Enterprise
IDC reveals top 5 smartphone brands in Asean in 2015
A few phone makers have found themselves swimming in good vibes lately when analyst firm IDC released its findings on the Southeast Asia smartphone market, which made over 100 million sales in 2015.
According to the company, which tracks industry trends and shipments in over 110 countries, including the Philippines, Samsung dominated the Asean region the previous year, with 21.7 million units shipped, representing 21.5 percent of the business, though it dropped in market share by nearly 1 percent on 2014 figures.
ASUS, Apple, OPPO, and Lava comprise the rest of the top five vendors in the region, accounting for 8.3, 6, 5.6, and 5.1 percent market share, respectively.
“Samsung remains at the top with 18 percent growth [in shipments] over 2014, as it launched the Galaxy J series that had models ranging from US$75 to US$200. ASUS broadened its range of handsets, introducing devices with price points ranging from US$100 to US$250 and larger screens such as the ZenFone 2 series and the ZenFone Go,” IDC said in a press release.
The firm added that the smartphone vendors that took a hit when Chinese brands expanded overseas have weathered the storm of low-cost devices flooding the region by bringing in products aimed at “budget-conscious consumers.”
Some of you may be wondering how Lava — a brand you’ve probably never heard of on this side of the planet — broke into the list. But consider that Lava’s distribution channels include Indonesia and Thailand, two of the biggest markets for mobile in Southeast Asia, combining for 51 percent of shipments last year. In case you’re wondering, the Philippines ranked third with 14 percent market share.
What’s actually more surprising is Apple holding on to the number three spot, brand-wise, though we don’t imagine that would be the case this year as well. Not with the likes of OPPO doubling down on lower-end devices that appeal to a wider audience. Perhaps that explains why Apple is rumored to announce a smaller — and possibly — cheaper version of the iPhone later this month.
[irp posts=”9610″ name=”ASUS aims to double phone shipments, release ZenFone 4 soon”]
Enterprise
Cebu Pacific becomes 1st SEA low-cost carrier with Starlink Wi-Fi
Rollout expected to begin in 2027
Cebu Pacific has introduced Starlink, making it the first low-cost airline in Southeast Asia to bring Wi-Fi in the sky for passengers.
The rollout is expected to begin in 2027. Starlink delivers an unparalleled broadband experience inflight, with high-speed, low-latency Wi-Fi capable of HD streaming, online gaming, productivity and more.
Beyond enhancing the passenger experience, Starlink will also support improved operational connectivity for Cebu Pacific’s flight crews and operational teams. This enables better operational efficiency.
The collaboration is a significant milestone for Philippine aviation. The rollout forms part of Cebu Pacific’s continued investment in customer experience and digital innovation.
As part of the partnership, Cebu Pacific and Indigo Partners portfolio airlines, Wizz Air, and JetSMART expect to install Starlink on over 1,000 aircraft.
Enterprise
Google ordered to pay EUR 4.1 billion in fines
The EU alleges that Google uses its apps to establish an unfair dominance.
European fines have unintentionally become a normal part of doing business in the American technology space. For too long have American companies paid paltry fines to prevent harsher regulation in the European Union. Now, for the first time, Google is about to pay a record-breaking fine that goes beyond “paltry.”
Today, via CNBC, Google has been ordered to pay an astonishing EUR 4.1 billion (or approximately US$ 4.67 billion) in fines. The fine is in response to an anti-competition case.
This has been a long time coming for Google. The original case started in 2018. At the time, the European Union accused the brand of using anti-competitive practices to ensure its dominance in the smartphone market. According to the courts, the company’s bundling of first-party apps for every Android smartphone gives them an unfair advantage in the market and lessens the user’s choice in selecting apps.
For years, Google has fought the fine to seemingly no avail. Now, the company has lost its final attempt, which means that the fine still stands. On the bright side, they did get it reduced from the original EUR 4.34 billion fine.
The European Union is the scourge of every American tech company (and a godsend to consumers). Most notably, the continent’s government forced Apple to adopt USB-C, leading to a more universal experience across brands.
Google’s hefty fine aims to do the same. And it is quite hefty. Whereas previous fines were in the millions (and hence, negligible for most companies), a fine in the billions is more tangible.
Apps
foodpanda relaunches cult-favorite roast chicken brand after 8 years of persistent search queries
Heritage chain Andok’s returns to the platform, driven entirely by long-term user analytics.
In the world of e-commerce and food delivery, platform algorithms usually dictate what consumers see. But occasionally, consumer behavior is so relentless that it shapes the platform’s strategy.
In a move driven entirely by long-term user analytics, foodpanda has officially relaunched Andok’s, one of the Philippines’ most iconic heritage rotisserie chains, back onto its platform after an eight-year absence.
The search bar as a digital wishlist
The decision to ink the partnership wasn’t just a marketing play. It was a response to an ongoing data anomaly. Despite being offline from the foodpanda platform for eight years, Andok’s consistently ranked as one of the most-searched merchants on the app.
Year after year, users treated the empty search results page as an unofficial wishlist. This persistent search intent gave foodpanda a clear, data-backed signal of pent-up demand.
Prior to the official digital rollout, teaser campaigns on social media validated this demand, generating thousands of organic interactions from users anticipating the return.
Bridging heritage flavor with digital infrastructure
For foodpanda, onboarding a merchant with this level of built-in demand fits its broader strategy of marketplace optimization and hyper-local network expansion, turning a heritage brand into another data point for how legacy retail plugs into delivery infrastructure.
For Andok’s, the integration works as a fast track to digital scale. A legacy quick-service chain skips years of independent app development and reaches customers already using foodpanda’s existing logistics network, on a platform they already check daily.
Andok’s built its following on charcoal spit-roasted chicken, a slow-cooked technique that’s stayed largely unchanged since the brand’s early days, alongside seasoned grilled pork belly.
More recently, the Dokito line extended that following into crispy fried chicken and chicken burgers, broadening the brand’s appeal beyond its original rotisserie format and giving foodpanda a menu with both heritage pull and everyday fast-food convenience.
-
News1 week agoSamsung releases teaser with Spider-Man: Brand New Day Easter eggs
-
Wearables4 days agoGarmin launches its first screenless fitness band
-
Gaming2 weeks agoMost of the world’s PlayStations will be officially useless by 2028
-
News2 weeks agoFIFA World Cup: Lenovo’s Referee View received positively by fans
-
Gaming2 weeks agoAssassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced comes to life at Skypark Macau
-
Apps2 weeks agoPlot twist: Starbucks PH is letting you actually pick your reward now
-
Features2 weeks agoSpotlight: HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 Racing Legend Edition
-
Automotive1 week agoMercedes-Benz celebrates 140th anniversary at the Presidential Car Museum

