Smartphone vendors boost offline channels in India
Smartphone growth in India’s largest 30 cities increased 10.2 per cent sequentially in Q2, but demand in tier 2 and 3 cities outplaced demand in tier 1 cities (13 per cent vs 8 per cent) as the largest urban areas are starting to face saturation.

According to IDC, the majority of buyers in tier 1 markets use online sales channels, but as vendors look to tap the consumer base in smaller cities and rural areas they are increasingly setting up offline distribution networks.

Upasana Joshi, senior analyst at IDC India, said it is seeing changes in the distribution strategies by many vendors, with many popular online exclusive models being made available offline as well, such as Xiaomi Redmi Note3, Le Eco Le1s and Moto G Turbo Edition.

Singtel introduces ZoneAlarm security app
Singtel is offering a mobile security app from Check Point Software that provides protection from a range of cyber threats.

ZoneAlarm, available for iOS and Android devices, performs detailed risk assessments by scanning installed apps, detecting unsafe Wi-Fi networks and recommending the most secure Wi-Fi hotspot options. It alerts users of suspicious processes running on their phones and protects their operating system from attacks.

The app is available as a value-added service to all Singtel mobile postpaid customers at SGD2.90 ($2.15) per month.

Smart, Globe support hotline for crime prevention
Smart and Globe Telecom in the Philippines signed an agreement with the national police to provide a text platform and internet connectivity for its ‘Text Bato’ hotline service.

The 24/7 hotline project allows citizens to report crimes and law enforcement concerns directly to the police chief director. Once a report reaches the hotline, the platform will respond with a confirmation to the sender.

According to Philippines National Police, the hotline is centralised and connected to the provincial and regional police officers. Upon receiving a report, the PNP is able to refer the report or complaint to the concerned police station.

M1 signs up 3 security partners
Singapore’s M1 expanded its suite of enterprise managed corporate cyber security solutions by signing deals with Palo Alto Networks, Proficio and Red Sentry.

M1’s cloud-based cyber security offering now includes Palo Alto Networks’ Next-Generation Security Platform, Proficio’s 24/7 Security Operations Centre network monitoring service and Red Sentry’s vulnerability scanning and assessment service.