Monthly Archives: February 2023

Accessories, Health, Lifestyle, News

IKEA Announces VINDSTYRKA a Smart Air Quality Monitor That Plays Nice with Matter

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Your surrounding air quality is more important than you think. While some might take it for granted, it is one of the things that greatly affects your health and wellbeing. It is also something you can hardly control when you are out and about. At home though, you have a lot more control over your environment. There is still a problem; how do you know if you are breathing clean, pollutant free air at home? You need an air quality sensor for that.

Where do you get one? Why not from your favourite Swede furniture store, IKEA? They have just announced the VINDSTYRKA air quality sensor that features a large display to tell you if your air at home is of poor quality.

Like any IKEA product, it is built to be a real plug-and-play solution for any homes. Its simplistic design is also made to ensure that it looks at home in any environment, no matter where you place it in your home. Their marketing image shows it sitting in what looks like an island kitchen counter, and even that looks great and natural.

IKEA VINDSTYRKA PE880019 eb33d713
Source: IKEA

It measures particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) particles in the air within its environment. It also takes humidity, temperature and TVOC levels. The measurements taken by the air quality sensor are general readings you can find on most higher-end air purifiers you can buy in the market today. IKEA is not about producing ultra-premium products at unreachable prices though. They are about modularity and accessible home improvement products. This VINDSTYRKA is exactly made with that in mind.

The IKEA VINDSTYRKA can be connected to DIRIGERA, IKEA’s hub for all things smart home. That way, it sends all the information collected on the sensor to the IKEA Home smartphone app. The readings can be used by the app to trigger other smart home products that is compatible with DIRIGERA. You can pair it with IKEA’s own STARKVIND air purifiers, for example, and trigger them when your air quality drops to a certain level.

It is not just IKEA’s smart home products that the IKEA VINDSTYRKA works with though. DIRIGERA hub is also Matter-enabled. That means that you can get the air quality sensor to work with any other smart home tools or appliances that works with Matter. You might have a separate smart air purifier that is controlled by a different smart home app. As long as it works with Matter, your air quality sensor still can trigger the air purifier. You can also check your air quality readings on non-Android devices in this case.

  • IKEA VINDSTYRKA PE882694 82b51d65
    Source: IKEA
  • IKEA VINDSTYRKA PE880019 eb33d713
    Source: IKEA
  • IKEA VINDSTYRKA PE882695 7e606f5f
    Source: IKEA

The IKEA VINDSTYRKA smart air quality sensor is said to be available in all IKEA stores April 2023 onward. That is usually not the case for Malaysia though. Like the SONOS speakers from IKEA, it might take another month or so before you see the VINDSTYRKA on the shelves in IKEA stores across the nation. There are no mentions on pricing either currently. If you are interested in the product, you might want to check IKEA stores by May 2023, or just hang around and we will let you know as soon as we get more information. You also want to keep in mind that the DIRIGERA hub is not yet available in Malaysia. More on the IKEA VINDSTYRKA and smart home products can be found on their website.

PR Newswire

Magicycle Unveiled the World’s First Step Through Full Suspension Ebike

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ONTARIO, Calif., Feb. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — After waiting for 2 months, Magicycle Deer, the mysterious full-suspension electric bike manufactured by Magicycle, finally made its world debut on the impressive product launch Livestream on February 1st, 2023, at 8:00 AM PST.

The first full suspension step thru ebike suv
The first full suspension step thru ebike suv

The Livestream was a great success for Magicycle as it had thousands of viewers watching this Live. Yao, the permanent host of Magicycle, was hosting the Livestream with passion and excitement as he is always a huge fan of Magicycle Deer. During that period, Magicycle had given away lots of accessories to thank its fans and customers for their support and love. More surprisingly, Magicycle even gave away a Magicycle Deer free of any charge.

Arguably, most viewers of this product launch were coming for Magicycle Deer. This is an all-terrain electric bike with technological breakthroughs from the Magicycle design team.

As a full-suspension electric bike, Magicycle has created Magicycle Deer to meet the needs of this growing electric bike market. It is quite obvious to see that the model of full-suspension ebike is getting more and more attention, especially for those who are chasing both comfort and performance. The full-suspension system on Deer is hydraulic, which means that the shock-absorbing capability is far better than those of regular ebike suspensions. Contributed by the excellent Magicycle design team, the Magicycle Deer full-suspension ebike is capable of adjusting the distance between the frame and the ground. It can easily traverse varying degrees of rough terrain.

The full-suspension system is one of many parts that are worth mentioning. As the title says, Magicycle Deer is the world’s first step thru full suspension ebike on the market. By far, no other brand makes a step-thru full-suspension ebike other than Magicycle. The design of the seat post triangle structure makes the front triangle, the middle tube, the rear shock absorber, and the rear rocker arm much more sturdy and stable, ensuring the comprehensiveness of the entire shock absorbing system. For people who may be a little bit short to ride a full-suspension electric bike, the step-thru version of the Magicycle Deer could be more friendly.

What makes this full-suspension ebike more outstanding is that it also serves as an ebike suv. “Ebike suv” is a new term that is unknown to most riders. It stands for a comprehensive ebike model that has all kinds of characteristics, including more comfort and power, longer range, large load capacity, etc. It is not difficult to see that the manufacturing of Magicycle Deer is inspired by real suv vehicles.

Magicycle Deer ebike suv has a motor that can reach an average output of 750W and a maximum output of 1100W. Like a real off-road suv vehicle, Magicycle Deer is capable of riding off-road wildly with this powerful motor.

As an Ocelot Pro or a Cruiser Pro, which are ebikes from Magicycle as well, Magicycle Deer comes with a 52V 20Ah. The 52V 20Ah battery is the reason why Magicycle can succeed in the ebike industry. 20 Ah battery capacity provides a long-range between 60 – 80 miles, which is long enough to take a long trip. Everyone can enjoy a long trip on Magicycle Deer. Moreover, the 52V voltage contributes to higher power efficiency.

As an ebike suv, Magicycle Deer is specially designed to carry cargo. Its rear rack is made to be longer and more sturdy, helping riders put more stuff on an ebike. The load capacity of the suv ebike is incredibly 400 lbs, enabling heavy riders to enjoy ebike riding as any other people.

For smooth handling, Magicycle equips Deer with a pair of hydraulic disc brakes. They allow riders to use only 2 fingers to brake and get strong braking power. In some urgent situations, hydraulic disc brakes can make a huge difference. The handlebar of Deer is made to be in a butterfly shape to relieve the fatigue of the whole body while taking a long ride.

Being the world’s first step thru full suspension electric bike for adults and the first suv ebike in the US, Magicycle Deer has brought a bunch of surprises for all kinds of riders. Now It is available at $2,699. By using the code FH300, you could get $300 off. Had better hurry up as it is a limited offer, come check out the link below:

https://www.magicyclebike.com/category/magicycle-deer

Magicycle Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/415432329844739

Magicycle YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MagicycleBike

The First Full Suspension Ebike SUV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2A6ub_RMHo

Media enquiries:
marketing@magicyclebike.com

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PR Newswire

Waterdrop X PAWAii Co-branded Caremi Fountain, the First NSF-certified Smart Pet Fountain, Is Available on Indiegogo

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CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif., Feb. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — As a globally known water purification brand recognized by over 10 million US families, Waterdrop is always dedicated to offering an intelligent and professional whole house water purification solution for millions and millions of families all over the world. They have partnered with a new pet brand, Pawaii, to launch a smart wireless pet fountain called the Caremi fountain. The goal is to combine Waterdrop’s expertise in water purification with smart and fashionable pet products to provide safe and healthy water for pets. With this new product, pets can enjoy the benefits of purified water just like their owners.

Caremi Mobile Smart Pet Water Fountain
Caremi Mobile Smart Pet Water Fountain

According to the lead of the development team of this pet water fountain, the goal of the product is to help owners care for their fur babies without missing out on any vital information that can help improve their pets’ lives. In his words, “the development of science and technology has made it possible to design and manufacture smart eco-products that are dedicated to pets and their families. The Caremi Mobile Smart Pet Water Fountain is our first attempt at leveraging sci-tech to improve the experience of pets and their owners.”

The Caremi Mobile Smart Pet Water Fountain boasts a wide range of excellent features and functionalities. Unlike other regular models out there, this model has a proprietary app that keeps track of the water intake data using the smart weighing module. It can help to monitor how much water their pets drink, how many times, and for how long daily. This also helps pet owners consistently monitor their pet’s health situation whenever and wherever.

Waterdrop coincides with Pawaii’s concept about water health. “Waterdrop’s mission is to protect the health of every family member by providing them with safe drinking water. After noticing that many families were concerned about their pets’ water quality, Waterdrop decided to help through our efforts. This Caremi fountain is provided with Waterdrop’s NSF-certified multi-stage filtration elements to ensure the safety of pet’s drinking water. Furthermore, thanks to the smart wireless design from Pawaii, it really achieves our goal of combining science and technology with user-friendly, modern designs in a single product”, according to a head from the Waterdrop product line.

Waterdrop and Pawaii are introducing a crowdfunding project for the Caremi Mobile Smart Pet Water Fountain, set to run from the 14th of February to the 8th of April, 2023, on Indiegogo. The brand invites pet owners to participate in the exercise on the platform and take advantage of up to 55% discount available to super early bird participants.

If you are in the market for a pet water fountain, now is the best time to make a move. You can never go wrong with the world’s first NSF-certified smart water fountain.

For more on the features of the Pawaii Caremi mobile drinking fountain, head to Indiegogo right away.

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PR Newswire

International Share Trading Platform Moomoo Reveals Investors Were More Cautious in Approach to Investing in 2022

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SYDNEY, Feb. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — A new product report by international share trading platform moomoo reveals its 10 most used features in 2022, among which include the app’s Earnings Calendar and Paper Trading tools.

The product report is conducted annually to evaluate changing global investor behaviours and uses data from moomoo’s Australia, US and Singapore users. The latest report suggests that moomoo users were more cautious when selecting which shares to buy than they were in previous years.

New moomoo report reveals some of the most used and favorite moomoo features in 2022.
New moomoo report reveals some of the most used and favorite moomoo features in 2022.

Moomoo Global Product Manager Shine Deng says the 2022 report shows a significant shift in investors’ risk tolerance.

“In 2021, fast growing companies and emerging industries were highly sought after, however in 2022 investors were more interested in seeking out companies with ample cash flow and stable operational performances,” Deng said.

“We also saw investors use tools to assist with decision making more frequently in 2022, suggesting they were more cautious in their approach to investing in 2022’s bear market than previous years.”

Top 10 Platform Features – moomoo users (Australia, US and Singapore)

Sera McKenna, a moomoo Australia user and full-time mum of four, recommends novice investors use the tools available on the app to help them map out their investment strategy.

Using moomoo’s Industrial Chain and Earnings Calendar features, Sera discovered a connection between rising EV companies and the Australian mining industry.

“Don’t forget the big guys behind the finished products,” McKenna said.

“When everyone is driving electric vehicles, hopefully I have learned and invested enough in the right companies, as we all know the industry is going to explode. I want to build something up for my children.”

Being a customer-focused online trading platform, moomoo is devoted to empowering investors of all kinds to trade like a pro. The report summarizes 20 cases studies that demonstrates how various users leverage the key moomoo features, as well as what they have learned from their past investing experience.

You can see the full user report and find more Mooer stories:
https://ussnsfile.moomoo.com/777770041676359560/mooer%20stories%20behind%2010%20star%20product%20features.pdf

About moomoo AU

Based in Sydney, NSW, Australia, Futu Securities (Australia) Ltd is an indirect and wholly-owned subsidiary of Futu Holdings Ltd, an advanced technology company transforming the investing experience by offering a fully digitized brokerage and wealth management platform.

Moomoo’s mission is to provide all investors with an intuitive and powerful investing platform, built with proprietary technology. We leverage our deep technological R&D capabilities and future-focused operating model to constantly improve our clients’ experience and drive industry-wide innovation.

Securities services available on the moomoo App are offered by but not limited to the following brokerage firms: Futu Securities (Australia) Ltd regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC); Moomoo Financial Inc. regulated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Moomoo Financial Singapore Pte. Ltd. regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), and Futu Securities International (Hong Kong) Ltd. regulated by the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong (SFC).

Moomoo Financial Inc. is a member of the U.S. Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). The SIPC provides limited protection over an investor’s U.S. securities and cash when a member brokerage firm is to be liquidated. SIPC does not protect against losses due to market volatility.

Contact: pr@moomoo.com

Source: Futu Securities (Australia) Ltd.

Mobile, News

realme Launches Their Super Budget Smartphone the realme 10 for under MYR 1,000

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When you are set to buy a modern smartphone at this day and age, you are mostly advised to prepare about MYR 2,000 to MYR 3,000. Forget about high-end smartphones though, those will set you back MYR 4,000 and above nowadays. There is a common theme here; smartphones are expensive and they are just going to be more so in the future.

What if that is not true though? What if someone tells you that you can still get a decent smartphone for less than MYR 1,000 today? It is hardly believable, but you can get a smartphone for less than MYR 1,000 with realme.

They call it the realme 10, and it is a curious smartphone that trickled down from the already budget friendly realme 10 Pro 5G. It offers about the same design language as well as the realme 10 Pro with hard edges and completely flat display and sides. It feels like a slightly old-fashioned smartphone from a certain manufacturer, really.

realme 10 Launch 04

The realme 10 is even more budget friendly than the realme 10 Pro 5G. It sets you back MYR 999. At that price, you need to expect some compromises in terms of the hardware it packs.

For starters, the device comes packing a MediaTek System on a Chip (SoC). Specifically, an entry-level Helio G99. They dubbed the SoC as a Gaming Chipset though, so you still can expect some decent performances from the processor, just not high-end or flagship level performance. Still, it should be fast enough to run Android 12 with realme UI 3.0 interface with little issues. You should benefit from up to 8GB of built-in RAM and up to 256GB of storage. From that 256GB of storage, you can technically ‘borrow’ up to 8GB as additional RAM on top of your built-in RAM. Unfortunately, there are no storage expandability options.

What greets you when you pick up the device is a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display that boasts Full HD+ resolution. At the same time, this is no generic 60Hz display. It is a fast 90Hz display that is worthy of your games. It boasts 4,000,000:1 contrast ratio with up to 98% NTSC colour gamut. All of these goodness is protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5. For something you get at MYR 999, all these is rather impressive.

realme 10 Launch 03

Out the glass clad back is one 50-Megapixel main camera for high-resolution clear photos. That main camera is paired with a 2-Megapixel monochrome camera for added details on your photos. Above the Super AMOLED display, tucked in one corner of the surface is a 16-Megapixel camera that can take super clear selfies.

Keeping the device running all day and even more is a 5,000 mAh battery. When it runs out, you can charge it quickly before you head out of home or anywhere else with up to 33W in charging speeds via USB type-C. It also comes with a matching charging adapter to keep your battery topped up.

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  • realme 10 Launch 02

As mentioned the realme 10 will be available for MYR 999. It is now available for pre-order on realme’s web store and participating dealers across the nation until the 16th of February 2023. If you do pre-order your device, you are entitled to a free 1-year screen protection warranty and a complementary realme Band 2. It will be available in Clash White and Rush Black. For more information on the realme 10 entry-level smartphone, you can head over to their website.

PR Newswire

Omdia : LCD TV makers’ purchase orders trend up from 2Q23 with annual buy plan growth by 8% focused on 50-inch+

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LONDON, Feb. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The long-awaited demand recovery for LCD TV panel orders from the global top Korean and Chinese TV makers is around the corner according to Omdia’s TV Display & OEM Intelligence Service.  Omdia estimates a strong rebound of 19% year on year (YoY) is expected in 2Q23 along with the anticipation of reaching 161.4 million units or an increase of 8% YoY focused in 50-inch and larger screen sizes. If this 2023 buy-plan materializes, the market is about to return to the peak level of 2020 purchase volumes or 3% higher than the historical four-year average. 

South Korean and Chinese top-5 TV makers' LCD TV panel purchases 2021-23
South Korean and Chinese top-5 TV makers’ LCD TV panel purchases 2021-23

With a strong market on the horizon, Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics have begun proactively planning purchasing volumes for 2023 where there will be a possible surge in panel demand by 22% YoY in 2023 from a 14-year low base as seen in 2022.     

Top-tier Chinese TV makers reached a new record high of panel purchases in 3Q22-4Q22 as they fulfill the bigger TV production plans established thanks to the reopening of the Chinese market allowing the makers to capture and increase their global market share especially in North America. “Chinese TV makers tend to strategically refill more low-priced panels in the oversupplied market to secure business opportunities for brands and OEMs,” according to Deborah Yang, Chief Analyst in Omdia’s Display research practice. “Moving into 2023, it is expected Chinese TV makers will increase their purchasing volumes though there will be relatively weak demand in 1Q23 which will be followed by demand uptick from 2Q23 before the seasonal demand spike from the second half of the year.” 

“It is forecast that from 2023, global TV brands and OEMs will eventually start to increase their panel orders  and the new replacement cycle, especially that of larger-sized TVs. Despite many economists having negative expectations of every outcome in 2023, top tier TV makers in particular leading Chinese players are optimistic for their TV business, especially in the 50-inch and above size category which will in turn help the LCD TV panel market,” Yang concluded.

ABOUT OMDIA

Omdia, part of Informa Tech, is a technology research and advisory group. Our deep knowledge of tech markets combined with our actionable insights empower organizations to make smart growth decisions.

Fasiha Khan / +44 7503 666806 / Fasiha.khan@informa.com / www.omdia.com

PR Newswire

Via closes financing round at $3.5B valuation, raising $110M to expand TransitTech portfolio

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Strong demand for Via’s software drives rapid growth

NEW YORK, Feb. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ —  Via, the global leader in TransitTech, today announces it has closed a financing round led by 83North, with participation from new and existing investors including Exor N.V., Pitango, Janus Henderson, CF Private Equity, Planven Entrepreneur Ventures, Riverpark Ventures, and ION Crossover Partners. The round values Via at $3.5B, at the same price per share as the company’s previous financing in November of 2021. Via intends to use the funding to expand its product suite and further its vision of providing the end-to-end digital infrastructure for public mobility.

The funding comes on the heels of a year of strong performance for Via, as cities and transit agencies across the globe increasingly turned to digital solutions to improve the efficiency of their transportation systems. The company ended 2022 ahead of plan, with annualized revenue run-rate surpassing $200M, more than doubling since the previous financing round.

Via’s TransitTech products are used by more than 600 communities around the globe to expand access to efficient, equitable, and sustainable public transportation. The company’s technology enables customers to plan transit networks that are responsive and resilient to rapidly changing needs, to operate smart multi-modal transportation systems, and to use data to optimize performance — all in one software platform.

“We have known Daniel, Oren, and the Via team for many years now. Their ability to maintain rapid growth year over year, and to continue to innovate and deliver for their customers is unique,” said Arnon Dinur, Partner at 83North. “We believe in the company and the category, and are delighted to support Via in the future opportunities this funding will bring.”

“Via is a rare combination of a company that has a profound impact on the communities it serves while also generating attractive unit economics at scale,” said John Elkann, CEO of Exor N.V. “Daniel and his team are building a great company and as a major shareholder we are committed to supporting the company in this next stage of growth.”

“This financing is an exciting milestone for Via and a reflection of the power that technology has to transform transit in communities around the world,” said Via co-founder and CEO Daniel Ramot. “Access to transit improves health, education, and economic outcomes, and all of us at Via are inspired every day to see the positive impact our customers have achieved by adding technology to their transit networks. The growth of the TransitTech market in recent years has been truly remarkable, and we are proud of the contributions we have made to create and expand the category”

In support of its vision to be the operating system for every aspect of public mobility, Via plans to use the funding to accelerate expansion into new markets and verticals, and to continue to invest in product innovation.

 About Via:
Founded in 2012, Via pioneered the TransitTech category by using new technologies to develop public mobility systems — optimizing networks of buses, shuttles, wheelchair accessible vehicles, school buses, autonomous vehicles, and electric vehicles around the globe. Building the world’s most efficient, equitable, and sustainable transportation network for all riders — including those with limited mobility, those without smartphones, and unbanked populations — Via works with its partners to lower the costs of public transit while providing transportation options that rival the convenience of a personal car while reducing the environmental impact. At the intersection of transportation and technology, Via is a visionary market leader that combines software innovation with sophisticated service design and operational expertise to fundamentally improve the way the world moves, providing technology in 600 communities and more than 35 countries and counting.

PR Newswire

Appier records its first profitable year and forecasts profitable growth for 2023

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Achieved annual operating profit one year ahead of schedule

TAIPEI, Feb. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — 

Highlights and achievements for fiscal year 2022

  • Annual revenue increased to 19.4 billion yen with a 53% YoY growth rate, surpassing previous guidance of 19.2 billion yen
  • Full-year operating profit target reached one year ahead of schedule, with operating margins at 0.3% and improving by 9 percentage points YoY
  • Annual gross profit accelerated to 60% YoY, with a gross margin of 51.5%, more than tripled in the last 4 years
  • Revenue from US and EMEA markets increased over 7 times YoY and represented 12% of total revenues

Guidance for fiscal year 2023

  • Forecast of 31% (34% on FX neutral basis) increase in YoY revenue growth to 25.5 billion yen and gross profit growth is expected to surpass revenue growth at 35% YoY due to further gross margin improvement.
  • Increase in operating income by around 10 times to 535 million yen and further improve operating margin to 2.1%
  • Continuous geographic and vertical expansion, along with ROI-driven solutions and further product synergies for better up-sell and cross-sell opportunities, to be key growth drivers in FY23
  • Continued growth of AI trends to drive further business growth

Highlight and achievements of Q4 FY22

  • Revenue increased by 47% YoY and hit a historical high of 5.8 billion yen
  • Annual recurring revenue YoY growth rate further increased from 46% to 53%
  • Gross profit reached 56% YoY growth with a record-high gross profit of 3 billion yen
  • Attained both EBITDA margin and operating margin improvement of 6 percentage points YoY
  • Grew customers by 26% YoY, alongside a low customer churn rate of 0.62%

Closing out the year with a stellar performance

Appier Group Inc (TSE: 4180), henceforth referred to as Appier, today announced its fiscal and fourth-quarter earnings results for the year ended 31 December 2022. Appier closed out the fiscal year of 2022 achieving a full-year operating profit for the first time, one year ahead of schedule from its FY23 target, with a revenue increase of 53% YoY at 19.4 billion yen. This year marks growth acceleration for Appier for four years in a row, as annual gross profit more than tripled in the last four years to accelerate to 60% YoY. EBITDA margin rose to 7%, keeping the company on a strong trajectory toward its 2025 financial targets.

Appier’s strong performance was attributed to the continuous expansion of its customer base both regionally and vertically, alongside robust product synergies and successful customer retention through up-sell and cross-sell strategies. Northeast Asia (63%) continued to reach high growth despite a large revenue base, while revenues in Greater China (20%) were mainly driven by vertical growth. US and EMEA (12%) continue to be a key growth driver with a larger total addressable market (TAM), as it increased its revenue over 7 times YoY in the fiscal year.

The company’s further expansion to more diversified verticals led to stronger growth acceleration. The Digital Content (gaming, entertainment, e-books, and online streaming) vertical grew significantly with 10 percentage points YoY increase in FY22 to constitute 38% of total revenues, only second to Ecommerce (43%), then followed by Other Internet Services [1] (12%) and Consumer Brands and BFSI (7%). Strong demand from these digital-first industries will continue as they place digital strategies at the forefront of their transformation under the new normal post-COVID.

In addition to growing the total number of customers by 26% in FY22, Appier’s higher business efficiency also resulted in a higher customer Lifetime Value (LTV) at 64% YoY and a lower Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) at -12% YoY. The higher LTV was driven by a lower churn rate of customer revenue and higher gross profit per customer; while the lower CAC was driven by lower expenses on new customer acquisition and a higher number of net new customers. 

The successful transfer from the Mothers segment to the Prime segment on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) in December 2022 is also a significant testament to the sophisticated organization with strong growth and good corporate governance.

A strong quarter to close out a profitable year

Appier’s revenue in Q4 grew at a rate of 47% YoY to record a historical high of 5.8 billion yen, reaching a gross profit of 56% YoY growth. Operating margins reached 137 million yen, providing a strong tail end to close out a profitable fiscal year 2022. The company also retained a low customer churn rate of 0.62%.

“2022 has been a year of growth acceleration for Appier. We achieved full-year profitability one year ahead of schedule and tripled our revenue and gross profit in four years. These great results reflect that the market is responding well to the first-party data trends and our ROI-driven solutions powered by AI,” said Dr. Chih-Han Yu, CEO and Co-Founder, Appier. “2023 is an important year for exciting developments in AI. Supporting customers to gain the most value from AI trends and technologies through their digital transformation journeys remains a key priority for us. With the current trajectory that Appier is on, along with our core value of innovative technology enhancement, a customer-centric mindset, and prudent M&A approach, we are confident that we are on the right track to reach our targets this year.”

Strong business momentum for future growth

Appier’s 2023 guidance comes with forecasted annual revenue growth of 31% (34% on FX neutral basis) to reach 25.5 billion yen. The overall outlook for 2023 is optimistic, with annual gross profit growth of 35% YoY, an operating income increase of around 10 times to 535 million yen, and an EBITDA profit of 2.34 billion yen with a 72% YoY growth rate. The company also targets to achieve operating margins of 2.1% following its strong business momentum.

Looking ahead to FY23, Appier is confident about the future. The influence of first-party data trends and new technologies in AI, alongside the company’s strategic geographical and vertical expansions, and its focus on cutting-edge innovation, are set to consolidate demand for Appier’s solutions that turn customers’ marketing investments into measurable returns.

Generative AI: Enlarge the TAM from decision-making to content creation

The exponential growth of Generative AI and its potential has widened the space for MarTech applications. AI is not only empowering productivity through marketing automation and decision-making, but it is also tapping into the fields of idea generation to explore user insights and content creation to generate more creative materials for campaign usage. As Generative AI is expected to lead the next wave of AI accelerations and streamline marketing workflows, Appier keeps integrating advanced technologies to create cutting-edge solutions to bring value to customers and ensure that the company stays at the forefront of the AI SaaS space.

About Appier

Appier (TSE: 4180) is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that uses artificial intelligence to power business decision-making. Founded in 2012 with a vision of democratizing AI, Appier now has 17 offices across APAC, Europe and US, and is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Visitwww.appier.com for more company information and visit ir.appier.com/en/ for more IR information.

[1] Other Internet Services includes food delivery, travel booking and utility apps

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Computers, Gaming, News

MSI Announces Two New GAMING X TRIO WHITE GPUs Perfect for Themed Builds

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NVIDIA released their GeForce RTX 4080 and RTX 4070 Ti not too long ago. No luck on NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4060 or RTX 4070 currently. Still, the two desktop class GPUs will be some of the most popular GPUs that NVIDIA will produce at this time. In that sense, you will find plenty of desktops built in 2023 coming with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4070 Ti and RTX 4080 over the super high-end RTX 4090.

While it is uncommon, white PC builds can look sleek. We like that great white colour themed builds can look very clean and easily stands out in your room. It also automatically brightens your gaming environment. Pair it to decent RGBs and you have yourself an Instagram worthy build.

The thing is, if you have a white colour themed build, you are hard-pressed to upgrade it. Most modern GPUs do not come in any other colour than black. For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 series, you do not have much of an option. You might be pleased to know that MSI is going to solve that upgrade problem for you. They already have the GAMING TRIO WHITE series GPUs. Now, they have even an even more powerful option for you.

Welcome to the GAMING X TRIO WHITE series GPUs from MSI. Ironically, there are currently only two GPUs within the series currently. You have a choice between the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 16GB and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti.

This is not MSI’s first GeForce RTX 40 series GPUs. They have already made the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti GPUs. Unlike some of their other cards though, the two NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 series GPUs clad in white shrouds and triple fans are pretty standard in terms of specs.

They are still PCIe Gen 4 GPUs, so you want to make sure your motherboard can support it, to get the most out of the GPUs. The 9,728 CUDA cores found on the RTX 4080 variant clocks in at 2,610 MHz while the 7,680 CUDA cores from the RTX 4070 Ti clocks in at 2,760 MHz, both slightly higher than the standard GAMING TRIO WHITE GPUs. As the naming convention suggests, the RTX 3080 comes with 16GB of GDDR6X memory and the RTX 4070 Ti comes with 12GB of GDDR6X memory. They still draw up to 320W and 285W respectively.

The cooler is a large heatsink that is cooled by three TORX Fan 5.0 with rims that allows for more focused air flow for even more effective cooling on the GPU. The nickel-plated copper baseplate sitting right on top of the GPU chiplet is designed for even better heat dissipation and distribution from the GPU to the heatsinks for even more effective cooling. The GPUs even feature Dual BIOS for either a ‘quite’ operation, or extract maximum ‘performance’ from the GPU at the cost of noise. The metal backplate is a snazzy mix of frosty white and silver colour combination that not only reinforces the board, passively cools the back of the board, but also adds some flavour to your all-white build.

There is RGB, yes. They call it the Mystic Light and it sits on the shroud of the GPU. It syncs with your PC and other RGB arrays via Mystic Light Sync and Ambient Link. The GPU even comes with a matching support bracket for the GPUs, since these new GPUs are rather hefty.

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There is no official pricing for the new MSI GAMING X TRIO WHITE GPUs just yet. They say that the GPUs will be available globally within this month (February 2023) onward. There are no mentions as well on the GeForce RTX 4090 variant just yet. For now, we can only wait and see. More information on MSI’s NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 16GB GAMING X TRIO WHITE and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti 12GB GAMING X TRIO WHITE can be found on their website.

PR Newswire

Qiming Venture Partners’ portfolio company LanzaTech Lists on Nasdaq

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SHANGHAI, Feb. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — LanzaTech NZ, Inc. (“LanzaTech”), an innovative leader in carbon capture and transformation and a Qiming Venture Partners portfolio company, listed on Nasdaq on Feb 10 Beijing time, following the completion of its business combination with AMCI Acquisition Corp. II (“AMCI”), a special purpose acquisition company. The combined company will operate as LanzaTech Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: LNZA). It issued at $10.00/share representing a market cap of $2 billion.

As LanzaTech’s early investor, Qiming led the company’s series B round of financing in 2010 and followed on its Series C and D rounds. The successful listing is Qiming’s 4th IPO in 2023 and first SPAC IPO.

LanzaTech is a pioneer in using nature-based carbon refining technology to transform waste carbon into materials such as sustainable fuels, fabrics, and packaging that people use in their daily lives. Through licensing and co-development collaboration models, LanzaTech partnered with Shougang Group and launched the world’s first commercial carbon refining plant at the Jingtang Steel Mill in Caofeidian in Hebei Province, China in 2018, and have subsequently added two commercial plants operating in China, with total production of over 47 million gallons of fuel grade ethanol and mitigation of over 240,000 tons of CO2. There are 14 additional plants being developed worldwide, 12 of which are commercial-scale and two are demo-scale.

As sustainability becoming a global consensus, more companies are pledging carbon-neutral or zero-carbon goals, and environment-conscious consumer market is growing rapidly. LanzaTech partnered with major brands such as Lululemon, Total and L’Oreal, and Unilever to deliver world’s first sustainable packaging and materials leveraging captured carbon emissions instead of fossil fuels, supporting and creating a more sustainable future.

“The successful IPO marks a new milestone for LanzaTech. We look forward to more success by LanzaTech’s cutting-edge technology solution to help achieve green manufacturing and carbon neutrality goals.” Said Gary Rieschel, Founding Managing Partner of Qiming Venture Partners.

About Qiming Venture Partners

Founded in 2006, Qiming Venture Partners is a leading China venture capital firm with offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Suzhou, Hong Kong, Seattle, Boston and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Currently, Qiming Venture Partners manages eleven US Dollar funds and seven RMB funds with $9.4 billion in capital raised. Since our establishment, we have invested in outstanding companies in the Technology and Consumer (T&C) and Healthcare industries at the early and growth stages.

Since our debut, we have backed over 480 fast-growing and innovative companies. Over 180 of our portfolio companies have achieved exits through IPOs at the NYSE, NASDAQ, HKEX, Shanghai Stock Exchange or Shenzhen Stock Exchange, or through M&A or by other means. There are also over 70 portfolio companies that have achieved unicorn status.

Many of our portfolio companies are today’s most influential firms in their respective sectors, including Xiaomi, Meituan, Bilibili, Zhihu, Roborock, Gan & Lee Pharmaceuticals, Tigermed, Zai Lab, CanSino Biologics, Schrödinger, APT Medical, New Horizon Health, Venus MedTech, Sanyou Medical, AmoyDx, Berry Genomics, SinocellTech, Yuanxin Technology, Caidya, Belief BioMed, WeRide, Biren Technology and UBTech among many others.