Film & Sat Archives - Page 10 of 14

AVIA Releases OTT Study in Singapore at its First OTT Upfront Showcase Presenting Premium Content at its Best

The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) has released a new research study entitled Premium OTT – Building its Rightful Place in the Digital Market, to understand the usage of different video services in Singapore and attitudes towards them. The independent research study conducted by Milieu Insight was unveiled to agencies, advertisers and brands at AVIA’s first OTT Upfront Showcase where two of the region’s top premium video services, iQIYI and Viu, presented previews and highlights of their upcoming slate of content to the audience at a closed-door event.

The research shows that Premium OTT streaming services (OTT) are clearly differentiated from videos viewed on social media or video sharing sites. OTT was highly valued by consumers in Singapore for having the highest quality content. 58% of respondents indicated that they felt premium OTT services had high quality content, compared to only 36% for social media and video sharing services. Similarly, when asked which video services they generally felt captured the highest levels of attention while watching, 49% of respondents selected OTT streaming services, compared to only 35% who selected social media and video sharing services.

Levels of engagement were also entirely different with 51% of people feeling immersed when watching OTT content as opposed to only 39% for social media & video sharing. Top emotions elicited when watching OTT were happiness and amusement whereas for social media and video sharing, the top emotion was “nothing”.

When looking at the impact of advertising, linear television remains the place where it is most noticed (76%) and ads are thought to be the highest quality (41%), although it is in social media where ads feel most intrusive (37%). Linear was again the winner when it came to prompting brand or product searches (25%) and prompting purchase (19%). Louis Boswell, CEO, AVIA, commented that this “Bodes well for the OTT industry. There is a clear link between linear television and OTT from a content perspective, and with more OTT services looking at advertising, I strongly suspect it is simply a matter of time before the effectiveness of ads on OTT matches that of linear television.”

Dinesh Ratnam, Country Manager, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei, iQIYI International, commented, “AVIA’s research further cements the rise of OTT and the appreciation for the premium content on OTT platforms. As the OTT industry continues evolving and becoming more accessible, its audience is also looking for more diverse content. With the global success of shows such as iQIYI’s original costume drama Story of Yanxi Palace drawing a global audience larger than that of Game of Thrones, the rise of Asian content is also drawing in larger, more diverse audiences. We are thrilled to be a part of AVIA’s inaugural OTT Upfront Showcase in Singapore and to have the opportunity to showcase our exciting slate to advertisers and partners.”

AVIA thanks its members Magnite, PubMatic, The Trade Desk, and Xandr for supporting the OTT Upfront Showcase and the same companies plus Index Exchange for supporting the research.

A link to the research study entitled Premium OTT – Building its Rightful Place in the Digital Market can be downloaded here (https://bit.ly/3L4lrMD).

About the Premium OTT Study

The study, Premium OTT – Building its Rightful Place in the Digital Market, was conducted in Singapore by Milieu Insight Pte Ltd, with online fieldwork using Milieu Insight’s online panel. The sample size was n=1200 and was representative of the Singapore adult population aged 16+. Premium OTT Services listed in the study were as follows: Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Disney+, HBO Go, iQIYI, meWATCH, Netflix, Singtel Cast, StarHub TV+, Viu and WeTV. Social Media and Video Sharing Services listed were: Daily Motion, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Telegram, TikTok, Twitter, Vimeo, WhatsApp and YouTube.

About the Asia Video Industry Association

The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) is the trade association for the video industry and ecosystem in Asia Pacific. It serves to make the video industry stronger and healthier through promoting the common interests of its members. AVIA is the interlocutor for the industry with governments across the region, leads the fight against video piracy through its Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) and provides insight into the video industry through reports and conferences aimed to support a vibrant video industry.

For media enquiries and additional background please contact:
Charmaine Kwan
Head of Marketing and Communications
Email: charmaine@avia.org
Website: www.avia.org
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/asiavideoia
Twitter: @AsiaVideoIA

Manila Protection of Online Content Summit Builds Off High Hopes for Efficient and Effective Site Blocking Measures in New House Bill

The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) and the Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) hosted a seminar earlier today in Manila to promote the protection of online content in a country that continues to have some of the highest levels of online piracy in Asia Pacific, levels that impede economic growth and pose serious risks to consumers. AVIA, and local industry partners involved in the seminar such as Globe and Kroma, held the event to highlight the need for the revised IP Code recently presented to the House to address rampant online piracy via the implementation of efficient and effective site blocking procedures.

The seminar brought together some of the leading content industry and government players in the Philippines, including the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines’ (IPOPHL) Deputy Director General, Teodoro C. Pascua, Congressman Joey Sarte Salceda, the Film Development Council of the Philippines and representatives from Globe Telecom, Disney, NBA and Kroma. Speakers at the seminar discussed the revised IP Code, the impact of online piracy in the Philippines, including the harm posed by piracy such as malware infections, as well as looking at best practices to combat online piracy, including reviewing what measures other countries in the region have taken to address online piracy.

Matthew Cheetham, CAP’s General Manager, noted. “We know from a recent YouGov survey that the Philippines has some of the highest online piracy rates in the Asia Pacific, with more than 60% of consumers admitting they watch pirate content online.” The same survey shows that site blocking is the preferred method of reducing piracy. Added Cheetham, “More than 49% of consumers believe a government or court order for ISPs to block pirate sites would be the most effective measure to reduce piracy in the Philippines.”

However, the good news is that consumers are also being educated about piracy with more than 40% being aware of the negative impacts of piracy on the local creative industry, as well as the risks of malware infections from accessing pirate sites. Cheetham illustrated the stark reality of the consumer risks from pirate sites highlighted in their “Time to Compromise” report from earlier in the year with a video presentation showing a user being infected with fake ransomware within 30 seconds of searching for pirate Philippine movie content.

There is some hope that the revised IP Code bill, HB0799, filed in early July, will address the rampant online piracy. However, while the bill does provide the potential for the government to block sites due to copyright infringement, the procedures for doing so are not clear. Cheetham noted that “Malaysia has some of the best site blocking measures in the region and it’s no surprise that Malaysia’s online piracy rates have plummeted by 60% since the Malaysian government implemented its rolling site blocking measures in early 2020.”

“The transformation brought about by the last two years has drastically changed the ecommerce landscape and technologies in all sectors have adapted accordingly. Protection and enforcement of intellectual property especially in the creative sector will perforce, adjust and adapt as the developments in ecommerce evolve and stabilizes. Failing to do so will drastically destroy the cadence of development already began and bring more loss than gains,” said Teodoro Pascua, Deputy Director General, The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL).

“Revising the Philippines’ intellectual property code is urgently necessary to ensure that we protect the Philippines’ creative industry and content users. To complement regulatory efforts, Globe has been implementing its anti-piracy campaign #PlayItRight since 2017 to educate customers on how to become responsible users of online content across the film and music industries, and the areas of digital literacy and education. We also vigorously monitor, and block validated illegal piracy sites. Adding teeth to the law will further boost these initiatives,” said Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer at Globe.

Added Ian Monsod, CEO of Kroma Entertainment, “Kroma is committed to develop world class entertainment as well as to elevate Filipino artistry and content to the world stage. We will continue to vigilantly work with industry stakeholders to uphold the IP rights protection as a backbone and path to the creator industry sustainability.”

About the Asia Video Industry Association

Korean Content Powerhouse Shaping the Entire Asian Video Landscape

The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) welcomed over 200 delegates from across the region for its first ever Korean focused conference and its first in market event since 2019, with Korea in View, which took place on 30 August at the Westin Josun, Seoul.

To set the scene, AVIA CEO Louis Boswell presented key highlights from AVIA’s Korea in View 2022 Report. Ranking 10th among the world’s largest economies and 4th in Asia, South Korea had risen from one of the poorest countries in the world to a developed, high-income country in just one generation. The pay TV market continued to show growth of 2.7% per year, now dominated by IPTV, while streaming services were accelerating at breakneck speed, seeing paid subscribers increasing from 20.4% of the population in 2020 to 34.8% in 2021.

In his opening speech, keynote speaker, Vice Chairman Ahn Hyoung-hwan of the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) shared that while OTT growth was an opportunity for the content industry to grow, it was also resulting in a sense of crisis for existing legacy media. Hence the KCC was preparing the Audio-Visual Media Service Act and was pushing for innovative deregulation of the existing regulations on advertising and programming.

The day spanned multiple conversations about the strength of Korean content and how that was fuelling the success of both Korean streaming platforms as well as international, with Marianne Lee, Chief of Content Acquisition and Development, Viu and Junbeom Jeon, Chief Leader, Wavve, both agreeing that this investment in local content was the key to survival. Such demand, however, was also clearly fuelling a rapid escalation in content costs and while Hyun Park, Senior Vice President, Global Division of Studio Dragon commented that from a Hollywood perspective Korea still presented great value for money, there needed to be a cap on costs before they got out of hand. He also noted, “We are definitely not at the peak of production, we are only at the beginning.”

The roles of international and Korean streaming platforms were also examined with Esther Ahn, Vice President, Streaming, Korea, Paramount, explaining the recent introduction of Paramount+ to the market in partnership with CJ-backed TVING. The partnership spanned making Paramount content available within the TVING service in Korea as well as co-producing Korean content with a view to Korean and international audiences. TVING CEO Jay Yang also talked about the desire to be able to take the best Korean content overseas and deliver it through a Korean streaming platform, although he did not believe Korean content should only be on Korean platforms. But as in the same way Korean content was on international platforms, the Paramount+ deal also saw international content on a Korean platform. Ultimately streaming platforms wanted the best content no matter its origin.

The advertising market was also seeing the traditional markets of TV, Print and Radio declining but there has been significant growth in digital. This was an opportunity that both Bong-Su Kim, Addressable TV Ad Team Leader, SK Broadband and Vijay Kunduri, Regional Vice President, OTT/CTV, APAC, PubMatic, felt needed to be exploited with the growth of ad supported VOD or streaming services, with both being confident that this space would evolve quickly in the next two years in Korea.

Rounding up the day’s sentiments, Louis Boswell highlighted the importance of the Korean market not just because of the impressive growth it had seen for video content, but because of the influence Korean content has had across the region, and also the early stages of Korean streaming platforms looking to enter other Asian markets. “It is not possible to look at the Asian video industry without looking at Korea,” added Boswell.

Korea in View is generously sponsored by Brightcove, BytePlus, Conviva, Google Cloud, Irdeto, NAGRA, Paramount and TV5Monde.

About the Asia Video Industry Association:

The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) is the trade association for the video industry and satellite ecosystem in Asia Pacific. It serves to make the video industry stronger and healthier through promoting the common interests of its members. The AVIA is the interlocutor for these industries with governments across the region, leads the fight against video piracy through its Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) and provides insight into the video industry through reports and conferences aimed to support a vibrant video industry.

For media enquiries and additional background, contact:

Charmaine Kwan
Head of Marketing and Communications
Email: charmaine@avia.org
Website: www.avia.org
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/asiavideoia
Twitter: @AsiaVideoIA

Binasat Posts 55.0% Increase in FY2022 Revenue to RM83.51 Million

Group is optimistic on outlook, focusing on expanding satellite operations, national digital infrastructure initiative and Phase 2 of PoP

Binasat Communications Berhad, an all-round solution provider of network engineering and services, today reported revenue of RM83.51 million for the full-year ended 30 June 2022 (FY2022), a 55.08% increase compared with RM53.85 million for the corresponding period of the last financial year (FY2021) mainly attributable to higher revenue from civil mechanical and engineering works, recurring teleport services and revenue from transmission and distribution network facility services and engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) of solar farm facilities.

Binasat Communications’ office in Technology Park Malaysia, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur

For the period under review, Binasat recorded a 50.74% gain in GP to RM18.22 million compared with the preceding year corresponding period on higher revenue from transmission and distribution network facility services and EPCC of solar farm facilities.

Binasat registered 63.53% increase in PBT for FY2022 compared with RM12.09 million in FY2021 mainly due to increase in GP and additional rental income of RM0.39 million The Group’s PAT gained 123.27% to RM5.41 million compared with RM2.42 million.

The Group recorded RM14.96 million for the fourth quarter ended 30 June 2022 (4Q FY2022), a 15.20% decrease compared with RM17.64 million recorded in the corresponding quarter of the previous year (4Q FY2021) mainly attributable to lower revenue from civil infrastructure and fiber optic cabling works.

Binasat registered a 52.54% gain in gross profit (GP) to RM4.51 million in 4Q FY2022 compared with RM2.95 million in 4Q FY2021 on a reduction in the number of mobile network maintenance services sites although fixed costs continued to be incurred resulting in lower gross margin. Binasat’s profit before tax (PBT) increased 145.72% to RM2.44 million compared with RM0.99 million in the same quarter of the previous year while profit after tax (PAT) gained 254.31% to RM1.55 million compared with RM0.40 million.

Executive Director cum Chief Executive Officer, Zulamran Bin Hamat, said, “We believe that with the reopening and gradual recovery of the economy, more telecommunications and satellite services will be needed by businesses and organisations. We are now focused on expanding satellite operations by targeting the maritime and oil and gas industries as these industries increasingly adopt the VSAT system.”

“The Group intends to leverage on its Approved Supplier & Partner status with Ericsson (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd and Huawei Malaysia to win projects as Digital Nasional Berhad has announced a partnership with Ericsson for the national digital infrastructure initiative while Huawei is assisting major mobile network operators to upgrade their 4G network capacity.”

“We are optimistic for the economic outlook as the Group is also participating in Phase 1 of the Point of Presence (PoP) fiber infrastructure project and we have tendered for Phase 2 of the PoP project. Both phases have a combined value of RM8.0 billion and have to be completed in three years. At the same time, we are also participating in the construction of 5G towers in Kuala Lumpur.”

Binasat Communications Berhad: 195 [BURSA: BINACOM], https://www.binacom.com.my/

Amazfit Launches GTS 4 Mini in Malaysia

Ultra-slim smartwatch comes with features that challenges the limits of size

Amazfit, a premium smart wearable hardware brand owned by Zepp Health Corporation (Zepp), launched the Amazfit GTS 4 Mini in Malaysia today with all the signature features packed into a lightweight and compact frame that challenges the limits of size.

The ultra-slim Amazfit GTS 4 Mini comes with heavyweight power in an aluminium alloy frame weighing-in at a mere 31.2 grams while the 70.2% screen-to-body ratio gives more screen. Powered by a 270-milliampere hour battery, the Amazfit GTS 4 Mini can last for 15 days from a single charge.

Other highlights of this mini smartwatch include five-satellite positioning system for outdoor activities, 5 ATM water-resistance to track water-sports and 120+ sports modes. The Amazfit GTS 4 Mini can also recognise seven sports activities and the PeakBeats Workout Status Algorithm monitors post workout recovery while wearers can assess and compare their previous running performance lap-data through the Virtual Pacer. Stress monitoring is included in the health reminders.

All this data is easily viewed through the Zepp App, which is powered by the Zepp operating system. The Amazfit GTS 4 Mini also has Alexa that can be accessed through the built-in microphone.

The Amazfit GTS 4 Mini’s soft and skin-friendly silicone band comes in Mint Blue, Flamingo Pink, Midnight Black and Moonlight White. The curved bezel smartwatch allows the wearer to download dozens of watch faces, some are animated, with matching always-on display or customize with photos.

The Amazfit GTS 4 Mini comes with a one-year warranty and will retail at RM399 each.

A special Shopee launch price of RM379 is good until 22 August 2022, plus those who order will also receive a limited edition Amazfit T-shirt (while supplies last)!

Find out more about the Amazfit GTS 4 Mini smartwatch at https://www.amazfit.com/my or Amazfit’s e-commerce partner platform https://bit.ly/MYAmazfit-SHOPEE.

Amazfit: www.amazfit.com/en

‘Gumball Dreams’ to have its International Premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival

Internationally premiering at the 79th Venice International Film Festival, brought to you by the award-winning virtual reality production company Ferryman Collective and Screaming Color, their fourth VR production, Gumball Dreams is an Official Selection of the oldest festival in the world after having won the SXSW Audience Award XR Experience Competition.

Organised by La Biennale di Venezia and directed by Alberto Barbera, the 79th Venice International Film Festival will take place at the Venice Lido from 31 August to 10 September 2022.

“In Gumball Dreams, our character Onyx has been blessed with the opportunity to explore worlds, and to experience the very best that those worlds have to offer. The delicious metapoetry is not lost on me that this work appears to be bringing me and my team similar opportunities,” states Christopher Lane Davis, aka Screaming Color, “I’m beyond thrilled that we will have almost two weeks to romp around one of the most beautiful cities in the world, meeting some of the most genius creators alive, and getting to experience their art. And I’m endlessly grateful to the founders and curators of the festival for bringing us together in this way.”

Gumball Dreams is a live, hour-long immersive experience in virtual reality that takes three audience members on a fantastical journey through a surreal landscape in space, dominated by a whimsical Gumball Machine, where Onyx, the main character sits on their throne waiting. A powerful and intimate experience that allows us to discover a mythic world beyond the reaches of our reality.

NARRATIVE SUMMARY

You have been called by an alien creature named Onyx to a mythical planet on which they are living out their final days. You, and two others, are asked to help them transition from this reality to the next. Each interaction with this majestic creature is illuminating and fascinating as you are asked to delve into your past and share stories with your fellow travelers in moments out of time.

But before Onyx can lay infinite wisdom at your feet, the weight of your spirit must be assessed. If found ready, you shall embark upon the journey of a lifetime, skipping among the stars, floating above the spheres, and remembering who you truly are.

Greetings, Traveler.

HOW IT WORKS

Gumball Dreams is performed live with one actor playing multiple roles. Through the magic of VR technology, participants feel fully immersed in our 3D world.

“There are things that can be done in VR that can only be seen in the movies, however, with VR, we allow the audience to be immersed inside these 3D worlds, in a way that 2D mediums cannot achieve,” says Stephen Butchko “there is a sense of awe about the scope and scale of things that can be accomplished in VR.”

PROJECT HISTORY

“This show was inspired by Club Gumball and Gumball Lounge, the existing worlds of Christopher Lane Davis, aka Screaming Color,” explains Deirdre V. Lyons, “with such beauty and grandeur, I felt this was the perfect environment to bring a new kind of story alive, almost as if it had been waiting for Onyx to step into the world and take a breath.”

Coming off the award-winning success of the festival darling The Severance Theory: Welcome to Respite, Ferryman Collective continues to trail-blaze in this new storytelling medium. Ferryman Collective is also known for PARA and Krampusnacht, a finalist for the PGA Innovation Award.

“VR allows us to combine the centuries old traditions of theater and performance with exciting and boundary breaking technology to bring people into an entirely new world.” adds Whitton Frank.

THE TEAM

Gumball Dreams is produced by Ferryman Collective and Screaming Color and is directed by Deirdre V. Lyons, Artistic Director, World & Animation Design by Christopher Lane Davis, a.k.a Screaming Color with support from Ferryman Collective members: Brian Tull – Producer, Braden Roy – Producer, Whitton Frank – Producer and Andy Aloisio – VR Consultant and Prefabs.

Coding – SnugDad.

Avatar Designer and Creator -Braden Roy and Brian Tull.

Screaming Color – Original Music and Sound Design.

Story by Deirdre V. Lyons and Christopher Lane Davis, aka Screaming Color. Inspired by the VRChat Worlds Club Gumball and Gumball Lounge, created by @screamingcolor.

The production team includes Deirdre V. Lyons, Braden Roy, Whitton Frank, Stephen Butchko, Brian Tull and Christopher Lane Davis, a.k.a Screaming Color.

Cast members include Brendan Andolsek Bradley (Onboard XR: Below Deck and Cruise, Resident Evil Village, The Haves and the Have Nots), Stephen Butchko (PARA, Krampusnacht, Welcome to Respite), Whitton Frank (The Under Presents, Tempest, PARA, Welcome to Respite), Kelly B Jones (Strikeback, The Letting Go, The Marine 2), Dasha Kittredge (The Under Presents, Tempest, Onboard XR), Deirdre V. Lyons (The Under Presents, Tempest, Welcome to Respite), Jonathan David Martin (Finding Pandora X, Loveseat, War Horse), Melinda Dekay (The Willows, Ashes, Torment) and Ona Zimhart (Alien Convergence, Cages).

MEDIA SHOWINGS AND INTERVIEWS

Interviews and private showings of Gumball Dreams may be experienced by contacting the team directly with requests. (Meta Quest 2 or PCVR required for private showings.)

Website:
https://www.ferrymancollective.com/

Social Media Links:
https://www.facebook.com/FerrymanVR
https://www.instagram.com/ferrymanvr/

For questions please contact: Ferryman Collective info@ferrymancollective.com

Press Release and Images: Press Kit_Gumball Dreams – Google Drive

Asian Licensing Conference explores latest trends and forges new business opportunities

34 industry experts share insights, 25,000+ viewers join online

The 11th Asian Licensing Conference (ALC), organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), ran successfully from 27 to 29 July. The three-day online event featured 22 thematic sessions where 34 industry experts from different sectors addressed participants. More than 25,000 viewers from 42 countries and regions joined the discussions alongside physical participation at five satellite conferences in Chongqing, Dalian, Hangzhou and Shenzhen in Mainland China and Jakarta in Indonesia. The three-day event generated nearly 140 one-on-one business matching meetings online, connecting global licensing players with potential partners to help them explore business opportunities.

The 11th Asian Licensing Conference (ALC) online featured 34 industry speakers well versed in the industry and attracted more than 25,000 viewers from 42 countries and regions.

Five satellite conferences were held in parallel with the ALC in Chongqing, Dalian, Hangzhou and Shenzhen in Mainland China and Jakarta in Indonesia.

The inaugural Brand Forum took place alongside the conference, featuring a number of established Asian brands. Representatives from these brands shared their stories and connected with participants for potential business partnerships.

One-stop platform connects licensing partners to global opportunities
Hong Kong is maintaining its position as an international intellectual property (IP) and licensing hub that links international licensors and licensing agents. The ALC provides a one-stop platform where leading global brands and licensors can explore cross-sectoral cooperation and keep abreast of the latest market trends and opportunities. This year the conference addressed topical issues in such areas as non-fungible tokens (NFTs), the metaverse, brands crossover, arts and culture licensing, art technology, blockchain gaming, location-based entertainment (LBE) experiences, environmental, social and governance (ESG) in licensing and more.

Speaking at the conference, Maura Regan, President of Licensing International, said that following two years of unparalleled change brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers put greater focus on life and cultural experiences. She said the global licensing community should capture opportunities arising from this consumer behaviour shift, expressing confidence that the licensing industry will continue to grow in line with consumer market trends in over the next two years.

Brand Forum builds business connections
The inaugural Brand Forum took place alongside the conference, featuring a number of established Asian brands such as BANDAI NAMCO, CAPCOM, DNP, Fuji Television, TV TOKYO Communication, Minto, San-Byte, Sony Creative, Poplar Publishing and Tsuburaya. Brand representatives shared their stories and were connected with other participants to explore potential partnerships. In addition, 45 Hong Kong homegrown brands under the DLAB banner presented their creative characters, animations, products and gaming designs. The online exhibition showcased more than 100 instances of IPs, fully demonstrating the power of licensing and creativity in the region.

TV TOKYO Communication shared that the event enabled them to connect with potential partners worldwide and explore business opportunities together. Yellow White Stone also said taking part in ALC helped them gain more experience and exposure.

At the “China Opportunity” session, one conference highlight, Gao Zheng, Director General, Bureau of International Exchange and Cooperation (Department of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs) of Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China, said Hong Kong has been playing an important role in the development of the country’s cultural industry. The conference would further promote business collaboration between international and Mainland Chinese enterprises, and at the same time cement Hong Kong’s unique role as an international licensing hub. Jacky Chung, HKTDC Director, Mainland, said the National 14th Five-Year Plan supported Hong Kong’s development into an arts and cultural exchange hub that connects the mainland to the rest of the world. This will further enhance the city’s function as a trade centre for international IP and a globally recognised licensing hub.

He Yizan, Founder and CEO of ARTiSTORY, said technology would have a profound impact on people’s lives, and many cultural and art institutions were now actively embracing new technologies. He believed the convergence of art and technology would become a new trend for cultural and art licensing in the future.

Over three event-packed days, the ALC addressed numerous topical issues, offered fruitful content to participants and generated business opportunities for industry players. The event served as a prelude to the 20th HKTDC Hong Kong International Licensing Show (HKILS) and the 12th Asian Licensing Conference (ALC) to be held from 27 to 29 April 2023. More details of these events will be announced in due course.

All ALC sessions were broadcast via the event’s online platform. Complimentary playback is available for registered participants until 29 August 2022 through the conference website link [ https://alc.hktdc.com ], while subscription for video-on-demand is available for those who did not register for this year’s event. Please email to: alc@hktdc.org for details of the subscription.

Website
– Asian Licensing Conference website: https://alc.hktdc.com
– Photo download: https://bit.ly/3PXfC5i

About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn

Media enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Kate Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4239, Email: kate.hy.chan@hktdc.org
Snowy Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4525, Email: snowy.sn.chan@hktdc.org

Evolve Your Instinct with the Launch of Amazfit’s T-Rex 2

Military-grade smartwatch can withstand extreme conditions from a journey into space to desert heat

Amazfit, a premium smart wearable hardware brand owned by Zepp Health Corporation, launched the T-Rex 2, in Malaysia today, an outdoor, tough and rugged smartwatch, with a demonstration of its durability and versatility by wall climbing professionals from Camp5, the climbing gym.

Amazfit recently sent the rugged outdoor GPS smartwatch Amazfit T-Rex 2 into space on a quest to prove its strength in extreme environments. The space journey began in the city of Sheffield in the United Kingdom, where Amazfit T-Rex 2 was sent off on a lightweight spacecraft equipped with fully functional tracking and control systems, as well as an on-board camera to capture the most exciting highlights during the two and a half hour round-trip.

The Amazfit T-Rex 2 has passed 15 military-grade tests and can remain functional in temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius through the ultra-low temperature operation feature. With a battery life that can stretch to 24 days, it comes with dual-band, 5-satellite positioning and route-import and real-time navigation for optimum outdoor use. Built for any terrain, the Amazfit T-Rex 2 can also resist heat up to 70 degrees Celsius, has a humidity resistance of 240h, 96h salt-spray resistance and shock-resistance.

Wearers can create their own training templates for 11 different sports through the Zepp app, which is powered by the Zepp operating system and includes a rich ecosystem of over 10 mini apps for seamless interactions. The Amazfit T-Rex 2 also has a huge selection of over 150 sports modes including the toughness-testing triathlon mode, the professional lap-data recording track run mode, with smart trajectory correction, and the more leisurely golf swing mode.

Mr. Benky Lin, Country Manager of Amazfit Malaysia, said, “There is no doubt that the Amazfit T-Rex 2 is one of the toughest smartwatches in the market. The military-grade tests ensures that it can withstand low and high pressure, extreme heat and cold, rain, salt, sand, dust, vibrations, shocks, acid and fungus. The Amazfit T-Rex 2 is built for durability and versatility and can be used for the great outdoors as well as for strength training in any condition.”

“We are happy to introduce the Amazfit T-Rex 2 here in Malaysia. This is a smartwatch that is ready to evolve your instinct anywhere in the world. We have pushed it to the limit, going all the way to space, subjecting it to the most extreme conditions we can reach and that includes the heat of Death Valley in California and depths of the Pacific. The Amazfit T-Rex 2 is a smartwatch you can wear with confidence in any terrain condition.”

The Amazfit T-Rex 2’s look is inspired by the spirit of nature and comes in Astro Black & Gold, Ember Black, Wild Green and Desert Khaki. It is rugged in style with HD AMOLED display that enables the wearer to download dozens of watch faces with matching always-on displays or images unique to the wearer.

The Amazfit T-Rex 2 comes with one-year warranty and retails at RM799 each. To commemorate the launch, Amazfit T-Rex 2 will be exclusive to Shopee Online Store with a store promotional price from 6 July to 8 July. At the promo, there are also one each of Powerbuds Pro, GTS 2 mini and Band 5 to be won. The first 100 buyers of the T-Rex 2 will get an Amazfit sport bottle and screen protector as a gift.

To know more on the Amazfit T-Rex 2 series of smartwatches, please go to www.amazfit.com/en or to Amazfit’s e-commerce partner platform http://bit.ly/Amazfit-MY-SHOPEE.

Amazfit: www.amazfit.com/en

First In-Person Satellite Industry Forum After COVID Sees the Industry in Strong Shape and Geared for Growth

The Asia Video Industry Association was finally able to host its annual Satellite Industry Forum in-person in Singapore on 31st May 2022 after a two-year hiatus, bringing together over 120 delegates from around the world and some of the satellite industry’s most foremost leaders.

Opening the Forum this year was keynote speaker, Steve Collar, Chief Executive Officer, SES, to address the issue of where future growth was coming from and kicked off the session with his views on demand and supply in the market. As platforms were getting longer to get built and become operational, it showed how difficult it was to get launches done, and how much the industry overestimated supply. Collar added that SES had always been a champion of multi-orbit, and not just having both MEO and GEO satellites, but also constructing a global network for customers to move seamlessly from one to the other to maximize the benefits of both. Collar also shared his excitement on demand, and the new applications and new services that could be run, with a sweet spot being the high throughput and high connectivity services which represented a significant market for SES.

Access to space was also what made the industry exciting, as technology continued to develop both in space and on the ground. However, he also highlighted that space sustainability was critical, with the industry having a duty and moral obligation to treat space in a sustainable way. “Our job is to make sure that space will be used by future generations, and the access to space is equivalent to what we enjoy today and hopefully more in the future,” said Collar.

COVID also saw the resurgence of the linear broadcast, with video having done very well over the last two years. Collar remained committed and excited on the long-term aspects of the video business, particularly in Asia. And while it was not going to be the source of growth, it was still overwhelmingly the source of cashflow.

This sentiment was also shared by some of the largest satellite operators in the region during the Satellite Operators’ Roundtable. Terry Bleakley, Regional Vice President, Asia Pacific, Intelsat, talked about the importance of satellite to video and how long-term agreements were still being signed with satellite operators. In terms of advertising in Asia Pacific, by 2024, $43.5 billion would come from broadcast and linear television, whereas OTT was only going to bring in $30 – 33 billion, hence linear was still generating more money. Patrick French, Executive Vice President, Global Business Development and Strategy, ABS, added that video still had a long lifetime ahead, and the core of Asia for the longer term. Software defined satellites were also going to be addressing all market segments and would de-risk the business case going forward.

From the manufacturer’s perspectives, Vaibhav Magow, Vice President, International Division, Hughes Network Systems, also said this was the most exciting time for the satellite industry, as software defined satellites could change and swap the configuration of what was being offered to the customers, and easily adapted to the change of demand. Joe Bogosian, Vice President, Global Sales & Marketing, Boeing Commercial Satellite Systems International, also agreed that software defined satellites were going to drive much higher utilisation of CAPEX that was going up, and multi-orbits were going to enable more efficient use of this CAPEX and were able to serve different applications more efficiently for LEO and GEO.

Closing off the Forum was Bill Carlin, Senior Manager, Global Sales, AWS Aerospace & Satellite Solutions whose interest in space and satellite was on the vast amount of data that was being collected and created from space, and soon in space, with a future view of launching data centers on the moon and even on Mars. “I see the ability of moving the cloud to space. If we move high speed computing to space, we can do all the things that we do on earth that require high volumes of computing, storage or analytics,” said Carlin.

The Satellite Industry Forum is generously sponsored by AsiaSat, AWS Aerospace & Satellite, Gilat, Hughes, Kymeta, Marsh, MEASAT, Milbank, SES, SpaceBridge, SpaceLogistics and Thaicom.

About the Asia Video Industry Association:

For media enquiries and additional background, contact:
Charmaine Kwan
Head of Marketing and Communications
Email: charmaine@avia.org
Website: www.avia.org
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/asiavideoia
Twitter: @AsiaVideoIA

The Summit at Lan Space Concludes Successfully

A week of powerful conversations, immersive activities, and headline performances featured The Summit at Lan Space (www.thelan.space) as one of the most prominent events on the promenade, where some of the brightest minds around the globe were brought together during the annual Economic Meeting in Davos.

– Headline speakers like Deepak Chopra, Sian Proctor, Tessy De Nassau, Nik Gowing, Leonor Diaz Alcantara, and Helena Gualinga took center stage to advocate for audiences to keep collaboration, empathy, and empowerment at the forefront of their leadership in seismic times.
– Over five days, a platform was designed for innovative thinking with discussions converging on some of the most crucial conversations of our times: deglobalization and new geopolitical balances, disruptive decentralization in the age of Web3.0, solidarity in sustainability, and the future of leadership.

With the rugged snow-capped setting of the Swiss Alps transformed by the picturesque view of the mountain meadows in May, last week the participation of more than 200 impact investors and 1000 delegates at The Lan Space successfully concluded five days of thought-provoking panel discussions and live performances in Davos, Switzerland, during the annual economic meeting.

This year Davos was different not only because of the change of scenic backdrops but more so because of the lack of global cooperation to solve the most pressing issues of our current and future generations. With the turbulent aftermath of Covid-19 and its resulting rise of inequality, coupled with the climate crisis and the geopolitical turmoil following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the agenda-setting conversations that happened at the Lan Space throughout the week of May 20-26 focused on moving the needle in crucial areas such as cultural leadership, trust in and safety in the coming Web3.0, and regenerative solutions for the planet.

“The road of social injustice and mental distress is what leads to extinction. The other road, currently less traveled, is that of conscious choice-making in communities which could lead to a more peaceful, sustainable, and healthier world. As we explore consciousness, I hope that is the road that we’ll take, but it requires diligence and continued expansion of conversations like these,” commented Deepak Chopra after his discussion at the Lan Space about the spiritual codes of success.

Influential minds, globally renowned experts, and visionary changemakers, such as the Inspiration4 astronaut, Dr. Sian Proctor, UNAids ambassador, Tessy De Nassau, CEO of the Montessori Group, Leonor Diaz Alcantara, Chairman of Constellation Research, R Ray Wang, CEO of Ambika Inc., Aron Dutta, and indigenous rights activist, Helena Gualinga, also took to the stage to share their unique perspectives during interactive panel discussions that left the empowered and inspired.

Top Tier Impact, the global ecosystem of sustainable leaders and official partner of the World Economic Forum also used the Lan Space to host their private Global Impact Awards ceremony celebrating entrepreneurs who are building a new paradigm for the planet.

Guest speaker Tessy De Nassau, UN Aids ambassador and Woman of the Decade, said, “What I really loved [at the Lan Space] was the conversation around what our leadership is lacking today. We need to start learning about what it means to lead with empathy and what it takes to become that leader.”

Another highlight of the event was a keynote panel with the astronaut Dr. Sian Proctor, pilot of the Inspiration4 mission, Christina Korp, Director of Space For A Better World, Rafal Modrzewski, CEO of ICEYE, and Fatema Hamdani, CEO of Kraus Hamdani Aerospace. “It is critical to talk about how space can advance a more equal and sustainable life here on Earth,” commented Dr. Proctor. “As we push humanity to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, we are also creating the needed innovations to solve some of Earth’s most challenging problems. I was honored to talk about how space will help us meet the UN SDGs at the Lan Space in Davos, we need more of those conversations.”

Closing the summit on the topic of leadership for the future generations to thrive, Leonor Diaz Alcantara, CEO of the Montessori Group summed up that, “Sustainable change is dependent on quality education now. The social problems the world is facing are problems that need long-term solutions and will require generations to implement and commit to resolving. If we do not prepare future generations now, by teaching them the skills and mindset they will need, any solutions will only be short term.”

The summit saw no shortage of enthralling evening events and artistic performances too. Among the highlights of the week, there were sensorial dinners cooked on the venue’s terrace by celebrity chef for the British Royal household, Khalid Dahbi, breathtaking bubbleology shows by Guinness world-record holder SamSam Bubbleman, and live DJ sets by globally recognized artists like NINJA, Francesco Mami, 3D Punk, Renato Oliveira, and the multi-platinum singer Alex Hepburn.

Lan Tschirky, Founder of Lan to Capital and visionary of the summit said: “We were beyond thrilled to welcome some of the brightest minds of our world to our space this week. I hope our guests left Davos inspired and with a sense of empowerment for what can come next if we keep collaboration as a core value. We look forward to showcasing more of our portfolio such as LAN Health and Havona, further welcoming impactful partners, brands, and start-ups to our venue next year.”

The event’s full agenda and list of guest speakers are downloadable, click https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-0yz-DW3cy_WCydbcpDXXZ9JwwUlNA_5/view.

For any press inquiries, please email farah@thelanspace.com

Source: Plato Data Intelligence: PlatoData.io