Technology

How can Apple Pay Extend NFC Payment to Other Areas ?

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Apple Pay NFC System ExtensibilityApple Pay & Passbook have the potential to be very innovative and disruptive to many everyday user experiences. Apple is able to derive the most economics from getting a cut of credit / debit transactions that are enabled through Apple Pay as well as driving incremental revenues through the burgeoning mobile advertising network. As Consumers view fingerprint authentication technology to be more secure than current swipe transactions. Recent credit card security breaches by Target, Home Depot and various banks add focus to this in the minds of consumers. The ecosystem can be extended further with a win – win solution for all as detailed below.

iAds
Integrating Apple Pay with Apple’s iAd mobile ad network in the form of a tap-to-buy button embedded in mobile ads. This would allow app publishers that work with iAd to generate more mobile ad revenues from their apps. Apple keeps 30% of the revenues generated from sales

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MakeMyTrip Air Ticketing Strengthens, Structural Growth Story Intact

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MakeMyTripMakeMyTrip [MMYT] asserts its focus on growing its Hotels & Packages (H&P) business by spearheading online shift & mobile platform adoption. It is cementing leadership here. Robust air traffic driven by discounting of airfares surprised positively for MMYT’s Air business.

MakeMyTrip gained market share in domestic air ticketing business increasing it from about a steady 12% for the last several quarters to around 13%+ in Sep-14 quarter. To provide context, MMYT delivered a solid Sep-14 quarter with air ticketing revenues (less service cost) of US$18.4 million in revenues i.e., 20% Y/Y (and 10.7% Q/Q) revenue growth. Management suggests that revenue per booking is low primarily because of discounted ticket prices. But there is little correlation between revenue per transaction and air ticketing margins as margins in

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What Business is Nokia Focused after SmartPhone Spinoff ?

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New Nokia Business UnitsPost the sale of Nokia’s Devices(Mobile & SmartPhone) business to Microsoft, Finnish-based Nokia is targeting network infrastructure (Networks), location / maps (HERE) and intellectual property monetisation / advanced technology development (Technologies).

Going forward the Networks business will represent c.85%-90% of sales and comprise two reporting segments – Mobile Broadband (mobile operator radio and core network hardware / software) and Global Services (network implementation, managed services, customer

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Wearable Tech Taking Off – Garmin Connect App Sees Increased Adoption

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Wearable Computing Picks UpAccording to App Annie’s report “Spotlight on connected devices: Welcome to your wired life” the top five Health and Fitness apps for connected devices collectively grew over 2.3x in monthly downloads since August 2013.

As of August 2014, the Garmin Connect app is the #3 Health and Fitness app for connected devices, behind the Fitbit app and the Up by Jawbone app, and ahead of the Nike+ Fuelband app. We believe this implies

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How Paypal Makes Money after Spin off from eBay ?

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How PayPal Makes MoneyNot many of you all have an understanding on how eBay’s PayPal segment makes money (sources of revenue, the fees (take rates) by segment, the impact of geographic mix, the impact of P2P on take rate, etc.). This issue will become increasingly important, as investors focus in on the potential impact of the proposed split of eBay and PayPal and the value and mechanics of the two businesses.

eBay’s Payments segment revenue can be split into 3 main categories – on eBay, Merchant Services (off eBay) and Person-to- Person (P2P). At a high level, it is estimated that eBay Transaction Volume of $61.1bn in CY14 and Transaction Rev at $3.1bn, with an avg. transaction fee of 5.1%. We estimate

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How is eBay doing in Chinese e-Commerce ?

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eBay China CommerceIn 2003, eBay acquired what was at the time one of the leading e-commerce sites in China – EachNet – for $150mn. And in 2004, the company began a more aggressive push into the local market. eBay signed exclusive advertising rights with major portals Sina, Sohu, and Netease and reportedly spent $100mn to build out its operations in China. But, by the end of 2006, due primarily to competition (including free listings and other promotions by a few competitors), the company folded the eBay EachNet operation into a joint venture with Tom Online. Since then, Bay’s focus in China has been on helping local sellers access eBay’s network of buyers outside of China.

Since then eBay has spoken very little with

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Will Apple iWatch Cut into Designer / Luxury Swiss Watch ?

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Apple iWatch Puts Designer Watches to RiskLast year, 29 million Swiss watches were sold. Theoretically, as Apple has sold about 500 million iPhones over the past five years and has an installed base of 300m, it’s not hard to understand that, on paper, the Apple Watch could be seen as a big threat to the watch industry generally.

While the starting price is USD349, there are three versions of the watch, including an 18-carat gold one that reminds us of the golden iPhone. The Apple Watch will, of course, be used to read the time but it will also give one access to data, messages, calls, emails, measure activities, track one’s progress for workouts, use apps, enable one to pay for goods, download music, take pictures, consult maps, calendars, look at the stock market, the weather, pictures and so on.

We have made the case in the past that the biggest

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E-Commerce GameChanger Marks an Inflection Point

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eCommerce in IndiaeCommerce in India has disrupted and scared several Retailers as it is being chased by Technocrats & Investors from across the Globe. WE attended a conference of Consultants, investors and companies shared research on the pervasiveness of e-commerce across every industry and service in India and the conflation of telecom and technology that is enabling this change. The dizzy rate of change in the sector and the tricky business of determining e-valuation drivers are the challenges faced by Venture Capitalists. Here are some of the Views of the Top Most Guys in the Indian eCommerce Space

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Corporates Spending on CRM & Talent Management

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CRM and Talent Management AppsCorporates Insight suggest customer (CRM) and employee-facing apps (esp HCM / talent management) remain at the forefront of application spend and we see broad based evidence of better demand. Inputs suggest financials, manufacturing and supply chain are not moving to cloud. The three largest traditional apps vendors (Oracle, SAP and Informatica) are now all paying reps neutrally for SaaS vs. perpetual license. We expect this will have the inevitable impact of driving more core apps business to SaaS.

System Integrators (SIs) and customers suggest that with customer and employee-facing apps being the focus, UI and mobility are increasing priorities,

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Chinese Video Sites Collaborate with Koreans Promote Dramas

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China Online Video Partners KoreaSohu yesterday announced that it has established a strategic partnership with Korean entertainment company KeyEast, and will invest approximately USD15m to take a 6.4% stake in the company. Through the partnership, Sohu will become KeyEast’s sole online partner in China and the two companies intend to introduce more Korean celebrities and entertainment programs to the Chinese audience. KeyEast was founded by famous Korean actor Bae Yongjoon, who also enjoys great popularity in China. The company signed up actor actor Kim Soo-hyun has attracted a considerable Chinese following through the hit TV drama – “My Love from the star“. The total video views of the drama on iQiyi (the first online video platform to broadcast the drama in China) had reached approximately 2.6bn as of 8 August, with

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