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Google to launch AR app in China with Xiaomi; Apple to switch to OLED screens

TOP NEWS

* Alphabet Inc. unit Google Inc. teamed up with Xiaomi Inc. to introduce its ARCore technology for phones in China, TechCrunch reports. The new technology, which reportedly enables augmented reality and virtual reality, will be available for Xiaomi's Mix 2S devices via an app in the Xiaomi App Store.

* Apple Inc. will use OLED screens, or organic light-emitting diode panels, for all three of its iPhones planned for 2019, Reuters reports, citing a post by South Korea's Electronic Times. The move could benefit OLED manufacturers such as LG Display Co. Ltd., while Japan Display Inc., one of Apple's main suppliers of LCD screens, plans to start producing OLED panels for smartphones from 2019.

* Facebook Inc. is set to launch its WhatsApp payment services in India next week, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News. WhatsApp Inc. is reportedly teaming up with HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank to process the transfers, with State Bank of India to join the platform once it has the necessary systems in place.

PAN-ASIAN NEWS

* Uber Technologies Inc. promoted Amit Jain, president of its India operations, to head of Asia-Pacific operations. According to Reuters, Jain will be responsible for markets including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong and India.

JAPAN

* Sony Corp. announced it will release an OLED microdisplay featuring 1600 x 1200 resolution, which the company claims achieves the world's smallest pixel pitch of 6.3µm.

* KDDI Corp. will launch a mobile package that includes Netflix Inc. on its au smartphone platform in Japan.

* Hitachi Ltd. said it developed an AI control technology that improves coordination between factory robotic arms and automated guided vehicles.

SOUTH KOREA

* South Korea will invest 9 trillion won over the next five years in drone and AI industries, Yonhap News Agency reports.

* SK Telecom Co. Ltd. said it will work with Hanwha Techwin to develop a "next-generation security solution." The two companies will utilize deep learning technology to have CCTVs automatically detect suspicious movements.

* Goo Hyun-mo, KT Corp.'s president of general business support, was appointed to lead the telco's newly created task force to develop information and communications technology cooperation between South Korea and North Korea, IT Chosun reports.

CHINA, HONG KONG AND TAIWAN

* HKBN Ltd. said long-time CEO William Yeung will step down from the role in September, and will be replaced by COO and Executive Director NiQ Lai. Yeung will assume the role of executive vice chairman of the Hong Kong-based operator after serving for 10 years as CEO.

* Beijing-based APICloud secured 100 million yuan in its series B funding round, 36kr reports. The startup, which provides a cloud-based platform for app developers, will use the investment on overseas expansion and R&D.

* Shenzhen-based Hytera Communications Corp. Ltd., a manufacturer of radio systems and transceivers, said the possible U.S. ban on China-made video surveillance equipment would have little impact on its businesses, C114 reports.

INDIA AND SOUTH ASIA

* Reliance Communications Ltd. said its subsidiary Reliance Infratel Ltd. reached a settlement with minority investors, which clears the way for the sale of the telco's towers and fiber assets to Reliance Jio.

* Reliance Communications offered to pay 5 billion Indian rupees to Ericsson to settle a dispute over unpaid dues worth 11.5 billion rupees, Mint reports.

* Chinese handset maker OPPO Electronics Corp appointed marketing and sales veteran Charles Wong president of its India operations. In his new role, Wong will be responsible for growing the company's market share in the country, according to The Economic Times.

SOUTHEAST ASIA

* Thailand's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission is conducting a review of the digital TV operators that have applied for a 3-year moratorium on license fee payments, Thairath reports. The NBTC will meet with all 20 operators who have applied on June 7.

* Telkom Indonesia appointed Aulia Marinto vice president of its consumer business, Detik reports. The appointment will see Aulia leaving his CEO post at Indonesian online retailer Blanja.com, which is also part of Telkom Group.

* Telkom subsidiary PT Metra Digital Media is partnering with PT Optima Energi Indonesia/AGe Network to explore the eSports market in the country, Detik reports. Metra Digital plans to provide eSport facilities and introduce an eSport gaming platform this year.

* Traveloka Holding Ltd., a travel tech startup, launched a car rental service to complement its current services such as flight, hotel and train bookings, The Jakarta Post reports.

* Thai trivia game app Panya Studios plans to launch in Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines. According to Tech in Asia, the app launched in March this year and has already gathered more than a million downloads in May.

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

* Telstra Corp. Ltd. said it submitted a debt issuance program offering circular to the Singapore Exchange to update its debt issuance program.

* Almost week after announcing 200 job cuts due to the phase-out of its Virgin Mobile subsidiary, Singtel Optus Pty. Ltd. will be making another 400 positions redundant to lower costs, News.com.au reports.

* NBN Co Ltd. CEO Bill Morrow said the company dropped a plan to roll out the required technology to access 100Mbps speeds in all regional areas because the cost would be "outrageous," The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

* Spark New Zealand Ltd. will collaborate with Cisco Systems Inc. to prepare and test the parameters for a 5G network in New Zealand, according to Reseller News.

FEATURED NEWS

Q&A: Tech exec: Talk of US ban on ZTE merely strengthens China’s domestic market: S&P Global Market Intelligence sat down with George Ong, CEO of Hong Kong-based software firm Axisoft, to discuss the development of China’s rapidly growing tech sector, the country's artificial intelligence potential and recent sanctions by the U.S.

FEATURED RESEARCH

Consumer Insights: PlayStation Vue user profile: A young user base looking for value embraces digital video content across platforms.

Multichannel Trends: Q1 cable CapEx grows 14% YOY as momentum shifts behind broadband: On aggregate, the six operators under our analysis saw a 14% rise in quarterly capital expenditure to $4.31 billion over the year-ago period.

Joji Sakurai, Nicole Shiwon Kim, Frances Wang, 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.