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The latest news, analysis and opinion on Apps. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
ByteDance’s decision to introduce a paywall for its flagship chatbot Doubao saw it lose 6.1 million users and could risk the tech giant’s lead in China’s fierce artificial intelligence race, according to analysts. Photo: CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images
Artificial intelligence

ByteDance thinks its Doubao AI is worth paying for. Are China’s users buying it?

The tech giant’s paywall gamble may have backfired after teasing its paid-subscription options for flagship chatbot Doubao saw users bolt.

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Artificial intelligence

Tencent shares jump 10% on expectations of AI agent within WeChat

Indonesia

Indonesia bans Polymarket following bets on Prabowo presidency end date

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Artificial intelligence

Chinese tech giants race to dominate AI-powered digital gateways

The integration of agentic AI with sites like Taobao and JD.com is reshaping shopping, but the bigger promise is an agent within WeChat.

A Taobao and Tmall display is seen at the Alibaba office in Beijing on April 1. Photo: AFP
Artificial intelligence

How ByteDance plans to turn OpenClaw craze into a profitable AI business

ArkClaw’s subscription model and surging token demand mark ByteDance’s new approach to agent economics.

Artificial intelligence

Alibaba brings chat-style shopping to Taobao, Qwen amid AI gateway push: source

E-commerce giant is integrating Qwen with Taobao and Tmall, enabling shoppers to use natural-language commands instead of keyword searches.

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United States

US nears US$400 million settlement with TikTok on child-privacy, report says

The money will be used to fund Trump’s ‘beautification’ projects in Washington, the report says.

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The ⁠US alleges that for years, millions of American children under age 13 have been using TikTok and that the ‌site “has been collecting and retaining children’s personal information”. Photo illustration: AFP
United States

New Mexico trial citing ‘public nuisance’ laws against Meta, social platforms

The case is being closely watched as governments across the US pursue similar claims seeking to force big tech platforms to change to protect young users.

US-China trade war

From apps to autos: China’s data reach sparks US espionage and sabotage concerns

Washington accused of not doing enough to counter Beijing’s harvesting of key American data and weaponising it as a strategic asset.

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Indonesia

Gaming platform Roblox to require facial scans for users under 16 in Indonesia

This is in line with new restrictions on minors’ use of social media and digital platforms in the country.

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A girl plays Roblox on her mobile phone in Jakarta, Indonesia. Photo: AP
DeepSeek

‘The whale can now see’: DeepSeek adds AI vision in major move

On DeepSeek’s chat interface, a new ‘image recognition mode’ has been added alongside the ‘expert’ and ‘flash’ chat modes.

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The DeepSeek logo is displayed alongside its AI assistant app on a mobile phone. File photo: Reuters
Social media

Turkey passes bill to restrict social media access for under-15s

It comes a week after a 14-year-old boy killed nine students and a teacher at a middle school in southern Turkey, in a gun attack.

Wellness

Is your family addicted to screens and junk food? How to change their habits

In her book Dopamine Kids, Michaeleen Doucleff examines our reliance on ‘magnets’ that hamper happiness and explains how to overcome them.

Artificial intelligence

Crypto industry sees AI-driven agent economy as next growth driver

Experts gather in Hong Kong for Web3 Festival as firm predicts AI agents could facilitate up to US$5 trillion in global crypto sales by 2030.

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Experts gathered at the Web3 Festival in Hong Kong predict AI agents will lead the next leap in global finance with crypto, while how we interact with blockchain is likely to change indefinitely. Photo: AFP/Getty/TNS
ByteDance

ByteDance profit plunges on AI push as TikTok Shop fuels overseas surge: reports

‘All-in’ AI drive cuts profits by 70 per cent, while booming TikTok Shop sales help overseas markets outpace China, reports say.

ByteDance recorded its first profit decline in years after adopting an “all-in” mentality on AI. Photo: Getty Images
TikTok

Realistic, no edits required – why the Setlog app is trending in South Korea

Viral app Setlog lets up to 12 friends film two- to four-second clips every hour, then auto-stitches them into a split-screen ‘day-in-the-life’ vlog.

Artificial intelligence

Tencent moves to rein in AI content flood on WeChat with stricter rules

Updated guidelines target mass-produced and AI-rewritten posts, reflecting growing concern over the spread of low-effort content.

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Artificial intelligence

Alibaba’s Qwen family captures over 50% of global open-source downloads: report

Qwen hits nearly 1 billion cumulative downloads, far surpassing rivals like Meta Platforms’ Llama and DeepSeek, researchers say.

Qwen generated 153.6 million downloads in February alone, more than double the combined total from the next eight major players, according to researchers. Photo: Shutterstock
Artificial intelligence

Alibaba cloud growth forecast to climb with AI push, higher charges: analysts

The company’s cloud and AI businesses are gaining speed, with token usage and pricing changes fuelling growth, analysts say.

Artificial intelligence

China’s DeepSeek adds expert chatbot mode ahead of much-awaited V4 release

The Hangzhou start-up’s latest chatbot update sparks speculation over whether the expert mode is linked to the long-delayed V4 model.

Cartier

The Cartier Women’s Initiative just celebrated 20 years

Amal Clooney spoke on the opening panel to urge action on women’s rights, while female entrepreneurs among the 2026 fellows shared their experiences and advice.

Amal Clooney at the Cartier Women’s Initiative in Milan. Photo: Handout
Wellness

Hate jet lag? How fliers are using apps to beat the common travel trouble

Flying across time zones disrupts your circadian rhythm, which affects functioning and even long-term health. But apps could help.

The Timeshifter app focuses on resetting the circadian rhythm using light and dark scenarios and calculates a personal schedule based on your itinerary and whether you are a “night owl” or “early bird”. It is one of many apps of the market designed to help people get over jet lag. Photo: timeshifter.com
Artificial intelligence

Tencent expands OpenClaw suite with enterprise tool amid China’s ‘lobster’ craze

ClawPro tool promises quick AI agent deployment, giving enterprises control over models, tokens and security.

United States

New York Mayor Mamdani puts city’s government back on TikTok

The city’s top official, himself a social media star, has reversed a ban on the app that was sparked by concerns over its Chinese links.

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DeepSeek

‘I no longer knew how to work without it’: DeepSeek outage cuts off millions

Chinese AI start-up restores chatbot service by Monday morning after overnight disruption affects millions of users.

DeepSeek issued fixes between 1am and 9am on Monday. Photo: Xinhua
Social media

Video | Indonesia bans social media for under 16s

Authorities say the move aims to protect children and young teens against addiction, abuse and exposure to harmful content.

Authorities say the move aims to protect children and young teens against addiction, abuse and exposure to harmful content.
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Hong Kong society

Google’s Gemini AI app debuts in Hong Kong

Tech giant’s chatbot service tops Apple’s app store chart in the city.

United States

Meta and Google liable for damages in landmark US addiction trial

Jury orders US$6 million payout to a young woman, a verdict that could affect thousands of similar cases against tech companies.

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