trending Market Intelligence /marketintelligence/en/news-insights/trending/WsqGtOdFC05mPKGGvDRoow2 content esgSubNav
In This List

Alibaba's AI chip; WarnerMedia restructuring; voice interoperability alliance

Blog

Europe: 5 key OTT trends to watch in 2022

Podcast

Next in Tech | Episode 50: InfoSec spending up, again…

Blog

Broadcast deal market recap 2021

Podcast

Next in Tech | Episode 49: Carbon reduction in cloud


Alibaba's AI chip; WarnerMedia restructuring; voice interoperability alliance

TOP NEWS

* Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. introduced its first artificial intelligence chip that focuses on speeding up machine learning tasks. The Hanguang 800 chip is expected to help boost Alibaba's cloud computing capabilities. It is currently used in product search and automatic translation on the company's e-commerce sites, as well as for personalized recommendations, advertising and intelligent customer services.

* Jonathan Spink is stepping down as CEO of HBO Asia under a management restructuring at WarnerMedia LLC's Asia-Pacific business. WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks appointed Ricky Ow as president, distribution and advertising sales of APAC, uniting Turner Asia Pacific and HBO Asia. In addition, Clement Schwebig was promoted to managing director, WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks, Southeast Asia, Pacific and China. The company also tapped Jamie Friend, senior vice president and CFO for EMEA at WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks, to lead financial planning and analysis for the Asia-Pacific region.

* Amazon.com Inc. and more than 30 other industry partners unveiled a new Voice Interoperability Initiative to ensure users can access multiple voice services on a single device. Other partners include Tencent Holdings Ltd., Baidu Inc., Microsoft Corp., Verizon Communications Inc., Spotify Technology SA and Qualcomm Technologies Inc.

* A U.S. House panel introduced bipartisan legislation to approve a US$1 billion fund to help small and rural wireless providers replace network equipment from companies such as Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. and ZTE Corp., Reuters reported. The lawmakers said the bill would protect the U.S. communications networks from companies that pose a threat to U.S. national security.

JAPAN

* Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc. subsidiary Aniplex Inc. merged its anime streaming businesses — Wakanim SARL in France and Madman Entertainment Pty. Ltd. in Australia — with Sony Pictures Television Inc.'s U.S.-based Funimation Entertainment Ltd. unit. The deal will see the formation of a joint venture to be owned by Aniplex and Sony Pictures Television.

* DiDi Mobility Japan, a joint venture of Chinese ride-hailing app Didi Chuxing Technology Co. Ltd. and SoftBank Corp., announced a partnership with map publisher Zenrin Co. Ltd. Under the deal, DiDi Mobility will use the navigation apps of Zenrin DataCom CO. Ltd.

SOUTH KOREA

* Thirteen South Korean broadcasters, including Seoul Broadcasting System, YTN Co. Ltd., Yonhap News Television and JTBC Co. Ltd., joined hands to launch an audio platform called Tpod, Newsis reported. The platform currently offers 27 livestreaming channels and 101 podcast programs.

* The South Korean Ministry of Science and ICT laid out a plan to boost the businesses of mobile virtual network operators by reducing wholesale rates and expanding mobile virtual network operator coverage to 5G, Financial News reported. As part of the plan, the ministry will require SK Telecom Co. Ltd. to provide MVNOs with 5G networks at wholesale prices.

* KT Corp. signed an agreement with Samsung Medical Center to cooperate on applying 5G smart technologies to hospital services, ZDNet Korea reported.

GREATER CHINA (MAINLAND CHINA, HONG KONG AND TAIWAN MARKETS)

* China Clean Energy Fund, an investment fund launched by Apple Inc. in 2018 that connects suppliers with renewable energy projects, will invest in three wind farms in the Chinese provinces Hunan and Hubei. The investment is part of an initiative by Apple and 10 of its suppliers to invest nearly US$300 million by 2022 to develop projects totaling 1 gigawatt of renewable energy. The wind farms in Hunan and Hubei will generate approximately one-tenth of the anticipated overall project total.

* China International Capital Corp. Ltd. and Tencent Digital (Shenzhen) Ltd. agreed to set up a technological joint venture that will facilitate the investment bank's wealth management, retail brokerage and other businesses. China International Capital will hold a 51% stake in the joint venture, while the Tencent Holdings unit will hold the remaining 49% stake. The joint venture will have a proposed registered capital of 500 million yuan.

* U.K.-based semiconductor design company ARM Holdings PLC confirmed that it will work with Huawei on current and future chip architectures, following earlier reports that it might suspend business with the Chinese company.

* 360 Ludashi Holdings Ltd., the developer of utility software brand Ludashi, launched an initial public offering in Hong Kong to raise HK$180 million, Hong Kong Economic Times reported. The company has attracted five cornerstone investors, including Mobvista Inc. and Green Dynasty Holdings Ltd.

* OPPO reached a partnership with U.S.-based Keysight Technologies Inc. to set up a communications laboratory to enhance their cooperation in the development of 5G devices, 36Kr reported. The companies will also explore opportunities in communications software and distinctive hardware designs.

INDIA AND SOUTH ASIA

* Sneha Rajani, head of film production at Sony Pictures Networks India Pvt. Ltd., is leaving the company after a 20-year stint with the Sony Corp. subsidiary. Rajani exits the media company in October, but her future plans are not known yet, according to Mint.

* Indian video-on-demand service SonyLIV is adding PayPal Holdings Inc. as a payment option on its platform, Television Post reported.

SOUTHEAST ASIA

* SoftBank Robotics Corp. said it aims to expand its business in the Asia-Pacific region, The Nikkei reported. As part of its growth strategy, the company will set up its regional headquarters in Singapore and seek opportunities for partnerships or acquisitions with robotics or artificial intelligence companies.

* Advanced Wireless Network Co. Ltd. agreed to settle a 2G equipment dispute with Thailand state-owned telecom operator TOT PCL with a 680 million baht payment, Hoon Smart reported.

* Apple Thailand will accept iPhone 11 preorders beginning Oct. 11, Droidsans reported. The new devices will be available in-store Oct. 18.

* Axiata Group Bhd.'s telecom infrastructure subsidiary edotco Group Sdn. Bhd. will partner with Telekom Malaysia unit Fiberail Sdn. Bhd. to provide wireless infrastructure services in Malaysia, The Star reported.

* Thai telco Advanced Info Service PCL is opening esports arenas at 20 AIS shops across the country, iPhone-Droid reported. AIS is reportedly collaborating with Huawei and OPPO in the project.

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

* Nine Entertainment Co. Holdings Ltd., in its submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's digital platforms inquiry, said Facebook Inc. and Google LLC are ignoring the harm they have caused local media companies and journalism, adding that the tech giants have put the production of news under financial pressure, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

FEATURED NEWS

The Pipeline: IPO window still open, but some having trouble getting through: A handful of big transactions helped boost IPO activity earlier in 2019, but several high-profile IPO-hopefuls have hit speed bumps on their path to going public.

User audio collection could raise liability risk over children's privacy: A practice from large tech companies of listening to user audio could expose the companies to liability under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, privacy lawyers said.

FEATURED RESEARCH

Technology: IBC 2019: Preparing for 8K production: While 4K still has a long way to go before it overtakes HD as the most common distribution resolution, equipment providers are ramping up their announcements and trials of 8K products as seen at IBC in September 2019.

Nozomi Ibayashi, Myungran Ha, Emily Lai, Kevin Osmond and Wil Hathaway contributed to this report. The Daily Dose has an editorial deadline of 7 a.m. Hong Kong time. Some external links may require a subscription. Links are current as of publication time, and we are not responsible if those links are unavailable later.