Technology

Samsung’s biotech bet undergoes first major trial

5 Oct 2016

As smartphone growth slows, Samsung heir Jay Y. Lee is targeting a nascent market for drugs made from living cells. Selling up to $2 bln of shares in the South Korean group's BioLogics unit will test investor appetite for a developing technology and an unfamiliar business model.

China ties can help Hong Kong catch up in fintech

30 Sep 2016

The city is playing catch-up with Singapore in financial technology. But as a gateway to mainland China, Hong Kong has two big advantages: easy access to a huge market, and proximity to tech giants Alibaba and Tencent. Those benefits should help it close the gap.

Cash burning in pocket propels Qualcomm dealmaking

29 Sep 2016

The $100 bln semiconductor firm has grown plump on mobile phones - and so has its balance sheet. But handset sales are slowing and Qualcomm doesn't get much credit from investors for cash trapped offshore. Buying $35 bln Dutch chip roll-up NXP potentially helps both problems.

Capita faces trifecta of debt, delay and doubt

29 Sep 2016

The UK outsourcing company is finding out investors don’t like surprises in a usually predictable industry. Delays in a big Transport for London contract and post-Brexit jitters could see profit before tax be 13 percent below its target, and make its balance sheet look strained.

Bedroom musicians may amplify Spotify profit issue

29 Sep 2016

The Swedish streaming group is in talks to buy SoundCloud, a site where amateur musicians upload songs for free. It would bring 175 mln monthly listeners and additional industry clout. But buying a loss-making group might not help Spotify address its key goal: turning a profit.

Yelp earns good review for dual-class demise

27 Sep 2016

The $3.3 bln rating site's super-voting stock collapsed as designed. Groupon's is about to do the same even as Facebook and Google entrench founders and Couche-Tard mulls reversing a sunset clause. The least companies can do is give these structures a shelf life and stick to it.

China’s startups have few good options left

20 Sep 2016

A slowdown in venture capital is squeezing smaller tech hopefuls. Many have flocked to the "New Third Board" but it's hard to raise new equity on this moribund over-the-counter market. Some cash-strapped groups may sell out to larger rivals, or cut costs and hope for the best.

Tech giants don’t grow on European soil

16 Sep 2016

The region hasn't produced its own answers to tech disruptors like Facebook and Alibaba. That leaves the EU open to accusations of sour grapes when foreign companies like Apple are targeted for unpaid taxes. Regulation and fragmented markets explain Europe's failure to launch.

Huawei’s cyber diplomacy short on reciprocity

14 Sep 2016

A new security guide for tech buyers looks like a sales pitch for Chinese telecom giant Huawei, which is more likely to benefit than co-sponsor Microsoft. That won't do much to persuade Washington and Beijing to lower tech barriers over potential electronic spying.

India’s Silicon Valley finds H2O everyone’s worry

14 Sep 2016

A dispute over water shut down the tech hub of Bengaluru. The city’s IT giants and startups are not water-intensive, yet global firms like Accenture and Infosys suffered. It is a reminder that environmental issues are costly, indiscriminate, and evermore real.

Samsung heir emerges from governance smoke

12 Sep 2016

Jay Y. Lee, son of the Korean technology group's chairman, is joining the company's board of directors. Lee already pulled strings, but from a less visible position. As the company deals with a rash of smartphones catching fire, this gesture towards transparency is helpful.

Samsung’s handset fires singe its brand

12 Sep 2016

The tech giant is speeding up a recall of Galaxy Note 7 phones, after reports of fires and explosions, while airlines have banned in-air use. Samsung shares have fallen sharply. The immediate financial hit looks manageable but the reputational damage could be worse.

Mario takes Nintendo up a level in mobile gaming

8 Sep 2016

Nintendo unexpectedly unveiled a Super Mario game at Apple's new phone launch. Following Pokemon's wild success, this confirms the Japanese group is no longer dragging its feet on reform and is ready to use top characters on mobile. It boosts the case for the new-look Nintendo.

Apple’s new iPhone is about eyes more than ears

7 Sep 2016

Removal of the headphone jack has created most of the buzz. That and other new features in the latest iteration are enough to sell plenty of upgrades. A new camera, however, hints at Apple's ambitions in virtual and augmented reality, which could be the bigger temptation.

Samsung Note 7 fires offer glimpse of new leader

5 Sep 2016

Faulty batteries have forced the $230 bln giant to recall its latest smartphone. The financial fallout may be manageable. But it gives outsiders a way to assess heir apparent Jay Y. Lee, who is trying to assert his authority on the conglomerate. Drastic action is encouraging.

Dublin faces fiendishly tough call on Apple appeal

2 Sep 2016

Ireland has a stark choice: take 13 bln euros from the tech giant in back tax and hurt its standing with multinationals, or keep its national business model intact. With Brexit looming, the safe choice is to appeal. But the country has more scope to annoy Apple than it did.

Chinese fintech could help revive Hong Kong market

2 Sep 2016

Web groups like Alibaba snubbed the territory to float Stateside. A new breed of financial upstarts with few global peers may find Hong Kong more welcoming. A few multi-billion-dollar listings would cut the bourse's reliance on stodgy financial and property giants.

Mukesh Ambani’s telco insurgency threatens returns

1 Sep 2016

India's richest man is launching his new superfast mobile network with free voice calls, $45 handsets, and more goodies. The aggressive strategy may worry rivals like Bharti and Vodafone. Shareholders in Ambani’s own Reliance Industries will also fret about the $20 bln bet.

Europe may end up behind the curve on 5G internet

1 Sep 2016

Telecom companies claim the EU's new open-internet guidelines disadvantage them relative to U.S. and Chinese players. They're right that Europe may slip behind in the race for superfast internet, but net neutrality isn't the real enemy. Blame a highly fragmented market instead.

Europe’s bite at Apple could leave bad aftertaste

30 Aug 2016

The European Commission wants companies to pay their fair share of tax. Zeroing in on Apple’s alleged sweetheart deal with Ireland fits that agenda. But it could misfire. Reeling from Brexit, Dublin might feel pressure to make itself even more friendly to corporate taxpayers.