Huawei expands collaboration with Mahmood Al-Abadi

Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) is committed to providing users with innovative features and personalised options that enhance their daily interactions with their devices. As part of its push to create exclusive, premium quality content for HUAWEI users, HUAWEI Themes joins forces with local celebrities like Emirati artist Mahmood Al Abadi.

Source: HUAWEI. Al Abadi spoke during the HUAWEI P60 Pro and flagship product launch in Dubai on June 7, sharing his experience with HUAWEI Themes, and how it has elevated his digital experience.

Al Abadi has designed Ramadhan themes that are available for download on all HUAWEI smartphones, tablets and smartwatches. Nearly 500,000 downloads have been recorded so far, and counting. His recent themes, Soaring Falcon and Sailing Ship, were customised for all HUAWEI devices including the latest HUAWEI Mate X3 and HUAWEI P60 Pro Series. Both are designed to add a unique touch to traditional Arabic calligraphy by fusing it with contemporary art and technology.

William Hu, MD, Huawei Consumer Business Group, Middle East and Africa Eco Development and Operation, said: "We are delighted to expand our partnership with Mr Mahmood Al-Abadi, a master of Arabic calligraphy. By bringing together his exceptional creative prowess and our cutting-edge mobile technology, we were able to establish an unconventional and innovative approach for promoting the rich cultural heritage of the Middle East. Huawei Mobile Services will continue to deploy internal resources and incentive programmes to encourage designers to unleash their creativity and develop higher-quality themes for our users."

Huawei's latest smartphones, the flagship HUAWEI P60 Pro and the super-thin foldable HUAWEI Mate X3, are ideal for consumers who wish to immerse themselves in Arabic art. The HUAWEI P60 Pro re-establishes the benchmark for smartphone photography while the Huawei Mate X3 is the world's thinnest and lightest foldable smartphone, with an ultra-light and strong aluminum and carbon fibre build that allows for substantial weight savings.

Telkomsel launches Kolak Express 3 mobile game

Telkomsel's Dunia Games saw demand for mobile games surge by 27% during Ramadhan and Eid al-Fitr this year. Telkomsel responded by releasing Kolak Express 3, a game that reflects the daily tradition of the Indonesian society during Ramadhan. The new game is part of #DiRumahTerusTerhibur and #DiRumahTerusMaju initiatives which were created to ensure customers can still be entertained at home amid of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kolak Express 3 is available for download on the Google Play Store. It is the fourth game published by Dunia Games, and reflects Telkomsel's commitment to be the leading mobile game publisher in Indonesia.

Source: Telkomsel, through Dunia Games, has released Kolak Express 3. It is now available for download from the Google Play Store.

Head of Digital Lifestyle, Telkomsel, Crispin P Tristram said, "Kolak Express 3 is a manifestation of Telkomsel's commitment as the leading digital telco company that keeps moving forward to enable customer-centric products and services, including in digital lifestyle segment. Following successful releases of action genre game, ShellFire in 2018, and role-playing genre game, Lord of Estera in 2019 and Rise of Nowlin this year, we are delighted to release an easy-to-play simulation game to provide another variety of game genre in our games collection. Soon, Kolak Express 3 will also available for overseas gamers."

Kolak Express 3 challenges its players to sell kolak - an Indonesian dessert traditionally made with palm or coconut sugar, coconut milk, and pandanus leaf or banana - and serve a variety of kolak as requested by customers over 100 levels. The simple concept of the game enables Kolak Express 3 to be played by all ages.

"Dunia Games is committed to always provide games with a variety of genres to meet every customer's need across segments. This is also in line with the spirit of Telkomsel's 25th year anniversary to always dedicate all resources to create positive impacts for society. Going forward, we will also collaborate with other talents within the mobile game industry to advance the e-sports and gaming ecosystem in Indonesia," Crispin said.

Dunia Games has organised more than 1,000 game events online and offline. It offers payment gateway services, and provides a games and e-sports media platform online and through the Dunia Games app which can be downloaded from the Google Play Store and App Store.

Blis: convenience trumps loyalty during Ramadhan

Mobile will be key to taking advantage of a marked increase in travel, eating out and shopping for gifts during Ramadhan. Ramadhan is usually the busiest ad season of the year for core markets like Indonesia and Malaysia, making it an optimal time to meaningfully capture people’s attention – and keep it.

Blis cites Facebook reports that in both Indonesia and Malaysia, four in five sales conversions during Ramadhan happen on mobile, and says that by up-levelling marketing efforts with real-world intelligence built on the most accurate location data, brands can ensure people see more personalised and timely messages, which will result in greater conversion.

“We’re experts in deciphering location data into real-world intelligence, helping brands create more relevant, engaging and effective digital marketing,” said Richard Andrew, MD of Asia, Blis.

“With the right analysis we can identify the moment when consumers are most ready to purchase."

Blis' top tips for marketers in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), dining and travel industries are:

FCMG

Southeast Asian consumers place a high value on convenience, no matter how loyal they appear to be to any brand or chain. Marketers should make sure their goods are stocked at as many major outlets as possible as convenience trumps loyalty over this period.

Search and browsing activity spikes in the early hours before sunrise, 4-5 am, and in the evening hours of 5-8 pm, often when people are sitting in traffic or on the way home after a busy day. Muslims fast between the hours after sunrise and before sunset. This year, sunrise in Singapore is around 5.30 am while sunset is around 7.10 pm.

Marketing for gifts and personal items is most effective when launched earlier in the month, Blis said. Last year in Indonesia sales picked up 10 days into Ramadhan and lasted until two weeks before Eid. Ramadhan lasts 29 or 30 days each year, and is immediately followed by Eid al-Fitr which marks that first three days of Shawwal, the Islamic month after the month of Ramadhan.

Consider the importance of the commute, Blis adds, adding geofencing to the marketing strategy to incorporate bus stations for example. This has both the advantage of dwell time as well as opening an opportunity to link out-of-home (OOH) and mobile campaigns.

Advertisers and marketers should continue to engage shoppers throughout and even beyond Eid in order to maintain the connections they have built to stay top of mind with gift-buyers, Blis further said.

Dining

Convenience-minded attitudes also exist when it comes to eating, as fast food options are incredibly popular after sunset. Muslims are encouraged to break the fast immediately after sunset so food that takes longer to prepare, potentially being ready past the time of sunset, is typically avoided.

Dining with family is a priority during Ramadhan. Blis recommends that marketers target office workers near their restaurants who are looking to skip traffic, but still meet up with their families at popular eateries.

Attract new customers through targeted offers for family meals on mobile devices. By using geofencing, it is even possible to raise brand awareness when consumers are at a rival eatery.

Blis research in Indonesia revealed that Burger King is the most popular eatery, followed by Carl’s Jr. But as with retail, loyalty in the fast-food category is not absolute. When loyalty is absent convenience is often the primary decision-making factor. While 44% of Carl Jr’s customers visited a Burger King, only 13% of the King’s fans went in the other direction to the more expensive eatery.

Similarly, 78% and 63% of Burger King customers also visited Pizza Hut and KFC respectively, which Blis says suggests that timely brand presence—like serving an ad in proximity when it’s time for iftar (breaking fast)—can sway micromoments in marketers' favour.

Travel

Millions will be travelling for mudik, the Indonesian term for returning home for Eid, and will be relying on the Internet to plan their trips. To make the most of the season, travel marketers can use real-world intelligence gleaned from mobile devices captured at travel hubs in previous years.

Travellers value travel updates, discounts and promotions, advice on the best routes and the entertainment they can view while travelling. That is why it is vital to directly target devices in airports, train stations and bus stations on peak travel days, Blis advises.

The final tip, relevant to all advertisers and marketers, is to not just measure the success of this year’s campaign, but also accurately attribute their success to the right online and offline channels, in order to make next year’s Ramadhan even better.

Appsflyer shares insights for Ramadhan marketing for 2019

- Shopping apps revenue growth changes considerably before, within and after Ramadhan

- Travel apps lead in revenue growth trends

- App purchases peak in the early hours of the morning and during lunch time

AppsFlyer, the mobile attribution and marketing analytics provider, has released its first-ever app market insights report around the month of Ramadhan.

Source: Appsflyer report cover.

According to AppsFlyer, mobile marketers must secure a better understanding of the context and activity for each time in the day, as well as periodic user behaviour unique to this period. This includes app usage habits, the frequency of social shares and aspirational festive purchases to plan when ad spends could potentially be most effective.

AppsFlyer's technology is found on 98% of the world's smartphones. The report analysed mobile app usage behaviour by consumers across Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore between 2016 to 2018. The data covers a total of 220 million installs and 100 million purchases across apps in entertainment, finance, gaming, maps and navigation, shopping, social, travel, from the period before Ramadhan to two weeks after it ends.

Findings from the study include:

Indonesia leads in app install growth rates across verticals

While all three countries in the survey registered material increases in average installs per app in both 2017 and 2018, Indonesia generated an almost 20% year-over-year uplift in app installs for 2018. Besides the country’s strong economic growth in 2018, smartphone penetration has been steadily on the rise, growing from 24% in 2017 to 26% in 2018.

Shopping apps revenue growth changes considerably before, within and after Ramadhan

In 2017 and 2018, shopping apps saw growth in pre-Ramadhan week revenue, with growth rates of 76% and 55% respectively. We see sharp drops in this metric the week immediately following, displaying fluctuations from period start to end.

Travel apps lead in revenue growth trends

Travel apps register the most consistent Ramadhan period growth over the years. This vertical also displays the strongest revenue growth rate, together with social and messaging apps.

Shopping and casual gaming apps show the best retention rates

Advertisers from casual gaming and shopping apps hold the crown for highest non-organic user retention rates (3.6% and 3.8% respectively) during the Ramadhan period, with shopping apps also experiencing high retention rates for organic users (4.1%) at day 30. Ramadhan typically lasts 29 to 30 days, depending on when the new moon for the next month is sighted.

App purchases peak in the early hours of the morning and during lunch time

Shopping app purchases skyrocket during Ramadhan throughout Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. This boost is particularly pronounced from midnight up until 5-6 am in the morning. The hours before the dawn prayer, in particular, see marked increases of up to 526% in shopping purchases in Indonesia. Also, this activity peaks at 45% higher than pre-Ramadhan periods in Indonesia in the lunchtime hours between 11am to 2pm.

Taisys’ Mobisphere to establish Mobile eID joint venture with Nahdlatul Ulama

Source: Taisys. From left: Ho, Pituduh, and Azhan Muhammad, Director of Mobisphere. The signing ceremony took place on March 13, at Taisys Technologies' headquarters in Taipei City, Taiwan.

Taisys' Mobisphere and Nusantara Digital Inovasi (NDI), the digital transformation arm for Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), plan to set up a joint venture that will develop, implement and operate a mobile eID platform.

With over 110 million members, Indonesia's NU is set to bring about digital transformation for the largest autonomous Islamic organisation in the world based on a secured mobile ecosystem. Services provided via this mobile eID platform include, and not limited to, mobile identification and authentication, international telco services based on remote SIM provisioning technology, cross-border remittance, mobile banking and payment services.

"Taisys has long been a trusted mobile ID solution provider for banking services since the 2G/feature phone era. Now that smartphones and APPs manage our daily work and lives, the need to use the phone as a form of identity authentication and transaction authorisation is increasing ever more.

"The beauty of our mobile ID solution, which sets it apart from others, is that it can accommodate beyond authentication services for banking and fintech, to include digital SIM services where mobile subscriptions are downloaded onto the phone. This is the perfect example where the use case can be supported by the right technology, elevating the comprehensiveness and industry/device/telco agnostic nature of the Taisys mobile ID solution," stated Taisys Chairman Jason Ho.

"This mobile eID shall create the next level of digital ID security in addition to the services to be offered by NU to its communities such as mobile payments/ wallets, telco services, fintech and banking services. NU has worldwide members, and in upholding NU digital sovereignty objective and creating service layers within a secured environment, NU members in particular and Indonesian nationals in general will be benefitted most.

"NU has significant number of its members residing in Taiwan, Malaysia, Middle East and other parts of the world. For example, over 1 million NU members in Malaysia are regularly (sending remittances) to their loved ones, and through this JV initiative, it will create the digital security eco-system for NU communities in Indonesia and beyond. Not to mentioned their mobile daily usage for work and lives. This augurs well with NU's objective in digital transformation," said Imam Pituduh, Chairman of NU Digital Transformation Services.

Ady Seto Bremono, Mobisphere Indonesia Director, said that the partnership will add to the existing Mobisphere ecosystem which already involves banks, remittance providers and social media players.

"Mobisphere Flex in Malaysia is backed by an Islamic bank, while in Indonesia and other 20 corridor countries, it has cooperation with banks, financial institution non-bank, switching operator and social media players; therefore, through a mobile ID platform with services on top, it is truly is a working example of a complete ecosystem for NU communities," he said.

NU was established in 1926 in Surabaya, Indonesia. It is the largest independent Islamic organisation in the world, and exists to spread Islamic teaching. It also owns 44 universities, and is involved in economic and agricultural studies, and social activities including family planning.

Mobisphere is an ASEAN regional provider of mobile payment platforms and remittance switching services. It is a joint venture of Taiwan-headquartered Taisys, which provides mobile interconnectivity and vertical integration solutions.

QuikHalal promises to make halal auditing easier

Malaysia Commercialisation Year (MCY) Award winners have been announced for 2018. The Malaysia Commercialisation Year Award, which the Malaysia Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment & Climate Change (MESTECC) introduced in 2016, is aimed at recognising, appreciating and motivating local R&D talents to penetrate local and international markets.

This year, MESTECC assessed 212 products in terms of technological and commercial readiness and arrived at 27 finalists who had to pitch their products to a panel of judges. There are 10 winners for the MCY Award 2018, a main winner and a consolation winner for each of five categories.

The QuikHalal app from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) was the consolation winner for the Research Entrepreneur Award. This award recognises an entrepreneurial researcher who has made outstanding contributions to business innovation or has created innovative businesses in Malaysia through technology licensing, startup creation or by providing expertise to support business innovation.

Source: MESTECC. The QuikHalal logo.

QuikHalal is a halal auditing application that reduces the complexity, time and cost of halal auditing processes. The app can capture photos from mobile devices and automatically generate halal compliance reports. The estimated commercialisation value of this product for 2018 is RM100,900.

As of 2018, the app has 25 local users. UTM plans to further develop the app to support countries with Islamic-friendly hospitality industries like Thailand, Korea, Japan and Indonesia.

As a consolation winner, UTM receives RM50,000, half in cash and the rest in facilitation services such as: 

• Design including physical design and packaging

• Accreditation, certification, a technology audit and market research

• Incubation including mentoring

• Advisory services related to product development, financial management and intellectual property; and

• Participation in local and foreign exhibitions.

MCY was first initiated in 2016. As of August 2018, 303 products have been successfully commercialised, accounting for sales turnover of RM290.88 million. The main target of MCY is to boost research, development and innovation (R, D & I) results from local research institutions as wealth generator through commercialisation process. MCY is also a platform to raise awareness of stakeholders and the people about the potential of innovation and commercialisation in raising the nation's revenue.

As part of the MCY Special KPIs, research institutes, universities and related technology development agencies have collectively pledged to commercialise up to 360 products/technologies from various categories by the year 2020.

They are supported by the Second Wave of MCY 2.0 (2017-2019), which focuses on:

- Strengthening the commercialisation ecosystem;

- Expanding cooperation with strategic partners from industry, states and international government; and

- Expanding markets for local research, development, commercialisation and innovation (R, D, C & I) regionally and internationally.

Free mobile data gifted to Hajj pilgrims

The Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Communications and Information Technology Commission will provide 2 million GB of data for the 2 million Hajj pilgrims this year.

An official statement said that the initiative was in accordance with the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and HH the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “to do everything possible to make it easy for pilgrims to perform the rituals of Hajj”.

The free data is for those who have opted to use packages Sawa Ziyara, AlZowar, Noor, Hajj & Umrah and Iman — provided by the mobile operators Saudi Telecom, Etihad Etisalat (Mobily), Mobile Telecommunication Company Saudi Arabia (Zain), Virgin Mobile, and Etihad Jawraa (Lebara).

Each subscriber will have access to 1 GB for 48 hours. The initiative intends to allow pilgrims to communicate with their families and enable them to access the digital services available in the Smart Hajj initiative in order to enhance their experience and allow them to take advantage of enhanced communication services.

“This initiative is just one of the efforts of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Communications and Information Technology Commission and all mobile service providers in the Kingdom to provide the best communication services to pilgrims during this pilgrimage season,” the organisations said.

Hajj runs from August 19 to August 24.

20 million calls, close to 1.5 TB of data

The Saudi Communications and Information Technology Commission has reported that over 20 million calls were made in Makkah over the past week, with a 99% success rate.

In addition, over 1,476 TB of data were downloaded, with a download and upload speeds of 26 and 10 Mbps respectfully.

The average daily data consumption for pilgrims in Makkah has reached 308 MB, exceeding the average daily per capita data consumption globally (150 MB).

Huawei Singapore's Mother's Day contest ends 24 May

Source: Huawei Mobile Singapore
Facebook page. Watch the video

The Singapore Huawei Consumer Business Group is running a contest for Mother's Day (13 May) that ends on 24 May.

Singapore consumers need only answer what lengths their mother will go for them as a comment to the video on the Huawei Mobile Singapore Facebook page, with the hashtag #SeeMooore, for a chance to win the HUAWEI P20 in Pink Gold, and a W Singapore Sentosa Cove experience for two*.

The video, which was launched on 11 May, had over 19,000 views at the time of writing.

The Singapore Huawei Consumer Business Group's latest phone is the HUAWEI P20 Pro. The HUAWEI P20 Pro comes with the world’s first Leica triple camera and artificial intelligence. With a 40 megapixel RGB sensor, a 20 megapixel monochrome sensor, and an 8 megapixel sensor with telephoto lens, the HUAWEI P20 Pro is widely considered to have the best phone camera today.

A Twilight version of the phone reached Singapore stores on 21 April 2018. For the Twilight phone chassis Huawei used advanced optical coating techniques and materials to achieve a gradient effect that is inspired by the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights).

Details:

Watch the video

*Terms and conditions apply

Alizz Islamic Bank launches revamped mobile app for Internet banking

Source: Alizz Islamic Bank. The app.

Alizz Islamic Bank has launched a newly-redesigned mobile banking app and Internet banking platform in line with its expanding role as a leader of customer experience in Oman. The bank was the first full-fledged Islamic bank to offer a mobile banking app in Oman.

The bilingual app is available for both Android and iOS devices and features advanced security capabilities as well as a self-registration system. Users can use a QR code to log in to web banking, funds transfers, utility bill payments and other transactions. The app is 3D Touch-enabled* and is the first mobile banking app in Oman to offer in app notifications for new transactions, and payment reminders.

Sadiq Al Lawati, Head of Digital and Card Business, Alizz Islamic Bank said, "At Alizz Islamic Bank our key focus is to provide the very best digital banking experience for our customers, whenever and wherever our customers need. Throughout the bank's history we have been at the forefront of digital banking in Oman and we are delighted to further reinforce this with the multitude of useful features offered to our customers via the Alizz mobile banking app and Internet banking platforms, which are available in both Arabic and English."

Source: Alizz Islamic Bank. Al Jadidi.

Moosa Al Jadidi, COO, Alizz Islamic Bank said the new mobile banking application and Internet banking platform reflect the exceptional customer experience and high standards that the bank strives to deliver every day.

"These platforms enhance our strong relationship with our customers and take our excellence in customer service to a whole new level. With an increasingly young population in Oman who prefer more technologically advanced banking solutions, our wide range of cutting edge digital banking solutions enable our customers to benefit from more convenient and secure self-service channels, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week," he said.

*3D Touch is pressure-sensitive touch technology found in iOS devices.

Ramadhan and Raya offers from Singtel

Source: Singtel website. Singtel's Ramadhan and Raya offers are on for a limited time.

In conjunction with Ramadhan and Hari Raya, Singtel is offering an exclusive Singtel TV, Aneka Plus and fibre broadband bundle at a special price.

Singtel also announced that CAST’s Aneka Plus pack is now home to Tribe, Astro’s regional video service. Tribe features content from Astro’s lineup of Malay channels, which include Astro Ria and Astro Prima,

For the first time in Singapore, viewers will be able to watch Astro’s premium on-demand Malay programmes on the go. Tribe includes complete seasons of drama series, variety shows, movies and award shows.

Customers can look forward to popular programmes such as Suri Hati Mr Pilot (starring Neelofa and Fattah Amin), Bukan Kerana Aku Tak Cinta (starring Sharnaaz Ahmad and Nelydia Senrose), Imam Mudaku Romantik (starring Hisyam Hamid and Syatilla Melvin) and the awards show Anugerah Era MeleTOP 2017. From 10 July onwards, viewers can also enjoy the entire series of Hero Seorang Cinderella (starring Fattah Amin and Fazura).

Other Singtel events for the season include a presence at the Geylang Ramadhan Bazaar and at Celebfest.

Interested?

View the Ramadhan and Raya  offers from Singtel

Read the Suroor Asia blog posts about the Geylang Ramadhan Bazaar and Celebfest.

Aneka Plus customers will enjoy a special introductory offer of S$7.90/month with the first three months free for a 12-month contract signed. To subscribe, customers can head to Singtel shops and Singtel Exclusive Retailers, or sign up online.

In addition to Aneka Plus, CAST offers Partner Apps, Viu Premium, FOX+ and Tonton, as well as Variety Plus, Asian Plus and Sports Plus packs. Together, CAST streams premium over-the-top (OTT) Korean, Asian, English and Malay-language, and sports content. For a limited time only, customers who purchase any CAST pack on a 12-month subscription will enjoy the first three months free.

Drivers invited to offer a ride to taraweeh with Terawhere

Source: Terawhere website.

The Terawhere movement in Singapore aims to save everyone's time and energy by offering people a ride to teraweeh prayers. Terawhere is a free carpooling app that helps users connect and share transport to teraweeh locations. There is no commitment needed; drivers can offer rides on their terms, as they wish. The initiative is supported by the Touch of Ramadan Campaign Committee and mosques in Singapore.

Interested?

Contact Terawhere to sign up as a Terawhere driver

Hashtags: #communityofrahmah, #terawhere, #terawih, #msociety

Pergas uses mobile app for recycling, fund-raising

Pergas, the Singapore Islamic scholars and religious teachers association,  is helping waste management efforts in Singapore with the Recycle@PERGAS app, which allows consumers to have their recyclables collected on demand.

Provided by the Sapphiro Group, the app supports the four official languages and allows home owners to book a collection time for recyclables within working hours, which are Monday to Saturday, between 9am and 5pm, islandwide.

Pergas is also using the app for the collection of used items for fund-raising. These will be collected by volunteers from Buana Trading wearing white Pergas t-shirts carrying the logo on the left part of the chest, and the word 'VOLUNTEER' at the back.

Interested?

Download the app from the App store or Google Play

Call +65 8262 3555 with enquiries about the volunteer initiative.

KSA Ministry of Haj & Umra launches Haj Bracelets Reader app

Source: Android Play.

The KSA Ministry of Haj & Umra has launched a bracelet reader application for the e-bracelets of both foreign and domestic pilgrims.

To be used by representatives of authorised agencies of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, the app is expected to facilitate the identification of Hajj pilgrims, and provide them with help in context.

The application will also help those who are lost and provide relevant information to the agencies looking after them.



Feedback has generally been positive, though some reviews note that the scanner is not working on selected smartphones.

Interested?

Download the app for iOS or Android
‪

UAE's TRA warns that youth are an easy target for radicalism through gaming

Source: TRA, UAE. Picture of a mobile game.

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has warned the public that some criminal groups propagating radical ideologies which may exploit the chat features in today’s electronic games--spreading violent ideas and encouraging rebellious actions among youth and adolescents. The TRA noted that the unprecedented progress in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector makes it imperative for governments to find appropriate ways to address the potential risks associated with its growth.

The TRA emphasised that criminal groups with destabilising agendas could exploit electronic games in general and use war games to propagate the use of weapons. The TRA said the isolation of teenagers from the community through spending time playing electronic games in their rooms could weaken their social connections and make them an easy target for such groups. Third parties could manipulate the emotions of young people and influence their minds through messages and conversations, leading them down the wrong path.

Engineer Mohammed Al Zarooni, Director for Policy and Programs Department at the TRA, said: “The groups that adopt such vicious thinking are trying to recruit young people and adolescents through some electronic games, starting with unusual conversations with them in such a way that it reveals their weaknesses so they can be easily exploited and instructed to commit unlawful acts.”

Al Zarooni underscored the importance of warning teenagers and young people that some figures in electronic games are fraudulent. He called on young people to be aware of negative ideas and opinions and to talk with their relatives when they are exposed to such groups and consult the concerned authorities.

TRA advised parents to put gaming tools in the living room to ensure that these recruiters will not have the opportunity to be alone with the children and young adults. Parents should also allow them to log in only to electronic accounts that are known to them and examine the content of those accounts periodically to make sure that their children are not exposed to any attempt that would change their opinions and belief systems or would encourage them to form new friendships with unfamiliar people, as these are the tactics often used in recruiting them, he added.

The TRA also urged parents to protect their children and spend more time with the children and educate them not to establish relations with strangers through chat channels in electronic games. also called on them to instill spiritual faith in children and strengthen their societal and ethical values by communicating with them more frequently. 

Travel search activity in MENA spikes during Ramadhan

Source: Think with Google.

The Think with Google site has observed changes in travel behaviour in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region during Ramadhan. The marketing platform observes that search activity for flights and hotels rose significantly during Ramadhan in 2015, particularly in the second half of Ramadhan and immediately after.

"The combination of more free time and a celebratory atmosphere means that time spent online and consumer spending are higher during Ramadhan than any other period - and the opportunities for brands within the realm of travel are huge," Think with Google said in an industry perspective.

Marketers and brands should take advantage of this trend to gain some of a US$80 billion Middle East travel market, where 25% of customers book hotels and flights online*, Think with Google says, pointing to the Ramadhan promotions and digital campaigns from brands such as Emirates NBD, Emirates Airline and Qatar Airways. 

Last year, Makkah, Saudi Arabia was the No. 1 destination searched in Abu Dhabi, and No. 3 in Dubai. Meanwhile, the top search spot during Ramadhan for Dubai, which has a population comprising of nearly 88% expatriates, is Bangkok, Thailand.

Think with Google also suggests designing promotions around mobile, noting that 43% of millennials check their smartphones every five minutes in MENA, and searches on mobile represented more than 60% of total queries in Ramadhan 2015. In Saudi Arabia, the largest market in MENA, more than 90% of queries for regional travel suppliers such as Nas Air and Saudia were on mobile.

Interested?

Read the TechTrade Asia blog posts about mobile behaviour from ABI Research, Akamai and MasterCard

*MENA Travel Book

Philips Mobile Obstetrics Monitoring service to be commercially implemented in West Sumatra

Source: Royal Philips.

Royal Philips has announced an agreement with the Sijunjung Regency in West Sumatra, Indonesia, for the full-scale commercial implementation - Philips’ first globally - of its Mobile Obstetrics Monitoring (MOM) service in the region.

This scalable smartphone-based digital health service is designed to identify mothers-to-be who are at high risk of pregnancy-related complications and help reduce maternal mortality rates. Expanding mobile monitoring coverage, it addresses both rural and urban needs. Philips works with PT Telkom, the largest telecommunication provider in Indonesia with a nationwide connectivity infrastructure, to ensure a robust and effective digital solution. The MOM telehealth service is planned to be introduced in other regions in Indonesia, India and Africa later this year.

The obstetrics monitoring solution enables midwives in remote locations to share vital measurements, observational data and mobile ultrasound images with obstetricians and gynecologists in the country’s larger hospitals and collaborate with them for improved decision making during pregnancy.  The service features two mobile phone apps. The first allows midwives to collect vital measurement data - e.g. weight, blood pressure, temperature - and sync it to the MOM web portal. The second lets doctors track this data and review a woman’s progress. Specialists at regional primary care centres can also access the data via a MOM web portal to monitor women’s conditions and identify high-risk pregnancies via a dashboard interface. Training and education are also provided as part of the service. 

“Indonesia, with 255 million people living on more than 900 islands, still struggles with one of the highest rates*  of maternal death in the world partly due to the lack of access to healthcare services,” said Jeroen Tas, CEO Healthcare Informatics, Solutions and Services at Philips. “With the roll-out of our mobile obstetrics monitoring solution in West Sumatra we are helping to give people access to skilled healthcare personnel and the right technology at the right time. It’s a clear example of how digital technologies can facilitate preventative care and have a tremendous impact on the quality of care.”

In a one-year pilot project in collaboration with the Bunda Medical Center in Padang, Indonesia that was announced earlier, Philips' Mobile Obstetrics Monitoring solution increased the early detection of high-risk pregnancies threefold and helped expectant mothers to receive the medical monitoring and treatment they needed for a safe delivery. The pilot had over 650 pregnancies within the programme. Not a single woman died from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth through early monitoring and risk stratification.

“We are excited that West Sumatra is the first district in Indonesia to implement Mobile Obstetrics Monitoring,” said Health District Head Dr Edwin Suprayogi. “It is a challenge for many mothers in this district to travel from their home to the closest clinic, which means that high risk pregnancies are often not detected at an early stage. With the MOM programme, we aim to identify these women much faster so that they get access to the care they need. At the same time, the programme will also help us to track the effectiveness of individual healthcare workers so that we can improve their skills and further improve the quality of healthcare.”

The Mobile Obstetrics Monitoring solution is part of Philips’ strategy of providing connected care solutions that span locations and enable more people-focused integrated care, customised to address the local needs. 

Interested?

Download the Philips white paper Mobile Obstetrics Monitoring (MOM) as a model for community-based antenatal care delivery in a low-resource setting

Read the TechTrade Asia blog posts on Frost & Sullivan's recognition of Philips for MOM and Philips' connected lamp, a collaboration with Xiaomi

*World Health Organization (WHO) data on maternal death shows Indonesia recording 190 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2013, the third lowest results among ASEAN member states, despite Indonesia being the largest ASEAN economy. Specifically in West Sumatra, the maternal mortality rate is as high as 212 deaths per 100,000 live births, based on a survey by Andalas University in 2008 and published in the Health Ministry’s 2012 West Sumatra Health Profile. 

Dubai Islamic Bank upgrades mobile banking app

Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), the largest Islamic bank in the UAE, has upgraded its mobile banking app for the iOS and Android platforms. The enhanced offering provides access to over 60 services and has features that help users manage their personal finances.

Smartphone penetration rates have been rising rapidly, with Nielsen indicating that 78% of the UAE population owns at least one of these devices. Customers using the DIB Mobile app can enjoy a consolidated view of all accounts; pay utility bills; and withdraw cash without a card. Other features include status reminders to help them keep track of saving goals, as well as ensuring that spending remains within a planned budget. 

Musabbah Al Qaizi, Head of Electronic Banking Services & IT at Dubai Islamic Bank, said: “Over the past few years, mobile banking has evolved at a rapid pace to the point that it is now a regular feature in the lives of a majority of people. As we recognised that our customers are increasingly looking for access to a host of comprehensive facilities so that they can carry out their banking on-the-go, we carefully analysed these needs and invested in building a multifaceted platform that delivers a convenient and secure experience.

He added: “In addition to embedding financial planning tools that will help our customers manage their savings more effectively, our new mobile app offers many other useful and unique features like instant chat, currency converters, customised offers and interactive navigation to easily locate our branches/ ATMs. Moving ahead, we will continue to innovate and introduce new services and features to enhance our digital banking platforms and customer experience in line with the overall innovation and smart banking strategy of the bank.”

Interested?

Download the app 

Emirates rolls out Arabic mobile site

Emirates has launched an Arabic version of its mobile site. Customers using the Emirates mobile site in any language can book flights, check in online, upgrade their class of travel, as well as view and download Apple Passbook boarding passes to their smartphone.

The Arabic mobile platform has been rolled out simultaneously across 15 countries in the Middle East and North Africa including the UAE, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco and Sudan, among others.

Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations Centre for Emirates said: “Mobile device penetration in the Middle East and North Africa is steadily growing and we have been seeing strong usage on emirates.com from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt and Lebanon. In fact, almost two million people access emirates.com from those countries each month, and almost half of them access our site through their mobile devices. We saw a clear need for an Arabic mobile site which would allow us to significantly improve the customer experience.”

Earlier this year, after the overwhelming popularity of the Emirates App for iPhone, the airline extended its mobile App for the Android platform to serve its customers who use Android enabled devices. Emirates was also the first airline in the Middle East to launch an App for Apple Watch in April.

Bank Negara Malaysia makes it easy to contact Islamic finance companies

Bank Negara Malaysia has introduced a mobile app that connects consumers and financial service providers in Malaysia.

BNM MyLINK provides a directory of conventional and Islamic banking, insurance and takaful companies as well as SMEs which allow users to make enquiries, obtain advice and address their complaints.

Interested?

The app is available in both Bahasa Malaysia and English, and can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.