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC) with JIOS Academy Sdn Bhd (“JIOS Academy”) to jointly support digital initiatives spearheaded by the Johor Digital Economy Centre (JDEC), which was launched today. Through this collaboration, both parties will work together to plan, develop, and implement innovative digital solutions to enhance and upgrade businesses, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Johor, by leveraging Cloud and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies provided by Huawei.
Huawei will take on the role as Technology Partner and Advisor, while JIOS Academy will be Project Owner and Content Provider. This strategic collaboration will also drive the adoption of AI and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions within Johor. This is in line with the state’s vision to transform the state into a Smart City with a digital-first government.
Nando’s Malaysia app is now on HUAWEI AppGallery
Huawei recently announced that the Nando's Malaysia app is now available for download locally on the Huawei AppGallery. With the app installed, you can now register as a member for Nando’s Loyalty Programme and start collecting ‘chillies’ to earn rewards and get member exclusive promotions. On top of that, the app also allows you to order your favourite dish online, locate nearby Nando’s restaurants, count your Nando’s calories and so forth.
The Nando’s Malaysia app joins the ever-growing family of HUAWEI AppGallery, the third-largest app store in the world. Apart from Nando’s Malaysia, HUAWEI AppGallery is filled with many frequently used applications in Malaysia such as Maybank2u, Zalora, TikTok, Lazada and more. To find out what other applications are on HUAWEI AppGallery, head over to their site.
Top ICT Students to represent Asia Pacific in Huawei ICT Competition Finals
The 2019-2020 Huawei Asia Pacific ICT Competition, under the theme of "Connection, Glory, Future," successfully concluded recently. Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) from Indonesia won champions of both the Network and Cloud tracks in this regional finals, and will represent the Asia Pacific region in the global finals. This year, the Huawei ICT competition in Asia Pacific attracted 4051 participants from 65 ICT Academies of six countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, India and Thailand; to compete in two technological tracks of Network and Cloud.
Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) from Indonesia won Champions of both the Network and Cloud tracks in this regional finals. From Malaysia, Universiti Malaya (UM), the former Network champion, won the first runner-up spot, while Singapore’s Nanyang Polytechnics (NYP) was the second runner-up. All winners will proceed to the Global Finals which will be held in Shenzhen, China in November.
The Huawei ICT competition aims to develop a platform for government organizations, higher education institutions, training partners, enterprises and students to support ICT education. The competition not only recognises and rewards student achievements in technology, but also provides guidance for future career development. The tech company aims to develop at least 200,000 ICT professionals over the next five years in the Asia Pacific region through Huawei ICT Academy and various programs.
Huawei announced Q3 2020 Business Results
Huawei recently announced its business results for the first three quarters of 2020. During this period, Huawei generated CNY671.3 billion in revenue, an increase of 9.9% over the same period last year. The company's net profit margin in this period was 8.0%. Throughout the first three quarters of 2020, Huawei's business results basically met expectations.
As the world grapples with COVID-19, Huawei's global supply chain is being put under intense pressure and its production and operations face significant challenges. The company continues to do its best to find solutions, survive and forge forward, and fulfill its obligations to customers and suppliers.
Moving forward, Huawei will leverage its strengths in ICT technologies such as AI, cloud, 5G, and computing to provide scenario-based solutions, develop industry applications, and unleash the value of 5G networks along with its partners. Its stated goal is to help enterprises grow their business and help governments boost domestic industry, benefit constituents, and improve overall governance.
MISC ANNOUNCEMENTS
LG announces Q3 2020 financial results
LG Electronics Inc. recently announced third-quarter 2020 consolidated revenue of KRW 16.92 trillion (USD 14.24 billion) and operating profit of KRW 959 billion (USD 807.14 million). Both sales and profits were the highest for a third quarter in the 62-year history of LG Electronics. Led by strong growth in home appliances and home entertainment, overall sales increased 7.8 percent and operating income improved by 22.7 percent compared with the same period last year.
Get more details which will be available for download at the LG Electronics website at approximately 15:00 on October 30, 2020. For those unable to participate, an audio recording of the news conference will be available for a period of 30 days after the conclusion of the call. The webcast replay will be available at their site.
Counterpoint: realme reaches 50 million product sales
realme, was recently named by Counterpoint's Q3 2020 smartphone shipment report to have reached the 50 million smartphone sales milestone. realme achieved this in merely nine quarters. In addition to this milestone, realme also recorded quarterly shipments of 14.8 million and growing 132% QoQ for the quarter.
Check out the Counterpoint Q3 2020 Global Smartphone Shipments Report or the Counterpoint Q3 2020 Global Smartphone Shipments Report for more details.
Adobe forecasts $189 Billion U.S. Online Sales for Holidays
As the holidays are around the corner, Adobe released its online shopping predictions for the 2020 holiday season. Based on Adobe Analytics data, Adobe predicts that U.S. online holiday sales will total $189 billion, shattering all previous records with a 33% YoY increase, equal to two years’ growth in one season. If consumers receive another round of stimulus checks and physical stores need to shut down in large parts of the country, consumers are expected to spend an additional $11 billion online, surpassing a total of $200 billion (47% YoY increase).
Adobe expects November and December to turn into Cyber Months this year instead of Cyber Week. Here are some of the other predictions:
- New shoppers: 9% of all holiday customers to be net new online shoppers due to the pandemic, and conversion rates are expected to increase significantly by 13%.
- Daily Records: Online sales will surpass $2 billion every day between November 1 – 21 and increase to $3 billion a day November 22 – December 3.
- Small vs. Large Retailers: Small retailers will see a 107% boost to revenue compared to large retailers (84% boost).
- Most anticipated gifts: Game consoles such as Playstation 5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch as well as toys like Rainbocorns, Cutetitos, Little Live Pets, Star Wars toys, LEGO sets and top selling video games are expected to include cyberpunk 2077, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Mario Kart Home Circuit, Super Mario 3D All Stars.
Please find the full blogpost on their site.
unifi helps Malaysian micro SMEs with cari@unifi and eBiz Pack
unifi is helping Malaysian Micro SMEs via the launch of cari@unifi and eBiz Pack. This will help micro SMEs (MSMEs) to transit their businesses online and simplify the way they do business. In recent years, the contribution of MSMEs to the economy has increased exponentially, however many of them tend to fall by the wayside as they do not have the right tools and capacity to continue staying afloat and be able to adapt to the new digital landscape. cari@unifi enables MSMEs access to a larger pool of customers by offering FREE online advertising in listing their businesses on cari@unifi’s online directory. Small businesses like home-based bakers and even roadside burger stalls can benefit from this platform by getting their businesses known to the local community.
Besides housing an easy-to-use online directory of local MSMEs nationwide, cari@unifi will also host targeted content such as featured articles, and videos, to promote businesses listed on the platform. Micro SMEs interested in listing their businesses on cari@unifi can sign up today by visiting this page. For more information on eBiz Pack, please visit this site.
Epson launches new range of E10 business projectors
Setting a new minimum resolution standard for business presentations, Epson recently announced the launch of a new range of business projectors, including the Epson EB-E10. The new E10 range of business projectors all incorporate XGA, WXGA or Full HD resolution, leaving behind the conventional entry-level SVGA resolution, while setting new industry standards for quality business presentations. The wide range of entry level models also offer competitive specifications that are affordable while meeting an extending range of business needs.
All models in the range offer XGA or higher resolution and also include Epson’s 3LCD technology, allowing for more accurate and higher quality colour output than 1 Chip DLPTM Projectors. They feature a wide range of connectivity options, from optional wireless to Miracast® connectivity. With a long lamp life of up to 17,000 hours in ECO mode – the equivalent of 14 years' worth of use – the projectors also provide a low total cost of ownership to help businesses of all sizes manage their operational overheads.
The new EB-E10 business projector series is now retailing at RM1,420 at Epson Flagship store on Lazada and Epson Authorised Dealer stores. Other models in the series will be made available progressively by December.
Digi goes virtual for Customer Obsessed Day 2020
Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd (Digi) continued their annual Customer Obsessed Day 2020 (COD) for the ninth consecutive year. Unlike previous years where employees were mobilised to the streets of key market centres nationwide, the pandemic has inspired Digi to pivot to digital means. For this year’s COD, more than 1,000 Digizens interacted with customers virtually.
Themed “You Inspire Us. Our Customers, Our Priority”, this year’s COD objectives centered around 3 key areas – (i) to learn from our customers so that we can better serve them, (ii) to help our customers stay connected at the safety of their home via MyDigi, and as always (iii) to thank our customers for their continuous support.
The COD activities were all organised and managed digitally, from recording of customers stories, to Digizens having a live video chat with more than 3,000 customers, and gifting of MyRewards to thank our customers with a personal touch. Digizens were also required to strengthen their knowledge on customer engagement topics through 3 hours of e-learning as part of the mandatory COD tasks.
Alibaba Group unveils plans for 2020 11.11 Global Shopping Festival
Alibaba Group Holding Limited recently kicked off its 11.11 Global Shopping Festival with new innovations and features. These include the participation of Alipay’s digital lifestyle platform; broader consumer reach and bigger promotions; “double” the number of shopping windows that will spotlight more brands, products and special offers; as well as the popular livestreaming technology creating more fun and engagement for Chinese consumers with the largest international presence to date.
This year the Festival expands the concept from “single” to “double,” enabling merchants to double up on promoting their products to consumers across China not just once, but twice. A new sales window will be added from November 1 to 3, ahead of the main event on November 11, with the aim of providing merchants, specifically new brands and small businesses, the opportunity to showcase their products and tell their brand stories amid the pandemic.
Livestreaming is expected to take the center stage of this year’s 11.11 where Taobao Live will offer sessions ranging from cosmetics, electronics, to cars and houses. New features like online property viewings and virtual vehicle test drives will provide more realistic and engaging experience to help consumers with their buying decisions. Alibaba’s DAMO Academy will use artificial intelligence technology to create its first virtual livestreaming host, while Fliggy will host travel-related livestreams.
Boost enables SMEs and launches #BoostGotYou campaign
Boost is building an enabling ecosystem with three components for MSMEs including startups and entrepreneurs to crisis-proof their businesses. The first is cashless payment tools with the e-wallet. The second is micro-financing through sister company Aspirasi. The third is supporting businesses to move offline to online under the SME Digitalisation Grant by the Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), in partnership with Celcom who is an official Technology Solutions Provider (TSP).
Additionally, with #BoostGotYou, users who spend a minimum of RM30 in a single transaction purchasing insurance policy underwritten by Great Eastern Life Assurance will be eligible to win Samsung’s Galaxy Note20. Users who spend RM30 cumulatively on Bill Payments or prepaid top up will stand a chance to win a prize of the month. Prizes for October, a total of 2,000 winners will receive 2,500 Boost Coins each. Whereas prizes for November and December, a total of 250 winners will be chosen weekly to receive RM50 Bill Payment Wallet and another 250 winners will be chosen weekly for RM30 Top Up Wallet.
For more information, check out the website.
Coursera Announces Free ‘Coursera for Campus’ Options for Malaysian Students and Academic Institutions
Coursera, recently announced free versions of its Coursera for Campus programme, with upgraded features, that will enable universities in Malaysia to deliver academic integrity for credit-bearing online learning and improve student employability.
Coursera for Campus is available to students and academic institutions in these offerings: -
- The Student plan – Offers every university student free access to unlimited Guided Projects for hands-on learning and one course annually*
- The Basic plan – Offers up to 20,000 free student licenses to every university. Every license includes access to unlimited Guided Projects and one course annually*
- The Institution plan - Provides unlimited Guided Projects and unlimited course enrollments for each student license. It also enables universities to manage for-credit online learning programs with enhanced academic integrity.
For more information about each offering, visit their site.
Microsoft, MDEC and MaGIC to nurture Malaysia’s next tech unicorns
Microsoft Malaysia in partnership with the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and the Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre (MaGIC) have launched the Highway to a 100 Unicorns initiative, as part of a joint effort to strengthen the nation’s startup ecosystem and empower local startups with mentoring, technology, and access to enterprise clients.
Eligible startups will gain access to focused workshops on business and technology, as well as monthly knowledge-sharing webinars with the global startup community. Additionally, the top startups from Malaysia will stand to gain from an intensive year-long mentorship program, access to enterprise clients as well as engagement opportunities with Microsoft experts and industry leaders.
Applications close on 31 October 2020. For more information, visit their site.
Special: next@acer Interview
Acer recently held an online interview with Andrew Hou, President, Pan Asia Pacific (PAP) RO, Acer Inc, Jerry Kao, President IT Products and James K Lin, General Manager of Notebook Product Business. This was in conjunction with the recent next@acer event where Acer revealed a number of new devices and products for launch.
For the interview, they noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has really made an impact on Acer’s markets with Year-on-Year (YoY) growth throughout the region. More users working from home are buying more Acer laptops, Chromebooks and other tech devices, with a Q3 PAP revenue YoY growth of 15% after the lockdown.
Because of the pandemic, the demand for Acer devices actually increased. Growth in gaming was also noted, despite the recent cancellation of the Predator league. During the interview they revealed that plans for new Acer products for next year are already underway.
Thanks for reading TechNavers and TechNave NewsByters. As always, stay tuned to TechNave.com and if you think your brand or PR should be in our latest issue of TechNave NewsBytes 2020, contact our Editor-in-Chief.
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