The Knowledge to Decide

Blockchain is set to go beyond financial services and affect all sectors, especially retail. Blockchain enables a decentralized digital ledger to record information and transactions on a shared online network. In Australia, this technology will soon enable consumers to scan a product and check the actual journey from farm to store shelf, alongside product quality. Can the internet of things plus Blockchain revolutionize retail supply chains? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/blockchain-technology-is-set-to-hit-retail-sector/

Ever heard of water mimicking the taste of lemonade? Researchers from the National University of Singapore collaborated with Japan’s Keio University to recreate the color and acidity of lemonade in water. This process involves a system of sensors – RGB colour and pH – with electrodes digitally transmitting the basic colour and sourness of a glass of lemonade to a special tumbler of water. The water eventually tastes and looks like lemonade. More plans are in the works, like the creation of digital sugary drinks that do not cause dental problems. Can virtual drinks make for healthier alternatives? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/a-glass-of-water-that-tastes-like-lemonade/

As use of mobile wallets grows across Asia, digitalized financial services are transforming consumer behavior. In this context, Informa Business (IBC) organized the 4th Annual Mobile Wallet Conference to discuss key industry trends, opportunities and challenges in Jakarta, Indonesia. Jeffrey Bahar, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Spire Research and Consulting group, was honored to be a guest speaker at this event. In his presentation, Bahar highlighted key facts about the mobile wallet ecosystem in Asia with focus on consumer trends, growth drivers and acceptance of digital currency. Bahar mentioned the rise mobile wallet payments is due to faster transactions (71%), ease of use (55%) and the need to have cash on hand (47%). There are more opportunities for organizations, regulators and startups due to the convergence of multi-channel integration, integrated IT infrastructure, digital currencies and Big data analytics, to name a few trends. The Philippines beca

The ability to read e-books through smartphones is soon catching on. With less time on their hands – consumers constantly look for convenience for size and screen clarity. Recent research findings indicate that the percentage of e-book buyers – especially smartphone readers – surged from 30% in 2012 to 41% during the first quarter of 2015. This trend pushes publishers to engage readers in new ways by means of enhancing the mobile-reading experience. This year, Penguin Random House introduced free excerpts (of e-books) on Amtrak’s Acela Express trains. Moreover, Colleen Saidman Yee gave away her books – Yoga for Life – for free at Time Square’s yoga festival in New York in June. Are smartphones the future of digital reading? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/phone-reading-to-drive-books-sales/

Shopping carnivals initiated by Chinese e-tailers are generating massive sales. China’s famous Cyber Monday (11 November) registered record sales of USD10 billion within 24 hours in 2014. Has China entered the age of digital payments? Spire Research and Consulting shared its insights, published on the US Consumer Electronics Association’s blog. Chinese e-commerce giants including Alibaba Group and JD.com offer huge discounts during such e-commerce shopping carnivals to propagate digital payment technology, to the massive acclaim of Chinese consumers. As China’s e-commerce market expands, third-party payment platforms lead the way. This space is dominated by Alipay (Alibaba), UnionPay, 99Bill and Tenpay (Tencent). The potential is evident from Alipay’s hike in transaction value to USD9 billion in 2014 in comparison to USD8 million in 2009. At the same time, payments are not only limited to the e-commerce realm but include mobile payments as well. These include E-wallet, re

Mobile and digital banking are now the drivers of rural banking. Many banks in South East Asia are intensively reaching out to the rural unbanked population. Jeffrey Bahar, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his views on this growing industry trend in FST Media. Bahar observed that many banks in Indonesia are now targeting the unbanked. Only about a quarter of the Indonesian population has access to traditional banking services. Besides, with Indonesia’s mobile phone usage running at over a 100 per cent penetration rate, it is natural for banks to offer mobile financial solutions to the unbanked. To better target this market, some banks are partnering with microfinance institutions to enable the unbanked to sign up for a bank account the paperless way. These institutions would then help users to conduct banking transactions via their mobile devices. Indonesia’s central bank, Bank Indonesia, has launched a pilot program, ‘Mobile Payment S