Good morning, a new day has begun. What interesting things have happened in the technology industry in the past 24 hours? Let's take a look with 21tech.
[Giant Wind Indicator]
1. Will iPhone 16 no longer support the use of WeChat? Apple and Tencent responded. There are rumors that WeChat may not support iPhone 16, and once an iPhone is upgraded to iOS 18.2, it will no longer be able to use WeChat. There are reports refuting rumors that the iOS system or Apple devices may not be able to use WeChat. The technical consultant for Apple China stated that the specific situation can only be determined after communication between Apple and Tencent. Tencent's management responded at the Q2 2024 financial report that monetization of mini programs on iOS has not been achieved through in app transactions, but monetization is beneficial to all parties and is still under discussion, hoping to achieve a win-win outcome.
2. Intel is considering selling businesses including Altera to cut costs. According to insiders, Intel CEO Pat Kissinger and key executives are expected to submit a plan to the company's board of directors later this month to divest unnecessary businesses and adjust capital expenditures. The plan will include how to reduce overall costs by selling businesses including Altera, which Intel is no longer able to fund from the company's once substantial profits.
3. The news said that ByteDance sought $9.5 billion in loans. It is reported that ByteDance is seeking a US $9.5 billion loan from the bank, which will be the largest US dollar denominated enterprise loan project in Asia (excluding Japan). People familiar with the matter said that Citigroup, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase acted as coordinators of the latest financing project of ByteDance, and the loan term was three years, which could be extended to up to five years. Part of the loan will be refinancing the existing $5 billion two-part loan. The new loans with ByteDance include over allotment rights, which will make the loan scale more than $9.5 billion. The initial interest margin for this loan is the overnight benchmark interest rate in US dollars plus 85 basis points.
4. Official announcement: Merchants using industrial sulfur to smoke goji berries: Those responsible for violations will be severely punished. On September 2nd, the Office of the People's Government of Golmud City, Qinghai Province reported that on the evening of September 1st, the media reported that some goji berry merchants in Golmud City illegally added sodium metabisulfite. After the program was broadcasted, the Golmud Municipal Party Committee and Government attached great importance to it and quickly established a working team to investigate the production, processing, sales and other links involved overnight. Those responsible for illegal activities will be severely punished according to law. The results of the subsequent investigation and handling will be promptly announced to the public. (New Yellow River · Jinan Times)
5. After 6 years, Gaode has restarted its ride hailing business, and customer service responded that it can be used in some cities. According to the Amap app, the ride hailing page of Amap has added a new section for carpooling services. The reporter called the customer service center of Gaode Shunfeng, and the relevant staff stated that the Shunfeng service is currently available in some cities, and this business segment is gradually being updated and optimized. (21 Finance)
6. Huawei has transferred the Wenjie trademark to Serys. According to Tianyancha's intellectual property information, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. recently transferred hundreds of text and graphic trademarks such as "Wenjie", "AITO", "AITO SELECT", and "DESIGN FOR AITO" to Serys Automotive Co., Ltd. The international classification of trademarks involves transportation vehicles, scientific instruments, advertising sales, etc.
7. ByteDance completed the acquisition of open headphone brand Oladance. It is reported that ByteDance has completed the acquisition of the open earphone brand Oladance (main company: Shenzhen Dashi Future Technology Co., Ltd.) and achieved 100% shareholding, while shareholders of investment institutions including Hei Ant Capital and Lanchi Venture Capital have all withdrawn.
8. Alstom has completed the sale of its North American traditional signal business to Knorr Bremse Group. French rail transit equipment manufacturer Alstom announced on September 2 that it has completed the sale of its North American traditional signaling business to Knorr Bremse Group, following the signing of a binding agreement on April 19, 2024.
9. Siemens Mobility and Alpha Trains signed a framework agreement for 70 Vectron locomotives. Siemens Mobility announced that it has signed a framework agreement with Alpha Trains in July 2024 to supply up to 70 Vectron locomotives, including an initial order for 35 locomotives. Siemens Mobility expects to deliver the first batch of trains by the end of 2026.
10. The construction of the first five-star 5G factory in China has been completed. According to the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, on the occasion of the second anniversary of the release of the "Guidelines for the Construction of 5G Fully Connected Factories" by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the first five-star 5G factory in China, ZTE Nanjing Intelligent Binjiang 5G Factory, has been completed and certified by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology's Taier Certification Center.
11. Air China has confirmed the maiden flight date of its first C919 aircraft. At the performance briefing of Air China, Secretary of the Board of Directors Xiao Feng revealed that the first C919 aircraft of Air China is expected to start commercial operation around September 10th and will operate on the Beijing Shanghai and Beijing Hangzhou routes. Sun Yuquan, the Chief Accountant of Air China, stated that the operational efficiency of the company's domestically produced regional ARJ21 aircraft is still acceptable and better than expected. In the future, it will be dynamically introduced based on the company's fleet planning and market conditions. Last week, Air China and China Southern Airlines both received their first C919 aircraft, with China Southern Airlines' maiden flight scheduled for September 19th.
【 Core Observations 】
1. BYD has invested in semiconductor packaging material R&D company Xinyuan New Materials. Recently, Shenzhen Xinyuan New Materials Co., Ltd. underwent a business change, adding BYD as a shareholder and increasing its registered capital from approximately RMB 1.5054 million to approximately RMB 1.6592 million. At the same time, Chen Dinghao and Hao Xin'er were added as directors.
2. It is reported that the Samsung Galaxy S25 is fully equipped with Qualcomm chips. Samsung Electronics' flagship smartphone Galaxy S25 series, expected to be launched in January 2025, will all use Qualcomm application processors to cope with the launch of Apple's first AI iPhone.
Listed capital flow
1. Blackstone Group reportedly acquired AirTrunk for nearly AUD 20 billion. On September 2nd, according to insiders, Blackstone Group is close to acquiring data center operator AirTrunk for AUD 20 billion. The above-mentioned insider stated that after bidding higher than other bidders, Blackstone Group has become AirTrunk's preferred buyer.
2. Wuwen Xinqiong has completed nearly 500 million yuan in Series A financing. On September 2nd, Infinigence AI announced the completion of nearly 500 million yuan in Series A financing. Within one year and four months of its establishment, Wuwen Xinqiong has completed nearly 1 billion yuan in financing. The joint leading investors of Wuwen Xinqiong in this round of financing are the Zhongguancun Independent Innovation Special Fund of the Social Security Fund (managed by Junlian Capital), Qiming Venture Capital, and Hongtai Fund. The co investors include strategic investors such as Lenovo Venture Capital, Xiaomi, and Softtek High tech, as well as state-owned funds such as China Development Bank Science and Technology Innovation Fund, Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Industry Investment Fund (managed by Lingang Science and Technology Innovation Investment), Xuhui Science and Technology Innovation Investment, and financial institutions such as Shunwei Capital, Dachen Caizhi, Detong Capital, Shangshi Capital, Senruoyukon, Shenwan Hongyuan, and Zhengjing Capital.