9:01 AM, 36Kr | Thailand expects a 22.6% year-on-year increase in Chinese tourists during the Spring Festival; The US Supreme Court upholds the TikTok ban if not sold; Group tours from Shanghai and Fujian residents to Taiwan will be resumed in the near future.
Listing in Progress
Xinkai Technology Group Co., Ltd.
36Kr learned that the China Securities Regulatory Commission has approved the registration application of Zhejiang Xinkai Technology Group Co., Ltd. for its initial public offering of stocks and listing on the main board of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.
TOP 3 Big News
It is estimated that nearly 770,000 Chinese tourists will enter Thailand during the Spring Festival, with a year-on-year increase of 22.6%
On the 16th, Suriyah, Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, said that from January 24 to February 2, it is expected that the number of foreign tourists entering the country will exceed 4 million, with a year-on-year increase of 10.4%; among them, about 770,000 are Chinese tourists, with a year-on-year increase of 22.6%. Suriyah emphasized the importance of service quality and tourist safety, stating that the number of airport staff will be increased during the Lunar New Year.
Previously, the Bangkok Post reported that the Association of Thai Travel Agents predicted that tourism safety issues may cause the number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand during the Lunar New Year to decrease by 10% to 20%, which may cause a loss of up to 5 billion baht (approximately 1 billion RMB) to the Thai tourism industry during the Spring Festival. (Cailian Press)
The US Supreme Court Upholds TikTok "Sell or Ban" Act
Chains Finance News, January 17th. The US Supreme Court has made a decision on the TikTok "Sell or Ban" Act: The relevant provisions do not violate the petitioners' First Amendment rights. The Supreme Court supports this act, requiring TikTok to be separated from its parent company ByteDance before the 19th, otherwise it will face a nationwide ban in the United States. Previously, there were reports that the US President-elect Trump was considering issuing an executive order after taking office to suspend the TikTok ban for 60 to 90 days.
The mainland will resume group tours to Taiwan for residents of Fujian and Shanghai in the near future
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced that in order to further promote the normalization of personnel exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and the regular exchanges in various fields, respond to the eager expectations of the grassroots people and the tourism industry in Taiwan, and enhance the benefits and well-being of compatriots on both sides, the mainland will resume group tours to Taiwan for residents of Fujian and Shanghai in the near future. Currently, all relevant work is being actively prepared. It is hoped that the tourism industries on both sides of the Taiwan Strait will strengthen communication and coordination to provide high-quality services and products for group tours from the mainland to Taiwan. (CCTV News)
Big Companies/Big Events
Jiyue Automobile: Initiate User Deposit Refund Registration, to be Returned from January 22
36Kr has learned that according to the official Weibo of Jiyue Automobile, starting from January 17, 2025, Jiyue Automobile will orderly carry out the full refund work for users who have paid the intention money/deposit, have not picked up the car, and meet the refund conditions. It is expected that from January 22, the funds will be returned to the user's account through bank transfer.
SpaceX's Starship Conducts Seventh Test Flight, Reappearing "Rocket Grabbed by Chopsticks", with the Second-stage Craft Losing Connection
SpaceX, the American space exploration technology company, carried out the seventh test flight of its new-generation heavy-lift launch vehicle Starship, and the second-stage craft lost connection. Musk later posted and accompanied the post with a video, saying, "Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!" He also wrote that the improved Starship and booster are ready and waiting for launch. Shortly after SpaceX's Starship lifted off from Texas, USA, the rocket's second-stage craft lost contact with the ground team. The live broadcast showed that after the launch, the rocket's first-stage booster once again achieved launch tower recovery, being "grabbed" by the robotic arm on the launch tower when landing, and being "captured" and recovered in mid-air. However, the rocket's second-stage craft then lost contact with the ground team, and the live broadcast of the craft was interrupted.
36Kr learned that it is reported that SpaceX will conduct a thorough investigation of the Starship with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). (Jiemian News, 36Kr)
Honor Officially Announces Leadership Change: Former Huawei Powerhouse Li Jian Takes Over
On January 17, Honor Terminal Co., Ltd. announced on its internal network: "Due to health reasons, Zhao Ming has submitted to the company his resignation from positions such as CEO. After careful discussion and research by the board of directors, it has decided to respect Zhao Ming's personal wishes and accept his resignation. At the same time, it has decided that Li Jian will assume the position of CEO."
The new CEO, Li Jian, is known as a former Huawei powerhouse. He joined Huawei in 2001 and entered Huawei's Supervisory Board in 2017. He has rich experience in strategic management and global operations. Moreover, Li Jian has also participated in major reforms and strategic planning of Huawei, and has demonstrated outstanding leadership in many important campaigns. In 2021, Li Jian joined New Honor and has successively served as a core member of the management team, vice chairman, director, and president of the Human Resources Department. (Everyday Economic News Network)
The latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics: The average surveyed unemployment rate in urban areas across the country in 2024 is 5.1%.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2024, the average surveyed unemployment rate in urban areas across the country is 5.1%, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point compared with the previous year. In December, the surveyed unemployment rate in urban areas across the country is 5.1%. The surveyed unemployment rate for the local household registration labor force is 5.3%; the surveyed unemployment rate for the non-local household registration labor force is 4.6%, among which the surveyed unemployment rate for the non-local agricultural household registration labor force is 4.5%. The surveyed unemployment rate in urban areas of 31 major cities is 5.0%. The average weekly working hours of employed persons in enterprises across the country is 49.0 hours. (Southern Metropolis Daily)
Jensen Huang Attends the Annual Meeting of the Shenzhen Branch and Gives Red Envelopes Starting from 10,000
On the evening of January 15th, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang attended the annual meeting of the Shenzhen branch and thanked the employees for their hard work. According to the netizen CoderEstrella who was present, Jensen Huang gave more than ten red envelopes of 10,000 and 25,000 each, and five red envelopes of the highest amount of 40,000. According to previous reports, when talking about the purpose of this trip, Jensen Huang said it was to celebrate the Spring Festival with the employees. (Jiemian News)
The total download volume of Xiaohongshu in the US accounts for 22% from the beginning of this month until now, while the daily active users of TikTok have dropped to 82.2 million
It is estimated that in the past seven days (from January 8 to January 14 local time), the mobile app download volume of Xiaohongshu in the US has increased by more than 20 times compared with the previous seven days (from January 1 to January 7 local time), and more than 30 times compared with the same period in 2024. Up to now at the beginning of this month, more than one-fifth (22%) of the total download volume of the Xiaohongshu app comes from the US, while the proportion in the same period of 2024 was only 2%. In addition, the data also shows that the download volume of Xiaohongshu in the US increased by more than 130% year-on-year in December 2024.
In addition, as of January 13, the daily active users of another social platform Lemon8 under ByteDance in the US reached 1.7 million, higher than about 1.1 million a few weeks ago. The daily active users of TikTok in the US decreased by 2.1% week-on-week to about 82.2 million. (Everyday Economic News, JRJ)
The WeChat Gift-Sending Feature Officially Launched, with a Commodity Limit of 10,000 Yuan
On January 17, WeChat officially launched the gift-sending feature. When users open the chat window with their friends, they will find a gift-sending option alongside the red envelope feature. This feature not only occupies a prominent position but also allows users to write personalized blessings and carefully select their desired gifts. For the recipients of the gifts, they will directly receive the gift information in the chat box and have the right to change the style of the commodity within the same price range. After filling in their own delivery address, they just need to wait for the gift to be delivered.
It is worth noting that WeChat Mini Store has set a commodity limit of less than 10,000 yuan for the gift-sending feature to ensure the convenience and safety of transactions. (Fast Technology)
Nvidia's Jensen Huang: Production of the supercomputing platform Blackwell is ramping up, and the technology is extremely challenging
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang stated at the Shenzhen Annual Conference on the 15th that everything is so hard, but we like hard! He said that if it were easy, we would let other companies do it. Nvidia only does difficult things. Jensen Huang revealed that Nvidia's supercomputing platform Blackwell is on a very, very steep slope and is in full production, but nothing is easy, and the technology is extremely difficult. (Sina Technology)
The subsidies for three types of digital products such as mobile phones are for new purchases and there is no need to hand in the old mobile phones
On the afternoon of January 16, the Ministry of Commerce held a special press conference to introduce the policies related to the new purchase subsidies for mobile phones, tablets, and smart watches (bracelets) and the trade-in of home appliances for new ones. The relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Commerce introduced that the subsidies for the three types of digital products such as mobile phones are for new purchases, not for trade-in, and not based on handing in the old ones. The subsidies for mobile phones and other products are implemented in the form of immediate payment discounts to enhance the people's sense of gain. When consumers purchase mobile phones and other products, whether through online platforms or offline physical stores, they can enjoy immediate payment discounts and immediately benefit from the subsidies. (CCTV News)
Musk: The fire accident at the Moss Landing Power Station in California, USA, has nothing to do with Tesla, and the Megapack is operating well
On January 17th, Beijing time, Tesla CEO Musk posted a clarification on a social platform, stating that the fire accident at the Moss Landing Power Station in California, USA, has nothing to do with Tesla, and its Megapack is operating well. According to previous reports by US media, a power station storing a large number of lithium batteries in California caught fire on the afternoon of January 16. Due to the continuous fire, about 1,500 people have been asked to evacuate and take refuge, and part of Highway 1 in northern California has been partially closed. It is reported that the fire occurred at the Moss Landing Power Station, which is located 124 kilometers south of San Francisco and belongs to Vistra Energy. The Moss Landing Power Station stores tens of thousands of lithium batteries. The cause of the fire is currently unclear. (Jiemian News)
The competition in electric vehicles intensifies, and Tesla sells some Cybertruck pickups at a discount.
According to the information on Tesla's website, Tesla will start offering discounts on the Cybertruck electric pickups in stock this week. The information shows that the discount for the new Cybertruck can be up to $1,600, and the specific price depends on the configuration, while the discount for the demonstration version of the in-stock truck can be up to $2,630. Musk once said that the company can sell 500,000 Cybertrucks per year. However, Tesla only delivered about 40,000 Cybertrucks last year. Tesla reported that a total of approximately 1.79 million vehicles were delivered globally in 2024, a 1.1% decrease from the record 1.81 million in 2023. This is also the first year-on-year decline in Tesla's annual vehicle deliveries since 2011. (Cailian Press)
Amazon lays off 200 employees in its North American store division, involving employees in the fashion and fitness businesses
On January 16 local time, Amazon confirmed that it will lay off approximately 200 employees in its North American store division. The store division is the core retail business, covering private label, Prime membership program, and consumer goods businesses. This round of layoffs includes employees in areas such as fashion and fitness businesses. (Jiemian News)
Shiseido Responds to Whether Prices Will Increase in the Chinese Market
Recently, the official website of Shiseido Group in Japan released a "Price Adjustment Notice" stating that due to the increase in raw material costs, Shiseido will adjust the prices of some products starting from April 17, 2025 (Thursday). Currently, no relevant price increase notice has been found on the official website of Shiseido in China. On the 17th, Shiseido China stated that the recommended retail price in the Chinese market is determined by the brand based on brand, product strategy, and market conditions. (China News and Jwview)
The server of X's data center in Atlanta has problems
It is reported that Musk said that the server of X's data center in Atlanta has had problems. (Cailian Press)
Suzuki Will Focus on Producing Pure Electric Vehicles in India
It is reported that Toshihiro Suzuki, the president of Suzuki Corporation who is visiting India, said in an interview with the media in New Delhi, the capital, on January 16: "For Suzuki, India's strength lies in economies of scale. It is very suitable to concentrate on producing pure electric vehicles (EVs) here in an efficient manner." He stated that at this stage, the focus of EV production will be on India. (Jiemian News)
Schroders is said to be laying off 3% of its workforce, involving approximately 200 employees
Schroders plans to cut its staff by up to 3%, with new Chief Executive Officer Richard Oldfield seeking to revitalize the UK's largest independent asset management company. According to a person familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity due to the discussion of unannounced matters, Schroders will lay off approximately 200 people, most of whom are in the technology department. This is one of the first major actions by Oldfield since he took office in November. A spokesperson for the London-based company said in a statement, "Our top priority is to simultaneously reposition the business while transitioning to growth." (Sina Finance)
The Horizon Robotics Organization Undergoes Re-adjustment, with Su Qing Leading the Implementation of High-Level Intelligent Driving Solutions
The domestic intelligent driving solution provider, Horizon Robotics, has recently undergone several organizational adjustments, mainly involving the Intelligent Vehicle Business Division, the "Saturn V" project team, etc. After the adjustments are completed, the management authority of Horizon Robotics' high-level intelligent driving R & D and engineering teams will be further concentrated in Su Qing, the Vice President and Chief Architect. (LatePost Auto)
The Frontline of AI
Microsoft Office Raises Prices in the US for the First Time in 12 Years by Incorporating AI Assistant Copilot into Word, Excel, and PPT
On January 16, Microsoft announced that it will integrate its AI assistant Copilot into a series of Office applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote. At the same time, it will increase the monthly subscription price of Microsoft 365, formerly known as Office 365, by $3, effective immediately for new subscribers. This is the first price increase for the software suite since its launch in 2013. (Jiemian News)
Tencent AI Assistant "Yuanbao" Team Moved to CSIG, Led by the Head of Tencent Meeting
36Kr has learned that recently, Tencent's AI assistant application "Yuanbao" has undergone an organizational adjustment. The entire product team has been moved to CSIG (Cloud and Smart Industries Group). After the adjustment, the "Yuanbao" application will be under the responsibility of Wu Zurong (Lori Wu), the person in charge of Tencent Meeting. Wu Zurong is one of the main figures who incubated Tencent Meeting from scratch. Since its launch in 2020, Tencent Meeting now has more than 300 million users and is a phenomenal product in the enterprise service market. From then on, Wu Zurong will mainly be responsible for the product capability building and experience optimization of Yuanbao. The Tencent Hunyuan Large Model R & D team will continue to focus on improving the model's capabilities and performance to provide technical support for "Yuanbao".
Samsung is initiating a collaboration with OpenAI to develop AI TVs
It is reported that Samsung Electronics is coordinating with OpenAI to establish an "open partnership" between the two companies. If the partnership with OpenAI is finally confirmed, it is expected to launch various AI-driven services and create a new generation of AI TVs. (Caixin)
Investment and Financing
"Majie Life Sciences" Completes Multi-Million Yuan Series A+ Financing
36Kr learned that recently, "Majie Life Sciences" successfully completed a multi-million yuan Series A+ financing exclusively invested by Oriza Ventures. This round of financing is the company's second financing in the past nearly 2 months, and the cumulative financing amount of the company's previous two rounds is nearly 100 million yuan. This round of financing will further replenish the company's working capital and be used for the clinical advancement of the company's current medical beauty products and the sales promotion after the listing of orthopedic innovative products.
"Chengxin Zhilian" Completes a New Round of Financing
36Kr has learned that recently, "Chengxin Zhilian" has successfully obtained financing support from two investment institutions, Lihe Capital and Xinhui Investment. Chengxin Zhilian will further increase its investment in technological research and development, talent cultivation, capacity expansion, and market expansion, continuously expand its market share, and enhance its brand influence.
"Yuanshixin" Completes Series A Financing of Hundreds of Millions of Yuan
36Kr learned that recently, "Yuanshixin" successfully completed Series A financing of hundreds of millions of yuan. This round of financing is led by Kaiyuan Securities and Xitou Holdings, and jointly invested by Jiangyi Venture Capital, Xiangfeng Investment, GRC Fuhua Capital, Jingfa Assets and other institutions, providing necessary financial support for the mass production of Yuanshixin's automotive-grade chips.
Cool Products
Switch 2 Confirmed to be Compatible with First-Generation Games, Preview of the New Generation Mario Kart Game
On January 16, Nintendo officially announced the Switch 2 game console, and a direct presentation will be held on April 2 to reveal more detailed information. In the official announcement video, Nintendo confirmed that the Switch 2 supports the game cartridges of the original Switch, which means it can reduce the gaming costs for old players (some games may not be supported, and the details will be announced on the subsequent official Nintendo website page).
In addition, Nintendo also previewed its next-generation Mario Kart game, but Nintendo has not yet announced the specific name and details of the game.
It is reported that a considerable amount of time has passed since the launch of the previous generation of Mario Kart. In addition, Nintendo also launched a mobile spin-off game called Mario Kart Tour in 2019, but the game stopped being updated in 2023 (ITHome).
iPhone SE 4 Mockup Revealed Again, Possibly to Be Released in March or April 2025
According to IT Home, a source posted a tweet on the X platform on January 16, sharing mockup photos of Apple's iPhone SE 4 (or called iPhone 16E). There are two options: black and white. The overall appearance is similar to the iPhone 14, with the Home button removed and a 6.1-inch OLED screen. It is said that the Apple iPhone SE 4 will be equipped with the same A18 chip as the iPhone 16 series and may use Apple's self-developed 5G modem for the first time. In terms of the camera, it is equipped with a 48-megapixel rear camera, which is a significant improvement compared to the 12-megapixel sensor of the existing models.
The Apple iPhone SE 4 will have a unified port configuration, replacing the Lightning interface with a USB-C interface. This change complies with EU regulations and simplifies charging and data transfer for users who already have USB-C accessories. In addition, the iPhone SE 4 may support MagSafe, allowing users to attach chargers and accessories more conveniently. Apple may release the iPhone SE 4 in March/April 2025, and the expected starting price is $499 (currently about 3662 yuan). (IT Home)
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This article is from the WeChat official account "36Kr", and 36Kr is authorized to publish it.