Um 8 Uhr, 1 Krypton | Luo Yonghao leugnet, Yu Minhong und Wang Ziru blockiert zu haben; Shenzhen Happy Valley stoppt eine Show, die als sexuell suggestiv vermutet wird; Apple hat den Termin für seine Pressekonferenz auf den 10. September festgelegt und wird voraussichtlich die iPhone 17-Serie vorstellen.
Today's Hotspot Guide
- Yonghui Supermarket has registered multiple "Fat Yonghui" trademarks.
- Douyin responds to the incident of "a disgraced deputy bank president becoming an internet celebrity after being released from prison".
- Starbucks responds to the incident of a clerk being roared at and cried by a customer.
- Travelzen's 9.9 - yuan flight delay insurance is accused of being like "buying a lottery ticket", and claims need to be accurate to the minute.
- The tenth test flight of Starship is halted again.
Top 3 Big News
Luoyonghao Denies Blocking Yuminhong Yu and Ziru Wang
On August 26th, Luoyonghao posted a message saying that after the first episode of his podcast "Luoyonghao's Crossroads" was launched, the total views of the video and audio across the entire network within 24 hours exceeded 20 million, achieving a great start.
In the comment section, some netizens called on Luoyonghao to invite Yuminhong Yu and Ziru Wang to the show. Luoyonghao replied successively: "Blocked" and "Also blocked". Subsequently, the hot search topic "Luoyonghao Blocks Yuminhong Yu and Ziru Wang" appeared on Weibo. In response, Luoyonghao posted a reply saying: Look at this hot search term. I clearly blocked two people who were causing a stir, but they insisted on saying that I blocked Ziru Wang and Yuminhong Yu. (Oriental Finance)
Shenzhen Happy Valley Halts Controversial Performance, Which Is Alleged to Be "Borderline Indecent"
Recently, some netizens posted a video showing that a public performance in Shenzhen Happy Valley was suspected of being "borderline indecent". In the video, some performers were wearing uniforms and fishnet stockings while dancing on the stage, and their expressions and movements were considered "vulgar". Many netizens questioned whether such performances were appropriate in an amusement park.
On August 26th, the customer service hotline of Shenzhen Happy Valley was contacted regarding the controversy. A staff member responded that the performance was a girl - group cosplay show. They had noticed the feedback from tourists. The park had decided to optimize and adjust the program and had halted the performance on the 26th. (Nanjing Morning Post)
Apple's product launch event is scheduled for September 10th, Beijing Time. The iPhone 17 series is expected to be released.
Apple announced on August 27th that it plans to hold a major fall product launch event at 10 a.m. Pacific Time on September 9th (1 a.m. on the 10th, Beijing Time). The iPhone 17 series is expected to be introduced. (Jiemian News)
Large Corporations/Major Events
Starbucks Responds to Clerk Being Roared at and Cried by Customer
On August 24, in a Starbucks store in Shanghai, a customer posted a video saying that on that day, a woman continuously verbally abused a clerk for about 10 minutes, and the clerk endured it silently all the time. The person who took the video said that the woman had ruined what was supposed to be a nice mood, and they left because they couldn't stand it. On August 25, the staff of the involved Starbucks said that the employee who was scolded was a young girl, and she finally shed tears of grievance. The cause was that the clerk made a mistake in the rush and ordered one less drink for the woman. The staff immediately sent the drink to appease the woman and waived the bill afterwards, but the woman was still not calm and continued to vent her emotions. Finally, the man accompanying her apologized on her behalf, saying that it was difficult to control her emotions. (Jiema News)
UTour's 9.9-yuan flight delay insurance is accused of being like "buying a lottery ticket", and claims need to be accurate to the minute
Recently, UTour launched a 9.9-yuan "Surprise Number" precise flight delay insurance. Due to its strict claim conditions, it has been criticized as "buying a lottery ticket" and is suspected of misleading consumers. It is reported that this insurance product randomly sets a number every day, and only when the flight departure delay time is exactly equal to this number of minutes can a claim be made. The screenshot of the insurance purchase page reads, "Surprise number, no difference in minutes, get a 300-yuan subsidy" and "If the flight departure delay time is exactly 16 minutes, you can get a 300-yuan subsidy". However, compared with the prominent and large red compensation figures, the equal sign and the word "exactly" are in a smaller font. Many consumers said that they did not notice this key clause when purchasing and thought it was a regular flight delay insurance, resulting in no compensation after a long flight delay.
On August 26, a Jiemian News reporter searched the UTour App and did not find this activity. According to the screenshot of the activity description previously shown online, this activity is currently only open to some passengers, some routes, and some airports. (Jiemian News)
HEMA NB's turnover reached 8 billion yuan in the first half of the year, and the total number of stores is nearly 300
36Kr exclusively learned that in the first half of this year, HEMA NB's turnover reached about 8 billion yuan, showing double-digit growth compared with the same period last year. Currently, the total number of stores is nearly 300, with the number of stores doubling in just half a year. The stores are mainly concentrated in the urban and suburban areas of core cities in East China. Previously, HEMA NB launched its own brand "Super Value". More than a hundred products such as rice, vegetarian food, tissues, fresh milk, and ice cream have already changed their brand names. It is understood that HEMA NB as a whole will also be renamed "Super Value NB" in the near future.
Yonghui Superstores has registered multiple "Fat Yonghui" trademarks
36Kr learned that recently, Yonghui Superstores' 12th "Fat Reform Store" in Beijing is about to open. After this store resumes business, the total number of Yonghui Superstores' adjusted and renovated stores nationwide will be nearly 170. This year, the number of "Fat Yonghui" stores in Beijing will reach about 20. According to the Aiqicha App, in November 2024, Yonghui Superstores Co., Ltd. applied to register multiple "Fat Yonghui" trademarks. The international classifications involve website services, advertising and sales, education and entertainment, etc. Currently, all the above trademarks have been successfully registered.
Google-owned YouTube Threatens to Pull Fox Channels
YouTube, the video streaming platform owned by Google, said on Monday that it might remove channels including Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox News, and Fox Sports from its platform if it fails to reach an agreement with Fox Corporation. The YouTube team wrote in a blog post that the renewal date for YouTube TV's deal with Fox is set to arrive on Wednesday local time. Despite ongoing negotiations between the two companies, they have yet to reach an agreement. The company also informed YouTube TV subscribers via email about the potential dispute with Fox. (Sina Finance)
Korean Air Orders 103 Boeing Aircraft Worth $36.2 Billion
According to regulatory filings and company statements, Korean Air will purchase 103 next - generation aircraft from Boeing, 19 spare engines from GE Aerospace and CFM International, and collaborate with GE Aerospace on a comprehensive engine maintenance program. The total investment is approximately $50 billion, including $36.2 billion for the purchase of Boeing aircraft, $690 million for the purchase of 19 spare engines, and $13 billion for a 20 - year engine maintenance service contract. (Sina Finance)
Former Dongfang Zhenxuan anchor "Dundun" achieved nearly 12.5 million yuan in sales during his solo debut live - streaming event in two days
On the evening of August 24th, the first solo live - streaming sales event of Dundun (Wang Ruodun), a former well - known anchor of Dongfang Zhenxuan, officially came to an end. This two - day live - streaming event (from August 23rd to 24th) achieved remarkable results with "nearly 12.5 million yuan in sales and over 5 million total views", successfully establishing his personal brand in the highly competitive live - streaming sales market. On his personal Douyin account, Dundun continued his signature style of "knowledge - empowered sales", mainly promoting beauty and skincare products and providing explanations combined with dermatological knowledge. Dundun was one of the early breakout anchors of Dongfang Zhenxuan. He left the company after his contract expired in June this year. Previously, he publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with the company's management. Although he has gone solo, he still retains the status of "Recommended Officer for Dongfang Zhenxuan's Self - operated Products" and cooperates with his former company. (Jiemian News)
The White House Announces an $8.9 Billion Investment for a 9.9% Stake in Chipmaker Intel
On August 22 local time, the White House announced an $8.9 billion investment to acquire a 9.9% stake in chipmaker Intel. The investment funds mainly come from the subsidies previously promised to Intel under the CHIPS Act and other initiatives.
On August 25 local time, Donald Trump posted on social media, "I didn't pay a single cent for the Intel stake deal. It's worth about $11 billion, and all the proceeds will go to the United States." He said that Intel is just the beginning, and he plans to push the government to acquire stakes in more private enterprises to create more wealth and jobs for the United States.
This move breaks the usual practice of the U.S. government, which typically only bails out companies during crises. Some market participants are worried that the government's shareholding will have a negative impact and shock on corporate operational decisions and the business ecosystem. (Yicai Global)
Douyin Responds to "A Deposed Deputy Bank President Becoming an Internet Celebrity After Prison Release": Using Criminal Experience to Attract Attention, Account Has Been Muted
Recently, a man named Xiao, who claims to be a former deputy president of a sub - branch of China Minsheng Bank, posted videos on social media. He attracted netizens' attention by sharing his prison experience. His account gained over 20,000 followers within a week and made it onto the Weibo hot search list on August 26. According to the Judgments Online, Xiao was imprisoned due to a financial fraud case involving 2.7 billion yuan.
On August 26, Douyin's official account @Douyin Bulletin Board responded that after verification, the content posted by the reported account involved using criminal experience to attract attention, which violated the "Douyin Community Self - Discipline Convention". The account has been muted. Currently, all the works of this account have been taken down, and it has been set to prohibit followers. (Jiemian News)
The three major U.S. stock indexes closed higher collectively, and NIO rose more than 10%
36Kr learned that at the close on August 26, the three major U.S. stock indexes rose collectively. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.3%, the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.44%, and the S&P 500 Index rose 0.41%. Most large technology stocks rose. Arm, Tesla, and NVIDIA rose more than 1%. Apple, Netflix, Amazon, and Meta rose slightly; Google and Microsoft fell slightly. Among popular Chinese concept stocks, the performance was mixed. NIO rose more than 10%, XPeng Motors rose more than 5%, Li Auto rose more than 2%, and Tencent Music and NetEase rose more than 1%; Pinduoduo fell more than 3%, iQiyi and Bilibili fell more than 2%, and Weibo fell more than 1%.
NetEase Cloud Music clearly has no "visitor record" function
On the evening of August 25th, NetEase Cloud Music issued a statement saying that it does not have a "visitor record" function. The official stated that actions such as visiting a user's homepage or a musician's homepage will not generate any form of visitor record. NetEase Cloud Music also emphasized that the platform attaches great importance to user privacy and security, and will not disclose any personal information without authorization. (Blue Whale News)
Taobao Plans to Reduce the Compensation Ratio for Logistics Stagnation
According to the previous public notice from Taobao, the revised "Taobao Delivery Management Specification" adds a new out - of - stock scenario where "consumers still haven't received the purchased goods within 5 days after the order experiences a timeout in logistics tracking or an abnormal logistics tracking violation". This change will take effect on the 26th and be gradually rolled out. The "abnormal logistics tracking" situation is split into "timeout in logistics tracking" and "abnormal logistics tracking". Among them, the compensation ratio for "timeout in logistics tracking" will be reduced from the original 20% (5 - 100 yuan) to 5% (5 - 50 yuan), which will take effect on September 5th and be gradually rolled out. (Sina Technology)
The tenth test flight of Starship was cancelled again due to weather conditions
On the evening of August 25 local time, SpaceX, an American space technology company, planned to conduct the tenth test flight of its next-generation heavy-lift launch vehicle, Starship. However, with 40 seconds left on the countdown, it was announced that the test flight was cancelled due to weather conditions. Elon Musk also posted that the launch was cancelled because of the anvil clouds over the launch site, which posed a risk of lightning strikes.
This is the second time the test flight has been cancelled at the last minute. Starship was originally scheduled to launch on August 24 local time, but it was announced before the launch that it was cancelled due to a ground system failure. No new launch date has been announced yet. (Beijing News)
Anta and Li-Ning Respond to Rumors of Acquiring Puma
Recently, market rumors have it that the French Pinault family is considering selling its 29% stake in Puma and has contacted potential bidders such as Anta Sports and Li-Ning Company through financial advisors. In response, Anta told Blue Whale News, "We do not comment on market rumors."
Li-Ning responded that the company adheres to the core development strategy of "single brand, multiple categories, and multiple channels" and will currently focus on the growth and development of the Li-Ning brand. "As of now, Li-Ning Company has not conducted any substantial negotiations or evaluations regarding the transaction mentioned in the above rumors. Please refer to the company's official announcements for all major information." Li-Ning said. (Blue Whale News)
HEYTEA Enters Pinhaofan and Taobao, Embracing the "Food Delivery War"
On August 22nd, HEYTEA announced its official entry into the Taobao Flash Sale (Ele.me) platform, with over 4,000 stores fully launched. From August 23rd to 24th, both sides will jointly distribute 1 million free order cards for HEYTEA. On August 25th, Jiemian News saw on the Taobao Flash Sale page that in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, many HEYTEA stores showed monthly sales of over 1,000. All stores are marked with a minimum order of 20 yuan and free delivery. Almost at the same time, HEYTEA also quietly launched on Meituan Pinhaofan this August.
Previously, HEYTEA only cooperated with Meituan for food delivery. Orders could also be placed through the HEYTEA mini-program, and the delivery was handled by SF Express. This major change marks HEYTEA's break from its seven-year online channel strategy. Behind this move is the intensifying "subsidy war" among food delivery platforms. (Jiemian News)
The Cutting - Edge of AI
Elon Musk Formally Sues Apple and OpenAI, Alleging Monopoly in the AI Market
On August 25th local time, xAI, an artificial intelligence company under Elon Musk, and social platform X officially filed a lawsuit against Apple and OpenAI in Texas, USA, accusing the two companies of illegally colluding to obstruct AI competition. The lawsuit states: "The cooperation between Apple and OpenAI eliminates competition among generative AI chatbots, deprives competitors' generative AI chatbots of scale, and reduces quality and innovation capabilities. All these effects, in turn, help OpenAI and Apple maintain their monopoly positions."
This lawsuit marks an escalation of the conflict between the two parties. Previously, Musk had publicly criticized this partnership multiple times and accused Apple's App Store recommendation mechanism of favoring OpenAI and suppressing competitors. In response, OpenAI said that Musk's lawsuit was part of his "pattern of continuous harassment." Apple previously stated that its App Store recommendations "adhere to the principle of fairness and there is no favoritism." (Jiemian News)
Financial Reports of Big Companies
Xiangpiaopiao: Net loss of 97.3909 million yuan in the first half of the year, with the loss widening year-on-year
36Kr learned that Xiangpiaopiao announced that the company achieved an operating income of 1.035 billion yuan in the first half of the year, a year-on-year decrease of 12.21%; the net loss attributable to shareholders of the listed company was 97.3909 million yuan, compared with a loss of 29.5011 million yuan in the same period of the previous year; the basic earnings per share was -0.24 yuan.
China Film: Net loss of 110 million yuan in the first half of the year, turning from profit to loss year-on-year
36Kr learned that China Film announced that the company achieved an operating income of 1.717 billion yuan in the first half of the year, a year-on-year decrease of 19.13%; the net loss attributable to shareholders of listed companies was 110 million yuan, compared with a profit of 203 million yuan in the same period of the previous year.
Nongfu Spring: The profit attributable to the owners of the parent company in the first half of the year was approximately 7.622 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 22.1%
36Kr learned that Nongfu Spring announced that in the first half of 2025, the total revenue was 25.622 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 15.6%; the profit attributable to the owners of the parent company was approximately 7.622 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 22.1%; the basic earnings per share was 0.677 yuan, a year-on-year increase of 22.0%.
Cool Products
NVIDIA Releases New "Brain" Chip for Robots, Starting at $3,499
On the evening of August 25th Beijing Time, NVIDIA announced the mass - production launch of Thor, a system - on - a - chip (SoC) specifically designed for robots and autonomous driving computing platforms. Thor is named after the god of thunder in Norse mythology. Alongside the Thor chip, NVIDIA also launched the Jetson Thor robotic computing platform and the DRIVE Thor autonomous driving computing platform. The Jetson Thor kit is now available for sale globally, with a starting price of $3,499.
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang believes that the next wave of AI will be in robotics. Future robots will have the ability to reason and execute tasks, and understand the physical world. The Chinese market is crucial for NVIDIA's robotics layout. Many well - known robotics companies such as Unitree Robotics and Zhipu Robotics, as well as leading automakers like BYD, Xiaomi, and Li Auto, are all its important customers. (Jiemian News)
Compiled | xm