A smartphone brand’s 173% YOY growth and other top stories this week

Every day, 100k+ smart people read our newsletter. You can sign up here.

Hello readers,

Here’s a recap of the hottest news this week!

Top stories

Image credit: Realme

1️⃣ A Chinese smartphone brand’s rapid rise in Southeast Asia, India (🔒)
In just two years, budget phone Realme has become so popular outside its home market of China. How did this former Oppo sub-brand do that?

2️⃣ Tributes pour in for Skype founder Toivo Annus who passed away at 48
The tech community in the region remembers Annus as a fearless investor, a brother, a friend.

3️⃣ Tackling a taboo: Cannabis tech on the rise in Asia (🔒)
There’s a budding interest in marijuana in Asia as legislations ease one-by-one. But why is the cannabis tech ecosystem yet to benefit?

4️⃣ Google injects $4.5b into Jio Platforms
Jio is the first and biggest investment Google’s India fund will make from this point on, said Google CEO Sundar Pichai.

5️⃣ How a potential merger can shake up Vietnam’s $23b ecommerce market (🔒)
Homegrown platforms Tiki and Sendo may join forces for survival, but how viable is this idea? We take a closer look.

6️⃣ Grab, Gojek used to intimidate activists in Indonesia
Victims have had fake food delivery orders placed for them, sending a slew of drivers to their home or workplace.

Free premium read

Analysis: Why Meituan could dominate China’s shared powerbank market
Shared power banks were once derided as a joke. But Meituan is now entering the market in a big way.

Events happening

• Tech in Asia Virtual Pitch Night on Wednesday, July 22
• Rewriting the Rules of User Engagement with Shopee and Garena on Wednesday, July 29
• Rethinking Retail: Transform and Futureproof Businesses with Livestreaming on Tuesday, August 4