This week we have great news for WeChat, very bad news for Google, some interesting new movements in Pakistan, and a great exclusive on eBay in Indonesia. And more! Let’s dive in…
Roy’s pick: In Just 6 Weeks, WeChat Blasts from 50 Million to 70 Million Users Outside of China
A 20 million increase in users in just six weeks is quite an achievement. It should accelerate even more with Lionel Messi now popping up in ads for WeChat. The idea of getting a prominent soccer player to be the ambassador for a chat app is probably one of the more creative ways to market this brand.
Lucas’s pick: Fatfish Invests in Singapore E-Store Dressabelle For a 15% Stake
Is this a sign of things to come for Singapore-based blogshops turned e-commerce stores? It is an interesting investment from Fatfish, despite intense competition among fashion e-stores in Singapore and across Southeast Asia.
Andrew’s pick: Zalo Reports 3 Million Users in Vietnam With 30 Million Messages Sent Per Day
One million users in two months – I have to agree with Minh that Zalo’s growth rate is indeed fast and steady. And since there isn’t a dominant chat app in the Vietnamese market yet, Zalo might actually have a chance to stand out as the main one in the market. However, Line is primed and ready to lead, as it does across much of Southeast Asia.
Youshen’s pick: Pakistani E-Learning Startup Artsly Launches with $175,000 in Funding
A new edtech startup has arrived. It is an interesting niche to target female learners worldwide with short lessons on mobile. This is in contrast to existing online educational platforms who are after language or coding learners. With 1,400 instructors onboard Artsly already, it will be interesting to see how adoption takes off for these lessons.
Willis’ and Charlie’s pick: These 2 Graphs Show Painful Drops for Google and Baidu in China Search Engine Market
Willis: Baidu seems to be experiencing heat from Qihoo’s up-and-coming search engine. The graph tells a very worrying trend for Baidu. Nonetheless, it is too early to say if Qihoo will continue to eat into Baidu’s search. My gut says no.
Charlie: It’s hard to be sure whose data to trust when measuring China’s internet traffic – ad revenue probably tells a more convincing story, so we’ll have to look out for the Q2 numbers – but if these graphs are accurate, it’s bad news for Baidu and good news for Qihoo and Sogou (the latter may ultimately be more of a threat than the former). Also note that Google has plummeted to fifth place in China.
Minh’s and Phoebe’s pick: 7 Major Challenges Holding Back Tech Ecosystems Across Asia
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