InMobi to invest $50M in Indonesia
Mobile advertising platform provider InMobi plans to invest up to $50 million over the next five years to expand in Indonesia.

The India-based firm, which aims to bring in talent from India as well as hire locally, plans to develop mobile video ad and customer-relationship management platforms, the Jakarta Post reported.

A survey the company conducted found video-based ads on mobile devices in Indonesia jumped by 380 per cent last year.

InMobi founder and CEO Naveen Tewari told the newspaper its platform now reaches 90 per cent of smartphone users, or 69 million users in Indonesia. “We offer an ad platform that can reach a larger scale than television advertising,” Naveen said.

Apple looks to China for next-gen screens
Apple is considering sourcing displays for future iPhones from China’s BOE Technology, but talks reportedly are in the early stages and the US-based vendor hasn’t made a decision on selecting the firm as a supplier.

According to Bloomberg, Apple has been testing BOE’s active-matrix organic LED (AMOLED) screens for months. Samsung is a major supplier of screens for iPhones. The US company is looking for alternatives to deal with a global shortage of OLED displays.

BOE is one of China’s largest makers of screens, including PC and TV displays, and is building two AMOLED plants in Sichuan at a cost of nearly CNY100 billion ($14.5 billion). Bloomberg said if BOE is selected, it will be the first supplier of the next-generation screens to Apple outside of South Korea and Japan.

Smart, Huawei sign 5G partnership deal
PLDT’s wireless unit Smart and Huawei agreed to jointly conduct R&D on 5G, with plans to set up a 5G innovation lab and create a showcase network.

PLDT and Smart chairman and CEO Manuel Pangilinan recently signed a memorandum of understanding in Shenzhen with Jacky Gao Kexin, CEO of Huawei Philippines.

“This collaboration with Huawei is an important part of PLDT and Smart’s efforts to bring the most advanced technologies to the Philippines,” said Ray Espinosa, the operator’s chief corporate services officer.

Indosat invests in startups
Indosat Ooredoo, Indonesia’s second largest mobile operator, plans to invest $150,000 in three startups selected from a pool of 1,200 candidate enterprises that applied though its IdeaBox programme.

The operator, with a 22 per cent market share, aims to expand its user base and gain insight about its operations by working with startups, Indosat chief digital services officer Prashant Gokarn told the Jakarta Post.

Andalin’s online service helps SMEs with import-export processes, Ayo Slide is a mobile marketing platform and Savva is an online renting platform for baby items, photographic equipment and fashion goods.

The IdeaBox was started in 2013. Gokarn said Indosat has invested in nearly 20 companies.