The Knowledge to Decide

The movement to digitize healthcare information promises to deliver massive gains in efficiency, effectiveness and patient access to personal data. The next steps in this revolution involve making health data accessible via mobile devices and applying big data analytics. Can healthcare IT really revolutionize the age-old healthcare industry? Medical records have traditionally been stored at hospitals and medical centers in the form of paper or analogue film explaining the old joke about doctor’s handwriting. Remarkably, a large share of medical records across the world is still stored in this way, especially in developing economies. But for decades now, a quiet revolution has been underway to make medical information digital, portable across different medical institutions, amenable to big data analytics and accessible to the patient. This revolution is now nearing the tipping point when big changes may become visible. Nowadays, leading healthcare providers in develop

ASEAN’s gaming market is set for rapid growth. By 2017, there will be an estimated 80 million middle-income households, adding more consumers in the 20-50 years age bracket. This means gaming revenues will reach USD2.2 billion – double in value. What factors contribute to this emerging market? With improved broadband infrastructure and more disposable income, online as well as mobile gaming is increasingly accessible. By the end of 2016, there will be 230 million smartphones in Asia – which means more potential users. ASEAN governments have been quick to cash in. For instance, game developers in Indonesia receive subsidies to encourage market growth whereas the University of the Philippines actively promotes game development and design courses, hosts gaming events as well as offers scholarships to attract students. However, the gaming market in ASEAN is highly fragmented. Each ASEAN country has unique preferences and gaming behaviour. No one single publisher or format c

400 million Chinese consumers make online purchases and China’s e-commerce market is set to reach USD1.57 trillion by 2018, making it the world’s largest. As smartphone penetration continues to surge in Asia, online retail is evolving. Will mobile commerce become the dominant mode for online purchases in Asia? Japnit Singh, Senior Director at Spire Research and Consulting, shared his insights in China Daily – Asia Weekly. China’s e-commerce retail sales in 2015 increased by 42.1% to reach USD672 billion. This is equivalent to over 40% of global e-commerce retail sales. As the online retail experience continues to evolve, more purchases are made using smartphones. Growth factors responsible for this e-commerce boom include the rise in demand for imported products due to rising incomes, new online platforms and initiatives by the government. Cross-border consumer e-commerce added up to about USD40 billion (in 2015) – more than 6% of China’s consumer e-commerce in total.

Africa is becoming a new growth market for Google with Android-enabled devices – it launched services for Google Play Music in South Africa in December 2015 to enter the fiercely competitive market for on-demand music streaming services. Interestingly, Apple Music is already present since its launch in June 2015. This means users will have unlimited access to a variety of music – spanning international and local artistes. For early subscribers, the monthly cost will be USD3.50 until January 26, 2016. As South Africa boasts to be the most advanced digital media market in sub Saharan Africa, the availability of such streaming services signifies the market opportunity of mobiles in Africa – particularly those users with smartphones. Will Google manage to capture Africa’s digital media market despite fierce competition? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/google-sets-up-shop-in-africas-music-market/