Apple's resilient iPhone sales and Samsung's dominance amidst declining market According to Counterpoint Research, the smartphone market has been impacted by the recent economic difficulties. The report indicates that amidst challenging business conditions, retailers have had to revise their expansion plans and reassess their business strategies. Retail stores have reduced operating hours and lowered salaries due to the reduction in customers since the Lunar New Year. Initially, original equipment manufacturers misjudged the demand, resulting in high inventory levels. Subsequently, realising the actual situation, they rushed to offer discounts to clear the excess stock. All phone manufacturers, except for Apple, experienced a decline in sales in Q1. Glen Cardoza, a senior analyst at Counterpoint Research stated, "The recovery of smartphone demand in Vietnam is expected to be slow in the second quarter of 2023 and will require time while the economy continues to face numerous … [Read more...] about Apple’s resilient iPhone sales and Samsung’s dominance amidst declining market
Iphone 6 new cases
Kick-off of the UNESCO-recognized Saint Giong Festival
One of Hanoi's most fascinating and historic events, the festival is a tribute to Saint Giong, one of Vietnam's four immortals. The 2023 Giong Festival kicked off last week at Phu Dong Temple in Hanoi's suburban Gia Lam district. The festival's opening ceremony also marked the recognition of Phu Dong Commune as a new rural area. The opening ceremony of the Giong Festival at Phu Dong Temple in Phu Dong Commune of Gia Lam District. Photo: Hoang Quyet/The Hanoi Times Speaking at the ceremony, Nguyen Duc Hong, Vice Chairman of Gia Lam District People's Committee, said the district is an ancient land of cultural convergence of Thang Long (original name of Hanoi) and Kinh Bac (an old name designating the northern provinces of Bac Ninh and Bac Giang) and the holy place where Saint Giong was born. "The festival is in commemoration of Saint Giong, or Heavenly King of Phu Dong, who led the country against foreign invaders during the reign of the Sixth Hung King. The … [Read more...] about Kick-off of the UNESCO-recognized Saint Giong Festival
Perfume Pagoda gets ready for a festival kick-off
The Huong (Perfume) Pagoda Festival is one of the biggest celebrations in the Lunar New Year. Preparations have been wrapped up for the Huong (Perfume) Pagoda Festival, one of the biggest celebrations in the Lunar New Year. Everything is ready to welcome thousands of Buddhist pilgrims. The opening ceremony of the Huong Pagoda is held on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, which falls on January 30. The pagoda is a vast complex of Buddhist temples and shrines built in the limestone Huong Tich mountains in Huong Son commune, My Duc district, Hanoi. The Huong Pagoda festival attracts thousands of visitors and Buddhist followers. This year, the religious site is expected to welcome 40,000 – 50,000 people coming to pray and show reverence to Buddha. According to the organizing board, during five days of Tet, the number of visitors to the Huong pagoda increasingly amounted to 15,000, of them, 3.7 thousand … [Read more...] about Perfume Pagoda gets ready for a festival kick-off
Hanoi’s second metro line delayed again to 2027
In a decision issued by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Tuesday, the completion of the capital's second metro line has been pushed back five years later than previously planned. The decision was in line with a recent proposal by the Hanoi People’s Committee to postpone the project’s completion date. The total investment for the project is now over VND34.8 trillion, with VND3.9 trillion more coming from the city budget, and VND2 trillion less coming from Official Development Assistance (ODA). The committee will be responsible for the accuracy of information and statistics regarding the project, including the resolution of potential issues, the decision stated. Hanoi will also be responsible for the delay's extra costs, which will be paid for with funds from the city's 2021-2025 public investment plan. If the project fails to meet its new deadline by the end of 2025, the capital city would have to utilize other sources of funding to complete the project. In April, the … [Read more...] about Hanoi’s second metro line delayed again to 2027
HCMC cops snatch phone snatchers in high-speed chase
Nguyen Cong Thuan, 27, and Duong Le Tuyen Tai, 28, were both arrested on Monday. It all began when officers received reports of a phone-snatching on Nhat Tao Street in District 10 on May 19. After analyzing nearby camera footage, investigators were able to identify the suspects via their license plate numbers. When special forces found Thuan and Tai riding two motorbikes in Hoc Mon District, the pair was exhibiting signs of looking for potential victims. Officers from the special forces stopped the two men for questioning. Tai was apprehended while Thuan tried to escape on his motorbike. A high-speed chase ensued throughout Hoc Mon. Police eventually cornered Thuan at the side of a road and incapacitated him. At the police station, Thuan and Tai admitted to having stolen the phone on May 19. They also admitted to having snatched belongings in two other District 10 cases. … [Read more...] about HCMC cops snatch phone snatchers in high-speed chase
ROBOTACON WRO 2023 organised nationwide
ROBOTACON WRO 2023 is being organised nationwide for the first time Under the theme connecting the world, the ROBOTACON WRO 2023 competition is co-organised by the Embassy of Denmark, Viet Tinh Anh JSC, and LEGO Education. This year, the teams participating in the contest will be divided into groups with tasks under various topics based on current interests from around the world, such as marine life conservation, underwater infrastructure, port automation, and others. According to the Danish ambassador Nicolai Prytz, he is very proud that the Embassy of Denmark is one of the co-organisers of ROBOTACON WRO 2023, the largest and most prestigious competition dedicated to science, technology, and education in Vietnam for students aged 6-19 years. “I believe that this will be a fantastic playground for young Vietnamese people to learn the necessary skills for the 21 st century, such as critical thinking, teamwork, problem-solving, and technology. The competition also … [Read more...] about ROBOTACON WRO 2023 organised nationwide
T&T Group and DB Group form strategic partnership to fuel investment opportunities
A delegation from Vietnam’s T&T Group, led by chairman of the board Do Quang Hien, embarked on a visit to the headquarters of DB Group, a prominent economic powerhouse in South Korea, on May 25. Under this comprehensive accord, T&T Group and DB Group will support each other's endeavours with the shared goal of becoming leaders in Vietnam's thriving insurance sector. Additionally, the two groups have committed to jointly exploring and executing ventures across multiple other industries. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Do Vinh Quang, vice chairman of the Board of Directors and Deputy CEO of T&T Group, highlighted the shared vision of both companies to excel in Vietnam's insurance sector. Recognising the potential in other areas such as finance, asset management, IT, and real estate, Quang emphasised the importance of leveraging these strengths to achieve sustainable growth for both conglomerates. He expressed confidence, stating, “This strategic collaboration will … [Read more...] about T&T Group and DB Group form strategic partnership to fuel investment opportunities
Vietnam Airlines increases flight frequency to Singapore
At the same time, the flight frequency on the Ho Chi Minh City - Singapore route is kept at three flights a day for weekdays. On this occasion, the national flag carrier is offering a special incentive program for passengers buying tickets on all of its sales channels from agents, websites, and mobile apps. Specifically, a round-trip ticket between Hanoi and Singapore is from 5.799 million VND (246.9 USD) (including taxes and fees); and that on the Ho Chi Minh City - Singapore route is from 4.971 trillion VND (including taxes and fees). The offer is applied to passengers who buy tickets from now until December 31, 2023, and depart from June 15 to December 31. In addition, Vietnam Airlines offers one free baggage allowance for each passenger who buys an Economy Flex or Economy class ticket from now until July 31, 2023, applicable for the period of departure from June 15 to July 31, 2023. Vietnam Airlines is continuing to promote international flight routes, including opening new … [Read more...] about Vietnam Airlines increases flight frequency to Singapore
Improving FDI quality, quantity crucial for Vietnam: Insiders
Printer production at Canon Vietnam (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn) Hanoi (VNA) – Amid the slowing down of the global investment flows, experts held that improving both quality and number of foreign investment projects is a heavy task for Vietnam, requiring great efforts from the Vietnamese Government to fulfil the “dual targets”. According to the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), as of May 20, Vietnam had drawn 10.86 billion USD of foreign direct investment (FDI), down 7.3% year on year, including 5.26 billion USD of newly-registered capital, up 27.8%. Do Nhat Hoang, Director of the agency said that the increase in the amount of newly-registered capital in five months was higher than the 11% recorded in the first four months of this year. Meanwhile, the number of new projects in the five-month period also surged 66.4% year on year to 962 projects, showing foreign investors’ strong confidence in the investment environment of Vietnam … [Read more...] about Improving FDI quality, quantity crucial for Vietnam: Insiders
CAAV proposes 2-month pilot of eID accounts for air passengers
Currently, some airports are verifying the identity of passengers with their chip-based citizen ID cards. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam ( CAAV ) will pilot the use of level-2 electronic identification (eID) authentication for air passengers at airports nationwide from June 1 to August 1, it said in its recent report sent to the Ministry of Transport. The level-2 account is created in case the information of the declarant has been verified by a portrait photo or a fingerprint that matches the information recorded in the country’s databases on population, citizen identity, or immigration. According to the proposal, the eID account can replace the physical ID card, and the pilot is voluntary for both passengers and airline staff. The staff must commit not to use passenger information for illegal purposes. In the long term, the CAAV proposed the passenger verification work use both the eID and biometric authentication./. VNA … [Read more...] about CAAV proposes 2-month pilot of eID accounts for air passengers