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Notes from the work
Field notes on software, product work, and practical AI from AccordHK.
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Chinese Smartphone Brands Join Forces to Build an App Store Rival to Google Play
As mentioned earlier, Huawei decided that even if the US–China trade war ended and it could resume working with Google to preinstall Google services on its phones, it would move ahead “without looking back”, developing an entirely new app store of its own to break free from Google completely. Huawei’s decision has received support from its industry peers in mainland China. Reuters reports that several Chinese smartphone brands have decided to join forces to launch an entirely new app store, challenging Google Play’s leading position. With Google services banned in China, users of various Chinese smartphone brands download the apps they need through different channels. Many of these app stores are developed by Huawei and Oppo. According to Reuters, Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo have decided to collaborate on an entirely new app store, launching as early as March this year. It would be introduced in countries where they have a strong market position, such as Russia, India, Indonesia and Malaysia, to challenge Google Play’s global leadership. The reason is clear: last year alone, Google Play brought Google US$8.8 billion in revenue, demonstrating the enormous potential of the app market. It is little wonder that so many Chinese smartphone brands want to build an app store capable of challenging Google Play’s position. However, the success or failure of this initiative depends on how many developers are willing to work with them. Too limited a selection of apps will struggle to attract users. With the Wuhan pneumonia outbreak continuing, the launch could also be postponed. Original article URL: http://bit.ly/3bpqNzM
Read article →Beat the Back-to-Work and School Blues: 10 Mac and iOS Apps for a More Productive New Year
Returning to work or school after the Lunar New Year holiday? These 10 apps, selected by MacRumors through reader feedback, offer practical tools and entertainment for the year ahead.
Read article →Facebook Crosses the Line to Challenge Match Group: Five Factors Decide the Winner
Investors should not assume Facebook can defeat Match Group on the online dating battlefield. Facebook launched Facebook Dating last year, but Match has outperformed it in five areas, which could widen its moat against the tech giant.
Read article →Mobile Game Apps Earn HK$1.6 Billion at Christmas, Up 8%
Sensor Tower reports that global consumers spent US$210 million (about HK$1.638 billion) on mobile gaming apps at Christmas 2019, up 8% from US$195 million in the same period of 2018. Mobile games accounted for 76% of total app revenue.
Read article →Growing Enterprise Cloud Adoption: Three Steps to Improve Application Efficiency
Hong Kong places great emphasis on technological innovation. In April 2019, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer established the Smart Government Innovation Lab to help the industry improve public services through IT, encourage public-private collaboration and create opportunities for local start-ups and SMEs.
Read article →This Top-Rated App Can Help You Deal With Stress in the New Year
Stress tends to accumulate around the holiday season but it's not like it simply disappears otherwise. Life is full of stressors, from tight project deadlines to frustrating coworkers to rush hour traffic. Don't just accept the stress, deal with it appropriately by investing in your own mindfulness. Aura is a meditation app that can help
Read article →3 Trends To Look Out For When Promoting Your App
According to survey data from Clutch, roughly 55 percent of businesses owned by millennials have their own mobile app. While many of these apps are meant to supplement an e-commerce store, SaaS, or other business model, for many fledgling companies, the app essentially is the business. Because of this, app promotion has become more important
Read article →Fabric’s new app helps parents with the hard stuff, including wills, life insurance & shared finances
A new app called Fabric aims to make it simpler for parents to plan for their family’s long-term financial well-being. The goal is to offer parents a one-stop-shop that includes the ability to ability for term life insurance from their phone, create a free will in about five minutes, and collaborate with a spouse or
Read article →Student Creativity Reveals App Design Trends at Apple’s Innovation Contest
Student apps are evolving into complete products. Apple’s innovation contest highlights broader device integration, voice interaction and greater attention to design, while university partnerships help students gain practical development experience.
Read article →An Easier Way to Adjust to Jet Lag: Timeshifter Offers a New Approach
Timeshifter aims to help travellers manage jet lag with personalised advice on when to seek or avoid light. This 2019 article explores its scientific basis, pricing, user feedback and hotel and airline partnerships.
Read article →Uber Eats Launches an In-App Night Market: Can It Overcome Three Delivery Hurdles? Its Global Head Answers on His First Taiwan Visit
Uber Eats’ exclusive partnership with Ningxia Night Market brings the night market into its app. On his first Taiwan visit, Jason Droege explains its strategy as profitability, restaurant commissions, and worker protections draw scrutiny.
Read article →Hong Kong Garage-Matching App Helps New Car Owners Choose Repairs with Clearly Priced Packages
Finding a suitable repair garage can be difficult for car owners without trusted contacts. Hong Kong-developed AutoMate introduced clearly priced service packages to simplify that choice after its original quotation service delivered fewer completed transactions than expected.
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