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The latest news, analysis and opinion on Apps. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
The restructuring saved TikTok from a US ban imposed over concerns about American user data and its ties to China. Photo: AFP
US-China relations

US lifts TikTok ban on government devices after ByteDance restructuring

Justice Department says the app’s new US joint venture is no longer covered by the 2022 prohibition targeting app’s Chinese parent company.

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United States

US court rules tech firms must face lawsuits over social media addiction

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United States

Meta ordered in US to pay US$567 million to address child safety harms

Artificial intelligence

AI | Will AI healthcare be China’s new global growth engine?

Artificial intelligence models and apps that help doctors in China diagnose disease and patients understand their health could be an export gold mine.

Will AI healthcare be China’s new global growth engine?
Good Schools Guide

Are Hong Kong schools equipped to tackle deepfake sexual abuse?

Deepfake apps can produce sexualised fake images within minutes, and child-protection experts are urging schools and families to take this seriously.

US-China relations

Trump nominee vows to sharpen US media challenge to China

Sarah Rogers says Asia would remain a priority for US-funded broadcasters, despite continuing turmoil and reduced operations at the agency.

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Ant Group

Ant Group spin-offs pursue independent growth with strategic capital moves

The Chinese fintech giant’s three spin-off units are accelerating their capital-raising efforts after gaining operational autonomy in 2024.

The Ant Group booth at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on July 17, 2026. Photo: Reuters
Russia

Russia charges Telegram founder with aiding terror, issues wanted alert

FSB accuses app administration of enabling acts of sabotage and cyberfraud by Ukrainian forces.

Trending in China

China teen wins praise for developing app to remind grandpa to take daily medication

With plans to relocate to another city for university in September, Ma worries about his grandfather managing alone, especially as he lives independently.

Wellness

How infinite scrolling hijacks the brain’s reward system like slot machines do

Two experts explain what infinite scrolling does to the brain, why teens are particularly affected, and how to beat the addiction.

The core mechanism of infinite scrolling is similar to slot machines, one expert says, and teens are often hit hardest because the “brake system” in their brains is still maturing. Photo: Fernando Gutierrez-Juarez/dpa
Chinese culture

Can this AI-powered Chinese astrology platform shake up the industry?

Singapore-based astrologer Sean Chan trained Tian Qi on over 9,000 of his own consultations. But not all his peers are so keen on using AI.

Singapore-based astrology Sean Chan uses his AI-powered Chinese metaphysics reading platform Tian Qi. Photo: courtesy of Sean Chan
France

France parliament approves social media ban for children under 15, in EU first

The bill also includes a ban on mobile phones in high schools, expected to take effect from the beginning of the next school year.

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Good Schools Guide

Hong Kong schools are using tech to reshape teen mental health support

Digital ‘third spaces’ are being tested to make mental health support feel more accessible for Gen Alpha – but what can and cannot be replaced by tech?

South Korea

Beggar’s banquet: South Korea’s viral app helps youth find cheap meals

South Korea’s youth unemployment rate reached 7.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2026 – the highest since 2021.

People walk through a food alley in Seoul, South Korea, on June 27. Photo: AFP
Artificial intelligence

China’s StepFun beats Apple and OpenAI to ‘world’s first AI phone’

Tencent-backed firm launches the AI-native StepX Neo smartphone, challenging US tech giants amid Apple-OpenAI legal clashes.

Tencent Holdings-backed StepFun introduced the StepX Neo in Shanghai on Monday, which it claims to be the world's first agentic smartphone. Photo: Weibo
European Union

EU demands ‘youth mode’ to protect children from addictive social media features

The addictive features include infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications and highly personalised recommender systems.

Indonesia

‘Grading own homework’: is Indonesia outsourcing online safety to tech giants?

Without a regulator, Indonesia’s child online safety rules require digital platforms to assess and remove underage accounts themselves.

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European Union

Apple loses challenges against EU rules to curb Big Tech

The EU Digital Markets Act has triggered legal challenges by Apple, Meta and ByteDance since it took effect in May 2023.

An iPhone and the European Union logo in the background. Apple will be able to appeal on matters of law to the Court of Justice of the European Union, Europe’s highest. Photo: AFP
Wellness

What is ‘urge surfing’? How does it help with addiction and bad habits?

The technique manages cravings and compulsive behaviours like phone addiction by encouraging people to ride out their urges like waves.

South Korea

South Korea ‘fake news’ law triggers free speech, censorship fears

The scope extends beyond social media to malicious reviews and defamatory posts on online communities, delivery apps and shopping platforms.

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Malaysia

Why Malaysia’s tourism boom lives and dies on a Chinese app

RedNote has made Malaysia a must-visit for Chinese tourists, but it can dismantle reputations just as fast as it builds them.

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A woman holds her smartphone displaying the Chinese social networking and e-commerce app RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu. Photo: AFP
Australia

Australia PM: ‘too many children on social media’, ban too easy to avoid

According to a British ‌study, 85 per cent of Australians aged 12 to 15 were still using social media three months after the ban took effect.

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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks at Question Time in the House of Representatives at Australian Parliament House in 2024, in Canberra. Photo: TNS
The Future of Marketing in Asia

China’s digital platforms redefine global marketing strategies

The mainland’s app ecosystem integrates content, discovery and transaction into a single and seamless experience.

The Future of Marketing in Asia

The art of persuasion enters the AI era

Content creators have risen to eclipse traditional ad formats, but now, as AI takes centre stage, the battle for authenticity is on.

Apple

Apple faces new antitrust complaint over ‘unfair’ App Store fees in China

The developers asked the antitrust regulator to investigate and penalise Apple for allegedly ‘abusing the company’s market dominance’.

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People queue outside an Apple store to see the new iPhone 17 lineup in Hangzhou on September 19, 2025. Photo: AFP
Central Asia

Afghan government workers face sack, jail after smartphone ban begins

Employees will be available only ‘via telephone calls and email’, an official says, citing an order from the supreme leader.

A man uses smartphones in Kabul on Tuesday. Photo: EPA
Artificial intelligence

China’s Alipay gets AI-agent overhaul to challenge rivals Tencent and ByteDance

Fintech giant is seen leveraging its billion-user base to launch a conversational interface that coordinates 10,000 services, with safeguards.

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Britain

UK bans under 16s from social media apps including TikTok, YouTube

The move makes the UK part of a growing global movement to tighten online safety for children.

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