Tech Business

Grab Adds New Services to App Ecosystem; Takes Strategic Stake in Ninja Van (23, 26 Apr)

Grab has added hotel reservation services Agoda and Booking.com; entertainment ticketing platform BookMyShow; and on-demand video streaming service HOOQ to its app ecosystem in Singapore. It also invested in logistics provider Ninja Van for an undisclosed amount, and will integrate services of on-demand parcel and courier delivery service into its mobile app. Grab began as a ride-hailing service, but with ambitions of becoming the region’s super app, is transitioning into a multi-service platform with food delivery and financial services as its new product lines.

Sources: Business Times, Straits Times

Alibaba’s Cloud Unit Holds Largest Share in Asia’s Cloud Computing Market (24 Apr, 4 May)

According to advisory firm Gartner, Alibaba Cloud captured 19.6% of Asia’s cloud computing market in 2018, compared to Amazon Web Services’ 11% and Microsoft’s 8%. Alibaba’s cloud business underpins its revenue growth in China’s saturated e-commerce arena, and its expansion overseas will continue to outpace its domestic growth. On the other hand, Amazon is betting it can expand its cloud services in China with the launch of a new data centre in Hong Kong, despite announcing last month that it will cease online retail operations there. However, Alibaba Cloud currently has a more extensive network in the Asia Pacific – it has fifteen data centres in the region, while Amazon only has eight.

Source: Bloomberg, Nikkei Asian Review

Tech Policy

UK to Grant Huawei Limited Access to 5G Networks (24 Apr)

UK’s government has allowed Chinese telecoms giant Huawei to supply parts of its 5G mobile network, despite US warnings about the potential risks of doing so. Huawei will only be allowed to build “non-core” components of the network, such as antennas, and will not supply equipment for “core” parts – which handle tasks such as checking device IDs and routing voice calls and data. Observers say that Britain’s choice is a key moment in the Western debate on how Chinese technology should be handled, at a time when economic, political and military competition between the West and China is growing.

Sources: BBC, Economist

Thai Government to Build National B2C E-Commerce Platform (24 Apr)

Thailand’s Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) plans to invest US$31.2 million through strategic partners to build a local e-commerce platform, competing with global giants like Alibaba and JD.com. The move aims to create more local opportunities in Thailand’s burgeoning e-commerce sector, expected to be worth US$103 million in 2019, growing 14% year-on-year.

Sources: Bangkok Post

Global Security Officials Agree on 5G Security Guidelines (3, 4 May)

Security officials worldwide came to an agreement on a common approach to wireless network safety, at a 5G security conference in Prague. Adopted by 30 EU, NATO, and countries such as US, Germany, and Australia, the non-binding proposal warns governments against relying on suppliers of fifth-generation networks that could be susceptible to state influence or based in countries that have not signed international agreements on cyber security and data protection. While the proposal does not name specific suppliers, neither China nor Huawei were invited to the event, and Huawei maintains that it is ready to work with regulators and other stakeholders on creating effective rules.

Sources: Reuters, Sydney Morning Herald