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Showing posts with the label internet

Chinese consumers prefer mobile devices for online transactions

As 44 million Internet users are added each year in China, cash transactions might become obsolete. Consumers are increasingly using third party mobile payment apps for online transactions. Leon Perera, Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his insights on this trend in China Daily – Asia Weekly. A majority of e-commerce purchases in China are now made using mobile devices. Last year, 527 million transactions took place using online payment platforms accessed via smartphones. Perera observed that the m-commerce market is an indicator of China’s rising consumption as well as the surge in smartphone penetration. The growth potential is immense, especially in third and fourth tier cities where consumer credit is rising. Internet giants in China such as Tencent and Alibaba still dominate the m-commerce market. Consumers now prefer Point-of-Sale mobile payments as a safer and more convenient option than cash, with service providers like Alipay, Pay a

The advent of the internet in Cuba kick starts online start-ups

Internet access among Cuba’s 11.2 million people is growing. Between 2013 and 2015, the share of the Cuban population using the internet jumped from about a quarter to more than 35%. This growing market has drawn the attention of internet giants, such as Airbnb, Netflix and Google. This trend has also fuelled activity among local entrepreneurs, who have launched domestic versions of sites such as the crowd-sourced business directory Yelp. Will Cuba’s internet revolution unleash economic growth? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/the-advent-of-the-internet-in-cuba-kick-starts-online-start-ups/

WannaCry ransomware attack affects millions

The first ever global worm-based ransomware attack – WannaCry –crippled close to 150 countries in May 2017. Ransomware usually spreads via email, relying on human intervention to initiate infection. In a matter of hours, WannaCry spread to Internet-connected computers infecting many that were unpatched and exposed to the Internet. In particular, the ransomware exploited older Windows operating systems, including Windows XP. The attack was a stark reminder about keeping antivirus, firewall and operating systems up-to-date. The IT security industry is exploiting machine learning to enhanced preparedness and threat response speeds. Can Machine Learning help mitigate ransomware attacks? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/wannacry-ransomware-attack-affects-millions/

Blockchain technology is set to hit retail sector

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/

Education: Will the internet transform the way we learn?

With the global e-learning market expected to reach revenues of USD107 billion by 2015, education over the internet has become easily accessible. Demand for e-learning is growing rapidly, as a function of changes in the skills mix needed for cutting edge industries. Is the internet bound to change the way we learn? What is e-learning? Electronic learning or e-learning refers to computer-enhanced learning. The concept of e-learning evolved from the idea of computer-assisted instruction. A prominent example of computer-assisted instruction is the PLATO system – developed at the Urbana Campus at The University of Illinois since 1960. This system was further enhanced, leading to the emergence of content-based learning through software. The popularity of online education continues to soar due to population growth, the availability of e-learning platforms as well as increased global internet penetration. The number of internet users increased tenfold from 1999 to 2013. In the Asian

Google’s Project Loon balloons to provide internet in India

Can a network of floating balloons offer internet services? It seems to be a scene right from a science-fiction movie. Tech giant Google has launched a network of balloons that travel 20 km above ground level to deliver signals using LTE technology making the internet available at 4G speeds even in rural areas. First launched in New Zealand in 2015, the balloons later made their way to Brazil, Australia and recently Sri Lanka and Indonesia. The Indian government is still apprehensive about this technology, in the face of claims that it could lead to technical glitches due to interference with cellular transmission. Nonetheless, the government is yet to come back with a conclusive response. Will balloons bring the internet to every square inch of the world’s second most populous country? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/googles-project-loon-balloons-to-provide-internet-in-india/

Digital content in Hindi gaining momentum

To invest in Hindi content makes business sense. There are around 500 million Hindi speakers in India and across the globe. DB Corp Ltd. – India’s largest print media company – is pursuing this strategy. Internet users in Hindi are on the rise in rural India where 87 million mobile-internet users and 134 million internet users are based (as of 2014). However, developers find it difficult to create a standardized interface language setting and the lack of standard phonetic translations makes it harder to type Hindi characters. Moreover, with many other official languages across India, propagating Hindi content is still an uphill task. Will Hindi digital content take off any time soon? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/digital-content-in-hindi-gaining-momentum/

Bullish outlook for e-commerce in Indonesia

The ASEAN region will see double-digit growth for e-commerce. Indonesia has the highest retail sales in ASEAN at USD469 billion and is expected to see robust e-commerce growth. Jeffrey Bahar, Deputy Chief Executive Office of Spire Research and Consulting group, highlighted the growth potential and key opportunities present in this sector during his presentation at the third Annual South East Asia Retail Expansion Summit in October 2015. The number of online shoppers in Indonesia is set to reach 8.7 million in 2016. Indonesia boasts of being among the top six retail e-commerce markets with a total retail value at USD1.3 billion (in 2013). Bahar mentioned that 51% of Indonesian online shoppers fall in the 21-27 age category where free shipping, exclusive deals, product warranty and safe payment methods are strong motivators. Key growth categories are books (22%) and fashion products (20.5%). Nonetheless, challenges remain. Barriers that need to be addressed to promote Indon

Courier giants to benefit from Indonesia’s e-commerce boom

Indonesia boasts 90 million internet users with online retail sales of USD2.6 billion in 2014. The e-commerce boom has fed robust growth in express courier services. Recognizing this trend, the Indonesia Supply Chain & Logistics Summit 2015 gathered industry leaders and government officials to discuss key industry trends, opportunities and challenges. Jeffrey Bahar, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Spire Research and Consulting group, was invited as a guest speaker at the Supply Chain & Logistics Summit 2015. In his presentation, Bahar highlighted Indonesia’s booming e-commerce industry, focusing on the surge in the express courier services market. Bahar mentioned that outsourced/contract logistics services in Indonesia are worth approximately USD29 billion, with more than 2,500 players in 2015. The industry is supported by growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and domestic consumption. At the same time, Indonesia’s e-commerce market continues to shine. A po